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Category: Alternate Universe Characters:Draco Malfoy, Harry/Ginny, Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom, Nymphadora Tonks, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black Genres: Angst, Drama, Fluff, General, Romance Warnings: Intimate Sexual Situations, Mild Language, Rape, Violence Story is Complete Rating: R Reviews: 239 Summary: What really happened to Ginny, Neville and Luna while the Trio were off on the Horcrux Hunt. Repurcussions, jealousy and lies would cause friendships to end. 5 years later, will Harry get his answers? And will he get back the only girl he could ever love? Hitcount: Story Total: 111628; Chapter Total: 3561 Author's Notes: I know some people haven't liked how forgiving Harry and Ginny have been to Draco, so those people may not like this chapter either. However, it's a crucial chapter, as we get a clue to Lucius's accomplices, thanks to Draco. Also, a big apology to someone who PM's me who wanted to guess the accomplice's identity. I did mean to reply, but accidentally deleted you. Major apologies xx A |
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Harry was determined to get this Lucius problem sorted once and for all. He went to Draco's apartment to talk to him; trying to find any possible clue. He was focussing on Lucius's accomplice. He'd had to have someone help him escape from Azkaban. From Draco, Harry learned that most of the high up Death Eaters only held contempt for Lucius towards the end, and as most of them had been killed during the Final Battle, it was easy to discount any of them. Harry and Draco tossed around theories, questioning each other as they threw ideas out. Harry suggested that Lucius had something of value to the person who had helped him. Draco discounted that, saying that Lucius didn't have access to any of the family vaults since his incarceration. Draco suggested Lucius had blackmailed someone to help him, but the Azkaban records showed Lucius hadn't received or sent any mail, and had no visitors except for Narcissa and Draco a month after he was first sent there. Lucius told them to never come back. Draco visited again a couple of years later, to inform Lucius of Narcissa's death. He stayed for 10 minutes, then left. Harry and Draco started talking about their Hogwarts days, and Harry asked if he still saw any of his classmates. Draco told him he still saw Theo Nott regularly. Astoria and him often got together with Theo and Tracy Davis, who Theo was seeing. Harry was finding it hard to believe that he and Draco Malfoy were actually sitting down and having a civil conversation. Now, seeing the look on Draco's face as he spoke of Astoria, Harry couldn't help wonder if he and Draco could have been friends had the circumstances of Voldemort and Lucius not been a factor. Harry also thanked Draco for being there for Ginny, in her time at Malfoy Manor. Draco got subdued and shook his head. “Don't. Don't thank me for that. I just did what any person should do. Merlin only knows what they would have done to her if Bellatrix got her hands on her again. Or Voldemort. Or especially my father. I'm just glad I was there to help.” Harry was quite stunned at Draco's reaction. Draco looked at Harry and looked away. “I know what you think of me. I don't blame you; they way I treated you. I have no excuse, I-I just did what my father wanted me to do. Then, it got more personal for me. You beat me at Quidditch, you always came up smelling like roses with Dumbledore and somehow, no matter what Voldemort threw at you, you came through. I'd go home every holidays to be told of my many failings where you were concerned. I admit I hated you. I felt like you were making me look bad.” “At least you had a home to go to. I don't know if you missed the beginning of my story, but Voldemort MURDERED my parents. I was raised by the worst kind of Muggles. I had no concept of family till I met the Weasley's. The closest thing I had to my own family was my godfather, who I met in my third year. You know, the one that Voldemort TRIED TO KILL at the Ministry. If it wasn't for him, the Weasley's and Hermione, I don't know what I would have done. They believed in me, they showed me what it's like to be part of a family, and I'll be damned if I'd let Voldemort, and now Lucius take any of that away from me.” Both men were quite for a minute, reflecting on the other's situation. “We didn't really stand a chance, did we?” asked Draco. Harry shook his head. “Not really. Too much against us. The Weasley's; they don't have much but they always welcomed me; made me a part of the family. I hated the way you