A/N: Hi everyone! Sorry for the late update! I forgot my flash drive at work over the weekend! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it belongs solely to the amazingly, amazing J.K. Rowling!
/
Draco sighed as he pulled his pants and trousers on, glancing over his shoulder as Harry did the same.
"You know," he mumbled, "we really should talk now…" Harry remained silent, but Draco saw his shoulder's tense ever so slightly. "There's a reason I came to find you…"
"And what's that? Someone needs the Chosen One's help I suppose?" he asked bitterly. Draco's eyes widened slightly and Harry turned around when he didn't receive an answer. "I just…I…just tell me why you're here…"
"My mother," he said quietly. Harry frowned slightly so Draco continued. "Someone at the Ministry went into the Trial files and got rid of them…she's facing life in Azkaban. I understand why you came over here…really I do…" Draco stood from his seated position and grabbed up his satchel that he had put in Harry's room yesterday, grabbing out a familiar looking wand, before passing it to its rightful owner. "All I'm asking is that you make an appearance at her trial to save her…please…" Harry let his fingertips run over the length of his wand, letting himself feel the familiar thrum of magic beat through his body, before nodding once.
"Fine. When's her trial?" Draco shrugged.
"When I left it had said they would be sending papers with the dates…I can't imagine it's too soon. However…the sooner you go back…" he trailed off and Harry nodded.
"The sooner I can leave again. Alright, let's go then."
"Just like that?" he asked carefully. Harry's eyes had darkened a bit as they roved over the blonde's body, but he nodded.
"Just like that." The blonde nodded slowly
"Alright, where would you like to go back to?" Harry's eyes widened slightly and Draco watched as he gazed over his small room before sighing in defeat.
"I suppose Grimmauld Place is as good a place as any…"
"Alright then." He held out his arm which Harry stared at only for a moment before laying his hand on it and letting Draco apparate him away.
/
Harry stumbled a bit as they landed just on the door step within the house, but quickly righted himself and stepped away from the warm body next to him. Clarity was slowly starting to come back to him…a clarity he had worked for nearly ten years to get rid of, and the memories coming back were proving almost too much. The most recent being his time spent with Draco. 'I slept with a Malfoy,' he thought with a swallow. He didn't know whether to be proud, disgusted…or perhaps both. For sure he knew some family members were rolling over in their graves. His heart clenched at the thought and he had to squeeze his eyes shut before he let his mind remember too much.
"Oh!" Draco's eyes widened as his gaze shot to the curtain on the wall. "Uh…" Harry followed his eyes and shrugged.
"Yes I already know about her don't worry. Unfortunately nothing can get rid of her…at least, nothing I've tried yet."
"No, you don't understand…I…" The curtain suddenly flew open to reveal an old, weathered face full of rage.
"Blood traitor!" she shrieked. "Filthy traitor to your family! How dare you Malfoy! Worker of the Dark Lord indeed! Traitors all burn-" Harry firmly closed the curtain with a roll of his eyes and shot a curious look at Draco.
"Um…Kreacher knew where you were…" he started slowly. Harry's eyes widened slightly, but he let him continue. "And so…I told my aunt that the Dark Lord wanted to capture you, and I was being sent on a mission to find you…it was easy to get your location from there…"
"Clever," he mumbled before stepping further into his house. "Where is Kreacher?"
"I told him to stay here…" Harry nodded absently. "It's uh…dusty."
"Yeah, yeah it is." He stepped through the door at the end of the hall, taking a deep breath before entering.
"This is where I found that picture." Draco cleared his throat, unsure as to why he felt so nervous walking behind Potter in his home. It just felt…awkward, like he should be letting him do this alone…and yet at the same time, he knew if the roles were reversed, he wouldn't want to be left alone to face everything by himself.
"I know," Harry whispered. He could slowly feel himself breaking as he looked around the room. The sounds of long ago laughter from pranks by the Weasley twins, and chatter from Orders dinners' haunted him, and he clenched his eyes, turned in the other direction, and walked out. "I don't know if I should be here…if I can do this…" Draco's eyes widened and he quickly side stepped so Harry wouldn't run into him on his way back to the landing.
"You're not leaving!" he said in a panic. He had only just gotten him back! If he left…everything would go to ruins. He couldn't deal with having his mother in Azkaban…not the one person who had truly cared for him his whole life. Harry shook his head as he stumbled down the hall and opened the door to his right, a door which Draco hadn't explored upon his last visit.
"I…I just…" Harry broke off on a gasp, his eyes glued to the wall. Draco followed him in slowly, his eyes widening when he saw the cloth covered wall. It was the only thing in the room that dust and cobwebs hadn't settled on…a large embroidery of a family tree. "The Black" family tree according to the heading. "Oh Sirius," Harry whispered. He dropped to his knees and buried his face in his hands as soft sobs wracked his body. "I'm sorry….so sorry…" Draco swallowed hard and knelt down beside him while still looking at the wall. He instantly picked out familiar faces, including his own.
