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Flesh of My Flesh	By : lashton Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Draco Views: 9435 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 9
- 10
- 11
Legacy of Light
Laurence Ashton
Prologue:
Flesh of My Flesh
Part J

About a week later, at breakfast, as owl post swept over the room, raining down on people�s heads and the odd bowl of oats, two owls came to perch on Draco�s plate. One he recognized as a school owl, but the other was his great grandfather Lucius�s rather unpleasant eagle owl.
�Oh, hello, Tobias,� said Draco, hesitantly reaching out to untie the letter from the owl�s leg. Toby the owl glared at him balefully and ruffled its feathers, snapping its beak.
�Honestly, Draco,� said Millicent from his side, reaching out and snatching the letter away, giving Tobias a little shake when he latched onto her hand and tried to dig his beak in. She dropped the letter in Draco�s lap and wiped a smear of blood from her hand before turning back to her breakfast. Tobias glowered at her balefully and started pecking viciously at Draco�s sausage.
Draco released the school owl from its duty. It hung around for a moment, looking at Tobias as if it wanted to steal a sausage, too, but didn�t dare cross that bird. Draco didn�t blame it, and he forked a sausage from the platter. The owl took it gratefully in its beak and flew off.
He opened the letter from school first. It came from Madam Pomfrey, letting him know that the results of the test were in and that he could stop by her office after classes today for a meeting. As an aside, she also added that he�d have to meet with his team of Healers for the first time on Saturday.
The second letter was even less enjoyable.
Draco,
In light of recent matters, I have instructed the family to give you the breadth with which you would feel comfortable. I loathe to make you feel pressured to consort with anyone that might make you fearful or put undue stress upon your already delicate situation. I have restrained your grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins from any boldness that might make you balk. I have reinforced your mother�s will to follow your cues. I have severely punished your father for his transgressions, and have further restricted him to the East Wing until I have had a chance to speak with you regarding a more dire punishment.
Yet, as time has passed, you have made no move to rejoin your family. While I understand your reluctance to re-enter a circle in which your father has carried so much clout, and have tried to honor that reluctance, it is unseemly that your fear heft so much strength over you. The longer you keep yourself apart from those who dearly love you, the harder it shall be to see that love each day. The time has come, little one. You must return home.
As such, I request that you join us for winter holidays at Bonifay Fields. I will send your Aunt Olympias to collect you from King�s Cross Station in London. Feel free to invite any guests you should desire. I look forward to seeing you again in the coming weeks and I will make this as easy on you as is possible.
With honor,
Grandfather Lucius
Draco sighed heavily and folded the letters carefully, sticking them in the side pocket of his satchel. Across the table, Blaise watched him curiously, eyebrows raised as he munched on some eggs.
�Something wrong?� he asked.
�My patriarch just requested that I join the family for Christmas hols,� Draco answered. �I don�t want to go home � not even to Bonifay Fields.�
�Draco, if you ignore that letter, you�ll regret it. I wouldn�t put it past Grandfather Lucius to barge into Hogwarts and drag you out of here by your hair,� said Pansy. �So you better go and avoid his wrath. And you never know� it might be good for you.�
�I don�t CARE if it�s any good for me or not! Nobody gives a flying fuck what I want anymore and I�m bloody sick of it!�
�Draco, what�s wrong with you?� hissed Pansy, leaning closer, trying to block the views of the students nearby whose attention Draco had caught. �I was only saying that Grandfather Lucius wasn�t giving you a choice and maybe you should make the most of it!�
�I don�t want to make the most of it,� Draco snapped. �I don�t want them to see me like this. I don�t want to go home and I�m not going to.�
�Draco Tiberius Narcissus Malfoy,� Pansy said, latching onto Draco�s arm and digging her nails in. �Don�t you dare disobey your grandfather. We won�t be able to protect you when he gets riled, and don�t think that we won�t come get you and send you off to the Fields if you try hiding out with Mademoiselle Vivienne again��
�DON�T TALK ABOUT THAT!�
Pansy cocked her head to the side and watched Draco through narrowed eyes and let go of his arm. She turned back to her breakfast and picked up her knife. �I really hate to do this, Draco, but you�ll go or I�ll write Grandfather Lucius and make certain he knows of your insolence. I�d like to see you keep up your stubborn defiance when you�ve got to look him in the eye.�
Draco sighed and looked at his hands. �Why won�t you just leave me alone? Why do you have to force me?� Pansy looked at him sharply. �I don�t want to go. I don�t want them to look at me and see� see me for what I am.�
�Draco, you are not a whore. You have nothing to be ashamed of.�
�You don�t really believe that, do you?� Draco said as he grabbed his bag and stood up. Pansy sighed heavily and looked at him with a strange glint in her eyes.
�Draco�.�
�I�ve got to get out of here. Stuff to do.�
Draco didn�t give Pansy a chance to say anything more before he left. Unfortunately, he didn�t get very far out of the Great Hall before Harry swooped down on him like an overgrown vulture intent on pecking at Draco until he went mad.
