A/N: Ok so first I need to apologize for this being so late. Please, please forgive me. Next I need to thank all who reviewed. I really, really love it when you do. This chapter will help explain a few things that some of you may have been concerned about or confused about, but just to warn you, I guarantee you will have more questions by the end of it. Please feel free to ask me, and as long as it doesn't give any thing away, I will try to answer them. You will also notice that this chapter is much longer than the rest well that's because I just couldn't stop. I really like this chapter and I hope you all do as well. Please read and review. Thanks Jo
P.S. I have no excuses for this being so late I just didn't feel like writing for a week or so, I was reading a lot and needed some ideas. Sorry again. Luvs Jo
Chapter 12
Questions and Answers
Before Harry could react he saw sparks fly out of the tip and hit him square in the chest. Harry paled for a split second before he realized what happened.
"What the fuck are you doing?" Harry demanded.
"The level of thickness in you just keeps going and going. What do you think Potter? I'm keying you into my wards. This is my house after all. You don't think I would just let anyone wonder onto the grounds do you?" Draco drawled, rolling his eyes.
Harry had known this was coming and scolded himself internally for not better preparing for it.
"Ok, ok let's just get this over with shall we."
Draco nodded and then entered the manor. This was not the Malfoy manor and was now where near as extravagant. Since his fathers imprisonment and subsequent demise, Draco and his mother had decided to sell the place they called 'home' if anyone could ever really called it that, and had this one built.
"So Potter, tell me how is the Weaslette and everything going with the twins?"
Harry turned and glared at him and then a very Slytherin smirk flickered across his face. He knew Draco knew about Ginny and the twins but not what they were capable of. In fact that was part of the reason he was here now. He hated the fact that he needed the ferrets help, but realized the fact that Draco had no other choice in the matter.
"They're fine thanks. As you know that is why I'm here. So where do we start, 'brother'?" The last was said with severe distaste.
Harry let out a very cold menacing laugh, and Draco paled this time, and shivered uncomfortably.
"Don't you ever call me that? We made a deal. You will honor it. As will I. Fuck I knew this would never work. I despise you, and you know that. Being related to you in any way makes my skin crawl, but knowing what we are is almost more then I can bear."
"Oh relax Malfoy. Believe me I was not exactly thrilled to find this out myself. How in the hell this ever happened is beyond me. I just want to get this over with so I can get my family out of this Gods forsaken place and safe. Even you can understand that can't you? You know what it's like to love Draco. I know you love your mother more than just about anything. That's why you testified against your father at his trial." Harry could only look at Draco now as his throat closed up.
He realized then what he was looking at. Draco Malfoy the so called 'Prince of Slytherin' and the heir to one of the oldest and well known wizarding families in his world and a person who's reputation had become one of such hardness and fear in his last two years at Hogwarts, was now sitting before him completely broken hearted.
Harry had forgotten what had happened shortly after the trial. Draco's father had gotten a death sentence for his role in the war. The sentence had not been carried out for a while and that lapse of time was all that Lucious had needed of course, as the bastard had escaped before it was. He went straight for the people who had put him in this situation. He wanted revenge on the people he hated and would get it. He was angry not only about the fact that he had been caught red handed but also because Draco had refused the dark mark and had not fallen to the same traps as his father had. Lucious hated this fact and wanted revenge on his son and wife.
Lucious Malfoy was not a kind man and never had been. Narcissa Black-Malfoy had not wanted to marry him but had been betrothed to him from the day she was eight years old and had shown her first signs of witchcraft. Lucious was a bit older than her and most people knew she was not happy but she did as was expected of her. She was a Black after all and could not disrespect her family as many of her relatives had. She would do her best to bring honor back to her family name. She had believed in many of the same things that her husband and family believed. She thought that the families should never mingle or mix with muggles or 'mud bloods' as her husband had always called them. She had always hated the word herself. And she knew how it got under Lucious' skin. She hated the man she had to live with and hated the fact that her only child, the son she loved more than anything in the universe, had his blood running through his veins.
