A/N - So I wasn't bothered with the spelling/grammar of this chapter much because I had to change the content. Basically this is the start of the H/D relationship although they don't know it.
Walking through the door Harry wasted no time. Summoning a quill and parchment he scribbled 12 Grimmauld Place onto it.
The day had been eventful, as he supposed every day would now he was out of Mungo's. Walking to the fireplace he cast Incendio.
The fire lit up and Harry through in some Floo powder, followed by the parchment which dissolved amongst the green flames. Dropping to his knees Harry stuck his head in before the flames ran out.
"KREACHER!"
There was a grunt from somewhere in the depressing house followed by padding footsteps. The squat old house elf appeared at the door to the kitchen. On spotting Harry he quickly waddled over and bowed deeply to his disembodied head.
"Master Potter Sir, it is an honour seeing you here again, Sir." Kreacher proclaimed, his nose still pointed at the floor.
"Kreacher, when I arrived at the house, did I have two wands with me?" Harry asked, hoping he hadn't left it at the Weasley's, or worse, Godrick's Hollow.
The House Elf screwed his face up.
"Kreacher is not sure, is one of these wands being Master's? Because Master took his wand with him to the hospital."
Harry nodded.
"Yes, yes but there was another, 11" Hawthorn with unicorn tail hair, polished almost black, did you see one like that?"
Kreacher's face remained scrunched.
"Kreacher is not sure, he is sure he packed all of Master's things in thanks for Master freeing the Malfoy's from Azkaban."
"But the wand? Did you pack the wand? Listen to me Kreacher, the wand belonged to Draco Malfoy..."
The House Elf's eyes widened. "The last Black." He said in a voice of awe. "Wait there for Kreacher, Master."
Harry wasn't going anywhere. Kreacher waddled off as fast as his gnarled little legs would go. He returned with the wand in hand.
"Return this to the young Malfoy please Master." Kreacher croaked before he bent down and gingerly placed the wand between Harry's teeth.
Harry glared. What on earth had Kreacher been doing with the wand? He was ready to go off at his House Elf but at that moment the Floo powder ran out and the fire spat his head out with unnecessary force.
When the flames fell back down the room was washed in a dim color that was neither gold nor red but a bit of both.
Now Harry had Malfoy's wand and it felt like a tremendous weight in his hand. How on earth was he going to give it back to him, he could see several obstacles in his way.
First McGonagall had told him specifically to keep away from the blond, secondly the next six days were looking to be completely taken up with his training to be Flying Professor and when he wasn't doing that he'd be at staff meetings or consulting with Healer Everglade.
Until he could get the wand to its original owner, somehow without being seen it would be a liability.
Doing the only thing he could do, Harry squeezed it into his protective holster, beside his own wand; he'd go to sleep now, with his eyes shut he used the walls to guide him up the stairs, into his new bedroom where he fell asleep clothed and on top of the covers.
Not enough hours later bursts of light were coming from his wand arm, and a sharp alarm noise. At first he thought the two wands together were reacting somehow but then he remembered he'd set an alarm for his training with Hooch. He tried to calculate in his head how much more sleep he could afford if he skipped bathing and breakfast but in the end decided it wouldn't be enough regardless and managed to get into a standing position.
Bath, he summoned clothes and robes from his wardrobe without even thinking about how he'd managed it wordlessly and with little effort. With them in arm he made it to the bathroom. He undressed as the bath filled automatically; he should have paid attention to the automatic part because when he jumped in he discovered cool water reeking of citrus. It refreshed him, woke him up but in a shocking way that left him gasping for breath, quickly he managed to get some cleansing potion in his hair, when he got out he spelled himself dry and got dressed about three times until everything was on the right part. When he was leaving the bathroom he realised the stairs were blurry, he went back into the bathroom to find his glasses, immediately left again, then headed back into his bedroom where they actually were and put them on. Clear sight put into perspective the day he had ahead of him.
