Discussions: Part 1

Draco sat sideways in the window seat, the shimmering green light from the lake illuminating half of his face. One leg was planted on the ground, the other was bent in toward his lap. Harry sat with his back to the window, close to Draco, eyes closed and mentally floating. Draco lifted his hand and pressed a single finger into Harry's mouth, and he realized his hand was trembling faintly.

"I want my touch to heal you," he whispered, staring unblinking at the side of his boy's relaxed face.

Harry hummed in response.

Without adrenaline coursing through is veins, Draco felt reaction set in. His very first class had been a disaster. So much was riding on things going right. Draco needed supporters, needed to gather an army that would surround and protect Harry. He needed to get stronger, smarter… He hadn't anticipated such hostility from Snape. Was it because he'd refused Slytherin?

Draco blinked slowly and pulled his wet finger from Harry's mouth. It tingled with the charge of his boy's warm magic and he gently stroked one of Harry's bruised nipples. Harry sighed softly, eyes still closed, completely limp and trusting.

Draco hadn't realized how much stress they'd been under. Moving to a new place, the uncertainty of the Sorting, sharing a room and feeling Neville's presence close by even while they were sleeping, and then the disaster of their first class… It had been a lot to handle. Almost too much. He'd been rougher with Harry than he liked, fueled by adrenaline and rattled by all the stress…

Draco caressed Harry's chest until red and purple faded into pale pink and the swelling disappeared. "What would you have done?" he asked barely over a whisper.

Green eyes cracked open. Harry felt like a warm haze had wrapped him up in layers of fluff, but Draco was asking him something. It took him a long minute to understand what he wanted, but he finally answered, "Asked where I should go."

Draco said nothing. He dropped his hand to rest on Harry's bare stomach and leaned his head against the cold glass, tired and frustrated.

Snape had obviously known there were no more spots, that there were an odd number of students. What purpose would it have served to ask about a seat that wasn't there? Of course, looking back with a clear head, Draco realized Snape's purpose had been to make him submit by making Draco beg for a place. Any other student would have done the same as Harry, but Draco was broken. His instinctual reaction had been to push back harder than he was being pushed. And things had exploded.

Soft fingers stroked his cheek and he opened his eyes to see Harry staring at him - love contentment trust. Harry smiled and feathered his fingers over Draco's lips in a caress. Draco, throat tight, pulled Harry more firmly into his lap. He held him close and let his mind drift.

They stayed in the lake-view room for nearly an hour, curled up together in the window seat like kittens, murmuring in soft voices love and comfort until it was time to rejoin the world. They made a quick trip to their dorm room to gather their Charms textbooks, splash water on their faces, and get fresh shirts and ties.

As they dressed, Harry brushed his fingers over the crescent scabs from Draco's nails on the outer edge of his butt cheeks. Draco had tried to heal them, but he had sensed Harry's sadness and had stopped. Harry hated going against what Draco wanted, but he couldn't help how much he liked the marks. They made him feel strong, loved. They reminded him on a very real level what Draco was capable of.

It was a huge comfort to know that all of that force was being directed at keeping them safe and happy. With Draco taking the lead, things would work out. They'd be okay. Feeling the dull throb and sting of the marks that Draco had left on his body and the collar snug to his throat… They let him breathe easy, helped keep Harry's constant anxiety at bay.

Freshly dressed and feeling stronger, Harry looked deep into Draco's eyes. "Thank you," he whispered with full-hearted sincerity.

Draco smiled that soft smile only Harry ever saw and gently kissed Harry's lips. "Come on. We have Charms next."

Using Harry's map, they made it to the classroom in fifteen minutes and were the first to arrive.

"Good morning, boys," a small, high voice said from the front of the room.

"Good morning, Professor," Draco and Harry answered back simultaneously, surprised by their professor's appearance.

The man was small. Barely over three feet, he was standing on what looked like a pile of thick, hardback books to see over his desk. A shock of white hair surrounded his head and face. He wore sky blue robes and a matching pointed hat with its tip folding over. His smile was kind.

"Welcome to my class. I'm Professor Flitwick. Please, sit anywhere you feel comfortable. I'm surprised you made it so quickly, considering you came from the dungeons." He gave them a playfully stern look. "You don't already know the whereabouts of secret passages, do you?"

Draco shook his head with a smile. "No, sir. We were dismissed early from Potions."

"I see." A worried look came over his face.

"We won't cause any trouble," Harry assured him, thinking the professor was afraid they were troublemakers.

"Unless you start it first," Draco muttered almost too low to hear. He was still unhappy about Potions. He couldn't understand why Snape had been so vicious, but Draco wouldn't be pushed around by anyone, so he had pushed back. Of course, he still had the problem of pushing back harder than necessary, but Snape of all people knew that.

