Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and settings belong to J.K. Rowling.
Harry was headed to Quidditch practice, with Neville walking with him, when suddenly Hermione appeared in front of him.
"Hermione?"
"Can I speak to you for a moment, Harry?" Hermione asked in a small voice.
"Sure." Harry said, giving Neville a nod of thanks when the boy moved away to give them privacy.
"I thought we were best friends, Harry," Hermione said sadly. "Yet you ignored my letters over the summer, and haven't talked to me at all since school resumed."
"You didn't want to hear from me!" Harry protested. "I wrote to you, to ask if you were okay. You never wrote back!"
"I never got a letter from you," Hermione frowned.
"I sent it to the Weasleys." Harry said. "I knew you would likely visit the Burrow." He paused. "You never received it?"
"No. Ron said he got a letter from you saying you needed a break from us," Hermione said slowly. "And then we haven't talked since school started because I thought you didn't want to."
"I never wrote that to Ron." Harry said stiffly, suddenly understanding why Mr. and Mrs. Weasley thought he didn't want to see them in the summer. "Apparently Mr. and Mrs. Weasley also received notes from me that I never wrote. I can guess who is behind it."
"Ron," Hermione shook her head. "Why?"
"He blames me for you getting hurt," Harry said with a sigh. "Which he should, it was my fault -"
"Harry!" Hermione protested. "No, it wasn't. I made the choice to go with you that night. I knew the danger."
"Ron sent me a howler over the summer, he said his parents were upset with him because of it," Harry said guiltily.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "There were upset that he didn't tell an adult what was going on, but they weren't mad at you."
"There were no adults to tell," Harry said.
"We could have tried contacting Mrs. and Mr. Weasley," Hermione sighed. "Or even telling Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout. They aren't official Order members but I bet they would have helped. We could have -"
"Checked with da- er, I mean Professor Snape," Harry said with a sigh. He hadn't even thought of it but he could have found Snape and asked if he had been able to look into the message he had given him in Umbridge's office. Snape probably would have mocked him or insulted him, but he would have reassured him that Sirius was still at Grimmauld Place.
Hermione looked at him curiously. "So he really is your dad now? It really was a blood adoption?"
Harry nodded.
"Are you happy?" Hermione asked tentatively.
"So happy," Harry said with a soft smile. "Having a family of my own, one that wants me...is amazing."
"But for it to be Professor Snape and Malfoy..." Hermione looked worried.
"There's more to them than you know," Harry told her. "And they were there for me in my darkest hour. I wouldn't be here without them." It was true. Without Snape and Draco, he would have completed that suicide spell. The Dursley's certainly wouldn't have stopped him and he doubted anyone else, even the Weasley's, would have found him in time. "They don't let me get away with hiding if I'm upset, make sure I eat and sleep properly..." he trailed off, embarrassed. "They're my family." he said simply.
"It's just...they've never been nice to you before," Hermione hedged. "Are you sure it's not a trick?"
"I'm sure," Harry said confidently.
Hermione didn't look convinced but changed the topic. "So Ron interfered with my letters..." her face darkened as the red head approached. "Ronald Weasley, how could you!" She yelled. "You forged letters, intercepted mail...you told me Harry didn't want to have anything to do with us! You let your parents think the same!"
"He shouldn't have anything to do with us!" Ron yelled back. "If he cares about us, he'll stay away!"
Harry winced.
"How could you say that?" Hermione whispered. "Harry's our friend."
Ron went up to her and took her hands into his. "You almost died," he said hoarsely. "I sat at your bedside worried you wouldn't wake up. Hermione, I -" He took a deep breath. "I love you, Hermione. I can't let anything happen to you. We're already targets and hanging with Harry, it makes it even more dangerous."
"Oh, Ron," Hermione whispered tearfully. "I love you, too. But Harry needs us. We're all in this war together."
"Yes," Ron agreed. "But it is even more dangerous if we hang with Harry. Merlin, you almost died at the ministry! And Sirius did die! It's not safe being his friend. And the truth is, it never was!"
Harry shut his eyes. It was true, after all. He led his friends into danger all the time. No good...worthless...
"And now he has Snape and Malfoy in his life," Ron shook his head. He looked at Harry. "There is no way they are safe to be around. They're playing you and once again, you'll be in danger. But this time, Hermione and I are staying clear of it. I'm not going to let her get hurt again."
"Snape and Draco are my family," Harry said defensively.
"Oh please," Ron scoffed. "They hate you and always have. They want you dead. Just like with the ministry, you're being tricked!"
Hermione bit her lip and looked at Harry apologetically. "Are you sure you can trust them? I mean, Professor Snape has always been cruel to you and Malfoy has always been horrid."
"Yes, I trust them," Harry insisted. His face fell at Hermione's uncertain expression.
"I'm worried you rushed into this adoption," Hermione said slowly. "Did the Headmaster approve it?"
"Dumbledore had nothing to do with it," Harry said somewhat bitterly. "We let him know about it once it was done." He didn't want to go into how Dumbledore wanted him to go back to the Dursley's.
