Chapter 12

"Arrgh!" Draco barked at nothing. He stood in the middle of the study, his fists clenched, gritting his teeth. He was tired of being trapped in here, of being hidden. "I hate this! I hate being stuck in this dreadful house with – with you-," he pointed at a wide-eyed Neville, who was reading a text on Herbology, "-and you!"

His finger whipped around to Harry and Ron, who sat by the fire playing Wizard's chess. Despite his outburst, he was sure everyone could understand. They were hostages in this place, some by choice, and others by force. He felt claustrophobic and useless sitting here, twiddling his thumbs day in and day out. No contact with anyone else, no magic, and no way of knowing what his father was up to. Ginny surely wasn't speaking to him, and after the episode the other night, she stayed away from him all together. She damn sure wasn't sleeping with him. He was sexually frustrated, irritated, and annoyed.

He watched Potter's eyes look at him intensely. This caused Draco to clench his jaw. Potter was judging him probably. Here he was standing in the middle of a study, yelling because he was bored. But it was more than that. They should be doing something. They should be out there, looking for Deatheaters, trying to clear his name!

Harry returned his gaze to the chess board and for some reason that simple action pissed Draco off more. He stopped over to the men, his knuckles white from clenching them. They wouldn't ignore him.

"How many times a day can one play bleeding wizard's chess?!"

Harry slowly looked up at Draco standing over them, and in mid-move, pulled his hand back to shift his glasses. He looked pissed. Maybe that would inspire him to get off his arse and do something.

It was the red head who spoke up though. "Go outside then, Malfoy. Go in the gardens. But for the love of Circe, stop all the bloody whining! You're a fugitive! I'm sure when you hid out in Ireland with Snape, it wasn't a sodding resort!"

Draco shot a nasty look at Ron and threw his hands up. "I'm going barmy sitting here doing nothing! There has to be something! We need to clear me, find out who's doing this to you, get the Deatheaters back in prison-"

"I have something for you to do," Harry finally replied. "Actually, all of us."

"Do tell…" Draco replied. "Because I'm this close to crucio-ing Longbottom out of pure boredom."

Neville's face turned red. "Hey!"

Harry set down the chess piece and walked past Draco, soliciting an eye roll from him before he followed. Ron and Neville filed behind them, as they started up the stairs. Draco was annoyed even more. He wanted to be outside, he wanted to take action. Not go upstairs! He spun around on the stair and leered at Ron and Neville.

"What are you? His entourage?"

"Maybe we're bored too. Now, please move up the goddamned stairs." Ron snapped. Draco desperately wanted to say something, but he pursed his lips and continued behind Harry. He did manage to throw Ron the middle finger and that sparked Ron to want to hit him. Neville begged Ron to let it go.

As they turned the corner on the 3rd floor, Draco knew where they were going. He was about to say something when a figure slammed right into Harry.

"Oh!" Ginny sputtered as she caught herself from colliding into him. She held out a hand on his hard chest. Draco rolled his eyes for the second time that day and watched her act flustered. He remembered she opted to stay on the 3rd floor. Away from him. She must have been coming out of her room.

"I'm sorry, are you okay?" Harry replied simply, and Ginny removed her hand to place the other on her chest. She seemed out of breath.

"I'm fine. Just surprised. Are you headed to the-?"

Harry nodded and pointed into the direction down the hall. "The library."

"Oh. Can I come?"

Harry nodded again and the group continued down the hall. Ginny walked beside Harry, which caused a pain of jealousy to rise in Draco. He noticed while they had been staying here, her appearance had changed, back to the carefree Weasley, her red hair free around her shoulders, no makeup, muggle jeans and shirt. Somehow she looked even prettier that way, he thought. In addition to the jealousy, a feeling of longing was there as well. He tried to shake it off.

Snap out of it, she's throwing herself at Potter. She's not speaking to you. She is the enemy.

But she did look delicious. Harry opened the door to the library to reveal Hermione and Luna standing in massive piles of books, with even more books on the shelves. Harry walked up to Hermione and dropped a kiss on her forehead as she reached for another book. Draco frowned.

