The next morning, it was incredibly easy to get Harry ready before breakfast. A little too easy which caused a stir in Draco. He realized there had to be more to the story than Potter had told him. Sure rape and abuse was pretty bad but there was something else involved.
Draco had gotten a visit from Snape who had been sent out to get the boy clothes. He wasn't very happy about it but he bought the little Potter multiple outfits to last him until he's a six year old. Draco had dressed Harry in some little black robes that made him look like the little wizard he was.
"Okay Harry, so today, I have to go to classes. You're gonna sit with me but you can't be a distraction." Draco told the boy. He was carrying him down to the great hall and knew that once he stepped in, he'd put on his façade. Harry was just looking around at the school with his thumb in his mouth. "I have a break after we go to Defense so that'll be your nap time." Snape had also informed Draco that the little screen in his room was a television and taught him how to use it. Draco was delighted because he was able to watch something on the ancient ruins. He even let Harry sit on his bed and watch it with him because Harry didn't want to sleep yet. But he was out after ten minutes of watching it and Draco had put him to bed.
They made it to the Great Hall and all eyes were on them. Draco sneered as Harry hid his face into the blonde's chest. He walked over to the table and plopped next to Blaise, placing Harry on his lap.
"Hi there cutie." Blaise cooed. Harry peaked an eye out from Draco's chest. "Did you sleep well?" He asked and Harry nodded. "Aww that's great, is Draco being a good guardian?"
"Blaise, don't talk to him like that, he's not a bloody baby." Draco growled.
"Hawwy not baby." Harry defended and Blaise's eyes widened.
"Aww you can speak." Blaise grinned. "I'm Blaise."
"Hi Bwaise." Harry lifted his head. "I Hawwy."
"Hi Harry." Blaise grinned. "Are you hungry?" He asked and Harry nodded. "Come here." Blaise opened his arms but Harry quickly held onto Draco.
"Ow. Potter." Draco groaned. "He's not gonna take you from." Harry's bottom lip started to quiver.
"N-no go Dwaco. No go."
"I'm not going anywhere." Draco told him. He piled some eggs and toast on his plate as he poured a bowl of oatmeal for Harry. He had Harry face he table. "Now eat up, we got a long day ahead of us." Draco pushed the bowl to Harry who fed himself.
"Mmm." Harry hummed and Draco smirked. He was so consumed into eating that when I figure approached them, he jumped.
"Why do you get to take care of him Malfoy?" The voice hissed. It was none other than Ronald Weasley.
"It's my punishment Weaselbee. What's it to you? You stopped being his friend before term anyway." Draco growled.
"Well now he's a toddler. Maybe I can beat the faggot out of him." Before Draco could react, Blaise was up and throwing a hex at him.
"Don't you try blood traitor. He can't help being gay and I swear to god, I'll fucking show you a taste of being beaten." Blaise growled and Ron sneered. He held his face with his hand.
"Watch your back Zabini." He spat and then walked away. Harry sniffled and his bottom lip started to quiver. Blaise turned around and gently ruffled his hair as Draco started to bounce him on his leg.
"Don't cry cutie, I know he's ugly but he's gone now." Blaise joked but Harry's eyes started to leak tears.
"Great, now he's crying." Draco sighed and had Harry face his chest. He lifted him up and placed his head on his shoulder. "Shh." Draco started to sway slightly. "Don't cry, it's okay." Draco ran his hand through Harry's hair and rocked him.
"Dwaco, hafta potty." Harry whimpered out and Draco sighed.
"Okay." He stood up with Harry. "Blaise, can you bring my books to class?"
"Yeah sure, see you soon Harry." Blaise waved so Harry waved back. Draco swung the boy on his hip as Harry lied his head on Draco's shoulder placing his thumb in his mouth.
After Harry did his business, Draco took him to their first class of the day which was charms. It alternated with potions so he'd look forward to that the next day.
He walked in and Blaise was already there waiting for him. Much to his misfortune, Granger and Weasley were there too.
"There he is." Granger said. She rushed over to Draco before he could get to his seat in the front. Harry quickly hid his face and sucked his thumb. "Harry, you can't suck your thumb."
"What do you think you're doing?" Draco glowered. "You do not tell him what to do. I am his guardian."
"You shouldn't be! You're the son of a death eater and will put Harry in the arms of the dark lord!" She screeched.
"Maybe I am his guardian because I do not want him to be in the arms of some people who think being gay is a choice. Or maybe it's because I don't want him to be tainted by the mudblood and a blood traitor." He hissed.
"How fucking dare you?!" She screamed and Harry whimpered. "If you weren't holding Harry, I would give you a taste of what I did in third year." Draco stepped closer to her, towering over her.
"You disgust me. Not because you're a mudblood but because you really are thick headed. You threw away your friendship over something so silly and you don't know the pain you caused him. Now out of my way!" He raised his voice. She flushed and stomped off allowing Draco to go to his seat. He sighed and sat down, sitting Harry on the desk in front of him.
"Are you okay Potter?" He asked and Harry nodded. Draco nodded and turned to Blaise. "Do you have my bag?"
"Yup." He handed Draco the bag so Draco grabbed it and pulled out a coloring book with some crayons. Harry lit up and took his thumb out of his mouth.
"Hawwy's?" He asked and Draco smiled gently.
"Yes they're yours. I want you to sit next to me though, understand?" Draco asked and Harry nodded. Blaise got up from his seat, slid it over and then grabbed a chair from another desk. He enlarged Harry's chair to allow him to actually reach the desk. Draco sat Harry down as Blaise took his seat. More people started to pile in and they started to be aware of little Harry.
