"Harry, I couldn't be more sorry about what I said. I didn't think you'd take it to mean…well, I just didn't think. I hope you can forgive me."

Harry smiled as he watched her minister to Draco's gashed forehead and said, "Forgiven. I know you didn't mean anything bad. I just," he paused looking at Draco and then said, "it's fine. No worries." He wanted to talk to Draco privately about his reaction before everyone else heard it.

Hermione finished cleaning and dressing the deep wound and smiled at the two. "Narcissa wants to see the two of you in the sun room once you've come back to yourself."

Draco sighed and took Harry's hand, "We'd better go. She hates to wait."

Hermione smiled at the pairs retreating backs and settled into the strong arms that suddenly surrounded her. "It's okay babe. Harry's fine and Draco will be. Maybe it's really a good thing you said what you said."

Hermione tipped her head back to look at her ginger capture, "How do you figure that my putting my foot in my mouth is a good thing?"

Fred kissed the tip of her nose and smiled, "Because love, now they will have to deal with their feelings and Harry will have to talk to Draco a little more about his past. This will likely bring them even closer."

She reached her hand up and cupped Fred's scruffy cheek, "My hero."

"You wanted to see us Mum?"

Narcissa looked at Draco's head and raised an eyebrow in question.

"Uh, didn't drop fast enough. Hermione took care of it."

Narcissa "harrumphed" and looked at Harry. She crooked her finger beaconing him and when he was close enough, she grabbed him into a tight embrace and said, "Sweetheart, please don't ever do that again. I was worried you might hurt yourself."

Harry stood still for a moment, but when he heard the worry in her voice, he couldn't hold back. He wrapped his arms around her and held on for dear life while the tears he'd held in since hitting Draco flowed freely and loudly. He kept saying, "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I hurt him. I didn't mean to."

Draco summoned the couch closer and Narcissa sat with Harry and rocked him until his crying subsided. Draco watched from the other end of the couch, wishing he could say something, anything that would help. Instead, he kept quiet and let his mother give the comfort for the moment.

When Harry calmed, Narcissa pulled back slightly and smiled as she pushed an errant hair from his face, "Darling boy, I know you would never intentionally hurt anyone, just as I know it wasn't Hermione's intent to hurt you with what she said. You did the right thing by taking your anger out on the targets."

Harry looked into her silvery eyes and saw the truth of her statement in them. He also saw acceptance, understanding, concern and most importantly, loves. When she kissed his forehead and smiled, he knew there was no blame and he relaxed. "Um, do you think I could…uh that we could have a minute please?"

Narcissa stood and glided to the door, "Take all the time you need. No one will bother you." As she left the room, she locked and warded the door with every spell she knew. No one would interrupt her boys if she had anything to say about it.

"Harry," Draco hesitantly began as he scooted up next to him, "are you okay?"

Harry blushed and laughed, "Yeah, now I'm done acting like a girl, I'm okay. Are you really okay? I mean, it doesn't hurt too much does it?" Harry asked gently caressing the bandage.

Draco took Harry's hand and kissed the palm, "Not at all. I think we have a few things to discuss, don't you."

"Where should we start?"

"Well, why don't I answer the questions you asked me in the basement? First, yes I am sure that Hermione was talking about the magic only. Even before she explained it, I knew there was no way my attraction to you had anything to do with your power."

He looked at Harry's strong hand captured between his own, and started to play with the long fingers as he continued. "I've been attracted to you since we first met in Madame Malkin's. At first I just figured it was the idea that you were 'Harry Potter'. I mean, I heard about you all my life and there you were. But then you rejected me and our lives took the turn they did, so I decided I wasn't really interested in you. It took me about 5 minutes into the summer after our first year to see that the reason I wasn't looking forward to being home was because I wouldn't be seeing you every day."

"It was hard for me to see you every year and not just grab you in the hall and drag you into an alcove. You are not the first guy I've been with but you are the only one I've ever really wanted."

Harry's heart had been racing as Draco spoke. He wanted to ask so many questions but didn't know where to start, so he went for the obvious, "Who else, if I can ask?"

Draco chuckled, "Of course you can ask, you can ask me anything. Well, the first guy I kissed was in first year and that was Terry Higgs. My first time was just before fourth year with the son of a Death Eater. It wasn't very memorable and was ridiculously clumsy but, told me what I needed to know. I was definitely gay and not remotely interested in woman. My father was furious, my Mum, well she just smiled and kissed my cheek. Later she told me she'd always suspect as much."

"Have you ever been with a woman?"

"Just once. Pansy and I experimented together when we found out our fathers had decided that we should be pledged to each other. It was horrible. I can't imagine why anyone would want to do that. I imagine if I found her attractive or was interested in women at all, if might have been better, but as it was it was very sloppy and not very pleasing. She's always had a thing for Blaise anyway."

Harry was worrying the arm of the couch and staring at the loose threads while listening to Draco talk. He'd had none of the chances that Draco had had and he was feeling wholly inexperienced. Very quietly, with almost no sound leaving his lips, he asked, "What does it feel like?"

