Betrayals, Truths and Family

Chapter 9: A Son Needs a Friend

Harry woke groggily to the sound of someone knocking on his door. His eyes and cheeks felt sore and he realised that he had cried himself to sleep the night before.

"Harry, are you okay? Is it alright if I come in?" Severus said from the other side of the door, sounding worried.

Harry sat up in his bed, rubbing his eyes, "You can come in," he said, although his voice came out rather scratchy.

The door opened and Severus looked at him, his concern showing especially as he saw the evidence of tears on his sons' face. Severus hurried to the bed and sat next to Harry, placing a gentle hand on his knee and rubbing gently with his thumb.

"Are you okay?" Severus said.

"I… I don't know. No. I… It hurts,"

"What hurts? Are you injured? Are any of your injuries flaring up?" he hurried out, his eyes showing a hint of fear.

"My body is fine," Harry whispered, looking down at the long fingers stroking his knee in comfort.

"You know you can talk to me and your grandfather, right?" Severus said as understanding dawned on his face.

"I know… I just don't know how," a tear slipped out of Harry's eye, stinging slightly against the redness of his cheeks but he didn't pay it any mind.

"I understand. And when you're ready to talk we are here with open ears and arms. Even if it is just something small you want to talk about,"

Harry just nodded, not really sure what to say. He knew that they would be there for him, that he could talk to them about anything. But it was all so new. All so terrifying. He wasn't used to this good attention. He wasn't used to having people who cared. And he didn't know what to do with it. Or how to accept it.

He accepted it, but he didn't know how to accept all that came with it. He didn't know how to ask for help. He didn't know how to talk about himself or his feelings. Not really.

It was all so confusing. So scary. Letting those parts of himself out. Letting people in like that.

"Come on, it's time for breakfast. The Malfoys will be coming for dinner tonight as they want a proper introduction to you. Is that okay with you? If not, I can rearrange for a time where you feel ready,"

"No, it's okay. I will be fine. I would like to properly meet Draco's parents," Harry said as he shook Severus' hand off his knee and stood up from the bed, "I'm going to get ready, I will be down for breakfast soon," he walked slowly towards his bathroom.

"Okay," Severus said, a sad look in his eyes as he watched his son close the bathroom door behind him. He sighed deeply and left, hoping that Harry would talk to someone, even if not himself, about what he has and is continuing to go through. And yet, he understood how difficult it was to do so. It had taken him a long time to open up.

Severus entered the dining room to find his worried father practically gnawing at his fingernails.

"Is he okay?" Tom said, a hitch to his voice.

Severus sighed as he sat down, "I don't think so. But all we can do is keep telling him we love him and that we are here for him,"

Tom nodded, "Is he okay with the Malfoys coming over?"

"He says he is. But we'll see, I suppose. If worse comes to worse we can just send them home early. They will understand, I have told them little bits of his home life, and about Dumbledore and the other's betrayal. They understand that he is still adjusting and is going through a lot," Severus stopped as he saw his son enter the room dressed in black skinny jeans and a baggy, deep green t-shirt.

Harry was, looking at the floor as he walked, his mind whirling, "Good morning," he whispered to his family as he sat at the table and they all started eating, Harry not taking all that much food.

"Good morning, Harry. Did you have a good sleep?" Tom asked, trying to start a conversation, and also trying to hide the worry he was feeling.

"It was alright, I guess," Harry said, keeping his head bowed, trying not to think of the things his mind was throwing around his head, or anything at all really. He just wanted to forget, "How did you sleep?"

"I slept fine, thank you. Is there anything you would like to do before the Malfoys arrive?" Tom said.

"Um… could Draco come over and his parents join us in time for dinner? I would like to get to know him better," Harry said, finally looking up, a hopeful look in his haunted eyes.

"I can certainly ask for you. I don't believe they have any other plans for the day," Severus said, a sad smile on his face as he hoped that Harry would be able to open up to Draco.