"Sirius…Sirius Black," he whispered curiously, "was…was your godfather…" A shiver ran through Harry's body as Draco placed his hand on his still heaving shoulder.
"I failed him," Harry gasped out, "over and over…" Draco frowned slightly and grasped Harry's shoulder comfortingly.
"I doubt that. I don't think you could disappoint anyone…" he said this almost bitterly, keeping that bit of venom out at the last moment.
"Only those closest to me," was the whispered answer, "you don't understand…" The blond wizard bristled once more and he stood to his feet, walked over to the tapestry and let his fingers run over his own face and then that of his mother's.
"I do actually…believe it or not. In fact…I can't help but look at how similar our situations are." Harry snorted softly but he looked up at Draco with blood red eyes and a tear stained face.
"Is that right?"
"Yes," he bit out, "it is right. After the war…I couldn't face the world anymore…for different reasons then you I'm sure…but I cut myself off. I haven't spoken to anyone since the end of the trials…not a soul. I cloistered myself in the Manor, and kept only my mother as company. When I got that letter…I thought my world was crumbling around me. I can't lose my mother Potter…I can't. She's the only who…she's always believed in me. During the war I did what I had to in order to keep us both alive. If I hadn't let those Death Eaters in sixth year…he would have killed her…he would've killed both of us." Harry nodded as he finally let himself look up at the tapestry. Tears still rolled down his cheeks, but his body no longer hitched with sobs.
"After the war…a lot was expected of me. Hermione and Ron went back for seventh year you know…I just couldn't do it. I couldn't sit in a class after that much time away from Hogwarts…so I tried out for auror training. Even without my NEWTS, I was still accepted. Everyone watched my progress…it was…annoying. They wanted me to speak at every Memorial…they wanted me to face the parents whose children had died because of me…because of my fight with Voldemort…I just couldn't do it. Then someone put my name forth for Head Auror…and…I broke. I just wanted to be normal…I quit the aurors and holed up here…and they still wouldn't leave me alone. I would have reporters knocking on my door every day wanting an interview for something. So I left…one day I just…I left and didn't look back. I traveled Europe for awhile…then made my way to Shanghai…I felt someone watching me there…so I moved to New York. I just wanted to forget everything, that's why…" he trailed off and Draco nodded.
"I told you. I understand." Harry nodded and smirked up at him.
"I suppose you do."
"Now…I have to go find out when my mother's trial is…can I trust that you'll still be here when I return?" Harry sighed, but nodded.
"I won't run. I promise." Draco turned back to him, hesitated for a moment, but nodded.
"Good."
"Draco?" The blonde turned abruptly at the sound of his first name. "Don't tell anyone I'm here?" He paused, but nodded once, and with a loud pop, disappeared. Harry frowned as he looked around himself. He wasn't planning on staying long…but perhaps he could at least fix this for Sirius while he was here. He nodded, got to his feet and lifted his wand at the room he was in.
"Scourgify."
/
Draco apparated to the front gate of the Manor and walked the rest of the way up the path. He had done it. The aurors obviously hadn't thought he'd be able to, but he'd found the elusive Harry Potter. Of course…he frowned at the thought of any of them finding out. Would he have to protect him? Should he have left him alone? The aurors were clearly bent on getting their way…they wouldn't try something on the Chosen One to ruin that surely…
"Draco?" called a soft voice. He looked up at the porch of the Manor, only to find his mother and Blaise Zabini sitting there in the wicker chairs.
"Blaise. Mother, how are you?" he asked just as softly. Blaise stood up and nodded once.
"Draco."
"Fine dear. But…I must say, I'm surprised to see you…Ms. Weasley and Mr. Zabini here said you were looking for Harry Potter…" she trailed off and Draco simply nodded. He had to honor the wizard's request.
"Did we receive any dates for her trial?" he asked Blaise simply.
"We did," he admitted, "sooner then we'd like, but Draco, Hermione and I found some interesting evidence the other day." Draco raised an eyebrow curiously as he was passed the paper with his mother's court date on it.
"Tomorrow?" he asked incredulously. Blaise nodded.
"I'm sorry…I tried to delay them…I hope you being back means Potter is too?" Draco cleared his throat and ignored the question.
"What evidence?" Blaise frowned at the intentional dodge. He needed to know if his key witness was back or not.
"Yesterday Hermione and I went to the Files Department…we found evidence of tampering. Someone magicked away the box with the files, and a filer named Michael Corner changed their logs so it didn't show that he had entered. We think he's working with Dennis Creevey, the auror heading your mother's case." Draco's frown only deepened, but he nodded.
"And I suppose you have proof of all this?" Blaise snorted.
