Chapter 10

Draco knew there was no point in being jealous of Harry's friends, but between his schoolwork, the DADA club, and the secretive "errands" Harry ran, there barely seemed time left.

So if Harry's friends kept appearing when it was supposed to be just the two of them, Draco had to remind herself it was a good thing, because this way, they spent more time with her too.

What she wasn't used to was the meddling. Out in the open.

"So, I take it you and Harry decided to take your relationship to the next level?" Ginny asked her during a Muggle Studies lesson, making Neville look up from his notes in the background as well.

"I don't know what you're talking about." It's not like Draco wanted to deny it, or even that as a Slytherin, she was being smart, and didn't confirm it as long as she couldn't know Ginny knew and not just guessed. She just panicked, and that somehow meant that she denied it.

Even if it would have been easier if Harry's friends knew, perhaps.

"Sex, what else," Ginny pointed out.

"And here I thought the next step was holding hands," Draco tried to not lose her nerve.

"Told you so," Ginny turned to Neville, who apologetically looked at Draco.

"If it's true, congrats?"

"Of course it is," Ginny seemed sure. "She deflected the question twice, and didn't deny it, because she knows it would be too obvious if she lied."

Draco wished they could have discussed the topic with Harry before telling anyone, but neither of them expected they'd be found out so early on, so she gave up.

"Harry's great," she said and tried not to blush just thinking of all the scenarios where Harry was still capable to surprise her.

"That goes without saying," Ginny said.

"I've always thought that you two could be great together," Neville reassured her.

"Could you not tell anyone else yet?" Draco asked. "Unless they ask."

"Sorry, no," Ginny said and added. "I'm sick and tired of hiding my relationship because if I don't, the public will crucify me as the bitch who wouldn't take Harry back."

"You're dating someone?" Draco felt clueless.

"Hello," Neville shyly raised a hand.

And weirdly, they made perfect sense together. Draco only assumed they were really good friends because Neville was just as kind and almost too polite with everyone, not just her.

"For more than half a year, now," Ginny announced. "But all my brothers would marry Harry if they could, not to mention my mother, so… I need a distraction."

"As happy as I would be to provide just that for you," Draco started. "Doesn't this mean that all your relatives and friends will hate me more if I do that - if that's even possible?"

"Maybe not?" she said, but not convincing. "But they want Harry to be happy. And if it is him telling everyone that we're over because he's in love with someone else, they'll have no choice but to accept."

"Love might be overstating it," Draco said. They were barely an item, and still not at the "I-love-you"s yet.

"You're joking, right?" Ginny asked. "Or is this a negotiating tactic?"

Draco could only laugh.

"No. If we were to negotiate, I'd say it's fine if you want to tell Harry's friends, but please make them swear to tell no one, so nobody else knows."

"Why?"

"My parents can never know," Draco said. "And when I say my parents, I'm mostly talking about my father."

"Oh," Ginny said. "I almost forgot he was still your father."

"Thank you. I guess?" Draco could only say, making them all laugh.

She wasn't laughing when she was stressing about how Harry would react to the news, but he only gave her an amused look.

"If it was up to me, I'd shout it from all the rooftops of the Towers of the castle, just thought it might make you uncomfortable."

"Maybe don't go that far," Draco said. "I'd like both of us to survive this school year. So no roof-climbing for you, and maybe don't make at least half of school come for my head?"

"Half?" Harry asked.

"All the witches," Draco said. "Maybe some of the wizards, as well."

"I'm sure that has to be an exaggeration," Harry kissed her. "But I'm finally cleared to go to Hogsmeade, so maybe we should do it anyway. I want to take you out on a date."

It felt like something Harry had earned by working so hard, like a vacation, and Draco wanted to do it, even if it meant more people would know about their relationship.

"I would like that too," she told Harry. Who had spent the rest of the week counting down the days left until the weekend, making Draco think if it made Harry so happy, she didn't care about the rest, consequences be damned.

Unfortunately, that resolve was put to a test earlier than Draco could have ever imagined, when the day before their Hogsmeade date, Draco got an owl.

"What's wrong?" Harry could see something was off, probably.

"My mom just decided to drop by Hogsmeade tomorrow to surprise me," Draco said. "She's bringing Pansy too."

"Well, I guess it's time for me to make friends with your friends and family, then," Harry said as if resolved just to do that. "After all, you get along with my friends, so… What?"