put them down. It just reminded me of how my Muggle relatives treated me. So no, we didn't have a chance in hell of becoming friends then.” There was an unspoken question in the air. Could they become friends now? Neither man said it out loud, but it was there. “How's Ginny coping with the restrictions of where she can go since she quit the team?” asked Draco, changing the subject. “Surprisingly better than I thought or hoped. I really thought I was going to have to put a tracking spell on her, just to keep an eye on her, but she's done well. She mostly just goes to the Burrow and home. There's a big paddock at the Burrow, so as long as she can get some flying time, she's happy,” chuckled Harry. “Still, it's too bad she had to give up her spot on the team. World Cup opportunities don't happen everyday.” Harry agreed but said, “ Well, if she IS the target, she wouldn't risk other team mates or even spectators getting hurt if she kept playing. Mostly, she did it for Sam. She's already lost one mother. Ginny wouldn't put her through that again.” “Does Sam remember anything about Jenny?” asked Draco. Harry realised Draco was Sam's half brother, and understood why Ginny was happy for him to be a part of Sam's life. “No, well, she's never mentioned her to me. I don't know if she talks to Ginny, though. Did you know Jenny?” Draco shook his head. “No, I think I saw her a couple of times at Hogwarts but she didn't stand out to me or anything. I can't believe my- Lucius would do that, you know? I mean, he acted a bit sleazy to Pansy. It was bloody embarrassing when she would flirt back with him. To actually rape the poor girl, though...” “Weren't you betrothed to Pansy?” asked Harry. Draco nodded. “I heard she was quick to suggest handing you over to Voldemort during the Final Battle. She was everything my father could have wanted for me; she totally embraced the Dark side. She was telling me how our children were going to be brought up and all I could see was my lousy upbringing replaying in my child's life. There was no way I was going to let that happen. Besides, her parents couldn't wait to break the betrothal vow once Lucius was sent to Azkaban. Pansy begged me to still marry her, but I knew I couldn't do it. I hadn't even met Astoria then. I haven't seen or heard from Pansy in months.” “How many months?” “Hmm, she owled me to go the Remembrance Day ceremony at Hogwarts with her. I ignored her owl. She knew I was serious about Astoria. That's probably the last contact I had with her.” “I don't recall seeing her at Hogwarts that day, and I was there for nearly all of it. I didn't see any of your old, er, group there. That was just before Lucius escaped.” “What, you think Pansy helped my father escape? Why would she? What would she benefit from Lucius escaping Azkaban?” “Lucius has singled out two people since his escape, you and Ginny. If Pansy wanted to get back with you, maybe she thought Lucius would help her, if she helped him.” Draco looked doubtful. “I don't know, Potter. I've hardly seen Pansy since the Final Battle, maybe a dozen times at most. Sure, every time she's suggested we start something up again, but every time I've knocked her back. I was surprised that she went back and did her seventh year again, but Mother and I were abroad for eighteen months. I saw her a few times when I first returned to England, you know, catching up with the old crowd.” “It was at one of these parties that I met up again with Astoria; you know she's Daphne's sister. We've pretty much been together since, you know, casual at first. She really helped me when my Mother died, and we've been serious ever since. I proposed to her the night of the Victory Ball.” Harry smiled. “Yeah, Gin said you got a letter from the waiter to say she was back in town and you guys left soon after that. Ginny asked me the next day, when we heard you had been attacked and that Astoria was at St Mungo's with you, if she was wearing an engagement ring. I hadn't noticed, but congratulations.” Draco beamed, and Harry thought how much friendlier he looked when he did. “You and Ginny, er, you headed that way? You know I was winding you up that night at the Ball, right. I mean, it was obvious who you wanted to be with, you couldn't take your eyes off her. I just thought I'd have a bit of fun with it.” “Yeah, thanks for that. Truth is, I had asked Cho before Gin came back to England, and then I couldn't get out of it. Anyway, Gin and I caught up again later that night and er, things worked out all right. We just want to get this mess with Lucius behind us, then we'll start to think about the future.” Harry didn't want to give too much away. “Anyway, getting