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 am so sorry for the unbearably late update. I feel bad especially as the drama in real life is barely even settling still. I hope this makes up for it and I also pray I have not lost any of you.

The Boy Who Loved

By

Belle. A. Lestrange

Chapter Twenty-Four:

The Last Straw

"This is utterly barbaric," Draco grumbled as his teeth chattered violently in his jaw. The temperature had dropped dramatically and it had been a hazardous task to get dressed early that morning, when the sky was still barey light outside, and Vernon had only just left for his job. Harry nodded mutely beside him, too busy trying to warm his numb chin up in his thick red scarf. They were both wearing thick black tracksuit bottoms underneath their work trousers, and Harry's old winter coats. The cuffs were too short even for the small raven-haired boy. It made Draco wonder just what else the younger boy had to do for himself.

"As soon as it is lunch time we can go around the corner to the cafe and get something hot to eat," Harry huffed, his breath rising in a swirling cloud before him. They had all been asked to come in early so that they could unload the shipment of fireworks, to get ready for bonfire night, a concept that was completely lost to Draco. However, all they both cared about at that moment, was getting inside and getting some warmth back into their bodies. It had been a little tense between the two of them for the last few days; Draco had been sleeping less and less, choosing more often than not to stay awake gazing at Harry, whilst said raven-haired teen was trying his best not to get on his relatives bad side.

Draco detested having to sneak around all of the time. He detested Harry being refused meals even more. Hence why lunch was such a big even for them -it was the only large meal they could guarantee themselves.

Draco shuffled closer to Harry in an attempt to get some body warmth flowing between them, even if it was just for a few minutes. He was trembling so viciously now, his teeth chattered and his skin was numb with rising goosepimples. He could not remember the last time that he had been so cold. He had always had heating charms cast on his clothes to keep the worst of the weather away from his body. Now, however, he had no such luck. The only thing he did have was Harry. The green-eyed boy looked up, his small nose glowing pink in the cold, and turned so that they were face-to-face. He took Draco's gloved hands in his own and began rubbing them vigorously. Draco was lost in how concerntration was etched so cutely into Harry's features. He just wanted to run his fingers through the thick black hair.

There was a metallic rattling that broke through the chilled atmosphere as the metal grates resting infront of the entrances were raised up to admit the workers. Harry growled low in his throat, a noise that made Draco's stomach summersault, as they trampled inside the chilly store alongside the five other storeroom clerks. The cashiers did not have to come in for another hour. They all filed into the backroom, none of them daring to remove their clothes until the heaters had been turned on full-blast. As the air around them gradually rose in temperature, Harry showed Draco how to carefully handle the fireworks. It barely took twenty minutes to stock up the few firework stalls in the vacinity, and the majority of them complain about why they could not have just done that in their lunch-break, including Draco.

Harry could only smile softly in amusement as they removed their hats, gloves and scarves and packed them away along with their coats into their small lockers. "Well, if we had done that then you would have complained at having a shortened lunch hour, so there really is no winning with you"

Draco threw a mock-glare over as the younger boy slammed his locker door shut and replaced the small padlock through the metal rings on the door. Draco mirrored his actions before groaning and slouching against his locker, wincing as the sharp sting of frost chilled him to the bone. "I honestly cannot wait until lunch-time comes around." he bemoaned as Harry grabbed him by the sleeve and dragged him back onto the main floor.

Their morning shift was mundane work; the few frozen people flitting in and out of the automatic gates were more often than not, simply looking for extra tea and coffee and in the rare case, hot chocolate, to send the chill fleeing from their bones. The workers had no such pleasure. Not even a quick coffee break. As they worked, Harry kept throwing glares over at the next cashier's till to Clover, who seemed ready to lose some wages for sending Harry flirtacious glances. And Draco was called in to Eric's office twice for pathetic reasons -both times his boss had asked what was his relationship with Harry. Draco had stormed out the second time he asked. When he was called in for the third time that morning, he simply did not go. He did not care if he was 'sacked' or whatever the Hell muggles called it. He refused to have anything to do with this emotional blackmail.

