Harry felt sick. Draco was gaping at the redhead and looking back and forth between his husband and their guest.
"They're going to kill her" he repeated, breaking out into sobs. Harry hesitated a moment before rushing forwards and guiding his old friend to a seat. He crouched in front of him and placed his hands on his knee's,
"She'll be fine Ron, we'll find her" Harry soothed.
By the wall, Draco seethed. 'How the hell can Harry just slip back into the roll of best friend' he growled in his own mind, but deep down he knew that it was just who Harry was. He loved him even more for it. 'No, you love him in spite of it' his mind once again spoke.
"Who took her" Severus Snape spoke firmly, stepping towards the two men. Draco also took a step forward. He could at least help Harry.
"I d-don't know," Ron choked out between mangled sobs, "but she was doing research on the new guy – she thought he was trying to avenge you-know-who- "
"Voldemort" Draco spoke, his voice as cold as death. At least one of them was going to make Ron remember that they were all not the best of friends, who better to do it than the one whom he despised the most.
"Yes. We don't know who it was" another sob "there was an attack on the Ministry"
"When?" Harry asked, calmly
"This morning, at least twenty men, probably death-eaters" Harry glanced back at Draco who nodded firmly and left the room. Snape followed Draco, Ron and Harry where alone.
"Where've they gone?" Ron snivelled,
"To check on the current Death-Eater activities"
"Oh right" Ron growled, which was made somewhat less angry by the wet cheeks and puffy eyes his crying had caused, "Malfoy and Snape where probably there,"
"I assure you neither Severus nor Lucius were anywhere near the Ministry this morning" Harry stood, his reasons for being at angry with Ron returning full force. He'd used the two men's first names on purpose, Ron looked sheepishly down at his feet,
"Please Harry, you have to help..." Ron begged, his eyes lifting to meet his once-best friend's.
"You know I will" Harry answered, sighing heavily, "I always do"
"Well, we know where they're setting up camp" Harry looked up at the voice of his husband. Lucius Malfoy was stood next to him and Harry presumed that Severus had opened the floo network for him.
"Where?" Harry asked, taking a step back from Ron and leaning against his desk. This all felt so familiar. Once again he was going to have to rescue his friends, go into a fight when he had no idea what was coming to him, because he was the boy-who-continued-to-live.
Sometimes he wondered if it were all just too much hassle.
Maybe sometime soon he wanted to give up the name and just become the-boy- who-lived-a-normal-life.
"Yeah because that's going to happen!" Draco rolled his eyes; Harry's green eyes snapped up and locked onto his husband's confused. Surely, Draco could not read his mind, 'oh gods' he panicked 'did I say that out loud.'
Luckily that was when he realised Draco's attention was on Lucius,
"Huh?" Harry asked, succeeding in feeling like a fool when the four men in the room looked at him tiredly,
"I see time has done nothing to alter your abysmal attention span Potter" Snape spat, Harry rolled his eyes,
"I said," Lucius, repeated, "that you should head out to Macarania Towers while Severus stays here and Draco and I go to alert the ministry of their whereabouts."
Harry nodded.
"So you agree?" Lucius sounded slightly bewildered,
"Oh what, no, I just understood Draco's answer." He felt Draco's smirk before he saw it, "I'll go. I just really don't see anyway we can make Draco stay here, unless we tied him up...but we do have those handcuffs and ropes from this sum-" Draco's hand made it's way to cover Harry's mouth before the silencing charm was out of Lucius' lips.
"Honey, you ramble."
Harry nodded once more, his mouth still covered.
"So" Draco started "Weasel, you go be with your daughter we really don't need a basket case on our team. Father go to the ministry, Severus stay and protect the school" he took in a breath "Harry will go save the world and I'll make sure he doesn't get himself killed."
This time everyone nodded.
Ron muttered something under his breath but neither Draco nor Harry caught it. Harry grasped Draco's hand and they left.
"So you know the way?" Draco asked,
"Yeah, it's where Dumbledore' lived" Harry sighed; he wondered if anybody ever truly rested in piece anymore.
"So it's a good wizard's home" Draco asked, confused as he and Harry walked down the path that lead off the school grounds. They needed to apperate and for obvious reasons it still remained one thing that could not be done inside the castle.
