Chapter Sixteen: Live Free.

"Draco, dear, let me explain something to you that us, lower class people, have found out long since: To walk, you need to put one foot in front of the other. If you put the same bloody foot in front of the same bloody foot about three bloody times you'll end up doing a split and fall straight on your face."

Draco stopped in his endeavours and sent Harry a most pitiful glare. "Shut up you. My left leg is refusing all cooperation," he replied as he leaned on his crutch to move his legs. He sighed and added, "Come here and move it, will you, my hands are full."

Harry laughed and got up. He bent down near Draco and took his leg in both his hands, lifting it gently to lay it near the other. He remained in that position a moment longer; it was the closest they had ever been together. Draco inhaled at the touch and looked at Harry's face beneath him. The Gryffindor got up and stood near to him, his fingers lightly touching his waist. They looked at each other closely, Draco's heart raced with anticipation; but Harry stood on tiptoes and pressed his lips against his forehead. He sent him a weak smile and carried on moving.

After less than ten feet he sighed and stopped, letting himself fall on the floor.

Harry joined him and sat next to him. "You okay?" he asked, putting a hand on Draco's knee.

"Yeah, I'm just tired." They remained a moment like that; until Draco put his head on Harry's shoulder. "I want to go back to Hogwarts," he said. "This place doesn't feel safe anymore."

"It was one time, Draco," Harry replied. "It will be fine now, there's extra security; and I'm here too."

Draco looked at him and punched him on the shoulder. "But not all the time, Golden Boy."

Harry shrugged but otherwise remained silent. Draco looked at the clouds above him, wanting to see them while sitting in the Great Hall. He longed to get out of that place, back to... well anywhere that wasn't Saint Mungo's or Malfoy Manor.

"Oh Damn," he murmured.

Harry looked at him. "What is it?"

"I just realised," he started. "That I won't have any where to go after or between school years."

He had never thought of it; but he was indeed disowned. Malfoy Manor was no longer his and he could hazard to guess that his mother would not be receiving a house from the Black family anytime soon.

Harry snuck his arm around his waist and easily replied, "Come live with me."

"Idiot," Draco pouffed in reply. "I can't do that. I mean bloody hell; we've only been together a week or so."

Harry shrugged. "Honestly, we've got the rest of our lives to be together, I thought it could wait too but..." he stopped for a moment and quickly laid a kiss on Draco's temple. "I don't mind if it starts sooner."

Draco looked at him, a ridiculous feeling coming up in his chest. He shoved his elbow playfully between Harry's ribs. "I was right. You are an idiot," he scoffed. "But I'll bare it in mind."

He thought about it, he was probably going to faint. He leaned onto Harry more and closed his eyes. His mind wondered, "What do you even mean? If you think you're moving me into your muggle family then you have completely lost it."

"No," Harry laughed. "I'm not going back there; to quote you: perish the thought. No, I've inherited the Black Manor from Sirius."

Draco thought about it and nodded. It would make sense. He was a soon to be Black after all. He decided not to think of it too much, it would send his mind in overdrive. He got up by himself – leaning on Harry's shoulder and then on his crutch.

"I feel like a fucking invalid," he complained.

Harry got up next to him. "You are a fucking invalid," he said; at the look he got from his mate he quickly added, "But a gorgeous and superior one of course!"

Draco nodded his assent and attempted a walk again. He was getting there, he knew it.

A nurse came out and handed him a parchment. "This arrived yesterday," she said. "It has only just been approved."

The Slytherin moved towards the steps in pitter patter movements and sat down. As soon as he opened it, he recognized the elegant hand writing displayed in front of him.

"It's from mother," The real mother, his mind supplied.

Dragon,

I hope my last owls have not saddened you too much, I am sure you understand. Simply writing is dangerous and I do hope that all these reach you safely; and that you are safe. I have heard no more of you in the Daily Profit, and though I long to hear of you, I am relieved.

I do miss you, a lot more than any Malfoy would be credited for. Soon we will be reunited, I have faith in that. Faith in your mate as well. You are valuable in this war Draco, soon you will come to understand this too, as I am sure mister Potter will make you realise. This will all be over soon and we'll be able to see each other again. The Dark Mark calls to be reunited with its master time and time again, for now it is too dangerous.

We will meet again; and I refuse to let something as pitiful as a war stand between us; a mother's love is stronger than that.

Stay strong my precious.

NMB.

