A/N: Thank you to the ever faithful reader and reviewer: Tenshi Yami - Angel of Darkness.
Chapter Two
Harry waited a few weeks and then decided to check on Draco. He put on his invisibility cloak and waited until he saw Astoria leave the property. Allowing ten or so minutes to pass before he removed the cloak and approach the house.
He knocked, waited and knocked again, louder. Draco answered the door, took one look at Harry and went to slam the door in his face. Harry stuck his foot out and stopped the door shutting.
"Move your foot?" he snapped, voice harsh.
"No. How are you?" Harry blurted. Draco looked okay, but bruises could be spelled away and any other injures hidden.
"Like you care" Draco sneered and rammed the door against Harry's foot.
Harry wasn't fazed by the assault on his foot, he half expected Draco to slam the door on him. So he had cast a cushioning charm to his feet – knowing he would likely stick his foot in the door to stop it shutting.
"I care" he simply replied.
Draco froze, door mid slam, "Pardon? Look Harry you can't be here" he told him, his voice kinder than before.
"I said I care and why can't I be here?" he asked innocently.
"You just can't okay" Draco quietly told him.
"Fine, then let's go get a coffee or something?" Harry countered.
Draco frowned, "I cant. I'm busy"
Harry raised his eyebrows slightly, "Bullshit. Just let me in, I'll stay for ten minutes max. I'm not working, as you can see I'm not wearing Auror robes" he indicated his normal attire.
Draco thought for a moment, looked over Harry's shoulder and opened the door wider, allowing Harry to step inside.
Harry smiled at him and walked over the threshold.
Draco led him to the living room, "You can't stay long. I don't know when Astoria will be back. If she comes home and you're here, she will…." Then he stopped and looked away from Harry.
Harry stepped closer, "She'll what Draco? I promise you I will go in a moment. I just wanted to see if you're alright. I've been worried about you. If you give me an idea of Astoria's schedule maybe we can meet up every so often, in secret if that's what it takes."
Draco frowned ever so slightly and looked confused, "I can't go out. If she comes home and I'm not here, she won't be happy. At least if you come here, then you can hide or something and she won't be any the wiser. But why would you want to, see me I mean?"
Harry was glad that Draco wasn't fighting him or denying that Astoria was controlling. He hadn't admitted it out right, be he hadn't denied it either. Harry decided he would visit Draco regularly, build his confidence up again. Hint that he can leave, that he can get help and that he didn't have to stay in the abusive relationship.
He would visit for a while before asking anything from him, gain his trust and friendship. Be there for him and support him. He needed at least one person he could speak to.
"Don't worry it's not work related. As far as the Ministry is concerned all the incidents were explained and case is closed. I'm here in the capacity of a friend and not an Auror. That is, if you want to accept my offer of friendship?" he asked unsure if Draco would recoil at the idea.
Draco gave a small smile, not a genuine happy smile, but at least it was a smile.
"Sure friends – sounds nice. But Harry ask no questions and I will tell you no lies."
Harry chuckled and agreed to lay off his nosy side and that he would just be here for Draco.
"Okay, well you better go. She has only popped out quickly. She is visiting her sister in two days' time, she will be gone from 10am, maybe you can come around then?" he seemed nervous and he was actually blushing.
Harry thought he looked even more attractive when he had the uncharacteristic blush.
"10am in two days, so Thursday. Okay I have two weeks leave so, I'm free. See you then Draco" and Harry left, not wanting to push his luck.
Draco watched as Harry flung his invisibility cloak over himself and disappear out of sight. He closed the door and for the first time in a long time he felt a tiny bit of hope.
Astoria returned home fifteen minutes later and she was in a reasonably good mood. She was loving, kind and spoke to Draco as an equal. They enjoyed a decent dinner with no arguing and she seemed like she was turning a corner. Draco had seen this before of course and she always snapped eventually, but he was glad that tonight wasn't going to be the night.
In fact the next two days were similar and by the time Astoria left for her sisters, Draco was relieved that nothing had happened.
Harry was true to his word and showed up just after 10am. Harry only stayed for an hour as Draco was paranoid that Astoria would catch him.
"Draco stop worrying. I carry my invisibility cloak with me, I could always hide under it if she turns up and I could hide from her. You shouldn't have to hide your friends, but I will for you."
