Disclaimer: Oh yes, of course they're mine. Just as the sun is made of ice
and money grows on trees. Miss Rowling? If you wish to sue please find
someone else, I can't even afford a lawyer let alone a settlement.
Warnings: Oh the joys of having one's computer back to write on! I feel much more comfy. Anyway, on with the story!
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.
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Blood & Nails.
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Part Twenty Four. This Is Me.
Draco slammed into the floor much harder than usual for an Apparation. There had been a strange bounce effect and he look around confused. He was just outside the door to his apartment and he nodded his head in realisation. With all the shock of his memories returning, he had overlooked the fact that the Non-Apparation spell was still in place. He hurried in, not bothering to close the door and headed for the bedroom.
He stopped in surprise to see Morgan sitting on the couch. "Morgan?"
The boy looked up and then stood quickly, brushing Steel off his lap, as he did. "Oh, hey Draco." He frowned slightly. "I didn't hear the elevator, I was listening for it."
Draco evaluated quickly that the younger man didn't know yet and nodded quickly. "I took the stairs, nice view from the windows."
"Right, well, I was just wanting to see how you guys were, after the whole 'Killer Kitchen' thing." He smiled.
Draco returned it and motioned for him to follow into the bedroom. "Yeah, I just came back to get the old files, Hermione wants to double check that's she's got everything that she can." Draco easily slipped into plausible lying.
"Again?"
"Don't you mean still? That girl is like obsessed." He shot back smoothly.
Morgan grinned as Draco dragged the heavy box out. By this time he realised that the warrant for him would be out in a matter of minutes, and he needed those files, everything they had on the case, he needed them badly and his mind was already thinking up an excuse to get himself into Hermione's home to steal hers, before she heard what had happened with Harry and Ron. He looked over at his apprentice who just seemed to be accepting everything he was being told and it made him feel slightly guilty. "Morgan?" He shrunk the box and picked it up. "Look, you won't understand right now, but I have to do some things."
The other frowned and then nodded. "Um, okay. Anything I can help with?"
"No, no, that's fine." Draco was already heading for the still open door. When he reached it he turned and looked back, his hand on the doorknob. "Just, well, whatever you hear about me, don't believe it okay?"
"What?"
"Just don't believe it! Okay?"
"Um, yeah, sure Draco. Whatever you say." Morgan smiled hesitantly, trying to work out what was going on.
"Harry's going to be rather busy for awhile, see what you can do about Steel." Draco smiled one last time at Morgan and then walked out, shutting the door behind him. He Apparated to land outside Hermione's door and started to knock. He just kept going until she finally managed to open it. "What the ...... Draco? What the hell are you doing? Jesus, keep it down, or you'll wake Ron."
"He's not here."
She blinked and rubbed her eyes. "Er, he isn't?"
"No. Where are your notes for Mortel?"
"They're in the desk, why?"
"I just thought of something." Draco smirked, realising that wasn't really a lie. "I need to see them, preferably, all of them."
Hermione stifled a yawn and waved in the general direction of her desk. "Everything is in the blue folders."
Draco walked over and dragged the six, extremely large, blue folders out and shrank them down too.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm really sorry, Hermione, but I need these."
She still wasn't quite awake yet, so she only nodded. "Er, all right."
Draco checked his watch and estimated he didn't have much time. Whatever back-up that Ron had called for would already be at his apartment by now, so he knew he had to keep moving. He re-did the spells on the box from his place, to make sure it didn't suddenly spring back to full size and placed the newly shrunken folders in his pocket.
"Draco? You're acting really weird."
"I know, I'm sorry. I can't explain right now. I'm sure Ron will fill you in when he gets back."
"Has the case had a new development?"
Draco looked over as he pulled out his wand. "Yeah, you could say that."
"And you need the files?"
"I'm really sorry Hermione, but I have to take them."
The young woman was basically fully awake by now and Draco could see she was having trouble understanding the logic. "Well, I'll come with you."
"No. You won't. I'm stealing them. Sorry to do this, but I need them more than you do."
"Stealing them?"
