Chapter 18
Harry opened his eyes and shut them again quickly. He squeezed them as tightly as he could, then once more opened them. It wasn’t a dream. Draco was lying there, one arm tucked under his head and the other reaching out towards Harry. He smiled, the force felt like it might break his face. Carefully he rolled onto his back and tried to be as quiet as possible about the pain it caused. He didn't want to wake the other man under any circumstances. Looking to his left he saw the book on his night stand, he grabbed it and found his place.
Woe is me, woe is us, beloved,
We only wanted only love, to love each other,
And amidst so many pains it was disposed
That only we would be so badly hurt
Before he could finish the poem a small marking caught his eye. At the bottom of the page in soft gray graphite was a long line from page end to page end, with two soft loops in the middle. At first it looked like nothing, but then Harry imagined that it could be a cursive ‘L’ shape with the starting and ending stroke carried outward.
“My mother used to have that book.” Draco said sleepily. Harry was momentarily distracted from his reading. Draco’s eyes were smooth and alabaster like the rest of his skin. Harry wanted to touch them but suddenly he finished assimilating the words Draco had just spoken.
“Your mom had this book.”
“Mmhmm,” He said, crossing his arms. “She never went on vacation without it.”
Harry jumped from the bed and winced. He ran down the stairs as fast as he could and grabbed flugh powder in a rush. Draco was close behind him.
“What’s going on?”
“I have to see your mom.” Harry threw down the powder and stepped into the dining room at Malfoy Manor.
“Oh, Harry!” Mrs. Malfoy exclaimed, dropping her spoon on the table.“I’m sorry, we weren’t expecting you.” She smiled tentatively. She looked over his bare chest and gasped. He really did have to get better at double checking his clothes before jumping into the flugh.
“Harry, where did you get those-”
“Do you recognize this?” Harry cut her off and extended the book towards her.
“Where did you get this?” She looked frightened.
“Mrs. Malfoy, please.” Harry needed to hear her say his suspicions were correct, otherwise he just couldn’t believe it. Narcissa said nothing and in a moment of panic fled from the room. Harry followed her as she frantically opened a door. He recognized the room inside from the memory.
“It can’t be. It has to be here.” She cried as she rifled through books on the wall.
“Mrs. Malfoy?” Harry lightly touched her shoulder.
“No, no, no!” She yelled and fell against the bookcase. Her hands gripped the shelf and her knuckles were white beneath her skin.
“What’s going on?” Draco was at his mother’s side. She turned from the bookcase and gingerly took the book from Harry’s hands. She touched the faded cover with a sad affection.
“This is mine.” She said at last.
“And this?” Harry opened the book to the page with the marking.
“That’s…. Luc…” She grabbed Draco’s hand as she stumbled through the sound of the name escaping her mouth.
“When did you get this?”
“On our honeymoon, but that mark wasn’t there.”
“Did you know he took the book with him?” Harry asked, taking it back.
“He didn’t.”
“What do you mean?” Harry knit his eyebrows together.
“When my parole was lifted I took a trip to the coast, to celebrate my freedom. I took the book with me, and when I came home I put it back… here.” She pointed to the bookcase behind her.
“When was that?” Harry pressed.
“March.” She whispered.
To Harry the message was clear. Lucius was taunting his wife. The book in Morrie’s hands also led to another disturbing conclusion: he had made the mark for her.
“I have to go. I’m sorry.” Harry turned to leave the house.
“What do you think you’re doing? Bursting in here and upsetting her like that!” Malfoy grabbed Harry’s arm to stop him.
“Harry what’s going on?” Narcissa asked with a tired face.
“I’m not certain. I don’t know for sure-“
“He won’t tell you.” Draco was angry again that Harry wouldn’t tell him anything.
“It’s okay Harry, I understand.” Narcissa nodded as she spoke.
“I don’t think you should stay here.” Harry decided. Someone who wanted to help Lucius had been in their house without their knowledge. It could’ve been Morrie herself.
“I’ll go to the summer home.” She assured him.
“No, no. Nowhere like that. Go to a friend's house, anywhere with other people who you trust.” Harry watched Narcissa fold and unfold her hands. He remembered then, that no such place existed for her.
“Come to Grimmauld.” Harry continued. “You can stay there, with us.”
