Chapter Twenty-Four: Mourning

Narcissa and Snape had stayed after that, choosing the basement as their room, which Harry thought Draco would find funny. He knew he would, if he had Draco there with him. Harry had become nearly inconsolable, not leaving his room for days now. He would only come out for Order meetings, determined now more than ever to find Voldemort and destroy him. He only ate when Narcissa came up and sat with him, telling him stories of her Dragon. Every night, Harry dreamt of Draco. He was always somewhere different, always in Veelan form, and Death Eaters were always attacking him.

Tonight however, was destined to be different. Draco was laying in a field, gazing up at the stars. Tonight, he was in his torn and tattered clothes, a young wizard. Harry thought surely he was dead this time and had cried out, rushing to him. But, Draco wasn't dead, just laying there, gazing. He smiled brightly when he saw him, gesturing for him to lay down beside him.

"How come you're like this tonight?" Harry asked, joining his love. Draco looked confused a moment and then replied,

"Because I'm stronger in my Veelan form, Harry, of course."

"Your mother has been making me eat. She tells me stories about you when you were young."

"None too embarrassing I hope." Draco said, looking irritated and causing Harry to laugh.

"So embarrassing Draco, and I tell her so. Every time I tell her 'Draco would be livid if he knew I knew' and every time she looks at me and smiles and then, every time, stares at a window or up at the ceiling and says 'he knows'. It's sort of a routine we've developed."

"I'm glad that you can be there for her. I thank you for that." Draco said, watching a shooting star. One multiplied into many and they were streaking across the sky, a meteor shower. Harry smiled, reaching to hold Draco's hand and wishing they had done things like this when they were together and Draco alive. This was normal couple stuff.

"I think she's doing more for me, than I her." Harry said thoughtfully. Draco looked at him, confused again.

"You have to stop having these dreams, Harry."

"I can't."

"Yes, you can, my love, just try." Draco sat up, transforming as he did so, he looked down at Harry again. His now large slanted gray eyes raking over him. Harry smiled back up at him until Draco let go of his hand. "I got you another gift, to say I'm sorry for not being good enough. I have to go now, Harry."

"No, please don't. Stay here with me."

"I can't do that anymore, I only have less than a week left and I have things to do."

"At least tell me where you're going?"

"That's silly Harry, this is a dream."

"I know that, Dray, just... please tell me."

"The Ministry, I'm going to the Ministry."

"For what?"

"To get you another gift, or to try... probably just try. If I don't I'm sorry." Draco replied, and was gone, racing across the grass and into the sky, faster than Harry could keep up. This time, he stood there, watching Draco leave, sobbing,

"But I love you Draco." he whispered, closing his eyes and waking up again. Harry cried out in frustration, slamming his fists into the bed and screaming. He couldn't even tell Draco he loved him in his mind.

A great commotion downstairs drew his attention, and his wand. He put his wand back up when he realized that they were all just cheering. He could even hear Severus joining in on the good time. Sighing, Harry rose and went downstairs. Blaise and Neville were curled up on the couch together, reading the Daily Prophet. Harry felt a pang of jealousy at this, wishing it were him and Draco. They both beamed their greetings at Harry,

"I told you meteor showers were good luck," Neville was saying.

"Nonsense Nev, he would have died either way." Blaise replied, as Harry made his way into the kitchen, frowning. He wanted to go back to sleep, and watch meteor showers with Draco again.

As he made his way to his own coffee, a habit he'd picked up and done every morning for a week now, he tried to tune out every one's loud voices. Grabbing her own coffee and giving Snape a quick and joyous peck on the cheek, Narcissa made her way to him, smiling.

"Harry, dear, there is some good news in all this grief," she said, still smiling. Harry growled something back at her about doubting it. She swatted him on the arm disapprovingly. Harry imagined his own mother would have done the same. Someone else who had died for him. He sighed when he noticed that everyone was watching them, some holding their breath. Even Snape was leaned in, staring.

"What is it?" Harry asked, looking at Narcissa. They were all waiting for Harry's reaction, he might as well give it to him.

Narcissa made a show of unfolding the paper, being very dramatic. Like Draco, Harry thought, waiting patiently. She held it just out of Harry's view, still being dramatic, and began to read...

