Draco's POV:
I was ready to face anything if it meant for a chance to see Harry! I missed him so much, even though it's only been a few days. He most likely hates me. I wouldn't doubt that.
My gaze burned into the faux wood of number four Privet Drive. Snape stood beside me, firmly gripping the back of my neck so I could run or turn him into a newt. Either was a strong possibility at the moment. I was not overly fond of Muggles.
Snape and McGonagall had suggested that I stay with Harry since my father had been arrested for murder of a family of Muggles. Rumour had it that the Ministry had an eye witness, and the case against him was airtight. I wasn't surprised, after all, my father had been growing rather careless since the Dark lord's return.
And while I had no compassion for Muggles, father's actions were just stupid. Mother was on holiday in France and I had no doubt that she wouldn't return until father was either released or locked up in Azkaban. So, I'm supposed to stay with Harry for the summer. Not that I mind in the least, just Muggles. That's all.
I clenched my jaw as Snape rang the bell. What better teacher to have brought that my own godfather, Snape. Expert as scaring Muggles. The door opened and the cold sneer I had adopted faded abruptly. The Harry who answer edit he door was not the same Harry I'd last saw that night in the astronomy tower. I, of course, had grown taller and my voice had slid smoothly down an octave in the scant three weeks that had passed, but I was still boyishly smooth skinned and thin.
Compared to me, Harry was huge.
He wore torn trousers that only came to mid-calf. The fit muscles of hit legs were partially hidden by the slightly loose tan cotton. The trousers were cinched at the waist by a length of cord. It was obvious that the trousers were borrowed from someone much fatter and shorter than Harry. The loose t-shirt he wore was obviously borrowed, however, the sleeves had been torn off. Most likely to accommodate Harry's muscularity arms. On each wrist, was a thick black bracelet band glinted with silver carvings.
Dark, dark circles underlined his eyes, but otherwise, his face was the same. His messy black hair was long and curled slightly at the nape of his neck. Harry had a summer tan which, in contrast with mine, made me look like I had winter skin. I do not have winter skin. I have milky white skin. The scar on Harry's head wasn't as vivid with the tan.
Woah! Harry looks beautiful.
"Sir," Harry greeted in a voice so low and beautiful, it was hardly recognizable. I smiled inwardly at him. "Mr. Potter." Snape's voice was stiff in greeting and I stifled a slight laugh. I wouldn't dare out loud, he still had a bloody iron grip on me.
Harry cast a dispassionate glance at me with blazing dark eyes before addressing Snape again. "May I ask the reason you've come calling?" I squirmed in Snape's grip before he gave a light shake of his hand. He finally let up with the grip and instead patted my shoulder with a hard hand.
"Who is it, boy?" A booming baritone called from behind Harry a way aways.
I watched in slow motion as Harry half-turned and snarled viciously before answering. "It's Professor Snape, from my school." I was taken aback at Harry's tone. I could tell Snape was too by the expression on his face. Never in my life had I heard Harry speak like that. Not even when I was cruel to him at school.
As I turned back to Harry, an ox with a big, bushy mustache lumbered into view, crowding Harry out of the way. "Ah, so you're from his school. Come to take Harry back, I presume?" The fat man inquired with a hopeful gleam in his eyes and I was immediately disgusted. Was this what my Harry had to put up with?
"No," Snape replied. "I've come to solicit your aid by taking in young Mr. Malfoy for the remainder of the summer." The bushy mustache on the fat man twitched as he spluttered and went slightly purple. I heard a snort come from behind the man, presumably from Harry.
"We can ill afford to house Harry, and you expect us to take on another?" The man, whose name I learned was Vernon, answered derisively.
Snape removed a very thick billfold from his robes and I assumed McGonagall had given it to him. "You shall be compensated for your assistance, Mr. Dursley." Snape remarked with a fierce sneer. I could tell that Vernon Dursley was quivering in his shoes.
He licked his lips greedily and tentatively reached for the billfold. "Well, I suppose we could keep him until the term begins. Harry, show Mr. Malfoy to your room. He'll be staying their for the duration."
I decided that this man was rude and plain horrible as a Muggle. Not to mention ugly. Vernon returned into the house, absently flipping through the billfold. No doubt counting it.
Harry gave me a long look as he came back into the doorway, the flicked a glance to my trunk on the walk. "That yours?" I flipped a look over my shoulder and gazed at the trunk that held the fewest possessions of mine. Turning back to Harry, I drawled out one word. "Yes."
I watched as something clicked across his features briefly before he snapped his fingers and mouthed something. I heard a small pop and turned to look, finding my trunk had banished. Wandless magic, that's powerful.
