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Darkness Within The Light	By : crimson96 Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Draco Views: 8759 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 10
- 11
- 12
Author's Note: One of my favorite chapters that I have written thus far with this story. All of the thanks in the world to my beta-reader, Eris R. LeBeau. So hope everyone reads, enjoy, and please do leave a comment or send an e-mail to me about the chapter, or the story.

Chapter 11: The Untold Truth

The silver orb glistened, reflecting back the house elf's dreary, yellow eyes as he rubbed it dry with a soft polishing cloth. When the orb was clean and dry, he placed it back on its stand and reached for a silver, serpent-shaped candleholder. Wincing, he dipped a rag in the tub of silver polish that sat at his feet and began to rub the candleholder, muttering obscenities under his breath. The caustic polish seemed to find all of the raw places on his injured hands, biting into them and making them burn anew. He whimpered as he turned the candlestick in his left hand while working the cloth with his right.

"Kraven!"

The house elf jumped at the sound of his name, almost dropping the candleholder onto the floor. He placed the silver back onto the desk, gritted his teeth, and snapped his fingers. A few moments later, he apparated into the bedroom of Draco Malfoy and bowed so deeply that his long nose nearly touched his knees. When the house elf straightened into his usual posture, he saw that Draco sat on his bed, cradling a box inlaid with silver snakes.

"What may Kraven do for Master Draco, sir?" He hoped Draco didn't want him to polish the box.

As usual, Draco spoke without looking at Kraven; his attention remained fixed on the little silver box. "Is my father still at home?"

"Master Malfoy is not on the grounds, sir. He has gone to conduct his business at the Ministry."

"Good. I want you to go and tell my mother that I wish to speak with her in the west garden." Draco ran a thumb over the edge of the box. "And you are not to eavesdrop on us!"

"Of course not, Master Draco. Kraven will obey and do as Master Draco says." The house elf nodded in agreement. He raised an arm and curled his fingers, but before snapping them, he took a step toward Draco. The movement caught Draco's attention, and for a moment, his steel-grey eyes met Kraven's. Frowning, he ran his eyes over the house elf before finally fixing them on Kraven's hands.

"Kraven, why are your hands bandaged?" Draco asked. "They weren't like that last night when you were in my bedroom."

Kraven looked at his loosely wrapped, bandaged hands and painfully flexed them. He shrugged. "Punishment, young Master Draco. It is Kraven's punishment."

"Punishment… for what?" Draco demanded. "I didn't tell you to punish yourself, now, did I?"

"Kraven was clumsy, and so Kraven was punished by Master Malfoy." The house elf said as he slowly held out the poorly bandaged hands for Draco to see more clearly. "Master Malfoy was angry at Kreacher for not tending to young Master Draco's injuries last night."

"I didn't ask you to tend to my bloody injuries!" Draco snapped. "Did you tell him that?"

"Kraven had to obey Master Malfoy's command. Kraven had to grab the fire that burned inside of the living room fireplace. Afterwards, Master Malfoy ordered Kraven to polish the silver that is in the manor. Kraven was given a direct order not to heal the burns on Kraven's hands, nor to use magic to polish the silver. Kraven will do as Master Malfoy orders, but Kraven hopes that Master Draco will not be clumsy, and suffer Master Malfoy's wrath."

Draco's lips curled into a snarl, and he snorted while lightly rubbing his own fingers. "Yeah, I won't be clumsy again."

"Very good, Master Draco, but Kraven thinks that young Master Malfoy was clumsy with his tongue, much like Madame Malfoy."

"He didn't!" Draco shouted as he kicked the wall hard enough to make a crack in the plaster, which Kraven quickly repaired with his magic. "That bloody bastard! He said he wouldn't hurt her!"

"It is safest not to cross Master Malfoy, Kraven has learned," the house elf said softly. "Kraven will go and find the lady of the house, and have her meet Master Draco in the west garden. Be safe, young Master Draco."

