The Bond of Brothers

A/N: Hopefully there are no continuity issues in this chapter as I was going back and forth between the old version and the new, rewritten chapters. If you notice anything, drop me a review and I'll correct it! Thanks

Chapter Seven

Hallucinating. Delusional. Mental. Insane.

These were the only answers Draco could come up with to explain what had just happened, what he'd just witnessed. Because what he'd thought he'd heard simply didn't make sense, couldn't be real. He glanced around the hospital wing, taking in the stunned silence in the wake of Potter's abrupt departure. The only noise came from his mother as she sat hunched over, sobbing into her hands on the bed Potter had fled. He watched in numb confusion, unable to process why his mother was crying, not sure what to do.

Severus was the first to move. He strode over to his mother, and, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, said, "I'll find him." His tone was gentle, more so than he'd ever heard the Potions Master use before. His mother gave a jerky nodded, and the older man exited the hospital wing moments later, his black robes sweeping around the corner in his haste.

Draco shifted in his bed, pushing himself into a more dignified position. His movement drew the attention of Dumbledore and Pomfrey, but he ignored them, his eyes focused solely on his mother. "Mum?" he called out, his voice timid and scratchy.

Instantly, his mother stiffened, her crying coming to a stop with a short intake of breath. She turned to face him, and he could see the paleness of her skin, the dark smudges under her eyes, the wetness on her cheeks, the way she bit nervously into her bottom lip. He took in all of this, but it was the devastation in her eyes that sent a chill down his spine.

"Draco?" she whispered. "You… you're awake?" she asked, and it almost sounded like she wished him still unconscious.

He shook his head weakly, feeling incredibly drained. "Mum… what…?"

"Shh, don't try to speak, darling," his mother tried to quiet him, practically lunging for him, reaching out a hand to smooth back his hair. As she did so, he noticed the uncontrollable shaking of her fingers.

He pulled away from her touch. "No," he insisted, swallowing to trying and clear his throat. "What did you mean…" he sucked in a breath, hardly able to even repeat what he'd heard in his pain-induced fantasy, because surely it wasn't true. Yet, still, he had to ask. "You told Potter… you're his m-mother?"

His mother looked down at him fearfully. "You heard that?"

"I was dreaming, wasn't I?" He shook his head, as if the action would clear everything up, make the world right again, get rid of this weird reality he'd woken up to. "Because what I heard…"

"You're not dreaming, Draco," his mother cut him off softly.

His eyes snapped to hers. "Then what you said was true?"

She hesitated, then nodded.

"But," he struggled, coming to the conclusion Potter had obviously reached moments earlier, the conclusion that had spurred his panicked departure. Suddenly, Draco felt a very similar urge rising in his own limbs. "That would mean… Potter and I…" he trailed off, unable to finish such a traitorous thought.

"Yes, he's my son," his mother confirmed, tears again falling from her eyes. "Your brother."

If he'd had the strength, Draco would have followed Potter's example. However, seeing as he barely could twitch his toes, he was rooted to the spot, unable to escape the repercussions of what his mother had just told him. He tore his eyes away from her, not wanting to see her, not wanting to hear anything she had to say. He dug his nails into the palms of his hands, his heart speeding up as the pain confirmed that he wasn't caught up in some nightmare.

Not a hallucination or a delusion. He wasn't going mental or insane.

No, this was much, much worse than that.

Harry-bloody-Potter, Gryffindor's Golden boy, muggle-born and half-breed lover, champion of the Light, was his brother. The very person he'd spent the better part of his Hogwarts career hating and taunting and plotting against was his family.

He wanted to laugh at the sheer absurdity of the notion, but the urge was swept quickly away by the feeling of bile rising in his throat. He was a Death Eater, his father was a Death Eater, his aunt was a psychotic Death Eater, and now he was intimately connected to the Dark Lord's number one enemy, the only person who'd managed to evade him time and time again, the boy he most wanted to kill.

With this sobering thought, he turned back to his mother who was once again sobbing. "How?" he murmured desperately. "I d-don't understand…" His throat was parched, his whole body aching.