"Harry, a word." Snape begged politely and I turned to him with shock evident on my face. Never in all my years have I heard Snape speak like that towards Harry. He shrugged it off and released his grip on me. I rubbed the back of my neck as I watched the two of them walk partway down the front walk. "How are you doing?" Snape asked with slight concern laced into his voice and I awkwardly stood on the porch area of the house.
"Fine, all things considering," Harry replied and I detected uncertainty and sadness in his voice. "I know that McGonagall has been reporting to you about the contents of my letters, so you know about the dreams and the voices."
"I do." What? What? What is this absurdity? Snape knew something about Harry and I did not? Why did he not tell me? Harry is my boyfriend. - was - Harry dragged his fingers through his thick black hair, messing it even further. "I take it Draco's being here isn't by random. Do you want me to teach him?" I frowned at that. Teach me? What does that mean?
There couldnt be anything that Harry knew that I hadn't already learned, with Lucius Malfoy as my father, of course.
"I shall leave that to your discretion", Snape answered solemnly and I was beginning to regret letting Snape talk me into this. "Be well, Harry. I shall see you when the term begins. Look after Draco and don't let him run away again, please." I could tell that Snape was trying to be quieter about the last sentence and I tensed under view.
"Of course. I'll bring Malfoy's corpse with me". Harry stated dryly and I winced. Does he think that bad of me now? Snape stepped back, nodded to me and apparated. I watched closely as Harry stared at the empty space where the professor has been, wearing a thoughtful expression. Surely he was incidentally moved by the fact that Snape was being nice to him.
After a minute, Harry shifted on his bare feet, the muscles in his calves rippling as he did so. He strode towards me and took a long look, eyes studying my face, and then walked past and into the house. His fingers fell behind him and made a motion for me to follow him.
As we entered the house, I lifted my nose in disdain. Muggles. So many things.
I followed Harry as he led me up the stairs and into a room that had scarcely anything in it. A bed, a cupboard, a desk and two trunks. There was also a dresser with a mirror and that was about it. Astonished, I looked around. Was this how Harry lived? Was this how the Muggles treated him?
There was a window next to the desk with a Firebolt leaning against it. Harry's owl was perched with a head under the wing in a cage on the dresser. "You can have the bed." Harry told me as he leant up against the door.
"Oh, uh, thanks. Are you sure?" I was uncertain as to why Harry was giving me his bed. Merlin, this was going to be such an awkward summer if we didn't get over things and correspond together in the slightest to say the least.
"Yes, I'm quite sure. You can have the bed because I rarely sleep. You may use magic within the boundaries of the Dursley property, but not against the Dursley's or any other muggle that visits. That is, unless I say so. Use magic against me, and I'll turn you inside out and take my chances with Snape's punishment." I shivered at the very thought of using magic against Harry. I wouldn't dare because I couldn't hurt him like that. It was highly unlikely.
I took the time to assess Harry properly as he stared at me with dark, glassy green eyes. His face was worn and tired, making him look slightly older than he was. His frame was tense and his muscles quivered occasionally. Speaking of age, Harry's birthday is in three days. And I already have his present. Thank Merlin for that, because I don't know if I'll be let off this property.
Harry's deep sigh broke me out of my thoughts and I watched as he glided from the door to the desk. Roughly, he slumped into the chair and rested his elbows on the table, his head in his hands. Poor Harry. What is tormenting him so? What is he going through?
I gulped lightly and got off the bed, gently walking to the desk. I softly rested my hands on Harry's shoulders and began kneading my hands into them, working the tense muscles. "Look, I know that we aren't on the best terms right now, but I know that something is wrong and I want to help. Believe me when I say I still love you. So much. And I'm extremely sorry for what I did to you and what I chose as my final decision over a month ago. I was just trying to protect you." Fear and sadness creeped into my voice as I pleaded to Harry.
Harry was silent so I kept kneading the knots from his muscles. I was lost in thought, so I didn't hear Harry sigh or move until he was standing in front of me, a hand on my cheek and green eyes looking into mine. "Draco, I appreciate you wanting to help. I do, but I'm so broken, I'm beyond repair. There is nothing that you can do for me now. And I do believe you. I still love you. I always did." Harry's hand trailed along my jaw and brushed my throat before it dropped and he was at the window before I saw him move.
He looked over at me and said four small words. "You can't fix me." He grabbed his Firebolt and jumped out of the window and quick movements. I rushed to the empty spot and looked out, but Harry wasn't anywhere to be seen.
I don't know whats happened to my Harry, but I will find out. And I will fix him.
X
Hi. Chapter 44. Yay. And by the way, if you haven't already guessed, this is the first step of the 'plan'. Ooh, I'm so excited. It's going to be great. I tried to make this chapter long but I don't know if that worked out.
Enjoy this chapter. Plenty more drama to come.
Don't be a ghostie!