Draco didn't feel strong, how was he to remain it? The letter had nevertheless brought a flicker of hope into him; as well as a firm dose of reality. At Saint Mungo's it was easy to pretend that all the world's problems were confined in those walls; that it could be cured by operations, potions and mates; but it couldn't. There was a war going on and Draco was damn well part of it.

"Harry?" he called. "Did I ever tell that You-know-who is living in Malfoy Manor?"

And it became the first of many conversations.

""""""""""

As such, Draco's information was not the biggest news of the year – that would be his inheritance – but it did make certain things known. He talked about the Dark Lord's methods, about his abuse of the Cruciatus Curse and hence the physical weakness of many of his followers, his whereabouts, the name of the known Death Eaters, etc. He met some of the Order of Phoenix; it was all draining him. None of them actually touched him, but their proximity bugged him as they took up the seats near him. As soon as they would leave, Harry would sit by him on the bed and take his hand.

"About all that," he started one evening. "Did Voldemort use the Cruciatus curse on you?"

Draco shrugged and replied, "Hardly ever." He got a look from Harry and sighed, "Couple of times yeah."

Harry nodded solemnly and threaded his fingers through Draco's. "It won't happen again," he whispered. "Not while I'm here."

The Veela raised an eyebrow curiously. "Woah golden boy relax. Nothing's happening," he said.

Harry looked him in the eye and sent him a small smile. Draco was touched. He turned and threw his legs over the bed, touching his senseless feet on the cold floor. He took his crutch and stood to walk with Harry holding his elbow.

He stopped for a moment and looked at him. "What are you doing here actually?" he asked.

Harry frowned. "Stopping you from falling flat on your face, why?"

"No," Draco sighed. "Not here and now, you douche-bag. I mean in general. You're missing as much school as I am and you don't work enough to compensate. You're never going to pass your year like this."

Harry shrugged. "So are you. You said you're taking private lessons afterwards and during the summer, I'll do the same. I'm not fussed much."

Draco nodded and continued trying to walk. He missed things. Now that he had Harry, he wanted more. He wanted to walk again, wanted to learn again and use his spells. He wanted to get out of this bloody place; but when he looked at Harry he had a hard time feeling disappointed.

He stopped for a moment. "Harry," he called. "I believe I haven't actually thanked you properly. So hereby, thank you."

The Gryffindor looked up towards him. "What for?"

"Being here."

Harry smiled and got up. He circled round Draco's crutches to lay an arm round his waist. "You don't have to thank me for that," he said. "It was a choice."

He leaned against him, looking up at the sky. "I know it was but I appreciate it nonetheless. I much expected to be dead now and I'm fairly glad I'm not."

Harry leaned forward and pressed his lips on his cheek in a tender kiss. Draco was left shivering and craving for more.

He turned to him and added honestly, "You haven't quite settled into this yet, have you?"

"How do you mean?" Harry replied curiously.

Draco sat down onto his bed. "You know what I mean," he sighed. "I mean that we're not... close like that. We touch and everything, it's all great. I can just feel it in my bloody genes, that they want more."

Harry sat next to him, taking his hand delicately into his own. "I know," he replied quietly. "I get what you mean; but it's complicated. Well no, not really," he sighed. "Look, thing is that I do want to be with you, and I'm really loving what we have and everything, but I'm still settling into this. I grew up in a place where it's not really okay to be with a man."

"What's wrong with a man?" Draco asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Nothing, per se. In the muggle world it's not seen as a good thing. It took me some time to realise that's it not bad. I mean, it's not bad. I grew up with people who were against it, and they made me understand that."

Draco had heard of it, the muggle homophobia. It had never been a problem in the Wizarding world, he wouldn't have thought that it could be one for Harry.

The latter turned to him and made him look up by putting a finger beneath his chin. "But I don't think that now, and you know what?" he asked. Draco shook his head, looking him in the eye. "I was so scared when Alecto came; afraid that she'd hurt you; and I realised that somewhere along the line... I did fall in love with you."

Draco's heart constricted and something warm settled in his body, nestling firmly within him. Harry did love him, they had become something.

"Took your bloody time," he finally replied.

Harry laughed and nudged him. "Git." They smiled to each other both feeling fairly giddy. "Go on, you say it now."

Draco shrugged and lay down next to Harry on the bed. "Oh posh, I don't need to say a thing. I am programmed to, we both know it," he said.

