Chapter Fifteen: Breathe

It almost felt weird to see the sun again. Draco had forgotten what it was like to be blinded in the face of light. It had been too long for him, since he had been capable of getting out of bed long enough to get out. His legs were still not functioning enough to carry him, but simple magic spells could be used on him. He was levitated outside, where the snow had started to melt. Harry was by his side, ditching school once more. Draco never said, but he appreciated the gesture.

"It's fucking bright," he finally said. "And fucking cold, what did you bring me out here for?"

Harry laughed and stood behind him, wrapping his arms around his waist timidly. Draco leaned back into the touch as an encouragement, and he felt all the cold disappear from his body with a sigh of relief.

"I had to get you out," Harry replied. "Look at you, you've got prison paler."

"Good point."

They stayed like that for a moment; just staring at the view displayed before them. Draco just enjoyed the moment. He wouldn't say that it was rare, but they were still finding it all out. Harry sometimes reached out to him, but mostly he only touched him when something went wrong; so he enjoyed it while it was there.

"Hey Dray," Harry called. "Do you mind if I drop the levitation? It's kind of pumping my energy."

Draco nodded. Harry caught him beneath his arms as he fell and put him down on the steps of Saint Mungo's. Harry was there, why the hell couldn't he walk yet? He still had to take potions to keep his kidneys and his liver functioning properly. Harry had noticed that his mark was getting lighter and lighter though. He looked down at the snow as Harry sat by his side.

"What's on your mind?" He asked.

Draco shrugged. "Wondering what the hell I did wrong to be stuck with you for the rest of my life."

Harry chuckled and gave him a shove. "You love me really," he replied.

It had never been said between them. They had only been together for a couple of days, so it wouldn't be said. Truth be told, Draco was craving a kiss. He made himself sound desperate. He'd been so close to it a couple of times, since the beginning, but it never happened. He felt it was that that he was missing to feel complete. It was all very nice, but it was too sweet, and Draco is not a sweet guy. He never did answer.

A nurse came out and handed Draco a letter. From the mark on it, he recognized the ministry's insignia. He opened it and read, Harry reading closely over his shoulder.

To Sir Draco Malfoy,

Your request has been studied closely by our team of experts. In normal cases, your request would be rejected due to your age. However, we realise that your situation is complicated in view of your father's admission to Azkaban prison.

We cannot simply disown you without at least one of your parent's authorisation, on account of your needed emancipation; we have sent an owl to Narcissa Malfoy Black but it has proven in vain as her location is unknown.

We can offer you a clause stating that on your eighteenth birthday, you are to be known officially as part of the Black family; until then, you are to remain a Malfoy.

If you have any additional questions, do not hesitate to contact us.

Cordially,

Francine Higgins,

Department of human rights

Ministry of Magic.

Draco sighed and rolled the parchment back up. He looked up at the sky, leaning his tired head of Harry's shoulder. "Oh well, I'm still a Malfoy," he said. "Shame really. Considering you like Blacks but not Malfoys."

Harry shrugged behind him and replied, "That's true. I'll just run off and find a Black somewhere." Draco shoved him with his elbow and Harry laughed as he held his ribs. "That actually hurt you bitch," he interjected. "You're too bony to do that."

"Oh posh."

Harry smiled and put his arms around Draco again. The latter didn't know what to do, he wanted that; he needed that. The mark was getting smaller but he still felt it over his body, flowing strongly round his shoulder blades. He wanted that, but he also wanted more. The bond was still incomplete and it made the itch come back. He didn't doubt that Harry wanted to be with him; but whereas most Veela mates love the Veela at the acceptance stage, Harry was a hero who came to save the day. He liked Draco, probably a lot, but they just weren't there yet.

"How are you feeling?" Harry asked, as if reading his mind.

Draco shrugged. "Weak; tired of needing potions and Levitation. I just want to feel normal, you know? Well not normal obviously, amazing as I was," he added as an afterthought.

Harry chuckled. "Obviously."

The same nurse that had brought him his letter returned and said, "Mister Malfoy? You have a visitor. I regret to inform you that we had to send her away, protocol."

Draco asked Harry to levitate him again so that he could face her properly – well as properly as he could.

"Who was it?" He asked, anticipation the answer to be Rita Squeeter.

If he hadn't been held up by magic, he would have fallen when the woman said, "Your mother."

"""""""""""

Draco was back in bed, thinking about it. Harry sat on the chair next to him, working on a potion's assignment that Draco would not do; fuck school.

"My mum's in France. I doubt she would have come," he finally said.