�What, Potter?�
�Oh, aren�t we just a bright, little ray of sunshine, darting all about the castle, spreading peace and joy and happiness to everyone we meet?� Harry beamed at him. �You make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.�
�That could be a sinus infection,� said Draco with a sneer, shoving Harry away from him. Harry laughed and grabbed Draco�s arm, pulling Draco flush against him, and supporting all of Draco�s weight lest he stumble and topple over.
�Hermione was right. You do have such a delightful disposition.�
�Stop trying to cheer me up, Potter. I�m really not in the mood.�
�Oh, goodie,� said Harry. �Then I get to keep cheering you up �til you are in the mood. Aren�t I the lucky one?�
�What do you want, Potter? I have class.�
�I know. Transfigurations. I�ll walk with you.� Harry took a step back and tugged at Draco�s bag strap until Draco let it go. Harry smiled again and pulled the strap over his head. �Any particular reason why you�re so cheerful today? Want me to beat somebody else up for you?�
�Shut up. I only just marginally don�t hate you for that, anyway.�
�Draco Malfoy, you bitch,� Draco glowered at him. �Sorry. Couldn�t resist�. But I heard you screeching at Pansy. Actually, I think everybody heard you screeching at Pansy. I must say, not the best way to keep to yourself, really, calling attention like that. What did she say to upset you?�
�That if I ran away over winter break she�d track me down and cart me off to Bonifay Fields.�
�Bonifay Fields?�
�Da Tiberius�s estate,� Draco explained.
�And why would they take you to your grandfather�s estate if you ran off?�
�I don�t want to talk about it.�
Harry gave him a measuring glance, then said, �Okay. We�ll talk about something else, then. Are you going to Flitwick�s Masquerade?�
�Why do you care?�
�Because I want you to go with me, of course.�
�Well, I don�t think I�m going to go. So line up another date.�
�No, that�s okay,� said Harry with a cheeky grin. �I�ll hang out with you, then.� Draco raised an eyebrow. �Or you could go with me.�
�Honestly, Potter, does it really mean that much to you?�
�We could pretend to be normal for a night,� said Harry. �Get dressed up, go dancing, see how many people we could actually fool with our costumes. It�ll be fun. Then we can go out to Hogsmeade with everybody else, to the Three Broomsticks for an early breakfast and some hot butterbeer � well, no butterbeer for you, but you get the idea.�
�You are aware that it�s not good form to take a bloke to a public function, right? And, if it really does get out that you�re queer � well, more than that stupid rumor you started, anyway � then there will be consequences. Could you imagine the scandal? The Boy-Who-Lived prefers cock.�
�For your information, I don�t prefer cock, I prefer you. And I also don�t care what other people think about me. I�ve had enough scandals to know that the public are idiots who aren�t worthy of my time�. But you are.�
�Oh, all right,� said Draco. �Just stop chattering about it. I�ll go with you. But don�t blame me if you end up biting off more than you can chew. I know how much you moped about when you had all your other little scandals��
�The Skeeter incident was your fault, mind.�
Draco grinned. �Oh, yeah. That was great fun. I�d let her hitch rides on my cloak most days.�
�Ah, you�re smiling! I told you I�d cheer you up, didn�t I?� Draco sniffed, then scowled balefully. �Don�t try pulling any of that now, Malfoy. I saw you.�
�You�re an annoying prat.�
�So are you.� Harry pushed him back against the wall, suddenly, before they could go into the Transfiguration classroom. Draco raised his eyebrows at him. Harry pressed closer and kissed him, chastely at first, but as Draco shifted under the touch, Harry ran his tongue over Draco�s bottom lip. Draco smirked and kissed him back, caressing Harry�s tongue with his own, tasting the pumpkin juice Harry had been drinking.
They pulled apart when someone nearby cleared a throat. Professor McGonagall hovered over them, glaring at them over her specks, an embarrassed flush rising on her cheeks.
�Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy,� she said tartly.
�Hello, Professor,� said Harry with a sheepish smile. Draco smirked and glanced back and forth between them as they both grew redder in the face.
�I would recommend more discretion on your part,� she told them. �Things are done differently in the wizarding world, Mr. Potter. And I would think you have quite enough troubles in that area as it is, Mr. Malfoy?�
�Told you so,� said Draco, taking his bag from Harry.
�I�ll stop by later,� said Harry. Draco laughed and went into class, joining Teddy Nott and Millicent at a table in the back. From here, he heard McGonagall practically shout, �Go to class, Mr. Potter!� before she stalked into the room and slammed the door.

~

After classes, Draco went directly to the hospital wing. Pomfrey was busy tending a clumsy first year�s gash and sent him through into her office absentmindedly. Draco sat before her desk to wait for her, looking at various posters and body diagrams on the wall.
Pomfrey came into her office after a few moments, and gave Draco a friendly smile. �Ah, Mr. Malfoy, how are you holding up?�
�Oh, I�m fine, thanks. How do you do?�
�All right, thanks for asking,� said Pomfrey. She pulled Draco�s file from her filing cabinet then sat at her desk. �We can get down to business, then�. The test results show that there are no outstanding damages or deformities to the fetuses. The children will suffer from some disorders, mostly which reflect your own health condition: anemia, asthma, chronic magical fatigue, and of course, the same Furaein ocular sensitivities that have plagued your father�s family for centuries. The relative good health of the children, I think, is largely dependant on a strange bond that I have noticed the children formed.�
�What do you mean, strange bond?�
�You are aware of the fetal bindings?� said Madam Pomfrey.
