chapter 7
Draco stopped pacing and and sat down by Harry. "yes father." he promised.
BANG! glitter erupted around the room and Lucius was quite surprised to find himself, along with everyone else covered in pink and yellow glitter. Draco looked up hopefully at his father. " I don't suppose you know a spell that gets rid of this do you?" Lucius paled.
" there isn't one son, your mother in our school days used to put it on the inside of all of my clothes." he shuddered " she and Ms. Evens, were a terrifying force. "
" Ms. Evens?" Hermione asked, Lucius turned away, and composed himself.
" Lilly, Lilly Evens. They were as thick as thieves the three of them, until our sixth year."
"Lilly Evens as in harry's mom? who was the third? " Neville asked. Lucius gave the classic Malfoy smirk.
"Severus Snape. Severus and Lilly met just before their first year of Hogwarts, they met your mother, Draco, on the train. Even their houses couldn't keep them apart they were always cooking up some potion or pranking the marauders in retaliation."
"so what happened? " Draco asked.
"The end of fifth year James potter confessed his love for Lilly. She didn't believe him at first of course, but he got into her heart, nearly romanced her to death, especially over the summer. Your mother could never forgive James for the things he and his friends had done to the Slytherins, particularly to her and Severus for being friends with Lilly. They had been particularly cruel more times than she could forgive. They fought after the entrance feast, Lilly was always headstrong and Narcissa couldn't figure out how she had fallen for the hotheaded griffondor. Soon Severus joined her and they were shouting so loud you could hear it all over the castle. They wanted her to reject his advances and she refused. The whole school took sides so that even if they had wanted to reconcile the other students, myself included wouldn't let them. Years after they graduated Severus and Lilly made up, though he still hated James and questioned most of his decisions. "
" But Lady Malfoy and Mrs. Potter never did?" asked Neville. Lucius shook his head.
" The both of them were too stubborn and prideful to apologize until it was too late. Lilly was my friend too, and I know they must have missed each other terribly. And I didn't even bother to look into how her son was doing." He looked sadly at Draco. " I'm sorry son." Draco, for his part, swallowed, and resumed his pacing. The glitter thankfully had mostly vanished.
" Mr. Malfoy?" said Hermione, " um... you should.... talk to harry about his parents, well his mom anyway. The Dursleys never said much about them, and what they did say were lies. Harry is always trying to find anything he can on his parents, he'd really appreciate if you told him some stories. " she didn't look at them and after she was done she bit her lip, unsure if she should have said anything. Lucius's eyes seamed to soften at her words, he looked over at Harry.
"I'll talk to Severus and Narcissa about that, they knew her better than I did. Maybe we can put a book together for him so he can have it for when he reverts again too. "
Hermione smiled, " Thank you sir." Harry woke up and Madame Pomfrey rushed in and checked him over, before assuring us he was fine. Harry, while still very shy and nervous around people, (especially adults) managed to sit through the examination and took the nutrient potion she gave him. Apparently his magic had protected him from both the door and the floor when it had opened but he had fainted from fright, and malnutrition.
He panicked and clammed up when she found a fairly recent bruise. She ran several diagnostic spells but found no other injuries. which she of course said made sense.
"Mr. Potter reverted to the last time he felt safe. If you are in pain or hungry or anything else that doesn't make the cut. you have to feel completely secure for your magic to mark the age. There have not been many times when you felt that dear, I'm sorry to say" Madame Pomfrey left after extracting a promise from each of them that they would have him take the nutrient potions. Even after she left harry refused to move or to say anything, all of the accidental magic had ceased, except that harry looked like a normal regular child if on the small side. both his wings and tail had disappeared the feathers vanished from his hair, even the small points of his ears were gone.
Draco was sad about this he missed Harry's wings and just thinking about how sexy that tail would look on his potter, 15 year old potter, made have to hide the blush on his face, his heart frantic. Neville hated that his friend, even if his friend was currently a child, felt he had to hide himself. Luna, however, was thoughtful. she dragged Draco away while Neville was trying to get harry to move.
" Draco, maybe harry is hoot hooot hoot cooooo. what do you think? do you know whats happening with them? Has your father told you? oooh oooo hooot coooo hooooot?" Draco rubbed his eyes tiredly.
"Luna, I don't know what you're saying. Harry is what? Has my father said what? please speak English. or even bloody German, Bulgarian, Latin, Merlin I even know some french but I don't speak owl!" Luna blushed and apologized softly.
