DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of it, JK Rowling and associates own all rights, no infringement intended, no money is being made, unfortunately. This is Definitely AU since HBP about which I decided that the last couple of chapters were a figment of my imagination.

WARNING; Pre-slash if you do not like do not read remember you have freedom of choice. Reviews appreciated but no flames those will be ignored.

A/N: I apologize for taking so long to update. I have a new job now and actually have time to write again. I will not drop this or any other story.

PAIRINGS: HP/DM, SS/RL, GW/OC, RW/HrG, NL/LL

Chapter 15

"Malfoy" Harry said with a note of watchfulness in his voice. He made his way to a chair near the fire and sinking gratefully into the soft cushions wearily leaned his head back against the cushions. Focusing on the fire, he spoke in a quiet almost polite voice, "Well this has been a shitty day. I was hoping you were gone by now."

"Sorry to disappoint you Potter," Draco sneered absently. He examined the young man in front of him carefully. He could see that he had been in a fight. There were scorch marks on his clothes indicating areas where spells had just missed him. On the side of his face was a thin slash crusted with blood. Draco's fist clenched with rage, 'The idiot just could not be left alone' he fumed silently. 'The prat needs a keeper. At least now, I know why the old fart is so keen on my teaching the bloody fool offensive spells. You would think he knew by now how to keep his damn Gryffindor head down.' "So Potter what did you do now? The order has been in an uproar since the alarm went off. Knowing you I am sure it was something stupidly heroic and totally insane."

Harry could not help the snort of laughter. He guessed it could be seen in that light, for sure Snape would think so. Stretching his legs out towards the fire, he winced at the pull in sore muscles. Before he could respond, Dobby popped into the room flinging himself on Harry. "Harry Potter is safe. Dobby was worried about Harry Potter. Headmaster says to bring Harry Potter refreshments. What can Dobby bring Harry Potter." During his speech, Dobby was bouncing around hugging Harry between sentences.

Harry quickly latched onto a skinny arm bringing the hyperactive house-elf to a halt, "Dobby, what's ready that we could eat now."

"Wheezy's mother has beef stew and hot bread would Harry Potter like some? What would Harry Potter like to drink? Dobby has hot chocolate, butterbeer, tea, pumpkin juice…"

Harry interrupted at this point sure that Dobby would keep listing everything in the house. "Stew and bread are fine for me along with a butterbeer; you might see what Malfoy wants as well. Oh and Dobby could you bring us something sweet as well then check and see if Remus needs anything he was injured in the fight."

Dobby nodded enthusiastically, and then looked inquiringly over at Malfoy, "What can Dobby get for the little master? Is he in pain? Does little master want a sweet, there are treacle tarts with cream Dobby knows these are little masters favourite. "

Draco ignored the mouthed "little Master" from Potter, "The treacle tarts with cream sounds wonderful and you can bring the stew and bread for me as well Dobby but bring me pumpkin juice instead Severus said I could not have any butterbeer yet."

"Yes little master, Dobby will be right back" and with that Dobby rearranged the blanket covering Draco then disappeared with a quiet pop.

Harry looked at Malfoy for a minute then could not help repeating aloud, "little master?" Harry tried to hide the smile, "He seems surprisingly comfortable around you; I thought he hated your family."

Malfoy did not bother hiding the look of irritation as he pushed the blanket back down to where it was originally, "Dobby took care of me when I was little he always calls me that. It is not my family he hates it is my father, he used to come and see me at Hogwarts all the time. And if you tell anyone what he calls me I will hex you into next week."

Harry laughed and nodded then watched as Dobby popped back into the room with a tray of food. Setting the tray down on the table in front of the couch that Malfoy was reclining he nodded to both boys and left to see if he could give Lupin anything. Harry sank down on the floor near the sofa and handed Malfoy the bowl of stew. The two began eating not speaking and the silence was surprisingly comfortable.

Sergio eyed the headmaster warily as they entered the library; he had heard about the manipulative Albus Dumbledore, stories said that he could get ice water from the devil in hell. Sitting in the chair that was indicated he waited for the questioning to begin. He had already decided that he was going to be involved. He liked young Harry and wanted to give him the training that he would need to survive. His family was going to have hysterics they had wanted to wait out this war and see who came out on top. They would probably have been Slytherins if they had attended Hogwarts.

"Lemon Drop", Albus smiled as the young man in front of him frowned slightly a startled look in his eyes. Albus loved doing that to people, offering the candy tended to throw them off guard and make it a little easier to guide the conversations and of course it irritated the hell out of his favourite potions master. At his guest's refusal, he sat back and with a wave of his hand a tray of tea and biscuits appeared on the side table "So Mr. Gambelli how did you get involved with Mr. Potter and his friends?"

"I run the local teen centre and part of my job is to try and get kids off the street. I was notified that a young man looking like he was running from something had turned up the library and I went to check it out. We talked for a while and I helped him resolve some of his issues, if you want to know what those issues were you would have to talk to him. I only ask for first names of the kids I work with so had no idea that he was the-boy-who-lived. I was surprised when he showed up at the centre for enrolling in the self-defence class. I was even more surprised when I recognized his scar. During the class, I had felt someone staring at me it was nice to find out that his guard was in the room invisible and I am not just paranoid. His godfather and friend showed up, my assistant turned out to be a Deatheater and called reinforcements. We fought, we won, and we came here. I believe that pretty much covers everything." Sergio picked up his tea and settled back waiting for the other man to speak.

