A/N: Hehe, 231 reviews. *giggle* Is it possible that this is on its way to 300 already?? If so, that's awesome. Enjoy this chapter.
Tergum Vicis
Chapter 23
Sadness At Hogwarts
The holidays at Hogwarts went by smoothly and without injury for the Potters and their friends. However, it would seem that James and Harry didn't talk to each other at all as two weeks passed on by, and people were beginning to worry. What if this ended the father-son relationship?
Draco was worried the most. He knew who Harry really was: a time traveler. Harry didn't have parents in his old time, and he only knew Sirius for a short amount of time before he fell through the veil. Draco knew that if he lost his relationship with his father, it would devastate Harry. Draco wasn't quite sure what he'd do if that ever happened to him, he couldn't remember his father at all really.
The blond haired Slytherin walked into the room he shared with Harry. Surprisingly, the two were allowed to stay alone in the Gryffindor boys dormitories together. He thought that they might of had to stay with someone, at least one other person, but they were both happy that they got to stay together alone.
Draco found Harry sitting on the edge of the window sill and looking out. Hedwig was by his side, and he was gently petting her feathers. Frowning, he made his way over to the said window sill.
"Harry?" Draco spoke quietly, and when Harry just took one look at Draco he was sure that the emerald eyed brunette had been crying some time ago. "Oh, Harry..."
He wrapped his arms around Harry's waist from behind, and he heard a heartbroken sob come from his fiance. He could only imagine what he must be going through. Only imagine, because he hadn't gone through it himself.
Harry said nothing, though Draco felt his shirt front getting wet, but didn't care. Harry needed this, needed him, and he would be there for him.
Draco guided Harry over to the couch of the common room and sat down with him in his lap. Hedwig hooted softly from her place on the window sill, knowing something was off with her master, and she was also worried.
"Is this because you're scared of what's going to happen," Draco whispered softly. "Or your father?"
Harry sniffed, his lips merely twitching as Draco reached his hand down to wipe away his tears. "A little bit of both, I suppose."
"But you didn't look scared earlier," Draco pointed out.
"I try not to," Harry mumbled into Draco's shirt. "I'm not terrified or anything. But I am scared."
"But you're not scared for yourself, are you?" Draco asked, and Harry shook his head. Draco sighed. "You know, it's alright to be scared for yourself."
"But I'm not," said Harry quickly. "I'm scared for you."
"What?" Draco looked down at him, just as Harry tightened his grip on Draco's waist. "Why?"
"The Death Eaters want me," Harry said quietly. "They'll do anything to get to me, to get under my skin. That includes hurting you."
Draco sighed and brought Harry close to his chest in a tight (but not too tight) and protective grip. "Harry, we're both going to be fine in this, you hear me? We're going to live. We're going to get married, and have one big happy family. Got it?"
Harry gave a half-smile and nodded. "Got it."
"Good. Because-" Draco was cut off as he heard a shout coming from downstairs.
"Boys, get down here! Quick!" It was Lily Potter, and she sounded terrified.
Harry and Draco looked back and forth to one another, before back at the door, quickly rushing out and downstairs.
"Mum, what is it?"
"Dumbledore wants to see us," she said quietly. "It's about one of the students staying here over the holidays. Dumbledore's suspicious of them."
"It can't be any of the Gryffindors, there are none here. From our year, anyway," Harry said. Lily nodded.
"You're right, and it isn't. It's a Slytherin." She frowned.
Draco's eyes narrowed, having a feeling he knew who she was speaking of. "Pansy?"
Lily blinked, slightly surprised, but nodded. "Yes."
"What's Dumbledore thinking she's going to do?" Draco snorted.
"She's been off to the Room of Requirement a lot," Lily told him. "How Albus knows this, I've no idea. However, she's angry that she lost Draco to you, I was informed. She might try to..."
"Do anything to hurt Harry," Draco finished, and she nodded.
"Dumbledore thinks...and Severus agrees...that she might somehow let the Death Eaters inside the castle."
"I told you she was insane," Draco said quietly, and Harry nodded.
"I'll never doubt your words agiain, love," Harry said quietly before looking up at his mother. "So why does Dumbledore want to see us? There aren't any Death Eaters inside yet."
"No, but he wants to talk to us about taking extra precautions if they should happen to get in."
Harry rolled his eyes and snorted. "Extra precautions wouldn't save us from the likes of them. Especially that Bellatrix."
"And how would you know that, young man?" Lily raised an eyebrow, clearly not impressed by her sons attitude.
"Because I've dueled her and Voldemort before," said Harry coolly. "I'm one of the few here besides Dumbledore who knows what they're really capable of."
Before Lily could ask more of her son, he gave Draco a kiss on the cheek and stalked off towards Dumbledore's office.
Lily sighed and looked towards her future son-in-law. "What's he talking about, he's dueled them before? He's just a boy! We would of known if he had. Do you know what he's talking about?"
"Yes, I do," Draco said as he made his way down the stairs. "And it's all true. I think it best if you wait to talk to Harry himself about this, not hear it from me."
Draco walked downstairs and out of the common room, leaving a stunned Lily Potter in his wake.
A/N: Remember how in the sixth year in HBP it was Draco who let the Death Eaters inside Hogwarts via the Vanishing Cabinets? Well, this time, because Draco's with Harry, it's gonna be Pansy. *snicker* And she's only angry and doing it for revenge. The idea hit me as I wrote it and I thought, hey, why not?
I also have an ending in mind, and the fic itself will in fact be almost 30 chapters. So there's still a few ways to go yet! Enjoy and don't forget to review.