"How are we supposed to find Deatheaters in here?"

"We're not," replied Ron, as he joined Luna. Neville pushed past Draco and went to a pile. "Hermione and Luna have been looking up information on spells dealing with ashes, to see if theirs anything we can counter. We also need more info on Coogle."

Draco looked annoyed. "Are you suggesting I read? If I wanted to read a book, I'd have become a librarian! I'm an Auror! A Special Forces Auror!"

"Which means what?" Ron threw out sarcastically.

"This means I do special shit you can't do. Which means I don't sit around and read." Draco noticed Ginny was still in the door way beside him, watching Harry kiss Hermione and hand her a book. The look on her face seemed pained, and it pissed Draco off more. Now he was in a really horrible mood.

"Well you will today." Harry stated simply, walking up to him and handing him a large leather bound dusty book. "Look for any information on Coogle's history. He's from a line of Druids."

Draco's eyes dropped down to the title, Wizard Lines and Societies, The Modern Update. He groaned and looked over to Ginny. She was still standing in the doorway. "Are you going to go in?"

She snapped her head to look at him. He had to admit his tone was rather harsh. "Of course. We need to help them find out who's behind all this."

"Do 'we'?" Draco asked amused.

"It's for us too. Neville and I are fugitives for no reason other than protecting you."

"You think I let my father out of Azkaban?!" Draco was shocked at her statement.

"I don't know, since you haven't talked to me since I came in your office. And when you do, it's only to throw insults at me. As if you hate me now?" Ginny said defiantly.

Draco felt his heart drop. "Is that what you think? Ginny, -"

He saw her walk ahead into the library ignoring him. He felt like breaking something. Had he known she thought he hated her-

He gripped the book tightly and walked the other way down the hall, taking the book down to his room. Harry watched Draco leave the library and turned back to Hermione. "Be right back."

He followed Draco down to his room, but was met with the door slamming violently and locking. Draco was a time bomb, and he wanted to know why.

Meanwhile, Hermione placed a book back on the shelf as Ron approached her.

"Oh Ron, can you grab that high one for me? Sorry, I'm vertically challenged." She chuckled a bit. He reached a long gangly arm up and grabbed the book, bringing it down slowly to her.

"Have you told Harry about the baby being… different?"

Hermione's eyes grew wide and she looked to make sure no one else could hear him. She leaned in and whispered. "I will. He's just got so much on him. Look at how Malfoy is acting and –"

"No! You need to tell him," Ron whispered back. "Do not keep this from him!"

"I won't Ron! It's just-"

"No excuses Hermione. He will never forgive you if you lie to him about this."

She narrowed her eyes at the furious red head. "I'm not lying!" She had to control her own volume. "I'm trying to protect him. There are more important things."

"Not more important than his baby."

"Our baby!" Hermione yelped, causing Neville and everyone to look at her. Ron shook his head and watched as the brown haired woman ran out the library past Harry who was coming back up. He tried to reach for her, but she was too quick and ran down the hall.

"Hermione! What-?" he turned to Ron, who shrugged.

"Hormones." Ron simply said.

A protective hand lay across her belly and she could hear his faint breath against her neck as he slept. She didn't know what had come over her the other day; she was extremely emotional, way too sensitive, and a bit of a drama queen. Hermione knew Ron was trying to look out for them, and the best policy was honesty, but she still had her reasons. She was becoming much like Harry in 6th year, constantly yelling, always angry. Except Harry wasn't with child. Sodding hormones.

She shifted a bit, not to wake Harry, but to snuggle more against him. He simply tightened his hold on her and continued to sleep. She loved when they spooned like this, she loved to have him hold her, and she loved him period. But now it was driving her mad. She was now cooped up in this dreadful house with two people she wished misfortunes on. She also lost her bookstore and her home. And now the two things that meant more to her than even breathing were in danger.