Draco shifted uncomfortably at the word ‘us’. Harry wondered if he had spooked him, or worse if Draco wouldn’t want his mother to know where he spent the last night. He wasn’t the sort of person he could imagine the Malfoy’s wanting Draco to bring home.
“I have to go. I’ll be back to the house later. Don’t forget Tillie.” Harry told Narcissa as he found his way back to the dining room. Narcissa turned down the hall towards the bedrooms but Draco followed Harry. In front of the fireplace Harry paused, unsure what to say.
“I know you think I don’t tell you things, but the truth, the real truth is that I’m not sure what's going on.” Harry swallowed hard at his confession.
“Where are you going?”
“I have to talk to Ron.”
“Then you’ll come home?”
“Yes.” Harry promised and as he grabbed the flugh powder he bit his lip to stop from smiling.
Home. Harry thought. He liked the way it sounded when Draco said the word.
It was late by the time Harry walked through the flugh into the sitting room. He fell into the chair and rubbed his face.
Instead of believing the family was in danger, Grimble had thought the book pointed to their collusion. Harry tried to convince him otherwise but the case was open and the Malfoy’s were all subject to scrutiny.
How would he tell Draco that he was a suspect? How would Grimble react when he found out the Malfoy’s were staying at his house? Would he be removed from the case? Would Draco be mad at him?
“My mother is sleeping.” Draco appeared in the doorway.
“Oh.” Was all Harry could reply.
“She took your room. Said upstairs was bigger so we could share without being on top of one another.”
“Well-“ Harry smiled but Draco looked angry. He once again wondered if they weren’t on the same page about what was happening and what had already happened.
“Let’s not wake her.” Draco turned from the room and Harry followed. Upstairs Harry saw that one of the couches had been made into a bed. His heart sank a little further, Draco definitely didn’t want his mom to know anything about him. He sat down on the couch and sighed.
“What are you doing?” Draco asked.
“I’ll um... take the couch.” Harry shrugged.
“Oh” Draco looked put out.
“What?”
“Well, it’s just… I only made the couch for appearances… we don’t have to…” He shrugged, mimicking Harry.
“But you don’t want your mom to know?”
“Well I’ve never told her about my…predilections.” Draco blushed at the word. “I just think she has enough to process right now.”
“Oh,” Harry smiled. “I thought maybe… well never mind…”
“You thought what?” Draco came to where he was sitting.
“Well, you know… I’m not” He shook his head around. “Malfoy quality.”
“I don’t know what that means.” Draco laughed and sat next to him.
“I mean my mom wasn’t, you know… and it seems like your family would prefer-“
“We’re not my father.” Draco took Harry’s hand. “You’re… there’s nothing wrong with you.”
Harry laughed uncomfortably and Draco gave his hand a squeeze. They sat for a moment, not talking.
“Speaking of your father..” Harry started. “Because of the book, you and your mom-“
“We’re suspects again… in whatever case you won’t tell us about.” Draco guessed.
“Yeah.”
“I suppose we deserve it.” Draco fell back and sank into the couch.
“Are you tired?” Harry asked.
“Yes.” Draco closed his eyes.
“Come on.” Harry pulled him up and walked over to the bed. He suddenly wished he hadn’t come home and changed before going to Ron’s earlier. He had nothing to wear to bed now. He kicked off his shoes and climbed out of his clothes. While Malfoy laid in his neat matching pajamas, Harry got into bed in only his boxer shorts. If Draco minded he didn’t say so. Harry laid on his back and stared at the ceiling.
“I know the truth you know,” Harry rolled his head to look at Draco. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I’m not sure even you have that kind of power.”
“You’ll see.” Harry promised and he rolled his head back up.
But in the privacy of his own thoughts Harry agreed with Draco. There was only so much he could do and there were those in the ministry that had it out for those who were given a chance at redemption. Harry was so tired of it all. The ministry had always seemed like a murky institution and now that he worked within it he understood how deep that turbid water ran. But what else would he do if not this? Who would he be if he wasn’t an Auror?
Harry’s thoughts faded away at the feeling of a cool hand lifting his arm. Draco silently curled into Harry’s side and rested his head on his chest. Harry pulled his arm back up and held Draco against him.
Courage The word flashed in Harry’s head.
With a deep breath he leaned his head down and gently kissed the top of Draco’s head. Draco tensed and then cuddled closer. Harry sighed, what was he going to do?