My Dear Volaticus
by kittenvks
Disclaimer: I own nothing
warnings: HPDM, slash, yaoi, homosexuality. Don't like it? Don't read it. Flamers to the left.
Chapter Fifteen: Stupid Harry
Draco, Harry, Sirius and Remus walked along the path back toward the Hogs Head, ready to use the Floo to return to Grimmauld, where they had been before. They'd been there for two days in reality, trying to fix the old house and Draco had finally snapped over Walburga's portrait and went back to Diagon Alley to look for a fix and had found it, much to Sirius' delight. Hermione and Ron had stayed behind, cleaning, and shooing out pixies and doxies. Blaise and Ginny had returned to Hogwarts.
"It's awfully cold tonight," Remus noted, pulling his cloak tighter about him.
"It is," Sirius said, palming his wand quietly and eyeing the shadows suspiciously.
"It's just cold, I'm sure," Harry said, patting Sirius on the back comfortingly.
"I don't know..." Draco said, staring into the shadows and pulling his cloak's hood up around his face, "let's go a different way."
"Why?" Harry asked, taking Draco's hand in his.
"Because I," Draco's head snapped back around to stare into a shadow, watching for movement, "I don't feel comfortable here. If something happens, I'd like to not be...seen." Draco finished, looking around. The Alley was almost empty now.
"Let's go, this way," Sirius said, dodging into a smaller Alley, with everyone trailing behind. "something just doesn't feel right."
"I feel it too," Remus growled, sniffing the air. "Harry, best keep your wits about you- we're being followed."
"Come on," Draco said, pulling Harry into the middle of the group as they walked along. There was a definite movement behind them now, even Harry saw it. As they neared a turn in the small alley Sirius sped up, spinning and drawing his wand,
"LUMOS!" he yelled, lighting up all of the shadows. Thomas Nott stood there, looking calmly at them.
"Calm down, I just wanted to talk to Harry." he said quietly, holding up his hands in a peaceful gesture, "I don't even have my wand."
"Because you don't need it!" Harry snapped, drawing his own. He wasn't sure where Draco had went.
"Who goes to just 'talk to someone' and stalks them?!" Remus snarled, advancing a bit.
"I'm not stalking anyone," Blaise said cooly, hands still raised, "I just saw you from one of the shops back there and started walking over. Before I could say anything you ducked in here and I thought possibly that he was in trouble- so I didn't say anything."
A dark shadow dropped down behind Nott, startling nearly everyone, including the Slytherin. It seemed to unfold and Harry grabbed Sirius' wand arm, shaking his head. It was Draco, wings spread above him in a threatening gesture,
"Nott- I thought I told you to stay the bloody hell away from him?" he snarled. Nott's own wings unfurled, black as coal behind him. Harry rushed forward between them, arms spread out to stop the fight.
"It's over Nott, I've already chosen and bonded with Draco. I am his amesouer, now go on before you get hurt." he said quietly, turning his back to one seething Draco who smirked at Nott over Harry's head.
"I'm not trying to fight anyone," Nott said, sounding dejected, "I just wanted to talk."
"Well, then talk." Harry said, gesturing his hand in a 'go on' motion.
"Privately?" Nott asked, eyebrows raised. Draco snorted, so did Sirius.
"Not a chance." Draco snapped, giving Harry a firm look. The Gryffindor sighed, looking agitated.
"He's right, Harry," Sirius said, "you can't trust him."
"Why? Because he's a Slytherin?" Harry snapped, glancing angrily at Draco, "say what you need to. Over here, where Draco can see me." he added, gesturing to a corner of the alley. Draco snarled a bit at them as they passed, earning another glare from Harry and Nott retracted his wings.
"Look, Harry, I just wanted to say I'm sorry." Not whispered, hanging his head in shame. Harry wasn't sure what to say to this, he certainly didn't want to touch him- that could be some form of insult to Draco. He glanced over at the blonde who was still seething angrily, still ready to strike, and rolled his eyes.
"It's alright, Thomas, I just want to be with Draco, okay?" Harry muttered.
"I just wanted you to save me..." Nott said, glancing over his shoulder at Draco who sneered at him disdainfully, "...I'm supposed to receive the Dark Mark tomorrow now."
"Why? Because I didn't choose you? I doubt that, seriously. Just say no." Harry replied, feeling the temperature drop again. Draco's attention shot up to the sky, his gray eyes squinting against the darkness. Sirius seemed frightened.
