Chapter XI: Step by Step
Draco woke up the following morning alone on the bed. He sighed "Oh well. So much more for assuming that we will be normal" he thought. He sat up and leaned back to the headboard of their huge bed. His body is still sore from their activities the previous night, especially his bottom. He wanted to get up but it seems like he's having difficulty in moving that's why he just opted to stay in bed.
The door of their room opened, "Morning sleepyhead" Harry greeted him and walked towards him followed by a floating tray of food. He sat beside Draco on the bed and kissed him passionately eliciting a moan from the blonde. Harry chuckled as he pulled back and caressed Draco's face "Too early for that dear" Draco scowled at him. "I'm not in the mood for that either, it's just that I so love the way you kissed me just now. Mind you, I'm still sore from last night" he shot back. Harry stroked his hair and tucked some strands behind his ears. "Enough of that. Breakfast in bed only for you" Harry said as he sliced up Draco's pancakes and brought it to his mouth. "You don't have to do this you know. I'm not an invalid or something" Draco mumbled before he opened up his mouth to eat. "I don't mind and besides I want to make it up to you for the past few days I wasn't with you" he answered.
After finishing their breakfast, Harry noticed that Draco was fidgeting with the blanket draped on his lower extremities. "What is it? Is something bothering you?" Harry asked him with a worried look. "Oh…uhm…it's nothing…don't mind me" was all Draco said. Harry gave him a look that says he does not believe him. The blonde just sighed and said "Well you've been sweet and all since last night…it's just that, I'm scared that you will revert back to…" he faltered. Harry scooted next to him and cupped his face, made an eye to eye contact with him "Let's leave all those behind ok. Moving forward, I promise to take care of you" he said without breaking the eye contact. He brushed his nose against Draco's before he kissed his lips and hugged him. Still feeling sore, he fell asleep in Harry's arms.
When Draco awoke, it was already around noon time. Harry emerged from their bathroom "Oh good, so sleeping beauty is finally awake" he said with a smile. He walked towards Draco "I've prepared a bath for you" Draco's face lit up and blushed "You didn't have to" he said as he tried to stand up. Since he is still sore, his legs wobbled and was instantaneously falling to the floor if Harry wasn't able to hold onto his waist and catch him. "Easy there beautiful" he said as he lifted the blonde and carried him to their bathroom. Draco just blushed and wrapped his arms around Harry's neck. He buried his face into Harry's chest as he became aware that he was not wearing anything. Harry doesn't seem to mind at all, in fact he loved the way Draco looks when he is naked and the way he fits into his arms.
He settled Draco inside the tub filled with water and oils to soothe him. Later on, he was joined with Harry inside the tub and positioned himself behind the blonde. He gently washed Draco's hair and massaged his scalp. Draco leaned in to his ministrations and sighed. "Hmmm…what is it love?" Harry asked him as he snaked his arms around Draco's torso. "I don't know Harry…I don't even know if it's proper to talk about it..." Draco whispered.
Harry braced himself for the questions that he knows will soon be brought out, he sighed "Okay love. What do you want to talk about?" he asked as he hugged Draco from behind. Draco tensed and then relaxed as he leaned back on Harry's chest. He hesitated for a moment and took a deep breath "What happened to us Harry? We used to be so good together…but then…" his voice faltered as he began bursting the bubbles on the tub one by one as a distraction. Harry took a deep breath contemplating if he will answer it or not but then decided to "Hmm…well, uhm…dear old Daddy of yours interfered. That's what happened" he whispered as he loosened his embrace on the blonde.
Draco turned around to look at Harry and saw that hurt look in his eyes as he recalls what happened to them. Harry stared into those silver eyes as he took a deep breath before telling him what happened.
After they were caught in Draco's room, Lucius led Harry into the library and spoke to him. "I do not want you anywhere near my son, you hear me boy! You are a good for nothing scum just like your father! If you ever dare come near us, I will make sure that I will make your life a living hell you hear me!" and with that he had Harry disapparated from the Manor back to Grimmauld Place.
Two days after his encounter with Lucius, Draco did not report to work and he was not able to see him or speak to him. He decided to drop by at the Manor to see if everything was alright. Upon reaching the Manor gates, he was met by Lucius. "You really do not know when to give up, don't you boy?" Lucius said as he stared daggers at the dark haired wizard. "Mr. Malfoy, I do not mean any harm to Draco. I came to see if he is okay since he did not show up at the Aurors office for two days now. Please let me speak to him. My intentions with your son are pure —" but he was not able to finish whatever it is that he needs to say as Lucius but all interrupted him. "NONSENSE BOY! I do not care whatever your intentions are for my son! You are no good for him, you hear me? He is already betrothed to Astoria Greengrass who is a pureblood witch unlike you! You are a freak! Now get the hell out of here unless you want me to punish Draco more than what he is experiencing now!" the older Malfoy hollered at him.