Harry looked up at him. "Well maybe she heard about Lucius being in Azkaban and thought it was safe to come back."

He thought about it and he knew it made sense. It was world news after all. She had found out, and she had come back for him.

Draco turned towards Harry. "Do you mind being here when she comes?" he asked. "Best case scenario, it is her, and then you can meet properly. Worst case scenario it isn't her, and then I've got my hero here."

"Ever the girl," Harry replied with a smile, but he seemed to get it.

Draco hardly thought about her; when he was dying, when he was in a bad state, he never thought of her. She hardly ever crossed his mind; it seemed too occupied with other things; but now that she had been brought forward again, he did want to see her. He wanted to talk to her about the past weeks, he wanted her to see and accept Harry. He remembered something and called Klaymore in with a request to see every single letter that had been sent to him.

Harry allowed him his privacy and continued doing his essay as Draco browsed through the paper. There were two letters from Pansy, demanding an explanation for his absence; a couple more from Blaise, expressing worry for his well being; some from other people, curious about his absence. Amongst all this there were two from his mother. The first one read:

Draco, my precious,

I have heard about Lucius and I am so sorry, Dragon. I should never have left you this close after the incident. The Dark Mark, you will have forever, but what Lucius did is so much worse. I am in chock.

I wanted to return to you, find you after this. But as Evelyn pointed out to me, I am in hiding because I am now a sworn enemy of the Dark Lord, I know too much. Coming to you would prove too dangerous for both of us.

I do often think of you, and I pray that you have your mate by your side; that you are safe and if possible, happy.

I love you Dragon.

Narcissa.

It was dated back to Draco's first admission to Saint Mungo's. He took the second one, dated two days prior. He supposed this was this mother saying that she changed her mind. He opened it and read,

Dragon,

I wish to see you. I hear no more of you and I worry. Your situation is delicate and frankly quite scary. I wish to find you, speak to you.

But –

The door opened and he was interrupted. He looked up and Klaymore came in. He stood next to Harry with a smile. "Your mother is passing the tests at this very moment," he said.

Draco nodded. He understood the need for safety. If a criminal came in, he or she would have access to all the invalids and research labs of the United Kingdom. He got anxious. Klaymore went away, leaving them the needed privacy.

Draco turned to Harry. "Do I look alright?" he asked.

Harry put his books away and sat on the bed. "Well..." he started. "I think you look fine, but you've seen better days."

Draco sighed. I fucking knew it. He turned to his bed side cupboard where his wand lay in the draw. He hadn't used it since, he wasn't strong enough apparently. He supposed he was now. He took it in both his hands.

"You planning a glamour?" Harry asked as he looked at him.

Draco shrugged. "I just don't want her to see me like this, you know?" he replied. "She gets worried."

Harry nodded and for a moment he wondered if he minded, not having had a mother to worry about him. The Slytherin flicked his wand over his own face and whispered the incantation. He felt the magic seeping into him, drawing into the curves of the mark and the corner of his cheeks.

"Did it work?" He wondered aloud.

Harry lifted his hand slowly and traced along the lines of his face. "It looks unnatural," he said. "But yeah it worked."

Draco sent him a vague smile but said nothing. He knew that he didn't like him wearing a glamour, but it simply had to be. He took Harry's hand and held it under his chin. He closed his eyes and breathed in.

"Are you scared?" Harry asked.

Draco remained as he was and replied, "Not scared per se. It just feels like it's been a long time and a lot has happened since we last saw each other. Plus she's never really met you; I mean she knows you're my mate, but she's never seen you... being my mate."

It was the first time it was said so clearly between them, and Draco's chest bloomed at the feeling.

Harry took his hand back and put it onto his lap. "How do we... you know, move on from here then?" he asked shyly. Draco looked up at him, prodding him to continue. "Well, I mean... You've still got those pain fits and stuff, you're not completely healed. The bond isn't complete is it?"

The Veela looked down at their hands that were not joined. "No, it isn't," he answered. "There's a very specific ritual that has to be done to join our magic."

"And then what?"

"Then we're both stronger; and we can be around other people without my genes throwing a tantrum," he explained. "Something like magical marriage, I guess."

"So you said," Harry breathed. "And what happens if we like divorce?"

"Oh charming, you already want to divorce?" Draco asked sarcastically.

"No. But I do want to know everything."

Young Malfoy looked up at him, hesitating to say it; he supposed Harry was entitled to know; plus his body reacted badly to lying.

"I'll die," he finally said. "If we divorce, I mean."

"But no pressure, right?" Harry replied ironically.

