A/N: As of 06/26/13, I have been doing slightly better health-wise, but I am still extremely sick. I am writing better now and at a more productive pace if you noticed any, so I hope this pleases my many readers out there. Also, as sad as this is for me to say it, I will be removing Dark Phoenix from my profile and Soul-mates will once again be a solitary piece of fan-fiction with no companion piece in a reversed world from Soul-mates. Before you scream at me, I am doing this because the plot has delved too far away from where I intended it to go and thus the chapters do not flow correctly and give me problems writing them out, and so I will take the story down with a need to re-think of how to organize and revise it before attempting to do a re-write of the work. The story may in time return, but it will be slightly different in mechanics than its prior version and will again...not be a companion piece to soul-mates any longer.
Interlude III: True Friendships Last Forever
After Draco re-entered the compartment as Harry left to try and help keep the younger years calm and from panicking too much, the two groups of older slytherin students Harry had formed to cover the younger years during the platform battle had gone into the next compartment over to discuss a strategy of some form or another on how would be the best way to cover them if they all panicked because they thought they were trying to help the death eaters and tried to keep away from them. Draco's sensitive hearing told him this, though he said nothing of it though it did strike a point in his mind as he thought momentarily on the topic.
Blaise and Pansy remained in the outer area compartment waiting for him and were chatting quietly among themselves as he came over and sat down quietly.
"Blaise, Pansy…there's something I need to discuss with you both since you're my best friends and Harry thinks it's best if you knew now about it from me rather than perhaps the newspaper or a gossip mill if they ever got ahold of this information." Draco said softly as he interrupted their conversation
The two looked at him with curiosity as Draco sighed to himself.
"You've probably wondered on multiple occasions last term where the hell I disappeared to at lunch hour everyday after the first few weeks had passed by and then my father was murdered. You've probably been worried as hell that I was about to fly off the handle and do something I'd regret in the end." Draco told them, "But the truth of the matter is that this decision I made has only brought me a new freedom I never have known and a new happiness I never have discovered before. Let me start from the beginning if you will before you give those looks…" Draco said dryly
Blaise and Pansy looked to the other and then back at Draco sheepishly as they nodded in compliance.
"I'm sure you both remember how sour I was after I had been led to believe my father was murdered by aurors and the ministry's decree of uplifting their ban on the Unforgiveables for them to use if necessary. We all also know Harry was in the hospital wing at the time of his murder, and so technically he should have not been aware of the happenings that went on." Draco said
"Harry's story was all true that he told in the common room yesterday evening. He truly did see firsthand how the dark lord murdered my father just as he showed us that night in the common area with the pensieve memory from Ignotus's special Pensieve as he originally done with me alone to give me time to come to terms with the new development. However, I wasn't always aware of it like this after these things occurred. In truth, I really was about to explode and do something terrible due to my anger; but Harry managed to save my soul after he found me in the owlry when I left dinner early one evening and asked to speak with me privately."
"Of course I was suspicious of his motives at first, as Harry has never trusted me like this in past, so I was naturally wary of the behaviors he exuded toward me. But at the same time, something in my brain said to go and hear him out and I did. I first thought he was insane, and that he was pulling some massively cruel joke on me, but I discovered Harry isn't crazy like the newspapers all claim. He truly has visions of the future or present and it was his desire to see me have the full truth and make a logical decision that led him to seek me out." Draco said
Blaise seemed calm over this but Pansy was nervous now, "Draco, is Harry truly as powerful as he resonated that night in the common room?" She asked
Draco smiled, "Yes he really is, but he rarely allows others to see the full power he has due to his enemies at large. Pansy, when Harry sought me to tell me the truth; he did more than give me the truth that night." Draco told them wisely
Pansy's eyes narrowed, "How so?"
Draco sighed, "You know as well as I that Harry and I have never gotten along, so at first I thought this would be a good chance to gain new blackmail material on him and prove that he was just a raving lunatic and spouting nonsense again. How wrong was I?" Draco wondered aloud, "Harry told me the truth of his darkened past in order for me to understand why he sought me out. He has told of things about him that only select few know of and even though we supposedly hated the other for six years; Harry just let it go and trusted with all this sensitive information from the very beginning as if he knew I would do the right thing but yet waited to see me to make the right choice before he continued on."
