Disclaimer: Parts taken from Chamber of Secrets by JKR. If you know it, I do not own it.
Edited and reloaded - 16 July 2013
Wrapping It Up
Draco left the Hospital Wing after assuring Madam Pomfrey that while he was dirty, he was perfectly healthy. It had taken some time, but she had relented when Lockhart had managed to get into a cabinet and drank something that caused him to turn purple.
Lockhart was fascinated that he complimented his robes. He wanted to remain purple so he kept running away from Madam Pomfrey as she attempted to chase him around the infirmary.
Draco chuckled to himself, while feeling a little bit guilty he was laughing at a man who had lost his memory and had reverted to a child mentality.
Hmmm…that's what was what happened to Quirrell.
Draco looked up when he heard commotion coming from the marble staircase. Stopping, Draco noticed his father storming down the stairs looking livid, while Dobby was squealing in pain as Lucius kicked him down the stairs. Dobby bounced down the stairs, landing in a heap on the last landing before the last flight of stairs. While Draco had witnessed his father treat Dobby like this before, it felt distasteful to do it in such a public place. Draco shifted uneasily till he noticed Harry running, a fierce look set on his face.
"Mr. Malfoy!" Harry yelled, reaching the top of the stairs above Lucius. "I've got something for you!"
Lucius stopped in his tracks, slowly turning around to face Harry. Draco sunk into the growing shadows in the Entrance Hall, hiding himself from view.
"What?" Lucius snapped, glaring down at Harry.
Harry put the big innocent eyes on, holding out the diary (fang free). Lucius blankly looked at the inky diary (it was still dripping ink) and sneered.
"And I want that because?"
"Oh, because it belongs to you, Mr. Malfoy. Didn't someone give it to you?"
Harry shoved it into Lucius' hands and took a step back. Lucius made a face of disgust, ripping off a dirty sock from the diary. He threw it behind him, completely missing the fact Dobby had scampered up to stand near his master at the top of the stairs. Draco watched as Dobby hopped up and caught the black sock.
"You'll meet the same sticky end as your parents one of these days, Harry Potter," Lucius spat at Harry. "They were meddlesome fools, too. And I will not allow you to take my son with you."
Harry was still wearing his big, innocent eyes. He blinked in an over exaggerated manner.
"Oh, I wouldn't worry about Draco, sir," Harry said. "He can think for himself rather well for a kid."
Lucius made a noise that Draco couldn't place.
"You have corrupted him."
"How could I do that, sir?"
"Mark my word, the day will come when you regret the fact you put my son's life in danger," Lucius sneered.
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me, but I don't plan to hand him over to Marv at any point. The only person who endangers his life is you by aligning yourself with Marv."
Who the hell was Marv? Draco wondered. Judging by his father's face, Lucius was wondering the same thing.
"Come, Dobby. We're leaving," Lucius said instead of answering Harry.
Dobby did not move to follow Lucius down the stairs.
"I said come," Lucius ordered.
Dobby looked triumphant. He held the disgusting, slimy sock to his equally gross pillow case outfit, looking like he'd hit the jackpot.
"Master has given Dobby a sock," the elf announced happily. "Master gave it to Dobby."
"Excuse me? What did you say?" Lucius asked, rounding on the Elf.
"Got a sock," Dobby said happily, a bit of disbelief in his voice. "Master threw it, Dobby caught it. Dobby is free."
Draco's father was frozen, staring at the Elf in disbelief. Draco moved forward, figuring his father was going to be upset with Harry. Sure enough, Lucius launched himself at Harry. However, before Draco could open his mouth to distract his father, Dobby shouted, "You shall not harm Harry Potter!"
Lucius went flying backwards with a loud banging noise. He crashed down the stairs, landing in a crumpled heap at Draco's feet. Not bothering to notice his son, Lucius leapt to his feet, his face red with anger and pulled his wand out of his cane. He pointed it at Harry, but Dobby raised a ringer and wagged it, narrowing his tennis ball sized eyes.
"You shall go now," Dobby ordered. "You shall not touch Harry Potter. Or Little Master."
