Chapter 10

Harry winced as he attempted to move his shoulder and flexed his arm, wincing again. Looking in the mirror, Harry studied his reflection, particularly the white bandage tapped to his shoulder.

It had been a week since the shooting outside Tom's bar and Harry had been recuperating since then. The excuse they gave the school was that Harry threw out his shoulder while wrestling with Ron and he wasn't to move it for a few weeks. Dumbledore didn't press the issue and granted Harry permission to use the pain pills Pomfrey gave him.

Sighing Harry threw on his shirt, tie and place the arm sling over his shoulder and rested his arm in it. Picking up his jacket he swung it over his shoulder and walked out of the bathroom. Walking downstairs he greeted Sirius who was filling a glass of orange juice.

"Are you hungry, Harry?" asked Sirius. "I was just about to make toaster waffles."

Harry laughed. "I'll pass," he said. "You burn toaster waffles."

Harry walked over and began making himself some breakfast. He put waffles in the toaster, took out some syrup for topping, butter and orange juice.

"So how are you getting to school," asked Sirius as both ate their breakfasts.

"Ron's taking me. Somehow all three of us are going to fit in that rust bucket."

"If he gets the car started," said Sirius and both laughed. A few minutes later Harry was out the door, juggling his jacket and back pack.

"Here," said Sirius walking over and taking the backpack. Harry gave him a grateful smile as he put on the jacket, settling the sleeve over his wounded shoulder. With a smile he took his backpack from Sirius and ran out to join Ron and Ginny in the rusted red truck.

"Harry, you won't believe it!" said Ron as Harry got in. "I started Ol' Red and it didn't stall! Not once!"

"Are you serious?" asked Harry scooting in next to Ginny. Ginny giggled.

"Yep," she said with a knowing smile. Harry gave her a curious look as Ron started the car and they drove to Hogwarts. When they reached the school they were greeted by Hermione and walked to their classes. Ron and Hermione went ahead.

"You wouldn't have had anything to do with Ron's engine not stalling," asked Harry to Ginny in an amusing tone.

"Maybe," said Ginny smiling.

"Ginny…."

"All right, all right, I replaced the engine."

"You replaced the engine?!" said Harry in surprise.

"I would have given him a new car but he loves Ol' Red," said Ginny. "I used the many you gave me."

"Great, I'm glad that money's come to some good."

"Hey, Harry," called Ron and both looked up at him. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Just how great it is that your car finally works for once," said Ginny with a smile. "I better get to class. Later, guys."

"Bye, Ginny."

Waving goodbye they walked to their homeroom and sat down with Seamus, Neville and Dean. As Neville talked about his date with Luna Harry looked over at Draco to see the blonde watching them. Harry gave a curt nod before turning back to his friend.

XXXXXXXX

Draco watched Harry dribbled one handed as the other teenager watched the rest of the class play volleyball. He had a blue rubber ball in his injured hand, squeezing it to work the muscles in his arms. Ever since the drive-by Draco had been more jumpy, afraid the one of the thugs had seen him with Harry and reported Draco to Lucius. Luckily nothing out of the ordinary happened at the manor so either Draco wasn't seen or no one told for fear of Lucius' wrath. Draco prayed it was the former.

"Draco, heads up!"

Draco looked up in time to duck as he ball sailed over his head, hitting the ground before bouncing again. Hooch blew her whistle.

"Point Red Team."

"Hey, Draco," called Blaise walking over to him as the other team cheered. "Are you all right? You've been jumpy for the last few days."

"I'm fine," said Draco dusting himself off.

"Are you sure? If you need anything…."

"I said I'm fine, Blaise," said Draco loudly. Blaise looked at him in surprise and everyone else as well. Even Harry stared at Draco with a surprised confused expression. Draco cleared his throat and went to retrieve the ball. Walking back he handed it to the Red Team and went to his friend. "Blaise, I'm sorry…."

"Hey, man, forget it," said Blaise and took up his position in the game. Draco watched Blaise for a moment, guilt riding in his chest, but he didn't show it as he joined the game.

Later Draco exited the boy's locker room after a quick shower and dressed back into his school clothes. His outburst earlier had not only embarrassed him but now he was worried that someone was going to ask the same question that Blaise did. So far no one made a comment on Draco's outburst.

