Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I am just borrowing the characters for some fun.

Warning: This story will contain swearing, scenes of torture and sexual innuendo. Slash.

Summary: Nothing is going to plan. The order is three days late to pick him up and Lucius Malfoy has somehow managed to get out of Azkaban. Remus always wants to talk, but Harry can't bring himself to even think of what happened in June. It was time to face facts: Harry's life belongs to the cause and his own feelings don't matter. Begins after Order of the Phoenix. Slash.

Chapter 43:Stubborn Idiot

Harry stared at the wall as Madam Pomfrey lectured him. It was a pretty good lecture; full of threats and scares and guilt. She reminded him that he could have seriously hurt himself or Lucius by healing the Dark Mark. She pointed out that he had less than one full day of training and was already failing. He should have felt...something. But all he felt was empty. Draco had broken up with him. Draco thought it was better to not be with Harry. The problem was that Harry felt like a shell of a person without Draco.

He tried his best to pay attention to the matron. He nodded at the appropriate spots and it wasn't hard to look generally dejected. Something in his eyes must have showed that he was feeling like his heart had been stomped on my a hippogriff, because she ended her speech much faster than Harry thought was typical. When she finally did storm off, Harry was sure she would be back to give him another tongue lashing later- after all she had confined him to the hospital wing for magical exhaustion for three days. That would mean, by the time he got out he would have little more than a week before the end of the school year, and Harry still had to decide where he was spending his summer.

He should be thinking about something productive. A good leader would be planning some kind of grand plot to kill Voldemort, or working more on his plan for those who had changed sides. Instead, his mind had only one thought: Draco. The blond had walked out of the hospital wing the night before with Harry's heart. Draco had been what he was fighting for. He had reminded him who he was, and somehow tore down his ego and built it up at the same time. It felt like there was no going forward without him, like time would stand still while he wilted away from heartbreak.

"See I told you we would find him here!"

Harry rolled over and blinked up at Ron, Hermione and Neville. Hermione was smiling in triumph and already pulling over chairs to sit down. Harry took a deep breath and schooled his face. He wasn't ready to tell them about Draco yet, they would be too happy and it would break him, so he needed to act normal until he could feign tiredness.

"What are you guys doing here?" Said Harry

Ron sunk down into one of the chairs. He had big bags under his eyes and looked more disheveled than usual. "We went looking for you because no one had seen you since the Ingenium dinner. Hermione figured out you were in the hospital wing, of course."

Harry nodded. He hadn't been back to the common room for two nights in a row, which was bound to send them searching. "Sorry. I was supposed to be back last night."

"What happened?" Said Neville as he hovered awkwardly behind Ron and Hermione's chairs.

"I did some healing and magically exhausted myself." Said Harry "Madam Pomfrey has me here for the next 3 days."

"You're a healer then!" Ron let out a little whoop. "That's awesome! We haven't had one in ages."

Harry smiled. "Yeah. I'm a healer. Pomfrey said she would train me up a bit next year, that is if she doesn't kill me for healing before I was supposed to."

"You shouldn't be jumping into that stuff without being monitored by an experienced healer." Said Hermione, her brow wrinkled.

"Naw, Harry doesn't follow the rules." Ron was looking supremely relaxed. He leaned back in the chair with an air of cool confidence that Harry had never seen in him before. The motion reminded him of Sirius.

"Ron, did you get your Ingenium?"

The redhead smirked and snapped his fingers. A small flame danced on his hand. Harry watched as he made it zip in and out of his fingers. "Last night. I'm a fire elemental. Cool, yeah?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Ron put it away. It's dangerous. You almost set fire to my robes this morning."

Ron didn't stop playing with his flame. He made it larger and then made it take on a crude image of Hermione. "Well, Harry's a healer, he can fix you right up if anything." He looked at Harry excitedly. "I have to practice a bit, but I think I may be able to throw fireballs and stuff."

Harry sat up in his bed and leaned forward to watch. That was useful for the war. That was a war ingenium. "That's wicked Ron. When do you have your ingenium Neville?"