Lucius jolted, suddenly realizing Draco was standing at his side, glaring up at him. Draco put on a familiar sneer, taking his father in. Without a word, Draco swept passed his father and climbed the stairs to join Harry. He turned back and faced his father. Dobby moved and stood in front of both boys.
"You will regret this, Draco," Lucius spat, turning on his heel and stalked out. The front doors banged open.
"You okay?" Harry asked quietly after a long drawn out moment.
"Yup," Draco said. He looked down at Dobby, who was admiring his dirty sock. "So, Dobby, what's the plan now that you're free?"
"Dobby's free," Dobby breathed.
It was clearly taking some time for the news to sink in.
"Harry Potter freed Dobby!"
Dobby gazed up at Harry in wonderment. Harry shifted, suddenly looking a bit uncomfortable.
"Least I could do," Harry said quietly. He rubbed the back of his neck. "Just promise never to attempt to save my life again, yeah?"
Dobby grinned, a wide toothy sort of grin. He nodded his head.
"Thanks for the clues," Harry offered.
"You is most welcome, Harry Potter!"
"Well, there's a feast and Draco and I need to get cleaned up," Harry offered, looking somewhat more awkward than he had a moment ago. "Hermione should be awake."
Dobby threw his arms around Harry's middle and hugged tightly.
"Harry Potter is greater by far than Dobby expected! Farewell, Harry Potter!"
Dobby let go of Harry and turned to Draco. He didn't look like he was about to hug Draco, but he beamed at him.
"Little Master will be all right," Dobby proclaimed.
Draco gave him a weak smile and with a final loud crack, Dobby vanished.
"So, there's a feast?" Draco asked, even though he knew it already.
Harry nodded. "Let's go to the tower. Is Hermione up yet?"
"No. Madam Pomfrey administered the Mandrake Potion while we were gone. They should be up at any moment. I didn't wait around, though. Lockhart was getting annoying and needed attention constantly," Draco replied.
They were quiet the rest of the trip to the tower. Neither boy spoke till they were in the dormitory, which was empty. The boys both took turns in the bathroom and changed into fresh clothes. Harry was waiting when Draco came out of the toilet, running a towel through his hair.
"So, what did Dumbledore tell you after I left?"
"Not much. I told him what Sherlock told me at the Sorting and he told me to look at the sword. It was Godric Gryffindor's," Harry explained. "That was what the Hat, I'm sorry, Sherlock dropped on my head."
"Who is Marv?"
"Oh! Voldemort's middle name is Marvolo. His name is an anagram. Tom Marvolo Riddle, I am Lord Voldemort."
"Oh, well, that is clever," Draco said sarcastically, hanging up his towel. "So, you're a true Gryffindor, then?"
Draco had an inkling Harry had always been a bit worried about that. Getting the sword should be confirmation he was indeed in the right house.
"Kinda. I didn't tell Dumbledore, but I am officially the Heir of Slytherin now."
"Huh?"
Harry scratched his head, looking somewhat uncomfortable. "Yeah, after I told Diary Marv about the whole Muggleborn thing with Slytherin, something strange happened. I felt like someone ran a finger down my scar and heard a voice telling me to right Marv's wrongs. Oh, and the final thing that hinted to me that I was the new Heir, Medusa told me I smelled right now and I was in fact now Heir of Slytherin. Yay me!"
He said the last bit without effort.
Draco sat down heavily on his bed. "Seriously, Harry? How does that even work?"
"No clue. Medusa said something about giving me gifts that meant something to Marv."
Harry shrugged. Draco shook his head in wonderment.
"Then your father showed up, Dumbledore hinted heavily it was him who left the diary, told him not to let any more of Voldemort's old school things to fall into innocent hands, your father bristled and then he left, dragging Dobby off. Since I know it was your dad who gave Ginny the diary, I thought he should have it back."
"Along with a dirty sock?"
"Of course."
Draco snickered.
"You're not mad?"
"Why would I be mad?" Draco asked, standing up. "Dobby is a really horrible House Elf. I think he will be happier free. We've got other Elves for Father to terrorize."
Harry frowned.
