Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. Only the general plot/setting is my own. All characters and other references to 'Harry Potter' are solely the property of J.K. Rowling.

A/N: I have just been a bit of a nerd and read through ALL of the reviews for this story and I have to say I feel so blessed that you all love it so much to leave such amazing reviews. It truly means the world to me. If anyone has any questions about the story for far please review and post the question and I will be happy to answer. I understand that some things are still a little hazy but bearing in mind this is a WIP at the moment so it is to be expected ;) Enjoy this next instalment!

The Boy Who Loved

By

Belle. A. Lestrange

Chapter Twenty:

First Day On The Job

"You cannot be serious?" Draco asked incredilously as he eyed the ill-fitting black polo-neck that hung loosely on his frame and the itchy black trousers he had been forced to change into. He felt highly irritable as he glared at his expression. "Do I honestly have to wear this all day long? It itches like crazy!"

Harry gave him a sympathetic look in the mirror. "It's not the best I know but you'll be able to buy your own pair once you've worked a day. Then you won't get heat-rash on your legs"

Draco groaned and knocked his forehead against the staff bathroom mirror, "I loathe heat-rash. I've never been out so much in one Summer before"

Harry cocked a disbelieving eyebrow, "not ever?"

The blond shook his head, "I'm more of a winter person"

Harry rolled his eyes with a smile as Draco turned in a sluggish manner to face him. Harry frowned and reached up to unbutton the top of the four buttons resting beneath the blond boys' throat. At Draco's amused expression and quirked eyebrow, Harry threw his arms out defensively, "it's so you don't suffocate too much -GOSH!"

Draco could only snicker weakly as Harry led him out of staff bathroom. They were all to meet in the managers office, which was up a narrow flight of stairs. It was purely to watse everyone's time as it was just to greet Draco, go over a few rules and regulations with him, sign a few papers and then send him on his way to the back of the store to stock shelves. Draco felt a little more at ease as Harry had mapped out the store and where each type of food was. The piece of paper was in his back pocket of the world's most irritating trousers.

As they climbed the stairs Draco gnawed on his lower lip. He was not keen to see Eric again. The man kept oggling Harry as though he was a fresh piece of meat. It was irksome. Harry was his -well he didn't know what they were anymore. They had bolted far from the line of friendship but they were refusing to be together. In short -it was complicated.

He hated that word.

It was like a challenge to him.

Complicated things were like a difficult puzzle to him, and puzzles always fit together in the end, after lots of tantrums and throwing pieces around, everything eventually fit into place. Then it would all be picture perfect. He glanced up at Harry as he ascended the last few stairs and came to the landing. "I'm dreading this," he confessed as he itched absently at his leg.

Harry offered him a small smile, "you'll be fine. Eric should trust my decisions by now"

At the mention of Eric's name, Draco felt jealousy claw at his insides, but he forced himself to ignore the feelings as Harry knocked on the door, before turning the knob and walking inisde. Draco followed. Inside the managers office there were a small group of people all in the same black, shapeless polo-neck'a and itching black trousers. The only variation of colour on them was the women's make-up and their various hair colours, and even then it was varying shades of blonde and brunette.

Harry was the only one with inky-black hair, just like Draco was the only one with platinum. They stood out like two sore thumbs.

Eric greeted them with a strained smile. "Ah I see you two have finally arrived. Everyone this is Harry's friend, Draco. He'll be working in the stock room. Draco this is your team who will help to train you for today; this is Marjorie" he indicated an aged blonde woman with curled hair and heavy green make-up around her crow-footed eyes. "This is Alfie" he gestured to a lanky man with a chicken neck and two small eyes on either side of a large nose. "And this is Eileen" he gesutred to the woman standing nearest to the door; she had an easy grin and chin-length brunette hair.

Draco gave them a stiff smile and felt his muscles throbbing with the urge to flee the building.

Eric spoke up again, "right well, you lot can take Draco down to the stock-room and show him how everything operates. Harry -I'd like you to stay behind for a moment please"

Harry looked up to find Draco's fear-chipped eyes frowning down at him. The tanned boy flashed a small smile and nudged the blond closer to the door where the others had already filed out from, "go on I'll be fine. I'll come and find you at lunch time I promise"

Draco drew in a rattling breath and could only nod his head feebly as he was guided out of the door by Eileen. Her smile was concerned and soft on her features as she guided him down the narrow staircase. He followed his 'team' along the linoleum floored aisles and crossed over every food-section before he was ushered through a pair of heavy, brown rubber doors. The store-room looked nothing like the store rooms he was used to at Hogwart's, nor in Severus' potion lab at home.