"Malfoy, I want to talk to you."

And the hope just died. Draco turned as Harry walked over to Draco. Harry's jacket was half stuffed in the sack that hung over the boy's shoulder. His right arm was still in the sling and showed no pain from the injury. Draco doubt Harry was in pain, not with the pain killer's Pomfrey had given him.

"What do you want, Potter," asked Draco. "I don't have time to associate with pathetic attention grabbers."

Harry's eyes flashed as he stopped in front of Draco. 'Figured he wouldn't change,' he thought.

"I'm so glad you could fit me in your oh so busy schedule." Grabbing Draco's arm he lead Draco to the boy's bathroom, shoved the teenager in and looked at Draco after walking in. "What the hell was that about?"

"None of your business!" said Draco annoyed.

"I was your bodyguard so it is my business," said Harry. "Did you tell him about the drive-by?"

"What? No! God, no!" said Draco. "I haven't told anyone. If my father found out I was there with you I'd be six feet under before you could say Happy Birthday. He wouldn't care if I was his son."

Harry paused as Draco finally let out the fear that had been plaguing him for the past week. Harry didn't know that Draco felt threatened by the guy's night out they had, as it might be because of the shootout.

"Sorry, Malfoy," he said. "I shouldn't have pressed. I'll leave."

And he turned for the door but Draco stopped him.

"No, I'm sorry, Potter. You were just doing your job."

Harry smiled over at him. "Yeah, and I don't get paid. Maybe I should ask for a raise."

The statement was both surprising and funny that Draco had to laugh. Harry looked at Draco in surprised confusion before joining the blonde. The bell rang to start the next class.

"Well, I'll see you in Chemistry," said Draco as he walked toward the door and opened it for Harry.

"Yeah, thanks," said Harry walking out. "And thanks for taking care of me. You didn't have to."

"Yes, I did," said Draco looking away from Harry. "You took a shot for me, Potter. I had to take care of you."

"Still thanks."

Draco turned to see Harry smile at him before walking down the hall. Draco watched Harry leave before walking to his French Class.

XXXXXXXX

Harry waved Ron and Ginny farewell as the truck drove away. Ron was still amazed the engine was running so smoothly. Harry didn't have the heart to tell him that Ginny had replaced the engine in Ol' Red, that and he wouldn't know how to explain himself. He did have a part to play in acquiring the engine since he had given Ginny the money, but Ron was happy with the smooth running of the truck and Harry couldn't bring himself to say anything.

Harry hadn't spoken to Draco after the conversation in the boy's bathroom, even when they were assigned as lab partners in a chemistry experiment. Both were still going over their earlier conversation and didn't know what to say to each other afterwards. Luckily for both of them chemistry was the last class they had together and didn't have to talk to each other for the rest of the day.

Harry walked up to the front door and frowned when he saw a pink car in the driveway that didn't belong to either him or Sirius. Sirius' blue car was already in the driveway and Harry's white was carefully covered with a car cover.

Cautiously Harry walked to the front door, opened it and entered the living room. On a sofa across from Sirius was a toad-like woman with curly blonde hair and shifty eyes. What really got Harry as the pink bow in her hair and the pink business suit she wore in pressed condition, not a wrinkle was on it. Even her shoes were pink and her feet seemed stuffed in them, like they were two sizes too small. On the table was a cup of tea. Sirius was sitting across from her with a look Harry had never seen on his godfather's face.

'Since when did Sirius serve tea?' thought Harry as the woman smiled up at him on sight. Not he knew why Sirius had that expression. The woman's smile was enough to make goose bumps stand on end.

"Sirius, what's going on," asked Harry.

"Well…." started Sirius but he was interrupted by the toad faced woman.

"Oh, Harry, my poor dear child," said the woman standing up and walking toward Harry. Her voice was so girly it shocked Harry to hear it coming from a woman of her size. "I heard you were hurt but I didn't think it was this bad."

"And who the bloody hell are you," asked Harry. The woman's eyes flashed at the curse. Harry swore she would have struck at him if not for Sirius in the same room.

