Disclaimer I don't own the characters in this story they belong to JK Rowling.
BECAUSE I LOVE YOU.
BY TIGRESS.
CHAPTER 1: THE LETTER.
A boy sits in a garden; he has a black eye, a swollen lip, and appears to be deep in thought.
'I can't believe I've not heard anything from Ron, 'Mione or Sirius.' He thought to himself. 'I've sent them all owls, and I can't believe that none of them wrote back. What the hell is going on and why do I get the feeling of de ja vous? After last night I am glad I'm getting out of here soon.'
Flash back.
Harry was in his room, planning what he was going to do the next day, as the Dursley's were going to be out for the day. It was going to be Dudley's seventeenth birthday. He was told he was to stay at the house, and under no circumstances was he to touch there things. Suddenly there was a shriek from downstairs.
"BOY! I WILL NOT HAVE BLOODY OWLS IN MY HOUSE!" bellowed Uncle Vernon. "GET DOWN HERE AND GET RID OF IT, AND I MEAN NOW!"
'Shit, now I'm in for it' Harry thought. "Yes, Uncle Vernon, I'm coming" He called down to his Uncle.
Harry ran down the stairs into the kitchen, hoping that the letter was from Ron, 'Mione, or Sirius. He knew it wasn't his Daily Prophet, as they came straight to his room in the morning and besides, he already had today's paper.
Upon entering the kitchen, Harry noticed Uncle Vernon was purple with rage and that Aunt Petunia was trying to calm Dudley down.
"Don't worry, Diddykins, the owl can't hurt you. Owl's can't do freakish things like him." She said, glaring at Harry.
She said trying to stop Dudley's tears; Harry knew damn well it was an act.
"BOY, WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT THESE BIRDS! IF ANOTHER BLOODY OWL COMES NEAR MY FAMILY, I'LL SHOOT THE DAMN THING!"
This angered Harry, but he was careful not to show it. He knew Uncle Vernon was making an empty threat but he couldn't help thinking what the git would do to Hedwig if he got the chance. 'After all, if he can beat me like he does, then what could he do to an owl? he asked himself. 'But then again, he can't hurt Hedwig. He knows that if I don't mail the Order every other day, they'll send someone around to the house and check that I'm okay. Surely, Vernon wouldn't be thick enough to make them come here?' Harry thought as he grabbed the owl. He didn't recognize the owl, but it must have been from Hogwarts, seeing as he noticed the school shield on the envelope.
"S-sorry, Uncle Vernon." He said
"Well, you bloody should be sorry! Take that bloody pigeon and get upstairs, I'll see you when we have eaten. Now, GET OUT!"
"Yes, Uncle Vernon." He said quietly as he made his way to the stairs.
'Merlin, I'm in for it now' he thought as he took the owl back to his room, knowing he was in for another beating from his uncle.
Untying the letter, he recognized the elegant hand writing of Professor Dumbledore.
'At last, I'm going to find out what's going on' he thought happily while showing the school owl to Hedwig's perch for a drink and some owl treats. He then went back to his bed to open the letter. Indeed, the letter was from Dumbledore. Harry sat on the bed to read.
Harry, My dear boy,
I do hope you are well. We have received word that Peter Pettigrew was apprehended tonight. It appears that he made the mistake of inviting Professor Snape on a raid of the Ministry of Magic tonight. Anyhow, we already knew about the raid beforehand, and Kingsley and the Aurors from the Order were waiting for them. Unfortunately, Severus was uncovered as a spy for the Order during the raid, as those participating in the raid think it was him who told the order about what they would be doing.
I am unable to say more on this matter, as I fear that the owl could be tampered with.
Harry, my boy, I need you to pack all of your things, as you will be leaving the Dursley's at some point tomorrow. I cannot give you a specific time for safety reasons, but you need to be ready, as we have been informed that you are no longer safe from Tom and the Death Eaters where you are currently staying. Until then, please take care. I will see you tomorrow.
A.P.W.B. Dumbledore.
'Merlin, this mean Sirius is free! Really free! Now I can leave this place and never have to come back. Sirius is free now, no wonder he hasn't been able to reply to my owl today.' Harry thought, happier than he had been in quite some time.
End of flash back.
A sudden crash coming from the house startled him.
