I don't own Harry Potter.
Trade Mistakes: Chapter 8
"Harry! Come on! We're going to be late!" Ron called as he ran back into the boy's dormitory. Harry stood in front of the mirror, wearing only his boxers and an unbuttoned uniform shirt. When he turned around, Ron could easily see the baby bump that was growing on his best mates stomach.
"I'm not going," Harry said quietly before turning back to the mirror.
"What do you mean you aren't going? Why aren't you dressed?" Ron asked, crossing the room slowly, afraid of accidently saying something insensitive and being hexed by his best friend.
"My clothes don't fit," Harry whispered, a lone tear falling down his face as he refused to turn away from the mirror. In vain, he tried to pull his shirt together to button it and sighed when the buttons wouldn't reach. His pants sat discarded on the bed. They had been getting tighter as the days had gone by and now there was no way he could get them on.
Harry knew that this day was going to come and had he been smart about things he would have gotten loser clothes before this day. But he'd like to think he had enough reasons to be distracted as of late. Each passing day there were more and more reports of Death Eater attacks all over Britain; a Muggle family close by The Order of the Phoenix's Headquarters had been murdered the day before; Auror's were still searching for Draco or for any information as the who was behind the murder of Horace Slughorn. Harry had spent most of the past few days pacing Dumbledore's office as the Headmaster and Snape worked on a plan to keep any battles from happening until after the baby was born. Harry was sure that this was a good enough reason to be standing in his boxers crying rather than going to class.
Ron sighed and sat down gently on Harry's bed. "You don't have any pants that fit? I thought you had on of Draco's old uniforms stowed away in your trunk still? What about that?"
"You honestly think I'm going to fit in Draco's pants? Draco, who was practically anorexic, and me looking like a baby wale? Really Ron? I could barely put on Draco's clothes before I got pregnant."
"Okay, bad suggestion." Ron grumbled, looking embarrassed. Harry sighed and pulled the sweatshirt he had worn to bed back over his head.
"Harry? Ron? Where are you?" Hermione called, walking into the room without knocking. She jumped slightly at seeing Harry in his boxers but immediately put her hands on her hips afterwards. "Why aren't you dressed?" She demanded.
"His clothes don't fit," Ron said lamely as Harry shifted awkwardly, his arms wrapped around his bump. Hermione's mean demeanor failed right after.
"Oh, Harry," she said in a quiet voice, marching over to his bed and pulling her wand out as she went. Harry flinched slightly as she aimed her wand at his shirt and whispered a spell, making his shirt grow just enough for him to be able to button in. She pulled his pants of the bed and did the same thing. "They might be a little snug, but it will last for today. Make sure you talk to Snape today about getting more clothes."
"Thanks, 'Mione," Harry whispered, pulling on his uniform followed by his robes. He stretched, sighing at the stiffness in his back as he picked up his bag and made his way down the stairs with his two best friends. As he entered the Great Hall in the middle of breakfast, he knew he should have just stayed in bed.
Harry's robes did little to hide the baby and as soon as he walked into the Hall everyone was staring at him. It was like this was the only conformation they needed for the rumors that had been traveling around the school the days before. Thousands of conversations stopped at once as they all turned to see the Boy-Who-Lived and the newest disaster that was his life. All at once, the whispers started and Harry let out a groan as he eased himself down onto the bench at the Gryffindor table.
"I heard Malfoy knocked him up and then left when he found out about the baby."
"I heard the baby isn't even Malfoy's."
"Who would want to sleep with that anyway? Scrawny git."
"I bet Malfoy comes back for the baby and offers it to You-Know-Who as a human sacrifice."
For the first time in weeks Harry felt sick to his stomach and scrambled from the table to hurry to the closest bathroom. As he dry-heaved in the toilet he heard quiet footsteps behind him.
"Leave me alone, Ron," Harry said in a raspy voice.
"It's me, Mr. Potter," Professor Snape drawled. Harry groaned, sitting back on his heels.
"Sorry, sir," he whispered as he slowly got to his feet and rinsed his mouth out. "I…I knew it was going to happen, you know? I knew that eventually everyone was going to find out and I was going to be the laughing stock of the school again. But I don't know, I just couldn't believe the things they were saying about me. I just want it all to stop." Harry whimpered, looking up with wet eyes at Snape.
