Plans

~~~~~

You know where he is.

Come and get him.

In Dumbledore's office I re-read the letter for about the fifteenth time. It's from Father; nobody else can see the elegant green writing.

"When did you receive this?"

"At breakfast sir."

I put the parchment down on his desk. It's actually left burns on my hands.

"I'm afraid we can't let you follow this through."

"But sir, Draco - "

"Where do you believe he is?"

"Malfoy Manor."

"Then you must let aurors from the ministry search the Manor and find him."

"Father would be ready for that sir. He must know that I would come to you, he must know what you'd do. But he wouldn't expect you to let me go myself."

"Leila, no. I'm sorry but sending you alone into this would be foolish and pointless. You'd be caught."

"Perhaps that's what he wants."

"What do you mean?"

I shrug.

~~~~~

Somehow I make through a day of school. I take notes, write down homework, but by the evening I cannot even remember which classes I attended.

Harry visits me, dear predictable Gryffindor that he is.

"Ron thinks I have a secret girlfriend," he smiles as he proofreads my Potions notes.

"Do you?" I sit cross-legged on my bed, wading through Herbology homework.

"God, no."

"Why not?"

His quill hovers, then circles a spelling mistake. E and I again. "This is hardly the time Leila."

"Come on Harry," I look at him over the edge of my sketchpad. "I'm drawing diagrams of weeds, any conversation is better then this." Anything to distract me.

He doesn't answer. But a Slytherin always gets what she wants.

"Why won't you tell me?" I ask, tinging my voice with fear of losing our trust. The act works.

He takes a deep breath. "I don't, that is, I'm not . . . I don't like girls. At least I don't think I do."

"Oh." Merlin, I'm stupid. "Okay."

"You don't mind?"

"Why should I? It's not as if I had any designs on you. Besides, I've seen how you look at Draco."

"What!?"

I let myself laugh, caught in the moment, "If you could only see your face right now. Don't worry Harry, I'm kidding, I'm kidding."

"Damn you Malfoy."

Suddenly I freeze, dropping my book.

"Leila!"

I curl up, hands grabbing and twisting the sheets. Pain lashes across my back and I almost feel my blood flowing from the cuts of the . . . belt, Father's belt with the silver buckle in the shape of a coiled snake.

I feel hands on my shoulders; Harry trying to stop the pain. But I can only curl tighter in a protective ball, wishing it were truly me and not my twin who felt this, who felt the bite of chains into wrists and the burning of leather and metal splitting the skin.

Slowly it fades. Slowly I come back to myself and notice Harry's arm around my waist and the tears wetting my pillow.

"Are you alright now?" he is warm and comforting at my back.

"Not exactly."

There is a silence. I lie still, trying to sew the world back together.

"Damn Dumbledore."

I expect Harry to leap to his defence, but all I hear is a soft "Why?"

"I have to help Draco. But he won't let me. How can he think I'll just stay here at school while Father . . . " I fade into silence.

"You feel everything Draco feels?"

"Only the extreme pain, and it's fainter when it reaches me. So whatever pain I feel, he feels it far worse. I can live with it," I roll over to face Harry, looking up at him, "but I can't live with him in pain. He's my twin, he's . . . my brother. I've got to do something."

"But what can you do? You're only a teenager, and . . . "

"A squib."

"If a dozen aurors can't save Draco how can you?"

"Father told me to go and get him."

"It can't be that simple."

"Maybe it can. Maybe I turn up at the manor and walk down to the dungeons, open the door and let him out. I can't think of anything else."

"How can you be sure he's at the Manor? Isn't it too obvious?"

"Father will have him hidden. But I know I'll find him."

He stares at me, our faces only inches apart. "You're going to do this?"

"Yes." And I know that I will.

"When?"

"I'll leave tonight." If I don't I fear I'll lose my nerve. I sit up, but his hand on my arm stops me from sliding off the bed. I turn back to him. He's got an odd look on his face, fear and determination.

"And you call me a fool," his mouth twists. "I'm coming with you."

"No - "

"You can't expect to leave me behind. I'm a Gryffindor, remember? We're renowned for stupid spur of the moment acts of heroism."

"Damn you Potter."

"Oddly enough I can't wait to hear Draco say that."

~~~~~

What can I say? I've read too much fanfiction lately - it's twisted my idea of the canon Harry. Sorry.