Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

The Guile and Devotion of a Black Heir	By : StarLightMassacre Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male Views: 104307 -:- Recommendations : 9 -:- Currently Reading : 26
Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Harry Potter; all rights go to J. K. Rowling. I make no money for this piece of fictional writing and never will.

Chapter List
- 16
- 17
- 18
Last Time

Just two more weeks and he would be back at home with Rabastan. He would have just two weeks with his Fiancé and he was determined to make the most of it while he could. He would have just two weeks of kissing Rabastan’s lips instead of his engagement ring, he would have just two weeks to sit beside Rabastan and speak to him without waiting several days to hear a reply to his words. He would have just two weeks to comfort and personally support Rabastan until he would have to come back to Hogwarts for another eleven weeks. It seemed so fucking long, eleven weeks…but it would all be worth it when he got two full, uninterrupted months with Rabastan for the summer. Hopefully they would both be a lot better by the time that the end of term came around and the summer holidays started. It was only that thought that was getting him through this continuous hell.

Chapter Seventeen - Home

On the twenty-second of March Harry had barely been able to sleep from a combination of nervous excitement and the night sweats brought on by his nutrient potion. He had finally given up when he realised that he was just tossing and turning in his bed, getting more frustrated and damp than anything else and not getting any rest at all.
He rolled right out of the bed and took a moment to scrub vigorously at his face with his hands and then he actually squinted at his clock and he groaned, part in frustration and part in disbelief…it was only just five in the morning.
At least he didn’t have to deal with any homework this time around. He had such a light workload at the moment that he had finished all of his set homework before the end of term and he had already handed it in so he didn’t even have to worry about it. He had nothing to do but wait for the train ride home. It was going to be hell, waiting for nine in the morning and then enduring an eleven hour train ride, but he couldn’t wait until he got back home and he could snuggle up in Rabastan’s arms…he’d been dreaming of such for a while now, the closer to the twenty-second it had gotten.
He made sure that he had everything that he wanted to take with him, which he’d already done the night before when he’d been too excited to go to sleep in the first place, before he made himself a cup of tea, grabbed his most recent Rune’s book that Marcus had lobbed at his head and told him to read, before he went into the bathroom to run himself a nice, hot bath. He spent as long as he possibly could in the bath, reading, until the water started getting noticeably cooler. Then he put the book down, out of the way of any errant splashes as it wasn’t his book, and he washed himself off quickly, and thoroughly, and he got out.
He actually debated on what to wear for once, but remembering Astoria’s advice at the Slytherin’s Quidditch after party, he chose a nice, dark green jumper and tight, black wool trousers. He looked at himself in the mirror from every angle, trying to find fault with what he’d chosen. He really needed someone to just tell him what to wear for such occasions, he looked normal enough, though he supposed that the tight trousers did show off his bum a bit more than usual and the dark green jumper was definitely a good call, his eyes looked bigger and more prominent against the green jumper.
He brushed his hair for several minutes, trying, what seemed to be in vain, to flatten what he could, but ultimately he gave it up as an impossible feat before he went to pick up his book bag, which he was currently using as a hold all just to go back home for two weeks. It mostly had his recreational books, and the ones that Marcus had given to him too, so that he could read them on the train and when he got home.
It was almost seven in the morning when he slipped out of his rooms, his book bag over his shoulder. It was still early, but he didn’t care if anyone wanted to give him a detention for being twenty minutes early for breakfast. He was much too excited about seeing Rabastan again and he was driving himself up the wall waiting in his rooms all by himself.
The tables were empty for now, only set with clean plates, glasses and cutlery. Harry sat at the Slytherin table, as had become the norm these days, and as soon as his arse hit the bench, a selection of drinks appeared in front of him, including a jug of juice, a jug of water, a teapot and milk. He smiled at the attention of the house-elves.

“Thank you.” He said clearly and loudly, knowing that they’d be able to hear him. “I appreciate this.”

He made himself some tea and he got a book out of his bag to read while he waited, occasionally sipping his tea as he read.
At exactly seven in the morning the tables erupted into life, spilling an assortment of breakfast things up to the four house tables.
Harry got himself some porridge, spooned in a large amount of jam, and he set to eating. He also found the goat milk and poured himself a glass. He sipped at it as he ate, disguising the taste of the milk with the overly sugary, sweet porridge.
There were a few people in the hall with him now, at this early time of morning, then the Professors turned up one by one and then, by half past, more people started trickling in and the soft, occasional sounds grew to a small din. Harry was joined at his section of the Slytherin table first by Theo, which was perfect for Harry as he’d been meaning to speak to him for a while.

