Chapter 9
Draco made his way to griffendor tower nervously after leaving little Harry with Hermione. Hermione and Harry were talking about the difference between ancient runes and hieroglyphics which was some kind of Egyptian writing. Neville and Ron flanked him on either side.
" Oh is Draco scared of some griffendor first-years!" Ron taunted.
" Didn't I see you get hexed by a first year Slytherin this morning?" Ron flushed.
" Shut up Malfoy. " He crossed his arms.
" Look Weasley if it was up to me I wouldn't go anywhere near your filthy tower but as both our heads of house are forcing us let's just get it over with. " It was decided that Harry would stay with me in the Slytherin dorms until he either reverted back to fifteen or it was decided that he wouldn't revert anytime soon and he was taken into live with someone. The two younger Weasley's voiced numerus protests until both professor Snape and professor McGonagall took house points and gave them detentions for baseless accusations.
No one would or could ever hurt their mate under any circumstances. As Draco was Harry's it fell to him to look after him, and honestly, Draco was happy about the situation after remembering what his mum told him.
Draco thought as they walked the seamingly endless staircases to the griffendor tower, and he wasn't sure if he'd ever truly hated Harry. Been jelous, yes. Been angry, yes. The reason he had decided to make potter- Harry his rival had been because he's rejected Draco's friendship, hadn't even had the decency to shake his hand as he did it. But, Draco supposed that maybe if he hadn't insulted weasl then he might have accepted.
Unfortunately Draco had come to realize that he had been brat up until about third year to both him and his friends. It wasn't until he realized that the things his father had taught him about bloodlines was complete garbage and that his father didn't even believe it, that Draco realized he had been a prat and worse than that a bigoted prat.
Draco remembered the summer before his fourth year his father had pulled him aside. And after an hour of watching his father fill the room in protective spells, Lucius turned to him.
" Draco we need to talk. Your mother and I know this will be difficult for you to understand but everything we did was for your safety. We believe you're old enough to know now. In the first war your aunt Bella went crazy and to try to help her your mother and I joined the dark lord. All of our friends were swept up in his ideas and promises they were willing to do anything he said. We didn't agree your mother, Severus and I but we thought we could make them see reason before it got to dangerous.
By the time we realized what was happening and that there was no stopping the people we used to be friends with, it was too late." Lucious held tightly to his left forearm. " We were slaves to him just like the rest. Severus became a spy and we fed him information from the inner circle until he got in himself. After the dark lord fell, and Lilly and James Potter were killed. " His voice caught." We were still trapped most of the true followers pyscopaths like your aunt became, were still free. If we tried to change sides we'd be killed, if we tried to run and hide we'd be killed. We had to keep up the act at least in public. The lestange's gave us their elf and we had to keep up the act in private too. I don't know if I can forgive myself for the things we did to that elf. I can't tell you how relieved I was when the Potter boy freed him. "
Draco was confused he'd never seen his father like this his father had never talked like this.
" Everything we've always told you about muggles and muggleborns and creatures and dark magic it's all lies, Draco. You need to keep up the act but don't believe a word of it. Lilly Potter was the best witch in our school every year and she was a muggleborn. Your godfather Severus is a half blood. Some of the best witches and wizards of every age have muggle blood. That doesn't mean you are less than them or better. You have talents too, but talent can never substitute hard work. Draco do you understand anything that I'm saying? It's all a lie people are no better than other people they just have driffrent strengths. But you have to pretend to think otherwise because if the leftover followers from the dark lord ever find out that any Malfoy believes different they'll kill all of us and everyone you care about. "
Draco didn't believe his father, nothing he was saying made sense after all but then that fourth year he watched Harry Potter and his friends with a different light.
They finally arrived in the fifth year griffendorks dorm and Neville led him over to Hedwig's empty cage and the heavily locked and charmed trunk that looked untouched at Harry's bed.
" Harry and I switched beds first year because of his nightmares, so you might want him to sleep by a window, keep an eye on him will you." Neville said while weaslbee glared at both of them.
" Where's your loyalty to Harry, Neville!"