The Gryffindor chuckled and nudged him till he almost fell off the bed. "Well I guess it's good enough."

Harry turned on his side to face Draco. They were close to each other, their hands finding each other beneath their bodies as their faces inched nearer. Draco closed his eyes in anticipation, his heart beating mad in his chest. He felt the soft lips press against his and he leaned against them. It was nothing earth shattering or ground breaking, but it was it and Draco could feel it seep through him till his bones, into his very core. He opened his mouth to capture Harry's lip between his own, and there it was: pure, simple and blissful completion.

"""""""""

It took Draco two more days to get the full – almost – use of his legs back. He was allowed his good morning and goodnight kiss – and all those in between – and hallelujah he got why being a Veela was good.

He talked to the Daily Profit, for his own benefit. He talked about his father, about his inheritance, about being the Golden boy's mate. He mentioned that it would be his first and last interview. But it did work, in the end. He got a letter from his mother, two days after his interview was printed. She said she was glad to hear from him, even though it was through the papers. She said that she understood everything that he had said, and that she was with him; that she had written a letter to the ministry, accepting his emancipation. He would get to hear from the Ministry and he would be a Malfoy no more.

But then the good things were just beginning. He got up one crisp Tuesday morning to find his paralysis gone. A nurse came by in the morning, accompanied by a doctor and Klaymore. The latter smiled like an idiot and winked at him behind the doctor's back.

The Doctor held up a piece of paper and announced formally, "Mister Malfoy, you are to be released from Saint Mungo's. You may return to Hogwarts."

And that truly was earth shattering. Klaymore jumped on his bed and started dancing, trying to get him to do it with him. He didn't but he understood the feeling. He was going home.

He almost felt nervous. Harry had laughed saying that it's 'oh yeah, it's only your sixth year'. He did feel ridiculous; but then the day came and it just felt so wonderful to take that coach again. They dropped him off near Hagrid's hut.

When he got out, the air felt similar. He knew the ground under his feet; he knew the leaves and the grass. He took his crutch and stepped outside of the coach, looking at the sky that was the same at Saint Mungo's, but felt so much better to behold. He leaned onto the stick and onto Harry, looking at the tower spiking above the trees. It was beginning of the evening and the moon stood weak in the sky, cowering behind the clouds. He smiled.

Harry looked at him. "Funny," he said. "You didn't smile that much when we got together."

"Oh well," Draco replied with a shrug. "This is so much better."

He took a step forward and continued walking. He passed Hagrid's hutch, and bloody hell, even that looked nice. There were odd creatures hiding behind pumpkins, smoke coming out of the chimney and a nauseating smell emitting from the windows. He walked on through the courtyard. He stopped by the bridge with a frown, turning towards Harry. The latter had a strange look on his face.

"What's up with you?" Draco asked but Harry just shrugged with an everything-other-than-innocent smile. Draco rolled his eyes and moved on. He stopped again, this time with reason. He heard it and sighed. "God you arranged a surprise party or something didn't you?"

Harry chuckled. "Of course I didn-! Well yes I did," he confessed. "Come on guys, come out!"

Draco expected a full crowd, the papers and photographers; the entire works. It turned out to be slightly less exciting. There were a couple of Slytherins: Pansy, Blaise, Crabbe, Goyle, Millicent. Hermione Granger was also there, he didn't really understand why. They all approached him, running but stopped about a foot from him.

"Are you free for touch now, Dray?" Pansy asked.

Draco glanced at Harry. "I don't actually know," he replied. "Give it a try."

He extended his hand for her. Pansy approached him and gently touched his hand. He felt a sting, but nothing too dramatic. Soon, he found himself with a hand full of Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode. Blaise gave him a manly pat on the shoulder, and Crabbe and Goyle just said hi. It still wasn't earth shattering but the thought was nice; and it made Draco feel guilty for having never thought of them.

Hermione Granger came to him and shook his hand. "No hard feelings, Malfoy," she said.

He nodded to her. "No hard feelings."

For a moment the group went into their tantrum of with all this Gryffindor-Slytherin love, it's easy to forget there's a war isn't it? and it was nice, for the time being.

They all rushed in doors because heaven forbid they should be late for dinner. Draco walked slowly behind holding onto his crutch and Harry stayed at the back with him.

"So, glad to be back?" he asked looking up at the one star visible in the sky.

"Don't try to get me sentimental, Potter," he replied.

