Authors note: The story is finished and will have just 5 chapters. I'll try to update daily unless something comes up. But latest a day after.
Warning: This story will include slash. If you don't like it, just don't trad it. I don't complain about your taste so leave me with mine. Mean comments about it will just be ignored. All others are welcome.
From Shadow to Bond
Chapter one
Shadow of the Past
It's been half a year since the war ended and most of Slytherin is still ostracized by the rest of the wizarding community. Though it is getting better, mostly because of Saint Potter trying to stop everyone else from bullying Slytherin's in general.
Not that it was much good to Draco, who did his utmost to avoid the other students. Admittedly with very little success. It's not entirely possible to avoid the other students while he had to go to classes and the meals to stay feed himself. One thing Draco had found helpful, was getting up at four in the morning to be at breakfast way before anyone got up and wait for the first round of food to appear.
He sits as close to the teachers as possible and stays within their sight until the last teacher leaves to get to class a minute or two late. That way no one can get him on his way there. The time between classes until he is seen by a teacher again, either in class or for lunch, is rather difficult. By now he is so used to stinging hexes and tripping jinxes, that he barely feels the new stings or scraps he gains every day. The more inventive spells that don't hurt, like changing hair or skin colour are barely worth mentioning. Thanks to those, by now no one in school, teachers and medi-witch included, is better in casting a finite than Draco.
The boils or other occasionally more painful of the rather inventive spells, that hit him about once a week, are more bothersome. Though they do have the upside of occasionally getting out of class for a few days, to stay in the relative safety of the hospital wing where he's rarely bothered and mostly with Madam Pomfrey protecting him. Draco always enjoys those breaks, where he can study in peace.
Right now, he's in there for three days so far. Someone has managed to spell his mouth off in a way no teacher or madam Pomfrey had been able to fix yet. Well, at least he has his peace.
Part of him wonders if Potter would protect him too, as he had heard he had for some of the Slytherins. So far the boy hero was never around when it happened, and Draco is the only Slytherin to return for an extra year to finish his education, because most had done rather well during the dark Lords rain. But Draco had insisted. Mostly because he hadn't been very focused last time around, not that the bullying helped with that. Still, he wished to learn proper defence, which hadn't been taught and replaced with dark arts instead. Something Draco rather not use again. He also had hoped that a year later, he had better chances to find a job. Something no Malfoy could have hoped for at the end of the war. Though by now Draco doubts that a year will be sufficient to let things calm down enough for that.
The door opens and to Draco's surprise Potter walks in, looks around and then walks right up to him with a frown. He sighs before he asks "I heard rumours that this isn't your first stay here?"
Draco just shrugs, glad he can't reply.
"Do you know who did that?" Harry wants to know with a frown.
Draco shrugs again, what's the use in telling anyway? Not one teacher has sufficiently punished someone who bullied him in the rare occasions Draco had been able to name one. It was always just one detention. Not even a loss of points.
"I'll find out." Potter just mumbles and turns around.
Two days later Draco is still comfortable in the hospital wing, glad that magic can spell food and liquids into him, or the no mouth situation could quickly have gotten nasty.
On that evening Potter shows up again, right after Madam Pomfrey left for dinner. This time though Potter is dragging Cormack McLaggen by the back of his robe into the room. "Fix it, now!" Potter orders.
"Why? It's definitely an improvement." McLaggen brags only to get Potter's fist against his nose, causing an ugly braking sound to be heard. "What the hell was that for?"
"I'm so sorry, but that crap you just screwed brought back some bad war memories and made me leash out instinctively! Now unless you wish to stay close to me even though it can happen again any second, you'll fix the so-called improvement you caused. Because to be frank, I prefer his mouth over yours!" Potter sounds very serious, much to the surprise of both other males. Though Draco isn't sure if he's more surprised about that tone, the words, or the sudden violence.
McLaggen fixes Draco's mouth and rushes away from Potter out of the hospital wing. Potter glowers at Draco "How often do you get hexed? And how often did you do nothing to deserve it?"
Draco worriedly looks after McLaggen before asking "Depends on, what answer will be less likely to remind you of anything war related, because I like my nose the way it is!"
"An honest answer!" Harry ordered in a stern voice.
"I lost count how often." Draco shrugs and then ads "And I guess they see my involvement in the war as provocation enough. Or the fact I still dared to show my face in public. Or maybe just because I dared to survive. At least that's what one person said."
"Who said that?" Harry grumbles.
"Your girlfriend." Draco tries to move a bit away, worried how Harry reacts. He is certain he won't like nor believe it.
Harry sighs "If you meant Ginny, you probably just got her on the wrong foot. Probably around the time I broke up with her not too long ago. I'll talk to her though and make sure she won't say it again."
"Great, one person less." Draco frowns sarcastically.