"Tomorrow night." Said Neville dispondentaly. "Nan is convinced I'll forget the spell. I was thinking of writing it on my arm just in case."

"You'll know it." Said Harry, "I don't know how, but it just comes to you."

Hermione bit her lip. "I had my ingenium yesterday too. My parents thought it was really interesting. No hidden powers for me though."

"Lucky for the rest of us." Said Ron, finally putting out his flame. "Otherwise we wouldn't stand a chance. Tell Harry about that idea you had."

Hermione took his hand and smiled at him in one swift relaxed motion that made Harry's heart ache.

"I was just thinking we should reactivate the DA coins for the summer to help us communicate in an emergency. I think I even may have found a spell that will let them show more than just numbers." Hermione's cheeks blushed pink. "How did Draco's ceremony go? I saw him before I went in for mine."

"Fine." Harry choked out. "We didn't have much time to talk because I healed Lucius."

Neville's eyes got big. "You healed Lucius Malfoy?"

Harry smiled a bit at his friends surprised faces. "Yeah, So it turns out that the dark marks are designed to hurt if…"

HPHPHPHP

Harry spent the next two days answering letters and generally feeling sorry for himself. He felt he deserved some time to feel self pity and be completely useless. When he wasn't mustering the energy to write back to Deveraux or new people who had come forward asking for safety, he was sulking. Sulking like he never had before, and that was saying something. He found himself staring at his knees in sad contemplation for what felt like minutes, and ended up being hours. He was actually glad that he was in the hospital wing, because he was sure that Ron or Hermione would have caught on eventually if he had been in the common room.

There was a thump as the Daily Prophet landed on his lap. Harry started and looked up. He hadn't even heard anyone come in. Pansy Parkinson stood next to his bed with her arms crossed and looking like a disappointed Mrs. Weasley. "What is this, Potter?"

The headline read 'Prominent Werewolf Leader Claims There is No Muggleborn Anti-Persecution Group.' Harry scanned the article and nodded. "Yeah, Deveraux spoke to me before he went to the Prophet, but after the last attack I thought it would be a good idea. Voldemort uses the anger people have about the Muggleborn Anti-Persecution Group to gain followers who hate muggleborns. Maybe we can flip it and send some people our way."

Pansy didn't adjust her stance. "I don't care about what you do with your pet werewolves. I do care that you're sitting here sulking, while Draco is falling apart."

"What do you want me to do about that? He broke up with me." Snapped Harry.

"Are you really this stupid, Potter?" Hissed Pansy, "Does Granger do the thinking for all three of you?"

"Fuck off, Parkison. I'm not in the mood for your lecture." Harry rolled over and shut his eyes hard. His heart was pounding in his chest much louder than he thought it was supposed to.

There was the stomp of shoes as she came around the bed and then a rough hand on his shoulder.

"He was just told he's a Necromancer, of course he's a bit shaken up. He thinks he's too dark for you and will turn into the next Dark Lord. You need to get off your arse and go tell him he's wrong."

Harry pushed her hand off of him and sat up. "He broke up with me because he realized how dangerous it is to date Harry Fucking Potter. He has a better life expectancy without me in his life; his whole family does. Draco just finally understood that after last weeks battle, that's all."

"Oh For-" She reached up and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Is that why you think he broke up with you? Well, I know he doesn't care about that at all. You know how I know, Potter? I talk to him. Something which you should try sometime. He broke up with you because he thinks it's for the best, because he is convinced he's some dark wizard."

"I did talk to him. And he said- " Harry's voice was low and dangerous. "You know what, I don't need to justify myself to you. Draco's not dark and he knows I wouldn't care that his power was necromancy even if it was dark."

"Clearly he doesn't know. Have you been listening to anything I have said?" Sarcasm dripped from her lips.

Harry rolled his eyes. "He's not even the dark one! He knows I could be possessed by Voldemort at any time and-"

"What?" Pansy took a frightened step backwards.

Harry had a momentary spark of joy at getting her to back off. "Still want me to get back with Draco? Don't worry I've strengthened my shields since he possessed me to attack Dumbledore. Besides, I was able to push him out in time to keep him from hurting Dumbledore too badly."

