Chapter 10: Peacocks

"Harry, I was thinking about something." Draco is sitting on the floor in one of 'their' classrooms with Harry's head on his lap, playing with his hair. It's a month since Draco got out of the hospital wing after his 'fall', and the rumours have started to slow down.

Harry looks lazily up at him. "Should I be afraid?"

"Be nice you." Draco moves his hand and starts stroking his fingers down Harry's forehead, over his closed eyes and down his cheek. "It's soon Easter."

"Mm..."

"And I thought it would be nice to get out of here." He keeps on playing with his fingers over Harry's face, pausing his speech for a second. "I got a letter from my mother this morning, where she asks me to come home for Easter. You're invited too."

It takes two long seconds, then Harry sits up instantaneously. "You said what? Me? Invited to Malfoy Manor?"

"We're not asking you to come, we absolutely understand if you don't want to. But we're offering you. If you'd like to you'll be more than welcome." Draco looks nervous and looks everywhere but at Harry.

"Oh." Harry looks bewildered. "I... I don't know. Wouldn't it be a problem with us going away together, especially to Malfoy Manor, in that case?"

"I've been thinking." Draco still won't look at Harry. "I'm going home in the morning as planned, no one really cares anyway. You tell everyone that you'll be at Grimmauld Place to get some peace and quiet, just being alone some days. Later you go to the Headmistress' office and use her fireplace to floo to the Manor." He chews his lip. "There are just two things that have to be done."

Harry stares at Draco, still a bit hesitant. "Just two?"

"Yes. First we have to ask Professor McGonagall if you can use her fireplace. Second..." He looks at Harry for the first time, looking estimative. "Well it is the trouble with your friends. If they go home, do you think they will accept not being able to see you, not being able to at least fire call you, for the whole time? So either you'll have to find a plausible lie to them, or you have to tell them the truth."

"The truth? About us?" Harry looks a bit panicked.

"No, no! Just that you're going with me. If you're going with me."

"Draco... I thought I never had to see that place again. Your home." He makes a face and lays down on his back, staring up at the roof. He is silent for a time before he speaks up again. "But you know, I'm thinking about the letter you sent me. Do you remember?"

"Which of them?"

"The one where you said that you wanted to show me the beauty of the Manor." Harry bites his lower lip. "Where you said that we needed new, better memories, both you and me."

"Yeah. I still believe that. I don't want to push you though."

"You know Draco..." Harry sits up and traces the fingers of his left hand. "Sometimes I wish you would push me more." He starts to blush and gets very interested in one of his nails.

"Oh?" Draco shifts over to sit tight next to Harry. "I'll keep that in mind." Then he burrows his face in Harry's neck and they drop the subject for a while.

A bit later they are ready to leave, but before Draco has time to take down the wards Harry lays a hand on his arm. "You are right."

"I know, I usually am. About what?"

"About what you said in the letter. I'm coming with you."

"Hermione, Ron, there's something I have to tell you." Harry mumbles and looks at the floor.

"Of course, what is it?" Hermione shines up and looks hopeful.

"Not here. Come." Harry walks out of the common room and stands undecided for a moment, then he leads them to a classroom. "This should be empty." He casts a simple locking spell. "I'm not good at the wards, Draco always does them." He falls silent and stares at the floor.

"Harry, what was it you wanted to talk about?" Hermione's voice is soft and tentative.

Harry runs a hand through his hair and sighs. "OK, listen. This is really important that you don't tell anybody. You have to lie to keep it up if it's needed. But I think I can trust you." He smiles a little.

"Of course you can trust us! Right Ron?" She elbows Ron.

"Yeah, you should know that by now."

"Well, it isn't just my secret to tell. But I and Draco have talked, and he trusts you with this."

There is a moment of silence. Hermione gapes at him and Ron looks dumbfounded.

"What? Ferret face says that he trusts us?" Ron stare at him in disbelief.

"Yes, he does."

"So, what is the secret?" There's a twinkle of curiosity in Hermione's eyes.

