Disclaimer: not mine

A/N: Huge appologies for making this so late between work and exams I have had no time...

Chapter 11. Story time

"You can start by getting some rest. You need sleep to finish healing and you won't get that thinking yourself into circles like this. Just relax. We have four full weeks to think about this and we should be getting more information soon. I am not going anywhere." He reached over and gently tucked the other boy in securely. I am going to make a habit of this if it continues.

Green eyes peeked up through multi-colored hair as Prince pulled the silver frames off and set them on the night stand. "Tell me a story."

"Tell me a story."

"About what?" Prince tipped his head to the side, thinking.

"Anything. Tell me about you." Harry pleaded.

Prince studied him for a long moment, thinking. "Okay little one, but no interrupting.

"I was born Briar Malfoy, son of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. For the first three years of my life I was very sheltered and very spoiled. I was the perfect heir to the Malfoy line: beautiful, intelligent, and completely fascinated with my family history which was told to me in the form of bedtime stories. I am told I was the perfect little gentleman, that I picked up etiquette easily and without formal lessons, and that I was a natural leader when grouped with my peers. My –parents- loved me very much, and wanted the very best for me. When I was four that all changed.

"Voldemort fell, and with him all his loyal followers scrambled for cover. I was too young to understand why my parents were so worried all of the sudden. I remember one night my father came to tuck me in and he made me promise to look after my baby brother, always no matter what. I didn't understand when I promised him, that he was worried about the two of us should they be taken to prison. Family means everything to a Malfoy. Family comes before anything else…

"Of course the aurors came eventually. I only know the story; I was asleep when they came. They had a warrant, though only for my father. He went willingly enough, but this witch… She came to my bed and cursed me, right in front of him. She justified cursing a child by saying my father killed her mother. My father was taken away and held until his trial.

"Between the Malfoy name and fortune, and the fact that Auror woman attacked his heir, the wizigmnot gave him a free pass. Father never bribed or threatened anyone, they just knew that even in prison Malfoy's have a long reach. So father went home… and discovered I wasn't there.

"You see the Auror cursed me to be 'light' assuming that to be the perfect revenge on a dark family, to 'corrupt' their heir. My mother was a fanatic. She came from a very dark family and refused to accept her son as a light wizard. She had me checked over by several healers, curse breakers and other professionals, but when they could do nothing she… got rid of me. She couldn't outright kill me, or disown me so she did the next best thing.

"She took me to a dangerous alleyway in muggle London, cast a sleeping spell, and left. She just walked away. She arranged for her sister to accept the blame when Bellatrix was caught out, and so preserved the family name. When my father came home she forced him to sleep for several days, in the hopes that I would be dead before he could do anything to find me.

"I was taken in by a group of thieves. I have no idea why they did. Most street gangs wouldn't risk a young kid new to the streets. There's too little to go around to take in a completely dependent extra. I was somehow found by my father within two weeks. My father took me to a relative. He couldn't take me home without putting my life in jeopardy, so he gave me to his second cousin to raise. He visits me every now and again, irregularly. I know he wants nothing more than to leave my mother, but he will not risk Draco and cannot get a divorce.

"They married under a magical contract, and it can only be broken by the heads of both families. Father is the head of the Malfoy family, but the head of the Black family is unreachable. So they are stuck, at least until Draco is of age or the Black patriarch is found." Prince stared at the blue comforter brooding. After a long while he smoothed out the blanket and wished the wizardling a goodnight.

XXXxxx

Harry watched Prince no Briar leave. He had questions, but knew this wasn't the time. He'd never considered Prince would be related to Draco so closely. He thought the other might be a distant cousin or something. What kind of mother would do that to her son? His mother had died for him, but Briar's had tried to kill him because of somebody else. How did he end up working for Benny's dad? Doing illegal muggle work? More importantly, if his mom's so dangerous, why would he come to Hogwarts with me? He'd felt the attachment Prince had to his father, and the hurt from his mother's actions.

After a time he forced himself to stop thinking and go to sleep.

.

.

.

A/N: again, sorry for the delay, and the shortness, but I got this bit out as quickly as I could. Let me know what you think!!