Draco smiled, "Thank you Harry. I know it's ludicrous and I'm probably worrying over nothing, but just let me deal with it. Maybe when the time is right, I will do something about the situation I'm in. But I'm not ready"
Harry nodded and touched his shoulder, "Well you're stuck with me now. I'm here if you need me" Harry left and Draco pondered how Harry Potter had come to be the one person in his life that he hoped would stick around.
Draco washed up Harry's cup, so Astoria wouldn't see that more than one person was here. He removed all evidence that someone else had been here. He left his dirty cup, if he cleaned his up too, she would be suspicious and ask why Draco was making sure everything was overly tidy – like he was hiding something.
Over the next month Harry visited twice a week, sometimes only for ten minutes, but sometimes for a few hours. They had to arrange the visits for when Astoria was out and when Harry wasn't working.
Harry never mentioned the abuse or call Draco weak, or used his knowledge of it to humiliate him. In fact Harry and he talked about Harry's work, school and other safe subjects.
During their little talks, Draco discovered that Harry was single – he had split from she weasel two years ago when he discovered he was gay. This surprised Draco and also made him feel weird, not that he was homophobic – he felt weird in a good way, but he couldn't explain it.
It was a funny story actually, Harry was apparently on a training programme with a fellow Auror – a man. They had to stay in a hotel, and well, being drunk, and questioning his sexuality, Harry and his colleague indulged. He confessed to Ginny that he cheated and that he was gay and she finished with him. Draco liked that Harry was willing to admit that he was gay, that he cheated and that he wasn't as perfect as people assumed he was.
The more time Draco spent with Harry, the more he felt like his old self again. He would insult Harry – only playfully, they would joke and laugh. Draco hadn't laughed in a long time, he was happy when he was with Harry.
Astoria had told Draco she was going to see a healer to see if she had any fertility problems, as she was worried about their difficulty to conceive.
Harry had given Draco a muggle mobile phone and showed him how to work it, it had Harry's number programmed into it. Draco had a hiding place in the house and he kept the phone on silent and hid it from Astoria. Now that she was gone, he took the phone out and messaged Harry to say he was alone and free to talk.
Harry had the day off and he agreed to pop over.
Harry was happy when Draco messaged, he enjoyed his time that he spent with Draco. He felt relaxed around him, he missed part of the old Draco. The witty, funny and confident part – but that was slowly coming back. Draco was already starting to see that he isn't as worthless as he thought he was.
Harry had even confessed that he was gay, he didn't know why he told Draco. Probably because Harry knew his secret and Draco was his friend.
He was happy to see Draco. In the month that Harry had started visiting Draco, only a few minor incidents had happened with Astoria. She had bitten him a few times, kicked, slapped and tormented him. But nothing serious and Draco said that it was a good month, but didn't elaborate. Harry wondered what a bad month for Draco was like, but was afraid to ask.
They enjoyed a cup of tea together and were discussing Harry's highly amusing and mortifying coming out to his friends.
"Yep Ron was stunned into silence. Think he was a bit angry that I cheated on Gin and all, but eventually he accepted it. Hermione being Hermione gave me a pile of books on being gay. Most were useless, but some were rather insightful" Harry laughed as he told Draco.
"Do you still work with this colleague, who you molested on a training course?" Draco playfully asked
Harry laughed, "No, I think he was a bit embarrassed about the whole situation, and he failed the Auror exam. Never made it past training – thankfully, that would have been awkward to say the least."
"So any boyfriends since then?" Draco didn't know why he was asking, he told himself it was curiosity. But he had become so apt at lying, truthfully he wanted to find out all about Harry, especially his relationships.
Harry ran a hand through his hair, "Yeah a few. Gin I broke up a few years ago – a man's got needs" he smiled cheekily.
Draco thought Harry looked rather attractive when he was acting playful and teasing, his boyish smile and easy laughter was like a calming draught.
Draco tried not to think of Harry and his 'needs' he was already thinking of Harry too much, some of those thoughts already unacceptable for a friend – but thinking of Harry and his 'needs' invoked so many steamy thoughts and they were welcomed.
Draco wasn't one hundred percent straight himself, he had experimented as a teenager. But then the war got in the way and after he was married off to Astoria. Harry dredged up the old lustful feelings he had at school. Crazy and naughty thoughts, that he would NEVER admit to – such as imagining Harry's cock, what it felt like, what it looked like and what it would taste like. Bloody hell Draco. Just because Harry is the first person in a long time to treat you as a decent human being, doesn't mean you have to fantasize about him.
