The Seer

Chapter 7

Draco couldn't hold back the sigh that escaped when his friend repeated what she had said a few moments earlier. Verity didn't understand why Potter wouldn't trust him, after all, Draco was his mate. But that was in Verity's nature, he supposed. She always was very trusting. Though, with her innate ability to tell when someone was lying, she could afford that.

Draco had known her since childhood, when their parents met at one ball or another. Draco remembered it was his first, and he was so nervous. He had been overjoyed when there was someone his age there. Ever since then, he and Verity had been inseparable. Even when Draco left for Hogwarts they still communicated. Draco telling her about meeting Harry Potter and the insane things that always happened, and Verity complaining to him about how boring her private lessons were.

Shaking himself out of the thoughts of the past, Draco looked up at his mate, prepared to bare his very soul to his mate. But before he could get a word out, Draco darted out to catch his mate. Potter was pale, paler than he had ever seen him. When Draco caught him yet again from falling, he felt his hand become immediately soaked. He moved the hand resting on his mate's back so he could get a clear view, and was horrified to see what it was. His mate was gushing blood.

"Potter! You may not trust me, but you must let me help you! What the hell did those muggles do to you!" He said frantically, unable to keep the panic out of his voice. Draco was furious at those muggles who did this, but more than that, he was terrified that his mate would die in his arms, even before they bonded. Draco could see the smaller boy fighting to stay awake, and saw as he lost that battle, crying out. "Potter! Syntrofos!" Verity had run over, nearly as frantic as Draco.

"Draco! What the hell?" She exclaimed, completely confused as to what was going on.

"Go get Severus and father. Tell them it's urgent." Draco said, not moving his gaze from his now unconscious mate. She quickly left in search of the two men, happy to find them nearby. Draco was well beyond panicked at the sight of his pale, bleeding mate. He sent a prayer to Magic herself that his Syntrofos would be healed. Just then Verity came rushing back in with his father and godfather. Draco didn't think he had ever been as happy to see the two of them as he had in that moment.

"Dragon! What happened?" His father asked as Severus kneeled down on the other side of Draco's mate, quickly grabbing several potions.

"It was those damned muggles!" Draco snarled, unable to hold back his anger. "Father, my mate is Harry Potter. How am I supposed to convince him not to reject me outright? I cannot help him if he rejects me!" Draco exclaimed, quickly becoming more panicked than he already was.

"Draco, you must calm yourself. I doubt Potter will reject you, especially if he knows what that will do to you. You must focus on showing him that you have much more to offer than what you have shown thus far." Lucius said, trying to calm his frantic son.

"That will have to wait. We must take him to the manor, I cannot treat him fully here." The voice of my godfather said, managing to show a bit of concern for the boy he detested. Though, it was more so for his godson, and the affect the Potter boy's death would have in him.

   "And how exactly do you plan to accomplish that? We cannot use the floo, and portkeys would be too dangerous. Apparation could very well injure him further." Draco's father questioned irritably, a pale eyebrow raised. Just as Severus was, Lucius was concerned for his only son. Even more so due to the fact that he knew in detail what would happen to his heir.

   "Our best option would be to apparate him to the manor; it should cause him the least damage." His godfather said while massaging his mate's throat, forcing him to swallow. Draco saw his father nod, tightening his jaw.

   "Very well. I trust you will be able to get him there safely?" His father asked, a clear warning in his words. Lucius knew of his friend's opinion of the boy, and wouldn't allow his son to be subjected to such an awful fate due to a schoolboy hatred. He saw the other man nod in understanding. "Draco, come. You will apparate to the manor with me." He said, pleased to see that his son wanted to protest. It was a good sign that, despite his supposed hatred for the Boy Who Lived, he felt protective of him. If the Potter boy complies, it will make this entire situation far easier.

Draco slowly walked over to his father, his eyes never moving from his mate. He didn't want to leave him, especially knowing the past ire between his mate and his godfather. When Severus apparated away, he quickly began to panic, but was distracted when he felt Verity grab his arm just before his father apparated as well. They landed in the bedroom his mother had decided would be Potter's, finding the other boy on the new bedding his mother had recently bought. Only after seeing his mate being attended to by not only Severus, but also his mother, did he turn to his long time friend.

"What are you doing here Verity?" He asked, though with little venom in his voice. He never was able to stay angry with her.

"You expect me to just sit back at the café?" She asked dryly. "No way. You brought me into this as soon as you explained your inheritance." She stated firmly, practically daring him to argue. Draco, once again, sighed, turning back to his unconscious mate. He watched as they forced potions down his throat, and turning towards his father. He opened his mouth to ask what he was to do when he heard his mother gasp.

"Mother? What is it? What is wrong?" Draco asked desperately, immediately turning back towards the bed. He saw a look of horror on his mother's face, and one of anger on his godfather's

"Merlin and Morgana! How is this boy even alive?" Narcissa exclaimed, completely taken aback at what the scan showed. She immediately turned to her son, seeing the concern and fear on his face. Oh, how she wished she could shelter him from this! "Dragon, it appears to be far worse than we feared." She said, hating the look of pure terror that crossed her son's features.

"What do you mean?" Draco asked desperately. He was utterly terrified, what could cause Severus, a man that rarely showed emotion despite company (or lack there of,) to show such emotion? What caused his mother such misty eyes?

"He has several lacerations on his back, all of them extremely deep. It appears as if they were created by a muggle belt." His godfather responded when his mother didn't. "He has many bruises and cuts, mostly centered around his back, though there is much bruising around his torso." At the look of horror on their faces, Severus grimaced. "Unfortunately, there is more. It appears that several ribs, his right wrist, and his left kneecap have either been broken or shattered. It appears as if magic is holding them together, but I cannot find where that magic is coming from." He frowned at that, not liking this. Though, he mostly felt enraged. It was clear that this boy had been abused, by those worthless muggles Dumbledore insisted he stay with, no doubt.

"Merlin." Draco breathed, completely shocked at the state his mate was in. The shock quickly turned to anger. He would murder those loathsome muggles who dared to harm his mate. He felt a hand on his shoulder, turning, he found his father.

"Dragon, you must calm yourself. He will not react well with your anger when he wakes." His father said calmly, though Draco knew that he was just as angry as he was. Draco nodded, pulling a chair to the bedside.

"How long until he wakes?" Draco asked, sitting in the chair.

"We do not know. He has sustained many injuries, Dragon." His mother said, sadness clear in her voice. "We will simply have to wait."