“So, when is your big reveal going to be?” He asked curiously, as he politely marked the page in his book and put it away, giving Theo his full attention.

Theo gave him a smirk. “Soon enough.” He said in a very satisfied way.

Harry chuckled. “Am I allowed to be in on the big reveal?”

“Well, between me and you, Harry, absolutely no one is going to want her after this. No one.” Theo said in a very cruel way. “Not anyone from Britain, not anyone from overseas. She’ll be ruined.”

“Good!” Harry said with an answering cruel smile. “Does your Father know yet?”

“Absolutely not. I’m trying to take him down too. If he is proven to be an unsatisfactory Head of House, then I can petition to take over. It’s a rarely used law and it’s even rarer that it’s actually enforced, but if I can push the issue, I might just be joining you at those Wizengamot meetings.”

Harry laughed. “It’ll do me some good to have some company my own age!” He insisted with a grin.

They were cut off of their conversation by the appearance of a bubbly, bright faced Astoria, who was resplendent in a pale blue jumper embroidered with sparkling gems around the neckline that looked like actual aquamarine stones. She had paired the jumper with a knee length, white skirt, thick woollen tights that were also white and she had finished it off with white shoes with delicate blue designs on them that matched the jumper. Her blonde hair was tied back with a blue ribbon.

“You look beautiful this morning, Astoria.” Harry greeted, accepting the kiss to the cheek as she settled herself beside him.

“I could say the same.” She laughed, looking him over. “That jumper suits you perfectly!”

“I definitely like red better, but you were right about green bringing out my eyes, and they are my best facial feature after all.”

“Oh they certainly are.” Astoria agreed. “If I had such unique, perfectly green eyes as you I would flaunt them as often as I could! You have the sort of eyes that other people can only dream of having.”

Harry laughed. “Well I have my Mum to thank for them. Just as I have my Dad to thank for this hair, though I took his short-sightedness as well.” He added, touching his black framed, rectangular glasses.

“Your hair looks neater today, what did you do?” Astoria asked as she sliced a banana onto her toast.

“Nothing, I had a bath this morning and I was bored, so I brushed it for a bit longer just to waste some time. It’s probably fluffier than normal as opposed to neat.” He grinned.

They took a break from conversation to eat a bit more of their breakfasts, Harry went to pour himself some more tea before noticing the inch or so of milk still in his glass, with a scowl he put the teapot back down and drained the last of his milk first.

“You two need to be my witnesses.” He told Theo and Astoria. “I drank my glass of milk for the morning, you both saw me. Draco won’t believe me, he’d make me drink another one!” He insisted.

Theo chuckled. “I saw you drink it.” He nodded.

“I did too.” Astoria smiled.

Harry grinned at them both and he went back to getting himself a second cup of tea, well, his third of the morning actually as he’d had one up in his rooms before he’d come down. He got a small piece of wholemeal toast to nibble on once his porridge was finished and then he took the time to drain his bone strengthening potion and a headache reliever. He shivered and shook his head in a familiar response now to the terrible, bitter taste of them that was impossible to get used to.
He drained his almost full cup of tea and then poured himself a fourth cup. It was as he was drinking this cup, much more leisurely this time, talking to Theo and Astoria, that Blaise and Draco finally joined them, Draco sitting next to Astoria immediately and Blaise sat up next to Theo.

“You’re down late, one final romp in the sheets together first?” Harry teased.

Astoria went pink and giggled and Theo laughed.

“I wish!” Blaise chuckled. “Crabbe was hogging the shower. It took Draco forever to get ready.”

“Me? You were the one who changed your shirt four times because you didn’t like the way they were sat on your shoulders!” Draco told him. “There’s nothing wrong with the shirts, Blaise, it’s your shoulders! You’ve bulked up since September and you need to be fitted again!”

“Okay, we’ve established that you’re both as fussy as one another and you both take a decade to get ready for anything, stop now, I have a headache.” Harry whined as he massaged either side of his head.

“Your potion?” Draco asked.

“What else?” He grumped. “Things started off so well this morning too.”

“Have you eaten today?”

“Yes, Draco.” Harry said. “I’ve had porridge and toast.”

He waited for Draco to ask about the milk and he didn’t have to wait very long.

“Have you had your glass of milk?”

“Yes.” He said in a long suffering way.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m pretty sure I remember drinking it.” Harry deadpanned.

“He did drink it.” Astoria confirmed with a giggle at their behaviour.