Draco slept with Astoria, but he would switch off and zone out. Never fully in it – he was there in body but not in mind and soul. To make love to someone with all that you were, would be amazing.
Draco refocused his attention, Harry was talking again.
"Bit of an eye opener the first time – but you adjust and well, I wouldn't go back to sleeping with a woman."
Draco smiled, this made him happy for some reason, "Yes I remember my first time with a man – it was a huge shock, an eye opener is an understatement" Draco chuckled.
Harry spluttered, "You – were – slept – your bi sexual?" Harry tried that sentence in many different ways and what came out didn't make much sense.
"Yes I'm bi. I have slept with both men and women, before Astoria of course. But I still remember my first time, you don't forget something like that. For obvious reasons it depends on whether you're a 'top' or a 'bottom', wouldn't you say?" his lips curled into a small smile, which he hid behind his cup.
Harry had blushed and looked slightly embarrassed by Draco's confession of his sexuality.
"I – yes I would agree with you. It depends, but I've experienced both and well I don't really care which – sex is sex right?"
Draco laughed, "I guess you're right. Some men like to think it is all to do with control and who's more dominant, or submissive. That's a load of shite. If you're a good lover you can make your partner have an out of this world experience in both top and bottom positions. It would be more rewarding if you felt equal in the relationship."
Harry flushed again, "Yeah I guess. But some of my sexual encounters have been pretty cringe worthy or anti climatic. Oh Merlin this one bloke I picked up in a bar, he was good looking, seemed like he could handle a good seeing to" Harry said as he wiggled his eyebrows.
"But then afterwards, he cried on me and kept repeating over and over, 'was it good for you'. Well I told him it was until he started crying like a fucking Hufflepuff. That stopped the tears, he yelled at me that he was a fucking Hufflepuff and he stormed out."
Draco laughed for some time after that and Harry watched his face and listened to the delightful sound. Draco transformed when he was happy, his eyes shone, he face lit up and he was more relaxed. Harry liked it, he vowed to make Draco laugh as much as possible.
Draco stopped laughing, "Well if we're swapping horror stories. I was shagging some random Ravenclaw bloke, can't even remember his name. Anyway as it got more heated, he started crying out, 'Draco Malfoy is fucking me' over and over – like he was in awe or something. It was very off putting. I mean, I was well aware what I was doing, I didn't need his damn commentary"
Harry laughed, "To be honest I would have been the same – I mean Draco Malfoy - imagine" Harry said in mock dreamy voice and looked far away.
Draco snorted, "Twat" he said as he shoved Harry lightly.
Then they both froze, as Astoria's voice came from the hall. "Draco?"
Harry looked at Draco's panic stricken face. He grabbed his invisibility cloak, threw it over himself and just had enough time to move to the corner of the room – Astoria wouldn't bump into him.
Astoria entered the kitchen, she glowered at Draco. "Why didn't you answer me?"#Draco opened his mouth to answer, but Astoria cut him off.
"Never mind. The healer said there is nothing wrong with me, you will need to go in for fertility tests next." She told him.
Draco nodded. Astoria looked around and frowned.
"Who's been here?" she demanded.
"W-what, no one" Draco said too quickly.
"Don't lie to me Draco. I can smell cologne that's not yours and there are two cups of tea on the side. Now would you like to try that again?" She stepped closer to him.
Draco was horrified, he hoped and prayed that Harry had covered himself and then snuck out. That he left the property completely – he didn't want Harry witnessing the inevitable abuse that was coming his way.
"Okay, sorry I shouldn't have lied. A potential client turned up out of the blue. I couldn't turn him away, if he signs the contract it will be brilliant for the business. He only stayed for a cup of tea and left, maybe it's his cologne you can smell" He hesitantly and quickly said. Trying to calm her before she went mental.
She walked over the counter that held Harry's cup, she picked it up and threw it at Draco. He dodged the cup, it smashed into pieces against the wall, over his shoulder.
"How many times have I told you not to fucking lie to me" she shouted.
Harry was frozen on the spot, he couldn't reveal himself it would make things worse. But he couldn't stand by and watch as Draco was verbally and physically abused. If he cast a spell it would give him away. He could obliviate her, but then he'd be in trouble at work.