She had avoided Ron like the plague for the past few days. Draco hadn't come out his room. She still hadn't told Harry what Luna had found and she chastised herself for keeping it from him. Luna was sweet, but constantly reminded Hermione she should tell him. The problem was she honestly didn't know what to say to him, how to lay one more anvil to his already anchored neck. She knew it shouldn't only be her burden to carry, but she just…couldn't…

She remembered a short time ago when they were so happy. When they were just married and no more threats from Voldemort were on them. She cherished those few moments, and wished she could get them back, not just for Harry and herself, but for their baby.

This baby would be born with burdens of its own, and that frightened her. Her row with Ron exposed her vulnerability, made her see the situation was not going to go away because she simply ignored it.

She owed Harry the truth, he had told her things before, even when he was scared to, even when it could have cost him what they had, and she had always encouraged him to have faith in her. They could protect this baby from whatever was to befall it, right?

She was so frustrated right now, the research here had produced nothing and according to Harry they were at a dead end. When he came to the room to ask her what was the matter in the library, she diverted his questions to progress on the research.

"We didn't find anything. Did you?"

She was already in bed, after her fight with Ron, the toll of that day tired her out. "No. As extensive as this library is, there is one place I am sure we can find something."

"No! Don't even suggest it Hermione." His eyes darkened as he slipped into bed beside her.

She huffed at his protest. "You know it will probably have the answer, all I need to do is go in there and see."

"It's too dangerous. It's abandoned! The library might even be destroyed!"

Hermione face grew hard. "Well we need to go, Hogwarts is our only option."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because you could get hurt!"

"I'm not a doll Harry! I've always been in the trenches with you! This is no different!"

"It is when you are carrying our baby!" He yelled back.

Hermione's eyes filled with tears and Harry softened his stance and pulled her to him. She tried to resist and pull away but he wouldn't let her. He kissed her forehead and eyes, her tear stained cheeks. "I'm sorry I yelled. I love you. I just want to protect you. You both all I have."

She nodded, feeling another set of tears fall down her cheeks that day. As he held her, closed her eyes as he kissed her again, deeper this time. They would make love that night but it wasn't over for her.

This wasn't over. She was going to find a way to get to Hogwarts, and find out what those ashes could do. She closed her eyes and snuggled next to her husband and drifted off to sleep. She didn't even notice he got out of bed himself a short time later.

"Do you love Draco?" Neville's voice interrupted her thoughts as she sat study window.

Ginny whirled around to see him standing sheepishly in the entranceway. "Why do you care?"

"Because if you did, I think you should know, he's locked in his room, drowning in Firewhiskey as if he needs it to live."

"He's so dramatic." She rolled her eyes.

"He's been in there for days." Neville replied walking closer to her.

"Well, that's his problem. And why do you care Neville? He used to be nothing but nasty to you in school. He got you in this mess. You might have lost your job at the Ministry, you're hiding out, and you're a fugitive of the law!"

Neville watched her flip her red hair and turn back to the window. "Yeah…well. He's changed a bit. I see it some."

"He's so stubborn sometimes. And bullheaded. And arrogant," she began ranting as to Neville but she wasn't looking at him. "He left me for a week, a whole week, worried about him, wondering if he left me!"

"He was in custody, Ginny. Maybe he couldn't reach you."

"He didn't even try to warn me!" she sniffed. "He came here with you by portkey and didn't care that they could storm the manor. That his Father could have come and killed me. You ask do I love him? Why should I?"

Neville shook his head. "I don't know."

"Harry wouldn't have left me…" she quipped, causing Neville to look at her oddly. She didn't care.

"Harry wouldn't have left anyone." Neville said because he had the feeling Ginny was comparing her relationship to Malfoy to Harry. "But he does care. What you are doing is hurting him. Even I can see that."

"Me? What am I doing?"

He swallowed the nervous lump in his throat. "Well…err...your preoccupation with Harry-"

"Preoccupation?!"

"It's obvious you still fancy him," Neville said quietly. "Regardless of his current marital status. I've known you for a long while Ginny, you always wanted Harry."

"Oh so you know the inner workings of my mind now? You don't know me at all anymore Neville. It's more than a mere crush. I don't just fancy Harry, I love him." Her lip quivered as she held back a sob.