“You would have seen me drinking it if you and Blaise hadn’t gone for that extra romp.” He laughed.

That set them all off, even Blaise, but Draco sniffed.

“We didn’t have an extra romp!” He insisted primly.

“Oh, just the usual amount then?” Harry inquired innocently and Astoria, Theo and Blaise laughed uproariously. Draco went pink as he realised that he’d walked right into that set up.

“Oh, shut up, Harry.” He complained.

Harry chuckled. He dutifully went back to his tea and he counted down the time that he had to wait until they could board the train. The carriages pulled by the thestrals would start coming to the castle at eight in the morning, which was only twenty minutes away. Harry decided to get yet more tea to while away the last several minutes, he reminded himself to go to the bathroom before he left with all the tea that he’d had this morning.

“I’m going to go grab a compartment.” He said at five to eight in the morning, unable to wait any longer. “Any preference, Draco, front or back?” He said innocently. Too innocently.

“Why do I feel like you’ve set that up as an innuendo?” Draco asked him with his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Harry’s grin widened and he laughed. “I’ll be near the front.” He grinned. “I prefer taking it from behind.”

Blaise almost choked and he went red with coughs before he could breathe again and Harry laughed happily, swinging his bag over his shoulder and leaving for the grounds.
He got a carriage to himself that set off at exactly eight in the morning towards Hogsmeade station and he was the first one on the train, incredibly early. His first order of business was to go to the nearest bathroom, he then found a compartment and settled himself next to the window and pulled out the book that he’d been reading in the bath and at breakfast. There weren’t going to be many students going home for the break, but there were enough this year that the train was being used instead of authorised portkeys or the floo. Harry hated that he had to suffer an eleven hour train ride when he could just floo home, but he was getting to go home and see Rabastan, so he wasn’t going to complain overly much about it.
Draco and Astoria joined him fifteen minutes later and so did Blaise. Theo was staying at Hogwarts and so was Daphne, she had a thing going on with a younger Slytherin. Harry hoped that Theo got rid of her soon, he couldn’t stand to keep holding his tongue, but this was Theo’s play to make, and he seemed very content to wait for what he believed was his perfect moment. It was driving Harry mad.
None of them said very much as the train started its journey at nine in the morning and clattered along towards London. Harry immersed himself in his book and tried not to use his wand to check the time every several minutes. He checked the time after he finished every chapter and even that seemed like time wasn’t passing as quickly as he would have liked.
Harry inevitably fell asleep on the train, after he’d taken his calcium potion at noon which made him so drowsy that he just fell asleep where he was sat. He didn’t know at the time, but Draco stood up and carefully slipped the book from his hands and put it to the side before he gently laid him down and swept his own cloak off to cover him with. The three left in the compartment spoke quietly, but mostly they just read books or stared out of the window. Blaise left the compartment for an hour to stretch his legs by walking the length of the train and back, seeing who else was travelling with them and where they were sat.
Draco regretfully woke Harry as they drew closer to London, knowing that he wouldn’t sleep that night if he slept for much longer on the train.

“Was ‘appening?” Harry slurred sleepily, rubbing his face before realising that he was covered over in Draco’s cloak, taking up three seats in the compartment. He groaned. “Sorry, I don’t even remember going to sleep.”

“It would have been the rocking of the train after you took your potion.” Blaise insisted.

“I thought it would be better for you to sleep for a bit.” Draco added. “So I laid you down and covered you over. Do you feel better?”

Harry nodded. “I’m still tired and I’m feeling a little weak, but I’m sure with something to eat I’ll be better. How long until we get back now?”

“About three hours until we arrive at Kings Cross.” Draco told him. “Just sit quiet for a while. I got you some pumpkin pasties. All those sweets aren’t good for you anyway.”

Harry smiled and he took the pasties handed to him and nibbled on them slowly, accepting the glass bottle of pumpkin juice too.
He felt much better after his nap and with something to eat and drink. He turned to face the window and he looked out of the window at the passing landscape, trying to imagine what Rabastan looked like now, if he’d changed or if he’d improved during his absence. He remembered thinking the same during the Christmas holidays too, but when it had come to it, he hadn’t even bothered looking, so he didn’t work himself up over it this time. Everything was going to be just fine, he was going to damn well enjoy his two weeks off while he could, it wasn’t that much time at the end of the day, he needed to rest and recover some of his lost strength and that he got to do it with Rabastan was just an added bonus.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ X

Draco helped him from the train, unnecessarily in Harry’s opinion, to the waiting platinum blonde heads of the elder Malfoys.
Narcissa fussed over him and he wouldn’t admit how much he liked that as he allowed her to cup his face and peer at him.

