A/N: I decided that I wanted to post a few parts at once, to get this story up ASAP. I want to concentrate on chapters I am writing at the moment, for my other stories. Also, I replaced the chapter content. It was originally a Harry/Seamus story, but I decided to change parts of it because I decided I liked Harry/Draco better for this story. I am so sorry for the confusion!

Chapter 8

He went back to the lab with a cup of coffee and Draco and Blaise went with him, leaving Seamus and Harry in the sitting room. Seamus started the conversation with "So, when did you get that training from the founders?"

"On my birthday, while I was supposedly taking a bath. It was so nice there. I met a ton of people, mostly Gods and Goddesses, but some relatively normal people too. That is where I got most of my powers, but some of them were ones I had, but had not tapped into yet."

"Like what?"

"Watch." Harry scrunched his face up and suddenly, Seamus was looking at a brown eyed redhead. Unfortunetly, Severus and the Slythrin boys chose that moment to exit the lab. Severus immediately pointed his wand at Harry's chest.

"Who are you?" Severus said. "Harry." He scrunched up his face again, and became the green eyed, raven haired teen that the men knew.

"You're a metamorphagus." It was not a question that issued from Draco's mouth. "I am." Said Harry. I learned to control it when I went to the founder's house for training. It was not too hard to learn. Now you guys know. I was going to tell you earlier, but I never got a chance."

"At least we know now. You won't have to wear battle robes everywhere and you can get away from your fans." That was Draco. He had always understood that Harry hated being famous. But they had not been actual friends until last year. Draco had seen him disappear from the Great Hall. He had followed Harry to the astronomy tower, where Harry was standing on the wall, about to jump off. He had stopped him, coaxing him off the wall, and had held him while Harry cried, having cracked with the pain and pressure of his life.

Draco had never known that every one of Harry's parental figures died, having a mad man after you, living with abusive relatives, even when Dumbledore knew what he went through and never stopping them, and having every witch and wizard that did not follow the dark lord depend on killing the madman after him,.

Even Draco had never had to deal with problems and issues of such a magnitude, at least not all at once. Draco held Harry as he cried that night, and finally understood what it was like to be Harry Potter. He understood what it was like to be The-Boy-Who-Won't-Freaking-Die, and he learned a lesson that night, high up in the Astronomy tower. He learned that Harry only wanted to be normally other witch and wizard.

Harry was a normal boy...well, not normal, but not an instant hero, emotionless and soulless killing machine, a weapon for Dumbledore's use. He is a living, breathing, feeling man with morals. Harry is so much deeper than other people thought. He feels more guilt than any other individual, and more passion for every day he lives then anyone in the entire universe. He is beautiful, on the outside and inside.

Draco has been Harry's confident ever since that night, that night of change when Draco's world was turned upside down and he realised just how mad his father's master is.

He wished he could take away even a small part of the weight on the young man's shoulders, could take some of the weariness and pain out of those expressive emerald orbs. The eyes of a man who had seen too much in his life. The eyes of a four hundred year old vampire, who does not want to be immortal anymore, because of the evils he committed, the hardships he has survived. The eyes of a old cripple who was so painfully injured, he asks his best friend or his wife or child, to put him out of his misery, end his life.

Maybe that was why he followed Harry that night. Maybe he saw the pain and sadness in his eyes. Maybe he wanted to insult him, maybe he wanted to help. But most likely, he will never know.

He wished that he could share Harry's hurts, make him forget. But Harry liked a man that would never realise it, and Harry will never say anything, for fear of rejection or having him die too. Draco wanted to help, so he decided to set them up.

He would need Blaise and Severus, and a few well written letters, sent on owls, to make it work. Yes... Draco thought with a mental smirk that would work nicely. He went and found Severus and Blaise, and dragged them into his room.

Seamus was worried. Not a little worried either. Very, very worried. It was the twenty-fifth of August, and Harry was in his room. Now that was not what was worrying Seamus. Harry was in his room, which is also Seamus's room, and had locked it with a lot of charms. Seamus could not get in. Harry would not come out.

