Chapter 19

Weeks passed and it started to get easier. The students weren't as wary of him. There hadn't been more attempts on his life. Dumbledore hadn't even pestered him on Hermione's location. Nothing happened and it was starting to make him uneasy.

He was walking down the hallway to clean up the potions room before he went to bed when he came across Filch holding two struggling boys. Maxwell and Yuy. /of course!/ It would be those two. They had only managed to get into more trouble as time went on. While their behaviour was almost... cute when they had a detention with him, they seemed to try to annoy him just to make him give them a detention. According to everyone else, they hated each other with a passion and could not pass up a reason to fight. None of the others teachers seemed to know how to handle them, other than giving them more detentions. In the end they always sent them to him, and him, not wanting to upset a relationship just starting, didn't do anything about it, so long as they didn't get into more serious trouble than they always were. However, outside of detention they were entirely different. He would have believed their act himself if he had not seen the truth.

The situation was all too familiar.

With a sigh, he continued down the hallway to see what was going on.

"Filch!" He shouted and was delighted when the man flinched and turned around. /It's been a while since I've been able get under someone's skin.../ Harry admitted that he enjoyed 'torturing' people a bit. He still remembered when he snuck into Ron's bed as a snake. /he deserved it, the bastard./

"Damn Slytherins!" he heard him utter. Harry froze. Filch had said that before.

(flashback)

"Potter. Out of bed so late?" Filch barked.

Panicked, Harry tried to hide the cloak under his robes. Luckily, he didn't seem to notice the movement. "Yes, sir. Umm... I was-" going out of his mind trying to find the right excuse. But the opportunity to get away presented itself before he could.

"I thought I told to get to your room, Potter." It was funny watching Filches head pop up.

"You knew?" Filch.

"Potter was with me, making up a potion." Snape glared at the squalid man.

"But, Professor, he's in the hall at 2:00!"

/2:00!/ Harry thought in surprise. Draco and him had talked longer than he thought.

"I now what time it is!" Snape hissed. /Why is he defending me?/ Come to think about it, he had been acting weird lately. "Potter. Get to your dorm now." He turned his glare on the boy, before the look turned to something else. Harry turned and left before he got the chance to analyse it. He had enough for that day and desperately wanted his bed.

"Slytherins!" Harry heard Filch mutter behind his back. He nearly turned back in shock, but no, Filch was probably just referring to Snape.

(end flashback)

But he had said 'Slytherins'. Plural. He had been the only person aside from Severus who had been there.

/Does Filch know something?/ Harry asked himself while he stared at the man. Filch was staring right back at him, with an odd look on his face.

"You finally know, don't you," was what the man said after a moment.

"Know about what?" He didn't want to give too much away in case it was trick.

Filch dropped the two boys who quickly ran in the opposite direction, only stopping to look back once, confused. However, they weren't going to question that no one appeared to be coming after them.

"Do you know about Voldemort, or yourself?" Filches muddy grey eyes bored into his own.

"Yes. Both. How do you know?" Harry questioned him.

"I've been here for a long time, Slytherin. No one notices me."

"I guess." /I almost feel guilty. If it wasn't for all the detentions I've been given with the man.../

"Whose side are you on, boy?" He sneered.

"Why would I tell you?"

"Because, personally, I don't care. It's not as if I'm going to live much longer. But, I think I have something-" he reached down into his robes and pulled out a note. Handing it to Harry, "here, Snape might need this."

"Why-"

"I told you, my life is forfeit. It doesn't matter." he cut Harry off. "Besides, boy, you don't need to have magic to know how to make a potion. I assure you Snape isn't the only potions master around here," He hissed. "And about Dumbledore, he is up to something, though you being an idiot haven't noticed. I refuse do everything for you, so you are on your own from now and will have to find out for yourself. Also, it would very much be a bad faith to trust that he is entirely on his own." He started to walk off. "Now I just have to find a home for Mrs. Norris," Filch muttered as he turned the corner.

Harry stared in shock at the parchment in his hand. After a moment, he found the courage to open it, only to quickly close it in his hand, running to the room.

Slamming the door, he looked again. He couldn't believe it!

Filch had possibly given him the way to cure Severus! All ingredients listed, what they did, how to brew them.

/but how did he know.../ And was Dumbledore in on it?

Harry felt overwhelmed! All this at once. What did Filch have to do with this? Why did he seem know everything that had happened? Why hadn't he said anything earlier!? Harry suddenly felt furious at the man. He obviously knew and didn't do anything! Until now.