Pansy's mouth was agape. It was kind of fun to see her so taken aback. "You pushed him out?"

"Look, Draco knows all this stuff. He knows that I'm the one who's a second away from insanity. I'm the one who watches babies dies in his sleep. So, he knows that a little darkness doesn't scare me off. It's him who finally got scared off. And the thing is I can't even say he's wrong. When we broke up, he told me it was for the best, and you know what? He was right. It's better for him to get as far away from me as he can." By the end he was panting. His hands had bunched up the blankets and his vision began to blur.

A high pitched chuckle danced through the air. "Oh no, Potter, you two are meant for eachother. You both spew the same melodramatic idiocy. No one is too dark for anyone. Get your head out of your arse. Tell Draco you don't care about him being a necromancer and you'll have your boyfriend back."

Harry rolled over so that Pansy couldn't see him wipe at his eyes. His mind was racing. He wanted Draco back more than anything, but it was better this way. More then wanting Draco as a boyfriend he wanted Draco alive, so he couldn't be selfish. He had to do this alone. It was the way it had always been and the way it would always be. There was something broken in him, that couldn't be loved. Maybe when Voldemort was gone things would be different, but for now it was the way things had to be. "It's done. It's better for him this way."

He could hear Pansy let out a breath. "You're a stubborn idiot."

"Fine." Said Harry, angrily. "Can you leave now?"

"Actually, I have something else to discuss with you." Her voice sounded a lot less sure and it made Harry roll back over to see her face. She had lost the haunty privileged Slytherin airs, and looked a little contrite. "There's a rumor going around that you have a safe place for people to stay. Is it true?"

Harry gave her a long look before answering. "Yeah, it's true."

Besides Lucius, Narcissa and Harry no one was to know the exact location of the safe house in France. He didn't even risk telling her that it was owned by the Malfoy's, although she may be able to guess when she got there.

"Can I-Can I stay there for the summer?" She crossed her arms, but this time it wasn't angry, it was more like she was trying to put up a shield to protect herself.

"I thought you wanted to go home?" Said Harry. "Wasn't the whole point of you spying that you could keep seeing your family?"

She gulped. "I can't do it. Just seeing them for the Ingenium was so hard. There's no way I could keep it up for the whole summer. They would find out at some point, and I would be dead. Mother could already tell something was off. I can't go back there."

Pansy's voice broke at the end and her demeanor became even more vulnerable. She spun for a moment to face away from him. Harry could hear her breathing speed up and then slow. He couldn't see the tears, but he could see her arms move up to try to disguise that they had been there at all. Harry waited for her to control herself; he had never known what to say to crying girls.

When she turned back around her mask was back on. "I know you're not dating Draco anymore, but you still owe me for all the information I gave you. I said goodbye to my parents before they left. Please send me to your safe house."

"Of course." Harry didn't hesitate. "I'll send you information, so you can floo there. You won't be taking the express."

She nodded curtly, and for a moment she looked like she may start crying again, but she pulled it together. "Thank you."

"I uh...may have a job for you actually." Said Harry, making a snap decision. "How would you feel about being the liaison with Deveraux?"

HPHPHP

Harry rushed down the hall towards the basement. He was late. Of course it was a minor miracle he had convinced himself to get up and get dressed, but that wasn't exactly the image he wanted to present to the people putting their life in his hands. The past week and a half of avoiding everyone had certainly reminded him that he wasn't capable of this. With Draco at his side, branching out on his own had made sense and he had found the energy to plan for the future. Now, he could barely find the energy to put on clean underwear. Luckily, he had made a promise to keep people safe, and if there was one thing that could get him moving it was that.

Upon opening the potions classroom door Harry was momentarily stunned. Had he really planned to help this many people? The class was full. There were no chairs left and Harry had to edge past black robes to get to the front. The smell of sweat permeated the air and a restless energy floated around the room. A chatter that had probably at one point been quiet, but had grown louder the longer they waited, covered the room like a blanket.