Thankfully his room opened right into the teacher's lounge where big warm breakfasts were steaming on the tables, the room was quite full, with the professor's and staff, excluding Grawp but including the new addition of Madame Pomfrey. Harry sat down and grabbed some random items of food without thinking much of it, anything dry enough so he could shove it into his mouth with little coordination. He was chewing down a muffin that had been made with some kind of berries and white chocolate when he recognized Malfoy, not too far away, eating porridge. He made to get up, not quite satisfyingly full yet, and tried to get to the other side of the room.
"Not so fast Mr. Potter."
Hooch and McGonagall stopped him, looking equally stern.
"That's not the direction of your training." McGonagall informed him. "Where are you headed?"
Harry glanced in Malfoy's direction, which made the headmistress' nostrils flare.
"I will not have you causing any more trouble." She hissed. "Now accompany Madame Hooch out to the Quidditch shed and enjoy your training!"
"Yes, but it's still half past, don't I have..."
"You will train when I want you to, so help me Potter, but since you're so insistent I'll let you know you have a visitor in the main entrance who would like to meet with you this afternoon."
"A visitor?"
McGonagall shook her head with a sigh and walked off, Hooch pierced him with a look.
"Come along, if you work hard enough I'll be able to catch the early train, none of this slacking off you did yesterday."
It was all Harry could do not to let his mouth gape open. But he was dragged out of the room and after Hooch who seemed to be trying to reach the shed in record time, he almost forgot he had a visitor waiting until he was in the main entrance and saw her for himself.
Small stature with slightly out of control black locks, heavy eyelids and an aged complexion, Andromeda Tonks was the last person he expected to be visiting, however whom she had with her made more sense, cradled in her arms, the much smaller person seemed to be sleeping, he wasn't new born anymore he was five months old and had a thick head of blond that represented neither his parents. Harry smiled at Teddy Lupin even though the infant couldn't see him
He was at a loss for words, he and his godson were the last remnants and only descendants of the marauders, and Harry had planned make sure little Teddy knew all about their father's and Sirius. He'd promised Lupin after all.
Tonks gave him an approving look.
"So I see you didn't completely forget about him when you decided to have a breakdown."
Harry's eyes shot to her face.
"Of course not."
"Good, I'm told you'll be free this afternoon, please work quickly, I have other business to attend to but I can't stay in Hogsmeade all day, Teddy needs to be home before three."
"I understand, I really do, I'll be done by twelve." Harry nodded enthusiastically to emphasize his point whilst trying to ignore Hooch's skeptical look.
Andromeda nodded slowly in return.
"The Three Broomsticks then."
She added, passing them to walk up the stairs in a regal manor that reminded Harry of Malfoy…in an annoying way.
Left alone with Hooch he was cornered by her disapproving look.
"Done by twelve?"
Harry tried not to let his grin seem too sheepish. A thought occurred to him and he sped off in a sprint.
"Hey! You better be heading off to the broom shed!"
He was and he made it there through the cold morning fog in record time, immediately he began disabling the security charms, the best he could with what he'd learned from Hooch the previous day. Some were harder to get and took a few times to disable but by the time Hooch was approaching he'd got the shed open and was extracting the equipment.
"Slow down Harry, you'll never get through our program in five hours."
Harry's eyes glinted as he looked at Hooch with gratitude; that was just the encouragement he needed, if you ever wanted Harry Potter to do something, tell him he couldn't. In seconds he had the school brooms out and lined up in class formation.
"Let's begin." He told Hooch.
At five past twelve both Hooch and Harry looked a mess, rain had poured again and Harry willing to waist no time failed to impervius his clothes and hair, nonetheless it didn't matter as they'd been practicing rescuing techniques which involved a lot of falling from great heights and landing in deep mud. Thankfully his own Quidditch skill meant that he was able to master the fifteen techniques in only one or two tries each, as long as he applied full physical and mental effort.
Nonetheless they were finished and Hooch found herself pleasantly surprised and reveling in the prospect of being able to catch the lunchtime train back into England.
"So can I go?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Please? You know I wouldn't normally ask."
"Fine but you don't have to sound so happy about it."