"Of course I do. Give me more credit Draco. Now, what I really need to know is-"
"Unfortunately, I have to leave again," Draco interrupted. Narcissa's eyes widened as she glanced between both men.
"Draco…surely not tonight…"
"I'm sorry mother. But I promise I'll be there tomorrow. What time?" He looked up at Blaise again, only narrowing his eyes when the wizard didn't answer him right away.
"Eight o'clock tomorrow morning." The blonde nodded and made his way back down the stairs.
"Bloody prat," Blaise mumbled. He turned to Narcissa with a smile and held up a hand. "I'll be back Mrs. Malfoy." The tall matriarch nodded her head once, watching as he flew off the porch and after her son.
"Oh Draco," she whispered with a shake of her head.
"Draco!" Blaise called. The blonde was almost to the gate, at which point Blaise knew he could simply apparate away. "Don't ignore me Malfoy!" Draco froze in his steps and spun around in annoyance.
"What more do you want?"
"What more? How about telling me if my key witness is going to be there tomorrow? He will make or break this case." Draco raised an eyebrow curiously.
"Doubting yourself Blaise? I thought you and Granger had rock solid proof she was innocent."
"Go to Hell Draco," he growled, "you know what I mean." Draco sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I…I can't tell you," he whispered. Blaise's eyes widened.
"Can't tell me? You can't tell me if I'm going to be able to save your own mother?"
"I know how that sounds…but I can't. I'm sorry." He stepped quickly away, to just outside the gate and turned to regard his one time friend. "We'll see you tomorrow Blaise." Blaise's eyes widened, and he nodded once as a smile broke his face.
"Tomorrow." Draco nodded stiffly.
/
Draco stepped through the doorway to Grimmauld Place and froze. It was clean…like…really clean, and…he turned slowly, his eyes almost popping out of his head. The portrait of his aunt was gone…and in its place was a gaping hole, revealing insulation and wooden wall frames. "Potter?" he called worriedly.
"In here!" came the loud reply. Draco frowned and stepped into the room where the tapestry had been, the one carrying a huge part of his lineage.
"What?" he blinked a few times as Potter's wand moved methodically over the tapestry, over each face that had clearly been blasted away. "You cleaned…" Harry nodded.
"It was disrespectful to Sirius," he said simply. Draco nodded slowly.
"I see…and now?" Harry sighed and lowered his wand just as the face of "Marius" appeared back on the wall.
"I'm fixing the house…it's giving me something to do…"
"Oh…" Draco could understand that. Harry frowned slightly and then looked back at the tapestry. All he had left was four or five people to fix. "You…you removed my aunt I see." Harry glanced back at him once more and Draco watched a slight flush spread across his face.
"Hope you don't mind," he mumbled, "after you left Kreacher opened her curtain again and I just…I couldn't take the screeching anymore…I blew it up…took half the wall with it, but..." Draco's eyes widened and he couldn't help but let some of his mirth show through. He had blown up his aunt?
"Blew her up? Lovely…no, I don't mind at all. After all, she wasn't the loveliest of woman was she?" he asked with a smirk.
"Bloody evil witch she was," Harry muttered. Draco nodded once and watched as a few more faces were fixed until finally the name of "Sirius" appeared back on the wall.
"What happened to him?" Draco asked curiously. Harry paused and glanced back at him, but didn't answer. "I mean…I know he died…"
"He was murdered," Harry corrected angrily. His eyes flashed with anger for a moment, but he quickly turned back to the wall to fix the rest of it.
"I know…" Draco whispered, "I…Aunt Bella…I heard…I'm not my aunt." Harry paused once more, but nodded once.
"I know."
"Good," he bit out, "so I would appreciate it if you changed your attitude a bit." Harry smirked and spun on his heel so he was standing directly in front of Draco with their chests touching.
"Attitude change?" he whispered. Draco's eyes widened and he swallowed hard as a familiar heat rushed through his body."Like last night then?" Harry's eyes smoldered for a moment, before suddenly going flat. "You're bloody family is responsible for half of the deaths of mine…so forgive me if I'm a bit bitter. I'll work on that." He turned back to the tapestry and raised his wand, ready to fix the last face of "Andromeda" before pausing again. "I'm sorry…I don't know why I said that…I just…is it the spell you used? I feel drained…completely drained. And everything still aches." Draco lowered his face, trying to get the flush he could feel there to go away before nodding.
"Probably…it usually takes a few days for one to be completely rid of everything…do you think you can keep your temper tomorrow?" Harry frowned and glanced back at him.
"Tomorrow?"
"My mother's trial is tomorrow morning…" Harry nodded.
"Okay then. Tomorrow morning."
/
A/N: Yeah! Harry's back! Anyone else wondering what's going to happen between them? If anything else is going to happen between them? Because I am! ANYWAY! R&R please! 3 All the love for those who do!
