Title: Return to me Part-14
Rating: pg-13
Warnings: slash, spoilers for 1—5. The events are loosely based on the fourth book
Pairing: Draco/Harry
Genre: angst, romance
Summary: The story of Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy through war and love.
Disclaimer: I am not the owner of any of the characters or the Harry Potter series. I only own this plot.
Chapter-14
The coming of War
The announcement of the quickly approaching First Task met a disgruntled Harry
Potter. Feeling absolutely overcome with anger he made his way slowly to Malfoy's
quarters.
"Potter, do you ever come here when you're in a good mood?"
He was still welcome inside as he followed Malfoy to the living room.
"All you ever do is sulk when I see you."
"I save the best for you."
Draco shook his head and returned to his paper work while Harry seated himself
on the sofa. The latter ran a hand through his hair looking down at the blond who was
stretched out on the floor. Minutes passed in silence, when Draco looked up.
"How was the Wand Weighing Ceremony?"
"I don't want to talk about it," Harry said his eyes closed and his brows furrowed.
"That good?"
Harry nodded slightly and felt the sofa incline as someone sat beside him.
"You look tired. Why don't you go and relax?"
"Are you trying to be rid of me?" Harry asked smiling slightly and looking up.
"Of course, what else?" Came the mischievous reply.
"Malfoy, I'm hungry."
"Go to the kitchen. The house elves will give you something." Malfoy watched
Potter get up and disappear through the kitchen door. The former found himself
immediately lost in thoughts about his conversation with his father.
"Lucius was here today. " he said lightly as Potter sat down with a plate full of
chicken and potatoes.
"Was he?" Harry didn't even look up from his plate but Draco noticed a sudden
rigid ness in his posture. "What did he want?"
"Came to see if I was still alive." Malfoy was running his hands along his clothes,
trying to look and sound casual.
"How sweet." Harry took in a few mouthfuls. Malfoy continued to look at the boy
who sat in front of him. He wondered what sort of difference it would make if he were to
tell him. Would Potter world finally come to an end? Would everything fall apart?
"Potter."
"Hmm." Harry did not look up.
Silence fell in the room and Draco Malfoy realized what he had to do. Harry
looked up confused in response to the silence.
"What is it?"
Malfoy got up suddenly and disappeared upstairs into his room. A few minutes
later he returned with a broom.
"Get up." He shoved the broom in Harry's hand and gave him the appropriate
instructions. "Fly north. Do you know where the Orkney Islands are?"
Harry shook his head. "But I can find them. Just tell me what direction."
"They are north-east. If you can't find them use the didici(check below) spell. It'll
direct your broom there."
"I know how it works." Harry said impatiently.
"Good."
"Why am I going there?"
"You'll see for your self. I think you'll understand the situation more clearly if
you go."
Harry nodded without argument and Malfoy walked towards the balcony and
threw the doors open. Within a few seconds Harry had walked passed him and
disappeared into the distance.
"Why didn't you tell me about this before? WHY?"
Draco sat up from the sofa to look upon the face of a different kind of Harry?
Anger was etched on every inch of his face and his eyes were dark.
"I just found out today Potter." Draco stood and moved to stand in front of the
Gryffindor. "This is as much of a shock to me as it is to you."
Potter looked away slowly, breathing heavily.
"Two hundred thousand. This is unbelievable."
"It is." Malfoy looked at the other boy's back.
"How did you find out about this? Certainly not from your father."
"Certainly not. But don't worry about that now. You have to do something."
"What? I am lost. I don't know what to do. This is hopeless."
"This is not hopeless, Potter. You have to tell Dumbledore right away."
"MALFOY DID YOU NOT HEAR ME? 200,000 men and creatures are on their
way here. There is nothing we can do.
Malfoy smirked. "So that's it? You give up?"
Harry looked up breathing hard.
"Potter this is nothing. People have faced worse. You have faced worse. This is
not hopeless. We still have time. Go to Dumbledore. Tell him everything."
Harry nodded and looked away. A few moments of silence passed and Malfoy
saw that Harry's emotional state was getting worse. He walked slowly towards him and
pulled him into a soft hug, his arms wrapping easily around the small waist.
"This isn't hopeless."
"An Order of Evacuation has been issued by the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore.
All Students must empty their quarters and make their way down to the dungeons. Take
what essentials you need and leave the rest behind. There is absolutely no exception.
Every student is to make his or her way down to the dungeons and check in with their
house prefects."
Within seconds the I think you need something here to contrast against
disintegrated into chaos halls of Hogwarts disintergrated from calm and orderly into
chaos as students rushed past one another. Speed was the key and they all understood.
After all, war was coming.
Draco Malfoy fought against the tide of students looking for a specific face.
"PROFESSOR SNAPE." He pushed against the crowd and made his way towards
the Potions master.
"What is it Mr. Malfoy?"
" Am I to go down to the dungeons with the rest of the students?"
Snape raised a surprised eyebrow. "Of course, Mr. Malfoy. There are no
exceptions."