Harry bounded off like he was still a fresh-faced first year and the old Quidditch professor found herself smiling, it was hard to remember at times that he'd lost so much, everyone close enough to McGonagall knew they wouldn't get away with coddling him, not that Hooch would ever try but she couldn't help but feel she owed Harry, well, she pondered as she headed out of the school grounds, she supposed nearly everyone owed Harry.
Harry paced back and forth more times then necessary trying to decide whether to change, how he'd get to Hogsmeade, should he have a bath?
In the end he bounded up the stairs, found the door to his room just inside the entrance to the teacher's lounge and managed to change into clean robes, using a combination of Scourgify and Tergeo to clean off ninety per cent of the mud.
Casting tempest he discovered it was already nearing one, if it took him up to forty minutes to get back out of the castle and into the center of Hogsmeade to find Andromeda and Teddy then he'd have at most half and hour before she'd want to get Teddy to the train station. Harry became frustrated, why couldn't he apparate out of school grounds? Surely some witch or wizard could invent a way to get around quickly without causing security concerns! He'd been going around pretty fast that morning in professor training, why didn't he have a broom?
Harry actually smacked himself in the head for that one, whipping out his wand he used "Accio Firebolt."
Sure enough the broom came hurtling out from under his bed and he caught it, he'd be at the Three Broomsticks in minutes now, he couldn't wait to see Andromeda's face there was no way she'd actually expected him to finish as early as he did. He hoped she was actually at the Three Broomsticks and not elsewhere. He'd run out of his room and was across the main entrance when he wondered whether he should've just flown out the window. Even if it had been too small engorgio could have worked, if he'd used it on the frame. He shook his head and mounted the broom, he waved at Grawp who was emerging from the forest, the big giant waved back continuously as Harry got higher and higher. It felt good just to be flying by himself, and on a broom he was familiar with, this was what life was meant to be about and everything within him felt better.
From a bird's-eye view Harry easily found the pub/restaurant and descended neatly down in front of it. He felt fantastic, he knew that his usually birds-nest hair became much more streamlined when fresh off a broom but the summer air had done even more than that, his face was fresh and flushed and his eyes were sparkling, he had a smile he couldn't get rid of and the robes he'd grabbed without thinking were new and fitted quite nicely. For this reason among many others madam Rosmerta shot out the door and over to Harry, pinning him in an embrace that was all too strong for her lithe figure.
"Harry!" She cried out happily, "What a pleasure to see you here, have you flown a broom into Hogsmeade before?"
"No actually." Harry said, grinning even more, he couldn't wait to tell Ron about this. Rosmerta let him go and motioned for him to follow her.
"There's a parking station by the front gate but I don't suggest you leave that Firebolt out; come in and I'll lock it up inside for you."
Harry did, letting her hold the door open for him as he stepped into the burning warmth and friendly atmosphere.
"Are you meeting anyone?"
She asked, peering at him slyly.
"Yes actually."
She grinned. "I thought so, you look dashing, no one would think you were a school boy just two years ago!"
Harry felt himself go red but he laughed nonetheless.
"I'm not doing anything like that. I'm here to see my godson Teddy, he should be here with his grandmother."
Rosmerta's face fell into a stark contrast to the joyful host she'd been up until then.
"They are here aren't they?" Harry asked, not sure where else to look for them.
"Well if you're talking about Andromeda Tonks…"
"Brilliant! So she is here." Harry handed the broom to Rosmerta who took it with a grim expression.
"Where a bouts are they?" He asked looking around to see mostly strangers in for lunch.
Rosmerta glanced worriedly over to a corner and Harry followed her gaze, he could make out Andromeda with Teddy on the ground, it had to be Teddy because no other baby had pink hair. Harry made to head over.
"Wait."
Fearfully Rosmerta grabbed his arm.
He looked at her and was shocked to see how very distraught she was.
"You haven't been here have you? What I mean to say is, you don't know what's been going on...in the wizarding world?"
Harry shook his head. "You could say that."
"Well have you picked up a paper recently?"
"No."
Rosmerta sighed. "Well not all's been peaceful since the war, people've been saying it was bound to happen with the likes of the purebloods going around, they say it's them what should be prosecuted."