Harry froze upon hearing those words "What did you do to Draco?! Tell me! What did you —" he barked but was again cut off by Lucius. "I do not have any obligation to tell you anything or to explain myself to you! Now get the hell out of my property at once!" and with that he turned his back on Harry and strode off to go back inside the Manor leaving an infuriated Harry demanding an explanation.
He went home feeling defeated that night. He doesn't know what else to do to be able to reach Draco. When he got inside Grimmauld Place, he was surprised to find a visitor by the name of Asterion Peverell. He was told that the man is actually a relative, his grandfather and that he wants Harry to live with him in Greece. He was given an explanation for the visit and as to why they only met that time.
When he agreed to live with him in Greece, Harry never stopped owling Draco but never got any response though he left an address just in case he will send it via muggle mail. He was shocked to find a copy of the Prophet showing a headline about Draco's engagement to Astoria Greengrass. Later on, he was able to receive a response from Draco telling him to move on and stop bothering him. That he was happy with Astoria and that they were already going to have a baby. Harry felt the end of him. He could not believe what the letter just told him. He had to see it himself.
He apparated just outside the Manor and from the outskirts he could see that Draco was at the gazebo in the garden along with his mother. He was carrying a baby wrapped in a blanket while Narcissa cooed at it. He couldn't believe his eyes, he blinked back and rubbed his eyes to see if it was just his imagination playing up tricks on him. But when he looked back, there really was a baby in his arms. He felt betrayed and he was in so much pain. He disapparated back to Greece that instant and embraced the life that his newly found grandfather offered him without knowing that sometime after his and Draco's path will cross again.
By the time Harry finished telling his story, they already made their way back to their room and were on their way to the luncheon table set up near the pool in their backyard garden. He pulled out a chair for Draco and had him seat before he went to the other side and took a seat himself. While they were eating, "So tell me, what's your part of the story?" Harry said. Draco bit his bottom lip and took a deep breath before he started sharing his story.
After he hurled Harry into the library and forcefully disapparate him out of the Manor into who knows where, he took Draco's wand, broke it into two and locked him up in his room. Narcissa cannot do anything for her son. Even though Lucius is wandless he is still capable of hurting them, emotionally and physically. He finally let Draco go after a week of locking him up in his room, of course with a price to pay. He had agreed to marry Astoria Greengrass to continue their bloodline and to uplift their name.
Draco managed to escape his father's surveillance once with the help of his mother. They placed a sleeping potion into his food and therefore Draco managed to step out of the manor. He went straight to Grimmauld Place to look for Harry and to explain but to his disappointment, he was met by Kreacher and was told that he had left.
Draco's world fell apart. His mother consoled him and tried to make him feel better. He felt so lost, he didn't know what happened and why Harry had left. He did not receive any letters from him. Their friends were still able to visit him though, but even they have not heard from Harry as well.
Draco's story was interrupted as Stamos appeared and informed them that there is a call for Harry and it seems like important. Harry looked at Draco apologetically and the blonde just sighed. "Do you know who is it?" Harry asked his assistant. "A person named Dudley and wishing to speak to you on a very urgent matter" Stamos replied. Harry furrowed his brows and muttered "What could it be this time? He doesn't usually call me on purpose". Draco saw the confusion this call brought to Harry and said "You can take the call if you like" Harry excused himself from the table.
When he returned to the table, he went beside Draco and sat on his heels as he spoke to him. "I think we need to get back to London. I may have a surprise for you" he said with a smile that reached up to his eyes. "Okay, what time do we leave so I can pack my stuff" was Draco's reply. "Right now. We will apparate to London" Harry told him. Draco froze "Uhm…I can't apparate…uhm" he stammered. "Don't worry I'll do a side along with you" and he wrapped his arm on the blonde's waist as they apparated to London.
They arrived at Grimmauld Place and were greeted by Kreacher. "Hello there Masters, what can Kreacher do for the both of you?" he asked. "Thanks but none Kreacher. You can go back to whatever you were doing before we arrived." Harry told the elf with a smile. And with a pop, he was gone. The house was kept clean and intact. "What are we doing here Harry?" Draco asked him. "I just need to get my keys so we can drive to Surrey. That's where Dudley is."
While Harry was driving, he looked meaningfully at Draco. The blonde was aware of the look being given to him and asked "What?" Harry just smiled and asked him, "Do you have any idea where Lucius might have taken your kid?" Draco became stiff and just shook his head. He avoided Harry's looks and stared out the window. Harry became aware of Draco's sudden quietness "Don't worry love. We'll find him." And squeezed the blonde's shoulders and pulled him for a quick kiss.