Narcissa always tried her best to protect Draco but was not always successful. Draco had been beaten and hexed more times than even some of the common house elves they kept enslaved. He had had more broken bones then most professional Quidditch players before he was ten years old. Draco and his mother had a very unique and special relationship. They always tried to protect one another and loved each other beyond just that of a mother and her son. They seemed to share one heart and one mind at certain times.
Narcissa had been murdered not long after this house had been built on orders from Lucious and Voldemort. Draco had tried to save her that night. It was Christmas Eve and they had just finished their decorating of the tree when the house was stormed and all of the wards had been broken. Draco's mother had taken the same path as Harry's had and threw herself in the line of the killing curse to save her son. The Order had heard of the attack and was only minutes too late to save the beautiful woman. Draco had never been the same after that. It was almost as if part of him had died with her that night. He had withdrawn into himself and stopped his incessant taunting of the other students and threw himself into his studies. He had graduated at the top of the class tied with Hermione. Neither was very happy about that.
Harry had been one of the only people to know anything about what had happened to Lady Malfoy and knew somewhat of how Draco had felt. He also knew that Draco had been worse off because he had actually gotten to know his mum and had a very close relationship with her. He now knew what he was missing where as Harry did not. He had never had a real mother and did not know what he was missing at all. Not that that was any better, it just depends on your point of view and in Harry's, Draco's lose was worse than his. He kind of felt sorry for him after that.
The thing that had really gotten this very reluctant pare together was a simple dream or vision if you will. In their seventh year they had been forced into a tutoring / mentoring program together and were forced to spend some time with each other. Another of Dumbledore's wonderful plans. The two had a shared vision one night and had both been thrown into some sort of deep 'reverie' as a result. They had discovered then that their lives had been intertwined and they had not been put together by accident but by fate so to speak. They had both dreamt of being 'sole shifters'. They could feel each other and could see things that the other saw. It was not easy to control and took a lot of concentration and energy. If one of them was happy then the other would feel that happiness, if one was angry then the other would feel the anger. They did not have to share the same emotions but would know what the others emotions were. The two are much more alike than either ever wants to admit however, and are often having the same emotions at the same time anyway. They were of one sole and needed each other to continue.
If necessary they could use the shared sole to help the other when far away from one another. They could also shift soles and be more of the other when needed. Or they could shift to another person's sole only when time was short and they had no other choice to either save or kill. It was usually deadly to use this power for one or both of the shifters. They would need to shift all themselves into the person they wanted to save or kill and when the shift was complete the other shifter would enter the persons sole and either set the person free from what ever was hurting them or kill them. In order for this to work they both had to want the person to have the fate it was intended to have. They had learned these things when in their strange state of reverie. They had not had very long in it and were not able to learn all they needed to know and were now having trouble with some of the powers it had given them. They had to learn to work together mentally. They had long gotten over the physical problems of being around one another. But the thoughts that went through their heads at times about each other were not of the friendliest variety. It had not been easy to accept for either one.
They were the exact opposite of the same coin. They were not related as brothers in blood of family but in spirit. One light one dark both gray in their auras. They were neither good nor evil and would always be both. Much like the twins with a few minor deference's. You can never have one without the other. You need light to have dark. Just as you need evil to have good. For if the world was purely good then it would not be earth but 'Heaven'. If it were purely evil then it would be 'Hell' Harry and Draco knew this now and would not soon forget. They still hated each other and would for the rest of their lives. They could never be friends and never desired to even try. They were better as working enemies or more like rivals now. Both trying to out do the other and one up each other. It was quite disturbing to many of the people who did not know this 'which was surprisingly very few considering the way secrets are kept in Hogwarts'.
"Ok Harry here you go." Draco had interrupted Harry's thoughts and handed him a bundle of papers.
"Thanks Draco you know I appreciate this. I will pay you back everything ten fold when this is finally over."
"Harry this will never be over until we are all dead and you fucking know it. Don't worry about the pay back just keep those saviors of ours safe and train them right you thick fuck. Are you sure you don't want me to help. Granger won't be there to drag you along you know."
