A/N: Merry Christmas! This will most likely be the last update from me until after Christmas. I've got a super busy week, as I'm sure you all do. I still have to finish shopping! So, Happy Holidays and if you don't celebrate any of the religious holidays, then Happy Thursday! After all, the weekend is coming and that's reason enough to celebrate!

Chapter 12 - Loyalty

The letters, which started as a result of Harry's interview, began to ease up some over the next week. It was to the point where Harry could have handled it himself, but Draco volunteered to help read them anyway. The blond had been coming over after classes and sometimes Hermione would join them. She and Draco still didn't along the best, but at least they weren't fighting. Harry missed Ron, but the new friendship with Draco helped him to not dwell on it. They went flying and studied and had fun together. Almost as much as he would have had with Ron. One major thing was different though. When Ron would have rolled his eyes and ignored Hermione's prattling about studying, Draco actually got into rather involved debates with her about their various subjects. He was a very good student. Maybe not quite on Hermione's level, but certainly better than Harry. It was those times that he most missed Ron.

It was Wednesday afternoon, and Hermione and Draco were both over sorting through letters and packages, although Hermione had commented several times that they should be studying instead.

"Potter, you haven't actually eaten any of the things these people sent, have you?"

"Of course not. Why?"

"This woman mentions in the letter that she sent along a plate of biscuits, but I think they're probably spiked with a love potion."

"Why do you say that?" asked Hermione.

"Read it." He slid the letter across the table.

"'It felt like love at first sight when I saw you on the Quibbler,' " she read aloud. She made a brief noise of disgust and continued reading silently. "This is horrible. 'I know we were meant to be together. . . .' This is insane. What kind of pathetic, insecure woman would degrade herself like this?"

"You're right. She must be very lonely and pathetic to have fallen for Potter."

"Thanks a lot."

"That's not what I meant," said Hermione, shooting Draco one of her stern looks that had absolutely no effect on him. "Women who fall in love with people on magazines just make me crazy. I mean, admiring him, finding him attractive, that's one thing –"

"Even wanting a quick shag might be okay," Draco interrupted.

"–but to be completely obsessed like this just isn't healthy."

"It's always been like that for celebrities. It always will be. He should be out there enjoying his fame."

"What would you suggest? Should he be seen with a different pathetically fake woman every week and run around London like he owns the place?"

"And shagging: don't forget the shagging." Draco smirked when Harry blushed and slid down further in his seat. "Somehow I don't see him doing that though. He should at least be making the rounds at all these post-war parties."

Harry rolled his eyes and opened another letter.

"Parties, Harry. Malfoy just said something about parties and I couldn't help but notice how close it is to the end of July."

"No, Hermione. I don't feel like it this year."

"Mrs. Weasley is already planning your birthday dinner. She wanted to know if you would like any friends over."

"When is his birthday?"

"A week from Saturday. And he's going to celebrate whether he likes it or not."

"I don't really think Mrs. Weasley is up to having people over, do you?"

He hadn't told Malfoy about the Weasley's problems and didn't intend to. Hermione's face fell.

"No, she isn't, but would never admit it. But you really should have a party. We can have it here. Ginny and I will plan the whole thing."

"I'm not comfortable with parties."

"Then it's time to get over it, Potter."

Hermione smiled at Draco approvingly. Apparently if he was on her side in this matter, then all else could be forgiven.

"So it's settled and I promise we'll keep it small. Oh, I have to run. Ron and I managed to find an excuse to not be at the Burrow for dinner tonight, so we're going out." She stood and pulled her jacket off the back of the chair. "Don't bother showing me out."

"Be careful."

"Careful?"

"While you two are out. You never know..."

"Harry, we'll be just fine. You haven't stopped going out alone since we found out about the spy and Ron and I will be together."

"I know, but I just don't want the two of you hurt because of me."

"I'm not afraid. Although I am really glad I didn't bring my parents back already. Until we're sure it's safe they're going to stay where they are. Well, I'm off then." She looked at Draco very sternly and pointed a finger. "Make sure he studies."

Draco nodded and watched her leave. "She's a little scary sometimes."

Harry laughed, turning his attention back to the letter in his hand. "Yeah, but that's why we all love her."

"Where are her parents?"

"She hid them before we went into hiding last year. Altered their memories and gave them different names so they wouldn't be found by the Death Eaters. She made them forget they had a daughter, so that they wouldn't miss her if she died."

Draco's eyes widened. "That statement I made about her being scary? Multiply it by ten."

"They're muggles. They wouldn't be able to defend themselves and it was only logical they would go after our families to lure us out. It was hard on her, but sending them away was for the best."

"And she did that for you."