Draco smiled grimly. "Let's just call it pay back for slapping me with your engagement ring turned inwards .... that really hurt *and* I nearly got a scar."
She gave him an unimpressed look and he Apparated out just as it started to dawn on her that he shouldn't be able to remember that. She stared at where he had stood and looked down at her hand. She hadn't worn her ring since that day, saying she'd rather die than wear it. Draco had been the one to loan the money to Ron for him to buy it for her, she had insisted on a new one. The situation slowly starting to sink in, though she didn't understand most of it, but she managed to get to the phone and call Harry's place. The bad feeling inside of her got stronger when it was Ron that answered at the other end.
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Draco narrowly avoided running full pelt into a tree and tried to focus on where he was going. He had definitely decided he was nor having a good night, but that was all he could be certain on. His head was still thumping with pain every now and then and he was starting to get very confused whenever he thought of anything in the last few months.
He'd ordered the wiping of memories for many people, usually muggles after they had seen something they shouldn't, but had never considered how confusing it might be should the memory charms ever fail. He had recollections of all these things from the last few months, when he clearly would have looked at some of them in a different way, because he had more past experiences to go on. But he hadn't had them for awhile which did make a large impact on everything.
For example, he was having a hell of a time trying to work out how he should feel about having to meet Morgan 'twice' that was confusing. Then there was those bloody vampires, who really seemed to have had a problem with him for years, except until his run in early that night, he'd never contemplated the fact that someone must have hired them. Which was very careless of him, considering the 'warning' he had received from the one that had bitten him only a year ago.
And then there was Harry. The thought of him still made Draco angry. In fact, he could only think of a few people who had ever done anything to him that made him this furious, and he had hated most of them, ever since. But he knew that this would be different. This was Harry, *his* Harry. Draco decided he needed some time to calm down, then he could look at it differently.
He cleared the trees, but didn't stop. He ran as hard as he could for the building and slipped through one of the side doors. Slightly disturbed that he still knew his way perfectly after not using this passage for at least three years, he headed for the one place where he could be safe from the impending manhunt that would be sent after him. He went through one last door and came to a stop.
He only gave himself a few seconds or rest before emptying his pockets and placing all the files he had stolen on a nearby bench. He sat in the chair and began his wait.
Forty five minutes had gone by before the doorknob turned. Draco sat back in the chair, getting face out of the dim glow from the lamp and stayed very quiet.
Professor Snape walked in and shut the door, bolting it, but didn't turn around. "You have five minutes before I call for the Aurors." He said, as if speaking to the door.
"I need your help." Draco replied softly.
"This will be one of the first places they think to look for you."
"We've hidden people from them before."
Severus looked around at this one and smirked grimly. "Trying to send me on a .... what's the term? Guilt trip? ... You should know better than that."
Draco stood up and help his head proudly. "I didn't do it. Not any of it. I'm not a killer."
Severus walked further into the room. "And how can I be sure of that?"
"You can't." Draco consented. "But I'm not asking for you to believe me, just hide me."
The teacher turned away. "I'm afraid I can't do that, you'd better leave."
"I need you to help me."
Severus looked back and scowled. "I will not house a murderer!"
That was the last straw for the young blonde. He had already had a very bad night and did not need this as well. "HOW DARE YOU?" He stalked over. "You ungrateful bastard!" He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. "Now, I'm not saying that you owe me anything, but let's look at the facts, shall we?."
"Get out."
Severus went to turn away but Draco grabbed his arm and forced him back. He kept his voice calm, at least. "I believed in you, when no-one else would. Not Harry, not Lucius, not even Dumbledore. I took you in, when both sides were out to kill you. I took you in, even though I would have been killed myself, for helping." Severus looked away uncomfortably as Draco went on. "You turned up at my home, slowly bleeding to death and I didn't even ask why, just brought you in and hid you from my father like you asked. I hid you, I protected you. Hell, I defended you when no-one else would have thought twice about handing you in. I spent an hour and a half, stitching up your face as best I could, then another three days were used up, while I tried to hunt down the ingredients for the counter-potion to disarm the Reaction Potion." Draco took a step back. "And when you were finally cured and I could finally worry about me and the implications of my actions in that whole mess, what was the first thing I had to do? Well? Do you even remember?"
