A Place to Call Home

Attack

Disclaimer: I do…NOT own them

A/N: Welcome everyone to the fifth chapter of APTCH. This took a long time and I hope everyone's satisfied with it. I want to give a huge thank you to all my patient reviewers and remember, if there are any questions, comments, or criticisms…please Review.

Draco sympathetically patted Harry's back as he threw up his dinner in the dirt behind the Weasley shed.

"I told you not to have dinner before you came out here."

"Shut…"-gag-"up!"

"Well you could have warned me instead of just turning your head to the side and getting my clothes all dirty." Draco disgustedly plucked at his ruined cloak

"Warned you?" Harry's voice, though sore from retching, was incredulous, "I tried, but you never listen!"

Draco snorted, "I hope you don't call pounding my back and trying to bite me, warning me. You'll have to be more creative than that. I thought you were being stubborn…as usual."

Harry glared at him and might have walked off in a huff if Dumbledore hadn't come walking through the door at that very second…

(Earlier that Day)

Harry smiled soothingly at an irate Ron and gave Draco a worried look.

"What is he doing here?" Ron repeated heatedly

Draco opened his mouth to respond but before he could Harry kicked him under the table. Hard. Draco gave no indication of the twinge of pain that shot through his leg, but instead turned back to Harry to glare at him. Harry ignored him and standing, went to Ron.

"It's all right Ron. I need to explain a few things to you."

"No Harry, He's got to leave. He could hurt you, or-"

"I would never!" Draco snapped, already fed up with whom he considered a little red headed nuisance, "Why don't you go find some better fitting pajamas, kid."

Draco expected Ron to be the one who knocked into him; of course he should have known better.

"Harry, Gods…stop that, you little brat, why don't you…"

"Children." Mrs. Weasley's voice cut through the air like a steel knife. All three boys looked at her. Harry and Draco from their position on the ground; and Ron from his perch next to them.

"If you are going to fight you will do it outside the kitchen."

"Mum, you've got to be joking; I'm your son…toss him out."

"Ron…" Mrs. Weasley's voice carried a threat of danger and gulping, Harry got off Draco and dragged Ron out into the backyard, passing the other Weasleys with a distracted nod. Bemused, Draco got up, dusted himself off and followed, smiling graciously at the others.

Most gave him edgy glares in return and two boys whom looked like twins gave him an obscene gesture which made Draco snarl, but was stopped when their mother whacked the back of their heads with her hand.

"Oh and Draco dear," Draco turned at the sound of Mrs. Weasley's voice, "When you make up with him, please come and visit more; it was delightful to meet you."

Draco gave her half grin as he walked out the door not sure if she was joking or just delusional. Then he walked out the door to catch up with Harry

Breathing hard Harry chased Ron all the way into the cobbled street lined with red roses and petunias. As Harry had run out the backdoor, he had seen Ron jumping over the vine covered fence and Harry had raced across the weed-covered lawn to catch up with him.

He caught the back of Ron's sleeve just as he was rounding the corner.

"What, Harry." Ron asked in calm, measured tones.

Harry swallowed and let go of Ron's arm. A lot of people thought that Ron was scary when he yelled, but it was when he was utterly quiet that you truly needed to be scared, and Ron didn't even look angry, he looked calm, rather like they were discussing tea.

"Do you want to talk about the way that vampire was holding you, or the way he was sitting at MY table, or perhaps you want to talk about the way HE WAS TALKING AMICABLY TO YOU AND MY MUM!"

"Ron, please be quiet a minute. Let's not do this in the middle of the street. Come on over-"

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!"

"RON!"

WHAT!" he thundered.

Harry cringed and said softly, "Lets go over here okay, then-"

"Well, I do hope you aren't trying to hide from someone. This is a bad place to be having a private conversation don't you think?"

Both boys looked up to see Draco standing over them.

"Draco!" Harry squeaked, surprised to see that the vampire had followed the two boys all the way out here.

"Hello Harry…do you realize that it looks like rain?" he commented idly, "come, lets go back inside."

Draco stretched out hand for Harry's to take and seeing Harry hesitate, Ron's face crumpled.

"Fine." He spit, slapping Harry's hand off him, "Go with him, like I care, cause I don't…I can't stand you…either of you." He finished contemptuously, leaving no doubt to whom he was talking about.

Then he took off running down the street.

"Well that's one way to get rid of a nuisance." Draco remarked. Then he turned to Harry whom, he noticed was shaking slightly.

"Ron's my first and best friend. He's always been there for me, no matter what. I went into that forest to rescue him from you and I'm sure he'd do the same for me…" Harry trailed off.