"Oh, dear," Flitwick murmured. "I wouldn't dream of thinking you were." There was a moment of silence as the little professor considered them. "I suggest you talk to Headmaster Dumbledore if certain things are going to interfere with your education. I would also contact your parents. It is not productive to suffer in silence, my boys. Remember that."

Harry smiled sweetly. "Thank you, sir. We will remember."

Draco tilted his head thoughtfully. Maybe he should contact the Malfoys. Was that what Snape had hoped he'd do? If it was what a "normal" child would do, then he should adhere to that, shouldn't he? As his mind raced, Draco very carefully kept this expression and body language calm. He didn't want to put stress on Harry, not when his boy was still floating in a very relaxed mental space.

Hermione with her map led the way for the other Gryffindor First years. It made Draco smirk, knowing how dead set Ron had been against it and yet here he was following Hermione around. The group hesitated in the doorway, eyes wide when they caught sight of Draco and Harry. Then they all hurried forward.

"I think you're dead, mate," Ron exclaimed. "Snape is gonna kill you."

"Why would you sit at his desk?" Hermione demanded, clearly scandalized. "What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking there were no other desks. What was I supposed to do?" Draco calmly asked.

"Ask for a new desk!" Lavender hissed at him.

"We're down seventy-five points in the first day," Seamus added hotly. "The upper years are going to be cheesed off!"

Draco actually hadn't considered that angle and frowned. He was on thin ice with Gryffindor, this wasn't going to help. "Snape was clearly out to get me no matter what I did. I couldn't have prevented it," he argued. "I'll fix it, okay?"

"Good morning, students!" Flitwick said a little louder for the third time. "I see we have quiet the energetic group. However, it is time to learn Charms, children."

Everyone settled into seats and took notes on Professor Flitwick's opening lecture, but the group of kids continued to shoot Draco glances throughout the class. Draco sighed and took strength in the - calm trust - that flowed through the bond. Harry wasn't worried in the least. He was completely confident in Draco's ability to handle this. Draco steeled himself, determined to make that the reality.

After Charms, the class made their way to the Great Hall, but Draco and Harry stepped off the stairs one floor early.

Ron sighed loudly and asked, "Where are you going now?"

"To see the headmaster," Draco answered with a cheeky smile, one hand hooking the bangs that had fallen around his face back behind his ear.

Ron called after them, "Try not to make things worse!"

"Acid pops," Draco stated once they crossed the gargoyle corridor and stood in front of the Headmaster's Guardian.

The gargoyle stepped aside and the two boys climbed the stairs to Dumbledore's office. It was even more impressive than the last time Draco had seen it. Sunlight glinted off the items and figures twirling and whirling. Dust motes shimmered in sunbeams giving the area surrounding the old books a mystical feel. Harry's - awe - made it seem so much more mysterious and majestic.

"Good afternoon, boys. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Dumbledore asked cheerfully, standing behind his desk. He swept his hand forward to indicate the two chairs placed before it. "Lemon drop?"

Harry accepted with a quiet, "Thank you, sir."

Dumbledore practically beamed, handing over the treat. "You are welcome, Harry," he said and took a seat in his throne-like chair. "Now what can I do for you?"

"Sir, we had a bit of an altercation with Professor Snape this morning. He made unreasonable demands and made it clear he was displeased with our very presence. He took seventy points off us, gave us detention, and kicked us out of class. I was advised by Professor Flitwick to inform you and our guardians because, if this continues, it will interfere with our education. Potions is a core class, is it not?"

Dumbledore steepled his fingers in front of his face, looking at them seriously over his half-moon glasses. "I see." He paused a moment to consider them. "I cannot say I am surprised that Professor Snape showed you disfavor. There are many reasons for him to do so. That he went so far tells me that you escalated things, my boy, and forced his hand so to speak."

"You are saying this is my fault?" Draco asked quietly, mind working furiously as he tried to understand any subtler meanings behind Dumbledore's words.

"You, my boy, are very… assertive," Dumbledore answered carefully. "That is an asset in its place, but there are times when you have to weather the storm to conserve energy instead of fighting it."

"I don't understand," Draco admitted and met the headmaster's stare directly. "Snape will continue to attack me and I'm not supposed to react? To what purpose?"

Dumbledore set his hands down on the desk. He leaned forward and spoke very seriously. "You will have to trust there is a reason, my boy. It is not something I can reveal at this time. However, I do believe Severus hopes to make you bear the brunt of his performance to spare Harry as much as he can."

Draco considered that, but he saw only one choice and it was the same one as this morning. "I can't not react to him attacking and humiliating me, Headmaster. Especially if he comes after Harry."

Dumbledore hummed and then offered, "If Severus keeps his act within the realm of an exacting taskmaster, is occasionally unfair, and uses intonation to convey his disfavor, would you be able to handle it without retaliating in front of the other students? He is your professor, Mr. Malfoy, and students aren't permitted to be defiant."

Draco lifted an eyebrow. "I don't understand. Why did you let me go to Gryffindor if you don't want me to be defiant?"