Neville blinked. "I don't think you do anymore. I mean, maybe before you did. But so much has happened Ginny. The war, you and Draco. Hell, Harry's having a baby…with his wife."

"Why does everyone keep thinking they need to remind me of that? I see her blasted gigantic belly where ever I go in this house!"

"And yet, when I see you…ogling at Harry from across the dinner table; I believe you're holding onto a fairy tale that will never be."

She stared at him for a minute as if to process what he had just said and then threw her legs over the side and got up to leave the room.

Neville dropped his head as she walked past. "I was just trying to help. I just see Malfoy in love with you. And trust me…that says a lot. I didn't know Draco could love anyone."

"Who said he could?" Ginny threw out bitterly.

"He does. Maybe in his 'own special way', but he does. But you're so smitten with Harry and that's got to hurt the bloke. I know how it feels to love someone who doesn't love you back. To love an image that isn't really that person. I did it for years while I was in Hogwarts. I did it with you."

Ginny looked at him, shocked. "Is that some sort of love declaration, Neville?"

"No! Not at all. I've long since got over it. I've actually been seeing Susan Bones…if she'll still have me after all these weeks of not being able to contact her. And that's what I'm saying to you. I think you are in love with what you know about Harry and maybe you don't see what you are doing to Malfoy because of it."

"What are you? Dr. Love now? I-I love Harry."

"Do you really know him? He's in love with his wife! If you knew him at all, you would KNOW that."

Ginny couldn't look at Neville. Her voice cracked with emotion as she spoke. "I know him…and I know Draco. And I know he could never love me because it's not in him to do it. Draco doesn't 'do emotions'. That's his motto."

"How can you be so sure? You're willing to bet it all on a fairy tale? It's none of my business, I know. And I'm not a love guru at all nor am I the expert on Malfoy's love life. But Ginny, guys don't hurt like that unless they have feelings that can be hurt. He obviously does."

She blinked back tears and looked back up at Neville. She didn't say anything as she left the room. Neville took a breath deeply and walked back to his room for a restless sleep.

Sitting in the dark was almost a favorite past time to him by now. Except for the fire that gave a soft glow to the room, he felt more comfortable immersed in the black shadows. Resting his head on the back of the settee, he closed his eyes and breathed in a pained breath. Things had descended into chaos so fast; he had lost all sense of direction. What to do now was lost to him, he had no idea how to make things right and his world was spiraling out of control. Once again people he knew were suffering and he couldn't help but be angry and confused at the same time.

He had left his wife asleep in bed. He knew she was having trouble sleeping and he was suffering the same problem. His glasses were pushed up on his forehead, and he tried to make himself focus on the images of Hermione smiling, holding a beautiful baby, looking lovingly at the life they created together. But those images were forced back by more sinister images of Hermione holding a baby blocking flashes of green light from hitting it.

Harry sucked in a deep breath and his eyes flew open. A shadow stood by the fire place, their face hidden in the dark.

"Well, haven't seen you sulking since 6th year. Guess old habits die hard."

Harry rolled his eyes and shut them again, ignoring the irritation known as Draco Malfoy.

Draco plopped down sloppily beside Harry, and from the sound of the bottle clanking against his signature ring, Harry figured he was drunk.

"Go away." Harry grumbled, leaning his head back again.

"What? You don't appreciate my company? Am I interrupting your pretty pathetic pity party? By invitation only huh? Well…you are not the only one with problems. I know…shocking isn't it?"

"So you finally decided to come out of your room?" Harry replied sarcastically. "You have no idea what I'm going through."

"Oh no! I don't! You're absolutely right Potty! I'm not held up in this miserable shack with several people who loathe me as much as I loathe them. My girlfr-Ginny isn't ready to toss her panties in your face at the simple bat of your eyes. Oh no, Potty, I'm not a fugitive of the Ministry, I haven't lost my job, my father is not a bloody Death Eater, and I'm not horny as all hell."

Harry sat up, annoyed. "I don't need to know that shit about you."

He watched Draco gulp down more from his bottle of clear fire whiskey. "Ya know, this place is god awful. You obviously have shitty taste," he picked up an old statuette, "Who's your decorator? I'll be sure never to hire them."