"I wonder…if you'd do the same."

Harry ran swiftly after his friend.

Draco clenched his fists as Harry ran off after the smaller boy. He hadn't felt so slighted in a long time. Of course he'd go after Harry, in fact if he was around then Harry would never even be put into a situation like that. He couldn't believe that he had been forsaken for a gangly boy with bad fashion sense. Draco rolled his eyes. Children…

Draco wandered around the village, not feeling up to another confrontation this an irate Harry and his 'best friend'. Draco lip curled at those words and muttered rude expressions under his breath.

"Sir?"

Draco looked downwards. In front of him was a short bushy haired girl. He raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." He said inquiringly.

"Well…" she hesitated, "You're…you'reHarry'svampirearen'tyou?" she blurted in one rush staring at her feet.

"I wasn't aware that I belonged to him, but yes…and you're the girl with the garlic."

The small girl stuttered.

Draco laughed unpleasantly, "I was incredibly irritated when you showed; you ruined all my plans."

The girl raised her brown eyes to meet Draco's cool gray ones, "I…I just wanted to let you know that…that if you hurt Harry, you won't get away with it. I read a lot and know lots of curses and-"

"You're cute, but stay out of my way. You're going to get hurt." He ruffled her head and stepped around her, too tired to deal with small kids at the moment.

Behind him he could practically see the kid's cheeks puff in anger and wasn't at all surprised when he heard her shouted proclamation.

"You…you boys are all alike. Dunderheads the lot of you! You just make sure you take care of Harry…or else."

Draco turned to reply and the girl had already stamped her foot and ran off.

Draco blew air through his teeth and shook his head, children indeed…

"And I never even got the imp's name."

Harry gripped Ron's shirt tightly as they walked along the cobbled roads aimlessly in silence. It had taken a two-minute sprint to catch up with the red head, and he had already tried to escape twice. Once by using a nifty duck and twist move and another time by nearly poking Harry's eye out.

Harry had opened his mouth several times but clicked it shut each time upon seeing Ron's face. Finally-

"Look Harry, I don't hate you. I couldn't…"

"I know."

"But he's a vampire, how can you? Just…how CAN you?"

"I know."

"He's one of Voldemort's" Ron said desperately.

"I-"

"Don't just say 'I know'!" Ron cried out

"Look Ron," Harry said emotionally, "You're my best friend, my first. I'd do anything for you, but I can't change Draco. I can talk to him and try to make him fit in, but ultimately, he's here and he's going to stay. Are you going to let him bait you and put you down? Are you going to stay angry and upset? I can't change that Ron!"

Ron's face set stonily and he continued walking stoically.

"You're not really mad at Draco are you? You can't be; you hardly know him…I'm sorry if you're mad at me…"

Ron whirled around and Harry jerked to a stop, then without warning Ron's fist flew into Harry's jaw with a loud smack.

Surprised, Harry stumbled backward landing on his rump with a yelp. Touching his jaw gingerly, he grinned up at Ron.

"Feel better?"

"Slightly…I-"

Suddenly, the two boys heard a loud clanging sound and both shot to their feet.

"It's the alarm!" cried Ron.

Harry stared at him before turning back in the direction of his home.

"The Burrow!" Both gasped at the same time.

Draco bared his teeth at the subordinate vampire hovering in front of a cowering Molly and the small girl with brown hair that he had met earlier. He had ended up back here after realizing that Harry was most likely to return home if anywhere and had just happened to walk in on a vampire attack.

Just my luck, he thought disgustedly, he just couldn't let the two die…Harry would kill him.

The imp's terrified eyes widened as she saw Draco behind the other vampire and she whimpered deep with the folds of Molly's dress. As the smaller vampire stalked forward, teeth bared, Molly clutched the imp close before thrusting her behind herself and standing to face the vampire head on.

Draco respected her more with every minute that passed.

A second before the vampire attacked, Draco decided to make his presence known. He leapt into the air and with more agility than a cat, struck down the unfortunate vampire with one blow. Then dusting his hand, he gave an idle wave of his hand and sent the groaning vampire through the door with a loud crash.

Staring after him to make sure he wouldn't get up, he then whipped his head around looking about the room for more possible attacks. He cocked his head. He could hear the trivial sounds of battle taking place upstairs, but they didn't seem to be of much importance and Draco supposed that the men could take care of it themselves. He, himself, had no obligation to anyone else other than Harry.

Draco sniffed the air and stiffened, "Imp…"-the girl started-"Molly…leave…" he growled out ferociously, "it's still not safe…here."

Draco trailed off as he felt a dull presence at his back.

