Title: How do You Know?

Author: Evie AKA Lonely No More

Chapter 13

Disclaimer: If they were honestly mine, do you think that Harry would have asked Cho to that damn Yule Ball? That's what I thought, it's not like I have anything you would want anyways.

Rating: I'm going to go T, PG-13, whichever thing you go by…

A/N: I'm going to dedicate this to the awesome Ashes! Your writing is addictive and inspirational, well to me at least! If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have written this today.

H

I was ready for you tell me how you were

Disappointed, Hurt, Angry, Betrayed…Anything but …

I wasn't prepared for indifference…surely you feel something…

"It will all be fine."

D

Draco was tired of fighting Harry. He knew that he could have fought some more, but desperately just wanted to be held at that moment, just to feel like he was not alone. So he sat there on Harry's lap and cried and cried until no more tears came. Charlie knocked and Harry waved his hand, and the wards came down. Draco wiped his face on his robe, and thanked Charlie for the tea. Ron and Hermione came in behind him and conjured some more chairs. They all sat down. Harry looked nowhere but at Draco, and Draco could only look into his tea. Lady Grey, his favorite, but he'd never admit that out loud.

"Harry I have to tell you something…It wasn't Blaise that did this to Draco last night."

"I know" Harry started, but was interrupted by Charlie's continuance.

"I was in Azkaban yesterday, and Blaise was there, and Tonks was there as well, and what? You know?"

"Yes Charlie. We know. We went to Azkaban today with Kingsley to get some answers about things that have been going on. "Hermione answered quickly, and then looking at Harry stopped.

"You see Draco," Harry started, "I knew that Blaise was still in Azkaban, I knew it because we had just got done talking about his trial in class. Moody took a particular interest in it, and so we all went to Azkaban on a class trip if you will, and walked down the death eater's aisle. When we all queued up at the end he told us that 'Once a Death Eater, Always a Death Eater.' Well, you know how he is."

"I know, but what does this mean? Anyone could have taken polyjuice! So someone followed me back from the three broomsticks, and hid in our house for God knows how long, and then proceeded to attack and fuck me, and telling me a whole load of stuff that only someone like Blaise would know, and he did it all in an hour!"

"Exactly." Harry and Hermione said at the same time.

"How! Harry I was there! You know how long it takes me to get dinner started, enough time that I drank a half bottle of wine! And I know that I was in the room with that…with that…AAARRRGGGHHHHH! Whoever that pervert was that….Wait! What was Moody doing last night?"

"Draco it's not him. I had extra lessons afterwards with him, I was in the room with him, and it wasn't a polyjuice Mad-Eye either."

"How do you know Harry? He knew that you were meeting with Kingsley afterwards; he could have apparated right to our place. It could have been him! You know he hates me…who else do you know that wants me back with my so-called friends who turned out to be death eaters! Most other people have at least given me the benefit of the doubt since I saved your arse! Who is it then Harry? Who is it?"

Draco was almost certain that is who it was, and if it was...'Merlin I had sex with Moody? Ugh! Talk about your leftovers… but at least we'll find out soon enough! Get all the suspects tested…that's it'…Draco's mind was in overdrive right now. The others were still looking at him from his previous outburst, all trying to think of who would do that to Malfoy. Well yes it was Malfoy, but no one deserves that. Then Draco broke the silence once again, with a smile on his face.

"We'll get him tested! Anyone we suspect we'll get tested! That's how we will find out what we want to know!"

"Not a bad idea Drake," Charlie interrupted, "But you have to consider that the disease takes awhile to get into your system, and even if someone does have it, you can't automatically assume it's them, they could have had it from a previous experience and just not known about it."

Draco's hopes had been dashed…Charlie was right. How were they ever going to figure this out? Neville Longbottom came to the door with a grave look. He came in and glanced at everybody around him; friends, classmates, dorm mates, fellow survivors of he who had finally died. Even after death, he still wrought so much pain on everyone.

"Umm Harry, I need to get a blood sample from you as well."