" Where's yours!" Neville surprisingly shouted back.
" You telling the enemy, your telling Malfoy things that are Harry's business alone you have no right to start spouting his secrets like that you know he doesn't want people least or all Malfoy knowing. Your giving him fuel for no reason. "
" Ron, he's Harry's bloody mate he's not going to spread that around and you should see the way he looks after Harry. "
" No! That's not a good enough reason!"
"Oh come off it, like you would know! Do you have a mate, Ron!?"
" No! But it doesn't matter, until Harry says that he wants this guy," Ron was pointing at Draco and snearing. " Who has been bullying us since before we even got off the train first year, to be his soulmate I will not allow you to just throw that around." The fight seamed to leave him. " He deserves choices, especially after last year. I made a promise that I will have his back and make sure he knows he doesn't have to just......... " Ron stared at Draco again assessing him. " I don't trust you Malfoy or your family, I trust Harry and if after all this rubbish he says you're good, then fine. But until then you better hope that I don't come after you myself if you hurt him. The rest of my family will be right behind me and you'll see what us 'blood traitors' are really like. " He stormed out of the room looking ready to hex someone. Neville sighed.
" Sorry about him, he'll come around maybe. " Neville eyed Draco
" For what it's worth, don't think your fat or a coward or stupid." Draco said quietly as he picked up the owl Cage and one end of the trunk.
" I've been watching you Malfoy, and I don't think your nearly as much if a prick as you pretend to be, and you care about Harry, you make sure he's comfortable and knows what's going on. You haven't made fun of him even after he turned you into a sparkly feather duster. " Draco snorted. " Come on snake, I imagine your about ready to leave this Lion's den. " Draco smirked.
"But are you ready for the snake pit?" Neville shuddered dramatically. After they had finished taking Harry's things into the Slytherin dorms, they headed to the great hall for lunch and to meet with Hermione and Harry. Weaslbee was trying to glare and stuff his face at the same time, and Hermione just carried a small mountain of books for Harry. Who also held several.
" What's all this? " Draco crouched as he asked Harry who was sporting an adorable wizard's hat and a small excited smile. He just held up the books reverently and beamed happily glowing pink and orange as if to say, 'its books isn't it wonderful!'
" It seams I wasn't the only one who noticed what happened this morning. All day people have been giving him books. Your mu--- Mrs. Malfoy gave him a book bag, but said that you would know how to use it." She handed him a child sized, leather book bag, just barely managing to do it with the 30 odd books in her arms. Draco placed his hand on the bag and took out his wand.
" Raven, place your hand here would you?" Harry did and Draco murmered a spell waving his wand in a complicated pattern. " It should work your you now, dear" Draco told him and helped him get all the books inside, to Harry's amazement. Harry reached his hand in and pulled it out in a panic looking at Draco, trying not to cry.
" Where did they go?"
" It's a magic bag Harry, they went into a magical storage place until called."
" Do I , do I get them back?" Harry whispered tears in his eyes. 'He was expecting me to say no.' Draco realized and rushed to comfort him.
" Of course angel, just think of the books you want, what it's about or who gave it to you and they'll come right to your fingertips. " He closed his eyes and held his breath. He relaxed all at once and carefully pulled out a book, swallowed returned it to the bag and let it a shaky breath.
Draco crouched down and knelt in front of him. " Harry. " He waited until he looked up at him. " This is a very special bookbag, can I show you why?" Harry cautiously nodded and held it out to him. " This is a present my aunt be---" Draco stopped completely. Before smiling again. " My aunt gave this to me, because my things kept getting stolen from me when I was little. Anyone who isn't you that tries to
either take it from you or get into it will get cursed." Draco reached out and grabbed the bag holding it for a few seconds before dropping it. Then held out his shaking hand to show Harry. " See?" The palm of Draco's hand had a nasty burn where the strap had touched him. He looked at the bag again. " And that's just the outside anyone who tries to open it..." Draco pulled an the flap of the bag and sharp cracks ran through the air and Draco let out a repressed cry of pain and gingerly held his arm above the burns and broken fingers. " They harder you try the worse it gets. And if someone somehow managed to get through all of that, the books can only be called up by you. " Draco grimiced and cradled his arm. " Harry, no one can ever take your books away from you again. Draco winked at him. " It'll even work on you cousin." Harry picked up the bag with a whole new light before concerningly rushing over to Draco.