Harry had been in there for almost a week. He had not eaten, and that was bad. It started one morning, at breakfast. Harry had eaten two bowls of porridge, and a banana. Then the post came. A black owl swooped over Harry and landed in the sugar bowl. Harry pulled off the letter, and as he read, his face paled.

Then he just took off to our room and locked himself in. he had the letter, so the other men could not even read it and figure out what they could do. They took shifts at the doorway of Blaise and Draco's room. Draco took it from six to eight in the morning, Blaise from eight to ten, Severus from ten to noon, and Seamus from noon to two.

Then the shifts started again. And the last six hours of the day, or rather, night, were taken by Draco. Draco never said it, but Severus and Seamus know that he liked Harry. He loved his sense of humor, loved the way he spoke, and absolutely adored his looks. The thing that Draco liked most though, was his spirit. His spirit was amazing. Draco knew he would have cracked long before Harry had he been in his place.

Harry sat on his bed. He had at least ten locking charms and four silencing charms on the door. He did not realise that the silencing charms had worn off though, and he let out all of his hurt, anger, guilt, and pain in a heartbreaking, earth shattering, bloodcurdling scream. He screamed for at least a minute, without stopping to take a breath.

He picked up the throwing daggers and conjured a target. He let his fury fly into those eighteen daggers. The daggers were all thrown in less than a minute, and he felt better. He decided to leave the room. Soon, but not yet. He gave another scream, louder and more emotion filled than the one before.

Draco, Blaise, Severus, and Seamus were gathered outside the door to the Griffindors' room. They had went running for the room when the first scream was heard. They came running and quickly began the questions, like 'Is something happening?', 'Is someone attacking him?' 'Is he okay?' Draco was quick to reassure them. "He's fine. He is just letting out emotions, in the only way he knows how. At least it's better then having him smash everything in sight."

Another scream, longer and more pain and hurt and anger was evident in it. This one lasted close to a minute and a half. Then there was the sound of something hard striking something soft. Seamus was pretty sure that Harry was punching something, or throwing stuff at the bed.

Then all was still and silent. There was the sound of him throwing himself on the bed. The men, bar Draco, went back downstairs. The sound of locking charms being removed made Draco start. The door eased open. Harry stepped into the hall.

Harry felt much better. He decided that he could face the men that he lived with. He had had a long talk with the God of Life, and had sorted out his emotions. He stepped into the hall, and saw Draco sitting on a love seat. His friend looked exhausted, to say it nicely.

He looked at him and said "Hey Dray." His voice was raspy and monotonous. He sounded like he had a sore throat, which he probably did from all that screaming. He sounded bad, but looked worse. He smelled like sweat, blood and tears mixed with soap and aftershave. No other odors were in the room.

Apparently, the rule against underage magic did not apply inside Hogwarts. His hair was matted and dirty, and he was thin and looked sickly. He was pale. He was dirty. He was beautiful...to Draco, at least. Harry was standing there, staring at Draco. His beautiful emerald eyes were almost a forest green from pain and anger, and an emotion that Draco knew, but could not put his finger on.

Draco cleared his throat, and suggested a shower before heading downstairs, making sure that Harry could support himself. Harry nodded and disappeared into the bathroom.

Draco went to the kitchen. The other men in the house but Harry were waiting for him. They looked up in surprise. "What are you doing down here? I thought that you were waiting for Harry to come out." Seamus said, looking puzzled. "He came out. He is in the shower right now. Then he is having dinner and going to bed. He can sleep in the living room, it is closer to the kitchen. He will be weak for a while. It is best not to let him tire himself out."

The other men sent each other knowing looks. "Draco, why don't you stay in the living room with Harry. He might need the moral support." Blaise said, with Seamus adding "He might need more than that. What if he has a nightmare or wants to talk to you about the letter?"

Draco nodded and sat down as Harry entered the kitchen, clean, wet, and clean-shaven. If he was beautiful when he was filthy, then he was drop-dead gorgeous when he is clean. Draco was staring, with Harry staring right back.

The Slythrin men looked pleased with the staring contest, and Blaise put the next part of his master plan into action.

