Chapter 16
“Mr.Potter!” McGonagall shrieked in surprise.
“Hello Headmaster.” Harry smiled as he stepped into her office. The pensieve at Hogwarts was not reviewed by the ministry. This way no one but Harry would ever know what lay in the vial.
“What on Earth are you doing!?”
“I need to borrow the pensieve. I have to see something sensitive.”
“In your bath robe!”
Harry looked down. He stood in the middle of Hogwarts, in the center of the headmasters office, completely naked beside the plush robe. I think I’ve had this nightmare before, Harry thought.
“It slipped my mind. I’m in a hurry.”
“That is plain to see.” She frowned. They stood awkwardly in silence for a moment before someone knocked on the door and entered.
“I beg your pardon ma’am but the first years have started a food fight!” The professor was in a panic.
“Praise Merlin.” McGonagall whispered, happy to be free of the situation she was currently in. “Be gone before I return Mr. Potter and DO. NOT. SIT. DOWN.”
The door closed behind her and Harry looked around the room. The portraits were empty and he was alone. The Pensieve opened when he took his place beside it and with a deep breath Harry tipped the memory inside.
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There was a bright light. A door had been opened and Lucius stormed in. Draco held the covers down tight around himself but his father quickly ripped the sheets off. He grabbed Draco hardly by the upper arm and dragged him from the room. The manor halls were quiet as they passed, not even Draco’s tears made a sound as they fell.
Lucius opened a door and shoved Draco down against a bookcase. The boy curled himself up and held his knees as he sat. A man was in the middle of the room bound to a chair.
“This,” Lucius said with an eerie calm.“Is what happens when people forget who is in charge.”
Lucius removed a bag from over the man’s face and Draco could see the man was crying too.
“No, please… I didn’t do anything!” The man pleaded.
“Serpens ab Inferno.” Lucius whispered. From a cloud of green smoke a snake burst and began wrapping itself around the man. He screamed but no one helped him.
“You’ve betrayed the dark lord.” Lucius accused.
“I haven’t.” The man sobbed. Lucius ignored him.
“You will remember this night.” Lucius looked coldly in Draco’s eyes as he spoke.
Suddenly Lucius grabbed Draco and held his face up to the man as he screamed. Draco cried harder as Lucius twisted the back of his shirt and pushed him closer. The man’s crying had stopped and his eyes had closed.
“When I tell you to do something, you do it.” Lucius commanded and Draco nodded.
“Grab the snake hard and rip it off him.”
“Won’t it hurt me?” Draco choked. Lucius raised a hand but did not hit him.
“What did I just say? Now do it!” He growled.
Draco grabbed the snake hard and ripped it from the man’s body. It bit him but he did not faint. Lucius set the snake on fire in Draco’s hands and it burned him slightly. The place where the snake had bit him was red and swollen.
“The snake will not kill you, because I tell it not to.” Lucius held Draco’s arm as he spoke. “But disobey me again…” Lucius pressed his thumb into the snake bite and Draco cried out.
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Harry nearly choked as he came up out of the pensieve. Gasping for breath he held himself on the sides of the bowl.
“I see you’ve not gained any manners since your time here.”
Harry looked up into Snape's portrait. He was too shaken by the memory to say something witty or even hello.
“I recognize those marks.” Snaps pointed to Harry’s legs.
“It’s Lucius-“
“He’s in prison.”
“I don’t think he plans to stay there.” Harry shook his head.
“Then you must stop him.” Snape’s slow speech made each word seem like a whole sentence.
“Easy for you to say, now that you’re oil on canvas.” Harry had managed to recover himself slightly.
“I made a vow once, to Narcissa, to keep Draco safe.” Snape touched his hand. “I died because of it.”
Harry remembered that Snape had killed Dumbledore to spare Draco becoming a murderer. In the end Voldemort had killed Snape because of that action.
“There’s harder things to do in life than die.”
“Yes.” Snape looked pleased that someone would continue to hold his promise. Then suddenly his thoughts changed and his eyes narrowed.
“What are your intentions?” Snape asked.
“To keep them safe.” Harry put the memory back in the vial as he spoke.
“I can’t think of a single reason why you would take that risk.” Snape fished.
“You used to be smarter.” Harry smiled. “I think the paint fumes are getting to you.”
“Insolent as always Potter.” Snape snapped but he smiled. “Be careful doing what you’re doing.”
“I’m not afraid.” Harry stepped to the flugh.
“Such confidence, You get that from your mother.”
“Goodbye Professor.”
“Tell Draco…” Snape was lost for words.
“I will.”
Harry slipped from Hogwarts back to Grimmauld place in a flurry of powder. Draco was waiting anxiously on the couch. He stood as Harry walked into the room. Harry didn’t say anything, he just gave Draco back the vial with one hand and used the other to start the fire with a flash of magic. Draco threw the vial in with angry force and the glass shattered. A puff of steam told them the memory had evaporated.
“Now what?” Draco asked nervously.
“I’ll write a report. No one will bother you about it further.” Harry turned to go to his office but stumbled. His body refused to be as strong as his mind felt.
“Sit.” Draco ordered and Harry was too sore not to comply. Draco began examining him with a deep frown.
“Kreacher.” Harry did not yell but he did not need to.
“Yes Master Harry.”
“Please fetch me my stationary and a quill.”
