Title: Betrayed 2
Author/pseudonym: NemKess
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Draco Malfoy/ Harry Potter, Ron/ Hermione
Rating: R
Status: WIP
E-mail address for feedback:: nemsmuses@msn.com

=See previous chapter for disclaimers, summary, notes, and warnings

~*~*~

"Draco? Do you have a minute?"

The wizard cursed his luck as the voice called out from behind him. He'd hoped to make it all the way to the guest wing of the castle without being stopped. Having decided to tell Harry's former friends the entire story- or as much of it as he could anyways, he wanted to hurry and get it out of the way. Though more agonizing for his mate, the tale he was going to deliver was in no way painless for him.

Aside from the fact that he just didn't like to remember how badly the fates- and certain people- had treated the man he'd grown to love, there had been plenty of personal losses for him over the years as well.

"Draco?"

He blinked at the hand that had suddenly appeared in his face. With a frown, he shoved it away. "What do you want, Virginia?"

The sole female ever borne by Molly and Author Weasley cocked her own head to one side causing a waterfall of pretty auburn hair to tumble over one shoulder. "Are you all right?"

"Your brother and his wife are 'guests' in my castle and I just left a newly returned friend and very warm and currently happy spouse to go speak with them. Why ever wouldn't I be happy?" he ground out. With a sigh, Draco ran a hand through his own meticulously groomed hair. "I apologize. I didn't mean to snap. What did you need?"

She smiled at him. Unlike her brother Ron, Ginny had stood by Harry through the years. She'd never been privy to the gory details, but it hadn't mattered. Her own faith in her childhood crush, coupled with the confidence and faith of her boyfriend of the time, had been enough for her.

One of the things that had really bothered Harry during the War had been that it had torn the Weasley family completely apart. Percy had gone to the Death Eaters, Charlie and the parents to the Order, and the Twins and Virginia to their side. Ron and Hermione had gone over to the states for some reason or other- Draco neither knew nor cared really- and Bill had stayed in Romania and kept firmly out of the power struggles that wreaked such havoc on the British Isles.

"Well, I really needed to speak with you and Harry both, but I guess you'll do." The grin she tossed at him showed her to be teasing. "Is there any way that the pair of you could make a trip down to the Orphanage sometime this week? There are some basic renovations that we need to go over, as well as the figures and the PR. Besides, I know that Harry really wanted to be involved in everything."

He tapped his forefinger on his chin and narrowed his eyes as he mentally went over their schedule for the next week. As he'd told Severus, they had nothing for the next several days. There was currently a lull in activity while everyone waited for the upcoming committee meeting.

But Draco didn't know how long it would take to explain twelve years of misunderstandings to a pair of thick skulled and stubborn Gryffindors. And if they reacted negatively, still despising Harry despite everything, who knew how long it would be before Harry was safe to have around others?

"I don't know, Virginia. We'll try but I can't make any guarantees."

With a nod, she handed him a folder of papers. "That's fine." The redhead caught his sleeve as he moved to pass her by. "Draco- if things don't go well... The Orphanage usually makes him feel little better, you know."

Of course it did. The Godric's Hollow Orphanage for Magical Children was Harry's baby; his idea that had been nurtured lovingly to fruitarian. Harry's idea, Harry's money, Harry's land, occasionally even Harry's own sweat and tears.

In those early days, when they'd still been planning their coup de tais, it had been the Gryffindor who'd so matter of factly let them know that there'd be consequences. And that some of those consequences would be parentless children who, like him, would have nowhere to go. His own experience in that area was undisputed- all of the original schemers knew at least the basics to what had happened and none wanted it to be repeated in the new world they intended to create.

They'd taken in the earliest orphans of the war, regardless of what side their parents had been on, and had placed them in Ginny Weasley's care. Her fiancé had been in the first crop of casualties and the children had kept her from wallowing in the grief.

She and Harry had worked closely together, in between the political, physical, and magical battles. They'd planned every little detail and began building long before the war had actually ended. To Harry, it became a representation of all the things wrong in the wizardingworld that they planned on changing when they came into control. When the deaths and the insanity got to be too much, the Muggle raised orphan had thrown himself into the physical labor needed to bring it to life. In the end, even the harshest critics couldn't help but grudgingly accept that it gave far better fates than the ones that the old system would have given.

Harry Potter would never allow another child to suffer as he had if there was any way he could prevent it.

"We'll see," he murmured.

Reaching over, she gave him a squeeze on his arm. "Don't worry so much, Draco. Things will work out. You'll see."

He wished he had her faith.

With a final nod and a faint smile that he was sure she could tell was fake, Draco moved on swiftly.

No one else stopped him and he made quick time to the room that held Granger and Weasley. Goyle and some fresh-faced ~child~ were standing sentry. He was going to have to speak with Blaise if his Head of Security really thought that children made appropriate guards.