"Let me ask you something before I answer that," Draco said as he tipped Harry's chin up so he could look him in the eye. "How did you feel when we kissed upstairs?"

Harry blushed, "I don't know how to answer that."

Draco leaned in and placed a soft, chaste kiss on Harry's lips, "How did that feel?"

"Wonderful." A smile lit Harry's face and his eyes twinkled.

Draco shifted his position on the couch so he was stretched out with his head in Harry's lap. The hand he'd been holding, now resting on his chest and Harry's other hand automatically began to feather through Draco's locks and Draco sighed with contentment at the feeling.

"Well, if care is taken and the person who bottoms is prepared correctly, it doesn't hurt for long. The initial burning changes to pleasure so quickly that it's easy to forget that first moment of penetration."

Harry could feel Draco's heart beating steadily under his hand and liked the feeling. It helped him relax about the turn the conversation had taken and he decided that if Draco could be that honest with him, then he deserved some honesty. "I'm guessing you have some questions you want to ask me."

"I do, but if you don't want to answer, I understand."

"I'll answer anything you want to ask."

"Well, let's start easy…have you ever been with a woman?"

Harry chuckled, "Well, I've kissed Cho and Ginny, but that's about it. Neither time was anything I wanted to repeat. Cho was crying just before and then after and Ginny, well, she's always been like my sister and that hasn't changed."

"Okay, well, now for the hard stuff. What did Uncle Sev mean about your birthday? I mean, did your relatives really treat you so badly?"

Harry sighed long and loud and Draco felt his tension, "You don't have to talk about it if it's that bad."

"No, you should know this; it's just really hard to talk about." Harry spent the next hour telling Draco about the way the Dursley's had treated him and all the neglect and servitude he'd endured and finished with, "So the first time I ever got anything that would be deemed a real gift, was Christmas our first year."

Draco wiped the tears from his face that had been steadily been flowing since Harry started talking and said, "Mm, that ugly jumper you had"

Harry laughed, "Yep, the annual Weasley Jumper. Molly's given me one every year so far."

Draco laughed, "Oh, last year's had snitches on it didn't it."

"Yep, that was my favourite yet."

Draco scooted himself up into a sitting position facing Harry, "So don't you have to go back for the safety wards to renew?"

Harry caressed Draco's wet cheek and said, "Now that Voldemort's gone, I won't ever have to go back there again."

Their conversation was interrupted by a soft knock on the door and Harry answered, "It's okay to come in Narcissa."

Her smiling face peered around the door and said, "I don't want to disturb you boys, but Harry has an owl waiting and it's dinner time. We'll be very informal tonight as Severus and Remus have both been playing in the ingredients gardens so it's come as you are."

"We'll be right down Mum. And thank you."

Narcissa blew kisses at the boys and left, leaving the door slightly ajar. Draco turned Harry back around and ran his hand across Harry's cheek and into his hair before pulling him in for a kiss. "I was thinking…um, would you be okay with the idea of staying with me tonight? I mean we don't have to do anything, I just thought it would be nice to have some more private time."

When Harry didn't answer, Draco quickly continued, "You don't have to if you don't want to."

Harry put his fingertips on Draco's lips and smiled, "I would like to. I like waking up next to you."

The couple walked downstairs hand in hand and when they came to the study, the broke apart with Harry going to see what post he'd gotten and Draco headed into the dining room.

"Thank the Gods you're finally here. This ruddy bird won't let anyone take the bloody message from her and she bites anyone who tries!" Fred bellowed as Harry walked in. He had bandages on eight of his ten fingers and Hermione was tending to a fresh wound on her own hand. The 'ruddy bird' in question was hopping up and down on the perch by the window hooting for Harry's attention.

"Alright alright, settle down now." He tentatively reached forward and was met by a tiny leg being help out to him. He removed the small scroll and smiled as the owl hopped up onto his shoulder and nuzzled his neck, "Oh you're such a little flirt. Don't worry, I have treats for you." He reached into one of the boxes on the desk and pulled a few treats out, presenting them to the pretty tawny owl. Taking them in her beak, she gave Harry's ear a nip in thanks and flew out the window.

Harry laughed and enlarged the scroll so he could read it.

Harry –

I received word today that Greyback is planning an attack on a muggle village tomorrow night. I believe the information to be good and wanted to let you know.

Please meet me tonight at the park outside Hogsmeade at Eleven. I'll give you all the details then.

Also, please bring Fred with you. I have something for him.

P

"Hermione, can you let Narcissa know I'll be in in a moment."

"Sure Harry."

Fred stood to leave with her but Harry stopped him, "Hey Fred, can I talk to you first?"

Fred raised an eyebrow at Hermione and she left. He turned to Harry, "What's up little brother?"

"Fred, I need to tell you something and I need to ask for your help and your silence." When Fred nodded, Harry proceeded to tell him about his meetings with Percy and how he'd been feeding him information about Greyback and then showed him the newest note.

Fred sat down hard on the nearest chair, almost missing it, "Bloody hell Harry, how do you know you can trust anything he says? He betrayed the family he's sided with the Ministry."