"They will be mine someday and I won't terrorize them," Draco offered. "I don't terrorize them, nor does Mother."
"Of course she doesn't," Harry said quickly. He glanced out the window a moment before looking back at Draco. "Will you be all right? I mean, things with your father were kind of tense before…and now…"
"It'll be fine, Harry. We both know Voldemort isn't gone for good and where my father stands," Draco said. "I'm glad I've made it clear to him where I stand. And thanks for what you said."
Harry looked a bit uncomfortable, but nodded stiffly.
"You said something about a feast?" Draco reminded Harry.
"Oh, yeah. I assume that is where everyone is located currently."
Draco indicated they ought to head down to the feast.
The last time Draco had attended this feast, he wasn't a happy camper. The Heir had been caught and the drama was over. No one had died, and to his twelve-year-old self that was tragic.
This time, he was thrilled. For one, it seemed like Harry had gotten off easy this year. Due to the fact he had befriended the snake, he didn't have to fight it. (Draco assumed Potter more than likely fought and killed the snake the first time around.) He only had to face something Harry kept calling Diary Marv, who sounded almost as comical as Lockhart.
Hermione and the other formerly Petrified students all made a grand entrance shortly after Draco and Harry arrived. Upon their arrival, McGongall announced Dumbledore's return and the fact exams were cancelled.
"Oh, no!" Hermione exclaimed, looking tragic.
Dumbledore announced Lockhart wouldn't be returning.
"Oh, no!" several girls gasped.
"Shame," Draco muttered in Harry's ear. "He was kind of growing on me."
Harry snickered.
The remainder of term passed in a haze of sunshine and warmth. With no exams, there was no need to spend hours indoors studying. Well, unless you were Hermione and were attempting to catch up on a lot of missed work. Hermione spent hours in the library studying. She was shocked (to the point she nearly fainted) when Harry showed her the translated copy of Salazar Slytherin's journal and found out the man had been a Muggleborn. Nott spent a few days mocking Draco when news got out that Lucius had been sacked as a school governor for blackmailing the other governors to sack Dumbledore.
Draco didn't really care.
The best thing, though, Ginny Weasley had reverted to normal. She was the happy, smiling, sociable girl Draco faintly remembered from the first time around. Everyone wanted to hear her tale and she was too happy to tell it and warn others not to write in strange books.
That was why Draco was unable to ask her about the secret room on the second floor until the train trip back to London. Hermione, Neville, Ginny, Luna, Harry and Draco were all in a compartment. The boys and Ginny were all playing Exploding Snap, while Luna read a magazine upside down and Hermione read some huge, scary looking book.
"Ginny, what did you see Percy doing that he didn't want you to tell anyone about?" Draco asked casually.
Ginny started giggling. "Oh! Right! I ran into you after I saw them. It's nothing really. Percy's got a boyfriend."
Hermione choked. Harry looked bewildered. Draco cocked his head to the side and allowed his jaw to drop.
"Yeah, it was kind of scaring, actually," Ginny went on.
"Who?" Harry asked. "Please. Please don't tell me it's Oliver Wood."
Ginny stared at her playing cards. "Okay. I won't then."
Harry looked like he was going to pass out.
"You know, I don't know how you missed that," Neville commented, slapping a card down. "They are almost always together. Oliver always tells Percy things before he talks to anyone else and while Percy usually has no idea what Oliver is talking about, Percy is the ONLY one of you lot who listens to all his Quidditch talk."
Draco stared at Neville. "You're right."
Things fell into place.
"So, how did you wind up in that room, then?" Harry asked.
"That, I cannot tell you," Ginny offered, putting down a few cards. "It was one of the fuzzy times. I was fuzzy till I was suddenly faced with…well, my brother sucking off Oliver Wood's face."
"It's always the good looking ones, isn't it?" Luna faintly asked.
They all stared at her for a moment. She said nothing further. Hermione made a strangled noise and hid behind her oversized book.
"Is, er, are those sort of relationships normal in the wizarding world?" Harry asked, looking somewhat uncomfortable. "I don't have an issue, but…"
"Yes," Draco replied. "It's perfectly normal. Why?"