"You know I'm going home for Easter?" They nod. "Well, you won't be able to visit me or talk to me or anything. No one will. I need to be totally alone for the whole holiday. This especially goes for Molly, I'm sure she will worry, or try to give me food or something. You have to make sure she keeps away."

"Oh. But what's the secret?" Hermione looks suspicious.

"Yeah, and what does ferret face have to do with anything?"

"Well, it's pretty simple. I won't be at Grimmauld Place." Harry sees comprehension dawn in Hermione's eyes. "I will be at Malfoy Manor."

Ron starts to splutter. "You're going back to that... that nightmare?"

"Yes. I've been thinking about it and I want to go."

"But Harry, do you really think that's wise?" Hermione looks doubtful. "The memories we have from that place..."

"...can be replaced with good memories. I don't want him to control my life even from the grave."

"You're mental, I just say that. Mental." Ron shakes his head.

"And I guess the papers would drool if they got an opportunity to write about the Saviour returning to Voldemort's headquarters." Hermione frowns.

"You see the problem. It's really important that people think I'm at Grimmauld Place."

"We can tell people that we have talked to you or something." Ron is visibly thinking. "Just once, saying that I floo-called you or something, that we decided before going that I should check in on you a special time." He scratches his cheek. "If people think that I have talked to you there, they would be less likely to think you are somewhere else." He looks up at them. "Does that make sense?"

Harry smiles. "Yeah. I think it's a really good plan." He turns to Hermione and sighs. "What, Hermione?"

"I just..." She nervously chews her lip. "I mean, you will be careful over there, right?"

"Hermione..." He groans. "It's an ordinary home now, there'll be no Death Eaters in the corners or evil Dark Lords lurking in the bedrooms."

"There will be a Narcissa Malfoy though, her husband was a Death Eater. And you were the one who placed him in Azkaban."

"Her son was a Death Eater too. But he swapped sides. Just as his mother." Harry looks irritated. "She was the one inviting me, I don't think she would have done that if she wanted to hurt me."

"Let's see, Narcissa Malfoy invites Harry Potter to Malfoy Manor. Can someone please check the window for flying pigs?" Hermione sounds a bit hysteric.

"Very funny. But you know, Draco knows that you know where I am, so if he doesn't get me home in one piece he has to answer to you."

"Yeah, I like that." Ron nods. "Make sure he knows it too."

"I'll be all right. It's just a few days."

"Mm." Hermione gives him a short hug. "Just promise me that you are careful."

"Careful?" Ron looks at her. "You know it's Harry we're talking about, right?"

Draco leaves in the morning as all the others who are going home for the holidays. Harry decides to spend the day in the library, trying to get some homework done. He and Draco will have to study during the holidays to keep up, but it doesn't hurt to have done some of it. Draco is usually a lot faster than Harry. He manages to focus up to lunch, but after that his thoughts start to drift away. He's going to Malfoy Manor. Last time he was there... He thought that it was over, all of it. The war and his life. He remembers walking into the Manor, remembers its residents. Bellatrix. Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. Draco. A Draco who was reluctant and scared, who didn't wanted to follow Voldemort, but was too far in to leave. He sighs. It will be hard to see it again and not relive all those bad feelings. He wonders if they still are using the drawing room. They probably do. Is he expected to be there then, making conversation in the room he thought would be his death? He puts his head down on the desk. What has he agreed to?

His thoughts go on to Narcissa. The cold, calm woman who led them inside, who knew she most likely led them to their deaths. And now he's supposed to go back to her house and live with her for a week. Maybe Ron is right about him. He's mental. He rubs his temples and tries to think different. To think of the Narcissa in the Manor who stopped fighting to protect her son instead. Of the Narcissa in the forest, who betrayed her master out of love for her son. The Narcissa in the Great Hall after the battle who sat so close to her son. A person who can love that strongly can't be all bad. He guesses he should just be thankful that Lucius isn't home. But on the other hand, then he just hadn't accepted the invitation. "He's not a total monster..." The problem is, Harry mostly thinks he is. The sudden thought of being introduced to Lucius Malfoy as his son's boyfriend makes him choke and start coughing. After the cough has stopped the problem is still there. How do you tell your boyfriend that you think his father is a heartless bastard who deserves to sit at least three lifetimes in Azkaban? Maybe he should start memorizing some of those lies Draco was talking about.

