Dinner, Harry thought, had gone by very smoothly. Lupin and Tonks had been the only additional guests, which meant that Malfoy had attended the party without any form of disguise.
They had sat and eaten and laughed. His interactions with Ginny were still tense, and Ron kept making comments about Harry kissing her under his breath. He really shouldn't have kissed her, but he couldn't quite make himself regret it either.
He spent a lot of time during dinner thinking about the Scrimgeour's strange appearance earlier that day, and the items Dumbledore had left he, Ron, and Hermione in his will. I open at the close. What was that supposed to mean?
His gaze found its way to Malfoy regularly throughout the dinner, watching him attempt small talk with Remus and Mr. Weasley, watching him gaze at his plate with a frustrated expression, watching his face flush after briefly meeting Harry's gaze, and watching him steadily avoid eye contact from that point on. He seemed more on edge than Harry would have expected.
It was like Malfoy was a magnet, and Harry couldn't stop his eyes from being directed to him.
The sky grew darker and they all moved into the den. Even Malfoy hadn't yet retreated to his room. He almost looked like he was waiting for something, sitting in an armchair on the emptier side of the room. Harry opened his gifts. Everyone was conversing, spirits were high. And Malfoy looked miserable. Harry glanced around. No one was currently paying him any attention. He swallowed, and went over to Malfoy, whose eyes quickly snapped onto his and followed him the whole way.
"Hey." Harry said somewhat lamely.
Malfoy nodded his greeting.
"Did you...er..."Harry faltered. What possessed him to come over here agajn?
"Enjoy myself? Yeah. Celebrating your birthday surrounded by Weasleys. Best night of my life." Malfoy responded, rolling his eyes.
"Right."
They sat in silence.
"Your birthday was recently, right?" Harry asked, desperate to say something. He saw Malfoy stiffen slightly.
"Yes." Malfoy replied hesitantly. Harry could see his expression become guarded. He proceeded anyway.
"What was it like? I mean, your family surely..." Harry started, but trailed off as hostility started to overcome Malfoy's features.
"My birthday? On my birthday the Dark Lord told me that my gift was to torture muggles. Finally, I can use magic at home, and what do I get to do with it? Happy fucking birthday." Malfoy spoke in a quiet hiss, his eyes hard with anger. He glanced off to a point behind Harry and hesitated for only a second before turning and heading quickly up the stairs. Distantly, Harry heard a door slam.
He stood in thought for a moment and looked back over his shoulder to where Malfoy had glanced a few moments before. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Remus, and Tonks were deep in discussion. Harry started towards them.
They were speaking in hushed tones. Remus noticed his approach first and signaled the others to wait. They watched his approach curiously.
"Did you have a good birthday, Harry dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked him warmly. He smiled in return. He truly did appreciate all the work they put into it. Despite the strange circumstances, it was easily the best birthday he'd ever had.
"Yeah it was great! Thank you again Mrs. Weasley, and the rest of you as well. Really. It's just...There's something I wanted to..." He paused for a moment. The four of them waited patiently for him to continue. Harry could swear he saw Remus start to smile.
"I think we should give Malfoy back his wand." Harry finished quickly, before he lost his nerve.
Remus definitely smiled, Tonks and Mrs. Weasley raised their eyebrows in surprise, and Mr. Weasley removed his glasses to clean them with a handkerchief, but Harry swore he could see the corner of his mouth twitch up. Harry stared back with the best look of conviction and sincerity he could hope to convey.
"What, er, what brought this on?" Mr. Weasley asked. Harry saw his eyes flick towards the chair Malfoy had been in and up towards the room where he was residing.
"It's hard to explain." Harry responded. They were silent for another moment before Remus spoke.
"Actually, Harry, we were just discussing something along those lines." He said, still smiling. Harry looked back at him in surprise.
"What, really? But why? I figured you all would think I'd gone mental." And it was true. He'd expected to be met with wariness, combativeness, or complete dismission. But this...
"I think we're all rather curious to know what changed your mind first, Harry." Tonks said.
Harry took a deep breath and started, "I was talking to Malfoy just now and...er...welll...his life has been kinda shit. Sorry Mrs. Weasley. What I mean is, Malfoy needs us to trust him, and if we do he will trust us in return. I used to hate Malfoy, we've never gotten along. He's always been rotten and rude, unpleasant, and a bully. And, I mean, I still don't know that I particularly like him, but I do know that he's different now. Malfoy has been through he...he's not going back to them. Not after...his parents."