"Draco." A voice purred into his ear, "How lovely to see you…consorting with these lowly life forms again? Tsk…tsk."

"Lucius…" Draco grated out, barely audible under all the tension in the room.

"How far you've fallen; our Master wouldn't very pleased with you right now, would he? I might however be persuaded not to tell…for a certain price."

"And what would that price be?" questioned Draco, playing his father's game.

"Little Harry Potter for one, and perhaps these two as well."

Draco stiffened, "Perhaps you should count yourself lucky to get away with your life."

Lucius laughed, "Of course, when I'm the one at your back; tell me son, is this your idea of a joke, a plea for sympathy perchance. Our Master-"

"Who says I serve the same master as you?" Draco said hotly, cursing the words even as he said them.

"Traitor!" Lucius hissed, "Not only to him, but to our bloodline."

"I never called you father." Draco said evenly, sensing that the conversation was coming to a close.

"I know…" Lucius said slowly, drawing the words out so slowly it was as if he were tasting them.

Then with the speed that can only truly belong to a vampire, Lucius withdrew his hand and then with lightening speed plunged it forward aiming for the middle of Draco's back…his heart; moving just as quickly, Draco threw himself to the side crashing into the kitchen table. Lucius raised an eyebrow and looked downwards at his fallen son.

Then, suddenly, he pitched forward.

Draco scrambled out of the way as his father collided into the same kitchen table that Draco had just rolled off. Draco quickly got up, eyes on his father, and then turning his head, smiled.

There, standing white and shaking, amid the wreckage of his beloved kitchen was the diminutive Harry Potter holding his wand straight in front of him. Draco walked slowly up to him; Harry, on his part, didn't even notice, so engrossed in staring at his father's fallen back. Draco placed his hand on Harry's shoulder and Harry jumped turning to swing his hand, ready to curse the man in front of him; Draco caught the flailing arm and gently twisting, he took the wand from Harry's hand.

Draco stuck the wand into his back pocket. He had no idea where Harry had gotten another wand, but he a little too damned dangerous with one. Harry then tore his gaze away from the vampire on the ground and instead focused on Draco. Staring at him, Harry blinked twice and then his eyes rolled back in his head and he crumpled bonelessly to the floor.

Draco started in surprise and caught the smaller boy as fell scooping him into his arms. Turning sharply, he dumped the heap of dead bones and muscle into one of the few remaining upright chairs. The dark haired boy pooled into the chair, his arm flopping over one of the sides.

"Why are you still here?" he snapped, rolling his neck to rid of any cricks it might have acquired when he made his unfortunate acquaintance with Mrs. Weasley's sturdy oak table.

The two women fairly ran out the door into the, albeit, little safer backyard. In truth, if Draco had been thinking he probably would have had the two stay near him. That would be the safest place at the moment but-

Draco twisted and looked back the still form of his father. With one foot, Draco turned his father face up looking at his face intently.

"Did I kill him?" Harry scared voice cut through the stillness of the grim kitchen.

"With a Petriculus Totalus?" Draco voice gained its old suave amusement, "I don't think so. He's fine, just paralyzed."

"Gods…I thought that…that-" a convulsive shudder wracked Harry's body.

"What did you think you were casting?" asked Draco curiously.

"I…" another shudder ran through him and he shook his head, mouth set in the childish pout of a seven year old, lips thin.

Draco's eyes softened as he looked at Harry; he had seen quite a few sides of Harry seeing how emotional he was, but he had never seen Harry so truly unnerved. It was rather disturbing.

Draco's eyes hardened as he turned back to his father.

"Perhaps then you should leave; what I'm about to do probably won't sit well with you if you're scared of a few small curses."

Harry sat up, "I can handle anything you throw at me."

Draco smirked, "Of course you can." He was gratified to see that some of Harry's fire had seeped back into his glowing green eyes.

Draco turned back to the gray flitting eyes of the other vampire as Harry eased himself off the chair and walked to stand next to him.

Draco smiled a true vampiric smile at his father, showing luminous fangs, "Father…this young boy is Harry Potter"-Draco touched the side of Harry's neck, pulling his shirt down slightly to expose the vampire bites-"As you can see he's already been bitten. Can you guess by who?"-Draco stepped forward, roughly dragging Harry with him-"I did. I marked him as my blood donor," Draco paused savoring the words, "And you of all people know how possessive I am over my blood donors."

Draco placed one foot over Lucius's neck.

Then, ignoring Harry's gasp, he pressed down.

Harry stopped breathing.

He didn't want to see this. He had made a mistake; he wanted out. He didn't want to partake in cold-blooded murder. He had never wanted this. Time seemed to stop as he watched Draco step down harder.