oOo

In the evening Harry takes his luggage and heads for the Headmistress' office. The last hours have been long, but the travel with the train takes time, and Harry refuses to reach the Manor before Draco and having to socialize with Narcissa on his own. They have set a later time so that Draco would surely have gotten home.

When he reaches her office, McGonagall is waiting for him. "All is ready for you." She pauses and looks at him intently. "Harry, are you really sure of this?"

"About going with Draco to Malfoy Manor?"

"About him at all." She looks worried. "I know it's not my place to question your actions, but you've been through so much already. You deserve only the best now."

"In some strange way I think he is."

McGonagall looks at him thoroughly. "Well, you're the only one who can know that." She gives him a strange look. "You've lost so much more than anyone at your age should have to. I just want you to remember that there are still those who care about you."

Harry looks at her, unsure what to say.

"Well, off you go. Mr Malfoy is waiting for you."

"Thank you, Headmistress." A bit taken aback Harry says 'Malfoy Manor' and steps into the green flames.

oOo

When Harry stumbles out through the fireplace at Malfoy Manor he first thinks the room is empty, but then he sees Draco standing up from one of the chairs. And that's when he realizes that he's in the drawing room. He stands perfectly still where he is, letting his eyes travel slowly around the room. Over there is where Hermione was lying... The chandelier is back up... There is the place we were standing when Dobby...

"...never should come."

Draco is talking to him, but he has troubles focusing. His breath comes faster and he fights down an urge to take out his wand.

"...held up"

Harry jumps when Draco puts his hand on his shoulder. He turns his face towards Draco instantly, and he knows he must be looking strange.

"Harry, what-" Draco looks around. "Oh. I see." He takes a step forward, puts one hand behind Harry's head and presses his lips over Harry's. First Harry stands stiff and unmoving, but after some time he relaxes into the kiss.

Draco pulls back enough for their noses to still touch. "New, good memories." He kisses him again before backing off and taking Harry's hand. "I should have told you that you'd be arriving in here. I didn't think that... Well, I didn't think."

Harry looks at Draco and gives him a small smile. "I never thought I would hear Draco Malfoy admit that he didn't think."

"If you repeat that to a single being I will kill you."

At this Harry starts to laugh, loudly.

Draco snatches back his hand. "What? What's so funny?"

"Well, that's what they all were waiting for." Harry grins broadly. "Five minutes at Malfoy Manor, and I've already got my first death threat."

With that the doors open and Narcissa Malfoy enters the room.

"Mr Potter." She moves over the floor towards them, back straight and head held high. "It sounds like you're already enjoying your stay here."

"Mrs Malfoy." Harry tries to compare her to his different Narcissas from this afternoon, and he has to admit, there is a whole lot of coldness and very little love. "I'm very grateful for being invited here."

"Are you now, Mr Potter." Narcissa looks at him with a look he really can't put his finger on.

"Please, just call me Harry."

"As you wish, Harry." She turns to Draco. "You and Harry will have dinner alone tonight, I'll eat in my rooms. Don't forget to get an elf to take care of his luggage."

"I'll take care of it, mother."

"I guess I'll see you two tomorrow then." She nods at them and heads for the doors. With one hand on the handle she turns around. "Don't think I don't understand how hard this is for you, Harry. I know that it has taken a lot to come here, and I'm honoured to have you as our guest. Welcome to our house." She opens the doors and disappears out through them.

"That was... your mother." Harry feels like he can start breathing again.

Draco hides a smile. "I'm aware of that."

"There is undoubtedly a lot of etiquette that I'm not anywhere near aware of, you just have to shout at me when I do wrong. Or give me hints beforehand. Anyway, is it OK if I sit down a minute? I think I need it."