"I can't Harry, they're coming for me now- I have to go. I just wanted to say I was sorry," Nott said, tears in his eyes, and he was gone- racing down the alley. Not seeing Draco or Sirius and ignoring Remus' yell, Harry gave chase. He ran along the alley as an opening he hadn't noticed before appeared behind one of the shops and Nott dodged into it, Harry close on his heels, yelling for him to stop. Suddenly, Nott was gone, and it was just Harry- standing alone in the alleyway. It was then that he realized his mistake.
The shadows shifted, and Harry began to hear his mother's scream, and the people he loved who had died's screams. Harry fell to his knees instantly, exhausted from having worked all day on Grimmauld place. His wand fell from his pocket, rolling into the darkness as the Dementor's swooped in on him. Everything around him was coated in a thin sheet of frost and he cried out for help.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" A voice yelled, a silver snake rushing forward from behind the dementor's pushing only a few of them back. It was a weak patronus at best and didn't do much to help the boy who lived. Vaguely, through the mass of blackness, Harry could see Blaise- standing defiantly in the face of the dementors, the only light in the small alley being the Malfoy ring on both their fingers- glowing brightly in a signal for help- and Blaise's patronus.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Three more voices cried out, rushing in behind Harry. A bright silver fox rushed forward directly in front of Harry, snarling and snapping silently at the dementors, pushing them back. A shapeless mass came forward, rushing around them, with a dog rushing forward behind it. Harry vaguely recognized them before everything went black.
When Harry awoke, he recognized the warm feeling of Draco's wings around him and snuggled under it before realizing what had happened and sitting up straight- feathers falling away.
"He's awake!" came Hermione's call and Harry saw her, sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at him worriedly. Ron was pacing by the door but stopped when he saw Harry, rushing forward. Sirius and Remus rushed in next, Sirius shoving a mug of hot chocolate into his hands.
"Drink it, it'll make you feel better." he said, standing back.
"My wand," Harry croaked, and Hermione pulled it from her robes, tucking it safely in his hands. He looked around at all of them, Draco sitting quietly behind him- his features schooled into a blank, cold, mask.
"Harry," Hermione said, crossing her arms, "that was foolish. I'm glad you're okay though." and she hugged him.
"We've been worried sick, mate!" Ron said, hugging him as well. Sirius and Remus nodded, both checking him over with their wands.
"I'm fine... I dropped my wand and there were just so many of them...Blaise!" Harry cried, looking at Draco.
"He defended himself and is fine, back at Hogwarts," Draco replied cooly.
"How'd he know to come? What was he doing there?"
"When you ran off after that idiot I signalled him. He came quickly and apparated in quite a bit closer to you than we were." Draco explained, holding up the Malfoy crest ring.
"Oh." Harry said, remembering how they'd glowed.
"Yes, oh. You ran quite a bit away from us, Harry, don't do that again." Sirius scolded, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth, "I'm glad you're okay though, Prongslett. Just..." he sat down heavily on the bed, "don't do that again."
"My thoughts exactly." Remus said, smiling. Harry hugged them both, receiving some chocolate frogs from Ron.
"Where's all this chocolate coming from?" Harry asked with a grin.
"Mum," Ron replied, grinning back, "expect a howler- she's right torn up over you right now." Ron and Hermione both glanced at Draco who was still holding his calm and collected mask. Harry leaned back into him, only to feel the blonde stiffen up. He sighed, looking at the others who would not make contact.
"What's the matter?" Harry asked, facing Draco. His eyes widened a bit, but he showed no other sign of emotion. "What? Did I say something wrong to Nott?" He asked. With a growl, Draco jumped up and stormed out of the room, slamming the door forcfully behind him. Harry seemed shocked and then angry, "what's his problem?" he snapped. Ron and Hermione refused to make eye contact or answer and Remus found something interesting to look at on the floor.
"He's pretty upset with you," Sirirus said with resignation. If no one else would speak then he would, "that was pretty stupid- Harry- following that idiot. Draco nearly panicked."
"We should go," Ron said, shifting uncomfortable and they all agreed, heading for the door.
"I'll send him back in here, if you'd like." Hermione offered in the doorway. Harry just nodded, slowly feeling the rage build up in his chest. She nodded and quietly left, Draco appearing a few moments later.
"What do you want?" He snapped, crossing his arms across his chest defensively.
