Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
The next week found the two partners at the Ministry waiting for Kingsley to either come out of his office or let them in. Draco was nervous for his first time out on in the field, Harry could just tell. He had been nervous his first time too.
"Enter." Harry swung the door open and walked in, clearly not caring if the blond followed or not. "It's time." Harry's eyes widened. Was Kingsley really giving him the mission he wanted? Wanted so much he had done extensive research outside of work and made an entire three folders of information just from what he got in two weeks.
"I need you to take up Mission X." He couldn't believe it. He got it! This was what he wanted so desperately he lost sleep over it. This was it.
"What's Mission X?" It was then that Harry realized Malfoy needed a debriefing day. He was a little disappointed at that, but he would only need an hour or two. He knew that if he went out without proper protocol, he'd be sent back to desk work.
"Harry, we did some extra research with better sources and equipment. All of it points in the same direction you were following. So file four is what we found, nothing too far off of what we already knew. Brief Malfoy today. You start tomorrow."
"Yes sir, thank you." Harry covered his smile with a predatory smirk and swooped out of the room so fast he looked like a sexier, deadlier Snape. And he knew it.
He saw, out of the corner of his eyes, everyone in the vicinity had stopped to stare. They all grew worried at the look on is face. They knew that look. Someone big was going down.
Draco trailed behind, and Harry knew he was leaving him in the dust. He threw open his office door and turned abruptly at the side of his desk to watch Malfoy hasten to a stop before running into him.
"This," Harry growled as he grabbed an entire box of paperwork, "is exactly why I joined the force. And this," he slapped the files on the desk in the center so it made a loud noise. "is exactly why I refuse to quit until my contract is up."
He could see the questioning looks from everyone in the hallway and walked over to slam the door shut with his foot and cast as many silencing charms as he knew. Only then did he decide to let his excitement show.
"Mission X is a major mission in which not very many people know of. Possibly only five or six people know about it and I know only me and Kingsley know the entirety of it's details.
"So. Two major Death Eaters managed to escape our searching. In short, your father and Bellatrix Lestrange. Did you love your father?" He watched Draco decide if he was going to answer or not.
"I...admired him for seeming so powerful, I guess. But when his 'master' came back...he lost that admiration within a heartbeat. So no, not really."
"Good. He's been having affairs with Lestrange. They escaped together.
"And now they're trying to recruit more followers. They want to make your father the next leader. So we have to stop them. Naturally, I got a hint of suspicion when they both disappeared at the same exact time. I did a little research and came up with a few files of evidence. I gave Kingsley the file six months after I started.
"He didn't give anyone else the case because I told him I'd stay to the end of my contract before quitting. Although at that point it's pretty much just not resigning up. He in turn told me after I got a steady partner that wouldn't leave I could have the case." Harry sat down in his chair and pulled out a bottle of rum.
"You want a shot?" Malfoy nodded and Harry poured him one. He was so overwhelmed with happiness that he didn't see Malfoy grimace at his smile.
Harry was elated. The only reason he joined the Aurors was so he could catch the rest of the Death Eaters who chose their fate when his parents were murdered. And these were the last two that weren't dead. He was going to change that. And very soon.
He continued to tell Malfoy the details about how things would work and consumed only two more drinks during the rest of the day. He would drink all he wanted when those two were dead.
By the time they were done with the debriefing, it was dark out. They left, and Harry told him that he would meet him at Malfoy Manor.
"SIRIUS! I GOT MISSION X!" Harry ran to the library and grabbed the portrait off the wall.
"That's great hun! When do you leave?"
"Tomorrow. Early."
"What are you taking?"
"Bare minimum." He watched Sirius's face fall. "And I'm shrinking you down to size, of course." They beamed at each other.
Harry proceeded to heat up leftover pizza and talked to Sirius for the rest of the evening. Then at around nine-thirty, Harry made the mistake of moving so the picture could see the clock.
"Merlin's Beard Harry! It's getting late and you need rest. I'll wake you up so you can get packed."
"You can't tickle me like you used to."
"I have my ways. Now. BED!" Harry didn't need telling twice. He ran up the stairs, plopped into bed and promptly fell asleep.
"OH MY GOD HARRY! I CAN'T THINK STRAIGHT WITH YOU IN ME LIKE THAT!"
"WHAT?" Harry sprang up and tumbled out of bed, tangled in the sheets. He looked up to come face-to-canvas with his smirking godfather.
"Told you I wouldn't have trouble waking you up."
"Remind me to put a silencing charm on you when we leave."
"Nothin' doin' now go get ready." Harry got his travel bag and changed into jeans and a flannel. "Don't forget me!"
"I won't." Harry grabbed the picture and shrunk him. Harry tied a piece of leather around the hook of Sirius's painting and tied it around his neck. Sirius gave him a spell to make sure he wouldn't come off until he wanted to come off.
They left, arriving at the manor just on time.
"Draco, you ready to go?" Upon seeing the three bags, Harry shook his head. Sirius, on the other hand, decided to be more vocal.
"You dolt, you are a WIZARD. Undetectable shrinking charms work just as well!" Draco eyed the picture.
"I did use shrinking charms. Where's your bag?" Harry showed him his ring.
"Shrunk it and added a band. Easier than lugging a bag. Now seriously, one bag only. And it must be smaller than your forearm before shrinking it."
"Why?"
"Because you'll be tired and if you need to move fast you'll forget it. Harry learned the hard way and I refuse to let you make the same mistake. Now MOVE boy! GET GOING! We haven't got all day!" Draco gave the picture-turned-necklace-pendant a frightened look and hurriedly did as he said. Harry laughed at his godfather. If there was one thing that made him the way he is now, it was that man.