Each time Narcissa visited the west garden of Malfoy Manor, she was struck by its beauty. Stretching for many acres was an intricate labyrinth of hedgerows that were decorated with an amazing assortment of flowers. That, combined with the placement of several different types of trees along with the beautiful, golden trimmed mermaid fountain located at the front of the courtyard, made this part of Malfoy Manor seem like something from a fairy tale. It was the one part of the manor that was not redolent of dark magic and despair.

Narcissa hurried along the cobblestone walkway, hardly noticing the splendor around her. Her eyes slid over the blooming chrysanthemums and the exquisite marble sculptures as she searched for Draco. When she saw him, she froze, wanting to watch him for a moment before making him aware of her presence.

Draco sat on a stone bench under a maple tree, staring into the pink-tinged evening sky. She smiled, admiring his height, his fine, silver-blond hair, and the clean lines of his face. He had become a beautiful young man. He did not remind her so much of her husband Lucius, but instead, he favored her own father, Cygnus Black. Her father had been a handsome and strong man in his time, and Draco had many qualities that he had possessed.

Narcissa knew that any young woman would be fortunate to one day call Draco her husband. She had always known that Draco was a beautiful child, but right now, at this moment, he was stunning with the setting sun emblazoning him with its colors. Glad that no one was watching her, she dabbed her eyes wither fingertips, wiping away the beginnings of sentimental tears. When she was satisfied that her face was dry, she approached Draco and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Draco. You wished to speak to me."

Startled by her touch, Draco snapped out of his private daydream and twisted to face her. "Yes, mother, I wish to speak to you. I have a few questions that I would like to ask." He placed his hand over hers, took hold of it, and tugged until Narcissa joined him on the bench. As she sat down, she marveled at how soft her son's hands felt.

Narcissa kept her eyes locked with Draco's, but smoothed her skirt with both hands. In her mind, she practiced her replies. No, your father would never hurt me. Of course, he has never hexed me. Yes, I know exactly what he is planning, and it's what is best for our family. With all my heart, I trust him.

Forcing herself to smile, she replied, "Ask me anything, Draco. Anything you wish."

"Mother, I want to know…" Draco hesitated before continuing with the question. "I want to know the secrets regarding Harry Potter."

Narcissa felt her eyebrows shoot up, and her mouth opened in surprise before she could school her face into a mask of neutrality. Of all of the secrets that she kept, she had not expected Draco to ask about those involving Harry Potter.

"Secrets, Draco, I am unsure what you are talking about?" Narcissa tilted her head to the side, feigning confusion.

"Ever since we have returned home from school, you and Father have been constantly arguing. I know that it's not all about the Dark Lord. I know that part of it is about Potter." Draco spoke softly, imitating Lucius's voice in a way that Narcissa found more frightening than she would ever admit.

Narcissa's blue eyes looked away from her son's as she got up and walked over to a rose bush. Draco followed and stood looming over her as she reached for one of the blossoms. She touched the rose very carefully, admiring the beauty of its deep, red petals. She knew her son was standing beside her, reading her every action. "These roses are beautiful," she began, "I was surprised that your father allowed me to create this garden. It is the one true thing at this house that I can say is mine." A note of bitterness had crept into her voice, and she glanced up at Draco. His lip had begun to curl in contempt; he had far too many of Lucius's mannerisms.

"Harry Potter," she continued, "is very much like this rose. You have to take constant care of it. You can shape it, encourage it to grow, and admire it for its beauty, yet you must be aware of the danger that it carries. To most people of the Wizarding World, Potter is a hero, someone who will lead them out of the darkness. He is their leader, just as a rose is the leader of the flower kingdom. Many other flowers are beautiful in their own individual ways, but a rose is king in its own beauty."

Draco rolled his eyes. "I didn't ask you about your stupid roses. Say what you mean, Mother!"

She sighed, irritated, although not surprised at her son's impatience. "When you see a rose bush son, do you reach into it to grab the stem?"