Then he had an idea, as horrible as it would be to watch – if he watched he could use a pensive to show the Ministry what Astoria was like. They could help Draco get out of the abusive environment and use Harry's memories and possibly Draco's as evidence.
So he watched and hoped Draco wouldn't hate him for not stopping her.
Draco was once again questioning himself and his relationship, in his mind. How did I get so deeply involved with this damaged woman? Why did I find it so difficult to entertain the idea of leaving her? Day to day life had become like wading through treacle. The punctuation of sleep only providing any kind of welcome respite.
Before his relationship with Astoria, Draco was unable to sleep in, in the mornings, always the early riser. Not now. No way. The more time I spend asleep the better. Draco thought.
If he woke before Astoria in the morning, he would lie awake listening to her breath, dreading a change in tempo of her breaths that would signal her arrival in what would become another hateful day.
Draco knew he was a coward, spineless – but he flinched as she moved closer to him.
Astoria slowly gathered herself and inhaled deeply and noisily from her nostrils. She then gathered the phlegm that had collected in her throat with a rasping cough. She spat in Draco's face.
"You disgust me" she fumed.
Draco said nothing, just wiped his face and tried not to pull a face – that would aggravate her further.
"What's wrong with you? Nothing is wrong with me. It's your fault I'm not pregnant yet" she screeched.
Draco watched as her usually warm, inquisitive friendly eyes turned into blazing pools of anger and frustration, as she pulled his face to within an inch of her raging and flushed face. Astoria planted an aggressive kiss on Draco's lips. She then lunged forward again as if she was going to repeat the process, only this time she sank her front teeth into Draco's lower lip.
It's incredible what one can wonder in a split second. How did things get this bad? How did I get so deeply entangled with this woman who will never ever be happy with anything that I say or do.
Astoria had previously hinted and threatened that she would kill herself if Draco left. Draco was absolutely terrified that she was going to kill herself and he couldn't let that happen. He didn't want to be responsible for another death – he had too many deaths on his conscience.
So he stayed. He kept quiet. He let her hurt him. He let her punch, kick, and bite, scratch and gouge the life out of him. Over and over again, situation after situation.
"Well, say something" she demanded.
Draco feared for the blow that was sure to come his way, no matter what he said, she would be dissatisfied.
"Astoria, I will go get checked at the hospital. Maybe they can help and we can…..have a baby" he offered, knowing he was the reason they hadn't had a baby. The potion he took preventing such an occurrence.
"Okay good. It wouldn't surprise me if something is wrong with you. Your useless." She sneered.
Draco had no answer for that.
Then her face turned angry, with a twist of disgust, "Not like it matters at the moment – can't even have sex if we want to. You being worthless as you are, can't even get it up" she shoved him, but he didn't fall.
Draco and Astoria hadn't had sex for a while now. Before he could manage to get aroused by thinking of other people or anything but Astoria. However recently he just couldn't get aroused by her – he felt nothing from the waist down.
In his mind a small voice said – Since Harry, you haven't slept with Astoria since you saw Harry again. That didn't help the situation so he remained quiet, shoving that thought away.
She kissed Draco again and when she pulled away she made a request, "Make love to me Draco"
He hesitated and she saw the flash of repulsion in his eyes. She snapped. She slapped him across the face and then ran her nails down his cheek – leaving long scratch marks.
Draco didn't know why he said it, he regretted it the moment he did. "Maybe if you weren't such a crazy bitch I would want to sleep with you" he seethed.
She drew her hand back, clenched it into a fist and punched him right in the mouth. Draco could taste the all too familiar coppery taste of blood, as it pooled in his mouth.
The punches didn't stop, she punched him against the side of his head, his stomach, and face – everywhere.
She kicked, punched, scratched and even bitten him. Draco was weak, he put his arms up in front of his face to deflect the punches – but he didn't do anything else to stop them.
"Now I'm being a crazy bitch – I'm only acting as you so kindly said I do"
Draco tried to walk away but she yanked him back and pushed him to the floor – she continued to kick him. She was wearing pointy high heels and the stiletto of the shoe, bloody hurt as it stabbed into Draco.
Harry had witnessed enough, he snuck out and apparated to the Ministry. He ran to the Aurors department. Grabbed the first available Auror, gave a brief explanation. That he had a case where the woman was beating her husband, that if they hurried they could catch her in the act and arrest her.