“Let’s get you home, darling.” She said to him gently, fussing over him as if he was already at death’s door. Then again the last time that she had seen him he had felt like he was at death’s door, in that awful week after his initial diagnosis.

Lucius and Draco were tall and almost stoic, walking side by side, like two peas in a pod. Harry felt absolutely no shame in curling up in Narcissa’s arms and laying his head on her shoulder. He’d never had such novelties before, no one to hold him like this or to care a damn about him, so he was going to milk it while he could, until it was no longer a novelty to him.
They Apparated back to the manor, Harry holding tight to Narcissa and then groaning at the pain in his knees as he landed flat out on the floor.

“Very graceful.” Draco taunted him.

“If I could see you, I’d curse you.” Harry groaned as Lucius helped him to his feet, holding him firmly.

“Come along, Harry. Did you hit anything important?”

“No, I think I missed the pedestal of the priceless amphora.” Harry said, looking quickly to where it was, just a little to the left of where he’d landed.

“I was referring to your body.” Lucius sighed unhappily. “Did you hit your head?”

Harry blinked. “Oh. No, I don’t think so.” He said as he checked that his glasses were still unbroken after his fall, he never believed that the unbreakable charms they’d been made with would hold up.

Lucius shook his head and steered him with a hand on his shoulder towards the front parlour. Harry’s heart started hammering nervously, but he couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across his face as he knew what was coming.
Rabastan was actually pacing when they entered the room, his back to them as they came in and Harry smiled wider.

“I’m not so frightful that you need to pace.” He joked.

Rabastan swung around, his face a picture of worried concern and he hurried to him automatically, his hands coming to hold his shoulders and pulling him into a hug.

“Are you okay? When I heard that you had the flu on top of the hypocalcaemia…” Rabastan trailed off.

“I’m fine now.” Harry smiled. “There’s no need to worry. I’m surprisingly hard to kill off.”

Harry ignored the stiffening and slight shifts of body weight in the room then, as he alluded to Voldemort and the many failed attempts on his life, and he instead took Rabastan’s hand and pulled him to a free settee. Harry sat, pulled at Rabastan until he sat down too and then he turned to cuddle up with him.

“I’m sure that’s prohibited behaviour.” Rodolphus grunted.

“Shut up, Rodolphus.” Harry said immediately. “I’ve missed this while I’ve been away, I’m just catching up.”

Rabastan smiled at him and tucked him in tighter. He certainly had grown in confidence while Harry had been away if he was happily holding him this close, this tightly, around his rib cage. Harry threw one arm around Rabastan’s neck and rested his head on that chest.
Rabastan didn’t seem quite as bony as before either. Harry was very comfortable lying on him and there was more flesh under his body than there had been before. It could only mean that Rabastan’s recovery programme was working and he was so happy and so proud that he pulled back and gave Rabastan a kiss.

“I missed you so much.” He said quietly, just for them as they slipped into their own little bubble.

“I’ve missed you too. How are you feeling, honestly?”

“Honestly?” Harry questioned. “A little weak and tired, but much better now that I’ve knocked the flu on the head.”

A careful hand brushed against his cheek and a thumb just touched at the corner of his eye as Rabastan cupped his face gently.

“Is it truly gone?” He asked.

Harry nodded, smiling. “Completely gone. I never meant to worry you.”

“I know, but I do worry for you. I’m constantly worried for you, especially now with your diagnosis.”

“I’m taking a lot of rest these days.” Harry explained. “I’ve taken all of the potions that I’ve needed to and I’m keeping up with them.” He said. “I’ll be fine soon, we both will.”

Rabastan smiled down at him and squeezed him gently. Harry grinned, because it was an amazing step forward, Rabastan willingly squeezing him, controlling the pressure and duration of the squeeze and doing it purposefully. Harry loved him so much and he turned his head and kissed the lips that he had been dreaming of for weeks now.
Rabastan chuckled quietly and his other arm came around to hold him too. Harry was overjoyed and he couldn’t stop grinning.

“Sorry to interrupt your cosy little bubble, but dinner has been served.” Lucius cut in.

Harry frowned and sighed unhappily. He stood up and held his hands out to Rabastan, who chuckled and took them, allowing Harry to pull him to his feet. He happily threw an arm around Harry’s slim shoulders and held him to his body confidently.