"Fuck off Malfoy. And what do you mean 'keep our saviors safe', what exactly do you know about my children Malfoy?"
"Enough Potter, enough. Just get them out of here before this new damned maniac gets ideas in 'its' head will you. You'll be safe there. I swear it. You know if you get hurt it hurts me too. I fucking hate this shit. Why did it have to be you?" The latter was asked more too himself then anyone else.
Draco turned away and went to the liquor cabinet in the corner. He withdrew a large bottle of what looked like firewiskey. He offered to Harry and he accepted gladly. They both had a couple of shots in silence.
"Can I ask you something Draco?" he didn't really wait for a response he just continued on. "How did you find out about the twins? Did you have another vision or did someone tell you?"
"Look Potter, you should understand this by now shouldn't you? We share a fucking sole and every thing you feel I feel. Every vision you have I have. I saw all the same visions you saw and you saw the same as I saw. Some of those little visions you had that day that Ginny had the babies were mine. Do you remember anything that happened after you left the hospital?" Draco retorted.
"Yes I remember going out for blood. I wanted to kill them all. Every last Death Eater I could find. You know that though don't you. I guess I don't like to think about it Malfoy. I don't like being linked to you and you know that as much as I do. What I really want to know is why you didn't show up when you saw your father. I would have thought that you would want to kill him more than I did."
"You Potter, you're the reason I didn't show up. You started to configure your plan just as I got to the beginning of the wards around that shabby little shack they were using. I was actually really surprised about your plan because it is actually pretty good. I think we can beat this you and me. But we will need to work together. I know what you've done so far. You should tell me the rest of the plan though Potter so we can work it out. I can come to you when it's time."
"I don't think so Malfoy not yet. You already know too much for my own comfort as it is. I know we can't hurt each other anymore but that doesn't make me want to just start trusting you with everything. I wish to Hell I knew how to control this stupid link between us. Do you know I got a vision of you about a week ago in the middle of the night and I don't even want to think about what you were doing with that poor girl?" Harry shivered slightly, and Draco blushed. He recovered quickly however.
"What Potter are you jealous? She was a fine fuck and if you saw anything of what I was feeling then you know it." Draco grinned broadly at the sight of Harry's eyes growing wide and the color rising in his cheeks.
"Don't worry Potter I think I've been able to start controlling some things it just takes a little concentration. I don't get visions of you and Ginny doing it anymore thank the Gods. Unless you just don't do it anymore. Which is highly likely considering those twins and what they are capable of." he smirked his classic Draco smirk and took another shot.
"Sod off Malfoy. My sex life is none of your business is it." Harry said and took another himself.
After a couple of hours of this male bonding they had started Harry took his leave. He had one last stop to make before going back to the apartment. They had made plans for Draco to keep in touch and to keep Harry informed of events going on around there. He made his final stop in Diagon Alley, and got all the supplies and money he would need as well as a few little gifts for Ginny and the twins. On his way back to Hogwarts he decided to make one slight detour.
An hour later he finally got home to Ginny.
"Finally Harry. Where have you been for so long? I was about to put a tracking charm on you."
Harry hugged Ginny and kissed her gently. He had put all the supplies and gifts away for the trip. The next morning they would be leaving their little apartment at Hogwarts. They would be going to spend their last night at the Burrow. The entire family was going to be there and some of their friends from school as well. Most were now members of the Order.
They would not be telling anyone exactly where they were going or even what country they would be in. Strangely enough the only other person who knew that was Draco Malfoy. Ginny did not even know yet and would not know until they had arrived. She didn't even know about Harry and Malfoy yet, though Harry was planning on telling her once they got to where they were going. That was not exactly his idea however, but he would have to come clean so to speak because Draco had insisted on coming to visit shortly after they get there and get settled. Harry didn't want him to just show up and surprise Ginny. Then he really wouldn't get any lovins for much, much longer than it had already been. That was just one more thing that he hated about Malfoy. He was usually right about some things and that had been one of them. It had been a long time since they had made love because of the twins. But both had many other things on their minds besides sex. Harry just blew it off and went about his business.
