Summary: HBP spoilers! After Draco appears at the Burrow fully nude and bleeding what will happen to the teens as they struggle to get along? Will they return to Hogwarts? What romance will bubble during Harry's search for the Horcruxes? And is Snape on the side of the light? Find out in this griping tale of blood, sweat, and tears.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or his friends

Spoilers: Half Blood Prince, OoP, GoF, PoA, CoS, PS

Warning! Mentionings of Narsissa and Lucius as cousins, but they are distant cousins - think about in the old days how Kings and Queens got married to their relatives.

Broken Window

The Shack

"For the longest time I thought that I was a better mother, you were always to me the best son I could've ever wished for, but there was many problems with you from the start. I'm not talking about behavior. I'm talking about health; you were a very unhealthy child since you were basically born from two cousins. After all the Malfoys have to be purebloods, but there are not that many purebloods left. You were a child of incest much like your father and me. We are children of incest, but it is not taboo since it has not been made public. Our ways are secret, only we – the Malfoy family know that our lines are running thin and starting to become even sicker as the generations go on.

"What you might not realize is that it used to be every ten generations a Malfoy could conceive a bastard son with another woman… that is after marrying a pureblood woman and then the man would keep the two women in confines. After conceiving a child with the other woman that was as close as you could get to a pureblood. Then nine months later claim that your wife had a son except it was the other woman's son (and it had to be a son). Then the other woman would be disposed of. But your father was the tenth generation of this line and he found the whole ritual shameful, and he loved me at the time. He refused to do it so you were the tenth generation of used blood. That's one of the reasons you have Congestive Heart Failure, but it is not only that we were technically second or third cousins it is that also that you were born very premature. We put you on a potion to help your kidneys get rid of the fluid in your lungs better, but then today – this is the reason I started writing several minutes ago – I found out another health condition. You had to be put onto two new potions, you are just three, but you were not recognizing the colour green from the others. Upon further studying your father found out that you are colour bind and that you have severe astigmatism mixed in with bad vision. He claims that his children can not have anything imperfect about them so he placed you on these potions. But he also passed something foul onto you. It was someth-"

Draco abruptly closed the book as Potter came into the room with narrowed eyes, "What are you reading?" Draco bared his teeth and held the book tightly with both hands; the brunette was really starting to grate on his nerves with his constant questioning. "I asked you a question Malfoy, for Merlin's sake you should at least have the decency to answer me with an insult or something." All week long the other boy had been asking questions about everything and Draco at first started to answer Potter with snide comments, but now the blond was about to his breaking point.

A sudden pain rose sharply in Draco's chest a muffled whimper could be heard as Draco's hands flew to rest on his chest. Deep, long breaths seemed to ease the pain away slowly. Grey eyes looked up to see Potter looming over him with wide eyes; Draco grimaced at the slight twinge left in his chest and stood up to leave Potter alone in the house, but the boy had a new past time called: follow-Draco-and-drive-him-insane-with-questions.

The blonde was to go into town and see all the muggle-shops for clothing that he liked and that Severus could afford. One slight problem was that Draco had no idea what the bloody hell pounds were, but he would just have to figure it out as he shopped. Draco figured he might even enjoy shopping in Muggle London, since he always did like shopping for new robes. Of course this was before he found out that Potter was to come with him. Upon hearing the news, Draco flinched slightly at the thought of Potter asking so many questions as he bought long-sleeved shirts during summer time. But as he set out with Potter tagging along behind it turned out only worse then what he had expected.

"Malfoy?" Potter asked as he continued walking slightly behind Draco, "Why did you take off your clothes when you were running? I mean it would've been safer if you kept them on and you wouldn't have all those scars that you've been complaining about." Draco stopped abruptly and Potter ran into his back, then Draco spun around sharply and put a single finger to his chest.

Draco was going to explode; it was annoying him to death the fact that Potter wouldn't let it drop, for the past half hour he had been asking that question non-stop and every time his answer was the same. "None of your sodding business Potter! For fuck's sake drop it already!" Draco smirked when silenced followed his outburst for nearly 7 minutes when he heard Potter open his mouth and take in a breath. "Potter I swear to Merlin if you say anything along the lines of a question I'm going to-"

But Potter had stopped walking and had his mouth hanging open, with a rather terrified look in his eyes. The bags he had been holding fell to the floor, Draco followed the other teen's gaze and saw it, the Dark Mark was hanging in the sky, but for Draco it wasn't a green colour. It was a brown colour that caused Draco to scrunch his nose up at the look of it. "Potter pick those bags up, we have to floo somewhere else and continue before they find us!"

Potter looked as though he wanted to cry, "They put up wards on this town… it has to be coincidence that they are here, only the order knew that we were coming here." Draco turned and picked up the bags that Potter had dropped, but Potter took some from his hands. "Take your wand out Malfoy. We might need it."

They took off running, the sun was starting to set and the purple sky was marred with a green stain. Nimble, scarred feet that had run so far that night so long ago protested; his heart started to protest as well. The muggle medicine didn't compare to the potion as his breath came out in sharp gasps as he attempted to stay conscious. "Potter!" Draco huffed out, "We need to find somewhere to floo quickly!"