"Stop it, please, just STOP!" he cried hysterically.

Color flooded back in and he held tightly onto Draco's arm as he, startled, took his foot off the immobile vampire. Harry choked and sucked in a deep breath able to breathe again; he heaved as dry sobs wracked his little body and tears fell down his face.

Harry tugged on Draco's arm and pulled him farther backwards. Still off guard, Draco stumbled backwards until he recovered and stopped as still as granite.

"Please…don't hu-hurt him…"

Draco closed his eyes, and then in one sudden motion, swung Harry up onto the kitchen counter patting his hair and blocking the view of the vampire with his body.

"Alright Harry, nothing's going to happen. Just…relax."

The two stared at each other in silence as Harry's hiccupping gasps slowly died down.

Then all hell broke loose.

"Harry!" Arthur Weasley's strong voice broke the silence as he, Charlie, and Fred ran into the kitchen, "Are Molly and Hermione okay?"

Draco wordlessly pointed outside and he ran out the door towards his wife. Charlie, on the other hand, walked over to Harry and gathering him in his arms, proceeded to carry him out into the rest of the house. Draco made to stop him but just then Arthur walked back in and grasped Draco's hand in both of his and said as sincerely and heartfelt as possible, "Thank-you."

Draco gaped, clearly astounded, even more so when Charlie and Fred also gave him barely perceptible nods of gratitude.

Unnoticed, snuggled in Charlie's shoulder, Harry smiled in quiet relief.

A couple of hours later, Draco was lounging against the doorpost while the elder Weasley's paced in front of him and Dumbledore smiled benevolently at him. Harry, Ron, who had been helping Bill, and Ginny had long since been sent up to their rooms until further notice despite their heartfelt protests.

In the short time that had passed, Draco, as revolted as he was, had been inducted into Weasley clan per say. Molly had already hugged him bone-crushingly hard for saving Harry and the other male Weasley's had all thanked him profusely, except for Ron of course. He had even managed to garner a sniff of approval from the impertinent imp or Miss. Granger as he had found out.

Funny thing was, he really couldn't remember what he had done. From his perspective, Harry had saved him and from the way Ron had been glaring at him, Draco could tell that Ron knew it too.

Now they were just talking and Draco was itching to get away. He wanted to be guarding Harry's window or at least talking to the boy. Finally he snapped.

"What are we doing." He barked, "Because if we're just here to make small talk then I'd rather be watching Harry."

Dumbledore smiled at him, "Sorry Draco my boy, you must be tired, not to mention hungry. We were wondering what you were going to do next?"

"Go back to Voldemort…what else."

"We thought, that after what happened…" Molly trailed off.

"I need my father." He said shortly.

"What?"

"I need my father, his head to be exact. Voldemort has asked for it; I need it or I'll be killed."

Dumbledore smiled cannily at him, eyes twinkling, "How about another deal. We'll give you your father and you'll get to see Harry whenever you want, but in return you'll do some work for me."

Draco's eyes narrowed, "You want me to turn traitor…" it wasn't a question.

"Haven't you already?" asked Arthur gesturing at one of the immobile vampires Draco had attacked.

Draco opened his mouth to tell them to go screw themselves and then remembered Harry's open mouth and tears as he stared at the vampire on the ground. He sighed. Nothing good would come of this.

"I'll talk to Voldemort, get him to give me a long term mission, one that requires little contact with him and long periods abroad. I'll feed him false information when I can, and I'll tell you what I can…just don't expect much."

Molly smiled, "You can stay with us."

Draco rolled his eyes, "I have things to do before I go."

He felt the Weasley's confused looks on his back and as he rounded the corner of the house he heard Dumbledore chuckling.

"The poor boy, he's supposed to drink at least once a day, more if he's involved in physical activity. He must be ravenous."

Draco gritted his teeth and in one leap landed on the sill of Harry's window. To his surprise he saw, not Harry, but Ron sitting on the bed.

"Harry's getting a drink of water."

Draco nodded and would have left if it wasn't for Ron speaking up again.

"Tell him…everything's cool, for now."

Draco smiled and then hurdled down the trashed stairs and grabbing Harry in one bound, dragged him out into the garden.

When Dumbledore stepped outside, Harry and Draco immediately stopped arguing and stood up to look at him inquisitively.

"Ah boys, please join me for some of Mrs. Weasley's fabulous biscuits and tea."

Both boys stared at each other and then shrugging slightly, Harry led the way into the, now fixed, bright cheery kitchen, and when Draco looked inside at all the welcoming faces, it felt as if he were coming home for the very first time.

To Be Continued…