"Sit down, Harry." Draco rolls his eyes.

Harry sinks down in a chair, rests his elbows on his knees and looks down in the carpet. Draco sits down across from him, a worried frown on his face.

"Are you OK? Harry?"

Harry looks up with a small smile. "Sorry. Just had to restart my brain. It was a lot to take in in a very short time." He walks over to where Draco is sitting. "Will your mother sneak around or is it safe to touch you?" He looks at the wall for a second. "Don't tell her I said that."

Draco looks at him and smiles. "She will be in her rooms for the rest of the night, so it is quite safe."

"Good." Harry strokes his hair and his cheek, reaching out for his hand. "What do you say about us getting out of this room now?"

"Absolutely."

oOo

After dinner Harry and Draco sits in front of the fire in the library, just enjoying to be able to sit there close together and not be hidden away in a dusty classroom. The dinner was very good and the fire warms nicely, and soon the first yawning can be heard.

"Come on Harry, time for bed."

"But it's so nice here. I don't want to move an inch."

"Should I just go to bed and leave you here for my mother to find tomorrow then?"

"When you put it like that..." Harry starts to stand up. "But this was nice. Really nice."

"Yes." Draco smiles very fondly at Harry and holds out his hand. "Come, I'll make sure that you find your room. And if you want something you know where my room is."

"That can be interpreted in different ways."

"Then interpret it as you like." Draco winks at him.

They walk up to Harry's door where they stop and say goodnight for some time. Then Harry walks into the room and makes himself ready for bed. The bed is big and soft and Harry has never slept in anything that even comes close to it. When he has got himself in bed he just lays there and thinks, he can't sleep with so much swirling in his mind. Suddenly there is a faint knock on the door, and then it opens. Before Harry has time to object Draco glides into the room and shuts the door behind him. He walks over the floor until he stands next to Harry's bed.

"Move over."

"What?"

"There won't be room for me otherwise."

oOo

When Harry wakes up it's still very early, and he's totally disorientated. The bed feels strange... Oh. Right. Malfoy Manor. There is something else strange though. Something soft is tickling his nose. And there's something warm... He opens his eyes instantly. Yes. Next to him there's a peacefully sleeping Draco. Suddenly he remembers, and he feels his face heat up. Then he smiles and decides that waking up with Draco's soft skin pressed against his isn't that bad. He pulls Draco closer, and soon he's back to sleep.

Next time he wakes up is when Draco is trying to untangle and sneak out of bed.

"I didn't mean to wake you up, go back to sleep." Draco gives him a slow kiss that turns out to be a bit longer than planned. "Well, now go back to sleep."

Draco slides out of bed and into his pyjamas in one graceful movement. Harry watches him from the bed. How is it possible for a person to be so beautiful? So perfect?

"Sleep, Harry. Close your eyes. I'll wake you up in time." Draco walks over the room and disappears out through the door.

Third time Harry wakes up that day is to something tickling in his face and something else pressing at his lips. He opens his eyes to look straight into amused grey ones. Draco's lips leaves Harry's and the hair disappears from Harry's face.

"Your hair tickles." Harry's voice is still thick with sleep.

Draco laughs. "It sure does. Just for you. Good morning."

"Isn't it a bit early to be that... joyful?"

"It's not early. And it's time for you to leave bed. You don't want to disappoint my mother by being late for breakfast." Draco's voice is serious, but his eyes twinkle with delight.

Harry sits straight up in the bed. "What? What time is it? How long time do I have?"

Draco laughs again. "Don't worry. There won't be any formal breakfast, you can take your time. I'll wait for you and then we'll go down together."

Harry relaxes visibly. "You're in a good mood today."

"I had a really good night." Draco winks at him.

The blush raises hasty in Harry's face and he squirms a bit, aware of his absence of clothes. Draco climbs up in the bed next to him.

