All the Answers - Chapter 3

Disclaimer - It's not mine. Really. J.K. Rowling's the brilliant mind behind HP.

Notes - Post-HBP 7th year fic, not Deathly Hallows compliant at all. Eventually it will be Harry/Draco, thus the M rating. Beta'd by the wonderful Smutella and Nymph!

"Wait. Hang on, you mean Weasley and Granger are coming here today?"

"Yep."

"And you never thought to tell me this?"

"Must have slipped my mind."

Harry grinned as Malfoy stared at him with wide eyes.

"You absolute prat," he said, face a little pale. "I can't believe you. They're going to curse me on sight. They're going to think I've…brainwashedyou or something. They'll think I've got you under the Imperius – do they know about that?"

"Yeah, I think I told them about it," Harry said offhandedly. They were down in the living room, Harry idly flicking through channels on the telly and Draco steadfastly ignoring the strange Muggle contraption. Uncle Vernon and everyone else had vanished sometime earlier, as they were wont to do whenever Harry and Malfoy decided to grace the rest of the house with their presence. Harry had a feeling they'd be gone for a particularly long time today, seeing as how there were two more 'freaks' coming by.

"How's your side today?" Harry asked suddenly, gaze darting down to Draco's hip.

"What? Oh. It's fine," Malfoy replied distractedly. He lifted his shirt a bit so that Harry could see how the gashes were healing. They didn't look half as terrible anymore. "Are they really coming today?"

"Yes." Harry went back to watching the television, choosing to ignore Malfoy's nervous antics. The boy kept shifting around and looking at the fireplace nervously. "Look, don't worry so much about it," Harry finally said, because as amusing as Malfoy's panicking was, he didn't want the boy to start hyperventilating or something. "They'll understand. I'll just tell them that you…um…"

"That I what?" Malfoy arched his eyebrows. "That I've switched sides? That I've decided to protect Mudbloods and Muggles and puppies and bunnies?"

Harry looked at him, surprised. "Have you?"

"Of course not," Malfoy scoffed. "I'm here notof my free will, remember?"

"Oh, right. Well, I didn't see you trying very hard to leave," Harry pointed out. "Even though I've told you numerous times that you're quite free to."

Malfoy sniffed, raising his chin a bit. "Well, other than the company available, this place hasn't been toohorrible, I suppose."

Harry snorted. "You know, I wasn't aware Voldemort had anything against puppies and bunnies."

"I'm sure he does. They're cuter than he is after all."

"Don't let him hear you talking like that."

"I don't think it would make much of a difference at this point."

Harry was quiet for a moment, before saying softly, "I suppose it's hard, isn't it? Not being able to go back to him, but not joining the other side, either. Where does that leave you?"

"Nowhere," Malfoy said tiredly, pushing his sleeve up a bit so that he could stare down at the black mark on his skin.

"It's still not too late, you know," Harry said tentatively. "You can always go to the Order–"

"I'm not going to your stupid Order," Malfoy snapped, yanking his sleeve back down and glaring at Harry. "Stop trying to make me."

"Look, if you're going to come with me, I have to be sure you aren't going to go back to him," Harry said in a hard voice, turning around to look at Malfoy. The television was forgotten in the background. "I'm trying to give you a chance here, Malfoy." It was the first time he'd used that particular phrase, and Harry watched as Draco's eyes went wide with what he thought might have been sudden understanding, though he wasn't exactly sure what Malfoy thought he understood.

"A second chance, is that what this was? I was beginning to think it might have been out of pity or something, and as much as I loathe the thought of you pityingme, at least I might have been able to handle that. But no, you're trying to be like Dumbledore!" His voice was shaking a bit as he spoke, though there was a dangerous edge to it. "You said you were up on the tower that night," he continued softly, speaking fast. "If you were there, why didn't you do anything?"

"I was frozen," Harry replied bewilderedly, unsure where this line of questioning was going. "Dumbledore made sure I was out of the way before you burst through the door."

"So – you werethere, then. The entire time, you were there. You heard everything." It wasn't so much a question as it was a statement of the truth, but Harry nodded anyway. "You bastard," Malfoy spat, so quietly he was practically whispering. His eyes were still wide.