"I don't think it's a good idea for you to come with us," Draco was panicking again, but this time, it was worse than when she talked with Ginny and Neville. She felt as if she couldn't breathe.

"I can be civil with them, you know."

"It's not that," Draco quickly reassured him. "But if Ginny could tell we were dating just by your demeanor, I'm positive Mother can do it in a second from mine. Not to mention Pansy, and Merlin only knows how she might react."

"So we were supposed to spend this magical day together, and I can't even tag along?" Harry asked.

"I could tell them not to come, but they might just think there's something seriously wrong with me, and break down the doors of the castle, demanding to see me all the more," Draco sighed.

"Or - and I know it's a long shot, but - what's the worst that could happen if they knew?" Harry patiently asked.

"Believe me, you don't want to open that particular jar of snakes."

"No. If they both hate me still, I'd just have to win them over with time," Harry said.

"It will never work."

"It worked with you," Harry smiled at her, making Draco grin back.

"That's different. Unless you want to make out with my mother and best friend too."

"I love it when you indirectly compliment me."

"I wasn't," Draco denied it with a chuckle.

"You just said I was a good kisser, or at least that's all I've heard."

"Dream on, Potter."

"I have proof. Let me show you," Harry was already close when he said that, making Draco forget all her worries for the rest of the night until she didn't wake at the crack of dawn, unable to sleep back.

"If you don't want me to go with you, I won't," Harry told her first thing when he woke.

"I'm sorry. It was supposed to be our day," Draco said.

"But if you're doing it because you think you're protecting me, just know I don't need it," Harry said.

"I'm not," Draco kissed him this time. "But I know how important their opinion is to me, and I don't want them to… ruin something we barely have just yet."

"I won't go, then," Harry pulled her closer. "I'll just spend the day with some DADA members, monitoring the third years so they don't eat their net weight in candy…"

"I'm so sorry…" Draco felt horrible, even if she knew it was the wiser choice.

"You just have to make it up for me later," Harry announced.

"Oh, is that so? How?" Draco asked.

"You have to spend all the other Hogsmeade weekends with me. And nobody else," Harry said with a confident grin.

"Assuming we'd be still together?" Draco asked.

"Yes," Harry didn't rise to the taunt. "Assuming. Very much. That's me."

"If I MUST," Draco dramatically sighed, making him laugh, then say.

"I think you'll find I can be very convincing too."

"I know," Draco gave up the act quickly before Harry would try to "prove" that as well. "Have mercy on me. I doubt I could listen to anything my mom or Pansy would say today if you wanted to 'convince me' now."

"Ah, so you saw through my evil plans," Harry said, as if truly disappointed.

"Yeah, well, maybe you just lack practice," Draco told him.

"DON'T tell me that," it was Harry's turn to drop character, blushing slightly, pulling a pillow on his head, that Draco had to remove, otherwise she couldn't kiss him.

And she did her best to avoid any questions Pansy had about her love life the whole day, or her mother's occasional questions of how the lions treated Draco, especially Harry, so as long as Draco could tell, neither of them suspected anything yet.

But when they agreed it was time for lunch, they happened to cross the street just when Harry came out of Zonko with a bunch of younger students, and their eyes met.

That consequently led Narcissa to put down her menu after ordering with a sigh.

"So how long has it been going on?"

"That the food they serve is underseasoned?" Draco asked. "Probably since forever."

"You know I'm not talking about that," her mother said.

Draco spared a glance in Pansy's direction, but she wasn't any help.

"Don't look at me, I've been wondering the same thing, just thought I'd rather not bring it up."

"You better tell me," Narcissa added, looking murderous. "Before I assume he made you transition, just so he could stay the perfect hero. Did he threaten you? Offered it as a deal? Is that why our family was pardoned?"

"What?! NO," Draco was shocked. "How can you even think that?"

"No offense, Draco," Pansy said. "But he was always acting weird with you. Are you sure he didn't manipulate you?"

"He didn't! He isn't using me now either," Draco quickly said, when her mother wanted to say something else. "And no, he had nothing to with my decision, but I can't believe you'd seriously ask me that. Either of you."

She had confided in both witches when she transitioned. They should have known better than most what was on Draco's mind then, and how it didn't have to do with either Harry or anyone else, just her.

"I think I lost my appetite," Draco couldn't believe she sacrificed a day with Harry for this. She was ready to leave and maybe look for him when her mother gave her a sharp look.