"Are you and the twins ready to go to the Burrow?" Harry asked avoiding her earlier question.
"Yes nearly just a few small things left to pack up. Nothing much though. We didn't really have all that much to begin with except for the twin's things. Gods I don't know how my Mum ever managed to do this with seven kids and you really had to count the twins at least twice because of all the trouble they caused from day one even. Why on earth she ever kept going after those two I will never know. I don't think I could handle anymore after these two. Not that I won't change my mind someday but not now that's for sure."
Ginny was back to her packing as she spoke. She was working to keep herself busy more than anything else. She was doing everything by hand instead of with magic simply to keep her mind off of her fear. She was a very strong person and could handle just about anything put in front of her, but she was still very frightened of losing her family. She would truly miss them and it would be very hard to be without them again. But at least the last time, she knew they were simply an emergency portkey away. This time however, they were not. There would be no emergency out if anything went wrong. They were totally on their own. She was definitely scared.
"I think I have it all now Harry, are you ready for bed?" She asked as she put the last of the kid's toys into a trunk and shrunk it.
"Yeah. Let's get some rest we will leave first thing tomorrow." Harry responded.
He was more nervous about going to the Burrow tomorrow than about moving to a place he had never been before. That he had done before. It wouldn't be that difficult for him to adjust. He was worried about Ginny though. She had never been anywhere away from her family before.
They crawled into bed that night and Ginny curled up in his arms. They made love for the first time since just after the twins were born. Harry suddenly got a shock when he felt Draco in his mind. He had to grin a bit at the thought of the look on his face. He would be horrified at this and Harry relished in it.
"Ok, you go first and I'll follow with the luggage. Just take one twin at a time this time though. I don't want to have to go looking for them again."
Harry grinned and cringed at the same time with his last statement. The last time they had gone to visit the Burrow the twins had managed to squirm their way out of Ginny's grip mid floo and ended up in some poor old witches stew pot. It was a big mess. Luckily the children's floo charms last a while after the trip as to not let them get burned if they doddle a bit, which most do. Not to mention how lucky they had been it wasn't some horrible potion or other but just plain old chowder. The witch was very understanding thank the Gods and had told them stories of her own children and where some of them had ended up during flooing. They had enjoyed talking to the older woman so much that they ended up staying for dinner and now would go visit her some times. She had had five children all of whom were grown and moved all over the globe.
Harry sent Ginny with James into the floo network. He followed shortly after with the shrunken trunks and Gabby. The Weasley's were all there as promised when they arrived. It was very crowded and had to take the festivities outside. Mr. And Mrs. Weasley and the older siblings had to do some charms as the weather started to take a turn for the worse. It was starting to rain. They quickly had a very nice clear dome over everything that needed it. They all talked, ate, laughed, remembered, cried and hugged for hours. It was probably the best day they had ever spent there and the worst.
Harry and Mr. Weasley took leave from the main group and went to convene in a very hushed discussion in the house. They spoke in whispers most of the day and would give each other strange little glances and gestures the rest of the Weasleys started to notice this too.
"What in Merlin's name is going on between you two?" Ron asked Harry after another little quiet chat between the two men.
"Oh that, just… um…muggle stuff… yeah just muggle stuff." Harry lied nervously.
"Right well look mate you don't know how much this sucks. Why do you have to leave like this? I'll have to get a new partner for work and I have a bad feeling it's going to be Longbottom of Looney. Gods I hope its not either one of them."
"Don't sweat it mate. They are getting really good and you know it. Besides I can guarantee it won't be either one of them they are partnering after I leave. I put in a good word for you and you'll get a good partner. Just don't kill each other because I can't handle that right now." Harry teased Ron.
"You know who I'm getting stuck with then? Who? You better tell me if you know because if it's someone I would want to kill then maybe I should think about another career or something. Tell Potter Now." Ron was glaring at his best friend in a way he usually saved for the scum he caught in work.