This one was very different; it was all cold, grey concrete and rather plain. Aisles of shelves of various food items were stored within the cool temperature. It was like a persistant cooling charm. His fingers itched to grab his phone and text Harry to make sure he was alright -he did not trust Eric -but he reasoned with himself. He was a -well he HAD been a Malfoy. He had been raised to be superior of such idyllic emotions. He shivered weakly before we followed Eileen to a small office were he signed a few papers and was shown how to 'punch-in' his new time card. He could not help but marvel of how many things he had previously taken for granted with his magic.

Not that he didn't miss it.

He twisted his mouth weakly and prayed that he didn't mess up with the 'price-gun' too much. He was so grateful that Eileen was kind enough to show him how to price various items, and after he had tried -and failed -on a few cans of tuna, he finally got the hang of it. He felt so elated!

Eileen left him as soon as he got the hang of the price-gun. She insisted that he should go to her if he had any questions or was having trouble with something. He assured her that he would, despite the nagging doubt in the back of his mind. He had tried not to rely on anyone. Then again he had tried not to become a DEath Eater and look how well that had worked out for him.

He groaned inwardly.

He needed to tell Harry. Or talk to Severus. The man had been allowed another two days away from Hogwarts so as to brew a few more potions for Poppy -it would be a travesty if her potions supplies dwindled just as rowdy new first years were falling through the vanishing steps on the staircases or had accidents during their flying lessons.

His palm suddenly felt empty, despite him holding a price-gun. He missed his broom. He missed flying. He missed bloody Diagon Alley! He even missed -to some extent -McGonagol. He was still perplexed about everything that had happened in the last year. Though Voldemort had been defeated, the Death Eaters were still at large and scattered around the globe. His stomach grew cold at the thought of an army of Death Eater's setting out to avenge their master.

And Lucius would lead them.

It made him feel physically sick at what could possibly happen.

He sighed and shook his head weakly before returning to the price-gun. He was a resourceful person, he would make the best out of this situation, he knew he could.

~0~

Knock, knock, knock!

"Come in," croaked the voice on the other side of the door. Severus pushed the door open to the headmaster's office and closed it behind him, standing on ceremony as he always did when faced with the bearded old man. Dumbledore smiled with twinkling blue eyes, "ah Severus, so nice of you to agree to replenish Poppy's potion supplies. How may I be of assistance to you?"

"I want to know why my son was never admitted to Hogwart's nor told about his magical abilities. I want to know why I was never told, I want to know why James got away with what he did. I want to know WHY no one told me I HAD A SON!"

Dumbledore steepled his fingers with a heavy sigh before motioning for Severus to come forward and sit in the chair on the opposite side of his desk. Severus narrowed his eyes and hesitated for a brief moment before reluctantly crossing over to the desk and sat down heavily in the offered chair. He was much too restless to sit still but he was even more restless for answers. It was a while before Dumbledore spoke, "how did you find out about him?"

Severus curled his lips in a sneer, "I found a memory that had been taken before I was obliviated. Do you know how much that hurts, Albus?"

The old man nodded, "I do. I am sorry it all happened this way"

A dark cloud loomed within Seevrus' chest and began swelling within him, "why don't you tell me what you know Albus?" his clear-cut, cold tone resounded off the circular walls of the office.

The blue eyes twinkled. "I think -I'd rather show you"

Severus watched with narrowed eyes as the wizened old man removed himself from his large throne-like chair and side-stepped to a small, ornate cabinet with glass panelled doors. He opened one of the doors, the soft creak echoing softly in his ears, as he pulled a large basin of inky-black stone off of the shelf. A pensieve. Severus felt a shiver run through his muscles as the basin was placed before him. He watched with stealth as Dumbledore removed a long phial from within his robes.

He uncorked it.

Severus watched -transfixed -as the silvery memory dipped heavily into the pensieve. He swallowed thickly, his hands feeling hot through his trousers. Without waiting for a formal invitation, he leaned over the swirling depths and eased his face into the basin.

Flashback:

Knock, Knock, Knock!

"Come in"

The office door pushed open and there stood a radiant Lily in a soft cream roll-neck and a pair of hugging jeans. Her fiery auburn hair was half-tied up behind her head as she cradled a sleeping Harry in her arms. Severus felt his heart leap as she walked past his presence and sat down opposite Dumbledore at his desk. "Albus -you need to help me" she hissed urgently, her beryl eyes flickering to the numerous portraits adorning the walls.

Dumbledore frowned deeply, "Lily whatever is the matter to make you act this way?"

She sniffed weakly, her jaw clenched tightly, "it's James, Albus. He's done something awful to Severus I know he has. I can feel it-" she absently rubbed over her heart before blinking furiously at the tears threatening her eyes, "Look, the point is -and you may already know this -but James is not Harry's father. Severus is. This is his little boy. After James is through with him he won't know that we even ... made love. I NEED to know -will Harry be accepted into Hogwarts?"