Remus wasn't the only one smiling at him now. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were smiling as well, and Mrs. Weasley reached for him and brought him into a hug. Only Tonks remained slightly reserved, but even her expression had softened.
"Er..." Harry said in confused voice after Mrs. Weasley had pulled away.
"Harry," Remus started. "Earlier this evening, Draco asked to speak with me. He requested to join the Order."
Harry's mouth dropped open in shock. Malfoy had asked to join the Order?
"You're joking." Was all he could reply while his brain processed this new information.
"Not at all." Remus replied smoothly. "That's actually what we were just discussing before you came over. I told him I needed to confer with some other Order members."
Harry thought back to Malfoy's behavior this evening. His attempts at conversation with Remus and Mr. Weasley at dinner. How he'd thought it strange that Malfoy had remained downstairs for so long instead of going to his room. How he'd looked over at Remus and the others before finally leaving.
"We should let him." Harry said, breaking out of his thoughts ans returning to the present.
"Yes, Harry, we think so too." Mr. Weasley said. "Of course, there are still risks. But, as you said, Draco needs our trust."
"And...and his wand?" Harry asked cautiously.
Mr. Weasley put his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Why don't you come with me?"
They walked through the den towards the master bedroom. Harry noticed Ron and Hermione watching him curiously. Mr. Weasley left Harry just outside the door and Ron and Hermione approached quickly.
"Harry, what's going on?" Hermione started.
"Erm, it's a little hard to explain." Harry replied. He realized he'd started picking at his nails again and forced himself to stop.
"Is everything alright, Harry?" Ron asked next. They both looked concerned.
"Yeah. Yeah everything's fine. I was just talking with..." Harry started, but he was interrupted by Mr. Weasley emerging from the bedroom holding Malfoy's wand.
"Harry, would you prefer to take this to Draco or shall I?" He asked, but he was already extending the wand to Harry with a knowing smile.
"WHAT?" Ron asked incredulously. Harry ignored him and quickly snatched the wand from Mr. Weasley's hand.
"I'll do it." He muttered and, ignoring his friends, quickly walked to the staircase. He could feel multiple sets of eyes on him as he started to ascend.
"Dad, you're joking right?" He heard Ron ask from the floor below. He kept moving until he stopped outside Malfoy's door. He looked down at the wand in his hand, surprised at the warmth he could feel from it. It was strange. Usually he only felt that with his own wand, he'd never experienced it with anyone else's. He fought the urge to try a simple spell, just to see how it would respond. Instead, he raised his fist to knock, but before he had the chance Malfoy's door was already opening.
"What now, Potter?" Malfoy asked warily, leaning against the doorframe and crossing his arms. "Let me guess. Everyone knows about my birthday and now you're kicking me out?" He was putting on a brave face, but Harry could tell that behind it he was actually terrified.
"No, actually..." Harry started, twisting Malfoy's wand between his fingers. He saw Malfoy's eyes look down at the movement, and then saw the surprise color his features.
"That's my wand." Malfoy said with a careful voice.
Harry held it still in his hands and slowly raised it out to Malfoy in offering. Malfoy reached for it slowly, but hesitated.
"I can have it back?" He asked with that same careful voice.
Harry stretched his hand out further to meet Malfoy halfway. Malfoy grabbed the wand slowly and lowered it to his side. He raised his wide eyes to meet Harry's. Harry could feel heat rising in his neck.
"Welcome to Order, Malfoy." Harry said in response. Malfoy continued to stare at him in amazement. Harry waited another second before dropping his gaze.
"Right, well..." He muttered, and turned to leave. He was a few paces away when Malfoy finally spoke again
"Potter?" He said with a quiet voice. Harry turned to look back at him over his shoulder. "Thanks." He said shortly, before turning quickly and returning to his room.
Harry smiled briefly in spite of himself and turned around yet again to continue down the stairs, not quite ready to face Ron and Hermione.
OooOooO
The morning of the wedding was, in a word, chaos. Fleur's parents were due to arrive by 10, and it was currently half past 9. Mrs. Weasley had all her children, Potter and Granger included, doing last minute chores and tasks to ensure everything was in spotless order for their arrival. Her sharp eyes caught and quickly corrected their every mistake. There was only one thing, it seemed, that she had forgotten.
"Oh, Draco!" She said too loudly, with an edge of hysterics. "Come here quickly. Mr. and Mrs. Delacour will be here any moment. It's unlikely they would recognize you, but we simply can't take any chances."