"Look how tiny he is! Hiya Harry!" Lavender Brown squealed. Harry hid his face into Draco's sleeve. She awed before taking her seat.
"Don't worry about them Harry, just focus on coloring. Can you color in the mermaid for me?" Blaise asked and Harry peaked out his eye. He looked at the opened page and blinked at Blaise before pointing to it. "Yeah, it's a mermaid. Do you wanna color it in?" Harry nodded and lifted his head. Blaise handed him the crayons and grinned. "Remember to stay in the lines."
Flitwick had walked in and regarded Harry once before starting class. They started working on banishing spells and Draco managed to banish one of Harry's crayons. He started to pout so Draco had to summon it back.
They also performed fur charms and Blaise hit Weasley with one causing him to be covered in fur. He was a weasel after all and it caused Harry to giggle.
The bell rang so Draco packed his things and Harry's coloring book. He swung him on his hip and Harry rested his head on Draco's shoulder sucking his thumb.
"Harry, I told you not to do that." Granger manager to scold. Harry hid his face causing Draco to sneer.
"You're interfering."
"He's going to get bucked teeth." She crossed her arms and Draco smirked.
"One would know, wouldn't they Granger?" He pushed passed her and made his way with Blaise to Care of Magical Creatures.
The walk there was relatively silent. When they arrived, Hagrid was surprised to see Harry.
"Ah 'arry, I thought it 'as a rumor!" Hagrid said when he saw Harry. Harry looked at the giant man and for a second, Draco was worried he would cry. But instead, Harry blinked at the man. He took his thumb out of his mouth.
"I Hawwy." He told Hagrid who smiled.
"Well hi 'arry, I'm 'Agrid." He said and Harry nodded.
"Hagwid." He repeated.
"Do ya wanna see a baby unicorn, 'arry?" He asked and Harry gasped looking up to Draco.
"Dwaco we go? Pease?" He asked and Draco sighed.
"Yeah we can go." He sighed. He gave Blaise his bag and walked with Hagrid to where the unicorn would be.
When it came into sight, Harry started to wiggle in Draco's arms. He stopped and set the boy down, holding his hand instead. Hagrid stopped and called the unicorn over to them. He held out his hand and when it came to them, Harry squealed with delight. Draco couldn't help but smile because Harry rarely ever showed happiness.
Harry pet the unicorn and cuddled up to it. A smile never leaving his face. Hagrid even let him feed the animal a treat and when it was time to start class, Harry kissed the unicorn goodbye.
~~~
During Draco's free period and Harry's naptime, he received a visitor. He wasn't expecting this person but he allowed him in anyway because he helped him into the Gryffindor tower.
"Don't you have a class?" He asked Longbottom.
"I have an independent study with Sprout but she had a meeting with Dumbledore so she canceled." He explained. "I wanted to talk to you about Harry."
"What about him?" Draco raised an eyebrow at him.
"It's about the abuse." He explained.
"You know about it?" Draco inquired and Neville nodded.
"I'm the only one... you probably know some things but Harry doesn't even remember that he told me." Neville told the blonde. He shifted a bit until the blonde's stare but took a deep breath. "Harry got really drunk once during fourth year. We were celebrating his points after the second task so he was having a good time. I had the responsibility of putting him to bed." He expanded sighing softly. "I was placing him in his bed and he told me that he loved me. Obviously he didn't mean that he was in love with me but he meant as a friend. I told him that I loved him to and he started crying, like a lot. He told me he's never heard those words from another person's mouth before and then explained to me in great detail what exactly happens at the Dursley's." He started to tear up so he wiped his eyes.
"Can you tell me the gist?" Draco pleaded softly. "I know he was beat and um... raped but I don't know the ins and outs."
"When Harry was a child, his cousin would beat him up and have the neighborhood kids do the same. He never had any friends because when they attended the same school, his cousin would tell the kids Harry was a freak. The beatings started when he was four because his cousin did something wrong and blamed Harry. He was hit repeatedly and once his cousin saw that he could get away with his punishments, he blamed Harry. He'd be punished because of his cousin." Neville wiped his eyes. "T-the other thing started when he was eight because Harry's uncle needed to prove his dominance over a wizard that was developing his powers. The beating stopped being enough for him. He was too weak from the starvation to fight back."
"Starvation?"
"He was never fed. He ate scraps of the family although he cooked for them." Neville sniffled. "I just thought you should know because I see how you are with him. I know the deaging wasn't an accident, you wanted to give him a better life." He admitted and Draco's eyes widened slightly.
"How?"
"I stayed outside the door because I didn't think you could be trusted alone with Harry." He said. "I didn't know that he wanted to kill himself and I'm happy you stopped him. Harry is my best friend and I will do anything to keep him happy."
"So you accept him?" Draco asked and Neville grinned.
"I'm bisexual. I haven't told the others but I'm sure Ron would have a bitch fit if he found out. The Weasley's aren't as good as they say they are."
"At least you see it." Draco spoke and Neville nodded. "Thank you for telling me."
"You deserved to know." They stood up so Draco could walk him to the portrait. He was about to step out so Draco added,
"You can see if any time you want you know. You've proven your loyalty and I don't think it would be a bother."
"Thank you Draco. And one last thing, keep Harry a little kid until after Christmas. He'll be four in a month yeah?" He asked and Draco nodded. "Keep him four until after Christmas. He deserves good memories for the holidays."
"Will do Neville. Will do." And with that, Neville was gone out the portrait and Draco was in Harry's room. He gently woke the boy who grinned sleepily at him.
"You want a snack Harry?" He whispered.
"Yes pease." He told Draco. Draco nodded and lifted him up. He held him close as he brought him into the kitchen. He was going to make this child the happiest child on earth.