The war had changed Harry, no one new where he'd gone. After the war he'd seemingly disappeared, it seemed never to be seen again. There were rumours, countless rumours of course, he'd joined the Circus, he'd grown a beard, he'd fathered many children, he'd took up residency in a boat, he'd married professor McGonagall, and that he'd died but those were all rumours.
The truth was difficult, Draco Malfoy had found Harry, if he had to guess, he'd guess it was a spell that had gone wrong, but there was also the prospect that Harry had done this to himself. Draco could see what Harry was trying to do if he'd done this to himself, a spell to make him forget was Draco's best guess, it was a discernible possibility, he himself suffered from nightmares, and the prospect of forgetting it all was tempting.
What Draco had now was a man who was completely feral. He wasn't sure if Harry had recognised him or not, he hoped that Harry didn't, because in the last few years of looking after him Draco had found himself falling in love with Harry feral or not. He kept Harry hidden. He didn't think in a sane state Harry would want people to see him like this.
Loud noises seemed to scare him, it took trial and error to find things that calmed him down. When Draco had found Harry it was a few years after the battle of Hogwarts, and he was in a bad way his nails were like claws and he was filthy, he acted like an animal. Draco had for want of a better description been attacked by Harry. It was his own fault he'd been eating a pie as he walked down a dark street, and Harry was hungry.
At first he hadn't recognised him, but then he saw the eyes, the green eyes he'd recognise anywhere. He ran back to the shop and bought another pie. He held it out to Harry who sniffed it wearily. Slowly he gained Harry's trust over months of bribing him with food. Harry had started staying instead of running off after he'd eaten, he'd even fallen asleep with his head on Draco.
Draco had taken the chance and apparated him and Harry into Malfoy manner as Harry slept, which was probably a bad idea, but it could have taken years to build up enough trust to lead him here. Harry apon waking had been terrified. Draco had ended up with a few nasty bites to his arms and a good number of scratches courtesy of the claws, but he responded with kindness, and held out Harry's security blanket of food, not making eye contact.
Draco would hum as he went around the house, it seemed to help calm his new house guest, it took a few months for him to get use to the huge manor house. Draco had to admit that having someone else in the house was nice, Draco's parents were in Azkaban for war crimes.
Draco had told the house elves to get out of Harry's way if he came into the kitchen to find food, as he was very possessive over food. There had been a slight improvement, Harry had let Draco clean his hands, Draco had been washing his hands in the kitchen sink. Harry had watched with interest, then took Draco's arm and smelled it then licked his hand, then he'd looked at his own hands and licked them. He'd then climbed up on to the unit and slowly put his hands out to Draco.
Harry sat patiently as his hands were washed, and nails trimmed, he looked at Draco. It looked like there was a flash of recognition, it was just for a moment, but it looked like Harry had recognised him, but just as fast as the look came it was gone.
Draco had been trying to fix whatever spell Harry had on him, but part of him started to worry. What if fixing things would be doing more harm than good. Harry seemed happy in his own little world, and what if Harry had done this to himself, Draco was looking after him, and he was safe. He hated to admit that he'd lulled in his efforts to find a cure, he didn't want Harry to leave. A feral human was still company, and the manner house was too big for just him. Before Harry came he'd felt so alone, and now he wasn't alone anymore. He imagined that Harry had felt alone as well, he seemed happier here, that was something wasn't it?
Every day they'd eat breakfast sometimes Harry would sit on the table, sometimes under it, he'd never use cutlery, and Draco never pushed him to. After Draco would wash Harry's hands and face. Often they'd hang out in the garden, Harry running wild, the grounds of Malfoy manner were huge, and it did well to run off some of the energy. Draco had put up a force field to keep Harry confined to the massive grounds.
Draco wished that there was someone he could ask, there was this huge gray area. The last time he'd seen Harry he looked broken. The Harry that was living with him now seemed happy, turbulent but happy. The new Harry seemed to be able to sleep, he himself suffered from terrible nightmares. Every night he'd take a sleeping draft, but still often he'd wake up in a cold sweat.
It was on one of these nights when, hell he wasn't sure what happened, if it was an improvement or not, it was odd he new that much. He sometimes wished he could understand the world Harry lived in, it use to revolve around food, but now it felt different. Draco new that he'd been having a nightmare, he'd woken up to find Harry smelling him, there was a look akin to concern on his face, like he could smell that something was wrong, but couldn't work out what it was, but from that night onwards Harry started sleeping in his bed with him.
In the morning Draco wondered how he was going to get a wash with Harry there, not that he minded. He left Harry sleeping and turned the shower on. The bathroom quickly filled with steam. He new Harry had gotten up he could feel Harry's presents in the bathroom, he could imagine Harry looking at him with interest, then looking at his own body.