"Malfoy–"

"No! You…you're offering me a second chance, but I don't want it! Do you – do you realize that–" He cut himself off, breathing heavily. His cheeks were slightly pink now. "I failed, Potter. That might have been all well and good for your side, had Snape not showed up, and it might have even turned out okay for me, but that's not what happened. I fucked up! I couldn't do it, and the moment Snape said the words and sealed the deal, my family got screwed over. Do you know that my parents might not even be aliveright now?"

Harry stared at him. "I…hadn't thought about it–"

"I know you haven't!" Malfoy exclaimed. "But I think about it all the time. You're offering me a second chance because…because for one second I thought there might be a way out, and I took it! You might call it brave, not killing him, and say that I deserve another shot, but – but I feel like a fucking coward. In that split second, in the time it took for me to decide not to kill him, I all but sentenced my parents to death! And if I keep screwing up – no. No, I don't want it! Stuff your second chances, Potter! I'm not going to join your fucking Order!"

"Alright, alright, fine," Harry said hastily. "I'm sorry, I didn't… You don't have to–"

"You're such a fucking bastard, you know that?"

"Yes, okay, I've got it. I'm sorry!" He scowled. "And for the record, it hadn't even crossed my mind to give you a second chance. I mean – a second chance for what?"

"You liar!" Malfoy cried. "You hate me, so there has to be some sort of – sort of reason that I'm here! If it's not because you're trying to be a goody-two-shoes and offer me another chance, then why is it?"

"I swear that's not what I'm offering you," Harry said. He was trying to gather his thoughts together. He knew what he'd been thinkingof offering Malfoy, but he still didn't know how he'd pull it off. Still… "I'm offering you protect–"

"If you say protection, so help me God," Malfoy hissed, looking even angrier than he'd been before. Harry let out a frustrated breath. "You, Potter, are not Dumbledore. He mighthave been able to do something useful for me and my family. I very much doubt there's anything you'll be able to do."

"Who said anything about your family?" Harry snapped. He crossed his arms across his chest, more to keep himself from lashing out at Malfoy in irritation than anything else. "And why do you think I never mentioned it? I agree, I don't think there's much I can do, but I figured I could wait until we got…out of hereto work on that. You weren't going to kill him–"

"Don't," Malfoy said sharply, eyes snapping around to glare at Harry.

"You weren't, Malfoy, I saw you lower your wand–"

"Stop it."

"You couldn't do it!" Harry said loudly, ignoring the other boy. "And I'm sorry you think that's a bad thing, but in my eyes it means you're innocent!"

Malfoy fell back against the couch, still wide-eyed, and pushed a hand through his hair. "Shit," he murmured.

"You're innocent, Malfoy," Harry repeated, quieter this time. "Maybe you haven't realized that."

"I'm a Death Eater, Potter. I've got the mark. That's hardly the equivalent of being innocent."

"You were forced to get it, weren't you?"

"Irregardless… I almost killed two people."

"Almost. They're both alive and fine now."

"I used an Unforgivable curse." His voice was starting to rise.

"Because Voldemort was threatening your family," Harry insisted.

"I let the Death Eaters into Hogwarts!"

"Yeah, but…" Harry glanced away. "It was the one already there who killed him."

There was silence for a moment, and then Malfoy tried again. "I…stole Polyjuice potion from Professor Slughorn."

Harry laughed. "I stole the ingredients to makePolyjuice potion from Professor Snape." He grinned, spreading his arms. "And I'm still here."

Draco looked at him curiously. "When did you make Polyjuice potion?"

"Second year. Long story." Harry waved it off. "Fact is, Malfoy, you haven't actually done anything other than fucked up a few half-arsed attempts at killing someone–"

"Attempted murder," Malfoy interrupted. "There you go; they don't let that off easily."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Well I'm not saying you'll be able to run around scot-free in the Ministry anytime soon. But it's enough that I might be able to convince the Order to leave you alone."