When lunch was finally called, both boys' were beyond relief.

"So what did you do so wrong for Eric to call you into his office three times this morning?" Harry asked as he rubbed his hands vigorously, trying to maintain the warmth in them. There was the hint of a cheeky smile on his lips as he led Draco around the corner to a warm little cafe. The brisk walk in the chilled air did Draco some good as his nerves were soothed.

"I did nothing," he muttered only a hint of defense in his voice. "Literally. He just dragged me in there to talk about you"

"Me?" Harry frowned as he reached forward and tugged the chrome door open and allowed Draco to walk into the cafe ahead of him. "Why would he do that? It's completely unprofessional"

Draco snorted in disdain as the warmth slowly soaked into his skin. "Well that's what he called me in for. To talk about you and what he thought I could offer you compared to what he could. He even threatened to give me some sort of sack if I didn't. Not that I would want one of those"

"Not a sack, Draco" Harry sighed softly as they sat down in booth near the radiators along the walls, "he is threatening to fire you from your job"

"Oh" Draco managed to say feeling foolish at having been so dense on the matter. He peered up at Harry across the table, "can he even do that?"

Harry shook his head, "not unless he can prove that you did something to violate your contract, which will be difficult since your record is even better than my own." Draco flushed slightly before scanning the menu with his eyes, his fingers still tingling from the cold. Harry sighed as his eyes began scanning the menu, whilst prying his gloves from his cold hands. Draco watched his from underneath his over-grown blonde fringe, truly fascinated. He watched Harry blow hot air onto his hands before finally picking up the sleek, laminated menu. He watched as the brunette wrinkled his nose in distaste before gnawing on his lower lip. Bright green eyes peered up at him, "see anything you like?"

"Yes," the word slipped out of Draco's lips before he could stop them. A white hot panic shot through him as his eyes scanned the menu quickly. "Er ... the hamburger looks good, I fancy something filling." He blanched at the small quirk of Harry's lips before the brunette nodded and swiped Draco's menu from in front of him.

"I'll go and order then," he gave Draco a bright smile before moving away towards the small queue that had started up by the fake marble counter. Draco remained where he was, twiddling his thumbs idily. The warmth was ebbing into him but he could not dispell his own agitation at not having a wand. His fingers hummed with energy each time he thought of magic. He missed it dearly. He caught himself making wand-movements whilst day-dreaming or whilst walking with his hands in his pockets. "The waitress will be over in a few minutes," Harry's voice broke him out of his musings. He gave a weak smile as Harry unfastened his coat and draped it over the back of his chair. "What's wrong?" the brunette asked a frown marring his features.

Draco disliked it when Harry frowned. He winced inwardly and sighed, "I miss my mum" he stated quietly, more so to himself than to Harry.

A chord was struck within Harry. He often never let himself think about his own mother, but to share the pain with someone so close to him -he did not know what to do. No one really talked about 'mother's' around him. He just assumed it was a numb subject for most. "Can't -can't you go and see her? Or send her a letter?"

Draco shook his head, "I'm not allowed. And I wouldn't even know where to send it. My family were always used to moving around alot"

Harry nodded his head slowly, picking at the cuff of his jumper. "What about Severus? Wouldn't he know?"

Draco gave a weak scoff, "he's too busy in school. He'd barely have time to function like a human being let alone help me out. Maybe when he comes home for half-term or even on the weekends"

Harry frowned deeper, "can you wait that long?"

Draco nodded, "I don't have much of a choice. I'm just -glad I'm not alone anymore" he ended with a small smile up at Harry. "So what about you? Do you visit your parents graves'?"

Harry blanched and averted his gaze, "I've never been to their grave. I don't know where it is"

"How don't you know where it is?" Draco asked perplexed by the admition.