Dumbledore approached then, his mother offering little protest as he pulled her gently to her feet.

"I think that is a question better left for tomorrow, Mr. Malfoy," the headmaster told him, his eyes tired behind his spectacles. "I'll escort your mother to a guest room for the night. You should get some rest."

Draco nodded numbly, to weak to voice a protest, his eyelids already beginning to droop. Guiding his mother, Dumbledore left the hospital wing, pausing only to ask for Pomfrey's silence to which the nurse immediately agreed. Once the pair had left, Pomfrey helped him into a more comfortable position before quickly retreating to her office, telling him to call if he needed anything. She appeared distinctly uncomfortable, shutting her door with a sharp snap.

Alone, Draco let his eyes fall shut, his thoughts surrounding the boy his mother professed to be his brother. He thought of his foolish bravery and his attention seeking habits, of how much he despised him.

He thought of how Potter should have been in Slytherin, of the conversation they'd had in the library, of how he'd grown up an orphan with a mad man out for his blood, of how he'd known the mark he bore but hadn't had him locked away, of how he tried to tell him there was always a choice.

Exhaustion from his recent ordeal stole over him moments later, his conflicting thoughts fading into the darkness as restless sleep claimed him.

000

Harry wasn't sure how he'd ended up here. He'd let his legs carry him where they willed and this was where they'd brought him. Breathing harshly, he leaned against the wall, sliding down it to land roughly on the floor. He drew his knees to his chest, eyes glued to the pool of blood that glimmered darkly in the yellow light. It seemed like a lifetime ago that he'd dueled in this lavatory with Malfoy, yet not even enough time had passed for the blood to completely dry.

How could his life have come crashing down so quickly?

He shut his eyes against the gruesome sight, burying his head in his arms. He thought of his mother, Lily Potter, and his father, James Potter. He remembered seeing their image in the Mirror of Erised, where they'd stood proudly on either side of him, smiling and happy. He heard their voices as their ghostly images had spoken to him that night in the graveyard, how they'd protected him long enough to get to the portkey and escape. He thought of the countless hours he'd spent looking at the album Hagrid had given him at the end of his first year, how he'd memorized every picture of his parents, every expression and gesture. And, as if a Dementor was there in front of him, he heard his mother's scream as she sacrificed herself for him.

Lily and James were his parents. They were him. Hadn't he always been told he looked just like his father but with his mother's eyes? Weren't they the ones who'd given their lives to protect him, who he'd spent his whole life trying to make proud? Who was he if not Harry James Potter, their son?

Yet, even as his identity was ripped from him, everything that had happened since meeting Narcissa Malfoy in Diagon Alley made perfect sense. Now he understood why she'd asked for his help, why she'd given him her memories, why Snape had called her to Hogwarts, even why Snape was acting more civil towards him this term, because surely the professor must have known the truth.

No! It wasn't true, it couldn't be true, he didn't want it to be true.

But even as his mind refused to accept the idea, his heart was recalling the love he'd seen in Narcissa's eyes in the hospital wing. It was the same love he'd seen in the memory she'd given him of his parents, the same love the Mirror of Erised had shown to him.

His lungs grew tight and his heart heavy. He didn't know what to believe anymore. His life had never been fair or normal, especially since coming to Hogwarts. But through everything, he'd always known who he was. He was the boy-who-lived, the Chosen One, the Gryffindor, his father and mother's son, their hope and legacy.

Now, he was only lost, confused, and so terribly alone.

Sometime later, he wasn't sure exactly how long, he heard the door open and footsteps approach. He kept his head down and his eyes closed. Maybe if he didn't move, whoever it was would simply go away.

"Evanesco," the silky voice of Snape echoed in the tiled room. Harry stiffened, but didn't raise his head. He didn't need to look to know that the Professor had vanished the blood staining the floor and walls.

"Come, you can't remain here," Snape said, and Harry felt a touch on his arm. Instinctively, he pulled away. He heard the older man sigh, and he could imagine the annoyance on his face.