"You are welcomed to leave."

"Yes. You would lovvvvvvvvvvve that wouldn't you?" Draco slurred and pointed a finger at Harry. "You'd get a big Ginny and Hermione sandwich if Draco wasn't in the picture."

"I don't want Ginny. Grow up. You're sounding like a broken record! It's not my fault she's not into you!" Harry growled out.

"Oh she's into it. Trust me. But she won't open herself up because you got her strapped to your freaking leg as one of your stupid fan girls."

"Is this about Ginny? Is it really?"

"No." Draco said in a slurred whisper. "I had good things going for me. I had a job I loved; I was good, no-excellent at. I had the respect of my superiors. I wasn't Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius, enemy of Potter. I was an Auror. I was someone! And your issues took it from me!"

"So it's my fault? You know what you and your family took from me? Everything! Sirius, Dumbledore, my childhood! Your alliance took that from me and I hated you for a long time for it. But you know what; recently you showed me it wasn't all roses on either side. But I'll be damned if you toss this at me as if me or Hermione asked for it!"

Draco grimaced. "I hate you Potter. Always, ever since bloody fucking Hogwarts, it's been you and how bloody wonderful you were. You could walk on bloody water for some. But you are just a man, like me and everyone else. I saw it, even when no one else did."

"Did I ever say I wasn't? Why are you dredging up old shit, Draco? Do you want to? Because while you were hiding out from Voldemort, I was facing him! So don't tell me what I'm capable of!"

"You think you had the worse childhood! 'Whoa is me' Harry Potter, orphan, enemy of the Dark Lord, nerd, jerk, and downright sucky person. You loved that hero shit because it gave you an edge. And Coogle, thought you freaking walked on water too. Despite my record, despite my allegiance to the Ministry, my hard work! YOU! He was tossing everything he could to get YOU!"

"You are an idiot. Get out of my face."

Draco dropped his bottle, shattering it on the dark carpet. He looked menacingly at Harry. "It's always you. Now you've ruined more lives with your gotdamned baby. I hate you. Everyone else does too; they are just to star struck to admit it. You and your filthy mu-"

Draco stopped himself abruptly, knowing he had crossed line he promised never to cross again. Harry stared at Draco and Draco bit his lip hard until he tasted blood. He hadn't meant it. He hadn't said that word in so long; he was disgusted with himself more than anything.

"I-I-"he sputtered, trying to put together an apology.

Harry sighed deeply, shifted his glasses and pausing before allowing his fist to crack Draco hard across the jaw. Draco's head whipped sharply and he growled out. Even knowing he had almost insulted his wife, rage built up in him. He glared at Harry and Harry glared equally at him before Draco lunged forward, but was too slow. He was already up and had Draco by his collar. His knee pushed into Draco's chest and slammed his head against the back of the sofa.

"You listen to me," Harry hissed in his ear, as Draco struggled. Harry tightened his grip causing Draco to choke. His eyes turned a dark green, almost black and Draco gasped. "My mercy for you is fleeting with every stupid thing that comes out your mouth. You're a bigoted piece of shit, and I don't care if you live or die…"

"Getoffme!" Draco heaved and pushed against Harry but Harry was too strong. The alcohol was getting to Draco, and his eyes blurred.

"Shut up and stop struggling-stop struggling! You have been a thorn in my side since Hogwarts and it took a lot for me to not kill you on site. I saw you almost murder Dumbledore-"

At hearing the old man's name Draco yelped, "I did not!"

"Shut up!" Harry yelled. "Shut up! I wanted to kill you then. Everyday I thought about it. You were one of them. But I started to think you were at least human. I guess I was wrong. What I saw with your father was just a sham-"

"I hate my father!" Draco yelled out, trying to push off Harry. He was too drunk to get a good grip.

Harry voiced hissed in a snakelike sound in his ear. "Do you? Because whenever you feel threatened you revert to his tactics. Name-calling and ignorance. We hate each other and that's fine. But I never want to hear that nastiness come out again. I don't even want you to think it in this house, and trust me…I will know. And I have no problem throwing your pale ass to the wolves, get that?"