"No," Draco snorted as he folded his arms across his chest, clearly out of patience with Narcissa's lecture on botany.

"Roses have thorns for a reason, to help them survive. Potter has his thorns, which have helped him to survive the Dark Lord. He will always carry these thorns with him, for Harry Potter will always have enemies within the Wizarding World. You must handle a rose with care and understanding. Respect the king of flowers and in return, it will give you the beauty that you see before you in this one single flower.

"Respect Harry Potter, dear, and he could be a more powerful ally than you can imagine." She let go of the rose and turned to face her son, expecting an angry reply.

Instead, Draco studied his shoes and said softly, "I do. Mother, I began to write a letter to Potter after hearing your argument downstairs. I didn't know exactly what to say, so I did not finish it that night, and instead went to bed. The next morning, when I awoke, Kraven told me that Father wanted to speak to me, alone, in his study. It was after this conversation that I knew what I wanted to say to Potter, and I finished the letter after I returned to my bedroom.

Narcissa raised an eyebrow, surprised that her son had taken such initiative. "And what did you say?" she asked cautiously. Narcissa was very much surprised that her son had taken the time to write a letter to Harry Potter. She was used to hearing of Draco's correspondences from his teachers; usually, his notes to Harry had involved vile language and bullying threats that even Professor McGonagall had blushed when repeating. She also made a reminder to question Lucius about this conversation that he and Draco had held in private.

Draco collapsed onto the bench and folded his hands in his lap. "I tried to make amends with Potter for the hell that I have had to put him and his friends through for the last seven years. I also thanked him for saving my life." Narcissa inhaled sharply while her hands lightly trembled as Draco continued. "In his reply I think he accepted my letter, and he apologized for his own words and actions against me." Draco shook his head and chuckled dryly. "That just made me feel worse, of course, and I'm sure he knows! It's like he knows exactly how to pull my strings."

Narcissa ruffled her son's hair and bit her lip to stifle a giggle of her own. Only Draco could be foolish enough to take an apology as an intentional slight. "It is a start, Draco," she told him, letting her hand slide over his smooth hair and onto his shoulder. "It's a new beginning for you, for this family, and for Harry Potter, too."

"There's something else, Mother." Draco turned his head and searched Narcissa's face before locking his eyes with hers. "Potter told me to ask you something. He said that you would have some information to tell me, but only if I asked when Father wasn't around."

Narcissa swallowed and ran her tongue over her lips, which suddenly felt dry. "Yes, Draco, there is something that you do not know about regarding that particular night at Hogwarts."

She closed her eyes for a moment making sure to remember every last detail of that night. It had plagued her in her dreams, not knowing if her own son was dead or alive, and knowing that Voldemort had forced her and Lucius there.

"I can say that it was the bravest thing that I have seen anyone ever do," Narcissa whispered to her son as she opened her eyes and let the tears roll down her cheeks. "He walked right to us. He did not raise his wand or even try to block the spell. He sacrificed himself. The Dark Lord laughed at his bravery, and at his willingness to challenge him unarmed. He sent a killing curse that hit Potter directly over his heart. Potter flew backwards and landed on the ground, while the Dark Lord staggered and fell to one knee. He was unprepared for the reaction that he would receive from doing this to Potter."

Draco stared at his mother. She was crying now, but she didn't bother to wipe the tears. They continued to roll down her cheeks as she relived that moment in her mind and spoke it aloud.

"Bella began to approach the boy, but the Dark Lord made her stop. Instead, I was told to examine him to see if he was dead. I slowly walked over to him, and then kneeled down beside him. His shirt and robes had a dark, burned mark on them where the curse had hit him. I lightly placed my hand over his heart, not expecting to feel a heartbeat. To my shock, it was beating stronger than ever. He was still alive. I leaned closer to him, letting my hair fall around our faces, and faintly whispered to him. I asked if you were still alive, and he whispered that you were. In that instant, I knew that I could not let the Dark Lord kill him. I needed him. I needed the Boy Who Lived to save my Draco. I knew that the only way that any of us would ever be safe again from the Dark Lord would rest with Harry Potter."