"Thank you,"

They continued the meal in silence. Neither man knew what to say to Harry and Harry did not want to talk about anything. When they were finished and the table cleared Severus went to the fireplace to floo to Malfoy Manor. Harry sat, looking at his hands in his lap, his fingers twisting together. He didn't notice the long look of concern that his grandfather was giving him.

It didn't take long for Severus to floo back, with Draco coming out of the fireplace shortly after him. Harry glanced up and smiled when he saw Draco, who smiled in return.

"Dad, can I take Draco to my room, please?" Harry asked his father with pleading eyes.

"Of course, so long as you both come back down in time for lunch,"

Harry nodded and grabbed Draco's hand, practically dragging him out of the room and back towards his bedroom.

As soon as the two boys collapsed onto Harry's bed Harry sighed, falling onto his back, his legs hanging over the side of the bed, Draco looked down at him from his spot next to him with worried eyes.

"Harry, are you okay? Sev looked really worried when he floo'd over,"

Harry sighed again, turning his head to meet Draco's stunning eyes.

"No. I don't know. I… Last night, I just… I laid here, trying to sleep, but all I could do was think about… everything. It all just… hurts," he whispered, so quietly he thought Draco might not have heard him, he didn't know if he was relieved or not that Draco actually did hear him.

"I understand. I mean… I haven't experienced any of the things you have. Any of the things that you are still going to experience. But I know how I would feel if I was in your situation. And I know that you haven't had anyone to rely on, not truly anyway. I also know that it is going to take some time for you to really trust anyone enough to open up to them… but, just know that you aren't alone anymore. I know that is a new thing for you, and it will take some time to get used to it. But we are all here for you, to support you, to listen, to help you. And we will keep telling you until you believe us enough to let us help you,"

"I know. I guess, before last night I was just too shocked to really be anything but happy-ish with my new family, despite everything. I was okay. Not really thinking about anything other than the love I was feeling from them, for them. But then everything just kind of came crashing back last night, and… I guess I'm a tad lost," Harry admitted, looking at the ceiling again.

Draco laid next to Harry, turning his head to look at his new friend, "What do you want, Harry? What do you need?"

"I don't know," and he really didn't. He didn't know what he needed because he had never thought about himself before, not really.

Harry gasped in shock as Draco's hand slid into his, their fingers twining together as warmth and comfort ran through Harry's body, flutters erupting in his heart and stomach.

"Well, until you figure out what you need, we will just continue to show you that we are here for you. That we care,"

Harry's throat bobbed, "Thank you,"

"So, what do you want to do for the rest of the summer? Do you have any plans with your father and grandfather?" Draco changed the subject, somehow sensing that Harry was uncomfortable and needed his mind to be taken off their thoughts. He smiled, blushing slightly at the feelings that surged through his body, though, not that Harry noticed, he was still looking at the ceiling.

Harry smiled slightly, "I don't know if there are any plans. I don't really know what I want to do as I have never really done anything over the summer, or just ever really. So I don't know what I like to do, or anything,"

"Well, we're going to have to change that. I will speak to my parents and Sev and see if we can't make some plans or something for the next few weeks. Have you ever been to a beach before? The theatre?"

"The only time I was ever allowed to go anywhere, even if they were very reluctant to take me, was the one time I was able to go to London Zoo, and that ended rather badly," Harry shivered as the memory of what happened when they got home flashed to the forefront of his mind.

Draco squeezed Harry's hand in hopes to comfort the other boy. His heart hurt at the thought of all that he knew Harry had gone through, and all that he could only assume based on his new friends' actions and the few things he had been told.

"Well, we'll make sure you get to go everywhere. We'll help you make new, happy memories. I promise,"

Harry smiled and turned his head to look at Draco, who smiled at him in turn.

"Thank you," Harry said softly.