Harry agreed and held his hand up to Neville who whispered to his index finger and then touched the pipette ever so gently. He nearly started crying as his mind raced. The boy who lived, slowly dying from a muggle disease…it would be a tragedy, and a gossip column hit. He never let the tears fall though. He put an unbreakable charm on it, and slid it in his pocket. He then looked at Charlie and asked him to walk with him for awhile. Ron and Hermione just looked at each other. Ron glared up at Draco for a second, before he saw that Draco too looked stricken. It wasn't his fault. It wasn't his fault. Ron kept running through his mind. Draco fell back in his bed and found his spot in the ceiling again. Harry asked Draco if he was alright, but Draco didn't even hear him…'I'm the embodiment of pain and suffering, everyone I ever get close to dies…Anyone I've ever touched…Merlin, why can't you just kill me now and save so many lives…why does everything I do cause pain? Just when the Weasley's were starting to warm up to me, even Mrs. Weasley…but not now, not since I've sentenced her son to a slow painful death, dumb muggle disease…well, maybe Mr. Weasley will accept it better since it will let him get to know some muggle doctors…' a small smile formed on Draco's face, 'Mr. Weasly shaking hands with a muggle doctor and talking his ear off every time Charlie goes for a treatment! 'His smile turned into a chuckle. Harry looked very worriedly at Draco, he knew that Draco already had a lot of mental problems, and having to deal with this was going to be hard. So Harry decided that he would be strong for Draco, and not say anything about it. What did he care, he wouldn't want to live without Draco anyways. He'd gladly die beside his husband; Merlin knows death would have to be easier than life itself. Harry chuckled to himself. Ron and Hermione looked at each other with quizzical looks. If they had any questions left that those two were meant to be, they were definitely laid to rest.

No one talked for the longest time. Draco lay on his bed staring at his space on the ceiling, and Harry sat beside him on his bed, rubbing small circles on his back. Ron and Hermione sat there with their hands clasped, occasionally looking at each other. The door opened, and everyone but Draco turned to see Charlie walk in. Draco didn't want to see his face, or hear how he destroyed his life…He just wanted to be alone. Charlie cleared his throat, and sat down. He looked at Harry quite intently for a moment, then back to Draco.

"Would everyone give Draco and I a moment please?" He asked with a pained expression, and hoping that Harry would comply. But Harry got up and headed towards the door, it was Ron that stopped…

"Well, aren't you going to tell us? Did he give it to you as well? You can't expect me to just stand outside while you have your little chat; I want to know if that git gave it to you too!" Draco didn't even move: his back was still towards them all, still staring at his spot on the ceiling.

"Ron you insensitive prat, I said get out! I want to talk to Draco alone first damnit! Now get!" Ron sulked and stomped his way out of the room. Hermione smacked him upside his thick skull, then turned around and apologized for her husband's behavior. Harry was looking intently at Draco the glanced back towards Charlie and nodded his head, leaving Charlie and Draco alone in the room. Charlie raised his wand and cast various spells around the room, then moved to sit down on the bed with Draco. Draco flinched, and scooted farther away, never taking his eyes off his spot. Charlie reached his hand out and placed it on Draco's back. This time Draco didn't pull away. Draco wanted to cry, but discovered that he could not. He had cried all of his tears. Charlie smirked then said,

"They are all going to kill me when I tell them that I'm perfectly healthy."

Draco rolled over and looked up at Charlie, with that perfect smirk still on his face. Draco burst out laughing…when he stopped he got a deadly look on his face and he pounced on top of Charlie and started smacking him.

"You greasy git! I should kill you for doing that to me! I don't care what you do to your brother and his mudblood wife, but I should pulverize you for doing this to me and Harry! Oh God! He thinks that I'm responsible for you being sick too! Charlie!"

Charlie had laid there laughing the whole time, until Draco got to the Harry part. Draco was right, it was funny to play on Ron and Mione, but Harry and Draco had been through enough, he didn't want to hurt them. So Charlie sat up and looked Draco in the eyes…

"Okay, how about we let Harry in on our secret first…then hold it over Ron and Mione?"

Draco got a devilish smile, "Sounds brilliant Weasley!"