" Draco I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have...."
Draco cut him off with a laugh.
" I did it to myself, Raven. I'll just go see madame pomfrey for a bit and it'll be all fixed. "
" I...... Will it hurt anyone who touches it?" Harry asked.
" It only hurts them if they are trying to steal it, get something in it or trying to hurt you. So it can be used as a weapon against someone who tries to attack you. " Harry was staring at Draco's hand.
" But, it's yours. You said your aunt gave it to you. "
" It was mine. Remember the wand waving I did earlyer when I asked you to touch it? There's a special spell that transfers the ownership. It doesn't belong to me anymore and no one, including me, has access except you. "
" I can really keep it? Like... Always?" Harry asked.
" Of course, Raven. Why don't you have lunch with Hermione and Neville while I get this looked at and I'll see you after. " Harry looked up towards Hermione, who seamed suprised both by the suggestion and by my familiar use of her and Neville's names. When Harry finally nodded, he turned to follow her, but stopped and ran back to hug Draco tightly. Draco wrapped his good arm around Harry.
" I'll pick up your niffler and dragon in the hospital wing and we can put those in the bag too. " He nodded and took grabbed Hermione's hand. Draco felt a tingle on his arm and watched with strange fascination as the burn healed slightly until he could barely feel it, and his fingers, while still broken, straightened out. Draco smiled and silently thanked his little Raven, even if he didn't know what he had done.
On his way out of the great hall, his father walked up to him and hit the back of his head sharply.
" Why do you Insist on being an idiotic martyr. " He chastised, but it was weakened with the pride that glinted in his eyes, " You could have just told him what would happen. "
" It's different seeing it. When aun... They told me how it worked it didn't really believe them until I saw it, so I figured I'd hit two birds with one stone. " The elder Malfoy just shook his head and lead him out of the great hall, but before they left he could be heard telling his son, " just like your mother. "
Harry was holding his new book bag close at the griffendor table. He eat there for a few minutes before Ron asked, " what's wrong mate?" Harry looked at Ron suspiciously for a moment, until Neville prompted him too, as Luna came over and sat with them.
" Draco, I'm worried about him. "
" Why are you worried about that stupid prick? He said he'd be fine didn't he? " Several of the other griffendors glared at him, while Ginny elbowed him and the twins kicked him.
" He,... He sounded very sad when he talked about his Aunt. Something happened but I don't think she died. " Neville went still for a moment.
" If your still worried about him when he gets back, I'm sure he'll feel better if you give him another hug and make him all sparkly again. " Several of the other griffendors chuckled. Until someone nearby in the Hufflepuff table dropped a plate with a loud bang. Harry jumped and nearly everyone in the great hall was covered in a neon yellow powder, that smelled strangely of pickles and prun juice.
Everyone, except professor Snape and professor wittengale , (the emergency defense against the dark arts teacher.) was laughing at everybody else and before Harry could even open his mouth, the twins were standing up and declaring themselves the reason for the yellow powder as some elaborate prank, taking bows and recommending more and more ridiculous ways to use the powder and remove it. Harry found himself laughing after the attention was pulled away from him, when one of the twins began to faint then was revived by the powder being thrown at his face.
Hermione was wonder, just how many things Harry had hidden from them. He was incredibly smart and obviously powerful, why did he always pretend otherwise. He was also quick to reassure both her and Ron that his relatives were treating him just fine and that there was nothing to worry about.
She and Ron had often planned to kidnap Harry from them but were always convinced by Harry that he was safest where he was, Dumbledore had told him so, or it wasn't really that bad, and they backed down.
Hermione wishes that maybe they hadn't. Harry was more vulnerable than ever and if they had done something sooner maybe some of the most horrible and terrifying.parts of the past few years would have gone differently. For now though, she needed to find Harry some familiars according to Luna and she knew just where to look.