"Sit down, Draco," she warned. "We aren't finished yet. I'm going to get the answers one way or another, so if he is as innocent as you say, maybe it's best if you tell me everything, before I'm compelled to have a highly unpleasant conversation with him directly, instead."

"It only started a few weeks ago," Draco forced the answer out. "And for the record, he didn't push me to do anything. He's… he'd been… I think he cares about me."

There was a long pause when Narcissa studied Draco, before saying.

"I believe you," she finally said, but before Draco could relax, she added. "It's lucky, then. You can break it off now before someone gets hurt, and if he truly cares about you, he'll understand."

Draco could only huff, hearing that. With Narcissa being supportive during her transition, Draco almost forgot how she can be worse than her father - if it was in the name of "protecting her only child".

"And if I refuse?"

"Just the fact that you'd directly ask that in this situation goes to show you're spending too much time with the wrong crowd," Narcissa warned. "I wanted you to go to this cursed school. I stood up to your father when you said you wanted to go back. And I'd lay down my life to stop him from marrying you off in a political marriage. But what I can't do is watch as you ruin your life with someone like Potter."

"Oh, is that what I'm doing?" Draco asked.

"Don't get me wrong, it's not even about status, because after the war, he might just become influential yet," Narcissa said with a cold look. "But he isn't your equal."

"Just because he's a lion?" Draco asked. "Or, because he isn't a Pureblood? If you still think so, why didn't you just give him up to the Dark Lord, then? He was good enough of a Savior when you wanted that madman out of our lives, but now he's suddenly not good enough for me?"

She never - ever - talked back to her mother, so it was no surprise when Narcissa slapped her and stood.

"Your father and I gave you everything we could, always. But the famous Harry Potter didn't get any of that."

"And still, he turned out just great."

"No, daughter," Narcissa said. "It means he'll never be content with whatever he has, whether it's attention, fame, or love. You might think he's happy with what you could give him, but it's just a matter of time, and he'll crave only more."

Draco thought she was rather talking about Lucius than Harry, but kept that to herself.

"You can contact me once you got this nonsense out of your head," in the end, it was Narcissa who left, looking at Pansy if she invited her to leave as well, but Pansy shook her head, and stayed.

"You think I'm making a mistake too?" Draco could see it, even though Pansy was trying to be supportive.

"I honestly can't say. But Draco, she's right about one thing. If anything happens, he's Harry fucking Potter, and people will always believe his word over yours," she said. "He could do horrible things to you, and keep you trapped, or discard you as common trash anytime as he sees fit, and the people around him would always take his side. And I think your mother just wants something better for you, and I can't say I blame her."

Draco wasn't going to break down in the middle of a public place, especially not when they got their food, but that was when the said Potter appeared.

"I'm sorry, but… is everything alright, Draco?" and he tried to pretend they were friends only while saying, which was only ironic after everything. "I saw your mother leaving, and I thought…"

"She figured it out," Draco said, making Harry sit down.

"Oh," and he looked at Pansy. "And let me guess: the consensus is that I'm the most horrible thing to ever happen to Draco?"

To Pansy's credit, she didn't dismiss Harry.

"That was the gist of it," she admitted. "So far. But you could always prove me wrong. After all, you made a name for yourself by defying people's expectations of you, Potter."

And she looked like she meant it too, so Draco could only appreciate that.

"Thank you, Pans."

It wasn't any less awkward after with the three of them, but Harry seemed intent to get her approval or something, because he wouldn't let her just make an excuse and leave almost minutes after Narcissa, and even insisted to pay, so in the end Pansy got a few minutes with only Draco.

"I guess I can overlook most of his faults if he's good in bed," she said, and Draco hoped she didn't blush. "But you have to promise to write me, at least every week. And if he tries anything, and I mean literary anything, you can use the secret code we had when we were kids to signal me to come and kick his arse."

"That won't be necessary," Draco said.

"I'm serious, Draco. Promise me."

"Please, trust me, he would never—"

"Let's hope not, but you can't deny he's controlling," Pansy said. "Made the young Weaslette cry not even once, and the way he showed up after your mom left might have been because he was worried sick about you, or just to make sure you're still under his spell. So just promise me…"

"Fine, I'll promise," Draco said. "But you never get to accuse him of anything again, unless I tell you there's a problem."

"Fine, but you better tell me, then."

So they might have stood there waiting in mutual defiant silence until Harry reappeared, and it was time for them to return to the castle, while Pansy got to the closest Apparation Point, waving at them, before turning around.