Charlie got up and smiled at Draco "Finite Incatatem" and Harry fell through the door, apparently trying to eavesdrop. He at least had the grace to blush at being caught. Draco was back in his position looking at his spot. Thinking, well at least I didn't kill Weasley, but what does this mean? I had sex with him loads of times…

As soon as Harry was in, Charlie asked Hermione to hold Ron outside just a bit longer, and shut the door and put the spells back up. Harry had crossed over to his husband's bed, and sat beside him. Draco still did not flinch, but he didn't move to hold onto Harry either. Harry turned around to face Charlie.

"Look, I know how hard this is going to be for you Charlie, for all of us, but I want you to know that you are always welcome with us, at anytime. I'm serious. You are like my big brother, and even though this is a wonky sort of situation, I want you to feel at home with us." Charlie couldn't contain himself any longer.

"You know Harry, I'm glad you told me that now, because I have feeling you may want to change your mind."

"Charlie I could never"

"Especially when I tell you how I am as healthy as a new born hippogriff!"

Harry ran over and hugged Charlie; he hugged him for all that he was worth, and then pulled back.

"Yeah, you are lucky." Harry swatted Charlie's left arm, then smiled." I don't think your brother is going to take it as nicely! He's out there having kittens right now! He is so much like your mom, it's hilarious. So that means what?" he asked as he turned back around to see Draco sitting up looking at them with a small smile on his lips.

"It means that" Draco started, but Charlie cut him off.

"You know what this means then, don't you? I had sex with you more than anyone other than Harry and if I don't have it, either I'm immune, which I doubt or that you didn't get it until after me! So, who did you fuck between me and Harry? That's the person that did this to you, and I'm betting that's who did rape you as well. Maybe someone wanted to make sure that you were infected, and let's face it, as pure-blood as you are, it makes you weaker to such things."

"Pure-bloods are not weak!" Draco scoffed.

"Harry laughed, "It's from so many years of inbreeding Draco, and not you personally, anyone with your lineage would be in the same situation. That's probably why your skin is so pale."

"It is not! It's just a family trait and good beauty hygiene, look at mom and dad! They may have been completely incompetent, but they had damn good skin, I inherited it."

Harry figured he might as well not push his luck. He just shook his head in defeat.

"Anyways, Draco, if Charlie is right, and I'm betting he is, because he's pureblood too, and I doubt he would have been able to fight it off, that means whoever you slept with between then and us…that would be your person!"

Draco didn't need time to think, he knew exactly who it had been…He was a Gryffindor…but a death eater all the same, only he didn't have to get the mark so he could get closer to Harry, and Draco didn't know until it was too late…He got off claiming he was under the imperious curse.

"Maclaggen, Cormac Maclaggen."

Charlie took the spells off, and Ron and Hermione came running into the room.

"We need Maclaggen, right now. Go get Kingsley, we'll need an auror with us." Harry said as he grabbed Ron and Hermione and left Draco and Charlie alone. They could hear Ron asking what happened the whole way down the hall. They heard Harry tell them not to worry, that Charlie would be fine. Right before they disappeared down the staircase. Charlie and Draco sat up and talked about what was going to happen, other possibilities, and their future. Charlie had admitted that he was dating someone, and that they would be glad to hear that he would be fine. Draco was worried what would happen to Charlie once the story got out.

"You know Draco, I have been through so much worse, this is nothing, and if it's worth nothing else, at least I will know that anybody I date from now on will be looking for something more than a one-night stand." He chuckled warmly, putting Draco to ease. His mind was still racing with everything that would have to change. Everything would…

"Kids! How are Harry and I ever going to have kids! He wants a huge family, and I always wanted a little one to snuggle, and tuck in to bed. "

"Adoption, Draco! I thought that would be the most obvious answer anyways!"

"Well I guess so, but I always kind of wanted…you know…"

"You wanted to take the potion? Are you nuts?"

"Well, it would only turn me into a woman for as long as I need to get pregnant and carry the child."

"You would give up certain…attributes, you would actually become a woman for at least 11 months?"

"Yes I would have, but would have is the point. I can't do that now. I won't put a child in danger because I'm sick."