Harry glanced around to see if there was anyone there that was unaccounted for. He could see Pansy standing off to the side by the front with her hood drawn, to shade her face. Over to the back was Blaise and his mother. Tracy Davis and her Parents sat at a table in the middle. His eyes paused on the Ex Death Eater who had apparated away from the battle and saved his life. The man looked young and nervous. His eyes darted around the room looking for exits and his hair fell in greasy chunks around his face. An ugly black and brown fog hovered over his left arm. On the other side of the room he could see a couple of the Ravenclaws, A Hufflepuff and their families.

"You're late." hissed Snape as Harry made it to the front.

"I had something to do." Said Harry "Have you started?"

"Most of these people only trust you." Lucius's look was evaluating. "We were forced to wait."

Harry gave him a pinched smile. "Let's get started then."

Feeling mischievous Harry turned and jumped on top of Snape's desk. The chatter in the room quieted immediately. Snape looked like he had swallowed a lemon drop, but didn't stop him.

"Hi everyone!" Said Harry looking around the room and making eye contact with as many people as possible. "Sorry for the delay. I promise I'll explain that later. Right now, Professor Snape and Mr. Malfoy are going to hand out a potion for you to drink. My number one priority is your safety, and that starts with making sure that everyone who is here is who they say they are. It's just a precaution to make sure that no one has been polyjuiced."

"What if they ain't been polyjuiced but they're still here to spy on us and report back?" Yelled out the ex-death eater.

"All of you have sworn an unbreakable vow to either myself, or professor Snape." Said Harry, "No one here is capable of hurting or giving up information on any other occupants of the safehouse without dropping dead."

A murmur of approval went around the room and people started drinking their had been hard to sneak out almost every night this week to do unbreakable vows with people, but it had been one of the most important parts of their plan, Ron had been the one to come up with the idea to do it at all, and Snape had approved of the plan wholeheartedly. He had worked with Hermione to come up with the words for the vow, so that it wouldn't accidentally trigger.

Harry sighed in relief when no one's form changed. He was happy not to have another Mad- Eye Moody moment. Pansy pulled her hood back and gave Harry an approving nod.

"Great! So it looks like everyone is who they say they are." Harry put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a silver coin. "Pansy will be working as my liason to the house. I thought it would be better to limit the letters you send me, even though we will spell them just in case. So, if you have any concerns tell her and she will tell me. My muggle relatives won't thank you if I have ten owls a day coming to the house."

A chuckle went around the room. The mood seemed happier already.

"Okay so now that that's all in order Professor Snape is going to start leading you back to his office to floo out. Mr. Malfoy has spelled the floo to take you to the right place. None of you will be privy to where exactly you are, consider it another form of security. I have arranged for a house elf to be there, so you should be all set. Have a good summer everyone!"

There was a smattering of applause and Snape stepped forward to start accompanying one of the families toward his office. Harry jumped down off the desk and rubbed the coin between his fingers.

"Pansy, " Harry held up the coin. "This is for you. It will get warm if something is wrong. Hermione modified the charm so that I can send you some words along the edges too, instead of just numbers."

She took it from him contemplatively. "What is this thing?"

"Ever wonder how the DA could sneak around the inquisitorial squad?"

She groaned and stuck the coin in her pocket. "Ugh. I can't believe I have become one of your cronies."

"Better than being one of Voldemort's cronies."

"Bit of a low bar, Potter." Said Blaise Zabini

Harry smiled at him. "I'm glad you'll be safe this summer."

Blaise shook his head and looked from Pansy to Tracy. "He actually means that. I still can't believe it. Lord, Potter, you have one hell of a hero complex."

Harry laughed. "Well, it's worked to your advantage, so I wouldn't complain too much."

"Thank you." Said Tracy, her eyes looked determined. "For all you've done."

Harry blushed and shrugged. He didn't know what to say to that kind of praise.

"Don't be too nice to him." Said Pansy "He doesn't know what to do with himself when Slytherins are nice."

"Oh come on." Said Harry, "Don't tell me the common room is all rainbows and butterflies, I've been there."

Blaise held out his hand. "You don't totally suck Potter. Have a good summer."

Harry shook it. "You too. Have a good summer."

The Zabini's disappeared into Snape's office.

