Hey, I'm sorry about the long delay! I'm trying to work faster, but I've been really busy. I'll try my hardest to get the next chapter up sooner.

Warnings: Language. . .I believe that's it. . .

Disclaimer: I own nothing, the brilliant JK Rowling owns the characters.

Chapter Nine: The Statue

"Draco, you wanted to talk to me?" Pansy whispered while Draco was retrieving his potions things. Draco jumped and almost dropped his cauldron.

"Yeah, I do. Just give me a second. Oh, do you think you could take these with you?" Draco asked, holding out his cauldron and the necessary ingredients to make the potions he'd promised Harry. She nodded, taking them from him. She walked out of the room and Draco went over to the corner of the room. Casting a lightening charm on it, he carried the dragon statue into the living room.

"What the hell is that?" Pansy asked as she watched Draco carry the statue in and set it down in a corner that was occupied by something.

"I don't really know. It was at the place where they had Harry." Draco said. He looked at the statue, curiosity evident.

"Why in Merlin's name did you bring it?" Pansy asked in slight annoyance. Draco shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, the flames changed colors and Harry told me to." Draco replied. He looked at the statue again. "It changed to that last night."

Pansy did a double take of the statue and gasped. The flames were emerald and silver, both colors matching the exact shading of Draco's and Harry's eyes. Pansy recognized the statue, but she couldn't place where she'd seen it.

"When I first saw it, the flames were just the emerald. The emerald of Harry's eyes." Draco said distractedly. Pansy smiled to herself. She just hoped that Draco would realize that Harry felt the same way he did before it was too late. Hell, it may already be too late.

"We should find out what it is." Pansy said after a few moments silence, snapping Draco out of his thoughts.

"What, oh. Yeah, we should." Draco said, shaking himself of his thoughts. He didn't think it was appropriate to be thinking like that about Harry after what happened to him.

"I'll look for some books that look promising. You should get started on those potions." Pansy said, noticing Draco's reaction to her words. She wondered what Draco was imagining, thinking it had to be something seeing as Draco had unknowingly blushed.

Draco just nodded, grabbed his cauldron with the things he needed in it and headed into the kitchen where he usually brewed potions. Pansy walked over to her bookshelf. Looking it up and down, she found the book she was looking for and grabbed it off the shelf.

She sat down with the black leather tome. She opened it to the index and ran her finger down the column until she found what she wanted. Flipping to the page, she looked at the picture of a dragon statue holding a single torch with flickering flames. The title of the chapter read Vinculum Animus. She quickly read over the first few paragraphs of the passage. It was all she needed to read.

I knew it! She thought to herself as she closed the book. She looked at the statue in the living room and smiled.

"I know what you are, but I have to let them figure it out on their own." She muttered to the statue as she shelved the book again. She then walked into the kitchen to see if Draco needed any help.

Several hours later, Pansy was helping Draco bottle up the last of the potion. She could tell that he was exhausted. She thought about what Draco had told her. While they had been brewing the potions, Draco had told Pansy everything that had happened, unable to hold it in. Pansy didn't miss the hatred when Snape and Lucius were mentioned. She didn't miss the love shining in Draco's eyes when he talked about Harry. She wondered how long it would take before Draco admitted his feelings. To himself, and to Harry.

She thought about what Draco had said about the statue. It fit with what she had read earlier and convinced her even more that her assumption was right. The song baffled her though. She wondered where it came from. From what she read, nothing about a song was ever mentioned. But she supposed that each case would be different. She thought that the song had fit perfectly well and found it rather eerie.

When they finished, she made Draco a cup of tea. She took her usual seat at the table after handing him the cup. She spied the newspaper and wondered if Draco had read it yet.

"Hey Draco? Have you read this yet? I think you'll like it." Pansy said, handing the Daily Prophet to the silver-eyed wizard.

Draco took the paper from her. He had to read the headline over a few times before the news sank in. Ministry officials found Lucius Malfoy's dead body about a mile from the Zabini Mansion. A genuine smile graced Draco's face as he read the article.