"What do I want?! I want you to stop acting like a damned fool! You could have been killed!" Draco yelled, crossing the room quickly.
"I hate to tell you this, Draco," Harry hissed, "but I'm THE Boy Who Lived, remember?! Danger is a part of my every day life!"
"YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT?!" Draco roared, his wings unfolding behind him and sitting in a predatory stance. "I think about it every fucking day!"
"I'm not afraid of YOU! Or Nott! I'm NOT afraid of bloody ANYBODY!" Harry screamed, bucking up to Draco.
"I never asked you to be afraid of me," Draco snapped, "you are mine to protect, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't make it so damned hard!"
"I AM NOT A DAMNED POSESSION!" Harry cried, throwing his arms up in the air.
"I didn't say THAT either! STOP PUTTING WORDS IN MY MOUTH, POTTER!" Draco yelled back, just as furious. His wings were brushing the ceiling now, rising defensively in his rage. Harry winced at the use of his last name and glared angrily. He was still exhausted, still cold, and very angry. Now he was hurt too. Draco seemed to deflate a bit but was still panting with rage. "Did you even consider the bond?"
"What about it?!" Harry snapped, his voice cracking.
"You're not supposed to go that far from me yet, remember?! It hurts! It was probably why you lost your damned senses!"
"Well... well I'm sorry you got hurt. You're still being a big PRAT though!"
"I just don't want you to get hurt, Harry." Draco said, still seething but biting back his rage.
"Well get over it!" Harry snapped, "it's gonna happen! You might as well just... just go on, if you don't like it! Just LEAVE!" It was Draco's turn to wince at this and he turned on his heel to stalk out of the room. Harry watched him, feeling the bond's magic pull for the first time.
"I'm not going anywhere." Draco snapped, "I'm going to protect you, whether you like it-" Draco was cut off by Harry crossing the room, wrapping his arms around the Volaticus. Draco snarled, leaning to scoop him up and deposit him on the bed, "you shouldn't be up yet either!" he snapped.
"Draco, don't do this- I'm sorry." Harry said, hanging his head down. Draco wrapped his arms around him, pulling him to his chest.
"I'm sorry too. You just made me so damned mad, Harry. You can't just run off like that, chasing down damned idiots like Nott- what were you thinking? That was a vicious trap."
"It wasn't a trap. At least I don't think it was. He told me he's supposed to get the Dark Mark, and that they were after him. He must have meant the Dementors." Harry said, looking up into Draco's angry face.
"We'll argue about that later. I think it was a trap."
"I just... I don't want you to get hurt because of me too, Draco. Everyone else does."
"Oh, mon amour, it's us remember- Draco and Harry. I'm going to follow you, and fight by your side. You can't stop that. I don't want to see you hurt either, love."
"So you don't hate me?"
"What?! No, I don't hate you. I love you, Harry." Draco said, kissing him softly and pulling him down to snuggle up to him, "I worry. When you do something like this, make sure I'm with you. I've never been so terrified in my life. I owe Blaise a great debt."
"Tell him I'm sorry too. I love you, Draco, I just- I guess we feel the same way, huh?"
"I believe so, amesouer. You can not push me away. Allow me to help you."
"And if you get hurt?"
"I'll heal." Draco said firmly, kissing him again. Harry grinned against the pink lips, leaning their foreheads together and running his fingers through Draco's hair.
"This is just hard to get used to. Did we just have our first fight?"
"As a bonded couple? Yes. As us? Certainly not." Draco laughed.
The next morning they got up and finished the painting, something Sirius had insisted on doing. Harry and Draco were in the attic, basically dusting and organizing. Hermione and Ron were in the library (something Hermione insisted Sirius add in a spare bedroom) putting all the random books on shelves. Dobby and Kreacher were there, putting in the new furniture while Sirius and Remus cleaned up the outside.
They were alerted to trouble then, by Ron's rather girly scream. Harry jumped up and Draco grabbed him,
"Probably another boggart-" Draco hissed and Harry did at the same time, their rings burning.
"Blaise." They both said, watching the ring flash green and silver.
"He's calling father too, it's bad." Draco said, and they took off down the stairs just in time to hear Hermione,
"HARRY!"
They burst into the library as Remus and Sirius burst through the front door, seeing a large silver horse patronus stampeding around Ron who looked ill.
"Ginny." he whispered, ready to faint.