Harry slowly made his way over to Draco weary of the water, but finding that it was warm, he sat at Draco's feet letting the water and soap suds run over his body. The water running off Harry was black. Draco had been doing spells to make Harry smell better, he hadn't wanted to wrestle Harry into the shower until he was ready, but Harry seemed to trust him.
Draco crouched down, and gently removed the tattered shirt Harry wore, he was intending to wash Harry. There was a look of confusion on Harry's face, like he was trying to remember but something was blocking it. He could feel Harry's hand his fingers running through his hair, which was a great deal longer. He looked at Draco He leaned forward and kissed him, it was very inexperienced, but Harry had kissed him.
After that Harry seemed to revert back to being totally feral. He'd still sleep in Draco's bed at night, but during the day he was totally wild. Broken furniture and things being thrown at him was normal, it was a good thing that Draco could use magic to fix everything. He thought that Harry was probably confused stuck between now and a past he could barely remember, maybe kissing him had started to bring it all back.
He'd thought about her before, she was clever if anyone would know what to do she would. He pulled memories from his head putting them into a glass vial, and wrote a letter, then sent one of his house elves with a Pensieve.
At Hermione's house she was startled when a house elf appeared in front of her "master has asked me to give you this, master is very troubled, he wants your opinion". The elf disappeared leaving the letter and a large box. She opened the letter, something told her that she should sit down. She read 'i don't know what to do, he's in a bad way at the moment. I thought he was getting better, but something happened and he's gone on a total back slide. Please watch the memories in the enclosed pensive, my thought is what if he's done this to himself, and fixing it will cause more harm, sorry to land this on you. Yours Draco Malfoy'.
In the Pensieve she saw someone walking down a dark street. She saw something leaping from the shadows, it was like a wild animal, the memory cut and restarted with a pale hand holding out a pie. In the darkness she saw Harry's eyes as they looked at the pie. The memories carried on, Draco earning Harry's trust, Draco washing Harry's hands, them eating breakfast, Harry running around the garden looking happy, she saw Draco taking sleeping drafts. She saw some of his nightmares, and Draco waking up and Harry looking concerned. She saw Draco washing Harry in the shower. She was shocked as she saw Harry lean forward and kiss Draco. She then saw the back slide, as Harry reverted back to the total feral nature she'd witnessed before.
Hermione took out a note book and wrote pro's and con's. She soon had a sizable list. She used Legilimency to project her voice into Draco's head to ask when a good time to come over would be. As a youngster she'd of loved to have seen Draco's face when he realised that she a Muggle born had mastered Legilimency, but now she just wanted to see if she could help. Draco sent a house elf to get her. Harry had worn himself out and was asleep.
Hermione sat down in the library with Draco. She went over her list. Draco sadly waved his wand, and at the bottom right in the middle of the two columns appeared the words 'Before Harry came I felt so alone, this is a big house to be alone in'. Hermione looked at Draco there was a sort of sadness in his eyes. She new that look, had felt it herself, when she'd removed all memory of herself from her parents too keep them safe from Voldemort. She looked at Draco "you love him" it wasn't even a question, Draco nodded "I'm not sure what his Patronus was but" Draco closed his eyes as happy memories filled his head, a radiant smile spread across his face as he spoke "Expecto Patronum" a bright light erupted from Draco's wand taking the form of a stag. Hermione looked at Draco "your, in love with him" Draco nodded.
After a lot of discussion they decided to let Hermione take over looking for a cure, figuring that they could ask Harry's opinion then do whatever he wanted. "He'll be waking up soon" Draco said looking at the clock "I'm going to fix him something to eat, he can be grouchy when he wakes up". As Hermione left she peeped into the room where Harry was asleep, he seemed peaceful, it was a change from how he'd been on the horcrux hunt, where he'd often wake up screaming.
Once a week Draco would send a note to Hermione to say how things were going, sometimes he'd send a memory if something good happened. Hermione could tell by the letters and memories she was sent, how much Draco loved Harry, but she could also see moments of affection from Harry.
Hermione started looking through books, then she had an idea she needed Draco's thoughts though. She sent a letter 'draco, I've had an idea, but I'd like your thoughts. You grew up in the wizarding world. Ok if a family member started acting like Harry, what would you do? Because I know what I'd do, I'd take them to the hospital. What if I ask around St Mungos, I write for the daily profit, I could be writing an article cures for the miss use of memory charms' Draco read it, it seemed like a good idea, well in truth it was the only idea they had.
So it was Hermione started her research in St Mungos, talking to the doctors and making notes with a quick quotes quill. Draco in some ways didn't want Hermione to succeed, he was scared that Harry would be disgusted that an ex death eater had fallen for him. At the moment he had all that he wanted, true to have Harry being with him in some sort of sane way would be wonderful, but what was the likelihood of that. It would be in every article 'savour of the wizarding world found to be dating ex death eater Draco Malfoy', it was laughable.