�Yes, of course,� Draco said, gesturing impatiently. �Everyone knows about them. They are the magical bonds that children form to their parents while in the womb. If they don�t form them, the children are squibs.� Suddenly Draco was struck by a blinding fear and worry. �You�re not implying that��
�No, of course not,� said Pomfrey. �Your line hasn�t produced squibs in years, correct?�
Draco glowered at her for the implied slight. �The Malfoy line has never produced a squib.�
�Very well. I must be thinking of something else, then.�
�My line has a history in producing the Pale Kindred,� Draco told her, after a moment�s pause. �I am one of those.�
Pomfrey blinked him, then smiled pleasantly. �I did not know that,� she said. �You intrigue me, Mr. Malfoy. There is so much about you that I do not understand, so many mysteries to solve. I would rather like a chance to sit you down and really examine you for a while.� She laughed and Draco joined her.
�I will let you,� he said, �someday. If you get me through this, I will tell you everything you want to know.�
�Yes, I�ll hold you to it, I think,� said Pomfrey. �But about that� It is strange, for children may form bonds with one parent, or both, as they choose.�
�That is not strange. Have my sons formed one bond, or two?�
�That is the strange part. They have formed three.�

~

After meeting with Pomfrey, Draco went down to the kitchens to have some hot cider and spice cakes sent up to his room. In the kitchens he ran into Flitwick who was going over an inventory of supplies that had just come in for his Masquerade.
"Hello, Professor," Draco said, watching in amusement as the little man climbed over a few crates in order to get a look at him.
"Oh, Draco! Have the cravings, do you?" he asked, and chortled merrily. "I remember when my Cecilia was carrying our second son, Fides�. She had terrible cravings. Always some curry something or other. I learned how to cook that year, believe you me."
Draco grinned. "Was it like that with all your children?"
"Oh, let's see," said Flitwick. "With Filius Jr., Cecilia wanted turkey and sour cream all of the time � now I can enjoy that on occasion like anybody else, but Cecilia was over the top with it. And with Felix, our youngest, Cecilia always felt rather cold, so she wanted a lot of soups � the cravings were always the worst for her, you know. But everybody's different." Flitwick looked at him expectantly.
"I don't really crave anything, I just eat a lot," Draco said.
"Well, now, that's normal� and good for you, I think. You were always frightfully thin, Mr. Malfoy. Why, every time you crashed your broom, I thought you'd just snap in half! Like that!" He snapped his fingers.
"I'm lucky, then, I guess�. What's all this for?"
"Oh! " Flitwick seemed very pleased as he patted a crate. "I�m making dessert for the mask myself," he said conspiratorially. "My wife's recipe. You'll be in attendance, I hope?"
"Yes, I'll be there."
"Going with anyone special, Draco?" Flitwick gave him a wink. Draco blushed.
"Er, well� That's a rather� um." Draco didn't know what he could possibly say. Well, Professor, against all traditions, expectations, and my rather socially conscientious upbringing, I've agreed, for some reason I cannot fathom now, to go to the dance with a bloke. And not just any bloke, but the same bloke that started the stupid rumor that I am Harry Potter's bitch. Or, shall we say, that I am actually going to your Masquerade with that idiot Potter himself.
"Oh, so it's true then," said Flitwick. "You're going with Mr. Potter, then?"
"There's a rumor about that already?" Draco blurted. "But I only agreed to go this morning!"
"This is a boarding school, you know," said Flitwick kindly. "But anyway, it doesn't really matter, does it?" Yes, of course it matters. "And I think you'll enjoy yourselves. He's a nice chap, Harry. Offered to help decorate the Great Hall."
"Oh, did he?" said Draco. "I hope you didn't put him in charge of picking anything out. You'll come away with eyesores."
"I've already got everything arranged," Flitwick said. Then he gave Draco a measuring look. "Well, there was one thing," he began, and Draco knew that he was being asked for a favor of some sort. "If you have time � if not, that's all right, too � but my wife and I attended a Masquerade on your father's a estate quite a few years back � you were just a dumpling of a child, then � and they had these lovely gifts for their guests. Musical charms, do you know�"
"We make them every Christmas," Draco said. "If you could get the materials for me off Knockturn Alley, I could fix them up for you in two days. They're not hard to make now that I've got the spells down."
"Oh, wonderful, wonderful! You just tell me what you'll need and I'll have it to you by tomorrow. My brother owns a shop on the Alley, and he can get anything I'll need in no time!"
"I'll send an owl to you once I get back to my room, then." Flitwick gave him a beaming smile then hopped back down into the midst of his crates, disappearing from sight. When their conversation ended, Dobby bumbled over merrily and agreed to make spice cakes and cider for Draco and to send it up as soon as he had finished.
"You're not so bad, you know," Draco told him. "My father must have been really horrid to you to make you want to leave us."
Dobby bit his hand to keep from saying just how terribly Draco's father had treated him.