Narcissa looked into her son's eyes, which were now wide with surprise.

"So, I lied to the Dark Lord, and told him that Potter was dead. Bella began to laugh and he forced the half-giant, Hagrid, to carry the boy in his arms back to the school.

"Once the Dark Lord had finished speaking to the school outside of the castle, the battle resumed, and your father and I quickly ran inside frantically searching for you."

Draco nodded to himself, wearing a satisfied smirk. "So my mother saved the great Harry Potter? Good. We're even, then."

"Even, Draco?" Narcissa repeated, not understanding.

Draco looked over his shoulder, first left, and then right, as if making sure they were truly alone. "Mother, that night, Potter and his friends saved me. It happened in the Room of Requirement, as we were trying to capture him and his friends for the Dark Lord. Crabbe unleashed the Fiendfyre curse, not aware of how dangerous of a curse it is. The fire spread throughout the whole room and I became trapped by it. Potter and his friends jumped on broomsticks and flew up into the air. He saw that I was trapped by the flames and came back down to rescue me. We then flew through the entrance door and crashed into the corridor wall. Had Potter not done that, I would have been dead."

Narcissa was sobbing harder now as she listened to how her only son came so close to dying that night.

"I ran after that," Draco continued, "I was so scared, Mother. Everything seemed to happen so quickly. I knew the castle was under attack; I could feel it shake, so I ran. I went to the safest place that I knew of, the dungeons. All I could think of was to hide until it was all over with."

Draco stopped speaking for a moment and drew a deep, shuddering breath. "Then I heard you and father calling my name." He looked away from his mother and at the lingering glow of the sun, which now had gone behind the horizon created by the forest beyond the garden wall. "I am sorry, Mother, if you are disappointed in me for not fighting, and for running away."

"Draco, you are still alive because of your decision to run. That is all that matters to me. I care nothing for the Dark Lord's cause. You are what matters most to be Draco, your happiness."

She embraced her son and held him, knowing that this was a rare moment for the two of them. Draco returned the embrace with a very forceful yet gentle hug of his own. Tears ran down Narcissa's cheeks and into her son's hair.

After what seemed like several minutes, they separated. Narcissa drew a handkerchief from her pocket and dabbed at her eyes while Draco swiped at his face with the back of his hand, trying to make the gesture look casual.

Draco heaved a noisy sigh and looked down at the ground, his hands fidgeting with the fold of his robe. His face flushed, turning a deep, unflattering shade of red. "There's something more I want to tell you. Father also wants me to be friends with Potter," he said, his tone flat.

"Then your Father and I are in agreement," Narcissa replied. She wondered what Machiavellian scheme her husband could be planning, but she would find that out later. For now, all she wanted for her son was a friend, a powerful friend who could protect him from all of the evils of the wizarding world.

"I don't know if I can, Mother," Draco whispered.

"Nonsense! You said yourself that Potter forgave you for all of the rubbish Lucius encouraged you to do to him."

"But I still want to do things to him, Mother." Draco's blush deepened, and a bead of sweat trickled from his temple down into the collar of his robe. "I think I still hate him for everything, every bloody little thing! For being brilliant at Quidditch, for getting favors from Dumbledore, for embarrassing Slytherin, for refusing me when I tried to shake his hand. That was seven years ago, and I can't forget it, Mother! I can't stop thinking about him, and I want to -",

"You want to do what, Draco?" Narcissa whispered. Her heart beat faster, and her thoughts raced. She wondered just how thoroughly Lucius had warped her son's soul.

"I told you!" Draco snapped. "I want to do things to him." He gestured vaguely with both arms, flapping his hands in a way that gave no clue as to the meaning of his words.

"You want to kill him? Curse him? Torture him?" Narcissa asked, surprising herself with the cool, steady tone of her voice.