Draco moved towards Mrs. Weasley quickly, sensing that now was not a time to cross the typically kind woman. She studied him carefully, walking around him and looking him over from head to toe, before firing off multiple charms in quick succession. When she had first raised her wand, Draco had tensed his body and shut his eyes tightly, forgetting where he was and feeling wild panic rise in his chest. Now that he felt the magic flow over him, though, he remembered where he was. It wasn't cold, dark, or painful. Instead, Mrs. Weasley's charm emitted a kind of warmth and security, a magical signature strongly reminiscent of his first step outside. He felt his hair shorten, and he could feel a small shift in some of the features of his face.
"...And we'll have to get you something more suitable to wear. I'm sure Bill has a spare set of dress robes somewhere. Or we could try and transfigure something." Draco realized that Mrs. Weasley must have been prattling the entire time. With the charm-work completed, he raised a hand to his face, felt his features, and ran his fingers through his shorter, coarser hair.
"Don't worry, Mrs. Weasley, I'll take care of the clothes." Draco said calmly, reaching in his pocket for his wand. As if he'd pass up any opportunity to use it again now he had it back.
Mrs. Weasley appraised him again, then gave him a final nod of approval before turning to attend to more pressing matters.
Draco looked around for a mirror, finding one above a table in the den. His face was rounder, his typically sharp features obscured by magic. His hair was short and, to his complete horror, bright red. His eyes were rounder and a lackluster blue, and an odd smattering of freckles lay on the bridge of his nose. And, while his appearance left much to be desired, he knew that he was completely unrecognizable as Draco Malfoy. He cast a few charms on himself to alter his clothes into something wedding-appropriate. Basic, nondescript, and black. He'd blend in easily without drawing any unwanted attention.
"Mrs. Weasley got you then?" A familiar, amused voice said behind him. Potter stood across the room, arms folded, leaning against the doorway, giving Draco an obvious once-over with his eyes. Smirking, he said, "Well, no one will think you could possibly be the presumed-dead Draco Malfoy, that's for sure. She's going to do me later. I passed her in the hall. She forgot to tell you that your name's going to be Arnold. And I'll be Barney, for the wedding. We're both supposed to just say we're cousins, and hope nobody calls our bluff."
"The Weasleys breed like rabbits, I doubt anyone will think twice." Draco muttered in response, bitterly. Potter frowned in response.
"That is the general idea, yes." Draco watched as Potter put his hands in his pockets, looking contemplative. He opened his mouth to speak again, but was interrupted when Granger entered the room.
"Harry, and, er...Malfoy?" She said. Draco nodded. Granger's eyes rolled over him in the same way Potter's had, Draco tensed in irritation. She shrugged and continued. "The Delacours are arriving, we need to go meet them in the front lawn." She appraised Draco once more, and, grabbing Harry's hand, headed to the lawn. Draco grudgingly followed.
The majority of the afternoon went by in a blur. Draco found himself following Mrs. Weasley's instructions without hesitation as they finished arranging the lawn for the wedding. He set up chairs, carried heaping plates of food, and aided in greeting guests, all the while wondering how any of it was happening and why he didn't seem to mind. It was surreal.
During the ceremony he sat next to Potter, disguised as cousin Barney Weasley. As expected, no one looked at either of them twice when they introduced themselves. He did think, however, that Potter's obvious doe-eyed expression towards Weaslette, his supposed cousin, would blow his cover.
"You should know, Barney, that most people don't look at their cousins that way." He muttered to Potter, giving a satisfied smirk when Potter blushed scarlet.
It was in the middle of the vows that something small in Draco snapped. This was Bill's wedding. Bill Weasley's wedding. The same Bill Weasley that had been attacked by Fenrir Greyback a few months prior because of Draco, who was permanently scarred because of Draco. The same Bill Weasley who had then let the same Draco sleep in his room, wear his clothes, attend his wedding...
"You should know, Arnold, that most people..."
"Piss off." Draco muttered, quickly looking down at his hands, feeling Potter shake softly with silent laughter beside him. He'd felt guilt burning his gut. He'd been so arrogant, so ignorant to his surroundings, stuck in his own head, drowning in his grief, not appreciating the sacrifices others had made for him. Others who owed him absolutely nothing. He looked up at Bill again, taking in his scarred face. He looked to Fleur, radiant in her beauty, awed by the expression of undying love she held for that face. He felt ashamed.
