Usual Disclaimer: Unfortunately this world and its wonderful inhabitants do not belong to me, they belong to J. K. Rowling, I'm just borrowing them. I am making no money from this it is purely for the enjoyment of those few who choose to read it. Thanks J. K. for lending me your ready made world of magic.
Extra Disclaimer: The Lyrics below belong to Good Charlottes. I just like them and think they fit this chapter.
A/N: First of all, thank you to all that reviewed the last chapter, namely:
Allexandrya, Signeus, tamachan444, tarshil, unmei3, Fallen Angel, Darklights, acousticguitar, and Laura (In answer to your question Laura, Draco's really never had a chance to show weakness, there are more people to worry about than just his father - say a dormful of spiteful Slytherins... Anyway, he would have shown weakness to himself but even at that, not very often because, he still held his Malfoy pride above all else - that's when he didn't have Harry. Clear as a puddle of mud that's been stirred with a big stick for a while? Good, then on with the show...)
Secondly; An extra special thanks to all those who have reviewed this story at any point, this chapter has seen the story hit the 50 reviews mark and I couldn't be more pleased. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!
Thirdly; A general apology for the slight cliffie at the end of the last chapter but, I love cliff hangers! I try not to have too many but sometimes my insane/evil side gets the better of me! :-)
And finally, For future reference, I update this story on Saturdays unless I have hit some unavoidable hindrance, in which case my profile page will let you know of delays, future updatings etc.
"If you want me to wait I will wait for you,
If you tell me to stay I will stay right through,
If you don't want to say anything at all I'm happy wondering."
Chapter 13 - The Marauders Den
"Wow." Harry gasped as he gazed around him. He turned around to get Draco and found that he could see the library on the other side of the but Draco didn't seem to be able to see him.
"Harry? Harry? Where are you? Can you hear me?" Draco shouted, looking worried.
"Yes! I can hear you! I can see you too! Can't you see me?" Harry shouted in response, but Draco's face only grew more worried and he looked frantic as he dashed forward to stand in front of the illusion wall.
"Answer me Harry! Harry! Please answer me!" Harry felt warm inside, seeing the look of pain and worry on Draco's face. He was worried about him and it made Harry feel special.
"I'm right here. Don't worry." Harry smiled warmly as he stepped back through into the library and took Draco's hand. Relief flooded Draco's face as he pulled Harry into an impulsive and tight embrace.
"I thought... I thought you were gone... like..."
"It's okay. Shh I'm okay, I'm here." Harry reassured him. "I could see and hear you but you really couldn't see anything?" The broke apart.
"No."
"Come on then, I want to show you. It's wonderful." Harry took Draco's hand and led him through into the 'The Marauders Den'.
The room was richly furnished with mahogany and the carpet was a deep, rich red colour. There was a cabinet full of fascinating trinkets; a set of book shelves full of books which looked far more interesting than the ones in the library; a desk set out with parchment, quills and ink; and there were three very comfortable looking armchairs made of red velvet.
What most took Harry's breath away however was the huge mural which completely covered one of the walls. I depicted a huge majestic stag with a gleaming silvery wolf to one side of him and a large mischievous looking black dog to the other. There was one flaw to the mural however. Between the hooves of the stag, near the bottom of the mural, was an area of scraped and scratched paint where a rat once was.
"Wow." Harry breathed, overwhelmed by the room. He was filled with an overpowering sense of fun and mischief as he wandered around the room running his fingers over objects before he came to rest in front of the mural again. His eyes found a signature in the bottom corner of the painting and he grinned upon reading the name.
Prongs
Harry stared up at the stag and it snorted and bowed down on its knees. The dog reared on its hind legs, smiling at Harry and the wolf bowed its head to him. Harry found he could have sat in front of the mural for hours on end but then he was reminded of Draco's presence.
"That's amazing." Draco breathed as he too admired the wall. He was just as awed as Harry at the warmth and beauty of the room and the sense of fun it inspired in him.
"Look there's an inscription on the desk too." He pointed out to Harry, running his fingers over the carvings in the wood.
'The Marauders Den.
Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs.
Base for Magical Mischief, Madness and Mayhem.'
"Wow." Was all Harry could repeat. Draco watched as Harry inspected the desk, he could see the conflicting emotions shimmering in the pools of liquid emerald that were Harry's eyes. Happiness at having found this place and excitement about how it would be used in the future but also sadness at the reminder of what he was missing in his life and pain at the fact that he would never see the Marauders in action. They would never be able to return to this room. Draco felt glad that Harry no longer tried to hide his emotions from him, he alone was permitted access to the sensitive being behind the emerald mask. He settled himself in one of the armchairs, watching Harry contentedly as he inspected some random books from the shelves and moving on to the trinkets in the grand mahogany cabinet. After a few hours he was visibly tiring and was fighting to keep his eyes open. Draco just let him continue however, knowing how important this was to Harry. Eventually, Harry collapsed into Draco's lap, sighing contentedly and yawning deeply.
