The Deal
Thank you for all those reviews for the last chapter. Please enjoy this chapter and don't forget to review. Minimum of four reviews before the next chapter comes up, only so it gives me some time to get mu Uni work done as well as the next few chapters for this story. :D
Chapter Eight
Harry took Draco down to Soho and they had a beautiful Chinese meal. Afterwards they even managed to get tickets to see Chicago. Harry paid for everything of course and didn't let Draco even know how much he was spending.
Eventually the evening had to come to an end and they had to return to Hogwarts. Both teens loathed to go back and admit that their second date was over. However it did have to be done eventually.
"I've had an amazing time tonight Harry, I can't believe you did all of that for me." Draco said smiling happily, he was completely relaxed and had forgotten about all the worries plaguing his mind.
"I enjoyed it too, it's been amazing tonight." Harry said, the two of them were holding hands and walking along the street. They were close to the Leaky Cauldron so they were planning to use the floo network to get back to Hogwarts.
"Does this night really have to end?" Draco asked, stopping the two of them in the street so that they could share a kiss.
"It does but we don't, not for this month anyway." Harry said.
"I know I say this a lot but thank you, I really appreciate everything you've done for me and this month, if it goes as well as it has the last few days then I don't think it's going to be as terrible as I first thought it might be."
"You thought it was going to be terrible?" Harry questioned, not feeling hurt at all because he had expected that reaction to begin with.
"Part of me did. I didn't know what your motivations were or anything. Now I know different and I've had a really nice time. I didn't think it would be this amazing."
"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself. Tomorrow is when the hard work starts though."
"Yeah, I'm actually looking forward to it. It'll give me a sense of purpose again."
"You've always had a purpose Dray, just not always the right one."
"Yeah, I spent so much time trying to please my father I didn't ever stop to think if it was the right thing to do." Draco said and he sounded deeply unhappy.
"That's all behind you now, you are a good man, never think otherwise." Harry said stroking a stray hair behind his ear. Draco blushed, not really knowing what to say. "Come on, let's get back. We've no doubt been missed and we can see how your mum is doing." Draco nodded and Harry kissed him one more time.
The y went through into the leaky cauldron and used the floo network to get back to Hogwarts. They arrived rather suddenly in the Great Hall. It was empty, dinner having long since finished. Most people were either in bed or were gone. Most of them having returned home to resume their normal lives.
"It's so quiet here."
"Yeah, I think it's going to be that way for a while." Harry said looking around the empty hall and sighing. It was odd to see the school so empty and lifeless. He had never considered the school like this, it almost didn't feel like his home anymore.
"I'm going to go and see mum, can I see you tomorrow?" Draco asked, he felt as if he was blowing Harry off after such a wonderful and obviously expensive date.
"That's fine, let me know how she is okay, if you need anything I'll be in Gryffindor tower."
They shared a brief parting kiss and then Draco left leaving Harry very much alone in the enormous castle. He moved towards the room where Voldemort's body still lay. It had been locked away in a room off the great hall. Of course no one had claimed him and no one ever would.
It fell to Harry to deal with it. No one else was going to be able to stomach the task. He was actually glad that Draco had gone off to see his mum. He didn't want his boyfriend to witness this, not after they had shared such a lovely afternoon and evening together.
Using his wand he unlocked the door, undoing all of the protective spells and locking charms that had been placed on the door. He opened the door and looked in at the dead and twisted body of the man that had tormented his life from his first year of life.
"You don't deserve to be in this castle Tom, you're a monster, your memory needs to be removed from this castle so that you don't tarnish anymore magical generations." Harry said, speaking to the dead body. Voldemort looked worse than he had even in life.
"What will you do with him?" McGonagall asked from behind him.
"Burn him and then I'm going to remove his name from every plaque and plate in this place. His memory shouldn't live on." Harry said without looking at her.
"I agree. Do you need help?" She asked.
"No, this is something that I need to do myself, but thank you." Harry said, McGonagall nodded and left him to it. She understood better than anyone that this was something he had to do.
Using his wand Harry levitated Voldemort's body out into the grounds of Hogwarts. He moved him well away from the castle, he walked out of the front doors of the castle, down the stone steps, past the lake, past the pumpkin patch next to Hagrid's Hut where the party was still going on, skirting round the forbidden forest to where the dragon pavilion had been in his fourth year, all the while levitating Voldemort's body in front of him.