"Harry," The use of his first name startled him enough that he snapped his head up to look at his Professor, eyes wide. Snape was standing directly above him, looking at him with what could almost be described as a pitying expression. "I must get you back to the hospital wing."

He shook his head widely. "I won't go back there," he whispered brokenly. "I can't face…" His throat closed, and his eyes burned with the threat of tears.

"I thought Gryffindors were supposed to be brave." There wasn't any malice in Snape's words, but he flinched harshly at them nonetheless.

"I shouldn't be a Gryffindor," he spat. "Given my… my family." He almost chocked on the last word. At least now he knew why the Sorting Hat had wanted to put him in Slytherin.

"Lily and James were your family, Harry." There was his first name again, sounding so strange coming from Snape.

"No, they weren't!" he cried, angry at Snape, angry at his parents, angry at the Malfoys, angry at himself. "It was all just a lie!"

He barely had time to register the firm grip on his arm before he was being hulled to his feet, his eyes involuntarily rising to meet the sharp onyx gaze of his Potions professor. "Don't you ever say that again," Snape grounded out. "Lily loved you, she died for you. And so did Potter. Do not ever forget that."

The heat of the older man's words cut through the haze of his own fury, the burning emotion quickly fleeing.

"I know," he said mournfully, looking away. "You're right."

The grip on his arm lessened significantly. "At least you've got some sense in you, Harry," Snape's tone was much more calm, almost regretful.

So tired from the events of the past few hours and surprised by his most hated professor's behavior, Harry allowed Snape to lead him out of the lavatory and through the halls. When they arrived at the hospital wing, they found it empty apart from Malfoy who'd fallen asleep. Snape pointed him towards the bed next to the blond boy's, and he settled into it without complaint. Shock finally overruled his system, and as soon as his eyes closed he was lost to dreams of what was and what could have been.

000

Harry woke up cold. Shuddering, he pulled the covers tighter, but something was off. These weren't his sheets, and the mattress below him didn't belong to his familiar four-poster bed in Gryffindor Tower. Snapping his eyes open, he reached to the side and grabbed his glasses. Shoving them on his face, he took in his surroundings. There was a curtain pulled around him, blocking the room from sight, but he'd been in the Hospital wing enough times to recognize where he was. He noticed with some surprise that he was still wearing his clothes from yesterday, which he thought was odd. Surely Madam Pomfrey would never have allowed him to sleep in his clothes. He glanced over to his right and instantly froze.

Draco was sitting up in the bed next to his, also enclosed by the curtain, and was staring at him with a calculating expression. With a jolt, the memories of last night hit him hard in the chest, momentarily knocking the air from his lungs. He jerked his eyes away from the other boy, choosing to stare resolutely ahead. He leaned back into his pillow, wrapping the blankets around him. A few sluggish moments later, the memory of Snape retrieving him from the lavatory and leading him back to the Hospital wing came into focus.

A long silence followed in which neither he nor Draco moved. Harry could feel those grey eyes watching him, but he stubbornly kept his face turned away, hoping for Madam Pomfrey to walk in and provide a distraction, but none came. Eventually, shifting uncomfortably, he could take the staring no more. Irritated, he turned to look at Draco.

"What?" he snapped, but Draco continued to stare at him with the same, measured attitude.

"You've been asleep for a long time," he stated simply, and Harry's eyes widened in surprise.

"How long?" he asked, slightly alarmed.

"It's after mid-day, at least. It's hard to tell with these infuriating curtains."

"I slept that long!" Harry exclaimed. "But where are my friends? What do they think happened to me?"

Draco shrugged in reply. "I don't know. Dumbledore probably made excuses for both of us."

"But…" Harry stuttered, not quite sure what to say. The entrance of Madam Pomfrey saved him as she quickly stepped in through a break in the curtain. She smiled at him.

"Ah, good, you're awake. I thought I heard voices," she said, coming to his side and checking him over quickly. "Now, how are you feeling, Harry?"

He hesitated a second before answering, uncomfortable. "Fine."