Draco pushed at Harry, who didn't budge but did loosen his grip on his collar. He sucked in a deep painful breath and focused his eyes on the dark haired wizard with a knee in his chest. "Fuck you Potter. You're angry because I speak the truth. You even know you're a danger, yet like lemmings, everyone's willing to jump off a cliff for you. I'm not. And I won't let Ginny do it either. And if you cared anything for Hermione and that baby, you'd get them somewhere safe and away from you. I can see it, this fatherhood thing scares you-"

Harry's face grew red with anger. "Now you're worried about my baby?! You don't even know what you are talking about!"

"I know you want your child to live. I know you're scared shitless, knowing all the sodding darkness you bring with you. Well guess what? You cursed that baby with your DNA. So spare me the drama Potter. You want to save everyone, be a hero and leave."

Harry gasped slightly. That cut him deep. Draco was speaking his own thoughts, thoughts he had before the baby, thoughts he had for the baby. But he shook it off. "This is about Ginny. I don't want her. I have a wife. So fuck you and your advice." Harry pressed his knee harder and Draco grimaced.

"It's about everyone! About you always bringing harm to others!"

"Me?! It's your father and aunt, prat! You are the danger. And your jealousy and inferiority complex!" Harry yelled.

Draco took this opportunity to punch Harry in the face and it worked. Harry staggered back holding his nose, which felt broken, and blood poured into his hand. He looked at it and then back at Draco before he charged and tackled him. They flew over the couch and knocked over antique vases and broke the 18th century table that sat there.

"What the-?"

Ron and Neville stood at the doorway, coming down from their rooms when they heard the shouting. Ron lifted his lit wand at the sight just as Harry tackled Draco. They watched the men fly and hit the ground hard.

Draco fell hard on his side and considering the sharp pain that shot through his arm, he was sure he broke something. He coughed violently at the wind being knocked out of him and his lip bled. Harry fell on his back, and his head thudded against the hard floor, and he saw stars. His glasses cracked and he could taste the blood from his nose on his lip. He groaned in pain and turned his head to spit out the blood.

They both breathed and lay in their respective spots. Neville went to move forward to break it up but Ron shook his head and put an arm in front of him.

"No, let them hash this out. This has been a long time coming."

"But-"

"This needs to be done." Ron replied simply, and he lowered his wand and walked out.

Neville nodded, staring at the broken vases and lamps and ornaments, and followed Ron back out the room.

Harry looked at the ceiling, his head throbbing badly. "Get out of my house."

Draco's eyes widened and he shook his head frantically. "I-I can't. They will kill me Potter. You know it."

"Not my problem. Like you said, I'm tired of being the hero." Harry breathed out and closed his eyes.

Draco went to sit up but his arm hurt too badly. He might have dislocated his shoulder too. He wasn't going to beg. "They will kill me. I really am sorry for almost saying that about Hermione. I didn't mean it. It's just shit that my father stuffed in my head for most of my life and sometimes it just comes out. It's programmed in me. Believe me, like everything about my father, I know it's shit now."

Harry pushed himself up; his head was spinning and felt heavy. He limped towards the stairwell, leaving Draco alone on the floor in the lounge. He didn't proceed up the stairs.

Instead he turned slightly to Draco. "Well you need to try harder. You say you're fighting against your father, well maybe I've seen some of it, maybe I even believe it. But you need to try harder, because as a good man once told me, you have to choose between what is right, and what is easy. After what you did to Dumbledore, I hated you for years. I wanted you dead and right now, it would be really easy to just throw you out like you deserve and let you be killed by others, if I didn't do it myself first. But I'm making the hard choice to do what's right, and that's working with you and giving you a chance to be better, as you say you want to be. But don't push me into making that choice too hard for me to make by ever insulting my family that way again. So you can stay, but I need to trust you if I'm going to work with you, so you need to start earning that from all of us.""

Draco winced as he picked himself up and gripped his arm. "Yes. I suppose so."

Harry began to go up the steps before Draco heard him say, "And tomorrow, we'll go about looking for Death Eaters."