“I’ve been concentrating on controlling my grip.” Rabastan told him, as if somehow Harry had missed that he’d done so, as they made it to the dining room. “Dolphus and I have been practising with caus…with raw eggs.”

“You’re doing so well. I’m so proud of you.” Harry told him with a smile as Rabastan settled him on his chair and then sat next to him.

Rabastan puffed up at Harry’s praise and Harry hid his smile as he picked up his knife and fork and started to eat his braised beef and steamed vegetables.

“It means a lot to me to hear you say as such.” Rabastan told him, bending to whisper directly in his ear.

Harry put down his knife and gave Rabastan’s cheek a soft touch, paired with a wide smile and some serious eye contact. “I’m always going to be beside you, Rabastan. I’m always going to support you. Of course I’m proud of you, your achievements are also my own and I share in them. I love you and I’m so proud of you and everything that you’ve overcome in these last several months. You’ve done so very well, keeping to your diet and exercises, taking all of your potions and the change in you is miraculous. You’ve become happier, more confident and I love seeing your confidence grow as you get healthier, knowing that you can do whatever you put your mind to, given the right support.”

“That is all thanks to you.” Rabastan told him. “Your support and love has helped me so much, I doubt that I could ever express exactly how much as I can’t even begin to count in measurement exactly what you’ve done to and for me. How you’ve pulled me out of my shell, how you’ve raised me up and kept me upright with your support and understanding. The way that you’ve helped me to focus on things that I thought were beyond me after fifteen years in Azkaban, such as reading and writing, just by giving me a new perspective in which to look at it. No one else thought to do as such for me, only you. I love you.”

Harry smiled, it was only one of a small handful of times that Rabastan had ever voiced those words ‘I love you’ before. The first time had been just after the bust up at the Malfoy Ball, when Draco had caught him comforting Theo and Rodolphus had overheard the wrong thing and had jumped to conclusions. Harry always made sure not to draw too much attention to such heartfelt words, though he was hearing those words more and more often now and he adored it. He gave Rabastan a look of utter devotion and love and bent forward to kiss him, chastely, on the lips before turning back to his late dinner, though he didn’t pick up his knife again, instead he kept his spare hand on Rabastan’s knee, touching lightly and caressing with his thumb.

“Do you boys have homework to do?” Lucius asked him and Draco, cutting through Harry’s self-made bubble.

Harry blinked and turned around to look at Lucius…he had actually forgotten that he and Rabastan weren’t alone together.
The startled look on his face as he turned and saw other people at the table with them made Xerxes laugh and Lucius chuckle.

“I asked if you had homework to do, Harry.” Lucius prompted.

“I do.” Draco complained. “The Professors gave us so much homework that I’m not going to have a single free moment!”

“I’m on such a light workload that I finished all of my set homework and handed it in before I came home.” Harry said. “I have a few books to read off of Marcus, but we’re actually not going to stop our lessons, he’ll be coming here, if you are agreeable, to carry on our tutoring sessions while I have more time to dedicate to what he is teaching me.”

“That is a very mature decision to make.” Narcissa said approvingly. “I am also very happy to hear that you’ve agreed to cut down on your work load in order to give yourself more time to rest and heal.”

Harry nodded. “I’ve had more energy and I’ve felt better since I cut down on my work load.” He said happily. “I’m starting to feel more like myself again.”

“That is very good news.” Lucius insisted happily.

Harry nodded his agreement. “Yes, I was thinking, if I carry on like this, you know getting better and feeling better, then maybe I could pick up a bit more homework when I go back for the new term.”

Several people groaned around the table.

“What?” He asked confusedly.

“We have been trying, fruitlessly it seems, to get you to understand how important your health is.” Lucius told him. “You feel marginally better and immediately you speak of running yourself back into the ground.”

“Oh, no, I never meant it like that. I meant taking on just slightly more at a time, starting with the subjects that I find more difficult.”

“Why?” Draco demanded as if he were stupid.

“Because the more I work on it and the more I do for those subjects, the more I’ll understand and they won’t be so difficult anymore.” Harry explained. “I’ll get better at them and hold more understanding and I’ll actually learn something.”

“Do not push yourself.” Lucius warned him. “You have all the time you need to catch up during the summer, once you’ve been declared healthy.”

Harry sighed. “I just want to do well.”

“You are doing well.” Lucius told him patiently. “You are doing so much better than anyone ever expected of you. You have time to catch back up with your school work, not just in the last term, but next year too, just focus completely on your health for now, Harry. It is the most important thing here.”