Tracy nodded to him as she walked towards the office. "See you next year."

Finally Pansy was the only one who was left. She stood, leaning against the wall alternating between looking at Harry and the coin in her hand. "You haven't spoken to Draco yet."

"Could you just not. I'm not talking to you about this anymore." Harry looked away and searched his mind for something else to talk about. "Oh, let me introduce you to your house elf. Dobby!"

There was a loud pop and a small scrawny creature appeared in front of them. He was wearing at least 3 pairs of socks, one on his ears. "Mr. Harry Potter Sir called?"

"Dobby, this is Pansy. Listen to everything she says for the summer okay?" Said Harry. "You're to take care of everyone in the house, but she'll tell you what needs to be done."

Pansy made a guttural noise in the back of her throat. "The reject elf is our house elf?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Or I could send no house elf at all and you could learn how to cook this summer."

"No, this is...fine." She eyed the socks on Dobby's ears cynically.

Lucius was walking towards them. "Don't worry, I will also send a Malfoy elf to come assist him."

Dobby jumped in front of Harry. "Dobby must protect Harry Potter!"

"NO!" Shouted Harry "It's fine Dobby. He's helping me."

"Mr. Malfoy sir is helping Harry Potter?" Dobby looked like Christmas had come early and then his face turned dark. He grabbed the edge of the desk and started banging his head down. "Bad, Dobby. Bad Dobby. Dobby has failed. Dobby is a bad house elf."

Harry tried to reach out for him. "Dobby no. Dobby stop. You don't need to-"

Lucius's voice boomed. "Dobby. I order you to stop."

The house elf froze. Tears in his eyes sat on the precipice of falling.

Lusius Malfoy bent down on one knee so he was the same height as Dobby. "You did the right thing all those years ago. You are a noble house elf. Thank you for protecting Harry."

The tears spilled over his eyes and streamed down his face. He threw himself at Lucius in a hug. The blonde pulled back but patted his back as if he had never touched a house elf in his life. "Mr. Malfoy is too kind. Mr. Malfoy is helping Harry Potter, which means he is the most noble of wizards."

Pansy snorted and laughed. "Only you would have the most demented house elf I've ever seen, Potter."

Harry smiled. "Well, you're saddled with him all summer."

Her face darkened and she glared at him. Harry set about getting Dobby off of Lucius. Eventually they convinced Dobby to head to the safe house and start cleaning rooms. Pansy went through to Snape's office with a promise to write him in 2 days, once everyone was settled.

Lucius's hand fell on Harry's shoulder. "This is a stupid stratigcal plan, Potter, but it may be worth it."

A bit of warmth bloomed in Harry's chest at the praise. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"You are headed to catch the express now?"

Harry nodded. "It leaves in 1 hour. And then it's off to the Dursleys for the last time."

The Malfoy patriarch's eyes were searching. "Why not Grimmauld place? Severus told me that-"

"No." Said Harry. He gulped and pushed down the real reason. "Dumbledore said I can protect my family this way. It's the safest place for me. Anyway, it's just one more summer."

"I assure you Grimmauld place is very safe." Said Lucius.

Not from Draco. Thought Harry. Besides Narcissa probably hated him after talking to her son, and it was her house. He didn't want to risk her wrath or running into Draco. So, he was headed back to the Dursleys were he belonged. "Number 4 is safer. Plus it would be nice if they lived."

Lucius's face said that he didn't agree.

"I have a train to catch. I guess I'll see you...at some point." He started to walk to the door. With a pang Harry realised for the first time in a year he would not see Snape, Narcissa, Remus or Lucius for longer than a week. He would miss them.

"You will see me next week, when we check on you." Said Lucius airily.

Harry spun. "Excuse me?"

Lucius's eyebrows almost reached his hairline. "Yes, you didn't know? One or two of us will be a long once a week to check on you. Next week I believe it will be myself and the wolf."

"You don't-" Harry sputtered. "I can take care of myself!"

"Yes, yes." said Lucius mildly "you take care of yourself, just leave the Muggles for us to take care of."

Harry stared. He didn't like the sound of that.