"Don't lie to me, you've suffered from quite a shock."

Harry shrugged, eyes darting briefly towards Draco. "A little tired, I guess. And I've got a bit of a headache."

Madam Pomfrey hummed a satisfied note, handing him a small bottle of headache reliever. "Drink that," she ordered. He downed the potion with a grimace, handing back the empty vial. "You're to stay in bed for the rest of the day." Harry opened his mouth to protest, but she silenced him with a wave of her hand. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to alert the Headmaster that you're both awake," she said, slipping back out of the enclosure, leaving them once again alone.

Awkward silence descended upon them, Harry determinedly looking anywhere but at Draco, and the blond fidgeting with a stray piece of string from his bed sheet. Several minutes later, the tension in the small place was disrupted again, although this time it was not by Madam Pomfrey. Instead, it was Dumbledore who stepped through the partition, looking particularly weary. The customary twinkle was decidedly absent from his aged eyes, but the old man smiled gently at them both.

"Harry," he addressed him. "It is good to see you awake and well." He turned and inclined his head to Draco. "You, too Draco. Madam Pomfrey tells me you appear to be recovering well." Draco didn't say anything, didn't even acknowledge Dumbledore's presence, but the Headmaster didn't seem fazed by the behavior.

A million questions entered his mind as Harry looked at Dumbledore, each one fighting for dominance. He needed the Headmaster to make sense of what had happened, to explain why his life had been a lie.

"Headmaster," Harry started, but his voice halted. He bit his lip, not knowing how to continue.

Dumbledore, seeing his plight, held up a thin hand. "I know you have questions, and you will get answers, but not from me. I've only come to apologize, Harry. I fear in trying to do what was right, I did the exact opposite. I only hope you can forgive an old man his mistakes."

Harry didn't know how to respond. It was not everyday you received such an apology from Albus Dumbledore, especially when you weren't even sure what it was for. It was obvious that the Headmaster had played a part in his current situation given the very loud argument between him and Narcissa the night before, but there were so many blanks that needed to be filled in before anything made some sort of sense. Not sure how he should respond, he remained silent, furrowing his brow as he stared up at the Headmaster.

Dumbledore sighed heavily. "Of course, you do not know the whole tale," he said, peering over his spectacles, his gaze moving between them. "And it is not one for me to tell. I only wanted to try and explain, at least partially, before you hear the whole truth."

The Headmaster pulled back the curtain, motioning for someone. The sharp tap of heels on the stone floor echoed off the high vaulted ceiling, and Harry's heart sped up in his chest as he realized just whom Dumbledore was calling over. He wasn't ready to see her. The image of her face, broken and tear stained, floated before his eyes.

Fighting to control his breathing, he shot a nervous glance at Draco. The other boy was eyeing him with a calculating expression, his mouth pulled down in a small frown. Time seemed to malfunction, the moment it took for Narcissa to step into view taking ages and a split second all at once. And suddenly he was out of time, his eyes unwillingly meeting hers as she slipped into the enclosed space. She looked much the worse for wear. Her hair was askew, and dark bags rested under her eyes. Her lips were pale and dry, and her clothes were wrinkled. She looked as if she hadn't slept at all.

"I'll take my leave," Dumbledore murmured, slipping out into the Hospital wing, letting the curtains close behind him. Narcissa seemed barely to notice his departure.

She didn't say anything, just stared at him with trepidation. Tentatively, she took a few steps closer to him. Harry couldn't help it; he flinched, scooting to the far edge of his bed. He regretted the action as soon as he saw the devastated look on Narcissa's face, but he couldn't take it back if he wanted to. Even her being this near made him feel like the walls were closing in around him. He wanted to run away so badly, to escape her emotional grey eyes, but he knew he had to stay. He needed answers, and she was the only one who could give them.

Narcissa backed away, instead approaching Draco and sitting down on the edge of his bed. Draco flicked his eyes back and forth between him and his mother with a stony expression, not revealing any of his thoughts. She reached out and grabbed his hand.