Harry shrugged. "Whether she was with me or not, it was the only way she could protect them with what she knew was coming. Ron made a ghoul in his attic look like himself so they could say he had a contagious illness and it was his reason for not being at school."

"I remember hearing something like that. You don't know how lucky you are, do you? To have real friends. Nobody I know would ever do that for me. Mother and Father excluded of course."

"I never expected or wanted them to, but I guess it's what you do when you care about someone, isn't it? I would have done the same for them. I would follow either one of them into battle. Even with Ron being his typical, prat self."

"That's really why you're the hero, isn't it? People can see your loyalty. They know that you would never leave them."

Harry looked up and met Draco's eyes. He couldn't quite read them though. Draco seemed lost in thought, as if he weren't actually seeing Harry at all, but seeing past him. Or maybe into him.

Draco had never truly appreciated real loyalty before. He knew what it was, or thought he did. Father had spoken of loyalty to the Dark Lord, and to the family traditions. But loyalty to and from friends was something he had never known. Crabbe and Goyle would have stood up to Gryffindors with him, but when it really mattered they were quick to turn on him. They didn't know how to be loyal. Or maybe they just didn't care enough about him to be. And then there was Pansy. He knew now how important his friendship was to her.

Harry was the picture of what friendship and loyalty were supposed to be. And although Draco had never really trusted anyone in his whole life, he found it surprisingly easy to trust Harry. He also was finding it surprisingly easy to call him Harry in his head, while he only said Potter out loud, and that disturbed him. He had often referred to Crabbe and Goyle by their surnames and he had considered them friends for many years. Why should Harry– Potter– be any different?

"Malfoy? Are you there?"

"What? Yes. Just thinking."

"About what?" Harry wore an amused expression and for the briefest moment it occurred to Draco that he looked completely adorable. He shook his head free of the thought.

"I was thinking about how completely bored you're going to be at that party Granger is planning."

"Well then you're going to be bored with me."

"What?"

"Well you're coming, aren't you? I mean, you're definitely invited."

"Oh. Er, yeah. Yes, of course I'll be here. In that case, I'd better help make the plans so I won't be too bored."

hphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphp

Tap, tap, tap. Pause. Tap, tap, tap.

Draco lifted his head slightly and glared at the owl in the window. He hated it when his reading was disturbed. It was a very rainy and boring Sunday and now he couldn't even read in peace. The bird was getting very wet and more aggravated by the second. It served him right for interrupting a good book, Draco thought. It wasn't even a familiar owl, so it probably wasn't something that he really cared about anyway. Hate mail perhaps. They had been getting some of it ever since Father's hearing.

"Draco, quit glaring at the owl and let the poor creature in."

"Yes, mother."

He opened the window, but the bird only stayed long enough to let him untie the letter and then flew off again. Noticing that it was addressed to Mother, he handed it to her wordlessly and went back to his book. The reading was once again disturbed by his mother's startled gasp. He nearly dropped the book, spinning around to face her. She was ghostly white, hands shaking.

"Your father. He's been attacked."

After that Draco could only remember a blur of events. They got ready and left for Azkaban immediately. When they arrived they argued with the guard at the gate for several minutes before finally being allowed inside. It wasn't during the approved visiting times. Visitors were only allowed on Saturdays or with pre-approval from the prison officials. And yes, they had been to visit only the day before, but Malfoys didn't take "no" for an answer. After making it past the gate, they still went through several different wizards to be allowed in to see Lucius. They once again surrendered their wands and followed a guard to the medical ward. As soon as they were in the door they saw him lying in the first bed.

According to what the guards told them, he was attacked while the prisoners were all out in the courtyard for the afternoon. Everyone was out there, but it seemed nobody could– or would– name the attackers. All the wounds had been taken care of. The bruises had been healed and the cuts on his face were only faint pink marks now. Although there was no hint of serious injury, he looked tired and was staying in the medical ward overnight to give broken ribs time to mend.

"Oh Lucius." She ran to the side of his bed and he stiffly turned his head.

"Cissa, you shouldn't have come." His voice was so weak that it startled Draco.

"How could we not have come? We came as soon as we got the letter."

It was only then that Lucius noticed his son standing at the foot of his bed.

"Draco, take your mother home and don't let her come here again."

"Father?"

"It isn't safe here."

"We are hardly going to be attacked in front of all these guards," said Narcissa. "They won't let us stay long anyway."

"They are working with people on the outside. I've heard them talking about you. They make sure I hear that much. And ever since the run-in with the Parkinsons, they've been determined to get you both. What happened to me today was only what they could get away with here, but much less than they wanted to do. There's more of them. Something your sister had a part in, Cissa."