Dumbledore looked at the baby with a deepening frown. He removed his wand from within his robes and cast a complicated spell of Harry's head. An array of glimmering words appeared in the air; an elegant leafy-green celtic knot entwined with lily buds was Lily's signature. She knew that. However there were two other parental signatures that kept shifting between a sickly golden fanged orb and a shimmering indigo Tridant. Firs tthe orb would gobble up the Tridant for lunch and then the Tridant would puncture the ball.

An on-going battle.

And underneath it all -no seperate signature for baby Harry.

She sighed heavily her head deflating. "He won't be admitted -will he?"

"We do take muggle-borns Lily-"

"He is not muggle-born!" she snapped aggressively, clutching her baby to her chest, "he won't be safe anywhere with that bastard killing us all!"

Dumbledore bowed his head in defeat. "I cannot console you on anything, Lily. Tell me what you wish to do"

Severus watched as Lily looked down at the sleeping face of her baby boy. His thick, feathery-black hair curled gently around his temples and his long inky blck lashes curled upwards as he slept. He watched as a tear escaped her eye. He wanted to brush it away but he knew that his hand would simply go right through her. His heart ached as she straightened up in her chair. He watched her swallowed heavily and her arms tightened around Harry. "Send him to my sister. With a letter -explaining everything. Please! And when Severus comes to you, you will HELP him. You will ANSWER all of his questions"

"Lily-"

"I know I am going to die, Albus. But he will NOT GET MY BABY!"

Severus felt guilt, anguish and adoration for the woman he loved. He had always loved her fierce determination. She was selfless in her love for both himself and for their son.

"Lily -why? Why not go to a safe house?"

She sneered at this, something she rarely ever did unless she was on the brink of her magical restraints. The air crackled with it. "I would rather die for my son and the man I love to be SAFE rather than bow at his feet and watch as he kills them both"

"They will be safe, Lily, I promise"

The auburn-haired woman stood up, her eyes icy and narrowed, "I'm sorry Albus, but I cannot entrust my baby's life with someone I don't know if I can trust myself. After the way you allowed them to bully Severus even now -no. You will do as I ask and nothing more, do you understand?" He nodded a little warily as she extended her hand towards him. "Make the vow, Albus"

Just as Albus was extending his hand towards Lily's Severus felt a tug on his navel.

End Flashback.

Sitting back heavily in the chair, Severus ran a hand down his face and frowned. "This -I can't believe this. She -she knew she was going to die?"

Dumbledore, now perched behind his desk, bowed his head in confirmation. "She figured it was the best way to go about things. She made this sacrifice for you, Severus, for you and your baby boy"

"But why couldn't you tell me? Why did I have to find out for myself?"

"Would you have believe me if I had told you?" the old man countered.

Severus suddenly felt very small and excessively powerless. "I don't know anymore. Everything I knew has been altered in almost every way imaginable. But why was it reported that Harry was dead along with his parents? There is a grave stone in Godric's hollow with his name on it!"

Dumbledore sighed, "if the Dark Lord felt that he had killed Harry, he would have had no reason to go hunting for him again, thus weakening him when he eventually did return to power"

Severus furrowed his brow, "but -the Dark Lord -he and the boy were connected, yes?"

"Yes. But no prophecy was made as everyone believed Harry to be already dead. The connection between them never seemed to matter as it was almost too weak with Harry being cut-off from the wizarding world. The worst he would have experianced are some of the worst nightmares possible. Therefore it was possible for me to murder Voldemort, myself."

Severus nodded absently, allowing the information to sink in. It made sense to him now, how easy everything had been. Easier than it COULD have been. "Albus, what are we to do about Lucius?"

The old man narrowed his eyes at the sudden change in topic before replying, "In answer to that I have a question for you" there was a pause as the headmaster licked his chapped lips, "Severus, would you be willing to be a spy again?"

~0~

Harry did not get to see Draco until lunch time by which his own angered emotions had calmed down a lot since he was asked to stay behind in Eric's office. That had been an experiance he would have loved for Eric's desk to explode right underneath him. He wished he could have done something -anything -to avoid ever having the conversation with Eric. It had been what he had been expecting for a few weeks now, epseically with the way Eric had kept eyeing him as he walked, and all the excused the man made to go wherever Harry was.

He didn't want to be with Eric.

If he was to be with anyone it would be Draco, no questions asked.

But he couldn't. Not yet. He needed more time. He clenched and unclenched his hands as he waited for Draco outside the storeroom entrance. It was another few minutes before Draco emerged, arms hanging limply by his sides with a bored expression on his face. Harry smiled as he leavered himself from the wall and tapped the blond boys' shoulder.

Draco spun around in a blind panic and felt his heart leap and lurch as he saw Harry's amused smile. "Hey there -sorry you startled me"

"I seem to have done that a lot lately, is there something bothering you?"

Draco shrugged, "just wanted to see how everything was with Severus. He is still here. Isn't leaving for another two days I think"

"And this makes you jumpy because ...?"