Harry shrugged, "I guess they were buried wherever my father was from. Not that I know anything about him other than his name was James"

Draco felt his stomach drop into a cold pool of water. "Harry there's something I have-"

"One hamburger, chips and a diet Sprite, and one hamburger with chips and a diet coke," announced a rather bored voice from their waitress. Draco threw her a glare whilst Harry smiled and helped her lay their plates and full glasses on to the tabletop. "Would you like anything else?" she asked, pen and paper at the ready. They both shook their heads, to which she gave their a forced smile before retreating back behind the counter.

"Sorry, what were you going to say?" Harry asked, his cheeks rosy.

Draco studied the boyish young man before him and could not get his voice to work. Nothing wanted to come out and yell at Harry that his father was still alive but he -quite literally -was not the man he thought he was. Instead, he merely shook his head, "it wasn't important. Cheers" he held up his glass to which Harry quirked an eyebrow with amusement before raising his own glass to clink against Draco's.

"Cheers" Harry repeated, with a small smile.

~0~

That evening as they walked home from work, side-by-side, Draco had to admit to himself just how horrible he as feeling about lying to Harry about his birth father. Well, it wasn't technically lying, he just simply was not confessing what he knew to the troubled teenager slouching moodily beside him. Each time he caught Harry looking moody he could not stop himself from thinking it was his fault. That was what guilt did to you. It ate you up inside. It could just be a tiring day at work and then the bitter cold wind biting through their clothes, but Draco was bordering upon paranoid as they walked closer to Privet Drive. He could feel his fingers burning with anticipation. His stomach was doing summersaults.

Gravel crunched feebly beneath their feet as they stopped just outside of the front door. Harry turned to Draco, his pink nose glowing in the dull night. "You ready to run up?" he asked in a stage-whisper, his body trembling with the cold. Draco gave a smirk and a confident nod of his head. Just a few more minutes and he would be up in Harry's room, rubbing life back into his fingers and toes. His smile widened at the thought.

The sound of Harry's key sliding into the lock made his heart lurch uncomfortably with adrenaline.

The door swung inwards allowing a growing strip of bright light into the driveway. Draco held his breath as he peeked over Harry's head, which was not hard to do as the brunette was a good head shorter than him. Nothing stirred in the hallway beyond. Harry turned to face him and stepped to one side, allowing the lean blonde to squirm through into the hallway. Still, nothing stirred. Draco hurried up the staircase as quickly as his legs would carry him. Harry watched his shadow disappear before he stepped over the threshold and slammed the door shut loudly, alerting everyone in the house to his arrival. Up at the top of the staircase Draco could hear his heart screaming in fear. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself to be invisible. 'If only,' he thought bitterly.

A hand rested on his shoulder and it took all of his will-power not to scream. Harry's face loomed a few inches above him, the glasses shimmering in the dim light. "Vernon's not home yet," Harry breathed softly, his voice tight as he spoke. Draco swallowed thickly and could only allow himself to nod, as he straightened his legs and was guided back to Harry's bedroom, a hand softly caressing his forearm. He let out a shakey breath as he walked into the room. Harry closed the door behind them and then started to unwind the scarf from around his neck, the sudden change into temperature making his body swelter. Draco mirrored his actions, feeling far too hot and enclosed to be healthy -especially with all of the thoughts running roit around her head. He ran a hand through his hair, messing it up, as Harry hung both of their coats over the back of his desk chair. He turned to Draco, "Are you alright?"

The blonde had seated himself on the edge of Harry's bed, the memories of the many nights spent sleeping side-by-side were slowly crawling all over his skin. He clenched his fingers into fists and looked up at Harry, "I'm fine it's just been a tiring day," he lied softly, the glimmering green eyes that bore into his soul reminded him of the woman Severus had loved. He now knew what it was like to be his godfather.

Harry nodded in understanding and made his way over to sit on the bed beside Draco, "I understand. This weather isn't good for anybody."

Draco tilted his head so that it was resting against Harry's shoulder, "I am so tired." The weight of Harry's head resting against his own was reassuring.