"I guess… I mean, I'll think about," Draco said tentatively, though he looked doubtful. "We'll see how Weasley and Granger take it first…"

Harry winced slightly. Now that he thought about it, it probably would have been a good idea to tell them about Malfoy being here beforehand… "Yeah, but I'm sure I'll be able to convince them." He hesitated, and then asked, "Malfoy, do you…do you really think that your parents…?"

"I have no idea," Malfoy replied shortly, and that was the end of that. An awkward silence surrounded them suddenly, and Harry was still watching Malfoy worriedly out of the corner of his eye a few minutes later when Ron and Hermione tumbled out of the fireplace.

"Hello, Harry," Hermione greeted cheerfully as she brushed the soot off of her clothes.

"Hey, mate," Ron said from behind her. He glanced around the living room in interest, having never actually gotten the chance to see it properly, and when his eyes landed on Malfoy – who suddenly looked as cool, calm, and collected as ever – lounging against the arm of the couch, he froze, blinking several times. Hermione gasped from beside him, and Harry stood up slowly.

"Guys–"

"Harry, why is he here?" Hermione asked quickly, eyes darting from Harry to Malfoy and back again.

"He's… I ran into him after the wedding and…" Harry fished around for something to say, but came up blank. Draco snorted.

"Good show, Potter. I thought you had this all figured out."

Harry shot him a look. He realized Malfoy was still annoyed with him, but this really wasn't the time to be an irritating little pillock.

"Harry?" Ron asked, his brow furrowing.

"Look, he's not going to do anything, alright?" Harry said shortly. "He's been here for almost two weeks and he hasn't even done magic once–" Because he didn't have access to his wand, but Harry neglected to mention that. "–let alone tried to kill me in my sleep or anything." Not that Harry would have been prepared for that if he had, he realized with a start. He hadn't even considered the idea.

"He's been here for two weeks?" Hermione asked shrilly, her eyebrows disappearing beneath her fringe.

"And you never bothered to tell us?" Ron continued in the same tone.

Draco gave Harry a smug look. "Don't worry; he neglected to tell me you both were coming here today, too. I told him he should have."

"Who the hell cares what he didn't tell you!" Ron exploded. "Harry, why the fuck is he here?"

"Ron!" Hermione admonished.

"Hermione, he's got a Death Eater staying in his house and he didn't tell anyone about it!"

"Shut up, both of you!" Harry finally shouted, exasperation evident in his voice. "This is exactly why I never said anything!" They stared at him, wide-eyed, while Draco snickered. "Shut it, Malfoy! Ron, Hermione, come with me."

They followed him into the kitchen where he fidgeted under their stares for a moment, unsure of what to say.

"Er… Can I get you guys something to drink?" he asked tentatively.

Hermione looked at him flatly. "I think you know what we want," she said gently. "Harry, why didn't you just tellus he was here? We could have been a little bit more prepared that way, at least!"

"I…didn't know how to tell you," Harry admitted, leaning against the counter and scuffing his foot against the ground. "I'm still not one-hundred percent sure myself why I brought him back with me, but… Look, I stopped by Hogwarts on the way back from Ron's–"

"You weren't supposed to do that!" Hermione cut in. "What if something had happened, no one would have known where you were–"

"Hermione, it was two weeks ago and he looks perfectly fine to me, so obviously nothing happened," Ron said dryly. Hermione 'hmphed' and Harry looked gratefully at Ron.

"Anyway, Hagrid had just found him in the Forbidden Forest. Apparently he'd been there since the night Dumbledore died."

"But that's…" Hermione did some quick calculation in her head. "Harry, that's nearly a month! It's a wonder he didn't get himself killed!"

"I know," Harry said, pushing himself up to sit on the counter. He gestured wordlessly at the chairs near the kitchen table, and Ron and Hermione each helped themselves to one. "He looked terrible, you should have seen him. I think he's managed to gain a bit of weight back since he's been here, but he's still really skinny."

"Harry, pleasetell me you didn't take him in like he was a stray puppy or something," Ron said imploringly.

"Well, I–" Harry glanced warily towards the living room and then continued in a quieter voice, "I guess I kind of felt bad for him, yeah."