"You know, it is awful tempting to undress and make you company." He turns serious and strokes a hand over Harry's chest. "You are very beautiful."

By now Harry's face is burning and he stares down on the bedclothes. Draco puts his hand on his chin and lifts his head up, examining his face.

"You know, if I kiss you now we won't get out of this bed." He touches Harry's cheek and then slides out of the bed. "Get up and get dressed. I'll be in my rooms, come get me there when you are ready."

Harry gets out of the bed and tries to both physically and mentally make himself ready for a day at Malfoy Manor, including the icy Narcissa Malfoy. The last one makes the task take a little longer. At last he's ready and goes to find Draco. When he enters Draco's rooms he finds him absorbed in their Potions book.

"Draco, it's before breakfast on our first day here and you are already studying?"

Draco lifts his head and puts away the book. "I'm just checking up on what we will be reading. And I know your study method is to do everything on the last night, but that's not going to be the case here." He walks over the floor to Harry. "But you're right, let's feed you and show you the place before chaining you to the desk."

"Chaining? I must admit I wouldn't be surprised."

Draco smirks at him. "Come on. Breakfast."

Harry nods and follows him out of the room. He chews his lip for a while. "Draco?"

"That would be me."

"Will your mother be there?" To his embarrassment he can hear his voice shake just a little.

Draco laughs softly. "She's not that dangerous you know. But no, she ate earlier."

"Oh. Well."

There's a smirk from Draco. "It's almost cute how nervous just the mention of my mother make you."

Harry snaps. "Well, last time I was here she wanted to kill me. Excuse me for still feeling a little bit tense about all of this."

They walk a couple of steps more in silence, then Draco stops and puts a hand on Harry's arm. "Harry, wait."

Harry stops and turns to Draco, lips thin and eyes simmering with anger.

Draco looks at him with a rueful expression. "Harry, I... I didn't..." He sighs. "I didn't think. Again." He reaches out a tentative hand to cup Harry's cheek. "You have to understand what you're doing to me."

A firm hand pushes Draco's away and Harry folds his arms, staring at Draco without a word. Draco takes a moment to intently inspect the pattern his toe makes in the carpet. When he looks up again his face is honest and his eyes a tiny bit too bright.

"Harry." He swallows. "This house is a living nightmare. I told you about my Christmas. But when you are here... I just keep thinking about what we are going to do next, what I will show you and how wonderful it is to be with you, just you and not hundreds of other students." He gives a hesitant little smile. "I'm like a child just by the thought of having you here with me. And I guess it's somewhere there I stop thinking." Draco looks self-conscious and a little bit pained, and he looks anywhere but at Harry.

Harry exhales deeply but doesn't say anything.

"You don't want-" Draco looks up at him with a jerk of his head. "You know you can go back to Hogwarts any time you want? We won't see it as rude or anything, we'll understand. Do you want to..."

Seeing the disappointment in Draco's eyes Harry takes pity of him. "No Draco, I don't want to leave. But this is still very strange for me."

Draco nods. "I understand-"

"And." Harry holds up a hand. "This woman happens to be the mother of the boy I... like, and since I had plans of staying in his life for quite some time I'd like it if she would like me."

A smile grows on Draco's face and then he launches himself at Harry and kisses him intensely.

There's a small, soft laugh from Harry, and he tries to make himself free. "Um, what if your mother..."

"She can sod off." He goes back to firmly kiss Harry.

oOo

When they make it to breakfast Harry has to admit that he's hungry. The absence of Narcissa is a big part in the fact that he actually can eat in peace and taste the food.

"So, what's the plan for today?" Harry leans back in his chair, warming his hands on his coffee cup.

"I thought we could take a walk outside, the weather is good enough for that. The manor in snow is breathtaking, and it's very pretty in the summer with all the flowers, but I think I can impress you with the delicate spring too." Draco gives him a lazy smirk.

"Well." Harry puts his cup down. "I'm ready to be impressed."