'What the hell was that the Dursley's aren't here they've taken Dudley out.' He thought grabbing his wand in his hand and running into the house heading for the living room.
"Wotcher Harry." Says a young witch with bright blue hair and beaming smile on her face.
"Hi Tonks, what's been happening? I haven-"
He stops, mouth agape, and eyes wide with shock. There were other people standing there. Besides Tonks, there were Professor Lupin, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Professor Snape and none other than Draco Malfoy.
"Hello Potter." He says with a genuine smile on his angelic face.
"Malfoy, what the hell are you-" Harry started with a feeling that was a mix between panic and surprise.
"Harry it's alright. Calm down." Lupin began.
"Look, we can't talk now. Let's go and get your things, Harry, then we can get you out of here." Tonks as she began leading Harry out into the hall, and then up to his room.
"By the way, Harry, what happened to your face? You look like you've had a fight with Buckbeak" she was expecting Harry to say he'd been fighting with Dudley. She was only half wrong.
"Well, erm" he began, unsure how to answer. "It's my Uncle. He doesn't like owls, and, well, the one Dumbledore sent went to the kitchen instead of my room, so he-he" Harry says this all very quickly, stuttering a bit.
"Oh, Harry, we had no idea it was as bad as that! I mean, we knew that these muggles were not exactly nice to you, but we never thought for one minute that they beat you!" Tonks yelled out, concern for Harry showing on her face.
"Anyway Tonks, what in Merlin's name is going on? What are Snape and Malfoy doing here?" Harry asked, giving a nervous glance over to Snape and Malfoy.
"Harry please, just stop worrying. You know Severus is in the order" Tonks replied with a bit of annoyance.
"Yeah, but that doesn't explain Malfoy." Harry said, still glancing at Malfoy and glaring at him heatedly.
"Look you'll know everything when we get to H.Q."
"What? He can't go there, he's a death eater!" Harry all but yelled, pointing at Malfoy on the last part.
"Draco's not a Death Eater, Harry. Well, he is, but he's not, if you know what I mean." Tonks replies with a mischievous grin on her face.
"Right, well I hope Dumbledore knows what he's doing" Harry said, calming down quite a bit.
"Harry, has he ever been wrong before." Tonks replied softly.
"Well, he was wrong about Sirius and that evil git Wormtail." He replied sarcastically.
"Harry, look, this is not the time for this. We've got to get out of here now."
"Sorry, I take it using the floo then?"
"Well, we're going to The Burrow first. So, yes we're using the floo."
"Will you get a move on Potter; we need to get out of here." Snape was at the door.
"Well at least you had the sense to pack, come on."
Harry grabbed his Firebolt and Hedwig, while Snape levitated his trunk down the stairs.
In the living room, Lupin was just leaving a note for the Dursley's.
"Why are you bothering professor, they won't care that I am gone anyway?" Harry asked the professor.
Malfoy looked stunned at this question.
"Harry, they need to know we've taken you. I know you don't think they care, but this is just to let them know you're with us, otherwise they'll think they're in danger and do something stupid." Lupin told him.
"But-" Harry began.
"Potter, enough with the questions! You will be informed later, now come on. Kingsley, you Apparate with Lupin, then Potter will floo first, then Draco. Tonks, you apparate after Draco leaves. I will repair the room, then apparate to The Burrow. Okay, let's get going." Snape said in a commanding voice.
After Harry flooed to The Burrow, Draco turned to Severus.
"This is going to be one hell of a night Sev," He said, sounding a bit tired.
"It'll be fine Draco" Snape told him as he put a reassuring hand on Draco's shoulder.
"Take it slowly; he needs to know he can trust you first. You can't expect him to change his view of you over night. Look with the history between you two-" Snape started before Draco cut him off.
"I know, but how do I make him see that it wasn't the real me taunting him all the time? That I actually love him?" Draco asked.
Only a few people actually knew how Draco really felt about Harry. Well, the only ones he had told were Ron, Hermione, Severus, and Tonks, but he had an idea that Dumbledore knew as well. After all, he knows everything.
Harry was the reason Draco was actually spying on Voldemort. He wanted to protect Harry from the evil bastard.
Draco stepped into the floo to join Harry and the others at The Burrow.