Potter turned to see Draco struggling to breathe. Har-Potter wondered how Draco ever got to the fields of the burrow if he was already out of breath in just a minutes worth of strides. Potter's torn trainers clomped on the ground in search of the building the flooed out of, they turned the corner and saw it.

Swarms of death eaters were breaking into shops and massacring the muggles inside the shops. A death eater then called out to the others and shot up green sparks that looked brown to Draco; the death eaters started to run after them. "Fuck!" Potter called out as he turned around and started to run the way they came. "Malfoy!" Draco's feet pounded just like his head, his lungs tried to fill with oxygen, but still he couldn't get the slight blurred edges of his vision to leave. "We have to get to the platform!"

Draco chased after Potter, his speed slightly decreasing with each step as his world slid in and out of focus. After a few moments the death eaters were closer and shooting spells at the pair, Har-Potter continued to curse as spells flew past his head. "Malfoy, come on… you can run this far! I see it! Come on!" Potter fell behind a few steps so that he was next to Malfoy. "Look! You see the brown square up there? That's what we have to step on." Draco looked at Potter like he was crazy, it was absolutely insane! Neither of them had their apparating license, they were breaking the law!

"If I apparate Potter… then… they are going to find my location." Potter didn't seem to care as he continued running, the plastic bags swayed in their hands and Draco couldn't believe they had continued to hold them all this time. His chest felt like it was going to explode as mass pain shot through as if someone had shot him, but then Draco felt it. His eyes widened as a spell hit him squarely in the back, but he continued running despite the blood that he had started to cough up and the colour the tips of his fingers were turning. Blood dribbled from the corner of his mouth, a metallic tang overwhelmed his taste buds. Potter was the first one to vanish his eyes closed hard in concentration, hoping that he wouldn't leave any of his limbs behind. Draco was next the feeling of being pushed through a straw was the last thing he needed as he passed out once again in the fields of the burrow.

Draco woke up, but he couldn't open his eyes or call out as hushed voices spoke in harsh tones to each other, their voices barley audible to the blonde save a few words. As the two people spoke he recognized both of the voices, but could not place them.

"The people… spies!"

"All…?"

"All! … Draco … Harry!"

"… must… apartment… soon."

"… muggles…"

"Poor Draco..."

The next time the blonde woke up he was over taken by the sun; it burned his eyes in its scalding light. A person next to him placed a hand on his forehead and wiped up the remaining blood around his mouth. Still Draco couldn't speak, but instead moaned in pain.

"I know it hurts Draco… your throat is probably throbbing and raw after the spell they hit you with."

It was Bill, Draco's heart skipped a beat – and he would later deny that that ever happened – he couldn't believe that Bill was here taking care of him. A woman's voice then filled the room, he knew her. His burned eyes fell upon the girl – that was no longer a girl – from fourth year. She had creature blood and his father had warned him about her and the ways of a veela. Her once thick accent was subdued by the amount of time she had spent with English-speaking people. The woman leaned over and placed a kiss of Bill's cheek and with that simple move Draco's heart sank to the floor. Of course he had a lover, how could he had not realized that the wedding he had attended just a few weeks ago been theirs? Allowing his eyes to close in mourning of… whatever Bill and he had shared. But in truth Draco had to admit Bill and he hadn't shared much of anything romantically. In fact the redhead had simply shown Draco acceptance.

"Ah, I zee zat Draco has woken."

But that acceptance meant the world to him. Not wanting to talk to her or Bill, Draco closed his eyes and shielded the naked, grey orbs from the sneaking, slippery glances of the pair. Their wide, in-love eyes made Draco sick to his stomach and he didn't want their pitiful eyes to stare at him – he actually didn't want her pitiful eyes staring at him. His eyes were welcome…

After turning over, he sighed deeply and let himself be lulled into sleep as the warmth of the blankets and sun enveloped his body. The dreams that accompanied his sleep were not altogether unpleasant or pleasant; they were just mere memories of what had happened in the past. Childhood memories that no longer held emotion were played off like a reel in a movie theatre, but this motion picture was a silent one. Lips moved in unheard words. Screams fell upon deaf ears. Wails were over come by silence. Faces had no identity. Bodies held no shape. Draco was frightened and whimpered at the sight of his father; the ideals he held were chiseled into the blonde's brain and much erosion would have to happen or else it would forever be encrypted.

A sharp pain in his side woke him, the blonde sat up suddenly to find Potter by his side brandishing his wand like a sword. "Malfoy get up we are going to get out Apparation license and if you don't get up right now we are just going to leave without your sorry arse." Groaning Draco moved over to see the cloak strike 2:30 and a loud clung noise resonated around the house. His eyes fell closed to the mere thought of Apparating, he hadn't even realized that they had broken the rules when they had franticly used magic to teleport themselves to the field.