"I understand you can't really say anything. House elf honor, and all. But I'll make it up to you one day."
"Oh that is not being necessary, Master Draco! Dobby is being very pleased to have served Master Draco. Dobby is being very eager to serve Master Draco again! Is Master Draco needing a good house elf to take care of him? Dobby is being very eager to take good care of Master Draco! Dobby is a good elf and Dobby is wanting to repay for his tricksiness with Master Draco's family!"
"I'll tell you what: I plan to leave England for my own estate after school is over this year, and I'm not coming back. If you want, you can join me. And you can bring your family, if you have one. And we can do our own penance together. As a matter of Malfoy honor and house elf honor."
Dobby's eyes grew wide and he started to tear up. Snot dripped from his nose and he wiped it away with the hem of his T-shirt as he started sobbing.
"Oh, Master Draco is too kind, too kind! Dobby is being very pleased to serve Master Draco, and Dobby is being prepared to leave Ruby to Hogwarts if Master Draco wants, but Master Draco is saying Ruby can come with Dobby! Ruby can be serving Master Draco with Dobby!"
"Of course!" said Draco. "It would be unseemly to break apart a unit, don't you think? Now, is Ruby a free elf like you, or is she�." Draco did not want to call her a slave outright, wondering if that was a tetchy subject in Dobby and Ruby's relationship. "I could speak with the Headmaster about that if I need to, and pay for the transfer of her services."
"Oh!" said Dobby, and sobbed harder, blowing his nose into his shirt. Draco cringed. "Master Draco is offering to pay for Ruby! Dobby is going to save up and pay Master Draco back every knut!"
"There's no need for that," said Draco, awkwardly patting the elf's shoulder. "You can consider it a matter of honor, if you will."
Draco barely managed to escape the kitchens after that statement, and he needed to stop off at a lavatory to wipe snot off his robes. �Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew, � he said as he peeled his outer robe away and dropped it in a trash bin, shuddering in disgust.
�Oh, honestly, Draco,� said Blaise, coming up from behind him. Draco scrunched up his nose. �What are you going to do when you have to change Carin and Xander�s nappies?�
Draco stared blankly at him for some time, then cringed. �Aren�t there spells for that, or something?� Blaise gave Draco an incredulous look. �And they, you know, can�t learn to go to the loo when they�re really young, is it?� The incredulous look morphed into an angry, impatient one. Draco took a deep breath and turned on the tap. �So what, I�ll have to stick my hands in it to get the things off? I think not. Before Carin and Xander are born, I will have invented a neat little spell that will revolutionize parenthood and the baby-changing industry�. If there is a baby-changing industry. Or, at least, I�ll get Dobby to do it. He owes me after using my robes as a tissue.�
�You�re despicable, you know that, right?� said Blaise. Draco turned off the tap and grabbed a towel down to dry his hands. �I bet your mother and father didn�t complain when they had to wipe your whiny, dirty arse.� Blaise glowered at him threateningly. �And you know it�s not very safe to use magic on newborns. If you start using spells on them before they�re six months you could hurt them. And if you hurt Carin and Xander, believe me, I will be around promptly to kick your arse.�
�Oh honestly,� Draco grumbled. �I�d make shitecastles of it before I hurt them.� Blaise grinned and loped an arm around Draco�s shoulder. �What are you doing around here?�
�Longbottom was just showing me some shortcuts around the castle. I lost him somewhere upstairs, though, when he went through a wall that turned to stone on me. Came down to get some ice for my head.�
�What in the seven hells were you doing hanging about with Longbottom?� Draco demanded, grimacing.
�Oh, Longbottom�s not so bad. Definitely not anywhere near as annoying or arrogant as that moron you keep letting shove his tongue down your throat. Speaking of which, said moron et cetera is currently on his way to call on you, and you know Snape�s not nearly done taking the piss out of him for� er, the HPB incident.�
Draco scowled at Blaise from the mention of Potions mishap the week before, but didn�t respond to it. �So what, I�m supposed to run down there and rescue precious Potter from the big bad Snape?�
�You know you want to,� Blaise said, smirking. Draco punched him in the stomach and Blaise grabbed onto Draco�s hips to keep from falling over. �That was not nice. Feeling a tad hormonal, Malfoy?�
�Feeling a tad suicidal, Zabini?�
Blaise wheezed. �Point taken�. But are you, you know, holding up all right? You blew up at Pansy pretty bad this morning � you did back her into a corner, you know. She was crying about it all afternoon. She doesn�t want to hurt you.�
�I know. I didn�t mean to react like that, but� I�ll make it up to her.�
�She�s in the mood for Manila Casey�s Lily Suede in pink.�
Draco scrunched his nose. �Yes, I know, she�s only been gushing over them for the past month.� Blaise gave Draco one of Potter�s stupid, indulgent looks. �Oh� how the bloody hell do you think I�m going to get hold of them?� he screeched. �She thought they were a myth for years! And in case you�ve forgotten, my father was not happy when he found out what we�d gotten up to in Milan.�
�Manila Casey�s Lily Suede,� Blaise said in a sing-song voice. �She�ll love you forever and ever and will likely forget every tear she�s ever shed over you. Did I mention forever?�
�Yes,� Draco said, seething.