"Well, that would explain why I got the use of my legs back. I thought the curse just wore off but now that I think about it, it hadn't been long enough for that to happen. That would also explain why I was able to use my wandless magic. Lucius must've been the one who held the barrier in place." Draco said, still smiling as he set the paper on the table.

"I told you you'd like the news. It's a shame they don't know who did it though. I expect you wanted to thank them." Pansy said, smirking at Draco. Draco narrowed his eyes at her.

"I assume you know who did do it?"

"Of course, would you like to know?" Pansy replied sweetly.

"Naturally," Draco said.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me."

"Charlie Weasley," Pansy said laughing at the shock on her friend's face. "He learned that you were looking for Harry and he came to offer his assistance after you were taken. I told him who took Harry and helped him hunt down Lucius. He killed him in cold blood, with his bare hands."

"Damn and I thought Weasleys' didn't do killing people." Draco said, impressed and grateful.

"Yeah, so did I. It shouldn't surprise you either, it's common knowledge that Harry went on a few dates with him." Pansy said, trying to make Draco jealous. It worked much to Pansy's satisfaction.

When Draco finished his tea, Pansy sent him off to bed. He tried valiantly to deny that he was tired and failed miserably. Muttering under his breath, Draco made his way back into the room only to be shocked by a pair of bright green eyes staring at him.

"How long have you been awake?" Draco asked. He was mad at himself for not checking in on Harry.

"About five minutes. I need to use the loo." Harry replied quietly. Draco nodded and helped Harry out of the bed and over to the bathroom. While he waited for Harry to finish up, he put the vials of Dreamless Sleep Potion and Calming Potion on the table.

When Harry was finished, Draco helped him back to the bed. Draco handed Harry another healing potion and checked on some of the cuts he couldn't heal with a healing charm. They were healing very nicely, much to Draco's relief. He told Harry that there were some more Calming Potions and that there was some Dreamless Sleep Potion there as well.

He watched silently as Harry downed a vial of Dreamless Sleep Potion and lay back down to go to sleep. Draco supposed Harry needed the sleep, but he began to worry. Harry hadn't asked for food or water and he was terribly skinny. He also knew that Harry would need to talk. And soon, if his break down earlier was any indication.

Draco didn't lay down to go to sleep himself until he was certain that Harry was out cold. Shutting his eyes, his thoughts drifted back to the statue and what it could be. He remembered seeing it somewhere before, but he couldn't remember where. It didn't take him long to fall asleep and when he did, his dreams revolved around Harry.

Draco woke to a sharp jab in his side. He shot up in the bed, looking around to see what had caused the disturbance. Pansy smirked at him and Draco scowled in return. Nodding her head towards the door, she walked out. Draco pulled on his robe and followed her out.

"What is it?" Draco asked once they were in the kitchen. He noticed that it was late morning.

"Charlie is what. He wants to speak with you. It appears that he learned that you saved Harry, but I don't think he knows about his baby brother." Pansy replied her smirk still in place.

"Oh just bloody brilliant. I suppose he wants to speak with me sometime today?" Draco inquired. Pansy nodded, still smirking. "What the hell are you smirking for?"

"Oh, nothing. Just wondering if I should tell you that you were dreaming about Potter again. I refuse to jump to conclusions though, so I'm not even going to take a guess at what the dream entailed. Other than the fact that Potter seemed to be the star." Pansy replied, laughing at Draco's shocked face.

"Um, would this be a bad time?" Charlie Weasley asked from the doorway. Draco whipped around, blushing furiously.

"No, it's not. Come on in Charlie. Hey Ginny!" Pansy said. She left for the living room and went to talk to Ginny.

"Draco," Charlie said hesitantly. He'd heard what Pansy said. He wasn't sure how to react to it, though he was grateful. It meant Harry's feelings would be returned, even if Harry didn't realize how he felt about the blonde wizard.

"Charlie," Draco replied, holding his hand out. Charlie shook the offered hand in relief. He'd been nervous that he wouldn't be received all that well.