"Harry smiled at her, Andromeda's not like that, everyone knows she was married to a muggle."
"Harry, there've been attacks, it's very serious. They've been saying there's a militia that are calling themselves the Mudblood Army, that are going to get revenge for the war."
At that moment Teddy shouted out and Harry didn't want to hear anymore. It all sounded like a bunch of gossip. Ignoring Rosmerta's plea for him to "wait." Harry broke free of her hold and strolled over to his godson and scooped the him up.
The baby made a small noise of protest as a magical toy was left behind; Harry stooped to pick up the strange rattle-like contraption and handed it to him.
He turned to ask Andromeda how she was but found himself lost for words as he became aware he was facing Malfoy instead.
The blonde looked at his aunt.
"What is this?" He spat. Harry wanted to ask the same thing.
Andromeda actually rolled her eyes at the two wizards.
"I'm sorry, I didn't expect my time with the two of you to overlap, in my experience it's not like Rolanda to let people off early."
"She didn't let me off early, I finished all my training."
"Well you can hardly blame me for not guessing you'd fit everything she had planned into five hours." She looked at Malfoy. "Stop pouting, it was meant to take eight to ten."
Harry shifted Teddy who was babbling at him whilst clutching the toy up to his face.
"You said you had to go by three!"
Andromeda became a little flustered.
"It was meant to hurry you up not turn you into a hippogriff on Felix's!"
Malfoy shook his head, looking like he'd been poisoned.
"Look, Potter, with all due respect I know you had a connection to our old professor and want to see his son but I'm having a private conversation with my aunt that really can't…"
"Teddy's my godson."
Malfoy looked mildly surprised.
"He is?"
"Yes, Lupin was my father's best friend, and he and Tonks were both good friends to me, they were like family, actually."
Harry didn't know why he'd become so heated and angry but he hated Malfoy demeaning his connection to Teddy who was the closest thing he had to family, before the Weasleys and definitely not including the Dursleys.
"Well I'm sorry but surely you can see him again some other time."
Andromeda cleared her throat.
"Actually this is really the first time Harry's got to see Teddy."
Malfoy's careful demeanor dropped as he adopted a twisted scowl.
"Then you probably could have predicted this." He ground out. Andromeda simply shrugged.
"He can stay, Salazar knows neither of you are going to leave, and you know he's a Gryffindor, he won't listen in."
Harry nodded.
"I can even take Teddy for a walk?"
Andromeda sighed.
"Thank you, that will be great, just keep him out of the weather and be back in two hours."
"If the child's going to be gone for two hours then you have time to tell me everything." Malfoy said in a quiet tone, leaning forward toward Andromeda.
Andromeda pursed her lips. "I suppose so."
Malfoy sat back looking triumphant.
"You can run along now Potter."
Harry would have been angrier but he was going to spend the next two hours with his godson and that was great, so great that hearing Malfoy mutter. "Nanny Potter." Didn't bother him at all.
Harry walked out of the restaurant, concerned eyes of Madam Rosmerta on him.
"I'll come back for my broom." He told her gently, it turned out he should have listened to her warning after all.
Getting out into the street he remembered how cold it was and thought he should perhaps put a warming charm on Teddy's clothes, but what if it heated him up too much? He needed to take the infant back in doors; somewhere he could play with him and talk to him without looking too weird.
"Harry!"
Isobel McGonagall, of all people sprinted from across the street, and reached him out of breath.
"Oh, who's he? How cute. Anyway I have five seconds. Rhys will be here on the weekend, we'll meet up."
"OK?" Harry said, looking at the woman bemusedly.
"No I'm serious, get my aunt to give you some time off. I'll see you exactly here at seven."
"I'll try…"
"Well owl me if you can't."
Teddy yelled out incoherently and held his toy out to Isobel who smiled.
"No thank you." She told him.
"Isobel!" Harry called as he saw she was leaving.
"Quickly!" She urged him.
"I've just come out of the Three Broomsticks, it's getting to the end of summer and I think he needs a warming charm on his clothes."