"Let's lie down and relax for a little bit then. I'll set my alarm for about seven o'clock and then I can go and sort dinner out for the Dursley's, yeah?"

Draco nodded, "Okay"

Harry stood up from the edge of the mattress, Draco following his example, and tugged the duvet and bedsheets back. He held the covers high so that Draco could slide in against the wall first. The mattress dipped under Draco's weight and then even further as Harry added his own weight to it, pulling the warm, heavy covers down over their bodies. His toes were still a little numb, even with thermal socks, so he wriggled them closer and touched Draco's long, narrow feet for warmth.

Draco was resting on his side, one arm curled under the pillow as he watched Harry wriggled about under the covers before getting comfortable and copying Draco's own position. Draco could feel his own breath ghosting over Harry's back, the shirt he wore was thin and clung to his muscles. Draco drew in a breath, forced his heart not to lurch and draped an arm over Harry's side, pulling him a few inches backwards so that he was being spooned by the blonde. Harry didn't resist. He merely curled up comfortably and rested his own arms over Draco's, a protectiveness surging through his tan arms.

Draco pressed his face against the pillow and sighed, "Harry?"

"Mmm?"

"If someone knew a life-changing secret about you -would you want to know?"

"I think it would depend on what is was," Harry mumbled, his voice dragging out in a sleepy slur.

"What if it was about your parents?" Draco asked, his voice shaking.

Harry turned over on his other side, so that they were nose-to-nose. "My parents?" he asked, his dark eyebrows meeting above his nose in a frown, "what about my parents?"

Draco shrugged his shoulder against the mattress. "Just -in general. Would you want to know? Suppose you had a long-lost relative you didn't know about."

"Then naturally I'd want to know a bit more about them. But then I'd have to ask, 'where have you been for the last sixteen and a half years of my life?'"

Draco pursed his lips in thought, registering Harry's words. "What if they didn't know themselves?" he finally whispered, his breath ghosting over the tip of Harry's nose. He watched as Harry frowned even deeper, his eyelids fluttering closed.

"Then I suppose it wouldn't be so bad-" he broke off as a yawn pushed through his lips, his arms stretching downwards in between his cool legs. Draco smiled softly, slid a soft hand up Harry's arm and curled in closer, the duvet trapping their own body heat around them.

About three and a half hours later or so, the electronic beeping of Harry's phone alarm pierced through Draco's subconsciousness, making him wince at the impact the sound had on his eardrums. It was annoying. He reached out and swung his arm over Harry's still body in a vain attempt to find the small phone. It wasn't on their bedside table. Then where was it? Rather grumpy from being woken up, Draco pushed himself up onto his elbows and tried to focus on the ringing. It was so close and yet, his mind could not begin to think of where it could be hidden.

And then it clicked.

Under the bloody pillows!

Growling under his breath, Draco thrust his arm under the pillow and groped around until his fingers closed around a slender object that buzzed against his palm. After fiddling around with it for a few moments he managed to silence the infernal buzzing. Sighing with relief, he tossed the phone into the ocean of covers tangled on the far end of the bed, and pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes. He yawned and stretched his arms before looking back down at Harry.

Merlin, he was beautiful when he slept. So calm. So relaxed.

Sadly, the perfect moment was shattered with one terrifying word.

"BOY?!"

Draco sat bolt upright, his skin dampening with sweat and his eyes wide with fear. He turned to Harry desperate to awaken him. He rocked the boys' shoulder roughly, "Harry!" he hissed through his teeth, blind panic clouding his mind. "Harry please! Wake up!" He continued to shake the boy, but he appeared dead to the world around him. "Harry!" he raised his voice and prodded the younger boy fairly hard, causing the brunette to roll over the edge of his bed and land roughly on the floor.

"Fuck!" came the gruff groan from the floor as Draco hurried to his feet and pressed his ear to Harry's bedroom door. Harry peered up at Draco through his messy fringe. "What the hell was that for?" he grumbled as he tangled his fingers in his knotted hair.