"Be nice Sirius."
"Or what?"
"Or I'll take you home and leave you there." Harry smiled, knowing by the silence he won. They left twenty minutes later, both boys with one ring each and one portrait each. Draco insisted he bring his sister's portrait along.
"You have a sister?"
"Had. I'll tell you later." Harry took Malfoy's arm and apparated them to a forest.
"So, you had a sister?" Draco ignored the question and looked around. They had landed in a forest, full of trees and lots of cover.
"Where are we?"
"Ahhhh, America. I did love this forest. Your father used to deeply enjoy coming here with me." Draco glanced at the painting and looked up at Harry.
"You have a very vocal portrait."
"And your is just as silent as mine is vocal." Draco shrugged and conjured a tent while Harry set up many extremely complicated wards and continued to talk to the picture in a muted voice. Oddly enough, the picture was being just as quiet. Well, until Potter apparently said something to tick him off.
"...AND ANOTHER THING! I DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT ISSUE! YOU NEED TO SUCK IT UP AND DO IT! Or are you just that chicken? Because if you can't do that, then how the BLOODY HELL can you finish the one thing you ALWAYS wanted to do?"
Draco flinched at the suddenly loud shouting. He didn't understand a word of it, other than the fact that whoever that portrait was, was very Sytherin to give such a subtle, yet obvious, threat. It was the ultimate way to get the pride of anyone stirred.
"Not sure whoever is on your neck is exactly pleasant."
"Oh I beg to differ. He's usually very well behaved, if not a little perverted. I don't know why he's decided to be such an arse lately."
"Mmm..." Draco knelt down and picked up a few rocks. He didn't know what he was doing, but he needed to keep his hands busy. And apparently picking up rocks was just the way to do that.
Later that night, Draco watched Harry build a fire. It was strangely quiet in the forest, and he wasn't sure he liked it. He didn't dislike it. It was just...different.
A few hours later, they sat on cushions Draco conjured in front of the fire.
"So...You're sister? I don't mean to impose...I just never knew you had a sibling...Just forget I ever said anything..."
"No...it's fine. I'm just not used to talking about her. No one ever knew...Not even my father knew. I've only ever talked about her with Mother." He could feel his resolve slipping. Giving in, he took her charm and enlarged it.
"Elizabeth? Do you wanna talk to Harry now?"
"Sure. I've been watching you two work all day and I want to be able to ask the questions I have." Draco nodded his consent and she smiled brightly as he propped her picture up on a nearby log so they could both see her.
"Elizabeth Malfoy at your service. And you're Harry Potter. Pray tell, why have you never been able to talk to me?" Her whimsical voice was pleasant to listen to.
"I never knew about you to be honest. And I can say, I'm a little disappointed that I haven't met you before. You seem like a delightful person. Much more so than when I met your brother."
"Oh really?" Draco noticed the slight edge to her voice. "And exactly how did he behave?" She turned slowly, giving her brother a look that could only be described as the stink eye.
"Like a right git, actually. Pardon my language, but it's true."
"Draco. I like this gentleman. He's polite and well mannered." Draco stared. Had his sister, his only ally, completely turned on him? "Draco?"
"He's...oh there's no point arguing with you. You'll win anyways." She giggled.
"Malfoy, would you like to talk to my godfather while I chat with your sister? She really is quite delightful." Curiosity got the better of him and he figured, why not? Harry held his hand out and the picture fell into his hand. He then enlarged it and handed it to Draco.
Consequently, as soon as he looked at the picture, he almost dropped it.
"Hey! Careful there, dropping your cousin isn't exactly the smartest idea!"
"Sirius Black is your godfather?"
"Why yes. So he is. I never noticed." Elizabeth giggled and Draco fought the blush he felt trying to spread up to his cheeks.
"So Draco, what have you been doing lately? I've been up on a walk, obviously."
"Um..." he clearly showed how odd and out of place he felt. "I've been..."
"Teasing the shit out of my godson, that's what. If I had arms, I'd punch you. But seeing as circumstances stand...I can't." Draco gaped. This man had no idea how to have a civil conversation. He pointed out as much.
"Oh don't bother thinking he got it from me. He most certainly didn't. I was in Azkaban until your third year and I was on the run up until your fifth year. He only got to really know me for the better part of six months all together. But it was some if the best time of my life."
"Oh. I'm...sorry I didn't know. Had I known...I wouldn't have made fun of you for having no parents." Draco aimed his apology towards his companion, so he didn't see Sirius's eyes darken. He did, however, hear the malice and danger in his voice.
"So. Harry was telling the truth when he told me you insulted him for being an orphan."
"Sirius..." Harry's voice was soft, pleading. It was a tone Draco never thought he'd ever hear from him.
"Don't you 'Sirius' me young man!" Draco saw Potter flinch. "I cannot believe that you let him get away with insulting two of the best aurors out there! Even better than Moody. And you!" He turned to face Draco. "You insulted them. Why?"
"I...I was just a kid! I didn't understand what was doing on back then. I was just rejected friendship by the most famous wizard ever! I was hurt and I did what I was taught to do. I'm sorry for ever doing it." Draco put the canvas down and walked into the tent with his head down. While he walked away, he could hear his older sister start to talk.
"He means it. I never saw him cry until that day. Not even when he was a baby." Draco sat down and hid his face in his hands. He really messed up when he was a kid. Which was why he would never be able to have someone.
He refused to marry anyone he didn't love, and no one would love him back enough to marry him. He wanted kids, but he knew he'd never get them.
He knew he'd never be happy. He'd be happy only after he died. If he was lucky.