Swiftly Isobel plucked Teddy from Harry's arms and gave him a brief hug.
"No they're already on, probably why he's so content, goodbye."
She past him back and then was off down the street, toward a distant purple vehicle that had to be a Witch Way taxi.
"So where should we go?" Harry asked Teddy but the only reply he got was something along the lines of "Aranyananama."
Smiling Harry continued to walk down the street and after not too long, passing the 'closed indefinitely' Weasley's Wizard Wheezes he spotted a sign to the shrieking shack, thinking first of his third year, then of the Marauder's Map and Remus' history with the building he figured he could visit it briefly and tell Teddy some stories, not that the baby would understand.
Walking up to the sign and then onto the trail Teddy let go of the toy and Harry quickly caught it, the infant boy rested his head on Harry's shoulder sleepily, he wondered if that easy trust came from Tonks or if Lupin was like that before the Lycanthropy.
They approached the battered old building and Harry was amused to see it still fenced off, though that was perfect as he had something to lean on as Teddy began to doze.
He stood there with the baby in silence, he kept thinking he was asleep but each time he looked down a different colored pair of eyes were looking back. Eventually Harry figured he'd better say something.
"You won't understand any of this but it's important you know about your dad." Harry began, feeling silly.
"My dad died before I really got to know him too, you see your dad and my dad were good friends, and they had another friend, Sirius Black, who was my Godfather, like I'm your godfather. I didn't really know anything about my father at all and I was only ever able to find out little bits until Sirius told me, stuff I wish I'd known sooner."
The baby was asleep.
"Anyway my dad and Sirius looked out for your dad, when he was little he was bitten by an bad guy who was also a werewolf and that meant for his whole life your dad would turn into a werewolf on the full moon, in those days there wasn't any way to control it so no one trusted werewolves and your dad probably didn't want anyone to know. But Sirius and my dad they worked really hard and became animagus' and that meant on full moons when your dad turned into a werewolf, they turned too and they could keep him company, they knew friendship was really important because not all of us have a family to be there for us, we have to find our family like Sirius found his and I found mine and now you'll find yours but you wont be alone, you'll have me and Andromeda and maybe even Malfoy, he's your cousin so I suppose you do have some family even if you're an orphan, but who isn't these days? You'll be alright, as long as you're like your mum, she was brilliant, a fantastic Auror, oh I should tell you what an Auror is-"
Teddy's eyes opened and he looked at Harry, they were a familiar green color, slowly the pink hair atop his head turned darker until it was black and messy, the baby smiled triumphantly. Harry tried not to get choked up.
"Very cool little one, should we go back?"
Harry handed the rattle back, he noticed it had little paintings on each side that waved, one that looked like Tonks and one that bore a resemblance to Lupin, Teddy shook the rattle and the two figures ran around to switch sides.
Harry looked up, trying to blink the blasted dust that seemed to be getting in his eyes, as he headed back to the main street.
The Witch Way taxi was long gone, Harry didn't think much time had gone by at the Shack and was worried about the baby, how long did they take between eating? Did he need to sleep in a cot? What if he needed to poop? What if Harry needed to poop? Where would he put Teddy? It wasn't like there was some baby drop-off station. It seemed his emotions wouldn't stop running on high; he darted into the nearest shop without looking at what it was He needed to be near other people, just in case he needed help.
"Harry Potter!" A young rosy-face assistant walked over to him. Good. Harry thought she looked like she might be able to help him.
"Where am I?" He asked and she laughed, Harry looked around at the aisles and aisles of sweets and recognized Honeydukes immediately, he felt like an idiot.
"Oh right, I'll just look around."
"Oh ok, but he's much too young for the regular sweets." She pointed out.
Harry looked down at Teddy who looked back up at him.
"Do you have anything for babies?" He asked skeptically.
"Not out here but out back we have some things we send out to homes, just give me a tick."
The assistant vanished and Harry amused himself and Teddy with a new display of Double Whizzing Bursting Cartwheel Dragons. What seemed like colorful gummy dragons, flew around in loops and blew out clouds of sugar dust, some had two heads that seemed to dislike one another, they were a hefty 28 sickles and Harry couldn't see himself buying one.