Dumbledore chuckled, eyes sparkling. "Choosing your fate isn't defiance, Mr. Malfoy. We are what our choices make of us. I am pleased you would choose the Light."

Draco stared. What the fuck was that crap? Surely the headmaster wasn't really that naive, was he? Just because Draco was in Gryffindor didn't make him some champion of Goodness and Light. Nor did Slytherin mean evil. Draco knew from painful experience that someone who looked nice could be horribly evil, and someone who appeared dangerous could be kind. The worst, or best depending how you looked at it, Death Eaters would not be Slytherin. They were the ones who could hide who they truly were and so cause more damage to the unsuspecting.

"What about the point system?" Harry spoke up for the first time as Draco sat thinking. He kept his voice and demeanor as polite as possible. "Seventy points from Gryffindor in a single period is too much. Gryffindor won't tolerate that." Or tolerate Draco, he thought - worried.

"I believe you will be surprised." Dumbledore smiled so wide they could see his teeth through his beard. "Gryffindor will stand by their own. Now, I believe it would be best to summon Andromeda. She can be seen eating with us tonight at dinner and it will lend credence as to why Severus has to be a little more discrete about his supposed dislike."

Draco gave Harry's hand a squeeze, silently telling him he would handle the point thing and was rewarded by the worry simmering through the bond dissolving. Standing, he politely asked, "May I use your floo?"

"Of course, my boy." Dumbledore rose form his seat and came around his desk. He led Draco to the fireplace and offered him some floo powder from the mantle. His cheerful demeanor dimmed, however, when Draco called, "Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire."

Draco calmly explained before he put his head in the fire, "Andromeda has been spared most of the 'Lost Boys' fervor. I want her in the public eye as little as possible. Besides, Lucius is the more intimidating presence and on the Hogwarts' Board of Governors."

Dumbledore gave Harry a look. The messy-haired boy stood a few paces back from the fireplace and seemed completely at ease. Dumbledore sighed and resigned himself to dealing with Lucius. He waited longer than he'd expected, Draco's conversation with his father lasting about five minutes.

They couldn't hear them from this end and Dumbledore wondered what exactly Draco had to say that would take so long, and then he realized the boy probably had to explain why he was in Gryffindor in the first place. That brought a cheerful smile back to Dumbledore's face. It always felt so satisfying to purloin the children of Dark families to the side of the Light.

Draco finally pulled his head from the floo and out stepped Lucius Malfoy, regal and cold, cane in hand and his long hair tied back with a thin silk ribbon. Dumbledore twinkled at him, but was disappointed to see a non-flustered smile upon Lord Malfoy's face.

Lucius's grey eyes settled on Harry. "Congratulations on Gryffindor," he said with a polite nod. "I am sure your birth parents would be pleased."

"Thank you, Lucius," Harry answered with a smile.

Dumbledore kept his expression pleasant, but inside he was deeply suspicious at the easiness between the two.

Lucius turned to his old enemy. "Headmaster, I believe we have to discuss the conduct of one of your teachers."

Draco held out his hand. "Come on, Harry."

Harry took it obediently and followed him out of the office.

"We missed lunch, but we have a free period before Magical Theory. Dora gave me the directions to the kitchens," Draco explained. He didn't like it when Harry missed meals. He'd taken the Healer's warnings about the negative effects of malnutrition to heart.

Narcissa watched her husband floo away to deal with the situation at Hogwarts and her relaxed posture filled with tension. This was her chance. Lucius would be gone for several hours.

She'd known as soon as he had shown her his bare arm that he was hiding something big from her. There was no other reason to keep her in the dark regarding the ritual and it was very telling that he was careful not to name the exact ritual he'd used.

She went directly toward the dungeons. It was where they had a ready ritual room and altar. She had used it every year for the blood ritual to try and find their son. It was the most logical place to begin to look for clues. She didn't, however, expect to turn around, just remembering the letter she had wanted to write to Mrs. Parkinson….

Narcissa stopped and narrowed her eyes dangerously. There was a subtle Forgetfulness Ward to repel those trying to enter the dungeon. She broke it easily and then had to face Lottie who tried to bar her entrance. Narcissa had Dobby restrain and gag her, much to Dobby's distress.

Her heart beat a mile a minute as she descended into the dark. A Lumos lit the way and she found herself standing tensely in front of a warded and sealed cell door. Lucius was keeping a prisoner. Taking a deep breath, she gathered her strength and readied her wand, determined to break open her husband's secret.

Chapter end.

A/N: Any ideas for pranks to pull on the Gryffindor bullies and/or Slytherins who are still pissed, I'd really appreciate hearing them. Also, I'd love some feedback on a Gryffindor Draco. What would you like most to see or have me take advantage of? What do you not want to see? I need a few kick-starting ideas because I'm hitting writer's block. I give you my thanks in advance!