"Trust me, this is just the start." Harry grumbles with an intensity in his voice that surprises Draco.
"Why do you even care?" Draco questions confused about it.
"The same reason I spoke for you during your stupid trial. Which you didn't even deserve to suffer through." Harry states.
"Great that explains it all." Draco sighs his voice full of sarcasm "Because I obviously know why you are deluded enough to think that I didn't deserve it. When everyone, myself included, know I did deserve that. More than that actually."
"No you don't!" Harry insists. "You didn't have that much of a choice, did you? You also changed despite the influences you grew up with. And frankly, I'm sick of fighting and war. All this hatred is driving me nuts! This 'Slytherins are this or that' is no better than all that muggleborn bashing! I might have ended the fight, but this war will just restart if the two sides don't learn to get along."
"And you think punching McLaggen is helpful?" Draco carefully asks the clearly angry and easily triggered boy. He does lean away a bit just to be safe.
"I never particularly liked him to begin with." Harry shrugs. "And this rubbish really does start to drive me mental."
"You never particularly liked, him?" Draco's voice turns incredulously "You do know whom you're talking to, don't you? Because I'm sure, that you like me less than him! By a lot!"
"Not really." Harry blushes "I think I used to dislike you more. But not for awhile."
"What changed?" Draco wonders curiously.
"I'm not sure. But I think it was when I, well, after I found that spell and used it not even knowing what it would do." Harry mumbles. "The one that nearly killed you. It was the start for sure. Because I saw you cry before the spells started to fly. I realised that you aren't evil. You just didn't know a way out. Your father had dragged you in, you never really had a choice. You proved it even. You didn't kill Dumbledore and lowered your wand instead. You didn't want to hurt him. You had let those death eaters in, sure, but only to do what you were forced to do but couldn't really do yourself. You're not a bad person, not like McLaggen who's an arse!" Harry grins while Draco shakes his head in disbelief.
A moment later Madam Pomfrey returns and Harry cheerfully greets her. "Evening Madam Pomfrey, I got McLaggen to reverse the spell he put on Draco Malfoy, would you please inform Headmistress McGonagall about this? I think that considering how long Draco had to suffer it is fair that she hears of this, especially since this was not the first spell McLaggen used on your patient."
"I'll let her know." She replies before turning to Draco adding "And since you're restored to perfect condition, I believe you can return to your dorm."
Harry walks out with Draco and as soon as they are out questions "Have you had dinner yet?"
"No." Draco just replies and checks at the time before adding "I hope you had something before you dragged McLaggen to me, because dinner is officially over."
"Nope, I haven't. But I'm sure the elves will give us something, if we go to the kitchens." Harry replies.
"Maybe, but no one knows where the kitchens are!" Malfoy reminds Harry.
"Hey," Harry complains grinning "I'm someone. And certainly not the only someone that knows perfectly well where the kitchen is. I'll show you."
Malfoy just sighs and follows Potter mumbling more to himself than anyone else "You always get what you want, don't you?"
"At the moment, mostly yes." Harry replies anyway. To Draco's surprise, he does not sound pleased though. "It depends on the overall mood of others but trust me, even now there are things I'd like to have and can't get. That's just how life is. I used to think you got everything. You know like brooms for your whole team and such. But you never got a decent dad so I think life somehow sucks no matter how you look at it."
"Says the boy wonder who is loved by everyone." Draco pouts.
"My Aunt used to tell me that I should have had the decency to die with my parents. And I hope you remember second, start of fourth and fifth year. I'm not always loved. And believe it or not, your Aunt Bellatrix, probably always wanted me dead at least as much as my Aunt did, probably even a bit more." Harry shrugs.
"Why would your Aunt say something like that?" Malfoy frowns still not over the first part of Harry's reply.
"Because she's as prejudiced as your father. Just against Magic rather than muggle. Because well, she is a muggle. I think she was jealous my mom could do magic. Or just never understood why she couldn't or what exactly my mom did here at school." Harry shrugs .
For a moment they walk in silence towards the dungeons, close to where the Hufflepuff's must be until they reach a portrait of a fruit bowl. For some reason Draco doesn't understand at first, Harry tickles the pear. He does understand when a handle appears and Harry uses it to enter the kitchens followed by a reluctant Malfoy who mumbles thoughtfully "Are we even allowed in here?"
"No one said we're not." Harry shrugs and is already surrounded by elves who start to welcome him and serve him while Draco quietly sits down next to him before he looks around the kitchen that is at least as big as the great hall. "Help yourself Malfoy." Harry says and starts to take some of the food the elves placed before them.
Still hesitant, Draco takes some of that food but not much. He doesn't really feel like eating anything and is constantly watching the time to make sure he get's back before curfew. Draco is absolutely convinced that at least some professors are just waiting for Draco to slip up, so they can kick him out. "I should go back." Draco eventually sighs. Eating quietly with Potter had been strange, but in a nice way. It was confusing why Potter was with him. Why he'd protect him. But it was also, very comforting. With Potter he felt safer than he had all year.
