The Silver Doe/The Deathly Hallows/Malfoy Manor/The Wandmaker
This begins right after Ron shows up. In the book, Harry says he considers Hermione to be a sister and didn't realize Ron was worried they were in love.
He got one answer not long after, when Ron reappeared and they destroyed the locket.
"Hermione's my sister," he said quietly. And then it came, easily and without a struggle. "I love Draco." That got Ron to look at him, incredulous.
"You…and Malfoy?" When Harry only nodded, "So that's what it was. There was always something weird about you when you talked about him." Harry flinched. "Not weird," Ron amended hastily. "Different, I guess."
"I thought you'd tell me I was an idiot to trust him," said Harry, hardly daring to be relieved. He'd expected Ron to swear, to tell Harry he was mental, to list all the reasons it was a bad idea.
"Your life," said Ron philosophically. "And he really has been decent lately. And he took Veritaserum. And, well, frankly, I'm just happy you're not in love with Hermione."
"Yeah, don't tell her I said that, okay?" said Harry. "I mean I haven't even said it to him yet, and he shouldn't be the last to know." Ron smiled at him and stood.
Long after they had all gone to bed and were pretending to sleep, Harry thought about what he'd said. I love Draco…And he did, though he didn't know how he knew. And he longed to see those gray eyes again, longed to run his hands through that blonde hair and down that beautiful body…
Ron brought with him the wizarding wireless, and a new burst of hope in the show Potterwatch. Lee was just signing off when they heard a loud crack and a few shouts over the radio. There was a, "What's going on?" from Lee. They all leaned in, desperate to hear.
"They haven't been caught," said Hermione breathlessly, her hands over her mouth.
Then, Lee was back on. "Sorry for scaring any listeners, but before we sign off, another of our contributors has just arrived, and I think we can squeeze him in. Over to you, Ridgeback, but keep it short."
"Thanks, River," came yet another familiar voice, but Harry was the only one who gasped,
"Draco!" He half noticed Ron and Hermione sharing a knowing look behind his back.
"As usual, the unclassified updates on the movements of the Order of the Phoenix. One member has successfully moved four Muggle-born families to the Continent…"
Harry only registered that Draco had, indeed, updated his philosophy to include using the word Muggle-born instead of Mudblood, and then he just listened to his voice until they signed off.
The Snatchers dumped Harry and the others on the ground outside Malfoy Manor.
"Who dares to disturb my house?' Lucius Malfoy's voice could have been cold and commanding, but it lacked its usual command, and broke on the last word.
"We've got Potter!" roared Greyback again. Lucius focused on Harry, who looked quickly away from the fuzzy blonde blur. It reminded him of Draco.
"Where?" said Lucius, honestly puzzled, and Harry felt a flash of pride for Hermione's hexing skills. Greyback forced Harry's chin up so Lucius could see Harry's face.
Lucius peered more closely, and Harry felt a finger outline, but not touch, his scar. He bit down hard to keep from shouting nonetheless.
"The scar…" murmured Lucius.
"And 'ere's 'is wand!" Scabior presented the blackthorn wand. Lucius took it.
"Bring him in," he said.
Harry, along with the others, was pushed through the door. Harry caught a glimpse of himself in a mirror. His face was swollen so as to more resemble Dudley's, his scar stretched to a thin line. His glasses were alarmingly bent to stay on his face. Furthermore, his hair had grown out and he was beginning to grow facial hair.
"It's 'im, no doubt," said Greyback proudly, though Harry rather disagreed with him on the 'no doubt' part.
"It might be," answered Lucius. "Why is he like this?"
"Wasn't us," grumped a Snatcher.
"Stinging Hex, I expect," said another.
"He's Potter!" roared Greyback. "And we'll be wanting our money."
"You'll have it when I am convinced!" said Lucius, regaining some of his former charisma. "Bella, darling!"
Harry's stomach curled under itself as a voice he knew too well called back,
"What is it?" as though impatient at being disturbed.
"They say they've got Potter!" answered Lucius.
Footsteps, and Bellatrix burst into the room.
"Potter?" she exclaimed. "Where?" Her eyes lit upon Harry. "Can it be?" she approached, then stopped suddenly.
"It is! It must be, for that is the Mudblood Granger, is it not? And beside her, the Weasley boy? You recognize them from the Ministry, Lucius?"
"Indeed," said Lucius, now excited. "Then it must be him. I shall summon the Dark Lord—"
"No!" howled Bellatrix suddenly. "Do not!"