Draco helped Harry up and led him through the mirage wall into the library, pausing to flick the switch, and down the hall (making a small detour to flick the second switch in the drawing room).
When they reached Harry's room Harry changed into a T-shirt and climbed sleepily into bed.
"Well g'night then." Draco turned to leave.
"Stay?" Harry asked, yawning again.
"If you want me to."
Harry nodded.
Draco stayed.
Both promptly fell asleep, limbs entwined comfortably together, listening to the sounds of each other's breathing.
Two days passed, the boys spending hours at a time in the den, inspecting and fiddling with various trinkets and flicking through books full of interesting spells and tricks. They discovered a box containing four torches and a screwdriver. They guessed the torches were for whatever was under the floorboards and the screwdriver for the light fitting in the drawing room. They had decided not to venture under the floorboards until they had checked with Remus that they weren't going to come across any nasty surprises under there. They had also left the skirting boards in the library intact until they could check that it was worth ripping it off. Harry had also made a mental note to ask Remus about the locked hatch he had found in the floor of the den.
Much to their dismay, Remus had not been their visitor for the two days following their discovery.
On the second day however, it had been Dumbledore who had visited and this gave Harry the chance to request Remus' company the following day and also to ask Dumbledore to remove the pile of suspicious books he had put aside in the library (which was a good thing because it was taking all of his energy to keep Draco away from them - he was 'naturally inquisitive' he had informed Harry matter-of-factly).
In the two days after their discovery, Harry and Draco had become even closer. They were hardly ever further that a few feet away from each other. Both felt extremely at ease, just being in contact with one another. As long as they were close together, they were contented and happy.
As time passed, they became in tune with each others thoughts and emotions. Each could detect any sight changes in the others body language at any moment. Draco could feel the guards being raised to shield Harry's feelings every time the doorbell went and he hated seeing the Harry everyone else saw. He knew there was a whole part of Harry that only he was allowed to see and that made him feel so utterly special. Only Harry had the ability to make him feel special, make him happy, make him smile and laugh genuinely.
Their connection grew to the point where they could finish each other's sentences and sense the slightest and simplest needs of each other. The process, although in reality only taking a few days, seemed so gradual that neither noticed that they had quickly become accustomed to life with each other. As friends, as equals, as partners.
"Remus!" Harry greeted the man warmly as he arrived, as promised, on the ninth day of their stay at Grimmauld. "We found it!" He exclaimed, letting Remus in and leading him into the kitchen.
"Oh you finally got around to it? What did you think?"
"It's brilliant and I have loads of questions too!" Harry was practically jumping with excitement.
"Calm your jets! Now, make me a cup of tea and I'll see about answering some of those questions of yours."
Once Harry and Draco were settled across from Remus, looking eager, Harry wasted no time before questioning Remus thoroughly.
"What's between the ceiling and the floor above? We've found all the hatches."
"Sorry to disappoint you but not much. We used to hide stuff in there or sometimes use it to sneak from room to room but we found it was rather dirty. Sometimes we shut Peter in there for a laugh or just to get rid of him for a while. Usually when he kept complaining that there were only three armchairs and we made him sit on the floor."
"Oh." Harry looked both amused and disappointed but then he perked up and asked, "what about the locked one in the den?"
"Ah, now that one you'd be a bit more interested in."
"And the key?"
"Ah well, you'll have to keep searching. It'd take all the fun out of it if I told you. A true Marauder should have no trouble finding it. Next question."
"What is or was behind the skirting board in the library?"
"And true Marauder you are Harry! How long did it take you to notice that then?"
"Half an hour." Draco interrupted feeling the strangely proud of Harry and finding it hard not to show it. "To find that and everything else in the library, and only a little longer to find the switch in the drawing room."
"Ah well you definitely seem to have inherited your fathers' eerie ability to analyse his surroundings quickly and in detail."
Harry blushed modestly, smiling. "So what is behind there?"
"That would be telling." Remus grinned, his eyes sparkling as he watched the realisation in Harry's face, knowing he had just made the important connection he had previously failed to make. By looking at Draco it seemed that he too had cottoned on.
"Wow." Harry breathed as he and Draco carefully lifted a beautiful marble pensieve from the hatch in the den. On the edge of the bowl was inscribes 'The Marauders Memories'. Harry's eyes glittered threateningly with tears of joy and Draco squeezed his had comfortingly.
Harry had waited his whole life to find something like this. Something that would show him his family. And this would certainly do so.
EXTRA A/N: I have a new Harry/Draco story posted now. It's just a one shot and it is completes fluff. 'Cute with a hint of angst' according to my Beta - Lolly-Phoenix(Thanks for everything Lolly!). Please read it and review! Thank you. Jx