The assistant came out with a large white box with a cartoon baby Kneazel on it. Harry carried Teddy over, past the couple of strangers who smiled at him.
"OK let's see what we've got here."
Harry glanced at the nametag, Claris Winterplatt. She opened the box and began pulling things out.
Harry left the store with san assortment of baby sweets which all seemed to be for teething. However Teddy did seem to enjoy them.
As quickly as he could Harry entered the next shop.
He seriously considered leaving again because he'd entered Madam Puddifoot's.
"I really need to start paying attention to where I'm going." He told his godson who'd began to cry, making Harry panic.
Madam Puddifoot herself pushed aside several other customers and took Teddy from Harry.
"Oh you poor little dear." She said soothingly, Teddy took a look at her, pausing his cries momentarily then he began screaming again twice as loud. Puddifoot walked off and Harry deigned to follow her, she took them both to a corner table where she summoned an extremely cushioned highchair that she placed Teddy in.
"Sit." She told Harry who abruptly took the regular chair, across from his nephew; she gave Harry a menu and bustled off to the kitchens. Dutifully Harry ignored it and fussed over Teddy, Teddy looked right at him, black hair and green eyes, then in an instant pumpkin orange hair and orange eyes.
Was he asking for another sweet? Not wasting any time Harry pulled out another of the sweets and gave it to Teddy, he stopped crying on seeing it and grabbed it from his godfather, confirming that he had what he wanted he gave Harry a huge, wet smile.
"I can't believe you." Harry muttered. Now he was stuck in Madame Puddifoot's all because Teddy wanted a sweet.
The baby was quite content when Puddifoot came back with a bottle of warm-formulated milk; she placed it in front of Teddy.
"I see he got what he wanted, now how about you?"
Harry was faced with the same problem, he didn't know if he had any money, not caring too much on manners he rummaged through his pockets, he'd just be honest if he came up empty handed. Just as his fingers brushed something coin-shaped Puddifoot plucked his menu away from him and glanced over it. "The Double burger and Goblin Fries with a side of Sprout salad?" She asked; Harry extracted his hand to find a good amount of sickles.
"Sounds good." The matron bustled away.
Teddy finished his Fruity Puff and reached for the bottle. Harry picked it up and awkwardly held it for Teddy as he drank from it.
A waitress came out with Harry's order. She was elderly and must've known a lot about babies because on placing down Harry's food she said.
"Well you're doing it all wrong aren't cha?"
Harry looked at her confused. With a sigh the lady transfigured a napkin into a bib, tied it around Teddy's neck, then put complex charms on the bottle so it'd continue feeding Teddy, with admittedly more precision than Harry.
"Now you can eat your meal in peace."
She gave a wink, which set Harry back and disappeared into the kitchens.
The meal was delicious; he finished well before Teddy and without him asking two butterbeers and a cup of tea was brought out to him in procession.
On the last madam Puddifoot came back out.
"Did you enjoy the meal dear?"
"Yes, very much so, thank you."
"Good, so no need for me to fire anyone today." She smiled warmly.
"May I?" She indicated that she wished to pick up Teddy.
"Sure." Said Harry and so Puddifoot did, and began patting him on the back.
"You see you need to do this after you give them a meal or a drink because they get gassy."
Harry looked at her surprised, he of course hadn't known that and wondered if she was joking.
"So you're back at Hogwarts hmm?"
"Yes but not studying, working."
"I wouldn't suppose there's need to study now, what position has Minerva given you?"
"Um I'll be flying professor." Harry said, causing Puddifoot to smile again.
Shortly after Teddy belched and Puddifoot placed him back in his chair.
"Give him another treat and I'll re-fill your tea."
"Great, how much do I owe you?" Harry asked reaching back into his pocket.