Draco sent him an odd look and took his hand slowly. He made him look up to him. "Don't," he said. "Really. Don't force yourself into anything, I don't need you too."

"You'll die if I don't," he answered, looking him helplessly in the eye. "I do really like you Draco, and I meant it, I do choose you. I just don't function well under pressure."

Draco caressed his hand in circular motions to keep him calm. "You've got time, honestly. I am strong enough to survive till you make your mind up," he soothed. "I don't expect anything."

"Yeah but-" And then the door opened.

Draco turned quickly to Harry and whispered, "We'll finish this later," Before releasing his hand.

They both turned towards the door.

She was there. Narcissa Malfoy Black in all her finery. She wore a black velvet dress that Draco did not recognize; her blond hair fell in locks over her shoulder as her cloak fell behind her on the floor. Draco looked into her eyes, looking for that spark, but he didn't find it. She was not Harry; things were not the same anymore. He wanted to get up to embrace her but he couldn't yet. She walked to him with a smile that veered to the right and leaned forwards to hug him, changing her mind at the last moment.

"Hi, Draco," she whispered.

"Hi mum."

She turned round to look at Harry; an immediate smile poised upon her lips, she hugged him. Harry just froze until she let him go.

Narcissa sat down on the bed by his side and looked at him. "What happened?" she asked.

Draco sat up on his bed. "Well the Lucius situation you know, apparently," he started. "As far as the mate situation. Harry's here now, but I've had a couple of operations; I was paralysed from the waist down but it's coming back now."

She nodded, then suddenly leaned forward and put her hand near his, not touching it. "I'm sorry about all this," she said.

Draco simply replied awkwardly, "That's okay."

He shared a look with Harry, who smiled back at him. It was alright.

"How are you?" He asked as she sat back down.

She shrugged. "Fine, France was safe," she replied.

Draco wanted to ask how Evelyn was, but he didn't. He looked at her, at how she sat on the bed, at the look in her eyes. A pressure built up inside him at her presence; she was a foreigner now. Up till then Harry and Klaymore had been the only ones close to him. He stretched his hand discreetly behind towards Harry, who calmly reached out for him.

"How is it now? Between you?" she asked with a glint.

Draco looked at Harry, and the Gryffindor answered for them both, "We're good, Ms. Malfoy. It did take me a while, and it is my fault that he is so weak now; but I do my best to make up for it."

She smiled at them, that smile that veers to the right. Draco's heart beat sped and he felt Harry hold his hand tighter. Narcissa laid a hand on his knee and it burned into his skin.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Draco put a hand over his chest, willing his heart to calm down. He shook his head. "No, nothing, don't worry." He closed his eyes for a moment.

Harry sat next to him and touched his back. "Is it a pain attack?" he whispered.

Draco shook his head once more, trying to understand what exactly it was. He was never any good at feelings or at recognising them in himself. He could analyse them in other people but not find them in him. It did somehow feel familiar, he could feel it in the rhythm of his breathing.

He turned towards Harry and murmured in reply, "It's more like fear." He looked over to his mother, stared at her expression. He pushed himself up on his arms and leaned further back against the pillows and onto Harry's chest. He realised. "You're a lie," he said to himself, peering into her eyes.

"Sorry?" she replied.

He frowned and repeated, "You're a lie. Everything about you is a lie. Who are you?"

A rapid movement and she was up on her feet, wand at the ready in her hand. It was not his mother's wand, but he did recognize it.

"You are a smart boy," the person said with his mother's lips. "We should have known it wouldn't work."

Behind him Harry pushed him forward and stood up with his own wand drawn.

"Don't you touch him," he ordered.

Narcissa, or whoever she was, circled round them in two steps. "Him?" she asked innocently. "What would I want with him?" She planted her nails in Draco's ankle and the touch was enough to make him grimace. "A stupid disowned traitorous cripple?"

She threw a stupefy towards Draco but one of Harry's shields deflected it onto a cupboard in the room. Before he could apprehend it a bottle was thrown towards Harry and hit his hand, knocking his wand clean to the ground. Another stupefy was thrown but the Gryffindor jumped to the side. Spell after spell was launched until he was backed into a corner. Some hexes deflected near him, hitting him nearby. Draco pulled himself up and fell hard onto the floor, crawling with his arms towards where his mate's wand had rolled under a desk. Just as his fingers reached for the object and he pushed himself forward a little more, he heard it.

"Crucio!" He closed his eyes in fear, too scared to turn and listen to his screams, to see him wither in agony. The spell was aimed at Harry, like a magnetic field towards his chest; but Draco heard nothing. "Crucio!" was repeated. He grabbed the wand and turned round, this time ready to intervene; but nothing was happening. Narcissa looked at her wand and back at Harry, who was backed against the wall on the floor with a frown. Draco wasted no second longer and threw the wand in the air.