Harry smiled and took his hand, turning him so they were facing each other. "I love you," he whispered.

Draco smiled and raised his hand to touch Harry's face. He caressed his cheek before slapping it gently. "That's what you get for using such tricks to get me sentimental," he said. "Bloody Gryffindor."

Harry laughed and laid a gentle kiss on his lips. "You must forgive a man for trying."

And they walked on.

Hogwarts felt warm. It was filled to the brim with people who pointed an accusing finger at him, or girls who stood behind their hands whispering futile things, or young lads laying traps for Peeves – who always wins of course. Whereas at the hospital, there were only professionals who talked formally and were not allowed a subjective opinion. The only warmth they had up there was Klaymore and he was just plain annoying – Draco actually quite appreciated having him around. At Hogwarts, there were people, good food and noises that weren't screams and cries. It felt warm.

The Great Hall was all hustle bustle, that hardly even shifted when the prodigal returned. Professor Dumbledore raised a glass to Draco over the students' heads and Professor Snape nodded at him. Some students grew silent and observed him, but even they soon returned to their meals.

He sat at the Slytherin table in his usual seat as if he'd never been gone. The food looked delicious after all those weeks – or was it months? – without it. His stomach could not handle a lot but he enjoyed the pieces here and there that he could get. A young boy, second year probably, came to him. From the colours of his robes he recognized a Huffelpuff in him.

Draco looked up from his food towards this little bit of a creature. "Yes?" he enquired in a better tone of voice than he used to use in such cases.

The little one looked round nervously. "I just wanted to know if it was true... I heard some people talking of it," he started in whisper. Draco waived a pedantic hand to make him carry on. "That you're a Veela and that Harry Potter is your mate."

Draco was rooted to the spot. He wanted to share a look with Harry, get him to tell something, but the Gryffindor had his laughing nose in some form of pudding, giggling away at an Irish joke no doubt. He turned back to the Huffelpuff and raised his head high and proud. "Yes," he replied. "That is true."

Somewhere inside him he felt nervous, but most of him was proud. He got the guy, and like any proud boyfriend should, he wanted to show him off. So he observed with a pat on the back from Blaise, as the boy returned to his friends and told them the truth. The word spread and spread, up till the point where it got back to him and up to Harry. The latter looked up at him. They shared eye contact for a moment. Harry sent him a wink and got up. He stood on his seat and him being him, every eye turned to him.

"Listen up!" he called. "I heard that a rumour is going round about me. That I fraternise with ferrets." Draco had to smile. "I think everyone by now should know that I'm more a Dragon type guy really. So yes, you call him a ferret, I call him a Dragon. He's neither is he? Yes, he is a Veela." A whisper went round. "And yes, Veelas have soul mates; and yes, that would be me. So please, all just stop trying to get a piece of him, because he is mine." Draco shivered pleasantly at the possessive words. "So I hereby officially announce that I am choosing that git over there, and you're all invited to the wedding! Happy now?"

A spontaneous outburst of claps erupted into the great hall, bits and pieces here and there because no, most of them did not clap. Most of them stared disapprovingly and talked of Death Eaters and corruption. Draco did not listen to them. Harry walked towards him and kneeled in front of him. The Slytherin observed for a moment. He raised his foot and pushed Harry back till he fell on his back.

"Don't you dare," he threatened.

Harry laughed and got up. He put his elbow on Draco's head and thoughtfully added, "Oughtn't we to find a date for the wedding by the way?" Talking of the bonding he supposed.

Draco took his arm as if it was filth and put it beside him. "Not sure there will be one now; you completely spoiled my dessert you know," he replied.

Harry slid into the seat next to him, invading his private space. "I've got a life time to make it up," he whispered. "If you'll have me."

Draco hit him gently on the nose with his filthy spoon. "I've got a headache, try again tomorrow."

Harry smiled and kissed his cheek as most of the Slytherin table swooped in cheers. "Then I will see you tomorrow."

Oh Merlin, Draco thought, and that for the rest of my life?

Could be worse.

The end.

And there it is folks! This story has reached it's ending. I was never any good at last chapters but I hope you liked it. I am fairly relieved, it's always a struggle when you're not sure that you'll keep the inspiration to make it till the end. Thank you for staying with me! My commission box is still open, send me an mp anytime. Great big hug to go2sleep for having been there from beginning to end. I hope to see you all soon! xxx

*Edited