"You don't need to thank any of us, Harry. Least of all me. You deserve to be happy, more than anyone I know. I am sorry that none of us realised what was happening to you sooner. And I know that things are going to be hard for a while longer, but you won't be alone, through any of it. No matter what happens, you won't be alone,"

"I know. It is just hard to remember when you've been alone for your whole life," he muttered, "It is hard to… how do I… I was doing okay here. I was happy. I felt loved and safe - I still feel loved and safe. I am happy that I have family, and some friends still, who care about me. I just… everything is so different. Everything hurts. I mean, why? Why would they want to hurt me, use me? Why? What did I do wrong? I'm scared. And I don't know how to… what I… I don't know,"

"Harry, you didn't do anything wrong. You don't deserve any of the pain that you have experienced. You are kind, and caring, and smart, and talented, and beautiful, and so much more. You are the best person I know. You deserve the world, and more. And you will find happiness, because we will do everything we can - I will do everything I can - to make sure you find what you need and want," Harry's eyes glistened with tears as he listened to Draco.

"You can't mean that. I'm not any of those things," Draco's heart broke at Harry's words and the tears in his eyes.

"Harry, you accepted me as a friend despite all the horrid things I have done to you and your friends these past few years. You have befriended all the house elves at Hogwarts, and Dobby. If that doesn't show how kind and caring you are then I don't know what does. I have seen, many times over the years, how smart you really are. I have seen you reading on your own in the library, books in all the classes that are above the level we are being taught. Books on healing. I have seen you create perfect potions then destroy them without causing danger to anyone in order to hide your smarts. You are probably the best Seeker I have ever seen, and I have been to my share of professional games. And I heard you sing once when you thought no one was near, and you sound loads better than any singer I have ever heard. And you are beautiful. Your eyes are the most mesmerising things I have ever seen, and that is just the first thing I could say about you. You are beautiful, inside and out," Draco was breathless as he finished his impassioned speech, but with the way he said it, with such brutal honesty and conviction, Harry had to believe he meant every word.

Harry felt his body shaking and tears pouring down his cheeks as he rolled onto his side so that his back was facing Draco and his knees tucked to his chest. He didn't want Draco to see his tears. He gasped as he felt Draco move closer to him, his Quidditch toned chest against his back as he wrapped a protective arm over his waist.

"Is this okay?" Draco asked hesitantly as he felt Harry tense slightly in his arms.

"Y-yeah," Harry whispered, slowly relaxing in the arms of the boy he secretly loved. He entwined his fingers with Draco's and pulled the blonde's hand to his chest. He sniffled as tears continued to pour down his cheeks.

He felt safe.

They laid there, mostly in silence, although sometimes talking about inane things. Things they liked. Things they didn't. Things they've learned. Their favourite colours.

When lunch came around they went downstairs and joined Tom and Severus at the table, where they all talked quietly about more inane things. Draco also tried to cajole them into plans for the rest of the summer.

The two of them went flying after lunch, just enjoying the freedom of the open air around the manor as they explored the gardens from the sky, talking about what they found and anything else they wanted to.

It was fun, despite Harry's whirling thoughts and memories that kept plaguing his mind. He enjoyed spending time with Draco. And, not for the first time, he found himself hoping that the blonde was his mate.

Hiya, I hope you are well!

So, I am back. I mean, life is still knocking me down a lot, and a lot of shit is happening but I believe I am at the point where I can get back into writing. Where I need to get back into writing. I do have a one shot that could be turned into more if people want it to be which I uploaded recently. And I am hoping to update my other stories asap. I am working on a schedule of sorts to fit everything around my job and such, I am also working on other Harry Potter fanfics which I hoping to publish the first chapters of soon so keep an eye out.

I have just created a Facebook page also where I will be updating you all on when I am going to be uploading, where we can talk about Harry Potter, fanfiction, share memes, and such. If you would like to join then it is called Maraudering_Paige so feel free to join. I welcome you all. I also think it would just be a great place where we can support each other with other things, life is tough and it is nice to have people we can talk to and go to for support should we need it.

I hope you are all having a lovely day, and that you all enjoyed this chapter, it took me all day to write, but I think I am happy with it. Next chapter will be Harry being introduced formally to Narcissa and Lucius and the dinner they have.