“Lucius is right.” Rabastan told him, giving him a soft smile and a gentle touch. “When I heard that you were sickly and going for that full check up at the hospital I was worried for you, then you came back and it was much worse than we could have ever thought of, then you got the flu on top of that too, you just…you just need to calm down, Harry. You need more rest, more help and support. Just let yourself heal first.”

Harry sighed, but he smiled. “Okay. I’ll be a little more relaxed, but there are certain subjects that I just can’t afford to fall behind in, if I fell behind in Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Potions or Transfiguration now, then I’d never be able to pick back up the momentum that I had. I need to stay ahead of those four subjects if I have any chance of passing my NEWT exams next year. Charms isn’t too difficult and neither is Herbology. I’m going to walk Defence, as always, and History of Magic has always been a complete joke, but those four are my top problem subjects and I can’t afford to let them slide away from me.”

“What you cannot afford to do is to fall sick again.” Narcissa told him firmly. “You will do so if you do not give yourself the time that you need to rest and to heal. You had a very serious diagnosis just two months ago, darling. Such a thing was very shocking for all of us, but it must have been more so for you. It is not an easy thing to hear, that such a serious condition has been lingering unnoticed, that it could have been fatal. There is no need to hide behind your school work or to hide your reaction or your emotions to this news, it is very upsetting and you have every right to feel that way.”

Harry’s heart missed a beat as Narcissa hit the proverbial nail on the head. He averted his gaze and sighed.

“I just want to forget about it.” He admitted softly. “I don’t want to think about it.”

“You need to, sweetheart.” She told him. “I know it’s difficult, it must be hurting you to think of such things, but you can’t just ignore it. It won’t go away just because you’re not thinking about it. You’ll do yourself more damage by not looking after yourself.”

“I am taking the potions.” He insisted. “I suppose it’s just difficult to admit that it’s affecting every part of my life, that it might have ended up taking my life if I’d let it or never found out.”

“You do not need to dwell on such thoughts.” Lucius told him. “The illness, and the damage that it had done, was found, Harry. It is being rectified and you are healing. That is all you need to think about now.”

Harry nodded with a small smile. “It is difficult to think and speak of, but I am getting better the more used to it I get. Knowing that it could all be healed in a few more months is all that is keeping me from having a mini meltdown.” He admitted.

“You would be entitled to have a ‘mini meltdown’ as you have phrased it.” Lucius told him gently. “Do not underestimate how very serious this condition is. It is very severe and rather shocking, it would be understandable that you might be struggling a little with the knowledge of it or with the gruelling potions regime that you need to stick to in order to heal yourself. Anyone would be finding things a little difficult, Harry, that is why I want you to slow down and to take things a little easier.”

Harry nodded glumly.

“You don’t need to stress about it for the next few weeks.” Draco told him, trying to cheer him up. “You have no homework, nothing to really do except put up with Marcus and his lessons, just relax and recover a little bit while you can.”

Harry nodded then and he shifted just slightly closer to Rabastan for comfort. Rabastan who immediately put down his knife and fork and turned to him, laying one hand over his shoulders and raising his other hand to touch his face.

“You’re going to be just fine.” He said calmly, that deep, resonating voice soothing him. “We’re all going to look after you.”

Harry smiled and he shifted his chair right up flush to Rabastan’s and he snuggled in as close as he could.

“Harry, finish your meal please, you need to eat.” Narcissa told him.

Harry nodded, but instead of moving back, he pulled his plate closer and he ate right next to Rabastan, touching him under the table as he brushed his shoulder against Rabastan’s side and knocked their knees together.
Rabastan chuckled, but he didn’t move away or discourage him from what he was doing for which Harry was very grateful as he needed a small bit of comfort for himself. It was still difficult for him to come to terms with all that had happened and though he’d always known that the Dursleys hadn’t liked him and hadn’t treated him well in any capacity of a decent human being, he had never once thought of the possibility that they might have actually killed him. It might have been a death through a disease that they probably didn’t know that he had either, but it didn’t matter to him, he had not believed that the abuse he had been put through could have ever led to his death in any way. It was a very rude awakening that he found himself sat here, dwelling on the fact that they could have been implicit in his own premature death. He found the thought cold and disquieting.
After dinner he was back on one of the settees in the front parlour with Rabastan, his body practically melded to the other man as he laid his head over the strong heartbeat. It reminded him that though Rabastan might be physically weak because of his incarceration, he was still alive. It had helped him in recent months to lay his hand over Rabastan’s chest and to just feel his heart beating strong and surely, so at odds with his appearance and physical limitations. It had always been the same with his voice too…that voice that had always been so deep and so steady.