Hermione's expression showed alarm.
"You were wrong about Sirius being at the ministry and you're wrong about them caring about you," Ron spoke up. "There is no way they suddenly care. It's laughable, Snape being your dad and Malfoy your brother. I bet they laugh about it at the their death eater meetings!"
In anger and frustration, Harry sent a strong and painful stinging hex at Ron. "You know nothing!" he shouted as Ron yelped in pain, before turning and running. He ignored Neville calling after him. He needed to get away from everyone. And he knew just the place.
HP
Harry entered Moaning Myrtle's bathroom and immediately went to the sink. "Open," he said, staring at the snake figure.
"Harry!" Moaning Myrtle floated out of the one of the stalls.
"Hi Myrtle," Harry said as he stared down the chamber opening.
"Remember my offer," Myrtle said sweetly.
Harry resisted rolling his eyes. "I know. I'm welcome to share your toilet." He jumped down the opening.
Crunching on the bones and carefully walking over loose stones, Harry made his way to the room where he had faced Tom Riddle. He sat down next to the Basilisk skeleton, the chamber was cold but it was quiet. No one to stare at him, talk about him...he really wished Ron and Hermione could understand what Draco and Snape had done for him. And the truth was, he understood Ron's concern. It wasn't safe to be around him. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't hear the voice calling him urgently from the mirror in his pocket.
HP
News of the confrontation had spread quickly and Draco had immediately began looking for Harry. After contacting Snape so he could also be on the lookout for Harry, he checked the Owlery, Hagrid's hut and was now going to the Tower. He knew Snape was checking the library and the kitchens.
"Open up," Draco snapped at the fat lady.
"Excuse me?" The fat lady sniffed. "Aren't you a Slytherin?"
"Yeah, I am. Now open up."
"Password?" the fat lady raised an eyebrow.
"Don't have it," Draco said through gritted teeth. "I need to see if Harry is in there. It's important."
"No password, no entry," the fat lady snapped.
"Open up or I'll personally move your portrait to Filch's office."
"How dare you threaten me!"
The door opened and a first year squeaked when she saw the angry looking Draco. Draco brushed past her and into the common room. "Ugh, I think I'm going to be sick," he wrinkled his nose at all the red and gold.
"Hey, a snake is in here!" Seamus yelled.
Draco rolled his eyes. "Where is Harry?"
Neville stepped forward, concern on his face. "He isn't here." he glanced at Hermione and Ron, who were staring at Draco in shock. "I stopped here to see if this is where he had run off to but he isn't here. I was asking if anyone had seen him since the argument but no one has. I was just about look for him."
"You two," Draco hissed at Hermione and Ron. "His best friends," he mocked.
"Shove off, Malfoy!" Ron snapped.
"So much for loyalty," Draco muttered. "How many times have you turned on Harry over the years? And now, when he needs his friends the most -"
"We can't keep risking out lives for him!" Ron burst out. "Especially now that he's hanging with you and Snape."
"We're worried you don't have his best interests at heart," Hermione spoke up. "That you're pretending -"
"You don't deserve to be his friend," Draco interrupted quietly. "He's too good for the likes of you." he glared at Ron and then at Hermione. "Or you. Traitors." he looked at them in disgust and then turned away. He met Neville's gaze. "If you find him, let me or Professor Snape know right away."
Neville nodded. "I will." he promised.
Draco stormed from the Tower, furious with Weasley and Granger. He took out his mirror and tried calling Harry again.
HP
Harry could hear his name being yelled and looked around in confusion. Suddenly he remembered his mirror and quickly took it out of his pocket. Oops, he thought guiltily when he saw Draco's worried face.
Harry looked into the mirror and spoke Draco's name into it.
"Harry?" Draco asked frantically. "Where are you? Are you okay?"
"Yes," Harry said. "Sorry, I know you and dad were probably worried. I just needed to be alone."
Draco took a deep breath. "Worried? We've been absolutely frantic!" He sighed. "Where are you?"
"Draco -"
"Please, Harry. Just let me sit with you, we don't have to talk or anything," Draco said softly.
"Promise you won't get mad?"
"Why? Where exactly are you?" Draco's eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"The chamber," Harry admitted. "I opened it back up."
"The chamber? Wait, the chamber of secrets?" Draco whispered in horror, trying to remember where it was located.
"In moaning Myrtle's bathroom," Harry told him. "I'm safe, the Basilisk is dead." he reminded Draco.
Draco's eyes flashed angrily. "I'll be right there. Do not move!" he growled.
Harry sighed and put the mirror down. He should have left a note or something, he knew Snape and Draco would worry about him if he disappeared. He also knew they weren't just worried about someone hurting him, they were worried about him hurting himself.
Five minutes later, Harry turned when he heard footsteps.
"Harry?"
"Over here!" Harry watched as Draco carefully walked over the bones and stones to reach him.