The boy was about nineteen or so. Too old to call a child really, but Draco knew that physical age had little to do with whether one was an adult or not. At sixteen- hell, at eleven even- Harry had been more adult than anyone else he'd ever known. At thirty-despite having fought a war and losing several family members- the Weasley Twins were more like devilishly clever five year olds.

"Evening, Drake."

"Gregory Goyle... I am not a duck. How many times must I ask you not to butcher my name like that?"

His old friend just flashed an unrepentant grin and unlocked the door for him. "Dobby just brought them their dinner. They've tried to talk him into helping them get free every time he's gone in there."

A very satisfied smirk settled onto Draco's own face at the thought. Dobby was fiercely loyal to Harry. The scrappy little elf had been infuriated when he'd learned about how Dumbledore had allowed his favorite human to be hurt.

The Weasley captives would have found no ally in that corner.

His smirk was quickly replaced with a frown as he took a few deep breaths and moved to enter the room.

Time to get this over with.

~*~*~

Ronald Weasley had not changed a lot since Hogwart's. He was a little taller, a little more muscular, and his clothes were of a slightly higher quality... but that was about it. His hair was still that horrid shade of orange-ish red. His eyes still a bright flashing blue.

And his face still turned the most interesting shade of purple when he was shouting furious obscenities at people he didn't like.

Draco listened to him rant and rave for a few moments before smirking. "Really, Weasley. Do you kiss your wife with that mouth?"

The comment caused a sputtering and the blonde perked up when it looked like the Weasel was going to choke to death right then and there and save him loads of trouble.

Unfortunately, Granger- he just couldn't think of her as Weasley- stepped in and with a reproachful glare directed towards her captor, pounded Ron on the back until he waved a weak hand to indicate that he was okay. " 'm all right, 'Mione."

"Do keep hitting him though. I'm sure he'll be sporting some lovely bruises."

"Shut up, ferret. No one asked for you opinion."

The blonde rolled his eyes. "Honestly, Weasley. I rather expected that after ten years, even you could come up with something more original than 'ferret'."

"But it fits so well. Why fix what isn't broken?"

"How plebian of you. Although, why I'd expect better from a poor little Gryffindor, I can't imagine."

"Ah, but aren't you fucking a poor little Gryffindor whore?" Even Granger winced at the crude way Ron put it.

Rage filled Draco and it was only through conscious effort that he was able to control it and not hex the idiot. His fists clenched and for one long moment, he sincerely wished that he had the same powers as Harry. Seeing the Weasel fly into the wall again would have been very satisfying right then. Instead, he took a few deep breaths before raising his wand and jabbing it in the ginger headed idiot's direction. "I know that Blaise and Greg have already warned you, but let me reiterate since you seem to be particularly slow. Insulting Harry Potter within the walls of this castle is an offense that will have any number of people quite ready to drop you with a killing curse. Insulting my spouse, in my presence, is an offense for which the desired response makes death look pleasant. Do not test my patience further. I assure you that you will not like the results."

"Why you little-"

"Ron, do shut up. Calling Harry a wh- calling him that was uncalled for, no matter what he's done."

Her husband was again sputtering in righteous indignation. "'Mione!"

"Look, I didn't come here to fight with either of you." Draco said as he went to the window, weary of their verbal sparring.

"Then why did you come down here, Malfoy?" Granger asked, her hostility seeming to war with her curiosity. In her eyes, he could see the knowledge and frustration that she was missing something very important. Poor little Muggle-born. He knew that she hated not knowing something.

Instead of answering her question, he asked one of his own. "Why did you leave for America the day after we graduated?"

The pair of Gryffindors glanced at each other in confusion at the apparent non sequitor. There was a rapid-fire exchange of facial expressions, as if the pair was having a silent argument. Granger must have won because Weasley scowled off into empty space while the woman turned back to Draco and shrugged. "I wanted to continue my education at one of the American schools. Harry and Dumbledore had the war well into hand and we weren't needed. Since my contribution would have been insignificant, I didn't see the need to let it interfere with more important pursuits. I had no idea Harry would go crazy and help you take over Britain."

"So why not come back, the second you found out?" The war had been over and done with for all intents and purposes by the time this pair had shown back up. Within months of their arrival back on British soil, they'd sowed the seeds of rebellion. The war, which had only just ended, had suddenly been started again.

That had been four years ago.

Luckily, there weren't too many rebels. Most people were too over wrung from the first war and had no desire for a second. And as Sev had said, it helped that they were making nice with the people. Only the politicians and those who'd been ousted from various high positions complained within the new government.

The rebels were mostly the families of deceased Order members and Death Eaters. Those with personal grudges against them.

"A little war in the British Wizarding World was hardly a blip on the radar for the Americans. Certainly not worthy of detailed reports. We didn't discover anything was amiss until someone mentioned that the British stops for the InterContinental Floo Network had been undone. Even then, it took months to send and seagull and get it back."