“Are you asleep?” Rabastan whispered so quietly that Harry wondered if he had actually heard it at all and wasn’t just imagining it.

He chuckled. “No. I’m just enjoying being able to touch you again.”

“I won’t dissuade you then.”

Harry could almost hear the smile to go with those words and he rolled his head to look up at his Fiancé. The soft look that he was getting didn’t fit into the picture of a murdering monster that the Daily Prophet had printed in January of last year, when Rabastan had first been liberated.
He remembered reading the article that had been front page news and he remembered the things that had been said about Rabastan, what he’d done to Frank and Alice Longbottom, Neville’s parents. He remembered what words had been used to describe him, cold and cruel and merciless. It struck very close to what the Prophet had been calling him ever since the trial and sentencing of Dennis Jute. How he was being called exactly the same, not for torturing two people into insanity, but merely for sentencing a man to prison for the vile attack he’d carried out in Muggle Kent on defenceless people who had been hurt in the attack and now suffered with a decreased quality of life as a result.
His point was that the Prophet had been saying how much of a monster that Rabastan was, how dangerous and deranged, but as he looked up at that soft look, the adoring smile and those dark blue eyes…it reminded him that not everything was always so black and white, that people were not black and white. Rabastan might have been able to torture two people, but hadn’t he himself gone to cast the Cruciatus curse, one of the Unforgivables and incidentally the same spell used to torture the Longbottoms, on Bellatrix Lestrange? So truly, how was he any better than Rabastan or Rodolphus? How could he claim to be so white and pure and light when, given the right circumstance, he had gone to do exactly the same as the both of them. He had been more than willing to torture and kill Bellatrix for Sirius’ death, it was just that Rabastan and Rodolphus felt exactly the same way about Voldemort and when faced with losing someone that they considered important to them, they had gone after those who they deemed necessary and he had done exactly the same when he had lost Sirius.

“You’re thinking incredibly hard, you’re frowning.” Rabastan told him with his own frown. “Are you okay?”

Harry, his thoughts broken, looked up at those blue eyes that he loved so much and he smiled.

“Don’t worry about me, I’m fine. Sometimes I just lose myself in overthinking everything when really the answer is rather quite simple.”

“Oh?” Rabastan replied questioningly. “And what simple answer have you come to?” He asked.

“That I love you.” Harry said with a wider smile. “Two sides of a coin are still just the one coin. It doesn’t matter what method we use to get somewhere, if the end result is exactly the same.”

He slipped back into his thoughts for a moment as he said those words out loud…truly he and Rabastan were two sides of a coin, but the same coin nonetheless. Perhaps the lines between them were blurring a little as they melded closer together, but they were still the same just in different ways. After all, he had blown off Rowle’s leg and then left him to bleed to death on the bathroom floor. True the threat of him being eaten alive had shocked and terrified him, but he hadn’t done anything to stop anyone from going to do it either, truly what did that make him if not the monster that the Prophet had been claiming that Rabastan was.
He smiled and looked back up at Rabastan, lifting a hand to touch that rough skinned, chiselled jaw and he let his thumb caress patterns onto the strong chin.

“You mean the world to me.” He said gently. “I’d do anything for you.”

Rabastan looked rather confused, as this had seemingly come out of the blue to him, who was not privy to Harry’s thoughts and didn’t know exactly how deeply Harry was thinking, or about what.

“I feel the same way about you.” Rabastan replied. “I feel like I’m missing several links and key points here, but as you said, if the end result is exactly the same…”

Harry chuckled then and he grinned happily. “If the end result is the same.” He echoed, feeling much better as he lifted himself up to kiss Rabastan as deeply as he dared with several family members in the room with them.
Rabastan grinned so happily at him then and his arms wrapped around him more securely, boxing Harry in on all sides as Harry buried his face into Rabastan’s robes and held him back tightly, smiling at the flesh he could feel under his hands. Rabastan was not quite so bony anymore and he was filling out nicely. Very soon this ‘recovery’ stage of their lives would be behind the both of them and their future looked bright and happy. It would start as soon as he was out of Hogwarts, once he’d graduated, and he could spend as much time with Rabastan as he possibly could then. They would be married in that July, and then they could truly start their lives in earnest, together, as they both desired.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ X

That very next afternoon Harry’s happiness of the night before had all but evaporated and their tempers were sorely tested when Rabastan insisted on not leaving him and Marcus alone to study.
They were using the first floor drawing room and though they had a coffee table separating them as per usual, Rabastan still didn’t want to leave them to it.
Marcus had tried to ignore Rabastan, to pretend that he wasn’t there and carry on as usual, but with every quip and barb that Marcus made towards Harry, Rabastan growled and threatened to end Marcus’ miserable life.