"I feel like I was hit by a train." Draco muttered as he sat up, a gasp met his lips as his lungs burned for a few minutes, but soon the burning sensation simmered down to a mere sizzle. Grey eyes closed in concentration, "Let's go! Led the way, Potter!" Potter's eyes skimmed over my disheveled state, but soon he turned around and walked out whilst twirling that stick of his in-between his fingers. Mister Weasley was waiting with a single black boot in his hand and the other Weasley boy at his side; they were arguing in hushed tones that quickly cut short once they saw Draco walk in with Potter.

"The princess has arrived." Potter said in a mocking sing-song voice and Draco was tempted to say 'Fuck you' but refrained since he saw that Mister Weasley was in the room. The blonde dared not to say anything too offending with the man of the house present now that Lucius wasn't there to protect him against these beasts.

When Potter, Weasel, and Draco got into the rather large, empty room they were left to contemplate the "Three-D's" while a man with short, brown hair got everything set up for their tests. The test was in reverse alphabetical order making the Weasel go first. His face was pale, hair on end, and clothes absolutely dreadful. He took a deep breath and suddenly, without warning in was precariously perched on one foot inside a blue coloured ring. The brown-haired man studied his face and features and made notes in his clip board, but didn't say a word as to whether he had passed or not. Next in line was Potter, who looked fairly confident as he stepped up to the starting place. As soon as he got there a Crack! resonated through out the room. Potter was halfway across the room inside a red hoop, but unlike weasel he had both feet firmly planted and a smile was on his face. Again the man with brown hair came over to the examinee and proceeded to scribble notes about Potter's features and whether or not he had passed.

Draco stood up to the platform; despite his nervousness he wore a mask of indifference as he thought about the green ring across the room. His body felt like it was being sucked through a small straw, but once that feeling stopped Draco opened his eyes to see that he was standing in the middle of the green coloured ring. The man with the clip board examined him and then grinned, "Congratulations, all of you have passed." And with that the room was in an uproar.

The apparition test wasn't as hard as Draco had expected especially after the way the Slytherins had talked it up. He had passed as well as the two baboons in front of him who cheered as soon as they had passed, but Draco refrained from saying anything since they had been in the presence of the older weasel. The older Weasley congratulated him on passing after giving the two other boys enthusiastic hugs, he had expected no less for the man, since they didn't exactly share a close bond with one another. Sighing, Draco moved over to the back of the crowd, he knew that soon Mister Weasley was going to kick him out of the house to go live with Potter of all people. Cursing under his breath, Draco took the envelope out of his pocket and took out the money from inside. He was suppose to find an apartment that could fit himself and Potter with this amount of money, after much research Draco realized just how little it was.

He was supposed to drag the Weasel with him during his search for a house so that they could buy one close to each other sometime this week. Of course, Draco had absolutely no desire to be near the weasel and his beaver-girlfriend. Much less go apartment hunting with the redhead. But it was deemed necessary by the new head of the Order of the Phoenix: Minerva McGonagall. She was now the headmistress of Hogwarts and held very high status in the wizarding world, but with Draco she was still a pain in the arse. Draco was infuriated that he would have to share an apartment with Potter and – from what Draco understood – not much money to pay for this apartment. Cursing seemed to be the only plan Draco had.

In turn, Draco was left cursing outside, while sitting on a lawn chair. It was very early in the morning and no one was awake yet, save himself. Then Potter came down the stairs, Draco could see him through the window as he picked up the clean laundry left by Missus Weasley the night before on the table and then he started to fold it and put the clean clothes into appropriate piles – manually! He was folding clothes like a muggle, as if almost without second thought. Intrigued by Potter's actions Draco continued to watch, once the boy was done with the clothes he moved over to the pile of dishes.

Draco couldn't help but be puzzled by Potter's cleaning habits. When the plump woman with red hair came into the room she startled the teen by placing her hands on his shoulders and then she said something to him causing the boy to look down at his feet and walk away from the half cleaned dishes. Ronald Weasley then came into the room, he towered over both of the other occupants, and he even had to bend over quite a bit to kiss the top of his mother's head. Draco felt like an outcast, an intruder on this special moment between a mother and her two sons, but once Draco realized he had thought that his face scrunched up in disgust. He shouldn't care about those mangy, filthy, grubby blood traitors.

That's when he realized that today was the day he would go to look for a small apartment that they, he and Har-Potter, were supposed to share together, while Granger and Weasel shared another. Mother Weasel saw Draco sitting outside in the chair and motioned for him to come in, although Draco was tempted to apparate in to startle them Draco decided against it since Mister Weasel could be in there.

After arguing Draco and Weasel Junior had gone their separate ways, but when all Draco could afford was a two room apartment in the city with no bathroom he was infuriated. Once he had paid for the month Draco was sent to the rooms that he and Potter would be sharing. Many flights of stairs later, the blonde was panting as he opened the door to his new home. Had Draco not been a Malfoy he would've been reduced to sobs right then and there in the hallway of his newly rented flat.

Har-Potter was sure going to be shocked when he saw the new living quarters he would be sharing with his archenemy: Draco Malfoy. Draco then closed the door and locked it, placing the keys in his pocket he went to go meet up with Weasley so that they could go back to their new flatmates and show them their new and surely wonderful homes.