They get their outerwear and walk out through a side door where they comes out in a well kept garden. They take one of the paths and start walking down between flowerbeds and bushes. The trees are both small, bowing close to the path, and big and majestic. All of it is covered in a soft green shade from the new foliage.

"It's not as overwhelming as in the summer, but it still has its charm." Draco gives Harry a glance, more searching than accompanied by the usual smirk.

"It sure has. How big are the gardens?" Harry looks around.

The smirk is back on Draco's face. "Let me put it this way, I hope you're not in a hurry anywhere." He reaches out and strokes the body of a tree close to the path. "Oh, and stay away from the peacocks, they bite."

Harry arches an eyebrow. "Not only white, but aggressive white peacocks." He gives Draco an amused grin. "Some properties have guard dogs, but oh no, Malfoy Manor has guard birds. Impressive." He laughs loudly at Draco's initially speechless and slightly insulted expression.

"Be nice you, or you'll be sleeping alone tonight." A highly satisfied smirk appears on Draco's face when Harry blushes scarlet.

They walk a bit in silence, Harry slowly getting his usual colour back. Then he gives Draco a mischievous look. "But Draco, honestly. White peacocks? Who hit their head before they got that idea?"

Draco just snorts and keeps on walking.

Harry turns first serious and then calculating. He tentatively bites his lip. "Draco?"

There's an annoyed sound from Draco that can be affirmative.

"Can your mother see us here?"

Draco turns his head and looks at him. "No, probably not. Why?"

"Because I've been dying to do this since we started walking." Harry reaches out and takes Draco's hand, pressing it lightly. They walk on, hand in hand.

"Draco?"

"Yes, Harry."

"This is nice." He smiles a satisfied smile and rubs the back of Draco's hand, then being slightly dazed when Draco smiles back.

"Yes, it is."

After some time Harry can hear the sound of water. A while later the path opens into an open space, and in the middle stands a big fountain.

"I see." Harry stares amused at the object in front of him. "You have a fountain."

Draco snickers at him. "Obviously."

Harry walks over and looks down in the water. "No carps?"

"In the fountain?" Draco rolls his eyes. "That would be in the pond."

There's a snort from Harry. "Don't tell me you have..."

"...a pond? Of course. It's on the other side of the house."

Harry just smiles highly amused and reaches out for Draco's hand again. "Come on, let's keep on walking."

They walk on when suddenly Harry's face gets a knowing expression. "Oh, now I can see it."

"See what?" Draco looks at Harry.

"The peacocks. It's to match the rest of the blonds here, right?" He tries to keep a straight face and fails thoroughly.

"I don't want to hear a single bloody word about peacocks from now on, or I... I push you in the lake." Draco gives Harry a death glare, daring him to say something.

"Wait, wait. You have a lake?"

"Of course we have a lake. How else would there be shores to walk on?" He turns left and drags Harry with him over a lawn, soon finding another path. "This one takes us to the lake."

After walking for some time they can see the lake. Draco is highly amused at Harry's amazed expression. They head for the shore and take the path following the shoreline.

They have walked a couple of minutes when Draco hooks his arm in Harry's and pulls him away from the path and towards a bench halfway up the small hill. "Let's go up there, we can sit down."

Harry sits down next to him and takes his hand, lacing their fingers together and looks out over the lake. "You know, this is pretty awesome."

"Did you honestly expect something else from the place where I grew up?" Draco lifts a challenging eyebrow, but the haughty glance is damaged by the twitching in the corner of his mouth.

"I'm so stupid, of course not." Harry rolls his eyes.

Draco gives him a patronising smirk. "Good to know that we have the same view on your intelligence."

Harry pokes him hard in the ribs, but then puts his head down on Draco's shoulder. "You're a pain. But I love you anyway."

Harry tenses up but keeps his head on Draco's shoulder, and Draco continues to look out over the lake for several moments. When he turns his head his face is soft and there is a tiny smile on his lips. "Even though I may be a pain, I do love you. But I imagine you had strong suspicions about that already. You should have." He presses a kiss on Harry's head and then turns back out over the view in front of him.