Albus figured he was a good judge of character barring a few of the defence teachers of course. "By any chance are you related to the Gambelli family from Florence, the owners of the "Galleria dei Tesori Unici" I purchased a very fine chamber pot there once." He smiled at the look on the young man's face. "I wonder if you would be interested in teaching a class in self-defence at Hogwart's this coming semester. We already have DADA teacher but I believe that teaching the children how to protect themselves if they lose their wand is an excellent idea. There is also the fact that Mr. Potter trusts you and will make sure that his friends do so as well." Holding up a hand before the young man could say anything he continued enjoying the look of surprise on his face. "You know that the Deatheaters will be aware that it was in a large part due to you that they were unable to capture Harry Potter and will take revenge. They cannot be seen to ignore the defiance. Not only would you be in danger but any of the students that attend your school would be as well. It would be best for all concerned if you laid low for a time and allowed your students to go elsewhere. I am sure that you have alternate sites that you trust for the students to go. And since you will need a safe place to stay, where better then Hogwarts we have plenty of room and you would find plenty to do." Sitting back Dumbledore smiled benignly at the look of stunned surprise on his face.

Harry called Dobby as they finished eating to ask for parchment and quill to write his report. The two teens watched silently as Dobby cleared the table with a snap of his fingers leaving the deserts. Draco shook his head in amazement as Potter began scribbling messily, 'no wonder Sev gave him such bad grades he probably couldn't read a single thing he wrote.' "Potter what are you writing?"

Harry continued writing as he spoke, "The headmaster wants a report of what happened to give to the ministry."

"And you really expect them to read that troll scratching."

Harry paused and mock-glared at Malfoy, "I can't write any different and it is not troll scratch."

"Really so let me read it then" holding out his hand imperiously.

Harry tried to hold down the smirk at the look of confusion on Malfoy's face. Hermione had more then once compared his writing to a form of shorthand understood by no one including himself at times.

"Potter there is no way you can hand this in it is completely ineligible."

"Well it will have to do since Hermione isn't here."

"What does the mud…shrew have to do with anything."

"Don't call my friends names Malfoy" Harry spoke calmly.

Draco was surprised he had not spoken more bitingly considering how he was about his friends. "I am not calling her names I am just stating a fact. The girl seems to go out of her way to hold long rants about things she knows nothing about. She mainly tolerated because she is your friend."

Harry really did not have an answer for that since he had noticed the behaviour of others around Hermione. Lately it seemed she did rant about everything. He just continued to stare at Malfoy blankly hiding a smile when Malfoy finally waved his had dismissingly, "Fine, what did you need Granger for then?"

Harry watched the other teen as he lay among the cushions, twisted slightly so he was on his side preventing his back from touching the back of the chaise sofa. His arms were crossed and resting on the cushioned armrest under him as he waited obviously sulking. Harry tried to ignore the fact that he thought it was cure. A sudden vision of a pouting blond haired toddler crossing his arms and stamping his foot when things did not go his way crossed his mind. "When I have visions to report I usually tell Hermione after I write them and she does this spell that translates my notes into a more legible report to hand in, almost like it was typed." At Malfoy's puzzled look he continued, "Like a newspaper."

"Why don't you do that then?" Draco asked, "I can see why Sev fails you if you hand in work like that."

"Snape fails me because he is a sarcastic bastard that held onto a schoolboy feud long past necessary", Harry retorted calmly, thinking that this was the longest non-confrontational conversation they had ever had.

Draco smirked, "Well yeah that's true, but it is also because your writing looks like troll scratching. Why don't you charm the quill to act like a dictaquill and record what happened that way." Seeing the look of disgust on Potter's face and interpreting it correctly snorted, "It won't behave like Skeeter's unless you add the enchantment to do that. The charm is Converto Vox with a circular movement clockwise."

"Why don't you do it since your so smart, my charm work is not my strongpoint." Harry frowned at the unexpected look of pain on Malfoy's face.

Draco looked away fighting to show no emotion and speaking in a flat tone of voice said quietly "I can't."

"What do you mean you can't? I know that you're top of our class in charms." Harry could not figure out what was wrong. He knew he was asking the wrong questions but not sure, what the right one was.

"I didn't say I did not know how, I said I can't now just do the damn spell."

"Why can't you?" Harry spoke calmly but firmly determined to get to the bottom of the situation, Malfoy was acting out of character.

Keeping his voice low barely above a whisper and still refusing to meet Potter's eyes, "Because my bastard of a father broke my wand when I refused to take the mark." Closing his eyes in remembered pain he lowered his head down on to his crossed arms. He knew it would take getting a new wand to close the hole in his soul. Until then all he could do was endure. He waited for Potter to say something. Then he heard a low voice growl, "That's another one I owe him." Draco looked over puzzled "What?"

tbc