Draco sat in the study feeling despondent and hopeless about the current situation. Harry looked at him from where he was sat ripping the stuffing out of the couch, there was that look of confusion again. Draco spoke mainly to himself "I don't even know if you can understand me, I don't know if I wish that you did. When I took you in, I never dreamt that I'd fall in love with you, it's a mess". A single tear ran down Draco's cheek. Harry looked at him with a look that could be seen as confused mixed with intrigued. He slowly made his way to Draco and held out a rather squashed slice of cake. Draco blinked, was Harry giving him food? Harry put the cake on the desk, icing side down. Draco heard his tummy rumble, he picked up some of the cake and ate.
Hermione's research seemed to be going round in circles, different doctors had different ideas of cures. She had been very interested to hear about how Harry had given Draco food when he'd seemed upset. She'd asked lots of questions. Draco said that he couldn't bring himself to remove the stain left by the icing, it made him feel happy, like maybe there was a chance that Harry was still in there. There were many memories that made him happy, they were what he thought of when he cast his Patronus. Every day he added more memories. His nightmares happened less, he wasn't sure if it was because Harry was sleeping in his bed every night, he new it was because of Harry though. His dreams were filled with him.
Draco had the thought a little while ago, Harry like music. It seemed to calm him down. Draco sat at the piano he lifted the lid, it was a full sized grand piano, he'd always thought it was overkill. Who needed a full sized grand piano in their home. Draco started to play, it was a song he'd composed himself. Harry wandered over and put his hand on top of the piano, then climbed up onto the piano and lay down his arms outstretched. Draco supposed that he could feel the vibrations as well as hear the music. The whole house was overkill in Draco's opinion. For fucks sake they were in the equivalent of a ballroom, with a decorative ceiling high above. Harry lay looking at the ceiling. Draco always secretly liked the room the acoustics were out of this world, he'd always loose himself as he played, carried away by the sound and sweeping melodies.
He use to play for his mother it use to make her smile, and during the war there wasn't much to smile about, Lucius never wavered from Voldemort, but his mother sometimes he could see the doubt creeping onto her face, but she'd always push it away, so sure they were on the winning side "sometimes you have to do horrible things, for good reasons" that's what she'd say, Draco wasn't sure she whole heartedly believed it all the time, after all she'd lied to Voldemort. In his heart he didn't believe that his mother should be in Azkaban, but even he could see that she was safer there. He himself was only let off because of his age and the omitigating circumstances that he'd been pushed into death eaters life by his parents, "this boy was brought up in an environment of blood supremacy, blood was all that mattered" that's what the judge had said, and he went home.
He didn't believe in blood supremacy now. Hermione was one of the cleverest people he new, and she was Muggle born. He also liked a lot of things from the Muggle world, top tarts were a favourite as were lucky charms breakfast cereal.
Hermione was starting to get an idea of a proper cure that might work. That was if it was a memory charm on Harry. She thought thinking back about the year She'd spent with Harry and Ron, it had been hard. She could see why Harry might want to forget he'd lost a lot, and he didn't have much to start with. She'd enjoyed watching the memory of Harry lay down on the piano as Draco played. She didn't know that Draco could play the piano much less compose.
It took months of work, and consulting multiple books but she was sure that she had the right spell. She and Draco talked at great length about all the possible outcomes if it worked. "Harry might not want to remember he might prefer oblivion" Hermione new she had to get over the fact that Harry might not want to remember. Draco smiled sadly "then I'll carry on taking care of him, I love him, he's the reason I get up in the morning, he seems happy here, but he should have the option sane or feral, I'll love him either way".
Hermione used Legilimency to dictate the spell to Draco, as he finished the spell Harry looked at him "Draco" Harry's voice was gravelly having not been used for years. Draco threw himself into Harry's arms as tears streamed down his face, that one word was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard.
Hermione sat in the ballroom near the piano. Harry looked at the piano he walked over and put his hand on it Draco slowly sat on the stool and started to play, his fingers danced over the keys. Harry shut his eyes "I remember this song. Draco smiled "you remember, it's my own composition", Harry looked round "I remember some of it, living here, you caring for me, but I don't understand why". Draco looked at Hermione who nodded, Draco took a deep breath and spoke "When I took you in, I never dreamt that I'd fall in love with you, I was lonely here on my own, it's just me and a few house elves, then I had you, and little by little my life had meaning, but I needed to know if you'd be here of your own will, so got in contact with the cleverest witch I know" Draco looked at Hermione and smiled.
When Hermione had left Harry looked at Draco "can I still sleep in with you? I remember that"
The end