Severus didn't answer, even though he remembered quite clearly.
"I had to heal my face, because you had broken my jaw in three different places while I was trying to sew you back together. Then I had to fix my ribs." Draco raised his eyebrows arrogantly. "You know what? Fuck that! I've changed my mind, you *do* owe me. And guess what?" He grabbed Severus' chin and turned the man's face so they could look at each other. "I'm calling it in."
Draco took a step back and put a strained smile on. "Now, you are going to return the favour, murderer or no murderer. And you're not going to argue about it either." He crossed his arms and waited to see what would happen.
Severus took a deep breath and let it out, nodding slightly. "Very well. But I can't assure your safety. I don't know what stance Dumbledore is taken on all of this. He never said before whether or not he thought it was you."
Draco shrugged. "We'll manage." He took his seat again and started to scratch at the arm rest.
"Draco?"
"Mmmm?"
"You'll have to forgive me, if I still can't believe that you're innocent. There was a lot of evidence against you."
Draco sighed. "I know. I have all of the files I could get in the short time before they started after me. I'm going to have to work this one out for myself if I want to survive."
"There's something you should know ......"
"Don't bother." Draco ran his hands through his hair and looked up. "I can already guess that there's an E.O.S. warrant out on me."
"Eos?"
Draco nodded. "Execute On Sight. Soon every witch and wizard in the world will know that Draco Hunting Season has just opened. If any witch or wizard, providing they have finished their education at school, such as Hogwarts, sees me, they have the right to use and means possible to contain me, if that fails ....." He faltered slightly. "If that fails, they are authorised to use the Killing Curse."
"Oh? Well that wasn't what I was going to say." Severus poured them both a drink and handed Draco's to him.
"Oh goodie, more bad news, well, lay it on me."
"Some members of the Council are asking for Harry to receive the Death Penalty as well, given his involvement."
Draco froze, the glass just to his lips. He shook himself a little and drank it down. "I should have seen that coming." He said softly, returning his glass to the table.
To Be Continued.
Warnings: Oh the joys of having one's computer back to write on! I feel much more comfy. Anyway, on with the story!
.
.
.
Blood & Nails.
.
Part Twenty Four. This Is Me.
Draco slammed into the floor much harder than usual for an Apparation. There had been a strange bounce effect and he look around confused. He was just outside the door to his apartment and he nodded his head in realisation. With all the shock of his memories returning, he had overlooked the fact that the Non-Apparation spell was still in place. He hurried in, not bothering to close the door and headed for the bedroom.
He stopped in surprise to see Morgan sitting on the couch. "Morgan?"
The boy looked up and then stood quickly, brushing Steel off his lap, as he did. "Oh, hey Draco." He frowned slightly. "I didn't hear the elevator, I was listening for it."
Draco evaluated quickly that the younger man didn't know yet and nodded quickly. "I took the stairs, nice view from the windows."
"Right, well, I was just wanting to see how you guys were, after the whole 'Killer Kitchen' thing." He smiled.
Draco returned it and motioned for him to follow into the bedroom. "Yeah, I just came back to get the old files, Hermione wants to double check that's she's got everything that she can." Draco easily slipped into plausible lying.
"Again?"
"Don't you mean still? That girl is like obsessed." He shot back smoothly.
Morgan grinned as Draco dragged the heavy box out. By this time he realised that the warrant for him would be out in a matter of minutes, and he needed those files, everything they had on the case, he needed them badly and his mind was already thinking up an excuse to get himself into Hermione's home to steal hers, before she heard what had happened with Harry and Ron. He looked over at his apprentice who just seemed to be accepting everything he was being told and it made him feel slightly guilty. "Morgan?" He shrunk the box and picked it up. "Look, you won't understand right now, but I have to do some things."
The other frowned and then nodded. "Um, okay. Anything I can help with?"
"No, no, that's fine." Draco was already heading for the still open door. When he reached it he turned and looked back, his hand on the doorknob. "Just, well, whatever you hear about me, don't believe it okay?"