The ceremony flowed easily into the reception. Guests gathered around him, drinking, dancing, laughing. Draco stayed on the outskirts, worried that he would give himself away if he spoke with the wrong Weasley. Which, really, was any Weasley. Every few minutes he found his gaze drawn to Bill, smiling, talking to his family and friends, holding his wife's hand, giving her small kisses. With every glance, he felt his shame flare up again. He also found his gaze frequently wondering to the still-disguised Potter, watching as he too laughed and danced, and even spoke with some grumpy old man and batty old woman. All of it made him feel so out of place, unwelcome, and he slowly made his way farther away from the crowd.
"Hello Draco Malfoy." A serene voice said from beside him. He spun around in alarm, eyes wide, and found himself looking down on a girl with wide blue eyes and waist-length blonde hair. Her expression was dreamy with a mild hint of surprise. She looked familiar, but he didn't know from where.
"I'm sorry." Draco replied, talking quickly, panic rising. He took a step back, ready to escape. "I'm sorry, but you have the wrong person. My name's Arnold. Arnold Weasley."
"Is that so?" She asked, looking over his shoulder now, seeming completely unconcerned. Her body was swaying to the music with an unconscious rhythm. "I guess you must be disguised like Harry. I was talking to him earlier. I'm glad you aren't dead. Everyone thinks you are."
She spoke in a matter-of-fact manner that completely contradicted her voice and expression. She looked to meet his gaze. He stared back at a loss for words.
"Don't worry," she continued. "I won't tell anyone. I'm Luna Lovegood, by the way. It's ok that you don't remember me. We met two years ago year when you captured us after our DA meeting and took us to Umbridge's office. She wasn't very nice. You weren't very nice either. But you seem nicer now."
Draco continued to stare at her. Looney Lovegood. He did remember now. She was one of those heroic morons who went with Potter to the Ministry the night his father was arrested. He expected this memory to awaken some hidden anger or resentment towards the girl, but instead he simply felt empty.
"I, er, I...how do you...?" He started, but was unwilling to openly admit that he was indeed Draco Malfoy.
"Oh, just your expression," she said simply, as if anyone could figure it out. He was about to respond when she continued. "I saw you looking at Harry. You should see if he wants to dance. You haven't danced all night. Goodbye, Arnold." She walked away still swaying to the music, leaving Draco completely baffled. Ask Potter to dance? He looked around, and saw Potter sitting at a table with Viktor Krum, both of them looking exceptionally surly, Potter's gaze fixed on the Weaslette. He scowled, and his eyes moved to find Bill. For the first time that night he was standing by himself, Fleur off dancing, and before Draco knew what he was doing his legs were carrying him across the lawn.
He was still a few steps away when Bill noticed him. At first, his brow was furrowed in confusion, but understanding soon dawned on his face along with a guarded expression.
"Bill?" Draco said, feeling foolish. "Er, congratulations."
"Thank you," Bill responded, sounding suspicious. Draco stood, shuffling his feet for a moment.
"I'm sorry. About...I didn't know Greyback was coming and..."
Bill's eyes narrowed and when he spoke his voice was not kind. "Even without Greyback you still let Death Eaters into Hogwarts. You endangered-"
"I know!" Draco said a little too loudly. He looked up, and saw Potter's eyes on him before moving his gaze back to Bill. "I know. I just...your family has done a lot for me in the last few weeks, despite everything. I haven't properly thanked any of them. And...and I want to start with you. I am truly sorry for what I've done and..." Draco's words were cut off as a misty silver lynx appeared in the middle of the tent. The music, chatter, and laughter all stopped immediately. Bill's eyes widened as he looked frantically for his new wife and left Draco's side.
A deep voice that Draco had come to recognize emitted loudly from the patronus. "The Ministry of Magic has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming."
There was an additional beat of silence following the message before all hell broke loose. Draco stood still, suddenly frozen by fear. They were coming. They were going to get him, and torture him, and kill him. Around him people were screaming, running, disapparating, the wards had been broken. Draco still stood, paralyzed, knowing he would be captured.
"Draco!" He heard his name as though from far away from his left. He slowly turned, and saw Potter's eyes wide, back to his normal appearance, hand stretched out in beckoning. "Draco come on!"
He pushed his way through the crowd, stumbling, dazed, his eye's fixed on Potter's. His legs were like lead, and he willed them to move faster. He reached out his own hand, and grabbed Harry's firmly. Within the second, he felt a hook behind his navel, and his body was traveling through crushing, suffocating darkness.