�I suggest you write Mr. Emmanuel a very nice letter.�
�Hey, aren�t you her boyfriend? Shouldn�t you be the one pulling miracles out of your arse just to make her smile?�
Draco grumbled to himself when Blaise laughed almost hysterically and mockingly kissed Draco on the temple. �Mr. Emmanuel has no interest in me, Little Dragon, so you�ll have to take over where shoes are concerned, sorry! I�m going to run off now for that ice before my head swells and Pansy no longer finds me attractive. I�ll catch up with you around one, after you do your rounds, right?�
�Don�t get caught sneaking around the castle, either,� Draco said. �I�m getting really frustrated with that stupid thing.�
�Because it won�t tell you how beautiful you are and how much you�re glowing and really you should stay in such a delicate condition forever because it makes you so radiant that I can forget about your �what�s it? Oh� delightful disposition� �
�Shut the fuck up, dipshit.�
Blaise wagged his eyebrows and smirked. �Going,� he sang, then started down the corridor to the kitchens. Draco rolled his eyes and left for his room. Snape had been in a bad mood all week and had canceled Draco�s Occlumency lessons for the night. Draco would hate to think of how the professor would react when Harry invaded his rest and space � again.
�I say, Uncle is going to despise me for the rest of his life if we get through this with our sanity intact,� Draco sighed.
Draco slipped quietly into Snape�s private quarters � so quietly, in fact, that Snape and Harry (who were not at each other�s throats, really) did not notice him come in. True to his house, Draco did not unnecessarily announce his presence. If their conversations were that private, perhaps they should learn a locking charm, or at the very least, an alarm. Instead, Draco crept through the shadows until he was behind them and sat very quietly on the floor by the door to his bedroom.
Harry and Snape sat mostly in the dark, the only light in the room coming from the small, dim fire in the hearth. They sat together on the couch, not awkwardly far away, but not touching either, and drinking tea. Harry even slouched down and put his feet up on the coffee table � dirty trainers on the floor by the couch, though � and strangely enough, Snape didn�t seem irritated by it. The silence felt comfortable.
Then Harry broke it, saying, �Snape, do you think� do you think that I could be dangerous to him? That I might draw Voldemort�s attention, and��
�What are you on about now, Potter?� Snape said, sighing, but no malice hid in his tone. �The Dark Lord sees what he will, desires what he will, and you cannot change that. Why would you ask such a foolish thing?�
�It�s just� he�s going to be powerful � very powerful � my equal even, when he learns some control. But I don�t want, you know, Voldemort to notice.�
�What concern is it of yours if the Dark Lord notices or not?�
Draco could hear the hesitation in Harry�s voice when he spoke next, but it underlay so much trust and faith that it seemed insignificant. �It� would make me weak,� he said quietly. Draco could practically see the blush rising in his cheeks, just as surely as Harry began squirming uncomfortably. �Dumbledore always said that what I can feel is both my greatest strength and my greatest weakness. It could lead me to success or failure�.� Snape turned halfway to face Harry. �Recently, I think that it will make me weak, lead me to fail, to die.�
�What makes you think that?�
�I see it in him,� Harry whispered. �When I look at him, when I touch him, when I� when I kiss him.�
Draco almost announced himself inadvertently when he discovered that they were talking about him. It seemed impossible, surreal, even, as if he were walking through a dream that was not his own. Harry was worried about the Dark Lord having an interest in him, though Draco couldn�t possibly fathom why. He was immature, and weak, and a pregnant whore, and all of his magic and heart and soul and life centered around two people who could barely be considered people yet.
�Snape, you were the only one who believed me last year, when I started saying that I was sick, that something was wrong with me� You got me through that, and you�re going to have to get me through this, too!�
�Yes, of course, now stop whining, you disgraceful leech!� hissed Snape. �And step up your Occlumency, if you�re so worried. What good is crying over what the Dark Lord might notice when you could do something to keep him away?�
�Don�t you think I have been?� Harry said, sulking more than he sounded angry. Still, he grit his teeth a moment, and took a draught of tea. �But I�m so drawn to him that it�s ridiculous. It�s like there is something in him that calls to my magic, touches a part of me that I didn�t even know was there.�
�Do not fall in love with him, Potter,� said Snape in a clipped voice. �He has troubles enough, as it is. And, you should know that Draco has never showed any interest in boys. To be honest, he is not��
�Gay?� Harry interrupted, shrugging. �Neither am I. Still, he hasn�t ever objected to kissing me. I think he likes it. At least, he hasn�t ever complained. Or cried. Not crying � that�s a good sign.�
Snape snorted when Draco did, so he went undiscovered. �I was going to say that he is not ready to get involved with someone, and a boy, no less. But that is true as well. He is not a homosexual.�
�I know,� Harry said. �He told me that he only went on a date with that bloke Timothy because he was lonely and desperate to get away from his father. Still, I think he�s bisexual.�
�I have never heard that term� one is either homosexual or heterosexual.�
�Or both, or neither, or whatever. Doesn�t matter what the wizarding world prefers to believe. Human sexuality can�t be locked in a box. Besides, so long as he hasn�t rejected me��
�Are you certain you�ve paid attention enough to realize if he�s rejected you or not? Draco is very subtle in his affairs � something which you have yet to respect � and he would not have told you outright.�
�Well, he agreed to go to Flitwick�s Masque with me.�
�Did he now?� said Snape, sounding distant and bemused. Then he gave Harry a look that clearly said: you idiot boy, when someone older and wiser and more experienced than you tells you something might not be a good idea, maybe you should heed the warning. �You should speak with him about a proper courting. I would not suggest that you keep floundering along and try to claim him every time the mood strikes you.�
They fell silent, and after a few moments more, Draco crept back closer to the door and came into the room. He tried not to think about anything that he�d just heard, and he definitely didn�t look either one of them in the eye until he�d properly composed himself. �Fancy seeing you two being pleasant,� he said. Harry grinned at him, but Snape arched an eyebrow and turned back to the fire. �Oh, don�t ignore me, Uncle. I am feeling very needy.�
Draco crossed the room and squeezed into the space between them on the couch and stretched out. �I�m tired and achy and I want you to make me feel better.�
�I�ll make you feel better,� volunteered Harry.
