This is set in Harry Potter's seventh year. Non- DH compliant.

Disclaimer: If I owned the wizarding world I wouldn't be writing on , I would be writing for a publisher.

Warnings: Slash. Allusions to abuse.

Special thanks to my beta Babs707PertemisDrarry.

Headquarters

Draco clung to Harry's shirt, pressing himself as close to the young man as he could.

He barely heard the sharp, feminine voice over the ringing in his ears.

"Name?"

"Harold James Potter," Harry said, his voice smooth as velvet.

"Proof?"

"Kreacher!"

The old elf popped into existence.

"Yes, Master Harry."

"Accepted," the girl said in a way that sounded as if she had said it a million times.

"You are dismissed, Kreacher."

"You found him?" The girl, who Draco recognized as Hermione, asked.

"I did. Where's Ron?"

"He's upstairs moping."

"Still not over it?"

His question was answered by the loud steps approaching.

"I see you brought the ferret," he snarled, eyeing Draco with distaste.

Draco narrowed his eyes, feeling insulted and threatened by the burly Gryffindor.

Harry tightened the arm that was wrapped around his waist before answering.

"Do not insult my mate."

Ron rolled his eyes, grabbing a handful of chocolate frogs from the bowl on the counter before stomping back up the stairs.

"I'm sorry for him," Hermione said, "I don't know what to do with him anymore."

"Stop forgiving him."

"I don't want to lose his friendship," she replied.

"Is there more to it?"

Hermione swallowed before admitting, "No. It used to be, but now... Now I feel nothing. That scares me."

"You've matured 'Mione, it's not your fault that he hasn't."

Draco looked up, studying the person before him.

Though his voice was raspy, his words rang true.

"He is still a boy, but you have grown into a woman. You deserve more than him."

She looked at him with large brown eyes.

"Was that a complement from the great Draco Malfoy, I hear?"

He smirked, feeling a bit more comfortable with the slight teasing.

"Just a mere stating of facts."

Harry smiled, pressing a kiss to the top of Draco's hair.

"Even if I am a muggleborn?"

Draco frowned, hoping she would forgive him but not expecting it.

"I am not my father, and I won't fit his mold any longer. You are a strong, competent witch, regardless of blood. I would be a fool to believe otherwise."

Hermione let a small smile grace her features.

"Thank you, now I need to go set up Severus' rooms. Which one did he want, Harry?"

Harry gave her a knowing look, making her blush and Draco to adopt a confused expression.

"He wanted the one closest to the lab."

"And you trust him enough to-"

"Yes. After seeing the memories he left for me, I trust him completely."

"Memories can be fabricated."

"My instincts hardly ever fail me, and they say to trust him. Plus, my mate trusts him, and I trust his opinion."

Draco looked at him sharply at his words.

"You do?"

Harry nodded.

"I'll see you at dinner, Hermione. What would you like?"

"Something small. Kreacher made us a large lunch."

"Okay."

Draco looked back and forth, feeling left a bit out of the loop.

Harry caught his expression.

"Come on dear, I have some things I need to explain."

Later, in Harry's room.

"And Severus gave you the memories?"

"Yea. I fell while I was chasing after him, and he threw them down at me and told me to watch them. I did. It explained so much."

"What are you searching for then?"

Harry looked him directly in the eye, taking a deep breath before exalting.

"Horcruxes."

Draco's eyes widened.

"He made- no- that's- but Harry!"

"I know."

Draco shook his head.

"No. No, you don't. If he- that means he can't be killed right now. If he is killed, we'll all be in even more danger!"

"I know."

Draco crossed his arms.

"I could lose you before I've really had you," he whispered, letting the fear of the war eat at him.

Draco made to wipe away the dampness of his cheeks, but was stopped by a large hand holding his.

Harry brought down his hand, lifting the other to swipe the tears from his eyes.

"You won't lose me, I'll always be here," he promised.

Draco sniffed, wanting to burrow into Harry but not wanting to seem clingy. They hadn't been mates for more than a few hours and already he felt attached to the young man. What was going on?!

"Come here."

He didn't need telling twice.

Draco crawled into Harry's lap, resting against his firm chest.

"You needn't be afraid to come to me, Dray."

Draco nodded, shifting even closer, but didn't say a word.

"I think I need to explain some things about Vyspas to you," Harry decided.

TBC