There was a knock at the door and Harry quickly shoved the piece of parchment into his pocket. "Come in," he yelled.

"Don't yell, boy. Try to be respectable." Dumbledore said as he walked through the door.

"I knew it was you. What do you want?"

"I've brought someone that I knew you would want to see." Harry could tell by the smile on his face that something was wrong. Seriously... wrong. But he could not figure out what. He did not have to wait long though.

With that, Dumbledore stepped aside to reveal-

/Draco./



(flashback)

Dumbledore stood still in front of the fire, shocked.

"But why?" He questioned the face in the flames.

"It is the perfect way to secure the boy to us. He won't have a reason to turn to Voldemort."

"He has been acting stranger than usual..."

"Having Weasly rape one of his best friends would do that to a guy." Sarcasm.

"She had a bad influence on him."

"She was a mudblood."

"I thought you agreed to give them a chance."

"I'm trying to, Dumbledore. I am still grateful for your trust in me."

"I do trust you." Dumbledore sighed. "But the boy; I do not agree with his... preference. This would be telling him there's nothing wrong and that he can do whatever he likes."

"I agree with you on this, but it will work a lot better than attacking him. It would make a perfect distraction."

"Yes but-"

"Don't you want this? It will get you want you want."

"Yes, what I want."

"The power."

"Yes, power."


Lucius sighed and pulled his head from the flames. "I will get him out of the way, if it is the last thing I do." /they will see to it.../ He felt a pair of arms slowly wrap around him from behind.

"You'll do it. I know you will." She smiled before going around him, only to straddle his hips in the chair, laying her arms on his chest. Lucius placed his hands on her hips. "My brother doesn't stand a chance."



(end flashback)

Draco ran the second he heard the ward alarms go off, Blaise close behind him. They had been at a debriefing for the search for Lucius. It was not going well. He was as good as dead to the world at the moment.

"What do you think it is?" Blaise asked, just as out of breath as he was. Silently a couple of death eaters that had been in the area swept after them, aware of the urgency.

"Don't know." /maybe Harry is back.../ silently he pleaded that it was true.

They reached the front corridor, wands drawn, ready to attack if it was an enemy.

They found a cloaked figure waiting for them.

Abruptly stopped, they silently waited for the person to make he first move.

It tossed its hood off to reveal Hermione.

Blaise immediately rushed forward to embrace her. She met him halfway.



(Blaise & Hermione's room)

"What happened?" Draco questioned her. Actually, it sounded like he was close to pleading. Why was she here when Harry was not?

"Harry made me leave," was all she said.

"But why?!" He was quickly loosing patience with her.

Hermione had shown up, out of nowhere, without Harry. He was glad that she seemed to be ok, but for some reason she was making it very difficult to get any information out of her. She refused to talk. "Harry made me leave" was the first thing Hermione had even said so far.

"Don't yell at her Draco!" For the first time in a long while Blaise felt irritated by Draco's presence. He wished that he would leave.

"But she won't tell me what happened! How would you feel if the Harry had come back and the one you loved was stuck by herself with that psychopathic nut job! Not to mention Lucius is still out there." Draco sneered.

"But don't take it out on Hermione." He still held her close. Hermione didn't say anything more, just held onto her lover.

"I wouldn't if she wasn't such a mudblood." Draco hissed angrily and abruptly jumped up, slamming the door behind him.


"Draco?" Harry stood completely still, in shock. Draco walked forward and through his arms around Harry's neck.

"Yes, Harry. I've decided to renounce Voldemort. I decided I would rather be with you. I'm so sorry for what I did, Harry." The boy started sobbing.

/Did? But, he hasn't... Maybe Hermione told him our cover story when she got back.../ Hesitantly he wrapped his arms around Draco.

"How did you get here?" Harry asked in wonder. Surely, Dumbledore would not have trusted him enough to accept him back, no matter what Draco had told him.

"He has agreed to leave Voldemort's side." Dumbledore butted back into the conversation. "He's finally come to his senses and has agreed to go home." Dumbledore's eyes had that annoying twinkle in them.

Harry did not trust Dumbledore for a second. But was Draco putting on an act for the old man, or was there really something odd going on?

/his father.../ Harry thought. "Wait! Draco can't go back to his father!" Harry exclaimed.

"I don't see why not Mr. Potter. He has been generous enough to not disown young Draco for his association former with Voldemort. He will be glad to have his son back."

"But..." / he cannot go back… Why would Draco agree to this?/ But he was soon distracted by Draco's lips claiming his.