"What about Potter?" Draco retaliated aggressively.
"Mr. Potter is none of my concern. Now get going Mr. Malfoy."
"Is there a problem." Came a calm voice from behind. Malfoy turned to see the
face of Albus Dumbledore.
"Professor, I do not wish to go into the dungeons. I believe I can stay here and
fight." He said before Snape could even open his mouth.
Dumbledore looked at him for a few seconds before answering. "I'm afraid that is
not a possibility, Mr. Malfoy. We are under the impression that your life is in grave
danger since it is being specifically targeted. We cannot allow that."
Potter, Draco thought. The bloody bastard must have told him.
Malfoy nodded, his eyes cold and his jaw set. He walked away without another
word.
"Pack up all the things from this room and leave nothing behind." Draco directed.
"Dobby thinks that Mr. Malfoy is supposed to take only what sir needs." The
house elf piped up.
Malfoy just gave him a look and the elf got to work. The blond turned to the other
house elf. "Take all these bags down to the dungeons. The elf nodded and bowed.
Taking a deep breath to relieve some of his tension Malfoy walked out of his
chambers and into the corridor only to find the person he was looking for.
"Potter," Malfoy said venom seeping into his voice. "What are you doing here?"
Harry came abruptly to a stop in front of him.
"I'm looking for you." He said softly. His face was pale but his eyes alight. This
was clear evidence of his unstable state. Draco had seen this look before. This was the
quiet way that Harry Potter, the hero of the Wizarding world, showed his fear.
The hallway was dark except for the torches on the walls. Even though there was
firelight, darkness had descended outside, slowly seeping into the castle and the hearts of
all. How do you keep this dark fear at bay? Draco wanted to ask this of Harry but he
couldn't bring himself to. Instead he fought it with anger, the blazing red anger that was
burning in his chest.
"Come to see if I've been locked up properly?" he spat. Harry flinched but did not
look away. "How dare you? What gives you this right?"
"I didn't lock you up," Harry said softly.
"Yeah? Then what do you call this? What do you call those guards who are
bloody standing out side in the hallway waiting to escort me to the dungeons? How dare
you go to Dumbledore and tell him to do this?"
"I'm only doing what I think is best. I want you to be safe."
"WHAT DO YOU CARE ABOUT MY SAFETY, POTTER?" Draco yelled. He
hated this feeling. He hated this feeling of dread and suffocation.
"I care, Malfoy. I do care. Your father wants to kill you. How thick do you think I
am? Do you seriously think that I'm going to send you right to him?"
Malfoy opened his mouth to argue again only to realize that he was misdirecting
his anger. He wasn't angry with Harry. He was only doing what he thought would be
good for Draco. In fact he was not angry at all. He was scared. He was scared because
Voldemort was sending and army here to capture Harry.
"Potter, this isn't about my safety at all. They're not here to hurt me. They're here
for you. For once will you stop thinking about others?"
Silence fell between them as they looked at one another.
"How do you keep this dark fear at bay?" Harry asked Draco's silent question.
His voice was soft and his eyes desperate. Draco slowly walked up to him. He hesitated
for a second before swiftly meeting Harry's lips with his own. They touched softly and
came together easily only to find themselves perfectly entwined. A pair of hands came
around a soft neck and another came around a slender waist.
Just as easily as they had come together, they fell apart. Within moments Harry
had disappeared through the hallway and Draco stood back watching. Suddenly he
realized that the darkness had disappeared.
"Slow down Granger. And start from the beginning." Said Draco as he ushered
the woman to a sofa and pushed a glass of water into her hand.
Hermione completely ignored the glass and began talking once more.
"I was researching at St. Mungo's the other day. I took some time off to look into
their archives and I found the most surprising thing." She halted a moment and took in a
gulp of water. "A record of a case of male pregnancy. This was recorded almost a
hundred years ago. There were complications of some sort that I don't understand. But
whatever these complications were, his body was unable to handle the child. So his healer
thought of taking the child out and putting it in a replication of a female womb created by
magic. They have personal notes of the healer himself and prior to the surgery he
proclaimed that it would be extremely difficult but possible."
"I think you just found an answer." Draco said slightly dazed by the news.
Hermione smiled. "I agree."
"Who would agree to do this though? I mean nobody can know."
"I have that figured out. Healer Pierce has a prestigious reputation. Although he
has never performed it he has studied the procedure. But then there is no living healer
who has. I have already spoken with him. He has agreed to get to St. Mungo's as soon as
you give me your approval."
"Where from?"
"France."
"I see." Draco sat silently thinking.
"Don't worry Draco. Healer. Pierce will discuss the risks with you. You can
decide once he's acquainted you with the procedure."
"Yes, of course."
"But a quick decision is also necessary. Professor Dumbledore and I were hoping
that the surgery would be under way by tonight."
"I agree. Tell Dr. Pierce to get to St. Mungo's immediately.
TBC….
Didici Latin for To learn/to find. The full phrase is disco discere didici