"He is truly Lord Peverell by lineage and he told me that we are soon to be at war again. He said that the time for childish name-calling and taunts were over if we wanted to live through this. He told me that he was a figurehead of the war and that it was stupid to think he could win a war on his own unscathed, so that's why he needed as many allies as he could find who were willing to follow him in his plight."
"I had been astonished by his maturity, and respected his choice to accept his role in the war he never wanted to be a part of in the first place and a war he was thrown into without even being asked to help with. He was the one who we have all heard about who was destined before his birth to defeat the dark lord."
Blaise and Pansy stared at Draco now, "Harry was the one destined to fight him before he was even born?" Blaise clarified
Draco sighed, "Yes, although technically their were two infants the dark lord could have chosen to make his enemies. However, the dark lord knew Harry and his clan posed much more of a threat to him and his regime, so that's why he has no family left now besides those he considers family. Riddle fought tooth and nail over the generations to try and end the Potter clan so the prophecy of his defeat would never occur."
Blaise and Pansy nodded in solemn understanding now.
Pansy eyed him, "But that still doesn't explain the many disappearances you did last term?"
Draco smirked, "Well I suppose not. After the initial meeting where I learned the truth of my father's death; Harry had offered me his hand of friendship and safety in exchange for my help as an ally he could call on. I had no problems giving it since the dark lord gave more than enough reason to hate him recently. However, we both knew that I was not enough and the student body needs to be united in this war."
"I disappeared around lunchtime a lot because I was meeting Harry away from prying eyes to formulate how to get the rest of you guys on board with us. This led to Harry and I doing what I had rhetorically called 'friendship-building sessions' at first, however, I came to really enjoy his company the more of these sessions we had."
"I admit that I have kept my fair share of secrets this term, but the worst is yet to come." Draco said
Blaise raised an eyebrow and spoke finally, "How so?"
Draco smiled softly and then changed his expression to one of seriousness, "On Halloween everything between Harry and I changed indefinitely as to our relationship to the other and how it worked. All of us know Harry's parents died on Halloween of 1981. So, the day that is usually full of laughter and candy eating for most kids and teens is not what it is for Harry at all." Draco said sadly, "Harry and I kept meeting during this time as well, but these 'friendship sessions' were generally the two of us telling stories about our childhoods or of our adventures in the castle at the school whilst doing our homework and then more planning after it if we had time before classes resumed. On Halloween, I was getting anxious to know of Harry's childhood from the time before he had re-entered the magical world and pushed my luck that day to find out about it."
Draco sighed, "I will not tell you what he told me because it is not my place, but I will say that even Harry Potter has a fragile side due to his past and his role in a war he wanted nothing to do with. He just wants the war to end so he can move on now with his life as much as possible. However, I will say this though; Harry was very sensitive after he told me the story, and was ready to bolt from the room when he figured that I must hate him now for being emotionally weak after our friendship had grown so strong in a short few months. On contrary, I was just shocked silent to the story itself and was trying to gather my thoughts together."
"Harry was about to leave when I noticed him and stopped him by calling his name to him. I offered him a hand to his shoulder to show I supported him even though the story was not what I had expected, to put lightly. That one gesture changed everything we knew." Draco said
Blaise and Pansy were more curious now than they ever were but remained silent.
"That one gesture of touch initiated something we never could have imagined before now if we weren't already on good terms and had the knowledge of old pureblood traditions. The touch I gave him in support...it sent a soothing and warm magical energy through us both for comfort and we both knew things were changing because we were destined as soul-mates as an awkward silence fell over us that afternoon." Draco said quietly
Blaise and Pany's eyes widened dramatically
"Draco, it's not that we don't believe you; but are you sure about this? You know what would happen to you if Harry or yourself were captured by Tom or his followers? Never mind the Ministry and all the inquiries about you coercing Harry into this?" Blaise said deadly soft now
Draco stared at Blaise indignantly, "I have never been more certain of anything in my life, Blaise. Harry is the one who soothed my rage when I was about to lose myself to hatred. He is the one who knows my past horrors and can understand them because he too has had similar ones and suffers the same way from them all. He is the one who saved my soul when I was about to sell it to a demon in rage for a blinded attempt at revenge on people who had done no wrong against me or my family."