"Bloody things are a waste of oxygen. Even Pig was more reliable."

Both Draco and Hermione ignored Weasley's interjection.

"We caught a Muggle flight back and you know the rest, I'm sure."

He glared at her. "And it never occurred to you to talk to Harry? To find out what was going on? That, Merlin forbid, there could be a reason behind the sudden change of allegiance?"

The witch's cheeks flushed and she cast her own glare on her husband. So... it had occurred to her. And her own bloody spouse had convinced her otherwise.

"Of course there was a reason," the Weasel chimed in. "It's because Harry Potter is a power hungry dark wizard."

He'd suspected, of course. Knowing that Ron had blocked Harry's attempts to get Granger's help before had made him suspect, but he hadn't been sure until just now.

Granger's only real crime in all this had been ignorance. Choosing her own mate over her friend without knowing everything that was going on.

So much pain that Harry could have been spared if the bloody Weasel had been just a little less jealous of his fame and power.

He'd warned the dark haired boy long before any of this happened that he should choose his friends wisely. Stubborn Gryffindors.

Turning with a sigh, Draco leaned his forehead against the glass and stared out over the grounds. He wasn't having a much easier time with this than Harry would have.

Looking out at nothing in particular, Draco remembered.

~*~*~

"Are you all right, Harry?"

Green eyes glowed faintly behind the glasses before the small man shrugged. "As all right as ever, I suppose."

Back when he'd been the potion's professor to a couple hundred annoying brats, Snape would have accepted that answer and gone on about his business. Time and experience with this particular Gryffindor and his defense mechanisms had taught him differently. Harry would deflect most attempts at ascertaining his well being, but he'd crumble if you knew how to approach him.

"Have you heard from Remmy lately?" Who would have thought twelve years ago, that he'd be saying the werewolf's silly nickname with such affection?

Harry shrugged again and moved over to sit beside him on the sofa. "Not in the last week or so. He did say that he expected to be able to come home after the next full moon though. I think he just wanted to spend one last one with other werewolves. I'm not really much company on those nights."

In the grand tradition of his father and godfather, the boy had studied to become an animagus. The main problem was that, while quite elegant to human eyes, the sleek hawk form that had chosen him looked more like food to the werewolf and he had to stay well out of claw range to keep from being eaten.

"Still, it's only a week until the next full moon, right?" Sev turned his attention back to putting up the chess set. He and Harry had finished a game after Draco had left, but with the boy beside him growing steadily tenser with each passing minute, a second game had been deemed undesirable.

A slender back pressed against one arm as the dark haired young man stretched a bit and settled back, trying to get comfortable. "Mmhmm. But next week things will get hectic again. We have to go argue with the old buzzards about the changes in Hogwart's curriculum. Then there's about a million or so people to interview to fill the teaching positions and the Orphanage renovations to see to."

The old professor chuckled. "I hardly think that they're are a million people in all the wizarding world, never mind seeking teaching positions at our old alma mater."

Robes rustled as Harry shrugged. "I know, but it sure seems like it. We don't want any of the problems that we had when we were students, you know? So one of us has to personally oversee each interview. The last thing we need is another Lockhart or Quirrel. Or even another Binns or Trewlwany. And of course, the governor's council is doing their level best to keep us from lifting the ban on a number of the things that Fudge and Crouch's administration had labeled 'Dark Arts'. The Orphanage is probably the only thing we're not getting flak over."

Snape sat back and moved to wrap a comforting arm around Harry's shoulders. "It takes time, Harry. The two of you are introducing a lot of changes to a very traditional thinking public. Even if they are for the better. Ignore the critics and concentrate on proving them wrong."

The dark head nodded and the boy shifted around to sit with his chest pressed against the older man's side and slipped his own arms around Severus' waist. "It's just frustrating."

"Of course it is." He ran his fingers through the black mop. Harry relaxed with the motion and Sev judged it time to ask again. "Now. How are you really? It can't be pleasant."

There was no need to clarify what he was talking about.

A shudder passed through the body he held so tenderly, but the annoying, stubborn boy he'd come to see as a son had grown into a strong, stubborn young man and so, refused to cry in front of anyone other than Draco. He did answer, though. "I'm just ready for it to end, Sev. One way or the other."

There really wasn't anything Severus could say to that.

(TBC)

Author's Note
~*~*~

Severus and Remus, couple- yay or neah? The fic itself doesn't require it, nor would it change much if they were. They ~will~ be close (good friends, at least)- I'm just asking if you, the readers, have a preference on how close. ^_^ Please let me know, okey day? I'd also like to thank everyone who reviewed the previous part. I'm glad you're enjoying it. The next part is almost ready for my beta, so it should be up within the next few days- depends on whether or not she can finish checking it before she goes on vacation. It's where you're going to find out at least part of what Dumbledore did. Well... I hope you continue to enjoy and review. Thanks bunches!
Ja, NemKess