"No!" Draco shouted, pounding a fist against the bench. "No," he repeated, quietly this time. "Worse. I want to do things with him, humiliating and disgusting things. I can't stop thinking about it every time I hear his name! I have dreams about it at night, and when I wake up, the first thing that I think about is 'I wish that dream were real'."

"Draco you are not making any sense. Have you taken ill? Is it- is it because of the war that you- " Narcissa started, the irritation beginning to seep into her voice, but was cut off mid-word by Draco.

"No!" Draco shook his head. His eyes were streaming now. "It's Potter. It's always been Potter. He makes me insane, Mother! I want to grab him and…and," Draco drew in a long, deep raspy breath. "And…have him. I want to-"

Narcissa held up a hand, palm outward, stopping Draco's confession. Draco grabbed her hand and lightly pressed it against his cheek, cupping the right side of his face and his jawline. Her hand trembled while Draco held it there, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Do you understand, Mother?" Draco whispered.

Narcissa inhaled slowly, closing her eyes for a moment and replaying Draco's words in her mind. When she opened her eyes and looked at her son's face again, something clicked into place. Draco's hatred- no, Draco's passion- for Harry Potter made a twisted, adolescent kind of sense. At that age, love could be confused with hatred, and lustful longings could be mistaken for more violent urges.

She nodded, scrubbing at her eyes with her free hand. "I understand."

"I'm sorry, Mum," Draco whispered hoarsely, taking her hand from his face and now holding it with both of his over his beating heart. "If I could stop thinking about him, if there was any way I could get him out of my head, I-Don't you think I'd do anything not to disappoint you?"

"Oh, Draco!" She jerked her hand free so that she could wrap both arms around her son and squeeze him hard. "I'm not disappointed. You could never disappoint me, my son. I am frightened that if Lucius finds out…"

"He won't, Mother," Draco muttered into her hair. "I promise, he won't.

I'll never tell anyone what I've told you today."

Narcissa pulled away from Draco but kept her hands on his shoulders. "Not anyone?"

"Not anyone," Draco repeated, averting his eyes.

"Hmm." Narcissa bit her lip. For now, silence was the wisest course of action. She hated the thought of her son being taunted, being an outsider. He wouldn't be able to bear it, not when he was used to being the best, a pureblood, a Slytherin, and a Malfoy. The ridicule would drive him insane. Still, she did not wish him to live his life alone, or to trap himself in a travesty of a marriage to Pansy Parkinson or some other socially advantageous woman. She sighed. "What if- what if someday there is someone else, some other young man that you-"

"There will never be anyone but Potter!" Draco snapped.

In spite of herself, Narcissa smiled. "You don't hate him at all, do you?"

"I-" Draco scowled down at the ground. "I suppose not."

Narcissa felt a lump form in her throat. She loved Draco more for admitting that, and to her own surprise, she cared very little that the object of her son's affection was male, Gryffindor, and half-blood. She hated what she had to say next, so she said it quickly, almost in one breath. "You realize that if you were to tell him that you have these feelings toward him, you could lose all chance of befriending him? Without the aid of a powerful friend in these times, being a Malfoy will not be enough to protect you."

"I know!" Draco growled. "I'm not bloody stupid, Mum! I realize I can't ever tell Potter any of this."

Narcissa spread her hands and looked down at the backs of them. "I did not say that. Draco, I want you to do what your heart tells you it must do, but consider the risk you are taking. We will deal with the consequences when we must. Right now, I just want you to be happy in your life. Decide for yourself what that means."

"This changes everything, doesn't it, Mother?" Draco said softly.

The sun had sunken below the trees now, and the day was rapidly fading. Narcissa shivered, telling herself it was only because of the night chill. She wrapped her arms around Draco and rocked him as if he were a small child once more. "It creates a new chapter for us. It changes nothing about the love I have for my only son."
- 10
- 11
- 12
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Darkness Within The Light