"What?"
"Just don't believe it! Okay?"
"Um, yeah, sure Draco. Whatever you say." Morgan smiled hesitantly, trying to work out what was going on.
"Harry's going to be rather busy for awhile, see what you can do about Steel." Draco smiled one last time at Morgan and then walked out, shutting the door behind him. He Apparated to land outside Hermione's door and started to knock. He just kept going until she finally managed to open it. "What the ...... Draco? What the hell are you doing? Jesus, keep it down, or you'll wake Ron."
"He's not here."
She blinked and rubbed her eyes. "Er, he isn't?"
"No. Where are your notes for Mortel?"
"They're in the desk, why?"
"I just thought of something." Draco smirked, realising that wasn't really a lie. "I need to see them, preferably, all of them."
Hermione stifled a yawn and waved in the general direction of her desk. "Everything is in the blue folders."
Draco walked over and dragged the six, extremely large, blue folders out and shrank them down too.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm really sorry, Hermione, but I need these."
She still wasn't quite awake yet, so she only nodded. "Er, all right."
Draco checked his watch and estimated he didn't have much time. Whatever back-up that Ron had called for would already be at his apartment by now, so he knew he had to keep moving. He re-did the spells on the box from his place, to make sure it didn't suddenly spring back to full size and placed the newly shrunken folders in his pocket.
"Draco? You're acting really weird."
"I know, I'm sorry. I can't explain right now. I'm sure Ron will fill you in when he gets back."
"Has the case had a new development?"
Draco looked over as he pulled out his wand. "Yeah, you could say that."
"And you need the files?"
"I'm really sorry Hermione, but I have to take them."
The young woman was basically fully awake by now and Draco could see she was having trouble understanding the logic. "Well, I'll come with you."
"No. You won't. I'm stealing them. Sorry to do this, but I need them more than you do."
"Stealing them?"
Draco smiled grimly. "Let's just call it pay back for slapping me with your engagement ring turned inwards .... that really hurt *and* I nearly got a scar."
She gave him an unimpressed look and he Apparated out just as it started to dawn on her that he shouldn't be able to remember that. She stared at where he had stood and looked down at her hand. She hadn't worn her ring since that day, saying she'd rather die than wear it. Draco had been the one to loan the money to Ron for him to buy it for her, she had insisted on a new one. The situation slowly starting to sink in, though she didn't understand most of it, but she managed to get to the phone and call Harry's place. The bad feeling inside of her got stronger when it was Ron that answered at the other end.
----------
Draco narrowly avoided running full pelt into a tree and tried to focus on where he was going. He had definitely decided he was nor having a good night, but that was all he could be certain on. His head was still thumping with pain every now and then and he was starting to get very confused whenever he thought of anything in the last few months.
He'd ordered the wiping of memories for many people, usually muggles after they had seen something they shouldn't, but had never considered how confusing it might be should the memory charms ever fail. He had recollections of all these things from the last few months, when he clearly would have looked at some of them in a different way, because he had more past experiences to go on. But he hadn't had them for awhile which did make a large impact on everything.
For example, he was having a hell of a time trying to work out how he should feel about having to meet Morgan 'twice' that was confusing. Then there was those bloody vampires, who really seemed to have had a problem with him for years, except until his run in early that night, he'd never contemplated the fact that someone must have hired them. Which was very careless of him, considering the 'warning' he had received from the one that had bitten him only a year ago.
And then there was Harry. The thought of him still made Draco angry. In fact, he could only think of a few people who had ever done anything to him that made him this furious, and he had hated most of them, ever since. But he knew that this would be different. This was Harry, *his* Harry. Draco decided he needed some time to calm down, then he could look at it differently.
He cleared the trees, but didn't stop. He ran as hard as he could for the building and slipped through one of the side doors. Slightly disturbed that he still knew his way perfectly after not using this passage for at least three years, he headed for the one place where he could be safe from the impending manhunt that would be sent after him. He went through one last door and came to a stop.