"Come on, Potter. You can stay in my quarters for the rest of the day. I believe some changes are going to have to be made tonight." Harry sighed but agreed. As he settled down on Snape's couch with his charms book in his lap, he called out to the retreating man.
"Severus? I need new clothes."
Snape snorted but nodded his head.
Draco stumbled as he was pushed from his cell. A few of his injuries were infected and he was suffering from a horrible fever. His knee was broken and there were open cuts where the rats had been nibbling at his joints. He whimpered as Lucius tightened his grip on his son's frail arm and practically dragged him along. There was a shooting pain in his backside from where his father had raped again the night before. Draco's breath game out in rasps as he tried and failed to remain on his feet.
As the Malfoy's entered the meeting room that was a part of the Manor's hidden dungeon, Draco was shoved to the floor in front of the table containing the Dark Lord and his followers. He whimpered, curling in on himself, curling his hands in the short robe Lucius had forced him to wear.
"Draco! My dear boy! What a pleasure to see you!" Voldemort cried, clapping his thin hands together." He rose from his seat and rounded the table, pulling his wand from his inner robes. Draco took a deep breath, immediately coughing. He could hear the other Death Eaters laughing at him but he couldn't bring himself to care. He closed his eyes and wished for the entire ordeal to be over.
"You have done well, Lucius," the Dark Lord called, prodding Draco's ribs with his barefoot. Draco tried not to cry but he could already feel the tears welling behind his eyes. "Crucio!" Voldemort cried out, and Draco screamed. He hadn't had time to brace himself and he whimpered as his head smacked off the stone floor. The agony lasted for what felt like forever and when it finally ended Draco lay struggling to catch his breath.
"Now," the Dark Lord said addressing his followers. "It is time for updates. Morris? Have you completed your second task?"
"Yes, my Lord," Ryan said. "Pansy and Theo will be joining us soon, my Lord. Millicent should be to. They will be happy to be your spies at the school, my Lord."
"Ah, yes! Wonderful! I needed more followers in the retrenched school now that Draco here has failed me. I will have more tasks for you soon, Morris. You have done well.
"Severus?" Voldemort called out, turning back to the table. The room was silent as the Death Eaters looked around in fear. "So the day has come. The day that my most loyal follower has denied my call."
Draco's pulse sped up again, wishing against reality for his godfather. If Snape had only attended the meeting then he would know where he was. He let out a shuttering breath just as Voldemort turned on him again. "Crucio."
Draco screamed, his throat raw and sore. He sobbed as his body convulsed and the Death Eaters laughed at his pain. He blacked out as he was thrown back in his cell.
Harry sat up fast, his heart beating fast and his entire body covered in sweat. His scar prickled and he couldn't remember where he was at first. Finally he noticed he was on the couch in Snape's quarters and he crawled off the couch and called for Severus.
The Potion's Master immediately entered the room from his own bedroom. "Harry? What's the matter?"
"Vision," Harry gasped, his hand resting on his bump in an attempt to calm himself down. Severus gasped and grabbed the boy's arm, dragging him along on the path to the Headmaster's office.
"Harry? What did you see?" Albus asked as he helped the shaking boy lower himself into a chair.
"A meeting. They were torturing Draco but I don't know where they were. And Morris. Um Ryan Morris? He was a few years older than me." Severus nodded his head, urging Harry to continue. "He said that Parkinson, Nott, and someone else is going to be joining the Dark Lord's ranks and work as spies at the school. And he knows Snape isn't on his side anymore." The two adults shared a glance and Severus sighed.
"What do we do now, Albus?" He asked, looking at his mentor for help.
"Did he mention the baby, Harry? Does he know?"
"He…he didn't say anything about it but I don't know if I saw the whole meeting." Harry answered, placing a protective hand over the baby. "Sir, Draco's alive. You have to find him. He looked horrible."
"We are working on it, Harry. But I need you to prepare yourself. We may have to pull you from school soon." Dumbledore held up a hand as Harry began to protest. "This will be safer for both you and the other students, Harry. Remus will be staying with you at Headquarters but we want to keep you here as long as possible. For now, just continue staying with the Severus here for a few nights. It might be safer that way."
Harry sighed but nodded his head as he climbed to his feet. He suddenly felt so exhausted he feared he wouldn't make it back to the dungeons without falling asleep. As Snape led him out Dumbledore called out to him.
"Harry?" He said and the pregnant teen turned around. "We'll bring him home. I promise you that."
AN: I hope you liked it. Please review.