Disclaimer: same as the first

Author note: there is a brief mention of rape in this part. The act is not described just mentioned

Chapter 3

Neville shows up takes one look at Malfoy and freaks out. It takes a while to calm him down and than another day to convince him to stay and help. Once he is settled in, he set to work trying to make some meds, Hermione has to help him brew it. It has been five days. Malfoy not really getting any better. He has his moments of clarity but even than he mostly just laughs. It's after two in the morning. Everyone asleep. I ended up giving Neville the sofa leaving me with the floor. Five days spent sleeping on the floor. Being a hero is a hard job. I can hear him breathing. In, out. Short harsh breaths. He won't breath deep. I should have sleep in the living room. Neville snores are easier to deal with than his shallow frantic breathing. They hurt him. They hurt him bad, the evident is all over him. I can't help but feel sorry for him.

"They killed my mum."

His voice startled me. I sit up. He's lying there on his back eyes wide. Breathing.

"Who killed her?"

"Them all of them. But mostly Bellatrix."

He says his aunt name like it's a curse

"Snape took me back to HIM. He was angry with me, pleased with Snape. I'm only alive because he was pleased with Snape. To punish me he called out Bellatrix and told her to kill my mum. They drag them both to the front of the room. She did't want to do it my mum was her sister. In the end…They all bow to the snake. In the end, she lifted her wand and let the fire out. My mum was dead with in a minute. My mum loved me. She did, even when I was being a silly little boy… I'm alive because Snape made HIM happy."

"Draco what did Snape do to you."

He rolled till he hangs over the side of the bed leaning forward till his face was inches from mine.

"I don't want my fucking arm back Potter not if it brings them to me."

"They are not going to touch you Draco."

"You are great than Dumbledore now Harry." My name slides of his tongue as if he spoke it everyday.

"No not great just meaner."

"Don't get too mean."

"I won't let them touch you."

He watch me eyes wide, clear, gray. He nods his head twice and sits back.

"When he was with me I though about you. Harry Potter favorite of the wizard world. I had dreams lot of dreams. A lot of them end in fire, you can't use your wand you have to find another way. Hate it when they force me… Harry do you have any ice scream." He spoke the whole sentence in on long rush all the world melting into each other.

"Malfoy can you explain everything you just said slower?"

He gives me a snotty little smirk that sends a jolt throw me. For a second there he looked like well like Malfoy. The one I remember.

"Ice scream."

"You scream or you want ice cream."

He shrugs. "Same thing."

"When did you get so strange?."

He smirks slow, dirty. "About the same time you started getting fucked on a regular basic. She is having second thought but she loves you. Even if she is a bitch."

I stand and look down at him. He was really starting to scare me. "Malfoy… Draco… what did they do to you. Voldemort and the others."

He put out his hand. I took it he yanked me forward till I'm draped halfway across the bed supporting myself one arm. The little snot a lot stronger than he looks. His grip on my shoulder is hard unyielding.

"They unlocked my brain. I can't shut it off now. Some time I go away. It's nice out there white light no fire. You bring me back… You always bring me back."

He let me go I stumble backward catching myself on the side of the bed.

"Unlocked you brain?"

"You think Ginny cheating on you. You are right. Who is she with? Who? I can't see. Ron wants to ask Hermione to marry him. She'll say yes of course. Hermione worried about you, thinks you're getting to cold. She is right. You keep locking yourself away you start a fire."

"You can read people thoughts. How?"

"If I knew how it went on I would know how it goes off. The answer is in HIS mind. I can't go there it burns."

"What is it with you and fire?"

"Fire can destroy but it can also purify. Why did you like the old me I was…" he cut himself off. I took a deep breath and closed my mind off. He can read my thoughts. Voldemort had found a away to unlock mind reading.

"You can't keep me out. Not really Potter, not even with Occlumency training."

"How many others did he do this to?"

"It won't work for everyone. There has to be something in your brain something… they can trigger. It killed my father. He didn't have the trigger. It worked for Snape but he can't go far. Only one person at a time close range. "

"And you how far can you go? How deep"

He tosses his head back and laughs, a deep belly laugh that shacks his hold body. "I tried all of London there was pain not so much now, further hurts, the more I stretch the less it hurts. It was all surface thoughts. Digging deeper takes work it's better if their closer easier for me to reach in. hurts less."

"So it is like a muscle the more you practice the further you can go. Does it work the same for Snape?"

"No it's too small in him. But there are other. None as good as me." he smirked. "In this I am the best. Won't work for Voldemort not enough of him left. He needs to use others."

"Does he know how strong the power is in you?"

"No" he giggles. "He can't feel it. Not magic just my brain. I told him a big lie got touched and ran away."

The way he said the word touched sent a shock of something very much like anger down my spine. I sit on the edge of the bed. He shifted away from me.

"It wasn't so bad Potter. I had bigger and a lot better."

"Malfoy…" I cut myself off. I didn't really want to know. It would make things harder. It was enough to know about the killing but that was….

"Rape is very real. Not hearing about it doesn't make it not happen, Potter it happens to a lot of the ones who die… before, after, doesn't matter. Rape is not sex it power. Voldemort loves power."

"Draco don't tell me… just."

He reaches out and pinches me. I glear at him, he giggles. "I won't tell you Potter but it doesn't make it any less true."

"Who?" The question jumps out my mouth.

"Both of them."

Snape, Voldemort who else would have done it. "I'll kill them." The words where out before I realized I was think them. No one deserved that, not Malfoy, not Draco, not this kid. Because suddenly Draco seem so much fucking younger than me and that didn't make any sense at all. He said Ginny was cheating on me. And I believed him. He wouldn't lie I don't think he can lie, not anymore. He laid back, head pillowed on his broken arm, eyes wide staring at me. Ron was right he had been nothing more than a silly kid who made a stupid mistake. They hurt him for that.

"I'd let you protect me Potter."

I reached out ran a hand over his head. I missed his hair. I always wanted to reach out tug on it.

He giggles. "I'll grow it back."

"You going to help us with that mighty brain of your."

"You're going to make me turn it on."

"Turn what on."

"My magic."

"Yeah Draco you have to. You're a pretty decent wizard. You'll be able to guard yourself better with a wand."

"He can feel me when the magic on."

"Can he trace you?"

"No but he will know I'm not dead."

"I'll protect you as long as you are working with us."

"Potter."

"Yeah Draco."

"Can you stay till I fall asleep?"

"Yeah… I can do that."

His eyes drop close. I sit an rub my fingers against his peach fuzz. He's asleep in a few minute breathing, deep even breaths. He's not afraid anymore. I stand and head for the kitchen. I wonder if we have any ice cream?