"I am a veela by heritage, and not only that, but as much as I hate to say this to you both as it is more personal than I care to admit; I am a submissive veela at that. Harry is my dominant and it he who has shielded me from myself these last few months at great risk to himself. I will tell you since you likely wonder exactly how he could do such a thing anyway."
"The Peverell lineage holds the ancient dark elven drow blood inheritance in it as you know. Generally, it manifests at seventeen like all others do. Harry and I have achieved early inheritances for reasons only we can fathom, but we believe it has to do with the war ahead. Harry's also had a more personal reason, but I cannot say what it is at this time. Harry wears a glamour all the time to keep the headmaster from seeing the changes in his physical appearance and risk exposing that he doesn't trust him anymore."
Blaise and Pansy were stunned.
Draco smirked, "Oh, and by the way, we have already bonded so technically there is no way in hell for us to be torn apart now."
Blaise and Pansy stared.
Draco sighed, "On a more serious note, I should warn you that Harry and I will not be returning after break. It's too dangerous for us both with the headmaster scheming to tear us apart or trying to control Harry without anyone's notice. The war has started and we need to prepare. I hope I have not lost my friends now due to the level of severity of secrets I have kept. But please understand that Harry and I were at risk by being there and if the gossip mill got hold of it; there'd be war in the school to find out the truth behind it all." Draco said, "Harry will be at the manor for holidays and it's all been but a secret to keep the dark lord or the headmaster from finding out about it and this is why you weren't originally allowed to be there this year for the break, but Harry knows if you face your parents today; it is likely you'll face being disowned."
"He told me to extend the invitation to you both in case you need safe harbor from harm. I understand I haven't been a good friend these last few months, but it was for Harry and my own safety that I never said anything." Draco told them.
Blaise and Pansy were quiet and seemed too shocked to say much of anything. They barely muttered two words between themselves before they got up and tackled Draco to the ground before they started to mercilessly tickle him.
"Draco, you idiot, you could have been more open to us than this and before now. I understand it was for safety, but still this is extreme." Pansy started on him
Draco was laughing so hard that tears had formed in his eyes though his tone was a cold one as he spoke through them, "Yeah, says the girl who has no idea what Harry has been through in his six years at the school behind the scenes from everyone else. Forgive me if I don't agree there." Draco laughed through his indignation
Pansy and Blaise stopped suddenly and Draco sat up with an awkward gaze as a tense silence fell over them all.
"Harry has truly had it rough, huh?" Blaise asked him
Draco's eyes squeezed shut as his fist clenched tightly while he tried not to think on what Harry told him of his last summer at his muggle relatives home or to see the images of something he rather never think about. Blaise and Pansy were quiet now as they watched Draco be overcome with anger and guilt from his past actions towards his mate.
"Harry has been through so much more pain than any of three of us could ever imagine, even if we did grow up believing the children of death eaters had it bad. If our childhoods were atrocious, then Harry's would have been a nightmare turned into a vicious reality." Draco said quietly
Blaise and Pansy paled to that as they wondered just what had happened to Harry in his life to be that bad.
"Draco, Pansy and I will forgive you for this since we know how hard these few months were on you. However next time, please try to keep us up to par so we can help if necessary." Blaise said softly as Pansy nodded in agreement
Draco nodded lightly, "I'll try my best, but depending on how everything plays out; it may be awhile before we see each other again if at all. I know this is a harsh reality to say like this, but lets be realistic since this is war now and we know we could die for betraying the dark lord at some point if we aren't careful."
The two friends nodded in silence as the words were true enough for all of them. Draco had Harry now to depend on, so now Blaise and Pansy needed to stick together if they wished to see them after the war. The rest of the train ride was spent by the three discussing light topics and dancing around the harder issues they knew would come if trouble brewed faster than they could fight it off whilst playing exploding snap to try not to think of battle yet.