"Harry," Hermione said exasperatedly.

"No, you don't understand," Harry insisted. "There's…there's something I didn't tell you. About that night, when Malfoy confronted Dumbledore."

"What else is there to know?" Ron asked flippantly, leaning back in his chair and glancing up at the ceiling. "Malfoy couldn't off Dumbledore, so Snape did it for him."

"No – Ron – it wasn't that Malfoy couldn't kill Dumbledore. It was that he…didn't." Hermione and Ron looked at him blankly, so Harry explained further. "Dumbledore told Malfoy that he would be able to keep him and both of his parents safe. He offered Malfoy protection and…well…Malfoy accepted it a second too late. He lowered his wand, just as the other Death Eaters showed up."

"Are you sure his hand didn't just…accidentally fall when he was distracted by the others' sudden appearance?" Hermione asked doubtfully.

Harry shook his head vehemently. "No, he definitely lowered his wand. And he's told me as much, too."

"So…you're trying to offer him protection as well?" Ron asked, sounding dubious and with an arched eyebrow.

"No. Yes. Well – I mean, I don't know. Maybe? I just… He wasn't going to do it, in the end. Even after the others all got there and were urging him to get on with it."

"Maybe he was scared," Hermione suggested.

"Well of course he was!" Harry said, rolling his eyes. "His parents were going to be killed if he didn't do it, but at the same time Dumbledore was telling him he didn't have to!"

"Wait, Harry, arehis parents dead?" Ron asked.

"We don't know," Harry admitted. "They could be."

"I don't know." Hermione sighed, looking thoughtful. "It's still rather risky, if you ask me. Do you trust him?"

Harry snorted. "Not hardly."

"I thought he was with Snape?"

"He ran away from Snape that night. Hasn't seen him since."

"Or so he told you," Ron muttered. He went ignored.

"Have you told him anything about…about what we're doing?" Hermione asked.

"Not a thing."

"You havebeen reading those books I gave you, right?"

"Yes, Hermione. Not that they're doing any good."

"I haven't found anything either," Hermione said softly. "All these books on the Hogwarts founders, and barely anything about their personal lives. We need to find out more about their personal belongings, I think…"

"I don't think now is the right time to talk about that," Ron said loudly with a meaningful tilt of his head in the living room's direction. "Ferret-face might hear."

"Ron, don't," Harry said tiredly. "We've managed to get along pretty well since I brought him here." Which was a blatant lie, but Harry didn't bother correcting himself. "Don't start anything, please?"

Ron sighed and rolled his eyes. "I still think this is a horrible idea. He could go back to You-Know-Who at anytime."

"But he hasn't so far, and that's what matters," Harry said softly, hopping off the counter. "Besides, I've got his wand and he hasn't even tried to get it back."

"Well, that's good, at least," said Hermione, who looked proud of him for finally managing to do something right. Harry rolled his eyes and headed back into the living room.

"All done talking about me?" Draco quipped, looking up from where he was fiddling around with the remote control.

"For the moment, yes," Harry replied. Behind him Ron and Hermione exchanged a glance, and then moved to sit down on some of the other chairs in the room.

xXxXx

"So, I've made appointments for you and Ron to go for your Apparating licenses on the second. That's on Saturday, okay? So don't forget. Oh, and I suppose Malfoy can go with you as well. It's not like there's actually a price on his head yet, maybe they won't notice it's him..."

Harry nodded vaguely and flipped another page in the book he was thumbing through. He was on his stomach on his bed, Ron beside him. Hermione was sitting on the floor, leaning back against the leg of the bed as she spoke, and Malfoy was lying on his back on Harry's mattress, ignoring everything going on around him.

"Think you'll manage not to lose half of your eyebrow this time?" Harry asked, nudging Ron in the ribs. Ron scowled at him and rolled onto his back.

"I hope so. That would be rather pathetic, wouldn't it?"

"Weasley, everything you do is rather pathetic," Malfoy said dryly, still staring up at the ceiling. "In fact, your whole life is one rather pathetic mess, I'd say."