"Harry!" He called and young Potter caught it in his hand and got up.

"Stupify!" He chanted.

Her body was thrown back into the room, smashed against the back wall, where she fell with her face first onto the ground. Draco watched her fall, he watched her blond hair take on a darker hint; her entire form shrunk and grew larger. He recognized her straight away as Alecto Carrow. Draco turned and looked at Harry. The latter had a few cuts and bruises from avoiding spells, his glasses had fallen from his nose and he was on his knees. He suddenly got up and crawled over to Draco, sneaking his arms around his waist and holding him tight.

"Are you okay?" he asked breathlessly.

Draco hid his face in the curves of his neck and nodded slowly. He closed his eyes and his heart slowed down. Too slow. He breathed heavy and put a hand over his abdomen. Both of them looked at the red droplets pearling between his fingers. Harry gasped and pulled him up. He put him down on the bed and ran to the hall, calling names Draco didn't hear.

The Slytherin looked at the blood in his hands as his vision slowly went blurry. He turned to see Alecto lying on the floor. He was unfocused and his head fell to the side on his cushion. The pressure left his body with his fluids and he tried to move his feet. His little toe moved but he was too weak to lift his hand. His eyes closed and he heard a vague call next to him.

"Draco!" It called and reached for him, but he was already gone.

People started touching him, he recognized it in the sting on his skin; but it was all he felt then.

He turned once more to that lifeless form and whispered, "Fuck you..."

""""""""""

"You are an unlucky one, aren't you" A voice said as his eyes opened.

He blinked a couple of times, willing his headache to go away. He focused on Harry's face; he had a vague smile cast upon his lips.

He took Draco's hand and whispered, "Are you planning to do this often?"

Draco sat up a little. "Sorry," he replied quietly.

Harry sat on the bed and held him, he could breathe again, feel his own body.

"What happened to Alecto?" he wondered.

"Aurors came to pick her up. She's with Lucius now."

"And how did she get in?"

Harry leaned back, thinking about it. "I don't actually know," he called for Klaymore behind him, asking him to find out. They were left alone for a moment.

"What happened?" Draco asked curiously. Harry sat back on the bed and threaded his fingers between his mate's.

"You were hit by a Sectumsempra we think. Again..." he replied.

Draco raised an eyebrow.

"Sectumsempra. You might remember... the bathroom? I cast it on you."

Draco did remember; the blood and pain as he lay on the wet floor of the toilets. He nodded slowly.

"We transferred a little blood from me," Harry added. "You would have rejected someone else's. Not that mine was all that good but we managed to give you enough. Replenishing potions should be able to do the rest."

They looked each other in the eyes and something just clicked. They both moved forward in a warm embrace, breathing at the same time.

"How are you feeling?" Harry asked.

Draco shrugged and buried his face in his neck. "Weak, muscle ache. Other than that I feel fine."

They held each other a moment longer when Klaymore returned into the room.

"It was that nurse," he said. "Same one that let the fake letter in. She's been taken in now, for prosecution."

Draco nodded. "Right thanks," he looked up at him and then at the window. "Can I go out for a bit?"

"Do you feel strong enough?"

"I feel locked in and I need air that you haven't recycled," he replied evenly.

Klaymore sent a look to Harry and nodded with a sigh. The latter smiled and got up. He put his arms underneath Draco's form and lifted him up. The Veela yelped and held onto his neck.

"Levitation is great, you know," he said.

Harry smiled. "I'd rather hold onto you, princess."

"Hey that's what I call him!" Klaymore interjected from behind them.

Harry sent him a look over his shoulder. "But I'm his Prince, dick-head," he answered.

Draco felt something well up inside him and he smiled as he was carried outdoors.

Clouds covered up the sky in a thick gray layer, the crisp wind rushed through the branches making his skin come out in bumps; but the air felt fresh and new in his lungs. He needed this. Harry standing behind him with his arms around his waist was just an added bonus. He leaned back and closed his eyes. He felt trembling lips press against his neck and knew that Harry had been just as scared. He put his hands over his mate's fingers, threading them over his abdomen. Both their hands were shaking from the aftershock, but now they could breathe at least.

I am sorry for the tardiness of this chapter! I've been busy haha. It is a slighter shorter one and it probably is less good but I am doing my best to stay in the atmosphere I created! Next chapter will be the last one, I hope you liked it so far. Thanks everyone for sticking by me ! xxx

*Edited