"The late Sirius R. Black's name was cleared early this morning during a short yet satisfying trial at The Ministry of Magic," she paused here for effect, Harry's stomach in his throat- his heart pounding, "it seems that the late Peter Pettigrew was the one actually at fault, having to have been believed dead. His body was found, dying, on the front steps of the Ministry this morning around six a.m. when a Broomilda Vandercut went to open the doors. Pettigrew soon died after being found due to grevious injury. This reporter's sources say that the late Pettigrew appeared to have been attacked by a vicious animal of some kind, and stranger yet, had a big green bow wrapped around his body. Minister Shackelbolt has declined to comment on this rumor, saying that it was still under investigation..."

Narcissa continued to read the article, beaming in happiness, but Harry couldn't hear her. The whole room was spinning.

"Isn't that so odd Harry?" Hermione said, smiling, "it's like they were delivered a..."

"GIFT!" Harry yelled. Everyone stared, gaping and quiet again. Harry turned to Narcissa, eyes wide. "He's alive." he said, grabbing her by the shoulders and laughing maniacally, "he's alive Narcissa! He. Is. ALIVE!"

"Who, dear?" Molly Weasley asked, staring.

"Draco! Draco fucking Malfoy or Black or Snape or WHATEVER! I don't care! HE'S ALIVE!" Narcissa stared at him, happy tears welling up in her eyes.

"How do you know?" she whispered.

"Harry, I know you want him to be alive, but he's gone. You have to accept that." Hermione said.

"No! I will do no such fucking thing, he is alive! I had a dream last night, we were together and there was a meteor shower and he told me he got me a gift and he didn't give me anything in the dream! That's what this is! I told him a long time ago that I'd give anything for Peter Pettigrew to suffer and he did!" Narcissa cried out, dropping her coffee cup. Coffee and broken glass went everywhere.

"POTTER! That is ENOUGH!" Snape roared.

"Oh shut up." Harry snapped, beaming with happiness.

"You said you never mated, never bonded." Snape accused, crossing his arms over his chest, therefore you could not have found him. Only coupled pairs can do that."

"But, Draco is strong and so is Harry! He's a male who found his mate AND has Blaise, it could happen!" Narcissa cried out, embracing Harry, "where is he? What did he say?" she asked. Harry thought back to the dream and paled.

"He said he's going to get me another gift... at the Ministry. He apologized ahead of time if he wasn't able to get it... The veil...Sirius...we have to go, we have to go NOW!" Narcissa grabbed her wand, looking determined as ever.

"You need your wand!" She cried out. Harry grabbed her and embraced her, yelling,

"NO TIME!" and with a loud pop they were gone. Severus sighed and went to the fireplace, throwing in Floo Powder. He looked over his shoulder, grimacing,

"we should all go too, they're going to be a nervous wreck when they don't find him." he said, everyone nodding as he stepped into the green flames and yelled, "Ministry of Magic!"

Harry and Narcissa apparated straight into the Ministry, both stumbling as they landed from the force. Several people rushed toward them in shock. It wasn't every day you saw Harry Potter, wearing only pajama bottoms and Narcissa Malfoy, in her house robes, just appear out of nowhere.

"Which way?" Narcissa asked.

"Come on!" Harry yelled, running toward the door for the Department of Mysteries. A rather large guard rushed forward, trying to stop them. He grabbed Narcissa by the arm, spinning her around. Harry hit him as hard as he could, sending the guard flying back. Narcissa laughed. With that they were gone again. Narcissa pointed her wand at the closed double doors and yelled a spell Harry didn't hear.

The doors burst open and several more guards tackled Narcissa, bringing her to the ground. Harry looked back as she fought them back, screaming for him to go. She was right, there was no time. Harry breezed past two more guards, only barely making it due to a stunning spell from Narcissa. Harry ran faster, pushing himself as hard as he could into the dark room that held all the magical artifacts.

"Draco!" He cried out, "Draco!" Then he saw him, sitting in front of the veil, staring at it. Startled, Draco turned to look at whoever was screaming for him. He stood, looking back at the veil and then at Harry and stepped forward.