“Very well.”
“And pants!” Harry added as Kreacher left the room.
“You need to take it slow. These wounds can’t be healed by magic.” Draco scolded.
“Then what’s the black stuff even do?”
“All that can be done. It’ll keep bacteria and infection out, stop any scarring.” Draco was still kneeling in front of Harry even though he had stopped his examination.
“Thank you… for everything.” Harry couldn’t look away from the sad gray eyes in front of him.
“What’s my father done, how did this happen?” Draco held Harry’s gaze.
“I can’t discuss an open case.” Harry didn’t have answers to give him anyways.
“Unbelievable…” Draco moved to stand but Harry caught his hand.
“You’re going to have to trust me a little bit more. I will take care of this.”
I will take care of you. Harry amended in his mind.
“Why are you-“ Draco was cut off by the sound of the door. Kreacher entered with the supplies Harry had requested as well as two warm bowls of bean jar. He grabbed the sweats and pulled them on.
No more being naked.
Harry’s mouth watered for the comforting stew but he grabbed the parchment and quill. He wrote a report of what he learned from Malfoy, abridging liberally.
“Do you want to read it?” Harry handed the letter to Draco who was sitting on the opposite couch. He shook his head no and continued to stare into the fire. Harry folded the report and gave it to Kreacher to deliver directly to Ron.
Harry could now focus on eating, and he was starved. Tearing a bit of bread he scooped up a bite of beans and meat. He involuntarily made an appreciative nose in his throat.
“Hey,” Harry called but Draco didn’t look over.
“Hey!” He called louder and Draco snapped back from his thoughts. Harry nodded to the lunch in front of Malfoy. At first he didn’t respond, then he picked up the bowl and leaned back on the couch. Harry continued eating but Draco just stirred his bowl absentmindedly.
Full and exhausted Harry sat on the couch. The weight of his eyelids seemed to grow heavier and heavier.
“You should take a nap.” Draco was looking at Harry now instead of the fire.
“You should eat.” Harry managed to keep his eyes open long enough to see Malfoy take a bite.
“Your turn.” Draco instructed. Harry shut his eyes.
When Harry woke it was dark out. The fire still roared gently next to him but Draco was gone from the other couch. Harry sat up and looked around. He found who he was searching for at his desk, writing something with a heavy hand.
“What time is it?” Draco’s eyes flickered up at the sound of Harry’s voice.
“It’s eleven.”
“Why are you up?” Harry asked even though he knew the probable answer.
“Why are you up? You look awful.”
“I feel awful.” Harry stretched and a scorching pain moved through his body. “Ahhh!”
“The pain remedy has worn off.” Draco said, rising to grab something from his bookcase. The last thing he needed was to get drugged out and do something stupid again, like ask Malfoy to bed.
“I’m fine.” Harry lied. With an uneasy groan he stood. “I’ll be off to bed now.” He walked slowly to the door, wincing with every step.
“For Merlin’s sake, where do you think you’re going.” Draco had caught up with Harry quickly and took him by the arm. He steered him towards his own bed and once again laid Harry down in it.
“Take this.” Draco handed him a cup.
“In a minute. Let me catch my breath.” Harry was breathing heavily. Draco sat the cup down on the bedside table. Harry laid in bed and Draco returned to his desk. It didn’t take Harry long to fall back asleep.
A noise cut through the silent room. Harry’s eyes opened and he struggled to see in the dark who was crying. Finally he saw the outline of Draco lying on the couch. With all the strength he had, Harry climbed out of bed and crossed the room. His footsteps grew louder as he strained to walk forward. Suddenly Draco sat up.
“What are you doing up? Go back to bed.” He said harshly, trying to wipe the tears from his face.
“Help me.” Harry asked, sore from the few steps he had managed. Draco helped Harry back across the floor and under the covers.
“Stay.” Harry whispered as Draco turned to leave him.
“You’re high again.” He stopped but didn’t turn around.
“Please.” Harry whispered again. “I’ll only follow you if you go.”
Draco let out a sigh and relented. Just like the previous night he perched himself on the very edge away from Harry.
“Were you thinking about it?” Harry’s voice was quiet.
“Go to sleep.”
“I’m sorry I made you remember.”
“Enough.”
“Draco-“
“I don’t want to talk about it.” Draco rolled over to face away from him.
Harry wanted to reach out and grab his hand. To Tell him everything would be fine. Let him feel that he wasn’t alone. Harry wanted-
Oh fuck this, Harry thought. If he was willing to die, then why wasn’t he willing to reach across the mattress?
Without a word Harry dragged himself across the massive bed and pulled Draco’s back to him. He wrapped an arm around his waist and laid it by his chest.
“We don’t have to talk.” Harry assured and he tilted his face towards Draco’s head.
“Let go, Harry.” The words were almost too silent to hear. Draco was a frozen statue next to Harry.
“You can leave,” Harry lifted his arm but left it hovering in the air. “I don’t want you to…but I won’t stop you.”
Draco didn’t move. Harry couldn’t feel him breathing for a long time. Finally a cool hand gently grabbed Harry’s arm and pulled it back down. Draco breathed again and relaxed slightly. Harry took a deep breath of his own. He was greeted by the smell of juniper berries, of honey wheat, of rain. He took another deep breath and pulled Draco closer.