"I'm sorry," Draco told Harry who was holding her hand, seemingly deep in thought.

"About?" Harry asked.

"Everything?" Draco said. "I should have spent the day with you, and then…"

"Your mother threatened me?" Harry said.

"She did?" Draco asked.

"Just a little," Harry said, and Draco was sure that was an understatement. "But it was fine, I also told her what I thought. I even get what Pansy's doing, this once. And all of our interests align, so there's no need to worry, even by Slytherin standards."

"What do you mean?" If anything, Draco thought everyone had a very different opinion of whom Draco should date or should not date.

"They want you to be happy and safe, and I'm going to appoint myself for this GRUESOME task and stick to it so consistently that sooner or later they'll have no choice but to accept me," Harry said, as a joke, but knowing him, he also wasn't.

And Draco realized why Pansy's doubts reached her when her mother's words couldn't even scratch the surface. Harry always knew what to say, even talking to Draco's mom who must have been furious with him, keeping his calm the whole day, and still telling Draco just the perfect line after everything.

So if he wanted to, he could just as well lie, anytime. And Draco trusted him when he disappeared in the middle of the night for 3-4 hours at a time, but she didn't KNOW what he was doing. And, she didn't know a lot of things that she only thought she knew because Harry only TOLD HER.

"Draco?" Harry stood there, holding her hand.

But no, Draco wouldn't let anything or anybody ruin what they had, even with the doubts now swirling in her head, without paying rent. At the end of the day, she wanted to trust Harry, because he was worth the risk of even the worst suspicions that Pansy could ever name, and that had to be enough.

The way Draco felt, for better or worse, wasn't fake, so she better not try to ruin it herself.

"If you take up such a grim task," she turned to Harry. "It's only fair that you let me do the same."

"But I am," Harry said with a smile.

"No, the next time my mother wishes to curse you to pieces, you find me and tell me straight away."

"I handled it. And I wanted to give you time to calm down a little."

"And I need you to tell me what can be so important that you'd risk your last chance at your dream career to sneak out to do it, each night," Draco said.

"It's complicated."

"Did you make a Vow, so you can't tell me?"

"No, but…"

"Then I promise not to tell anyone, but… trust me the way I trust you. PLEASE," Draco begged. "I might be able to help you if I knew what it was… Not to mention, get my right mind back."

"Did Narcissa also suggest I was keeping secrets from you?" Harry asked.

"No, but it doesn't mean that you don't."

"I'd rather show you," Harry finally said. "We can go anytime. Now, if you want."

But when they changed course, and Harry could have Disapparated them away, his hand was shaking, and he didn't move, and Draco almost changed her mind.

"We can do this another time. The last thing I want to do is push you when you were nothing but patient with me."

"No, you're right, and it would be easier if I wasn't the only one who knew, or just could talk about it. And maybe you're a better choice than any of my friends, just… he doesn't like surprises, even the pleasant ones, and that's when he really starts yelling or throwing things so… if he loses it, promise me you let me deal with him? I don't want you to get hurt."

"Is this the Muggle uncle you mentioned?" Draco hated the man already, just seeing how someone as confident as Harry could become a shaky mess because of him.

"I never said he was a Muggle," Harry looked at him funny.

"You mentioned a relative, and how your relatives were Muggles, so…"

"I said he was just as bad as one, but we aren't related."

Draco frowned because she could imagine a nasty Muggle acting the way Harry described, but if they were a wizard, knowing full well that Harry was the hero of their world, who on Hogwart's-green-grass in their right mind would throw things at him, after all he had been through?

She had a horrible premonition, but just before she could ask Harry, he took her other hand too and Apparated them to Number 12, Grimmauld Place, and turned to her.

"It's erm… mine now. Sirius left it to me."

"Yeah, Mom told me," Draco said.

"Your name is on the tapestry," Harry said. "I mean, there's a family tree."

"Erm, maybe we can do the tour next time," Draco said because Harry's nerves were also getting to her.

"Yes, you're right," Harry took an indecisive step towards the stairs, before turning back to her again. "Just one more thing: you should know, I wanted to help after the war, so I offered some of the empty rooms as a sanctuary. So in case, we--"

But he was interrupted, by someone calling to him from the first floor, who Draco couldn't see just yet.

"Aren't you a little early, Harry? Or is this old witch's sense of time not as it once was? We're rarely both still up when you come to visit," a witch said, and when Draco moved to Harry's side and saw who she was, it was the first shock of the night.