Madam Puddifoot walked off laughing. After his second tea Harry realized it was time to get back to Andromeda, he pulled the half-sleeping Teddy out of his highchair and went off to find someone to pay. The first waitress he approached avoided him skillfully, the second, a waiter this time said he best talk to the owner. When he finally did find Madam Puddifoot again, by a booth talking to a pretty witch, she told him to "get out" and burst into laughter again. Harry was starting to think he wouldn't be able to go anywhere in Hogsmeade anymore as he'd feel obligated not to receive the free food. Nonetheless he had to leave, Teddy was asleep now and he needed to get him back to Andromeda.
He found he'd walked a far way as returning to the Three Broomsticks took ages. His arms were sore from the weight of his godson. Going in he found the pub empty, save Andromeda and Malfoy; even Rosmerta was nowhere to be seen. The aunt and nephew, if they could be called that, were discussing whatever crucial matters quite intently, Harry had no qualms disrupting them though, earning himself a scowl from Malfoy. Harry smiled back, after years of Snape's looks of loathing, Malfoy just didn't quite cut it, which was odd as Harry deserved much more hate from Malfoy than he ever did from Snape.
"Oh look he's asleep." Andromeda observed, standing up and pushing her chair back.
"Pity, we'll have to resume this conversation another time Draco."
The blonde wizard's face darkened.
"Pass him to me Harry, are those his?"
Harry past over sleeping Teddy and then the Honeyduke's bags.
"Yes, they were given to us."
"Not surprising, I doubt anyone around here would make you pay for anything."
"Aunt Andromeda-"
"Please Draco, you'll make us miss the train, just owl me with any further enquiries."
Malfoy bit back his next words and Andromeda turned to Harry.
"Where's his toy?"
Harry's heart sank. Where was the toy? He couldn't even remember where last he saw it.
"He might have dropped it."
"Can you try and summon it?"
Harry pulled out his wand and tried Accio however the toy didn't come; it probably was because he didn't know what it was called or exactly what it looked like. Andromeda closed her eyes wearily.
"Look, I don't have time for this, we have to go now, but if you don't find that toy Harry Potter then I'll hex you into next week…these'd be yours."
She handed Harry back a box of every flavour beans then left. Harry put his wand back into the holster, at this point he noticed Malfoy looking at him strange, with wide eyes and an absence of malice.
Feeling uneasy he quickly left in order to find the toy.
"Can I have my broom back?" He asked wearily. Rosmerta nodded and summoned it.
"Here you go Harry, have a good day."
All Harry could do was nod, without smiling and left abruptly.
Malfoy followed him outside and down to the road.
"Potter!"
"Leave me alone!"
"I know what you have Potter!"
Harry moved into a jog, getting away from the blonde. He looked around the high street for the toy but it wasn't exactly thorough as Malfoy was still calling out and coming towards him. Hogsmeade shoppers were staring, Harry knew how it must look and hoped no one would do anything too drastic.
In the end he decided to get away from any crowds as witches and wizard began to pull out their wands. He came to the shrieking shack trail and ran down it, Firebolt swinging uncomfortably in his grip. He could use it to fly away at the end of the trail and then Malfoy could sort himself out from there, at least if Malfoy followed him down to the shack his chances of being cursed would decrease and McGonagall would have no reason to be angry at Harry.
The toy caught Harry's eye, it was lying in the dirt and the Lupin-like painting was having a snooze in the upward facing corner. Not giving it much thought Harry went over and picked it up triumphantly, a demeanor that was quickly lost as something slammed into him.
"Give it here Potter!"
Harry hastily handed the toy out to Malfoy and the blonde actually stopped his tirade in shock.
"I'll just have you know it's really low taking a baby's toy."
"I don't want the fucking toy you half-wit Gryffindor!"
Harry lowered the peace offering in confusion.
"Give me my wand!"
It all became clearer.
"Oh is that all?" Harry quickly plucked the wand out of his holster and held it out. "I completely forgot, I really meant to give it back to you."
Malfoy starred at him gaping.
"Go on, you can take it."
"Fuck." Was all Malfoy could say and Harry wondered when he'd become so dirty-mouthed? It wasn't very aristocratic.
"Please take it, it's yours."
"I can't just take it! It has to be won."
Harry still didn't understand the issue.