"I think a thank you is in order, so, thank you." Draco said when Charlie released his hand. Charlie looked at him in confusion, then understanding shined in his eyes.

"How did you know?"

"Pansy," Draco replied scowling slightly. "She seems to like to try to get a rise out of me lately. But if it wasn't for her, I never would've found Harry in time."

"Did you just call Harry by his first name?" Charlie asked in shock.

"Yeah, so what?" Draco replied in confusion. He'd been calling Harry by his first name for awhile now, why was it a big deal to the Dragon Tamer.

"Nothing, it's just, you've never called him Harry before. It was always Potter. Are you two together or something?"

"What?! No, no! We're just friends." Draco spluttered out, his blush returning full force. Charlie looked at him for a long moment, then shrugged.

"Whatever you say, dragon." Charlie replied. Though you don't fool me, dragon. I can see that you wish to be with Harry. But why aren't you, what's keeping you from admitting it?

"I told you to stop calling me that!" Draco glowered at Charlie. "Bloody Dragon Tamer, think he can call me 'dragon' just because my name is the Latin term for it. I hate my namesake sometimes." Draco muttered under his breath.

"Aww Draco, you shouldn't hate dragons. It's not their fault you were named for them." Charlie said jokingly. That answered Draco's main question. Charlie didn't know about his baby brother. Draco hated this, he really did.

"Do you want me to see if Harry is awake? He might like to see you," Draco said warily. He looked at Charlie's smiling face, looking for any evidence that his happiness was false. There was nothing there, absolutely nothing except genuine happiness. God, Draco really hated this.

Charlie just shook his head. "No, just tell him a stopped in to see how he's doing. I have to be heading back anyway." Charlie said, turning to the kitchen door.

"Charlie? Did you hear?" Draco inquired after a moment's hesitation. He didn't think he was the right person to be telling Charlie about Ron. But for the life of him, he couldn't comprehend why Ginny or someone else from the family hadn't told him.

"Did I hear what?" Charlie asked worry taking over. Draco looked at him sadly.

"About your brother," Draco replied softly. Charlie shook his head, fear becoming dominate of his features.

"Charlie, I apologize. I really hate doing stuff like this and I can't for the life of me figure out why no one told you. You know that Ron was abducted not long after Harry?" Charlie shook his head. "Well, he was. By the same people who took Harry. Charlie, they murdered your brother."

Charlie stared at Draco in horror, tears filling his eyes. Draco looked Charlie in the eye, letting him know that it was the truth.

"Does everyone else know?" Charlie asked after a few moments, his voice laced with sorrow.

"I can only assume so. I told Hermione and your sister the same day I brought Harry back." Draco replied apologetically.

"I see," Charlie said, "I have to go. Thank you for telling me, Draco, I really appreciate it."

Draco nodded, knowing that Charlie would be asking some questions when he was alone with Ginny. Charlie went into the living room and he and Ginny left.

Pansy came back out of the living room after they left and found Draco in the chair facing the door, frowning fiercely. She sat in the chair across from him, wondering what the problem was.

"Draco?"

"Charlie didn't know about Ron. Why wouldn't his family tell him?" Draco replied hotly, obviously annoyed about Charlie not knowing.

"I don't know Draco, but he does now. I'm sure he'll find out why he wasn't told, he's pretty damn smart." Pansy replied sadly. It bothered her as well.

Draco sighed heavily and got up from the chair. He walked over to the door. He turned around and smiled sadly at Pansy.

"I'm going to take a shower. Could you listen for Harry to wake up?" Pansy nodded. "Thank you."

Draco left for the living room, Pansy following him. Going into the bedroom, he left the door open slightly so Pansy could listen for Harry. Pansy sighed and looked at the book she had shelved earlier. How long will it take, I wonder, before they realize the truth? The truth that's been staring them in the face since they first met on the Hogwarts' Express. Pansy thought to herself. Vinculum Animus. . .

Author's note: I thank you for all of you who have patiently, perhaps not so patiently, waited for this chapter. I am terribly sorry that it took so long, and I'm trying my hardest to get the next chapter ready and up. Please review! Thank you.