"How are you feeling, Draco?" she asked, her voice quivering.

"I'll be okay, mother," Draco told her, still watching Harry and her closely.

Narcissa looked to him, her expression hopeful. "And you, Harry?"

Harry didn't answer. What did she expect him to say? That he was fine when in truth he was about as far from it as was possible? Instead, he kept his mouth shut and stared determinedly down at his hands.

He heard Narcissa let out a breath before she continued, saying, "I know I owe you an explanation… both of you an explanation." There was a shaky intake of breath. "This is hard for me to say, and I know it will be hard to hear, but you must listen."

"Yes, mother," Draco replied, but Harry wasn't so willing to agree.

"How can I trust anything you have to say?" he questioned, meeting her eyes for the first time. "How do I know this isn't some deranged Death Eater plot?"

Harry knew he was being irrational, after all, Dumbledore had all but out rightly admitted that what had been divulged last night was the unadulterated truth, but he couldn't help himself. This being another plot on his life, no matter how ridiculous of one, was an easier idea to stomach than this woman actually being his mother.

Narcissa looked saddened, but held out to him a folded piece of parchment he hadn't noticed her holding before. "Here," she offered. "Dumbledore gave this to me. It's a letter from Lily."

With wide eyes, Harry reverently took the old letter from Narcissa. Carefully, he opened it, taking a moment to simply stare at the flowing handwriting. He began to read.

28 October 1981

Albus,

I feel compelled to send you this letter, Albus, in the case that James and I do not survive this war. It is my hope that what follows will be unnecessary, but I have a terrible feeling that my time is running short.

Firstly, know that Narcissa Malfoy is not what she seems. For years now, she has been my closest and dearest friend, a relationship we kept hidden for obvious reasons. Do not judge her by the deeds of her husband, for I assure you she is no more a supporter of Voldemort than James and I. She is simply trapped in the middle of this war like the rest of us, wishing only to protect her family. I would trust her with my life, and I know she would say the same.

Secondly, only James, Narcissa, and myself know the secret I am about to reveal. Much sacrifice and hard work went into our subterfuge, and I ask that you do not take your inclusion lightly.

I shall not waste anymore time.

Harry is not mine or James' biological son. His mother, Narcissa, gave him to us on the day of his birth. I do not have time to explain the reasons for our actions, nor is it necessary for you to understand. I only tell you this so that he may be given back to Narcissa if anything should happen to us. He deserves to grow up with a family.

Even though Harry is not biologically ours, we love him dearly. He is as much my son as he is hers. And I know James feels the same. We would give our lives for him. Please make sure he knows how much we loved him.

Keep him safe.

Lily Potter

The yellowed parchment fell from his numb fingers. He could feel wetness stinging his eyes but he refused to let his tears fall. Not here, not in front of them.

It was true, so terribly and horribly true. Feeling empty and hollow, he turned dull eyes to Narcissa. He stared at her, at his mother, and felt nothing but loss. Loss of himself, of the people who had raised and loved him, of the life he could've had if they survived, but he did not feel the loss of his birth family. He had no desire to claim them as such. Yet still, he had to know her reasons. Lily's letter had not explained, and he couldn't live with himself if he didn't find out the motivation behind their actions.

"Why?" he whispered, almost pleading. Every question running through his head summed up into one tiny, monumental word.

Narcissa looked like she wanted to reach out to him, he could see the struggle on her face. Instead, she reached out and grasped Draco's hand, her knuckles white. "There isn't an easy answer," she said, sniffing.

When he didn't respond, she sighed, her eyes staring at a spot on the curtain, and began her explanation.

"Harry, you already know what I'm about to say, but for you, Draco, I must start at the beginning for there is much about my past that you do not know."

Draco sat up straighter in his bed, knitting his eyebrows. "How does he know more than me?" he asked with a small amount of indignation.

"I will explain later, but please, do not ask me any questions until I've finished," responded Narcissa quietly yet firm.

After a moment's hesitation, Draco nodded, and she proceeded.