Draco turned his frightened gaze to the younger boy still sitting on the floor, the duvet flung over his spread legs. "It's your Uncle!" he hissed in fear, his hands quivering slightly, "he's coming for you!" As soon as those words were out of his mouth, Harry's bright green eyes seemed to lose their color and drop to the carpet.

Draco's heart leaped into his throat as Harry quickly pulled himself up onto his feet and grabbed the blonde's forearm. Their eyes locked. Both hearts raced. Draco looked from Harry's tight grip to his eyes. "Get in the wardrobe and don't come out, okay?" Harry hissed fiercely. Draco could only swallow thickly and nod stiffly, the memories of the last time this had happened flashing through his mind. He felt his stomach fall.

He obeyed in letting Harry shove him unceremoniously into his wardrobe. Draco shared one last heartbroken look with the brunette boy as his mobile was handed to him, before the door was closed between them. Draco was left alone in the dark, his skin slick with sweat and his heart hammering roughly beneath his ribs. He really felt pathetic. He didn't want to leave Harry on his own. Not this time. But what could he do? His hand grew damp around his mobile as he clutched it for dear life. Then he heard the heavy thundering steps of Vernon coming up the stairs. Only a thin wall separated him from the fat excuse of a man. He felt sick to his stomach just thinking about it. He listened with strained ears as the steps came to a halt and the hammering on the bedroom door began.

"BOY? YOU'D BETTER BE IN THERE!"

"Where else would I be?" Harry retorted, his voice still cracked with sleep.

The door shuddered in its frame as Vernon rattled it with his fat fist, trying to get through the simple key-in-a-lock and slide-bolt system Harry was using. Draco felt his heart freeze. That door would not keep Vernon out for long. It would be like trying to fight a Walrus off with a toothpick. Useless. He clenched his fingers into fists and felt anger and fear tremble through him. His mobile grew sweaty in his palms.

Vernon slammed his fist against the side of the wardrobe. Making Draco jump and bite his lip so hard to draw blood. He fumbled with his phone. He needed to call someone! But he didn't even know if Severus would be at home!

"DON'T TALK BACK TO ME YOU LITTLE BRAT! WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN PLAYING AT? DISAPPEARING EVERY TIME MY WORK COLLEAGUES HAVE COME FOR DINNER! WHERE TO, BOY? WHERE?!"

"AWAY FROM YOU! YOU'RE A MONSTER!" Harry's voice rattled in through the gap between the doors. It was instantly followed my a slapping down that made Draco fight the urge to scream. His nails were close to drawing blood from his palms.

"Filthy little brat!" Vernon snarled under his breath.

Draco listened to the sound of a belt buckle rattling, the snap of a leather belt whipping out of the belt loops, and the rough hush of fabric moving down thick rubbery thighs. It made his jaw ache. His stomach knotted. He felt sick. He couldn't just sit there -not a second time.

He couldn't.

He wouldn't.

A surge of anger bolted through him and made him fling his body out of the wardrobe, his limbs fueled with adrenaline. He jammed his shoulder and elbows deep into the bulging fat of Vernon's back, sending the obese man falling forward right on top of Harry. There was a faint crunch as Harrys nose collided with his bedside cabinet. "Get off of him!" Draco shouted out, his voice a roar unrecognisable even to himself. He sneered down at the flabby arse of Harry's Uncle as he tried to force himself to his feet.

He sneered at Draco over his shoulder. "Another one, eh? More fun for me!" He lunged for Dracos legs to try and dismantle him, however Draco had been the Slyhterin seeker for a good few years and had no trouble in drawing his near up and ramming it hard into Vernon's bulbous nose. The man howled like a wounded beast as his meaty hands sprang up to cup his gushing nose. "You little shit!" He thundered as he threw his bloodied hands into Draco's direction, aiming to grab at his throat.

Draco moved faster.