So Harry and Auror Trent, side along apparated to Draco's. Harry ran through the door, into the kitchen – they were gone.
Harry panicked, "Where are they?" he noticed a few splatters of blood, smashed crockery and other obvious clues that something had happened.
Harry sighed, "Right lets search the house, if they are not here we go to St Mungos" he said alarmed.
The search to the house was useless – they were not here. They apparated to St Mungos asked if a blond man had been admitted with various injuries.
"Yes Auror Potter. How did you know? About ten minutes ago. Down the hall, second door on the left" the healer told him.
Harry and the other Auror rushed to the room. What happened next was a blur. Auror Trent had cast a spell to immobilise Astoria, he bound her and pulled her away from Draco.
Because upon entering the room, they saw Astoria had he hands around Draco's neck and was cutting off his air supply, she was trying to strangle him.
She struggled against her bonds, she was screaming and shouting, throwing insults at Draco.
"You bastard. You fucking bastard." She shouted.
Auror Trent cast a silencing spell and took her out of the room. A healer checked over Draco and said he should be okay, but it was lucky that they stopped her when they did.
In Auror mode Harry knew he had to ask for statements and such – but he wanted to make sure Draco was alright too.
He went to Draco's side, "Draco, I'm so sorry. I went for help and when I got back you were gone. I should have stopped her, I should have helped you" he wanted to weep at the sad sight in front of him.
He didn't weep though, because Draco wouldn't appreciate it and Harry needed to be strong.
Draco was tired and he hurt, they gave him a pain relief potion. But they didn't fix his injuries yet, they said they wanted to take inventory and photos of the injuries to use for evidence.
"Harry you have nothing to be sorry for" he kindly told him.
Harry smiled sadly and put a hand on Draco's arm, "Oh Draco I wish I could take all the bad memories and pain away for you. If I could I would. You can't go back to her, you can't defend her actions and you must speak out. Tell the truth. We have all your previous records of injuries from St Mungos, we will have your statements and I was thinking, we could use mine and your memories – put them in a pensive and show people what she did"
He tried to covey how important and vital it was, that Draco finally told the truth and broke free.
"Harry. I'm not going to pretend anymore. I can't take no more. I'm done, I will give my statements of all the incidents and provide memories where possible and I will leave her." He answered.
Harry smiled and took hold of Draco's hand. "Thank Merlin for that. I'll be here for you. I will give evidence, memories and all the support you will need."
Harry squeezed his hand, "Right now for Auror mode. Please tell me what happened when you got to the hospital?"
Harry had to fight the urge to caress Draco's cheek, to run his fingers through his hair and to generally stop any physical form of comfort. It was difficult, Draco looked so broken, so sad and helpless.
"I think she realised she went too far this time. She said if I didn't tell anyone it was her, she'd take me to the hospital. Otherwise she would leave me to my injuries at home. I promised her I wouldn't say anything, I said I will make an excuse, say that I was mugged or something. That some random person beat me up. So she took me to the hospital and in the chaos, I think she asked the healer to check me for fertility problems."
He frowned, "Of all the things she could have been worrying about, she asked about that. Well it soon become apparent that nothing was wrong with my fertility. The healer said she detected a contraceptive potion in my blood."
Draco laughed, a hollow and sad laugh. "You see I didn't want a baby with her. So I secretly took the potion. When the healer left, she went mental. Started screaming at me and she started strangling me. She was livid about my betrayal."
Silence.
"I thought she was going to strangle me to death" he quietly proclaimed as he turned away from Harry's intense eyes. He didn't want Harry's pity or sympathy.
Auror Trent returned and said that they have taken Astoria to the Ministry and she is in a cell waiting to be questioned.
"She's claiming that Mr Malfoy abused her for years and that she finally snapped and retaliated in a moment of self-defence and madness. Said after all these years she couldn't take any more and she wanted to end the abuse, and the only way she could think of was to try and kill him"
Harry swore and Draco snorted but remained silent.
Auror Trent left and Harry reluctantly said goodbye to Draco, promising he will return as soon as he could.
Harry questioned Astoria about the other incidents and all of Draco's previous recorded injuries. She denied it all and put on a good show – tears and all. Harry didn't tell her that he was there under the invisibility cloak. He would give his memories as evidence and make her look the fool for lying. Harry had even convinced the head Auror to use Veritaserum if needed.
Harry would question her some more tomorrow – for now he had to get back to Draco.