No one challenged him, no one joined him. Though everyone who was still in the castle watched from a distance. The only two people who weren't watching were Draco and Narcissa. They were too concerned about the fact that the potion didn't appear to be having any effect. Narcissa was in a very deep sleep and couldn't wake up.
Harry, unaware of how distressed his boyfriend was becoming continued on his journey. The walk was long, especially with the body of Voldemort in tow but finally Harry laid the Dark Lord upon the damn floor.
There were no words to be spoken, no one but Harry here to witness the burial. No one to shed a tear and no one to care that he was gone. Every single witch and wizard in the wizarding world couldn't deny that they were overjoyed that he was finally gone. Even the surviving Deatheater's breathed a sigh of relief.
"Incendio!" Harry said, there was no passion to his voice, he just said the word and flicked his wand towards Voldemort and stood there, watching as the body erupted in emerald green flames.
The most vial and sickly smell immediately filled the surrounding air. It would have made most people gag or even vomit but not Harry, the smell of death and scorched flesh did nothing to affect Harry. He was transfixed by the colour of the flames. He had never seen something so beautiful yet so destructive and final.
He stood there for half an hour until the frail body was nothing but ash. Then Harry buried the ash in a hole 8ft deep, it was as deep as he could be bothered to go using magic. He the filled it in and walked away. He didn't stand on ceremony. Voldemort didn't deserve to be remembered now only he would know where he was buried and no body would ever be found.
It was a long walk back but Harry took his time, he didn't think about what he had just done, instead he thought about the time he had spent with Draco that day and realised that he was probably completely falling in love with the blonde. Of course he'd never say it aloud or admit it to Draco, he didn't want to scare Draco off.
Meanwhile Draco was sat in the hospital wing sobbing. His mother in the bed that he sat next to. Draco had taken her there when she hadn't woken up. Poppy was equally as concerned and agreed that Narcissa needed to be here.
"What's happening to her?" Draco asked as Poppy finished checking her over. The hospital wing was empty now. Everyone having been discharged and sent home healthy.
"The curse that Lucius attached to the divorce is stronger than I thought. He thought this through, it wasn't a spur of the moment decision. It appears to be an extremely strong sleeping curse. I have never seen anything this bad before. I will confer with my colleagues at St Mungo's. I think you should be prepared that she might have to be moved there as they are more equipped to help her."
Draco nodded, "Do you think this will kill her?" He asked.
"I cannot give you a definitive answer I'm afraid, I would say it is doubtful as long as we keep her nourished and hydrated, however I've never seen of anything like this happening before, we'll have to watch her carefully and see what happens. No harm will come to her here or at St Mungo's where ever she ends up. We will do everything we can for her."
"Thank you." Draco said still crying, he didn't want to lose his mum.
"Would you like me to find Harry for you?" Poppy asked. Draco nodded, there was no one he wanted to be by his side more than Harry right now. "I'll see if he's back."
"Back?" Draco asked confused, he wasn't aware that Harry had gone anywhere.
"Yes, he went to dispose of the body of Voldemort. I think he's back in the castle now though." Poppy summoned her Patronus, a delicate little robin that oddly suited her. She sent the small creature off to find Harry, something Draco was extremely grateful for.
Harry arrived moments later, he recognized Poppy's Patronus form from other encounters. He had panicked slightly when the robin had appeared and he had ran to the hospital wing, worried that something had happened to Draco.
"What's wrong?" Harry asked a little breathless from charging up here from the entrance hall.
Before anyone could respond Draco was in Harry arms still crying. He looked to Poppy to explain why his boyfriend was so distressed. She didn't need to say anything, she motioned towards the bed where Narcissa lay and immediately he understood.
"What happened to her?" Harry questioned.
"Whatever curse Lucius put on her is getting worse. I'm going to go and consult with my colleagues, I've never dealt with anything this serious. I'll leave the two of you alone for a moment."
Harry held Draco while he sobbed. He hated the fact that the Slytherin was hurting so badly. To know that there was nothing that he could do to stop the pain he was experiencing was heart breaking for Harry. He didn't want Draco hurting this badly and Harry vowed that he was going to make it better for him.
"I'm going to fix this for you Draco, I promise, I'll fix it for both of you okay." Harry said determinedly. He was going to keep that promise and he was going to start by tracking down the man responsible for putting Narcissa into a coma.