"Luckily no one's asking what you'd say," Harry interrupted quickly, before Ron could say something that would start a fight of which the end result would be the entire house going up in flames. He'd been doing this, playing mediator between the two of them, since Ron and Hermione had arrived yesterday. It was kind of exhausting. "Anyway, you're the one who should be worrying, Malfoy. Didn't you say you weren't very good at Apparating?"

"He's not?" Ron sat up, looking as if Christmas had come early. "What's wrong, can't remember the three D's?"

Malfoy narrowed his eyes. "Actually I was too busy almost killing you last year to concentrate much on Apparating."

There was a sudden flurry of motion, but before Harry could put a stop to whatever was happening, a loud slapechoed through the air, and everyone froze. Ron was halfway off the bed, in mid-lunge toward Malfoy. Harry was right behind him, holding on to his upper arm tightly.

On the floor below them were Hermione and Malfoy, Hermione's hand still aloft in the air, and Malfoy's face turned all the way to one side. There was a visible red handprint on his cheek.

"Don't you dare," Hermione hissed icily, her eyes hard and glittering. "Don't you eversay something like that again."

"Hermione…" Ron said, an awed tone to his voice.

Malfoy turned his head back slowly, his lips pursed together and his brow furrowed. "That's twice now that you've slapped me," he said quietly, drawing in deep breaths through his nose. "Try it again and I'll show you just what all I've learned serving under the Dark Lord. He's got special curses saved for Mudbloods like you."

Ron lunged forward again, but Harry beat him to it. His hands curled into the thin material of the shirt Malfoy was wearing and he hauled him to his feet and pushed him in the direction of the door.

"Hands off, Potter, I can walk on my own," Malfoy snapped, shoving Harry off him and stomping out into the hall. Harry followed, pausing only once to turn back to his friends.

"I – Hermione – sorry," he said jerkily. "I'll…I'll be right back." He slammed the door shut behind him and then grabbed hold of Malfoy once more and pulled him towards the bathroom.

"Get off me," Malfoy muttered once they were there. He walked over to the sink, grasping the sides of it, and stared down into the basin. "For what it's worth," he said before Harry even opened his mouth, "I didn't mean anything by that comment."

"Which one?" Harry asked angrily. "The one about nearly killing Ron? Or the one about how you're going to kill Hermione?"

"I didn't say anything about killing Granger, I only mentioned 'special curses,'" Malfoy spat. "And I made that up, anyway. But no, I meant I didn't mean anything by what I said about Weasley. I didn't think you all were so sore about that…"

"You really did almost kill him, you know," Harry said, closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the wall for a moment. "I know I said yesterday that he's alive and fine now – and he is– but if I hadn't… If it had just been one second longer – he was really, really lucky."

Malfoy must have noticed the shakiness in his voice, because he looked up into the mirror, meeting Harry's eyes over his shoulder.

"Granger's got quite an arm on her," he said after a moment, laughing shortly. He gingerly touched his cheek, wincing a bit.

Harry smirked. "You should know. Listen, you can't call her that."

"I'll call her whatever the bloody hell I want," Malfoy declared. "Where does she get off slapping me like that?"

"You deserved it, you prat. And I mean it, Malfoy, you can't–"

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, Potter!" Malfoy interrupted, spinning around and glaring at Harry. "You're not the boss of me! And if you think this little two-week retreat is going to change the way I feel about Muggle-borns, you've got another thing coming!"

"You're not with Voldemort anymore–" Harry started to say, his voice rising.

"That doesn't matter!" Malfoy exploded. "I'm allowed to hang on to my beliefs! The world isn't split up into good people and Death Eaters, you know!"

The words hit Harry with such force that they very nearly sent him reeling. He stared at Malfoy wide-eyed, and then drew in a shaky breath and tried his best to block out the memories that were trying to surge forth.

"Of course," Malfoy continued in a softer tone, oblivious to Harry's reaction, "I wasa Death Eater, so I suppose that's a bit of a moot point."

"Look," Harry said tiredly, dragging a hand through his hair. "You're entitled to your own opinions, everyone is, and I guess as long as you're not acting on them and trying to kill all of my friends it's all well and good. But…I would appreciate it if you wouldn't…call her that."