"I'll walk you there." Harry nods and already starts moving. "Just to make sure you're not back in the Hospital wing before you get to sleep one night in your bed."
"You don't have to." Draco frowns a little and wonders why Harry is doing this much for him. But just walking with him for now, simply because he has little choice if he wants to get back in time for curfew.
"I think I do." Harry smiles sheepishly, his eyes twinkling much too merrily considering he is forced to stay near Malfoy just to keep him safe. "From what I heard while I hunted down McLaggen, most of the others' ire is going towards you. I have to stop that."
"I'm fine Potter. It's nothing I can't handle." Draco mumbles with a heavy sigh looking down, adding in his head And nothing I don't deserve!
"Even if, there is no reason to handle it alone." Harry kindly tells Draco. His voice softer than it was in a long time. "You really don't deserve it. Even Hermione agrees with me by the way. And she's usually right."
"I bet Weasley doesn't agree." Draco points out. It's better to stop this now before he starts to hope, that Potter of all people would go out of his way to help him.
"Well, I'm not really sire. He doesn't dare to disagree with her, though." Harry chuckles.
"I guess that shows who's wearing the pants in their future household." Draco grins and just to show Harry that he really does deserve all that bullying he adds "Does that mean Weasley will be the pregnant one?"
"Believe me, if there is a way for that, Hermione will find it. Just to make gender differences more equal." Harry just chuckles. "Pity though it isn't possible."
"Pity?" Draco asks shocked "You'd freely go through labour after the horrendous time of pregnancy where hormones make a woman go nuts?"
Harry blushes before he suggests "Considering that I recently thought I might be gay, it would possibly be my only chance to have a child. And anyway, I think it might be nice. I mean all mothers agree that it's worth it and that men can't understand their bond with their child. Which is forged during that horrendous pregnancy. I heard Miss Weasley say, that the joy of holding a child for the first time, is worth the pains of labour and makes a mother forget all about it. And to think how much most children love their mother, usually more than their father, apart from a few exceptions. It just kind of proves my point. I don't think I'd mind experiencing all that."
Draco watches the boy with a confused frown on his face and doesn't even notice that they reached the entrance to the Slytherin common room until Potter stops right before it asking "Will you be fine in there?"
"I guess. Some are blaming me for the bad reputation of our house, but most blame the dark Lord. And leave me alone." Draco points out. "Wait, how do you know where our common room is?"
Harry grins mischievously "Because I've been in there in our secont year."
"How?" Draco starts but than groans "Who was with you? I know you were Goyle that day he had glasses when I found him. Those two morons were more moronic than usual and later didn't remember that conversation. And just so you know, it was Goyle's present."
Harry grins "Ron of course. Hermione was indisposed."
Draco raises an eyebrow but then sighs. "Well, the password changed and I'm not telling you this one so, go away."
Harry sighs but starts to look worried again "I'll pick you up tomorrow and walk with you."
"You? Getting out of bed in time? I believe it when I see it." Draco sneers "Don't bother. I'm always the first in the great hall and the teachers presence usually stops the worst."
Harry frowns. "Just the worst?"
"Kind of depends on which teacher." Draco mumbles. Those that are particularly famous for sucking up to Potter are the worst. Meaning Slughorn and Hagrid. "But it's still usually fine there."
"I will protect you." Harry insists.
"You can't always be with me." Draco points out.
"But I can make them stop even if I'm not there." Harry voice is once again hard.
"And how?" Draco cautiously dares to ask.
"Well there is one way to ensure that everyone knows just how upset I'll be if they hex you." Harry blushes. "You might not like the rumours that may come with it."
"What stupid, Gryffindorish, irrational, spur of the moment plan did you cough up now?" Draco drawls clearly not believing that it can work. "I doubt any rumour could be worse than those now, especially if at least the nastier hexes stop. But even your influence has its limits."
"If they think you're my boyfriend they might stop." Harry blushes even more.
Draco gasps shocked. "Seriously even you can't be stupid enough to think they'd fall for that. They'd at least have to catch us making out to buy it, and probably everyone would have to see that to believe it. How on earth do you want to pull that off? You are not a good actor you know? Despite Umbridge's claims, you are the worst liar I know."
Harry blushes when Draco starts to laugh at the very idea and then adds "Seriously Potter, you are crazy to even suggest that just to stop those small hexes. And just so you know I'm not some damsel in distress. I certainly don't need your help."
Draco pushes him away a bit mumbles the password under his breath and just goes into the common room leaving Harry alone.
Not hearing Harry's deep sigh. Not seeing how he slowly turns, his head hanging while he walks back to his own common room with dragged feet.