�Dear Merlin,� Snape muttered, rising promptly. �I�m going to disappear before I lose my dinner.� Draco watched with an amused smirk as Snape stalked into his bedroom and slammed the door. A tray of hot cider and cake appeared on the coffee table with a plop and clatter, and Harry sat up straight.
�Yummy,� Draco said ladling some cider from the pot into a blue mug. Wincing slightly, he plucked a cinnamon stick from the cider pot and sucked on it for a moment before dropping it in his mug of cider.
�Where do you ache?�
Draco sighed contentedly as he leaned back in the couch and picked at a slice of cake. �Oh, everywhere. �
Harry smiled slightly and leaned closer. �I�ll give you a massage then.� Draco looked doubtful, but Harry kept smiling at him encouragingly, and finally he snuggled into an Afghan on the couch and gave an imperious wave. Harry grinned them, seeming delighted by that for some reason Draco couldn�t fathom, and Draco began having second-thoughts about this whole massage thing, wondering if it was Gryffindorish code for something atrocious and unpleasant. �You�ll love this. Here,� Harry pushed Draco back against the arm of the couch. �I�ll start at the bottom and work my way up, you know, so you can eat your cake and have it too.�
�Jolly good,� Draco said snidely. �Although, a gentleman doesn�t discuss such things.�
Harry yanked off Draco�s shoes and tossed them behind the couch. �You sir,� he said with feigned disdain, yanking off Draco�s socks, �are no gentleman. Remember, I�ve been on the wrong end of your genteel disposition, so I do believe I�m safe to say.�
�As if you could tell either way,� Draco replied, happily sinking into the trivial banter. �You�re just a brute. I may have, on occasion, sunk beneath my moralistic par to engage you on your own level��
�HA!� Harry interrupted, but Draco carried on anyway.
��but that was out of the spirit of fairness. Overall, I assure you that my conduct reflects my stringent and high standard of virtue and proper decorum.�
Harry devolved into a shaking and slumped, very loud, very manic giggle. Wheezing, he managed to say, �Spirit of fairness�! High standard of virtue�! Oh, Merlin� I think I�m going lose a stitch�.� Then he cackled some more until Draco got fed up and kicked him. �Sorry, sorry,� he said, grabbing Draco�s foot and starting to massage. �Heh,� he muttered, in a voice he probably thought was too low for Draco to hear. �Sunk beneath his moralistic par, he says, to engage me on my own level�. That�s a good one! Gotta tell Ron�.�
�Potter, the concept of an aside is that the one with whom you are conversing does not overhear it,� Draco told him, shaking his head. �You are pathetic.�
�Of course, your majesty; I am slime compared to you; you must please forgive my ignorance. Sorry you�ve had to debase yourself to engage me on a level playing field. I think we�d have never got around to fighting if I had to work my way to your level.� Harry chortled some more, but at least he remained focused on the task at hand. At length, he even calmed down some, though he would sporadically get red in the face and failingly try to bite back a snicker.
Draco watched him, amused but not endeared, and munched on his cake. When he realized that he had eaten three massive chunks of it (only noted when Harry asked if he�d eaten dinner at all) he groaned and slouched down. �There goes my strict diet,� he muttered. �Pomfrey�s going to kill me.�
�No she won�t,� Harry remarked thoughtfully. �You are pregnant, Draco.�
�Oh, and that gives me an excuse to gorge as if I was brought up with swine,� Draco quipped, then grimaced, horrified. �Or the bourgeois!�
�Because dining with pigs is actually better than dining with plebes,� snorted Harry, then laughed some more.