"Harry! We are so glad to see you. We were so worried, but Draco sat by your room for about ten hours every day. And every time he switched with one of us to eat or sleep, he would come back about an hour before his shift. It was soooooo sweet. I wish I had someone to do that for me."

Then, with all the slyness and cunning he possessed, he left the room, with Seamus and Severus behind him. He stopped with the other two behind the door, and listened to the conversation going on between Harry and Draco.

"Did you really, Dray?"

"Stay so long waiting for you to come out?"

"Yes. Did you?"

"Yes I did. I wanted to be there when you came out. I was so worried. I thought you had died. You were in there almost a week. What happened Harry?"

Harry shook and started to cry. "I got a letter that s-said t-that...oh Dray, its awful! Lavender- Lavender was murdered! And Volde-Voldemort left a message in her blood on the wall. It said 'You can never evade the Dark Lord for long, and this innocent was killed because you live.' I got Lavender killed, Draco!"

He dissolved in tears. "They did not print it in the Prophet because she was murdered by Voldemort, and they spent a year messing up my name. But the Quibbler and now everyone knows that I got her killed. She didn't even do anything! It's all my fault!"

He was sobbing and tears were running like rivers down the pale cheeks of the sad man. Draco gathered the raven-haired boy into his arms. "Hush, you did not do anything. That man is mad, he has no sense of right and wrong. Lavender was a target a long time ago. Voldemort is trying to make you feel guilty. It was not your fault. Shh...don't fret, you will feel better soon." Whispered Draco into Harry's ear. Harry calmed, and they sat that way for a while. Harry looked up and Draco looked down, and then their lips met. It was soft and sweet, and Draco let Harry kiss away his pain and hurt and guilt. It was a hungry kiss, and Draco was happy with it.

They broke apart when they needed to breathe, and Draco carried Harry into the living room, enlarging the sofa so that they both could sleep. Draco fell asleep to the sound of Harry's breathing.

The three men at the kitchen door left for their rooms, each with a knowing smile on their faces. Yes, things were good.

Severus woke up at dawn the next morning. He went into the kitchen and peeked into the living room. Harry and Draco were curled up on the couch, arms and legs entwined. Severus smirked, thinking that he would not wake them. He sat at the table with a cup of coffee, and he waited for the four teens to wake up.

The first of those four stumbled into the kitchen about an hour after Severus sat down. "Morning S'vrus." Seamus mumbled sleepily, rubbing his eyes. He sat and accepted the offered mug of black coffee. He had finished the cup before he thought of something. He stood, and peeked into the living room. He stood watching for a moment, and turned back to the table with a soft smile on his face.

"He should be happy for once. He has had such a hard life. Half of the stuff he has in his life everyday is enough to drive anyone in the world totally and completely insane. Don't they make a cute couple Severus?"

"I suppose so. He really has had a bad life. The thing with his relatives, the philosopher's stone, having people believe that he was setting a monster on muggleborns, then having dementors suck the only happy memories that Harry has, leaving him with the days he wished to forget. And then he had the triwizard tournament, Diggory being murdered, and the rise of the Dark Lord.

"And in his fifth year, there was that horrible woman who used a Blood Quill on him and left him with another scar. And having to deal with the rules she made, and Black dying at the hands of Bellatrix not enough, he blames himself for the mutt dying."

He paused, apparently thinking of last year.

"And last year. He had to deal with the funeral of another friend, that little Creevy brat. The one that fell in the lake his first year. And then Voldemort came to the school on Halloween, and his scar reopening. And having dreams where he feels every curse on every death eater. And then dealing with that attack on Hogsmead, and then the Death Eater raid on that muggle town. And then Dumbledore started meddling worse than ever, and harry coming to you and me to confide in. not to mention that night in the astronomy tower. And then this summer, he was abused worse then ever, and started wearing glamour charms all day and all night."

He stopped, feeling terrible for the former bane of his existence. He was so cruel all those years. For five years he made every day of Harry's life at Hogwarts a living Hell. He felt so bad about it, he refused to play his part in potions to him anymore. He remembered the night that he had found Harry's well kept secret.