Draco held his breath. He hadn't even told his mother what the Minister and Mr. Weasley told him and Harry.

"There were forces that the Dark Lord had outside of England. I didn't even know about them, but they are coming back here. They are regrouping and they will avenge the Dark Lord's death."

"I am not afraid of them, Lucius. I defied him, so I will not hide from his servants."

"Do you think I want to see you end up like this? Or worse?" He winced at the pain in his ribs as he nearly yelled the words. "You have to leave. Disappear. Don't leave anything for them to track."

"I'm not leaving my home and I certainly won't be going anywhere while you're still here being beaten by criminals!"

"Draco, you have to take her and go."

He looked at his mother helplessly. It was unlike his father to sound so desperate.

"Lucius, I will not take orders from my son or from you." She sat up a little straighter on the edge of his bed, her head high. "I am a Black and a Malfoy. I will not be bullied."

"Cissa, please."

"We will not leave you behind to suffer. We will not run."

"Cissa, you know as well as I who we are dealing with. They would have killed me if the guards hadn't been nearby."

"I will stay with you, Lucius. It is what I promised long ago and I will not go back on my word now."

When they left the prison that afternoon he tried to convince her again to leave, but she would have none of it. She touched his face gently and bent to whisper something that Draco couldn't hear. He gave her the faintest smile and she kissed his forehead. Draco felt incredibly odd witnessing such a private moment between his parents. They didn't often share any more than light kisses in front of him and he wondered if he should excuse himself. But beyond the awkward feeling was a sense of happiness, knowing that after so many years, and all the mistakes that went with them, his parents were still in love.

hphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphp

Harry knew something was wrong at once because Malfoy was never late. He was fussy, spoiled, arrogant and snarky, but not late. Harry had actually arrived at the Ministry early on Monday and rather than sit in the classroom with Hermione and Ron, he decided to wait for some of their other friends. Neville had stopped to chat with him, and then Dean and Lavender showed up (they had apparently been arriving together every morning.) Finally Luna wandered in just minutes before classes were to start. Still no Malfoy. Draco was very punctual, a trait that Harry had learned was inherited from his mother. While everyone else would group together in the Atrium, putting off going downstairs, Draco would make his way to the classroom and set his books, parchment and quills out on his table. Being late simply was not an option. Eventually Harry had no choice but to follow his classmates down to Level Ten, but he kept looking back to the apparition area.

Hermione was somewhat alarmed when she noticed that Draco wasn't there. She and Harry both knew how serious the Malfoys' situation was and her worried expression only caused him to panic more. What if something had happened? The Manor wards were strong, but these Death Eaters had likely been trained by Bellatrix Lestrange and Voldemort. And if they had gotten into the Manor, had they gone to Andromeda's too? Harry's heartbeat was increasingly by the second and by the halfway point in the class period he thought he may have a stroke. He had been unnaturally quiet, letting Ron and Hermione lead their discussion on Vampires. She kept shooting him worried glances, but he didn't have the time to devote any thought to that. He just kept thinking of Teddy and Andromeda... and Draco. Harry decided that if Draco didn't show up by the next class that he would go to Malfoy Manor himself looking for him.

As if on cue, the door swung open to reveal the immaculately dressed blond. All heads turned to him, but he shut the door and took his seat silently. To anyone else he may have appeared completely flawless, but Harry saw circles under his eyes and the tired, slightly slumped posture.

"Where have you been, Malfoy?" Hermione asked. "You're late."

"Only fashionably late, I assure you. I thought your class could use some livening up with a flashy entrance."

She scowled at him and continued with what she had been saying. But Harry continued staring at him. Sure he had overreacted with the Death Eater attack scenarios, but something was still very wrong. Harry watched him carefully through the rest of class, expecting that Draco would come and tell him the problem after. But when the blond simply packed his things and left the room, Harry went after him and caught up just outside the door.

"What's wrong, where were you?"

"I was late, Potter. Is that a crime?"

"Tell me," he urged.

Draco glanced around at the others in the hall. "My father was attacked yesterday in prison."

"What?"

"Weasley's father was right about the other Death Eaters. They're coming back. My father... I've never seen him like that. He was so afraid."

It was hard for Harry to imagine. He didn't really like Lucius Malfoy, but the man certainly wasn't one to scare easily. Draco looked miserable. It was obvious that he hadn't slept much and would have rather been just about anywhere but where he was.

"Let's go."

"What? Where?"

"Out. Stay here. I'll tell Ron I have to leave."

Draco didn't really want Harry's pity, but he found that he couldn't move either, so he waited. Harry was back in under a minute with his bag tossed over his shoulder.

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere no one will recognize us," smiled Harry.