"Language, Mr. Potter, language. I am Dolores Jane Umbridge and I was sent to check on you after the horrible accident Officer Black put you in."

"Agent Black," growled Sirius. "And I didn't put him in any accident."

But Umbridge either didn't hear him or chose to ignore him.

"Where's Ms. Figg?' asked Harry naming the social worker assigned to him.

"Oh, I'm afraid she was overloaded with cases and I got your case instead. Isn't that wonderful? Now, how are you feeling, dear? You must be in shock!"

"I'm fine," said Harry still crept out with Umbridge standing so near him. "I was visiting a friend downtown and I am the godson of a federal agent. People are bound to take a crack at me."

"Well, I can see the first problem," said Umbridge taking out a note pad, a pink note pad. "Being allowed to drive unattended to a violent neighborhood…."

"I'm seventeen, not a fifteen year old driver's ed student. And the neighborhood's not violent. People just have problems there."

"And being allowed to live with a homicide police officer…."

"A federal agent," corrected Sirius again.

"Not the most amicable of jobs," said Umbridge. "The nightmares Harry must have when you talk about your cases, Officer Black."

"Agent."

'I'm in a nightmare,' thought Harry as he glared at the woman. "Just what exactly are you doing here," he asked annoyed.

"Why, I'm just here to check on you, dearie," said Umbridge pinching his cheek. Harry wanted to slap her hand away but settled for moving away instead. "To see if you're doing all right after your traumatic event. Do you need to see a councilor?"

"No."

"That's all right, sweetie. I have you set up with a counselor for children whose parents are on the force, Doctor Patricia Jordan. And everything will be okey-day once we've settled you back down in your old home."

"Old home," asked Harry, his face drained of all color. Sirius had been leaning in his armchair and it fell down at what Umbridge said. "You don't mean the Dursleys?"

"I've read your file, Harry dear," said Umbridge. "I don't see why you transferred from a perfectly nice family to a ramshackle house owned by a violent police officer."

"I'm a federal agent," said Sirius already more annoyed then Harry had seen him. "And I'm not violent."

"If you have read up on my file then you would already know why I moved out," said Harry angry at the thought of leaving. "I'm not leaving Sirius, you toad faced bitch. I'm staying here or you're carrying me the fuck out of here in a body bag!"

And Harry left the living room, leaving a red faced Umbridge and a proudly smiling Sirius.

"More proof of improper parental care," she said. "Lack of manner and allowed use of vulgar words with guests."

"I raised Harry just fine," said Sirius. "Much better then those people."

"Well, everything will be sorted out at the hearing," said Umbridge with a wide smile.

"What hearing," asked Sirius as Umbridge went to the door to leave.

"Why, the hearing that determines if Harry should spend the rest of his infantry years with someone who has such a violent profession," said Umbridge opening the door just as Draco was about to ring the doorbell. "Oh, hello, dearie. Is there a reason why you're here?"

Draco opened and closed his mouth for a few moments before he could speak. Sirius guessed he had the same reaction to Umbridge that he and Harry had.

"I'm Neville Longbottom," said Draco in a hurry. "I'm here to tutor Harry."

"Tutor him in what, dear?"

"Latin," said Draco shivering at the woman's smile.

"Oh, another proof of bad parentage. Child unable to study alone." And she walked out writing in her notebook. Sirius groaned as he closed the door.

"Worse day of my life," he said and looked at Draco. "Neville Longbottom?"

"I panicked. What is she doing here anyway?"

"Evaluating Harry. Apparently they heard about the shooting and are seeing if I'm still a good guardian for Harry, and with that woman on the case, I doubt it."

"And if you are a bad parent?"

"They take Harry away," said Sirius as if it was obvious.

"They can't do that!" said Draco in surprise. Ever since they had started school Harry had been a constant part of his school life. The thought of Harry not being in Hogwarts made Draco's chest tighten. "Where will they put him?"

"A foster home, or more likely his relative's house."

"Harry has relatives?" asked Draco curiously.

"Harry doesn't like to talk about them," said Sirius with a sigh. Scratching his loose black hair he got up and headed toward the kitchen. "I need a drink."