It was a dark and stormy night at the beginning of the school year, and he felt magic on a classroom door. Silencing charms. He had pulled open the door to find the poor young man standing on the top of a desk, screaming all of his emotions out. The sound was heart wrenching. He had waited until Harry had collapsed onto the floor before pulling him onto his lap and actually comforting him. He noticed a charm on Harry himself, and he did not reconise what it was. He whispered 'Finite' and saw the real Harry Potter.

The teen was extremely malnourished, thin, and small. He had scars on almost every inch of his skin that was visible. He remembered the horror at seeing this. He had lifter harry, who had fallen into a state of awake unawareness. Severus had pulled off the robes, and Harry was immediately alert. "Shush, I just want to see your chest and back." Harry looked suspicious, but let the older man pull off his button down school shirt.

Severus was disgusted. He saw huge long scars, partially healed gashes, and clearly written words carved into the back of the back of the raven-haired teen. The words were easily written. There was 'Freak' 'Worthless' and another word that looked like 'Queer'. He had scooped the young man into his arms, and was appalled by the lightness of the sixteen year old student. He could not have weighed even a hundred pounds. Severus guessed that he weighed roughly eight pounds. He carried the man into the infirmary and called for the mediwitch.

Madam Pomfrey came running out in a nightgown, and asked what all the fuss was. Then she saw the young man in the snarky potions master's arms. She directed him to the nearest bed and stripped him. He was not marked below the waist, oddly enough. The mediwitch waved her wand and he was in a hospital gown. She ran a diagnostic spell, running the wand twice up and down the teen, and setting it point down on a sheet of parchment. It wrote out his history.

Then it wrote down current ailments. The list was very long. It listed the problems, and what caused it. It also let you know the exact day that they happened. If something happened several times on different days, it would list the three most recent. If they were sick, it would have the date it set in.

Infection: lacerations; July seventh
Lacerations: whip; August thirtieth, August thirty-first, September firs
Broken tibia: lamp; June fifteenth
Broken ribs: Smeltings stick; June seventh, July fourteenth, July twenty-seventh
Liquid in lungs: punctured by broken rib: August seventeenth
smashed wrist: Smeltings stick; July seventh
scarred writing: heated knife; June sixth; Blood quill; random times last year, traced by knife June eighth.
Anorexia: not eating; august thirtieth, thirty-first, September first
Extreme anal scarring and rips: Repeated rape; August Thirtieth, thirty-first, and September first.

Severus thought he would be sick. He ran out of the room and into the bathroom. He came back in a few minutes, and saw Poppy healing Harry. He helped her cure the infection, heal the bones, and repair the lung that was punctured. He could not stay while she healed the cuts and fade the scars. He left and when she came back, she had healed everything but the scar tissue from being raped by his uncle. She had Severus hold him down as she healed im, as it hurt badly. Harry did not move or make a noise. He lay there like a broken doll, and it broke Severus's heart.

He had cared for the boy from that day forward, giving him nutrient potions and ones that helped him deal with the effects of the spells and potions he had gotten from Madam Pomfrey, who insisted the Harry call her Poppy.

Harry had come to him when he had nightmares, and Severus got him to open up. Then that night came, the night Harry almost jumped off the top of the tower. But Draco got him to come down, and the two were inseparable after that night. Draco had come to Severus after harry let out his entire history to him, and Severus replied "I knew."

Man Draco had gotten mad. Severus was interrupted from reliving last year when Blaise came into the kitchen. He went and peeked into the living room, and came to the table smiling.

"Those two really are cute. But i have never seen someone sleep at that angle before. Harry's neck is gonna hurt terribly when he wakes up."

Seamus and Severus looked at each other and peered into the living room. Harry awe curled up into Draco, with his head curled against his chest and held there by Draco's chest.

They went back into the kitchen "You're right. That looks horribly uncomfortable. Then they heard a moan from inside the living room. Blaise stuck his head in and came back smirking. "Harry woke up, and his neck most definitely hurts. Draco muttered a healing spell and he and Harry stumbled into the kitchen, holding hands. The other three men in the room were pretending not to notice. They ate and went into the living room. They decided to visit Gringotts again. They would visit the Other founder's vaults, and look for anything useful. They also decided to look inside one or two of Merlin's vaults.