Draco stared at him for a minute before stalking forward and grabbing him in a firm hug. "You had Severus and I scared," he scolded. "You can't just run off like that!"
"Sorry," Harry said sheepishly.
"We're your family, Harry," Draco said seriously as he pulled back. "If you're upset about something, you need to come to one of us. That's what family is for!" He glanced around and then froze at the sight of the Basilisks skeleton. "Merlin, was that the Basilisk?"
Harry nodded ruefully. "Yeah. That thing gave me nightmares for weeks."
Draco couldn't imagine how terrifying this thing would have been alive. It was startling enough just seeing its bones. He saw Harry pick up what looked like a fang. "What's that?"
"The fang that pierced my arm," Harry said absently as he looked it over. There were still faint stains of his blood on it.
"You were poisoned by the Basilisk?" Draco asked weakly. He hadn't heard about that. "How did you recover?"
"Fawkes," Harry smiled at the memory. "His tears healed me. Honestly, I had thought I was done for."
"Not for a lack of trying."
Harry and Draco turned around to see Snape approaching, eyes stern. "You should not be down here. It is not safe, the rocks are crumbling and there have been cave ins." He took hold of Harry's shoulders. "What were you thinking?" he scolded.
"I was upset," Harry mumbled. "I didn't mean to worry either of you." he met Snape's eyes apologetically.
"Then you shouldn't disappear without a word," Snape said before bringing Harry close for a hug.
"Sorry, dad," Harry said.
"Do you see what he faced when he was only twelve?" Draco asked, pointing at the Basilisk bones.
Snape made a face. "Yes, I heard all about it." He frowned at Harry. He'd been shocked and furious when Dumbledore had told him about Harry adventures in the chamber. He'd also been horrified, the child had come so close to death. Even though he hadn't liked the boy at the time, he had been determined to protect him and to have him come that close to harm had been infuriating.
"I wanted to help," Harry shrugged. "Ginny had been taken, people were being petrified and everyone thought it was me doing it."
"An adult should have handled it," Snape said.
"Well, we had Lockhart -" Harry grinned mischievously.
"Ah yes, the competent professor," Snape rolled his eyes. "It wasn't like he was completely useless or anything. Now why did you come down here?"
"I just needed to get away," Harry said with a sigh. "It turns out Ron was behind the whole letters fiasco. He wrote to his parents pretending to be me telling them that I didn't want to see them. And he kept the letters I wrote Hermione from her."
Draco gritted his teeth. That weasel was going down.
"And then he -" Harry paused and then waved his hand dismissively. "He just said more stuff."
"Such as?" Snape asked, thinking of the numerous detentions he would find reasons to assign Weasley.
Harry hesitated. "He said you two couldn't care about me, that you were setting me up. That you two go to death eater meetings and laugh about me believing you care about me." he cleared his throat. "That's when I hexed Ron with a stinging hex." he admitted. "Then I came here."
"You should have done worse," Draco said as he paced. "How dare he say that!" he seethed.
"He had a point," Harry said. "Not about you two not caring about me but he also said it was too dangerous to be my friend. And it is. It's also too dangerous to be my family. You two have targets on your backs because of me." he said guiltily.
"Detention!" Draco snapped. "That is completely ridiculous!"
Harry looked at him incredulously. "You can't assign me detention!" He protested.
"Am I not a prefect?"
Harry's mouth dropped open. "That's not fair!"
"Tough," Draco glared.
Harry looked at Snape, who was smirking. Snape raised an eyebrow. "Prefects can assign detentions." he confirmed. "And you deserve one for coming down here and then spewing that nonsense."
Harry glared at Draco who glared right back.
"Harry," Snape said softly, waiting until Harry looked back at him before continuing. "First, I hope you know that Draco and I are not tricking you. You are my son and you are Draco's brother. We care about you and we are certainly not going to death eater meetings and laughing about you." he said sarcastically. Merlin, he would make Weasley pay. "Second, my being your father and Draco being your brother does not put targets on our backs. Those targets were already there."
"But-"
"I am a spy for the Order," Snape continued. "I had a target on my back the moment I turned from the dark lord and became a spy. And Draco is a target because he does not want to follow Lucius's footsteps be a death eater. We are both traitors in the dark lord's eyes and that was way before the adoption."
"Exactly," Draco nodded.
Harry grudgingly agreed that was true. He gave a sigh. "So what's my detention?" He narrowed his eyes at Draco.
"Maybe some lines," Draco mused. "I will not spout utter nonsense and listen to anything weasels have to say ." he cited.
"How many times?" Harry growled.
"Five."
"Five hundred?" Harry stared at him in horror.
"No. Five." Draco smirked.
"Prat," Harry grinned.
"As for my detention," Snape began.
"What? Come on!" Harry protested.
"The two of you will come to my quarters after dinner for a game of chess. I will play winner." Snape continued. "The loser makes us tea."
Harry slowly smiled and Draco gave a laugh.
TBC: For those that guessed Ron was the one interfering with the letters, a thousand points to the Hogwarts House of your choice! =)