"Well, it's not…well, some people…"
"It's still somewhat frowned upon in the Muggle world," Hermione said from behind her book.
"Small minds," Luna offered, putting her magazine in her lap. "Love is love. It sees no gender, color or reason."
"Here, here," Ginny announced, slapping down a few more cards. There was a tiny explosion. "Oops."
"So, why haven't Oliver and Percy told anyone?" Harry asked, looking bewildered.
Ginny snickered. "Because Percy is worried what Oliver's fans will do to him."
"Oliver's fans?" the three boys asked, exchanging looks.
"Oh, honestly," Hermione said, slamming her book shut with a thump. "Oliver is…very good looking. And he's fit. A Quidditch player, most likely to go pro. He's a lovely catch. He has lots of female fans. Quite a few."
Hermione's cheeks were pink.
"And he's got a lovely Scottish accent," Luna offered. "Very thick. And he wears a sweater well."
Luna gave off a dreamy smile and stared above Harry's head, her eyes going around in circles.
Harry cleared his throat. "Brilliant. So, we done discussing romantic relationships?"
"Sure," Neville replied. "What are your plans this summer?"
Harry frowned.
"Well, I am going to go home and hopefully survive long enough to return," Draco replied. "Harry, are you sure I can't just go home with you?"
Harry snorted. "Yeah. It's hard enough with one wizard in the house. I don't think the Dursleys could handle me plus you for a whole two months. Though, it'd be nice to have someone else to talk to. Or anyone at all."
Ginny looked confused. "What does that mean?"
"Yeah, Harry. Won't your family be proud when they hear what you did this year?" Neville asked.
"Proud?" Harry asked, eyebrows flying upwards. "Are you crazy? All those times I could've died and failed? They'll be furious."
Ginny and Neville looked rather alarmed, while Draco, Hermione and Harry all laughed.
"So, the whole time traveller thing didn't come up?" Hermione asked as they were waiting to enter the Muggle world through the gateway on the platform.
Narcissa was fussing over Harry, so Draco and Hermione were free to speak to one another.
"Nope. There wasn't much of an opening to have him guess or for me to randomly announce it," Draco admitted.
Hermione sighed. "Next year might be easier on him if he knew that you know…"
"I know. But he didn't ask and if I just tell him, he won't believe me."
They neared the wall to exit and were soon through. Hermione quickly found her parents. Draco tried not to look too shocked when his mother proceeded to smile and act super nice and genuinely friendly with Mr. and Mrs. Granger.
"Please, break me out after two weeks," Harry begged. "I know your dad hates me, but please, do not leave me there all summer."
"I won't. Do you see your uncle?"
Harry nodded.
"I'll talk with Mother. She is very fond of you."
Harry rolled his eyes.
"Two weeks. That's the odd time limit Dumbledore told her last year," Harry reminded Draco.
Draco nodded. Harry had explained the reason for the odd limit, it having to do with the blood protection Lily Potter had left on her son.
"Two weeks," Draco promised.
He held out his hand. Harry grasped it, shook it, then turned back to his cart, wheeling it over to the whale of a man waiting for him with a frown. Draco felt a hand on his shoulder and saw his mother.
"You must really stop growing, dear," she said quietly.
"I'll try."
"Hermione is lovely," Narcissa commented casually. "Her parents are very intelligent and welcoming."
"Oh? Really?"
Narcissa nodded. "Your father is away. In France. All summer. He is rather…upset about loosing Dobby. I suggested he go to France."
Draco felt there was a bigger reason Narcissa had sentenced his father to France, but didn't ask. If he were honest, he did not care. He felt like a weight was lifted now that he didn't have to face his father all summer.
"Home?"
Draco nodded, feeling a hand tighten on his shoulder. With a soft pop, Narcissa and Draco were gone.
A/N: And so ends book two. Book three, Fractured Moonlight (story id 8918580) is up and complete. The last chapter is simply a teaser for the next book.
Thank you for all the reviews, follows, edits, and favorites! I absolutely love reading the reviews and reactions to the stories, so keep them coming! If you have any questions on the story, remember to see my profile for notes on the series.