"Lily Evans, as she was called before she married, and I where in the same year at Hogwarts, but it was not until sixth year that we became more than acquaintances. This was partly due to our mutual friendship with Severus, but even he was unaware until recently of how close our friendship truly was. At the time, tensions were increasing between Slytherin and Gryffindor due to the first rise of the Dark Lord, so, to protect ourselves, we hid our friendship. When Lily and James Potter began dating, he discovered our secret. I won't say we got along right away, but over time I came to call him my friend as well.

"After Hogwarts, I was promised and married to Lucius. He wanted to start a family, wanted an heir, but I resisted. By this time, he was already a Death Eater, and I feared what the Dark Lord might do to my family. As I'm sure you've guessed, Draco, I do not believe the same as your father. I had always thought that it was skill and talent that made the wizard, not blood, and my friendship with Lily only served to solidify my beliefs. But because of my husband and his position, I kept my views private, not wishing to instill the attention of the Dark Lord, for even then he was half mad with power.

"It was my greatest fear that my child would be raised under the rule of the Dark Lord, taught his twisted philosophy, forced into his service…" she trailed off, and Harry shifted to look at Draco. His face was pasty white, his hand gripped tightly over the place the Dark mark was branded into his skin. He turned his face away from them, but not before Harry caught a flicker of pain dance across his expression.

"I was so careful," Narcissa continued, her eyes sad, haunted by the ghosts of the past. Harry found himself unable to look away as she spoke. "But, one day, a miracle happened." She smiled softly, first at Draco and then at him. "I found out I was pregnant."

Harry twitched at the obvious motherly affection, a look he couldn't help feeling was all wrong coming from the normally cold, prestigious looking woman before him.

"I went to Lily as soon as I got the news. I should have been overjoyed, but the only thing I felt was fear. I was afraid for my child, of the life they would have. I promised myself to do all I could to protect them. So, that very day, Lily and I came up with a plan. It was not easy to convince her to go along, but eventually she gave in.

"I was going to hide the pregnancy from Lucius. It would be tricky, but he was gone often on Death Eater business, and I was good at charms. Then, when the baby was born, Lily and James would take him or her and raise them as their own. I knew Lily and James were involved with the war, too, but practically everyone was then. And short from giving my child to a muggle, it was the safest thing I could think of. Plus, Lily had discovered that she couldn't have children, and this was the greatest gift I could give her."

Harry looked sharply at Narcissa at this revelation, it being wholly unexpected. He wasn't sure what to think about this bit of information, but had no time to dwell as Narcissa kept on with her story. Now that she'd begun talking, she seemed unable to stop, the words spilling out of her like an overflowing well. A side-effect of holding in a dark secret for nearly sixteen years, he assumed.

"But," Narcissa's expression became pained. "With only a month left, Lucius unexpectedly arrived home and accidently discovered I was pregnant. We had a fierce argument, and he left right after, but the damage had been done." Here she paused, looking morosely at him and then Draco, regret and guilt mixed in her grey eyes. "I knew there was no way to save my child now that he knew. I thought about lying and saying the child had died and continuing through with the plan, but it was too risky. Lucius might think it too suspicious after hiding the pregnancy from him. So it was with the realization that my plan had failed that I went into early labor."

She picked up Draco's hand again, saying, "Lily and James accompanied me to the Hospital. James used his rank as an Auror to pull some strings and give us a private room with only one doctor to assist. Then, I received the greatest surprise of my life… I gave birth to twins." Narcissa paused, watching their reaction.

Harry's eyes flew wide and he stared at Draco who was in a similar state of astonishment. Somehow, this possibility hadn't entered his mind, not even for a second. It was one thing to think of the blond haired boy as his brother, but it was something else entirely to think of him as his twin. Unbidden images of Fred and George flashed to the forefront of his mind, causing him to shake his head forcefully. Somehow, he didn't think he and Draco would ever be finishing each other sentences. His harried thoughts were interrupted as Narcissa started speaking again, continuing on with her sad tale.