"Ok Ok just keep your knickers straight. He is one of the best Auror's there is Ron. You just need to get over a few issues is all. I made him a deal when I found out what was going on and I knew I would have to leave. I think you guys could be really great together as long as you both keep you wits about you. You could end up being unstoppable. You are both the best strategists in the game and you have a lot of heart. Just remember this person doesn't always like to play by the rules as they are written and he sometimes likes to add his own in the mix. I've worked with him before and he is good. He never misses his mark. And neither do you. Just promise me you won't go all Lockhart on me when I tell you his name or I swear I'll have to get Ginny to Bogey you. Promise?"
"Just tell me Potter now." Ron's face was turning shades of red and purple that Harry's Uncle Vernon would have been quite fond of. Possibly jealous, hmm.
"Malfoy"
"WHAT? You have to be fucking kidding me. Tell me that is a very sick joke." Ron looked like a ghost now. Harry had never seen so many colors of the spectrum so quickly in his life. His best friend was now turning a nice shade of pale green oh now it's kind of blur. Crap back to purple.
"Look Ron it's ok really. You know how good he is. They have been on me for a while now to get either you or myself with him because for some damnable reason they seem to think that the three of us are the best Aurors in the game right now. And I must say I have to agree. The three of us have brought in more Evil wizards in the past year and gotten convictions rightful convictions at that then they had been able to catch in two years before we got their. You know how Malfoy has changed. Ok so maybe he hasn't changed that much but Ron you are the only person besides Dumbledore to know about us and our special connection. Just promise me you won't try to kill him because it will probably kill me too, and I would really like to stick around to see me children have at least another little brother or sister or maybe even go to Hogwarts. I wanted you two together because I know you will do great together once you both get over yourselves. Not to mention you both have a vested interest now and it's sitting right over there in their mothers lap sleeping as we speak. You know what they mean to me and what they mean to Draco. They mean as much to him Ron because they are the key to everything. You are the only person besides him I have ever told this too. Even Ginny doesn't know everything and if she finds out I will never forgive you. Just give the Malfoy a chance will ya?" Harry finished his little speech and looked at his best mate who was staring in the same direction as his love and children. He glanced over at her and knew the time had finally come. He slowly approached her and got down to his knee.
"Harry, hey you. How are you? Have you been sharing silly Auror stories with the guys? Harry are you alright? You look at little peaky. Maybe you should go and lie down for a while. Mu…" Ginny did not get the chance to finish calling for her mum as Harry had enveloped her into the biggest kiss she had ever had.
"Ginny please just let me talk a minute. Or I'll never get this out." Harry pleaded. Ginny just stared at the boy or man she mentally noted before her. She started to get a little concerned but that was quickly replaced when he started to speak.
"Ginny will you please do me the greatest honor and become my wife? Today before all our friends and family."
Harry pulled out a small red leather box and opened it for her. Then he continued.
"I stopped by here last night and spoke with your father and got his blessing and your mother has made all the other arrangements. I know it's not exactly the most ideal of circumstances, and I would understand if you say no or want to wait but Never Forget, I love you Ginny more than anything in the world save for our children."
He stopped suddenly not sure of what else to say. He was very scared suddenly because Ginny was crying. He felt very strange as he sensed every single eye boring into the back of his head. He started to sweat when Ginny still had not answered. It felt like it had been an eternity. His heart started to sink a little when he saw the tears start to well up in her eyes. He started to rise, wanting to just run and get away from this.
"Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Harry yes. I will marry you. I love you I can't believe you did this. All of this just for me? How did you have time? You have been working so hard and then with coming home to such impossible messes with the twins. I just don't know how I could say no. I would never want to say no Harry. So yes my answer is again yes."
She enveloped him this time and clung so tightly that the twins both had woken and had to pry themselves from the middle of the two lovers so they weren't crushed, literally, by love. Everyone rushed to them the minute they parted and surrounded Ginny and Harry.