" I said, maybe harry is worried about his relatives. I imagine they said somethings that may be causing this, they wouldn't want people to find out about what they were doing to harry. It may be why he never told anyone. Do you know what's happening with them? has your father told you? they've already had their trial right? "
" well, maybe i should learn owl it seams to be a quite interesting language." Draco paused, " They've tried his uncle he's in Askaban. imagine that, a muggle in Askaban. the others are being held until further notice at the ministry. There is no concrete evidence like witnesses or well, Harry's testimony to condemn them. but there is a lot of circumstantial evidence."
" It might be good to tell Harry that." they walked back over to Harry and Neville. Harry nervously looked everywhere expect them. Luna pushed Draco forward, he glared at her. since when was lovegood so familiar with him.
" Harry?" Draco said quietly. " you're uncle. " Harry visibly flinched
" I didn't say anything, I didn't tell them anything. I didn't" Harry whispered frantically as though he were trying to convince himself.
" no, Harry. He can't hurt you anymore. " Harry stopped muttering at looked up at Draco. " The Aur- police took him away where he can never hurt you anymore. or anyone. And even if he got away from them there are hundreds of people in this school that would stand between you and him. All those people in the great hall would stand in his way. and any wizard who saw him would turn him in to protect you. He will never touch you again. Ever. " Draco very carefully held the tiny child while he took in the information. After what seamed like hours harry finally spoke.
" He can't get me? Really this time? he won't hurt other people" Harry barely breathed out the questions, his arms shaking with repressed hope.
" He can't get you, He can't hurt other people." Harry let go of the air he had been holding and buried his face in Draco's arms, shaking with relief and crying his eyes out silently, containing the sounds of his sobs. Draco held him and ran a soothing hand down Harry's back. Neville, Luna and later Hermione joined the hug and surrounded the boy with love and promises. Draco was just tucking Harry back into the hospital bed when his mother walked in. she didn't say a word a simple helped Draco put the boy to bed, careful of the wings he had let become visible again. Draco was just smoothing the blankets when narcissa placed a small plushy nifler and a small plushy dragon both plushies cuddled in close to their new owner.
as they walked away Draco turned to his mother," a Nifler mom? really"
" yes, well no matter how troublesome they are they are also adorable. I had one when I was little, they are quite agreeable thank you!" she laughed at her son's incredulous expression. " How are you doing, dear? "Draco sighed and smoothed his hair back as best he could.
" I'm okay, its just everything is crazy right now. My mate is Harry James Potter. My mate Harry James Potter has multiple creature inheritances, which almost never happens, and inherited two years early, because his muggle swine of an uncle abused him. for years it seams. And before I even get the chance to talk with him he turns into a little kid who's jumpier than a Camett and scared of adults and with out of control magic! I don't know what to do! If he will be okay! If he'll ever go back to the harry potter I know! and if he does will he ever forgive me for all the terrible things I've done to him and his friends. What dad did to that Weasely girl. everything between us is such a mess, and he may not even give me a chance to explain when he goes back to being himself, and if he's stuck like this? I won't be hurt for not having my mate but I won't really have him. I won't be able to be with him. "
"Do you see him as your mate now? "
"No, well yes but not in the same way. I still want to protect him and look after him, but it's like how I would feel about a little brother, not a mate. not like my mate is supposed to be. I'm not attracted to him like this, or really in love with him. but I think I cared about him for awhile before this. Last year when.... Diggory was killed. ... .. I wanted to comfort him. It was really hard for him. His friends were there but he just. It was like he lost something and nobody could give it back to him, it hurt seeing him like that. I guess the thing I'm most afraid of is that I've already lost him, that even if he comes back he won't want me. " Narcissa hugged him tightly and kissed the top of his head.
"Everything will work out as it is meant to. you are mates for a reason. A mate bond is not so fragile it will be broken over some petty rivalry trust me and put away those fears for now. there is no use worrying over something you can do nothing about right now. He will find his way back to himself, and when he does you will be there to welcome him. use your head to think through his problems not his fears. this may be a great opportunity for you to learn about your mate. You will learn the best ways to remind him that he is wanted and loved and both Harrys will need that i expect."
" Thank you mother." He smiled up at her and her eyes danced with mirth at his formal words.
" Of course, darling" she pulled a book from her robes " I forgot about this, it is a book on familiars for harry, he may have trouble reading it right now, so you'll have to help him, but he will probably want some information on his new companions. i imagine they will stay with him even after he reverts back. " Draco took the book and thanked his mother feeling more relaxed than he had since the morning of their trip to gringotts.