"It's built on a nexus" Harry explained, still distracted by the thoughts of once again having to fight. He thought this was over, he wanted it to be over. "It can either be really good"
"Or really evil" Draco concluded,
"Yup. Should be a party," Draco stopped and pulled Harry into him,
"He's not back Harry" he stroked his hand down the side of Harry's face,
"It's not that" Harry leaned into Draco, the tension leaving him left with nothing but sadness, "it's never going to be over". To this Draco had no reply, he just leaned forward and kissed Harry's forehead tenderly.
"Then we'll kill them all" Draco grinned madly, Harry chuckled,
"You're an idiot." Harry muttered, as he started to walk again,
"Yuh-huh." Draco added. Somebody had to lighten to mood, he'd had enough angst in his life to last him a lifetime.
"Draco?" Harry stopped,
"Yeah" Draco stopped to about a pace ahead of Harry,
"I heard something"
"Like?"
"A dripping" Harry froze, images of blood dripping onto wet mud as the bodies hung limp from the tree's whisked through his mind. He turned back to look at the castle, Draco followed his gaze.
"There's nobody there.." Draco added, helpfully, Harry sighed and they turned around.
Both men jumped when they saw what was in front of them.
A dripping wet eleven-year old girl.
"Skyler!" Harry chided, "What the hell?"
"Well – I saw you coming and everyone's being rushed to the castle. I wanted to know what's going on."
"Get inside the castle now" Draco ordered, she shook her head.
There was a sneeze from the bushes and Harry had his wand pointed before either of the other two reacted,
"Whoa" Skyler yelped, "Ru, you are the king of stealth" Rulan creeped sheepishly from behind the bush.
"Sorry Sky, that friggin' giant's a menace!"
"Why are you wet?" Draco asked, momentarily forgetting the task at hand.
"Hippocampus." Skyler huffed.
Draco chuckled but stopped quickly as he looked up to meet a glare from his husband,
"Kids, back to the castle now."
"But -"
"The only but I want is you're moving to the castle" Harry growled, Skyler pouted but grabbed Rulan's arm.
"Fine. But I don't know why your so mad...it's what you would have done" she glared at Harry and stormed off. When she was halfway back to the castle the two men stopped watching and turned to walk away.
"You think she's going to follow" Harry questioned, Draco nodded,
"It's what you would do."
As soon as they reached the end of the Hogwarts grounds the men once again grasped hands and waved their wands transporting them to the front door of a large mansion.
Harry cringed. There were at least a thousand crows flying around and he could barely hear himself think over the sounds they were making, "So, in we go?!" Draco asked, raising his voice over the birds.
"Of course."
The two walked to the door but before they could touch it, it swung open,
"Well that's not a good sign" Draco pointed out,
"Nope. I guess we just lost the element of surprise,"
"Harry, Draco. So glad you could make it" came a mysterious voice from inside the house.
"Well, with such a tempting invitation, how could one refuse?" Harry asked, tightening his grip on Draco's hand.
"So true" the voice spoke.
"So are you going to show us your face or just hide behind the mystery,"
"I was angling for surprise" the voice said,
"Well I conclude you're either a camp man, Weasel after seeing a spider, or a woman" Draco drawled. Harry glared. Draco looked away sheepishly.
"Good deductive skills Mr Malfoy. Harry, he's a keeper." Harry was aware enough to notice, even in the darkness they where surrounded by people in dark robes.
The door slammed shut behind them.
"Lumos" the voice whispered.
Harry's jaw hit the floor.
-Notes-
Well, well, well. I've finally updated. Sorry I took so long (aren't I always). It's my friends birthday today, so even though she doesn't read Harry Potter fanfic...I dedicate this to her on accounts of the fact that I cannot afford a present!
Here ya go Sarah!
Also to Faye, who will read this eventually – sorry, but you WILL get your present soon...of course I should think you'd be happy with your cameo a few chapters back. You little draco-slut. Mwhaha!
Please review – lets see if we can get passed 200 reviews (I'm still in awe that I've got even close to this many) by next chapter? Okay.
I'll dedicate my next chapter to my 200th reviewer!!! (Living in hope!)
Akasha xxx
PS points if you can catch the shameless Charmed refference!