"I'm going to see Harry," said Draco heading for the stairs. Sirius made an acknowledged sound before Draco went upstairs. The second door was still closed and Harry's bedroom door was open and Harry wasn't inside. Draco knocked on the second door.

"Go away, Sirius!"

"It's Malfoy, Potter. I want to talk."

There was a silence on the other side that lasted a few minutes. "Go away, Malfoy!"

"Look, not that I care or anything but I wanted to see how you were. And I just met that pink toad faced woman and she gave me the creeps." The silence held on the other side. "Damn it Potter, Let me in!"

The door opened and Harry appeared in the doorway, chewing on a piece of gum. Draco couldn't see inside since Harry blocked the view. Draco couldn't smell any cigarette smoke so he guessed either Harry hadn't smoke or he had found another way to vent his stress.

"You really thought she was creepy and toad faced?" asked Harry and Draco nodded. "Good, I thought I was the only one."

"What did she want," asked Draco as Harry closed the door and walked to his room.

"To take me away from Sirius and send me back to that God forsaken family," said Harry angrily.

"What family?" asked Draco. "You lived in a foster home?"

"More like the Adams family," said Harry sitting at the desk and fiddling with a model kit set out on it. "I don't like to talk about it."

"I heard," said Draco and gave Harry a look that told Harry that he wasn't leaving till Harry talked. Harry glared back but after a few minutes of the Mexican standoff Harry sighed.

"They were called the Dursleys," said Harry. "And they weren't my foster parents. They were my relatives."

That piqued Draco's interest. Why would Harry hate the only family by blood he had?

"Ever since I was young they treated me like they didn't approve of me, and I always thought it was something I had done. But it wasn't just me. My aunt was my mother's older sister and hated the fact that my mother was more successful than she was and blamed my mother for putting me on their doorstep. They also believed that my being there it ruined their prefect image. So 1960s. My aunt even dressed like she was back in the sixties; spotless house, loving husband, doting son, and one orphan nephew."

"What did they do to you?" asked Draco sitting on Harry's bed.

"Worked me, gave me the hardest or nastiest job in the house, degrade me, pulled me down, belittle me, you name it they did it."

"How did you get out of there?"

"Sirius. He finally found me and petitioned to take guardianship of me. After three months of hearings and questions and delegations they finally found evidence of abuse and they took me out and put me in his care, and I haven't been happier."

"Did they find anything before then?" asked Draco. He knew that child services sent people out to check on the charges regularly.

"They didn't suspect anything at first. We would get a heads up. They fatten me up, put me in nice clothes, and instructed me on how to talk. They didn't want me there but they didn't want to lose me either. Lose their easy living, and Dudley his punching bag." Harry looked up at Draco to see the blonde giving him a pitiful look and Harry winced. "Don't look at me like that. I don't want your pity or sympathy. I've learned to look forward to the good things. I just want people to be there for me when I need them, and never set foot in that house again."

"Agreed," said Draco. "And you got a lot of people to back you. The Weasleys, Granger, half the federal department and Sirius. And me of course."

Harry looked at him in surprise. "You? You're going to be my friend?"

"Well, I wouldn't say 'friend'," said Draco and he smiled. "I was thinking more along the lines of colleague. And you tell Weasley about this I will make that hole in your shoulder seem like a punching bag."

Harry laughed. "All right, I give. You were scaring me for a second with your 'let's be friends' routine."

"Hey, I have my moments," said Draco and smiled. Harry smiled back and laughed.

"All right, Malfoy, now you're really weirding me out," said Harry.

"Good, I was weirding myself out."

Both laughed as there was a knock on the door and Sirius walked in with a box of pizza.

"One supreme pizza with extra pepperoni, and no anchovies," he said putting the pizza on the desk.

"Yech," said Harry and Draco and both laughed. Sirius smiled.

"I thought I could cheer you up with comfort food, I even had Remus head to the convenience store to get your favorite ice cream, but I guess it's not needed."

"No, it's all right," said Harry. "Thanks, Sirius. I was feeling down but not anymore."

"Should I tell Remus to hold off on the ice cream?"

"No!" said Harry and Draco and looked at each other in surprise.

"Okay, that's scary," said Sirius.

"I guess we just have a lot in common," said Harry and both smiled.

TBC