Dumbledore coughed quietly. "I guess I give you... some... alone time." And with that, Dumbledore left closing the door behind him.

"I'm so glad to be back, you have no idea what it felt like for me to have you gone for so long." Draco murmured after pulling out of the kiss, just leaving his arms slung around Harry's neck.

"I glad to have you back, too, Draco." He leaned forward for another kiss. Harry wanted this so much... "How are the others?"

"Others?" Draco looked confused for a second, but then it was gone. "Fine. Just Fine." He looked around. "The Room of Requirement? I'm surprised you decided to stay here."

"Of course. When so many of the students are out for your blood, you need a good hiding place." He brought Draco over to sit in the middle of the one bed in the room. The extra bed and desk had disappeared after Hermione left.

"So Dumbledore still refuses to leave you alone."

"Of course. I might turn evil if I'm not watched at every moment." He sighed, rolling his eyes heavenwards.

"You mean you're not?" Draco looked a bit peeved.

"Nope. I don't think so." Harry grinned at the blond boy in front of him. "Unless you want me to be evil. Then I thing I can make an exception."

Draco looked nervous. "How have you been, Harry."

"Terrible. Between teaching and dealing with Dumbledore on the side, terrible." He sighed.

"It can't be that bad. Besides I'm here now." He grinned

"Yes." Harry returned the grin. He leaned in to kiss Draco but he pulled away.

"Umm, I don't think we should do this here, Harry." Draco stared, uncertainly at the blanket under them.

"I only wanted to kiss you, Draco. It's not like you weren't kissing me a moment ago." Harry sounded slightly irritated. Draco had never rejected him before. At least not since they got together.

"I know. I was just caught up in the moment." Suddenly Draco leaned in to kiss him but then there was a knock at the door. "Maybe you should get that. I'll be in the bathroom." Draco slid off the bed, almost tripping on his robes, and made his way into the bathroom.

Harry sighed than got up to answer the door. /am I going to get no peace tonight!/

"I'm coming!" Harry yelled. He was starting to get another headache.

It was Filch. "What?!" he almost hissed.

"here." abruptly Harry was handed a box, almost dropping it.

"Wh-"

"Hagrid agreed to take Mrs. Norris, but wouldn't take them. Think he was afraid he might sit on them," He sneered, revealing yellowed teeth.

Harry uncovered the box to reveal... kittens. Filch was giving him two kittens!

"What am I supposed to do with them?!" He asked, incredulously. He looked down at the sleeping balls of fluff. /they are kind of cute though.../

"How should I know, boy." Suddenly Filch motioned for him to be quiet. Harry heard the sound of the shower. "Who else is here?" he looked almost panicked.

"Draco showed up." Harry shrugged.

"Malfoy's son, you say?" Filch returned to staring at him.

"Yes. It was a surprise for me too."

Filch's stare quickly turned sour. "Have I told you nothing!?"

Harry raised an eyebrow. "No... you haven't. Though I am grateful that you helped me with Severus. I think I'll send it back with Draco. It will be hard to explain his absence to Dumbledore, though. I strongly doubt that Dumbledore really trusts him. Though I guess once he's gone it won't really matter."

"You are an idiot." Filch said dryly before abruptly leaving.

Harry stood staring at the door when the small creatures in the box stirred.

Harry watched as the furballs woke then found a place to sit with them. Once on the couch he scooped them out and placed them in the middle and sat cross-legged in front of them. One was jet black with silver eyes and the other had light tan with bright green eyes. Surprisingly, neither looked like their mother. /they must have had different fathers/ he thought while they walked on the cushion, occasionally sniffing him curiously. After a minute they went back to sleep. Harry got up and transfigured his transfiguration book into a cat bed, then laid them in it beside the couch. They barely stirred when he moved them. /they're so small/ they had been no bigger than his hand. Though, they must have been old enough to separate from the mother, since filch had no problem with giving them to him.

Which brought his thoughts back to Filch. Why was he doing any of this? Why did he seem to know what was happening? Moreover, why was he helping him?

Harry's thoughts where cut off when the bathroom door opened. Draco came out already dressed, much to Harry's disappointment.

"Did something happen while I was out?" Draco had noticed him sitting on the floor beside the couch.

"Just Filch. He's been acting strange lately. He gave me his cats." /maybe Draco would like them.../ But-

"Ew!" Draco sneered. "I can't stand those creatures."

"What do you mean? They're just kittens, Draco. Come look." But Draco refused to come any closer and got into the bed.

Harry shrugged and got in to join him. Maybe he didn't know Draco as well as he thought he did. He had really thought Draco would like them...