�We�ll see how funny it is, Potter, when I make you carry me around on your back.�
Harry got a strange, complaisant look in his eyes and said, �I don�t think I�d mind so much.� The look disappeared when Draco kicked him again. �Do you want to, you know, talk about what happened earlier?� When Draco stared at him blankly, Harry scowled and elaborated, gesturing impatiently. �You know, about the letter� and Pansy?�
�I thought you were talking about Pomfrey. But, um, it�s not really important, you know.�
�But you were upset,� Harry insisted. �And Pansy threatened to kidnap you and��
�I said it�s nothing. I�ve gotten over it, so why don�t you? Stop annoying me.�
Harry huffed. �I�m not going to let her take you anywhere you don�t want to go. And I�m not going to let your grandfather come snatch you away, either.�
�How brave and sweet and stupid,� sneered Draco. �But before you start thinking to duel Grandfather Lucius � not that you�d ever win, seeing as he is fully Fay and not the least bit a wizard � I�m going home willingly. �
�What if your father is there?�
�Grandfather put Dad on restriction. He�s exiled in the East Wing and I doubt he�ll ignore our patriarch�s orders because� well, Grandfather can be very unpleasant when someone disobeys a direct order.�
�Are you afraid?�
�Do you really expect me to answer that, Potter?� Harry blushed and stared down at his hands. �What are you doing for hols?�
�Erm� Ron, Hermione and I planned to Portkey out to Japan, where Ron�s cousin, Clement, is studying magic at Kyoto; we were going to do the tourist thing and stuff, but it�s looking like I�ll be a third wheel so I bowed out gracefully and decided to hang around here. I might visit them on Boxing Day, but� I�d rather just give them their space.�
�Oh,� Draco said. �Yuck.� Harry grinned at him in agreement. �Well, if you don�t have anywhere that you want to go, you can come to Bonifay Fields with me. Or, you could invite yourself around to Pansy�s place. She and Blaise are celebrating the holidays together with Millie and her cousin Engelbert, so you won�t be a third wheel there.�
�You really wouldn�t mind if I went home with you�? I mean, your family will probably want to spend time with you, and� But I would like to� be with you.� Harry suddenly looked very flustered and Draco had to bite his lip not to laugh outright. �Would anybody mind if� or would it cause you any trouble�? If I were to go, I mean?�
�I�m in trouble enough as it is. Showing up at King�s Cross with you won�t make matters worse or better � besides, Grandfather already said that I can invite anyone I want, and Aunt Olympias is picking us up � she�s a lot calmer than the rest of the family, so you shouldn�t expect any fireworks off the bat�. Anyway, I think everyone will be preoccupied with� other matters.�
�About that�. what did Madam Pomfrey say? You went to a meeting today, I take it?�
�Don�t be so obvious about distracting me,� Draco said sharply. �But yes, I went.�
�And?� Harry urged, starting to fidget with worry. �How are they? Healthy? Strong?� Draco simply looked at him, and he pinched Draco in the thigh. �This isn�t something to pull my leg about,� he snapped. �Stop looking at me like you can�t figure out why I care and answer the damn question! Are they healthy, or do we��
�We? � interjected Draco. �What we?�
Harry glared at Draco defiantly. �There is an �us,� Draco, so quit pretending like you don�t believe that I�ll be there. And don�t be so obvious about distracting me. Just� what happened?�
�Carin and Xander are as healthy as I am,� Draco told him. �So stop getting on my nerves. I thought you were supposed to be making me feel better?�
�Did she say why?� Harry asked as he started sending little tingling pulses of magic through Draco�s muscles. With the tingling came a soothing warmth that Draco found absolutely fantastic. Not that he�d ever tell Harry that much.
�What does it matter?�
�I just want to make certain that it�s not something that can be reversed later on, is all,� he said. �You know that it�s quite unusual for children with� their heritage to be in such good health, relatively speaking. That�s not to say that what you have isn�t bad enough on its own.�
Draco stared down into his mug of cider, and sighed heavily. This wasn�t exactly something that Draco could get away by not telling him. The Healers with the Ministry would certainly want to inquire about the strange event and try to figure if it had anything to do with the uniqueness of his pregnancy or not. �Do you know what fetal bindings are, Harry?�
Harry blushed and shrugged. �I read a little about them when I was doing research about wizarding pregnancies,� Harry said. �Why?�
�And you know something of oaths, of course.�
Harry looked up, a distant gleam in his eyes. �Where is this going?�
�Do you think it is usual for just anyone to offer an oath like the one you gave? Do you want to know why I didn�t accept it?� Harry flushed again and bowed his head so that he could hide his eyes behind his fringe. �My sons think that you are their father. Or at least, their magic recognizes you as such, as��
�The fountain from which the quality and strength of their life springs,� Harry finished. �I understand now. They have formed two bonds, one to you and one to me.�
�No.�
Harry looked up. His face had gone pale and his eyes dull with guilt. �Only to me, then? Draco, I�m sorry! I didn�t mean��
�Honestly,� Draco interrupted. �Of course they have bonded to me; I am sustaining them.�
Harry looked down again. �I don�t understand what you mean.�
�They have formed three.�
�But that�s not possible.�
�It is also not possible to survive the Killing Curse, but you have somehow done that,� Draco said. Harry was suitably subdued from launching into a Hermione-esque lecture on fetal bindings. �Carin and Xander have bonded to me, to my father, and to you. If you renege on the oath, there is a chance that the binding will dissolve, but��
�Of course I�m going to complete it. I offered it, didn�t I? I don�t go back on my word. My word is my bond.�
�Okay.�
�Why are you agreeing to this so easily?� Harry said, watching Draco through narrowed eyes. �I expected that you�d have bitten my head off and kicked the shit out of me by now, for imposing.�
�Oh, well�. Madam Pomfrey thinks that it is the three bonds that have attributed to Carin and Xander�s relative good health. Maybe if you pulled out of it they would suffer, or maybe not. I�m not certain but I�m not exactly eager to find out, either. But, you know, this doesn�t connect me to you in any way, and the only way that you are connected to the twins is through a magical inheritance. Those aren�t really used, except with the Pale Ones, so�.�
�I see.� Harry sent another pulse of magic through Draco, but he had accidentally let something slip, and it wrapped around Draco�s spine and�

~

�What,� said the Dark Lord as he walked a slow, predatory circle around kneeling Lucius, �have you done with it?�
Lucius looked up at You-Know-Who defiantly, his blue eyes sparkling like gems, even in the dim firelight of his study. You-Know-Who looked down at him with distaste. �That is twice now that you have defied me, Lucius. I wonder: what is so precious to you that you would suffer my wrath to hide? But it is no matter. I will find the answer soon enough. Yet, you should be aware � you will not survive through a third defiance.�
�It is noted, my Lord.�
�But you do not care, is that it?� You-Know-Who mused. �Hmm. You are valuable to me, Lucius. You know that well enough. So you should also know that I would not kill you for your last defiance, but only break you� That is, until I have caught another link into the Fay Ones� power.�
Lucius looked up at You-Know-Who boldly and the Dark Lord smirked at him. �Do not think that you could stop me.�
�But I can,� Lucius told him. �I am on the Elders� Council. Stopping you is but a trivial matter to me. No spell of yours could stop my spirit from flocking through the layers at my bidding and joining my kindred. I could do this whether living or dead or� broken, as you say. And, you must know by now that I have long held the ear of the queen.�
�You bore me with your insolence. I have heard this before, but know that you cannot stop me from linking into these powers through one whose might is stronger than your own. Is that not truth?�
�It is true,� Lucius acceded, bowing his head. �Yet, few are stronger than I am, and you will have a time of subduing them to your bidding, methinks. I have faith enough in my line. Whomever you choose will deny you and there is no magic or destruction you could work that would force a Fay to your will.�
�We shall see.�
�We will.�
�You would deny your master thrice, Lucius?�
�If you ask again for something which you know I would never give to you,� Lucius said. �Then yes, I would defy you thrice and every time after.�
You-Know-Who turned his wand on Lucius and opened his mouth to speak some despicable curse, but his attention was caught as a massive serpent slithered into the room and coiled around his ankles, hissing.
The Dark Lord laughed. It was a sound like breaking bones, and grated on Draco�s nerves, making him shrink into himself, wincing. �Aha! So we have a spy, my sweet, devoted Lucius,� hissed the Dark Lord. �Your son is amongst us� Nagini sees him. He has heard your little speech. He must be curious, now � come out, come out, little sneak!� called the Dark Lord, and shot off a spell through the room. The spell traced the veins of magic, showing it for the energy that normal eyes could not see. And where Draco�s magic rested, there was a great depression in the layers, and all the spells in the room arced back and spiraled towards this depression chaotically, as if Draco were a black hole, sucking it in. Lucius looked at the magic steadily, unbothered by its intensity, but the Dark Lord hissed and shielded his eyes a moment before dimming the spell. �Little Malfoy,� he said, watching as the magical depression moved closer to Lucius, who was still kneeling. A flare of dazzling white magical fire burst out of Lucius suddenly, and the depression sucked it in immediately, growing tighter, but deeper, nonetheless. �DO NOT DO THAT AGAIN!� You-Know-Who screeched at Lucius. Lucius nodded once, and You-Know-Who turned back to the depression. �Little Malfoy, ask your father about your inheritance.�
I have no inheritance, Draco thought, and to his surprise, his disembodied voice bounced through the room, visibly, echoing against the strands of magic until the depression swallowed it again. I have no father.
Lucius winced and the Dark Lord cackled. �We shall see, Little Malfoy.�
Seeing the hurt in his father�s demeanor at Draco�s declaration, Draco was immediately ashamed and assaulted with guilt. I lie, he thought, directing the thought to his father, and only his father, then immediately blocked his mind and turned away when the Dark Lord noticed Draco�s �voice� moving through the spell.
�What does he say?� demanded the Dark Lord, monstrous red eyes gleaming from rage. �Lucius � answer me!�
�Yes, my Lord, of course,� Lucius said. �He wishes to go back, but you are holding him here, and he is not strong enough to break free of any spell of yours.�
�I am not finished with him, yet. I would like him to see what you are � who you are � how you bend to me.�
�That is unfortunate, my Lord.�
�Why is that?� snapped You-Know-Who.
�Because I am not in the habit of denying my son what he wishes. I enjoy indulging his whims.� As soon as Lucius said this, another arc of magic flared out of him, and it smacked into Draco almost painfully. Draco reached out to his father at first, but his magic hit an impenetrable wall, and he bounced off of it, falling back�

TBC
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Flesh of My Flesh