Draco shrugged. "Because then we would have to sneak around for the remainder of the school term. Or at least until half-term. He'll be back for that"

Harry frowned. He felt as though he was missing something but could not place his finger on it. "I don't like the idea of sneaking around either but it will be more bearable than the summer. We'll have work and like I said my relatives will be out most of the time"

Draco nodded his head somewhat absently. "I just ... I don't know. I feel a little lost at the moment"

Harry placed a warm, soothing hand on Draco's tense shoulder and stroked the muscle, "I've felt that way sometimes too. Especially about someone or something that I have lost. I can't even go to my parent's grave because -I don't even know where it is"

Draco looked down and saw the glimmer in his friends eyes. Every muscle in his body started to ache painfully as he watched those bright eyes tear up. He wanted to spin Harry around, look him square in the eyes and scream out, 'I KNOW WHERE THEY ARE! I KNOW! I KNOW! I KNOW!'

But he couldn't.

Not without exposing their world.

And that was not for him to do.

Instead he did the only thing his mother had taught him when he was a little child and often grazed his knee when running around the manor or the gardens; he turned Harry to face him and wiped at the shimmering orb caught in those inky black lashes with the pad of his thumb, before drawing Harry against his chest. He allowed Harry to nuzzle against his chest, as he wound his arms around the younger boys back, the heat from Harry's body was magnified and penetrated through the black polo-neck shirt. He rested his chin in the best of jet-black feather-soft hair.

A shudder ran through Harry's body as a sob escaped through his lips. He clung instinctively tighter to Draco.

Draco returned the squeeze just as tightly.

Harry suddenly felt safe.

Draco inhaled and exhaled softly, so as not to force Harry to release his hold on him too soon. He drew his hand up and started to slowly rub a soothing trail up and down the younger boys' spine. He felt Harry tense and shiver against his body, goosepimples breaking out upon the tanned skin, despite the infuritating heat. Harry continued to shake with suppressed anger and sadness, his throat sounding hoarse as he swallowed and choked on shaking breaths.

"Harry?" Draco breathed softly into the mess of dark black curls.

"Y-yes Draco?" came the shuddering, hot breath against his collarbone.

"You know it's okay to cry right?" Harry shook his head rather too violently. Draco nodded enthusiastically, "yes it is. It's perfectly fine to cry. It doesn't mean you're weak, it only means you're human"

Harry sniffed loudly, "I don't want him to have my tears" he retorted hotly.

Draco frowned at this statement, "who do you mean?"

The younger boy shrugged, "Vernon, Eric, the bastard who killed my parents-" another choked sob.

Draco swallowed. "What did Eric want?" he asked tightly, refusing to let Harry pull away from his body. He felt a bead of sweat run down his back, whether it was from the late Summer heat or the burning anger that was rearing it's head within him, he did not know.

Harry sniffed, and clung tighter to Draco's body, "he wanted to go-out with me. Said that I could do a lot better than you"

Draco's muscles stiffened. "And what did you say?"

"I -I told him the-there wasn't a ch-chance in Hell. N-not after he used me at the C-christmas party"

Draco was about to ask what had happened at the Christmas party but he decided that it was not important. If anything, he could query it at a later date. Right now Harry was refusing to cry and that wasn't good. He exhaled deeply, and loosened his grip on Harry and raised his free hand to toy at the curls at the base of Harry's neck, "it's alright Harry, I promise that none of those evil men will hurt you, okay? I promise"

It took a while for Harry to respond. So long that Draco had considered repeating himself. However Harry licked his lips and in a cracked, broken voice, managed to choke out, "thank you!" before he buried his face against Draco's bare neck and his body convulsed with the release of all the emotion in his body.

Draco inwardly grimaced as Harry wept loudly against his, hot, thick tears dribbled down to pool in his collarbone. He had half a mind to shove Harry away and search for a tissue or dry cloth. Instead he concentrated on the important things like Harry's hot breath kissing his skin, the feel of Harry's heart hammering underneath his shirt, the energy and emotion draining out of the boy now leaning on Draco for support, both emotionally and physically.

But the important thing was that Harry had cried his pain out -and Draco had helped him do it.

With a small smile Draco went back to rubbing Harry's back, elation flooding his heart. He then looked up as the hairs on the back of his neck prickled. There, looking out of his office window was Eric with a furious expression on his face.

Draco could only wink and grin even wider as he pressed a loving kiss to Harry's feverish forehead.

A/N: well I thought I would lead the way forward with some angst and a little insight to Harry's 'normalicy' aka no-magic. I have no proper knowledge of magical signatures and know they probably have no significant form, however for the purpose of THIS story, and the previous explanation about blood-parents and suppressed magic, I thought it would be appropriate.

As I said before, any questions please review with them and I shall answer! Love you all! x