"Fred, I doubted him too, at first, but he's been dead on with everything he's told me. He knows you're here too."

"How in the hell could he know that Harry? We came here straight through the floo from Hogwarts."

"He's working at the Ministry; he must be watching the floo network."

"He'll know where the rest of us are." Fred was suddenly very worried. He jumped up and ran into the dining room, "Severus, the castle's not safe! We have to get everyone out of there."

Harry came in just in time to hear Severus asking Fred to calm down and explain himself. He tried, without success to get Fred's attention and remind him to not say anything, but seeing the look of panic on his face, Harry decided to confess.

"I can explain everything, but I have to ask that everyone wait until I'm finished before they start yelling." Harry gestured for the group to sit at the table and once everyone was seated, he began to explain.

"A couple of weeks ago, when I stayed at the Burrow, Percy showed up with some information for me about Fenrir Greyback's location. He knew I'd want revenge for Sirius and he wanted to help so the family would accept him back. Arthur's death hit him very hard. I've been meeting with him over the last so many weeks and he's been helping me track the bastard."

He paused and looked at Draco, "He's the one who's been taunting me with the notes and who sent Sirius' wand to me. He's trying to draw me out and apparently, Ginny is helping." He spent the next half an hour brining everyone up to speed on the various occurrences they hadn't known about and then finally said, "Now that everyone's on the same page, here's the problem. Percy knows Fred is here."

He showed everyone the note explaining Fred's sudden outburst and then looked at Severus, "Is there anyway Fred can be traced back to wherever the family is stashed?"

"No there isn't. The castle is unplottable and no one, save Minerva, knows where they are. They are safe."

"Will you now tell us where they are?" Remus asked.

Severus looked from Harry to Fred and waited until Fred gave him permission before saying, "They're in Albania in my ancestral home. There are a few things about me that not everyone knows. First, I was adopted by Minerva and Albus just before I began my schooling. Minerva knew about my family life and wouldn't allow me to remain in that environment. She'd come to my home to discuss with my parents, what would be needed for me to attend Hogwarts and to evaluate my magic. When she discovered that I was treated only slightly better than Harry's been treated, she told them she was taking me off their hands and they willingly signed the papers allowing it."

No one said a word, nor did they dare breathe for fear of Severus stopping this unprecedented sharing. They watched as he paced in front of the fireplace and continued, "Mum asked Albus to be my guardian in addition to her official adoption and he consented. It was odd knowing the two most powerful people in the whole of the country wanted me to be with them, but I had never been happier."

"We agreed no one would know about the adoption and I was given no special treatment, with the exception of Albus' vouching for me all those years ago. Then, just as I was about to graduate, I was notified that my mother, Eileen Prince, had died and I had an inheritance to claim, as she had never changed her will. My father had died a year before but had left everything to Eileen so I hadn't been told. Mum and I went to Gringotts right after graduation and I discovered that my mother was the last heir to the Ravenclaw clan and I'd just inherited Rowena's estate."

Something clicked for Hermione at that moment and she yelled, "The Bloody Baron!"

Severus smiled as every head snapped to her, "Yes Hermione, The Bloody Baron. Rowena's daughter was set to marry the baron and didn't want to. She stole Rowena's diadem and fled to the castle in Albania. The baron found her, killed her and then himself."

"Alright Severus, let me see if I understand all of these revelations," Narcissa began. "First, Harry has been speaking with a Weasley that has been turned out by the family. He's been getting information from said Weasley so he can get revenge for the murder of Sirius, my cousin and his Godfather. You've been secretly adopted by Minerva McGonagall and Albus Dumbledore and are the sole heir to the Ravenclaw fortune and have been hiding the Weasley's in your ancestral home, which happens to be a castle, since Greyback, a homicidally insane werewolf sent Harry a 'love note' and intimated that he would harm them. Ginny Weasley is helping him and has been a Death Eater since her second year. Did I miss anything?"

"No dear, I believe that about sums it up. So Harry, when were you planning on telling me that you were going after that poor excuse for a werewolf?" Remus asked.

"Um, well honestly, I wasn't. Not until I'd killed him."

Draco pulled Harry down next to him and drew him in close. No one was speaking and that was making both boys very nervous.

"Alright, as I see it we have two choices," Remus said finally. "First, we keep Harry here no matter what it takes and block all contact from Percy while finding another place for the family. Second, Severus and I go with Harry and Fred and see what this is all about."

"Or third, you all just bloody trust me and let me meet him. Nothing's happened before and I'm sure nothing will happen now."

"No," Draco said firmly, "Harry, if you're going to meet the git, you're going with backup. I'm not letting you go without at least Remus with you."

Harry looked around the room at the faces radiating with agreement and relented, "Fine. Fred and I will go with Remus and Severus as back up. But please let me talk to him and don't show yourselves unless absolutely necessary."

Both men agreed and Narcissa smiled serenely, "Fine, now let's have dinner and enjoy the rest of the evening."

The food appeared on the table and Fred started loading his plate while everyone laughed at his enthusiasm.