"I only called her it because she slapped me," Malfoy admitted, his eyes shifting off to the side.

"Don't do it again."

Malfoy shrugged but didn't agree or disagree. Harry sighed.

"Whatever. Come on."

xXxXx

Harry's birthday passed uneventfully, much to his relief. He just wanted to be free from the Dursleys', and stepping foot outside the following morning and knowing that he wouldn't ever have to return was a better present than anything anyone else could have given him.

"Ready?" Hermione asked, stepping up beside him and grinning. Harry smiled back down at her and nodded.

"Where are we going?"

"The Burrow, of course," Ron said, appearing at Harry's other side. "Where else?"

"I wasn't sure if we were going to Grimmauld Place first or not."

"Nah. I've got to warn you, Harry, mum probably has a huge birthday dinner ready for you."

"And don't be surprised if a lot of the Order members are there, too," Hermione added. "Professor Lupin's been asking about you."

"Order members?" a fourth voice asked, and the three of them turned around to see Malfoy standing behind them. He looked at them flatly. "Forgot about me, did you?"

"Shit," Harry said plaintively. "Yes, actually. Just for a moment. Er, Ron? Will Bill and Fleur be there?"

"Doubt it. They're still on their honeymoon. Then they'll be in France with her family for awhile."

"Why are they important?" Malfoy asked.

"Um…" Harry bit slightly at his lower lip. "Do you remember when you told Dumbledore that you stepped over a body?"

"Yes…"

"Well, that was Bill that you stepped over. Ron's older brother."

Draco's eyes went wide. "I stepped over a dead person, though."

"Not a dead person, just an unconscious one."

"Though it was still your fault," Ron cut in, crossing his arms. "Thanks to you he got mauled by that damn werewolf." It was the first time he'd spoken to Malfoy since the slapping incident, because he and Hermione had taken to acting as if Malfoy didn't exist whenever he was around. Harry wasn't complaining; things were a lot quieter that way.

"Greyback, you mean?" Malfoy asked warily. Ron nodded. "God, he probably wouldbe better off dead."

"Actually," Harry said quickly, cutting off anything Ron might have said, "the only person who did die was one of the Death Eaters. We all got off okay."

"Harry, not that this isn't important, but we're due back at the Burrow," Hermione spoke up, glancing down at her watch. "You know how Ron's mum will worry if we're not there."

"Right," Harry said hastily, and he grabbed hold of his trunk. "I'll take Malfoy; he doesn't know where it is–"

"Wait, Potter!" Malfoy interrupted. "I mentioned them for a reason – Ordermembers? You're honestly going to take me to a place full of Dumbledore supporters and Aurors and Merlin knows who else? I don't see that going over very well."

"He's got a point." Hermione sighed. "They probably shouldn't see him right away like that."

"I don't think hidinghim would be very good for the whole 'he's safe, really!' image you're going for," Ron said, brow furrowing a bit.

Malfoy looked amused. "Going to try and prove my innocence, Potter?"

"There's nothing to prove," Harry said. "I've told them already that it was Snape who killed Dumbledore in the end, and we'll tell them you were coerced into helping under threats against your family. I don't think they know about the necklace and the mead. At least, Inever mentioned it to anyone. Other than, you know, right when it happened and I went around telling everyone it was you." He gave Ron and Hermione an annoyed look. "No one believed me, though." They at least had the decency to look ashamed.

"Still," Hermione said after a moment. "Maybe you should take him straight to Fred and George's old room. Just until we can see who's actually there. They're not staying the night, right, Ron?"

"No, they'll be going back to the shop."

"Aren't there wards up?" Harry asked.

Ron shook his head. "They're taking them down until we get there."

"Alright. Ready then, Malfoy?"

"Do I have a choice?" Malfoy muttered.

Harry gave him a lopsided grin. "You always have a choice. The trick is making the right one."

Malfoy blinked, staring at him, and then stepped forward so that Harry could grasp his arm.

"Okay. To the Burrow!"