back on track, what's Pansy been doing all this time? Is she seeing anyone, since the betrothal was broken?” asked Harry. “I have no idea or interest in what she's been doing since she left Hogwarts. She was always good at Potions and Charms, so maybe a job in that field. As for seeing someone, I think after me she was betrothed to Marcus Flint; don't know if you remember him? I never actually saw them together, in fact, the only time I remember seeing her with anyone was that little Gryffindor kid. It was obvious he was smitten with her. I even suspected a love potion, the way he was carrying on. She hit on me right in front of him, and he didn't even blink.” Harry frowned. “What little Gryffindor kid do you mean?” “You know, his brother used to follow you around with that camera everywhere. He was killed in the Final Battle, the brother I mean. Chris, or um, Craig or...” “Wait, do you mean Colin? Colin Creevy? You saw Pansy with Dennis?” asked Harry incredulously. Draco nodded. “That's it, Creevy. Yeah, he's still smaller than the average bloke, but he's filled out now; quite stocky. I think he takes pictures too. He was talking about taking some pictures of Pansy that night, now that I think about it.” said Draco. “How long ago was this?” asked Harry, starting to get a bad feeling. “Hmm, oh wait, how could I forget, it was Valentines Day, so February. I had a business meeting near Muggle London, so decided to stop in at the local pub for a meal after the meeting. Place was a bit of a dive, which is why I was so surprised to see Pansy there. Usually she likes it high class all the way. It was then I noticed who she was with, although the name didn't come to me. Now you say it's Creevy; I thought he left the wizarding world after the Final Battle?” “Yeah, he was totally devastated about his brother. They were Muggleborns. Ginny and Luna were good friends with Colin. I don't know who Dennis's friends were; he hung around his brother at Hogwarts a lot when I was there,” said Harry. Draco shrugged. “Right then, I'm going to head back to the Auror office and do some checking, At least this gives us something to check on. We really don't have too many leads. I guess I really don't have to say, if you see or hear from Lucius or anything, let us know,” said Harry. Both men rose from their seats. Draco spoke first. “I will, Potter. You don't need to have any worries about me helping him. I want that bastard back behind bars. Let me know if you hear anything. Tell Ginny and Sam I said hello.” Harry nodded and started to leave, but hearing Draco say his name, he turned back to him. “If you need my help in anything, don't hesitate to ask.” He held out his hand for Harry to shake. Harry hesitated for only a second before putting his hand in Draco's and shaking it. Ginny had insisted Draco had changed, and Harry believed Ginny. “Look at that! Potter and Malfoy, shaking hands and Hell didn't freeze over! The only thing better would have been if Weasley was here to see this. Ah, the look on his face. It would have been worth it, to see his face go that Weasley red colour!” smirked Draco. “Watch it, or I'll get Ginny after you! He will be my brother-in-law, you know.” Harry chuckled despite this. “Ah, the lovely Ginny. Funny how freckles and red hair look so different on Weasley and Ginny, eh?” “Ron. His name is Ron.” said Harry. “Really. I thought it was Won Won!” teased Draco “Please, never mention that disastrous period of our Hogwarts era again. Ron's actually pretty serious about someone himself,” said Harry. “Granger?” asked Draco “No, that didn't end well. He's seeing Susan Bones, a Hufflepuff from our year. They are both in Australia, getting ready for the World Cup.” “Still think it's a shame that Ginny won't be a part of that. She's a great flyer. England's chances are better with her in than out. Let's just hope this mess gets sorted sooner rather than later. Ginny's a great girl. She gave me a second chance, even after everything I did to you, and what Lucius did to her in her first year. Not many people would have done that. I owe her a lot.” “Ginny would be the first to say you don't owe her anything. You got her out of Malfoy Manor. I can never thank you enough for being there and doing that. I know what that must have cost you. You are Sam's half brother. You are going to be a part of our lives for her sake.” “Gee, Potter, don't get all mushy on me now,” teased Draco. “I'm leaving now; this is getting too crazy. I'll be in touch if I have any news. Bye” said Harry, and he turned to go. He swore he heard Draco say. “Bye Harry,” as he Apparated away. |
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