She had spotted the sword. There was a brief tussle, and she had it. A whispered conference with Lucius, and the prisoners were taken to the dungeons.
It was just Harry's brand of luck that they didn't stay there long. When Bellatrix touched the Mark, chaos exploded. Harry was struggling to keep in his right mind. Ron was attacking Bellatrix, who had an unconscious Hermione.
And a figure appeared out of nothing in the dining room and cursed Bellatrix from the back. Harry spent a wild moment trying to place the unfamiliar face, the shaggy brown hair, as the figure stopped and gathered up Hermione, while Harry disarmed Lucius.
"How did you get in?' shouted Lucius, seemingly hysterical. "My wards—"
"Are charmed to let me through, Father!" shouted the man, crossing the room with Hermione in tow, stopping to grab Griphook fireman-style as well. A crack, and Dobby reappeared.
"Dobby has come back for Master Harry!" he said.
But Harry was looking at the strange man, and although he didn't recognize the features, he knew the grin being directed his way.
"Hello, Draco," he said.
"Hi, Harry. Hello, Dobby. Good to see you again."
"Master Draco?" squeaked the elf, clearly floored.
"No!" yelled Ron, grabbing Harry, Draco, and Dobby at once and turning on the spot, As they Disapparated, Harry caught sight of Bellatrix, revived by a Snatcher, throwing her little silver knife, and Voldemort appearing a few feet away.
They fell to the ground in a tangle. Harry carefully extracted himself from the tangle of limbs.
"Everyone all right? Is this Shell Cottage?"
"Should be," said Ron. "Where's Hermione? Draco?"
"Here," said Draco, but his voice was flat. Harry and Ron spun, half expecting to see a dying Hermione, but Draco had deposited his bundles on the ground and was kneeling in front of Dobby, whose back was to Harry.
"I am so sorry, Dobby," he said quietly. "For everything."
"Master Draco is apologizing to Dobby?" asked the elf in amazement.
"Yeah, I am," said Draco, and his voice broke. "Harry, come here." Dobby turned, and Harry saw the silver hilt protruding from his chest and the dark stain spreading over the front of Dobby's pillowcase. He took a huge stride forward and caught the elf as he fell.
"No," he muttered. "Dobby, no. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told you to come back for us."
"Dobby is a free elf and will always save Harry Potter and his friends," muttered the elf.
"Someone help!" yelled Harry, gazing around desperately.
"I'm sorry, Harry," said Draco, tears coursing down his cheeks.
"No!" shouted Harry. "Dobby, no, don't die, please."
"Harry," whispered the elf, "Potter…" And he gave a great exhalation and was still.
He was aware of Draco gripping his hand on one side and Ron resting a hand on his shoulder on the other, and Hermione stirring from where she was propped in Ron's lap, and dimly he appreciated their efforts to let him know he was not alone.
Then Bill, Fleur, Luna, and Dean were coming up to them, lifting Hermione and Griphook and leading Ron and Draco with them. Dean made to approach Harry, but Ron, Draco, and Luna all shook their heads, and Harry was left alone long enough to pull the blade from Dobby's chest and cover him with his own blanket, long enough to decide what to do. Ron, Dean, and Draco returned and wordlessly helped him dig the grave.
The others showed up at the end, and Luna spoke a few words. Ron and Dean expressed their thanks, but Harry could only muster a goodbye.
"I'm sorry for the way my family treated you," said Draco at last, tears streaming down his face once again. He made no attempt to hide them.
"The way I treated you. I'm sorry I never got a chance to really talk to you after I realized how wrong I was. I'm glad Harry freed you. I'm sorry I stopped to talk to him. If we'd left a second earlier, you wouldn't have died. But I'm glad I got to say goodbye in person." When they'd left him alone once more, Harry found a big, flat stone, and laid it across the place where Dobby's head was. Taking out Lucius Malfoy's wand from his pocket, he aimed it at the stone and began to carve. How beautifully ironic it was that the master's wand should bend to mark the slave's grave.
Some stuff I get to do in this AU was super poetic stuff that JK couldn't pull off in her plotline, and this is the best. Lucius Malfoy's wand marks Dobby's grave. Draco apologizes to Dobby.
Also, I'm very proud that Draco fits so nicely into the R Potterwatch naming convention! Draco = Dragon = Norwegian Ridgeback = hey look, an R name.