"Then expelliarmus me or something?"
Malfoy shook his head as if to ward off the stupidity.
"Then give me your wand."
"What?"
"It's the best chance I have of disarming you, and try not to expect it."
Barely hesitating Harry handed over his own wand to Malfoy, who could not believe what was happening.
"Expelliarmus!"
With ease Malfoy's wand returned to him, and there he stood, former Death Eater facing his unarmed enemy with two wands.
"You know what makes me mad?"
He asked in a deathly voice.
"Not so much that you're stupid but that you're stupid enough to think I actually owe you, that I'm as indebted to you as every other piece of scum that gives you sweets!"
Harry backed up, coming to realize the extent of the situation he was in.
"I don't want you to trust me, I don't want you to have anything to do with me. In fact I'd prefer if you never existed but as it seems you insist on being everywhere!"
Harry tried to speak.
"Sectumpempra!"
His hair rustled as the poorly aimed spell rushed past him. He heard a mighty crack, and turned around in time to see a towering Maple, sliced in half, come to a dramatic crash on the ground. Not one nerve in his body wasn't pulled tight as he began to shake uncontrollably, why did Malfoy have to do this, why did his life have to always be threatened, no amount of Bertie Bott's could counter it. Dementors, Basilisks, green light, dead eyes, the cauldron in a graveyard. The dreams, so many dreams of the muggles screaming for mercy, begging for someone to save them, but no one ever did, the war had been won but too late, much too late and it'd never end, death would still follow Harry he'd been born marked, it could never be outrun.
He felt his knees hit the hard earth and he let his arms fall down limp, there was nothing for him to see, there was no point battling.
Yet Malfoy threw Harry's own wand back at him so it hit him in the face. Did he actually want a fair dual? That went against everything Slytherin. Harry picked it up and held it in his hands; he could hold it to his temple and finish the job. It would make things a hell of a lot simpler for Draco.
Next thing the wand was in fact pointed at his skull and glowing green with the intention of the next spell.
"Holly fucking Salazar! Potter! Stop! Do you have any idea what people will think? Stop!"
Malfoy dove at the mentally unstable scar-head. With great effort he wrestled the wand back away from Harry.
"What in the name of Merlin's beard? Is that some kind of mental flashback symptom?"
Malfoy was panting and looking like he did back in the forbidden forest in first year when his dark leader had been lurking about.
Harry was still trembling and felt a sensation similar to uncontrollable laughter bubbling inside him.
"You're actually having an episode? Merlin, I'm going to get fired. Pull yourself together!"
"Just kill me."
"I'm not going to kill you!"
"The tree…"
"It was a fucking tree! I'd like to stay out of Azkaban if you haven't noticed, I'm the only chance my father has right now."
Now Harry was beginning to feel like a Dementor was closing in, face after face, tortured or dying flashed by in his mind and each seemed to be accusing him and telling him he'd be next.
"Or else it will be someone I love!" Harry told them
He'll keep coming and his followers after him, nowhere to hide and if you run he'll kill everyone you ever knew.
"No! Please just kill me, don't hurt them!"
Nothing seemed steady anymore; the faces seemed to swim out of focus to make way for Malfoy standing over him, looking a little sick. Had Voldemort sent him? He looked into the silver eyes, such a spineless little coward, he never could hurt a fly, always had someone else do it, no he had no choice, he was there to kill Harry and it would mean safety for everyone else.
"I don't blame you."
There was no response.
"We're alone, I'm defenseless. It will be a mercy."
Harry was off the ground and thrown onto his broom, Malfoy got on behind him.
They shot off the ground and into the sky. Was he going to drop him? If that was what Malfoy was planning then he wasn't doing a very good job, he was holding Harry on to the broom if anything, but Harry didn't care, he just wanted to fall asleep.
He did, it was a very light sleep, he had some idea of what was happening, he was flying over Hogsmeade with Draco Malfoy who had his arms around him and kept cursing. Then they were descending at a very gentle angle and Harry struggled to wake up. Through bleary eyes he saw the hospital wing and Madame Pomfrey rushing toward them.