He drew his bony knee up again and buried it deep into -where he assumed -Vernon's hard-on sat. Another, louder howl errupted into the air as Vernon stumbled backwards, doubled over at the waist.

Draco was panting as he advanced on the half-naked man, his fury thrumming through the air. Vernon peered up at his through his thin, sweaty hair, his face smeared with his own blood and his teeth clenched beneath his moustache. "You'll regret this, brat!" Vernon seethed through his teeth, "people know me! I won't be done for just yet!"

Draco growled low in his throat as he grabbed a handful of Vernon's whispy hair and forced his head down against Harry's chest-of-drawers. More howls and grunts of pain ensued as Draco made sure that -even with medical attention -Vernon's nose would take ages to heal properly, and even then it would be crooked. He drew Vernon's head up one last time and leaned in close so that he could hiss into the man's chunky ear, "If I ever see you near Harry again -or hear that you've tried to contact him in any way, shape or form, I will come after you. And I will make sure you won't see the light of day again!" He could feel the familiar prickling of dark magic trying to force itself through his fingers. But it was trapped, even when he pushed all of his body weight into Vernon to make the man stumble backwards, hit his head on a high shelf, and fall down face first into the thin carpet.

The whole house quaked with the impact.

Draco sneered down at the motionless lump and felt nothing but anger. He had not killed him. Merely knocked him out. Self-defence. He then turned his attention to Harry. The poor boy was slumped awkwardly beside his bed, blood slowly trickling out of his nose. A bruise was blooming like a dark rose on his forehead where he must have collided with his table lamp. Draco trembled, suddenly feeling very cold and grabbed one of Harry's spare hoodies and shrugged it on.

He knelt down beside Harry and gingerly removed his splintered glasses from his nose. He put them in his pocket and then set about carefully looping Harry's limp arms around his neck, gathering his legs over his other arm, and pushing up from the floor. He almost stumbled forward onto the bed but managed to keep his balance. Once Harry was secure in his arms, he turned and walked out of the bedroom, making sure to grind his heel into Vernon's hand as he went.

Walking down the stairs was trickier than he had anticipated but he managed to get them both down in oe piece.

When he arrived in the living room he was greeted by a frantic Petunia who was bustling about in her coat, forcing as many things into a small carrier bag as she could. As soon as she heard the door creak open she turned to face Draco, and almost screamed in shock. "I don't care how you got in here," she stated tightly, pointing a bony white finger at him, "but right now Harry needs to lie down. I got in about five minutes ago and heard just enough to call an ambulance and the police. Vernon is not getting away with it this time!" she stated defiantly. Draco could only nod numbly as he eased Harry out of his arms and onto the over-stuffed sofa. He stroked the boys' hair and made him as comfortable as possible. Petunia appeared behind him with a cool rag and gently placed it on Harry's bruising forehead. "Poor love," she simpered under her breath before she straightened up and glanced at the large clock on the wall.

"Can I call Severus? He'd want to know about this," he asked as he fingers Harry's glasses in his pocket.

Petunia looked over at Draco, her eyes roaming over him, trying to determine HOW he would know Severus of all people. Perhaps Harry had introduced them. She nodded her head, "Of course dear, the phone is in the kitchen."

Draco had a little bit of a struggle in working out how the chord-phone actually worked, but he figured it out soon enough and dialled Severus' home phone. After three rings he grew anxious, hoping that his godfather was in. He knew he was most likely at Hogwarts, but it wasn't like they had a telephone number. "Please pick up," he urged under his breath, as he bounced on the balls of his bare feet. Finally -just as he was about to give up -someone picked up the other end.

"Hello?"

Relief washed through him as his godfather's voice resounded in his ears. "Hi Severus, it's me Draco. There's been an incident with Harry. We need you over at his house right away."

He got no response.

Just the line going dead on the other end.

A/N: Well I do hope you all enjoyed that chapter. It's nice to feel that the storyline is progressing now at last! I feel the relief too! Please Review!