Then for the entire night Draco stayed on his side of the bed. He didn't so much as touch Harry for the rest of the night.



(Riddle Castle a couple days later)

"I'm telling you something is wrong with her, she isn't herself." Draco whispered to Blaise.

"Leave it alone, Draco." He was poring over reports that had been sent to them from various deatheaters. They had nothing. Nothing on Lucius. Nothing against Dumbledore. Nothing to help Snape.

"Since when have we kept secrets from each other?! For the past few months you have been my family not even my mother is as close, even though I do love her. So why now? What's changed!?" Draco had thrown down his papers and stood directly in front of him.

"Dumbledore tried to have her raped!" Blaise finally looked at Draco, and finally showed the anxiety he was feeling.

Draco was silent for a moment, before speaking. "You could have told me that, Blaise. I would have understood." He said quietly.

"I know, but for some reason she didn't want me to tell you. She had me promise."

"She'll get over it." /hopefully/

"I hope so. I don't know what to do for her." His steel blue eyes glared at the offending papers is front of him. "You don't seem to be shocked," Blaise said simply.

"I never trusted him in the first place. I never understood how anyone could trust him. His manipulativeness is so obvious I'm surprised no one has had the sense to notice before." Draco paused. "I'm thinking about getting Harry out of there. I don't like the thought of him being there alone. With Him."

Blaise nodded, understanding.



(Hogwarts)

/What is wrong with Draco!? Did Dumbledore do something to him?/ Harry questioned himself as he walked around the hall, after first taking care of the kittens. Draco still refused to be near them.

One of the perks of being the teacher was no curfew.

That morning he had tried to join Draco in the shower. Big mistake. As soon as Draco noticed him coming in he pushed Harry out, not even so much as looking at him when he hit the stone floor. He had been lucky enough to healing potions on hand in the ROR (AN: yes. I got tired of writing it out), as he seemed to be needing them a lot lately.

Every time he tried to initiate something, anything, Draco would ignore him or push him. He couldn't even hug him anymore. Draco would always just say that he just didn't feel like it or that Dumbledore was watching, but even if he didn't, he did not have to hit him! Why was he doing this now! The last time that Harry could remember Draco actually hurting him was back in their fifth year, when Harry tried to kiss him for the first time. Never again had he touched him in order to hurt him since. Draco didn't make any since anymore!

Harry decided it was time to go to breakfast; maybe he would be able to get Draco to talk to him then. /please tell me he's acting for Dumbledore.../ Harry pleaded with himself; he wouldn't be able to take it if Draco was going to do this to him! He couldn't bring himself to defend against Draco... he loved him too much to raise a hand to him in retaliation. No, he refused to push the person he loved. He just wished Draco felt the same.

Other that this, Draco had been acting completely normal.

Sure enough, he was there in the Great Hall.

Sitting at the Head Table.

Harry quickly headed to the chair beside him, ignoring the stares. It was like every time him and Draco were seen together the entire room got quieter.

"You're finally awake, Harry." Draco grinned at him.

"I wish I could say it was because you tired me out, but I've been up for awhile. I took a walk. Not that you noticed." Harry muttered, clearly irritated.

Draco's smile fell. "I'm sorry Harry. I know why you're mad, but Dumbledore is still watching us. We don't need to give him anything more against us," he whispered. "Why do you think I'm sitting here? He vividly told me when I came back here that he would never quit watching me, as long as I am here. He wants me under his thumb and made me stay up here. He doesn't trust me as it is and I want to stay here, Harry. With you."

"But, he already knows were together, Draco! It's not going to make any difference." Harry turned his green eyes to glare at his 'lover'. Just because he refused to push him back didn't mean he wouldn't let Draco know when he was pissed at him.

"I know. I just don't feel like rubbing it in his face." Draco returned to his plate, clearly depressed. "I really do want to, Harry. I miss you."

"You don't have to miss me. It's not like he can see into the Room of Requirement. We can still be ourselves... have fun..." Harry smirked at the other boy, who was still staring at his plate. He had been trying to get a rise out of him, but no, it didn't work. "He already knows that I don't want anymore to do with him. He hasn't, and probably won't, do anything about it. At least until he wants me to kill Voldemort."

"Are you so sure Harry? How do you really know he doesn't about know everything that's been going on?" Draco looked pointedly stared at him.

"Fine, I'll drop it. For now, anyway." /if that were true then Dumbledore would know everything that we haven't told him.../


Chapter 18
Chapter 20