He only gave himself a few seconds or rest before emptying his pockets and placing all the files he had stolen on a nearby bench. He sat in the chair and began his wait.
Forty five minutes had gone by before the doorknob turned. Draco sat back in the chair, getting face out of the dim glow from the lamp and stayed very quiet.
Professor Snape walked in and shut the door, bolting it, but didn't turn around. "You have five minutes before I call for the Aurors." He said, as if speaking to the door.
"I need your help." Draco replied softly.
"This will be one of the first places they think to look for you."
"We've hidden people from them before."
Severus looked around at this one and smirked grimly. "Trying to send me on a .... what's the term? Guilt trip? ... You should know better than that."
Draco stood up and help his head proudly. "I didn't do it. Not any of it. I'm not a killer."
Severus walked further into the room. "And how can I be sure of that?"
"You can't." Draco consented. "But I'm not asking for you to believe me, just hide me."
The teacher turned away. "I'm afraid I can't do that, you'd better leave."
"I need you to help me."
Severus looked back and scowled. "I will not house a murderer!"
That was the last straw for the young blonde. He had already had a very bad night and did not need this as well. "HOW DARE YOU?" He stalked over. "You ungrateful bastard!" He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. "Now, I'm not saying that you owe me anything, but let's look at the facts, shall we?."
"Get out."
Severus went to turn away but Draco grabbed his arm and forced him back. He kept his voice calm, at least. "I believed in you, when no-one else would. Not Harry, not Lucius, not even Dumbledore. I took you in, when both sides were out to kill you. I took you in, even though I would have been killed myself, for helping." Severus looked away uncomfortably as Draco went on. "You turned up at my home, slowly bleeding to death and I didn't even ask why, just brought you in and hid you from my father like you asked. I hid you, I protected you. Hell, I defended you when no-one else would have thought twice about handing you in. I spent an hour and a half, stitching up your face as best I could, then another three days were used up, while I tried to hunt down the ingredients for the counter-potion to disarm the Reaction Potion." Draco took a step back. "And when you were finally cured and I could finally worry about me and the implications of my actions in that whole mess, what was the first thing I had to do? Well? Do you even remember?"
Severus didn't answer, even though he remembered quite clearly.
"I had to heal my face, because you had broken my jaw in three different places while I was trying to sew you back together. Then I had to fix my ribs." Draco raised his eyebrows arrogantly. "You know what? Fuck that! I've changed my mind, you *do* owe me. And guess what?" He grabbed Severus' chin and turned the man's face so they could look at each other. "I'm calling it in."
Draco took a step back and put a strained smile on. "Now, you are going to return the favour, murderer or no murderer. And you're not going to argue about it either." He crossed his arms and waited to see what would happen.
Severus took a deep breath and let it out, nodding slightly. "Very well. But I can't assure your safety. I don't know what stance Dumbledore is taken on all of this. He never said before whether or not he thought it was you."
Draco shrugged. "We'll manage." He took his seat again and started to scratch at the arm rest.
"Draco?"
"Mmmm?"
"You'll have to forgive me, if I still can't believe that you're innocent. There was a lot of evidence against you."
Draco sighed. "I know. I have all of the files I could get in the short time before they started after me. I'm going to have to work this one out for myself if I want to survive."
"There's something you should know ......"
"Don't bother." Draco ran his hands through his hair and looked up. "I can already guess that there's an E.O.S. warrant out on me."
"Eos?"
Draco nodded. "Execute On Sight. Soon every witch and wizard in the world will know that Draco Hunting Season has just opened. If any witch or wizard, providing they have finished their education at school, such as Hogwarts, sees me, they have the right to use and means possible to contain me, if that fails ....." He faltered slightly. "If that fails, they are authorised to use the Killing Curse."
"Oh? Well that wasn't what I was going to say." Severus poured them both a drink and handed Draco's to him.
"Oh goodie, more bad news, well, lay it on me."
"Some members of the Council are asking for Harry to receive the Death Penalty as well, given his involvement."
Draco froze, the glass just to his lips. He shook himself a little and drank it down. "I should have seen that coming." He said softly, returning his glass to the table.
To Be Continued.