"Yes, twin boys," she repeated, driving the truth home. "Suddenly, I found myself a mother twice over. And with this thought, a new idea surfaced, a way to at least save one of my children. It was," here, she paused, dragging in a painful breath. "The hardest decision I've ever made in my life. I held you both in my arms, and you were so precious and tiny, I fell instantly in love with you both."

Tears slipped from her eyes, trailing slowly down her cheeks. "Then, I handed my eldest baby boy by two minutes over to Lily and told her he was her son."

Harry didn't know what to feel as her eyes found his, beginning to understand what kind of an impossible situation Narcissa had found herself in. Some part of him wanted to embrace her and help ease her pain, but the anger and confusion outweighed his compassion. He wasn't ready to get close to this woman, and, frankly, he didn't know if he ever would be.

"And that was it," she said, sniffing. "The doctor made two birth certificates, one real and one fake, and then agreed to be obliviated. She herself had lost her son to the war, and sympathized with what we were trying to do. So, Lily and James took you home, Harry, and I took you, Draco, back to Lucius. In that first year, I visited the Potters often, many times bringing Draco with me. You two boys would play on the floor while we watched on. It was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

Awkwardly, he exchanged an uncomfortable look with Draco at Narcissa's description of their baby selves' actions. He'd only had a mother for less than a day and already she was embarrassing him.

"Then, one day, Lily and James disappeared. It was only later, after their death that I found out they'd been forced into hiding, not having anytime to alert people of their plans."

She turned to look directly at him, her hand reaching over to rest on his bed, inches away from his own fingers. "The day I heard about what had happened at Godric's Hallow was the worst day of my life. For a while, I didn't even know where you were Harry. I wanted so badly to see you, to hold you and make sure you were truly safe and alive," she trailed off, pulling her hand back to herself after a few moments. "But Dumbledore hid you away, and I never got the chance. I could only hope you were safe wherever you were.

"When you both started Hogwarts, I was at once overjoyed and crushed. You were alive, Harry, but you and Draco quickly became enemies, and my twins who should have been close were constantly at odds with each other. The years wore on, and I was forced to pretend that I didn't care for you. Then, Lucius was sent to Azkaban, and Draco was… was forced to…" she swallowed, and Draco squeezed her hand back comfortingly.

"That's when I decided enough was enough. I asked for your help Harry, hoping that in the process you two would come to respect one another. But, alas, again my plan did not succeed… and you both know the rest."

A heavy silence followed the end of Narcissa's story, no one quite sure how to proceed. His own thoughts were a twisted mess. He wasn't the son of James and Lily Potter, the people who had died for him, the people he had spent his life dreaming of and trying to make proud. No, he was the son of a Death Eater, and the brother of his hated classmate who was now also a Death Eater. He was supposed to be the champion of the light, the bloody Chosen One, and instead he was a dark wizard himself.

He turned his gaze to Narcissa, the hot sting of tears teasing his eyes. "You're really my mother?" he whispered, barely aware that he was speaking aloud.

Narcissa's eyes shone as she reached over and grasped his hand keenly. "Yes, Harry, I am," she answered him.

Despite his best efforts, tears began to fall from his eyes. All his life, all he'd ever wanted was a family, but never had dreamed of this. Finding out his mother and father were still alive and that he had a brother should have been amazing news, a miracle. Instead, he felt crushed, filled with self-loathing and disgust and anger.

He felt a weight on his bed before a slim pair of arms wrapped protectively around him. The embrace broke his last wall, and his quiet tears turned into muffled cries as he buried his face in Narcissa's shoulder, too tired to care anymore.

"I love you, Harry," she whispered into his ear. "I always have."

And, despite everything, Harry believed her.

000

Sorry for the wait. No guarantees when the next chapter will be up. RL is going to be pretty busy until half way through January (Thanksgiving, birthdays, Christmas, wedding, another wedding in which I'm a bridesmaid, and a trip to Disney World and Universal Studios (Harry Potter World!)), and then I'll be starting classes again. But there will be more updates! I'm not abandoning this story. Harry and Draco would drive me crazy if I stopped before it was finished ;)