"Well you guys could always do a surrogate pregnancy, get Harry to knock up someone, then you'll have your own child."

"No then we will have Harry and someone else's child, and I don't want that, besides, do you think that I want Harry fucking someone else?"

"Hey, I'm just trying to give you some ideas."

"I know, I'm sorry, I guess I'm just a bit punchy from everything that's happened. I'm sort of tired as well."

"Well, go ahead, and go to sleep, I'll stay here until Harry gets back. I'm not going to leave you alone. "

"Okay, Thank you Charlie." Draco leaned over and gave him another chaste kiss on his lips and smiled…"You really are a good friend, to both of us…Goodnight."

"Goodnight Draco." Charlie whispered as he tucked Draco in and dimmed the lights. He sat back in his chair beside the bed and stared at the sleeping beauty in front of him.

D and H

Harry arrived sometime in the early morning; feet dragging and looking like a little kid who just saw his puppy killed by a quaffle. He noticed how Charlie was sleeping with his wand in one hand and the other on top Draco's hand. Draco looked like he had been asleep for awhile. This made Harry at least a little bit happy, at least he found some peace tonight. Harry walked quietly over to Charlie who smiled as Harry neared, and revealed that he really was awake. He stood up quietly and gestured to the hallway. The both walked out and shut the door.

"What happened? Did you get him?"

"Yes."

"Well that's good right? Why do you look so upset about it?"

"He was dead by the time we got there. Someone else had gotten to him first."

"Oh God! SO what does this mean? How are we going to find the connection?"

"Well he had polyjuice potion stored in his flat, and his bags were being packed, apparently he was getting ready to leave, and someone didn't want him to go so soon."

"Apparently. So now what do you do?"

"We track down who killed Maclaggen, and we find out who is behind all of this. And we don't let Draco alone at all. I will have guards posted around him constantly."

"Okay, well I'll help anyway that I can. Just one thing…"

"Yes?"

"Can you make sure that Moody doesn't go anywhere near him? I know that you trust him Harry, but Draco doesn't and with everything going on, you have to see how an auror of Moody's reputation could easily manipulate people."

"Are you saying that you think Moody's in on it too?"

"Yes Harry, I will explain later, and I will bring Tonks to back me up okay? Right now you need to be in there with Draco, and be there for him."

"I know Charlie, and thank you, for everything. I don't know why, but he seems more comfortable with you now than with me."

"Harry, you saw him being raped. He saw the look in your eyes…he knows that you thought at first that he was cheating on you, and he knows now that you believe him that he was raped, but still…how would you feel if Draco walked in on your being raped and thought that you were cheating on him? No matter what, you would still feel that look every time you saw him. Just be there for him Harry, and don't judge him. He grew up in a completely different way than you…okay?"

"I know! I know! God have I ever judged him before? Will people stop accusing me of hurting the man I married! The man I love more than life itself! It killed me to walk in there and see that…see that I couldn't protect him from everything. No matter how cautious we had been…He still got hurt Charlie, and it's my entire fault."

"Harry stop this right now. You need to suck it the fuck up, and be strong for him right now. Do you hear me? Just go in there and show Harry nothing but pure love."

"I know…I know…goodnight Charlie, and thanks again."

"No problem Harry, Tonks and I will be around in the morning."

Harry turned around and stopped at the door. He saw his beautiful husband laying there, dying…knowing that there was nothing he could do for him, except catch the person doing this to him, and bring Draco some kind of justice. Harry turned the door knob, and walked into Draco's room. He lay on the bed with his husband and ran his arms around his waist. Draco stirred a little bit.

"I'm sorry Harry. For all of this, I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to leave me. I understand."

"Draco It will be fine. We will be fine."

Draco couldn't help wonder again where his husband had thought that up…he rolled over and looked at his husband.

"Harry! Yell at me please! Tell me that I'm a horrible person! Tell me how sick and twisted I am! Tell me you're disappointed in me! Tell me that I hurt you worse than anyone ever has! Get angry! Do something!"

Harry leaned over and kissed Draco…"It will be okay".