“Rabastan.” Harry sighed tiredly. “This is going to take several hours if you don’t stop.” He tried. “Just go find Rodolphus and leave us be and I will find you when we’re done.”

“I’m not leaving you alone with him.” Rabastan said tightly.

“We’re always alone at Hogwarts, locked away in Harry’s private rooms. You’re never there then, are you?” Marcus taunted.

Harry watched Rabastan’s fists clench tight, his arms shaking with the strain.

“Just stop.” Harry tried, sighing in exhaustion. “I’ve only recently taken a calcium potion and I just do not have the energy for this. I need these tutoring sessions, Rabastan or I’m going to fail miserably when my exams come around. I can’t do several things at once and I just really need to focus on this for now. Please, just let me sort this.”

“I’m not leaving.”

“Then just shut up and stop interrupting.” Marcus demanded. “Harry, here.”

Harry took the handmade worksheets that Marcus handed to him and he set them down. He picked up his quill and set to work on translating or code breaking the Runes. The code breakers were the worst, as he had to move the sequence of Runes that Marcus had given him into a combination that wouldn’t blow him into smithereens if ever he were to actually carve them. There were a handful of combinations that created different results, but Marcus was looking for just the one, specific combination and next to the sequence of Runes was just one word…such a silence, lock, warm etc. and he had to use the Runes given to him to put them into a sequence that would give him the result that Marcus was looking for…it was insanely difficult and he needed all of his concentration just to figure it out…with two stony silent men glaring daggers hatefully at one another over his head, it was nearly impossible as the tension in the room was so thick that Harry felt that he could choke on it.
His head throbbed painfully and he had to close his eyes as he went so dizzy that he would have started swaying where he sat.
He heard Rabastan growl and heard a barely there chuckle from Marcus and he was so done.

“If you can’t even stop so I can concentrate on my work then there is just no point in me doing this!” He snapped. “I can’t concentrate while under the effects of these potions at the best of times without these fucking distractions too!” He screamed. “You obviously can’t stay in the same room with one another, so just leave me alone!”

Harry slumped forward and bumped his head on the table, just resting as his world tilted with his anger.
Rabastan was just there then, holding his shoulders and checking to make sure that he wasn’t unconscious.

“Are you okay?” He asked and his voice was…odd. He was so worried that his voice was strained and it could be heard as he spoke.

“I hate these potions so much.” Harry said miserably.

“This is why I didn’t want to leave you.” Rabastan said tightly.

“You’re the one who caused it.” Marcus said angrily. “He has never reacted like this before when we’re at Hogwarts!”

“Be very careful what you say to me you…”

“Just stop!” Harry interjected once more. “Just stop, I can’t take…I can’t do this, okay?! I need you to both stop.”

He stood up and he left, locking his knees and straightening his back. He went to find Lucius and he almost humiliated himself by losing his feet as he stumbling into the room where he was sat with Rodolphus and Xerxes. They had been mid conversation when he all but fell through the door.

“Harry?!” Lucius said, rather alarmed. “Are you alright, what has happened? Where is Rabastan?”

“They’re being stupid cavemen!” He complained as he allowed Lucius to help him wobble to a seat and he held a hand to his spinning head. “I’ve just taken the calcium potion not an hour ago and I can barely concentrate as it is, I don’t have the energy or the mental capacity to deal with it. If they want to fight with each other then fine, good luck to them both, but I can’t be near them.”

“Where is Rabastan now?” Rodolphus asked him.

“Still with Marcus…they’re probably beating each other with clubs and grunting over who is better.”

Harry’s bottom lip trembled and he was just so tired and so fed up that he couldn’t prevent himself from bursting into noisy, messy tears. He did hide his face in his hands though.

“Harry? What is the matter?” Lucius asked as he stood and held him close, pressing Harry’s head into his chest and smoothing his hair gently.

“I just can’t take it anymore!” He cried. “I can’t deal with the potions and their after effects, I can’t keep doing it and staying strong! I need all my concentration just to focus on anything and they’re just there, sniping and bitching at one another as I’m trying to do the work given to me and I can’t have that when I’m on the potions. It makes me dizzy and drowsy on its own, without anyone fighting over my head and distracting me.” He hiccupped and sniffled, trying to regain control of himself and failing. “I’m not doing anything wrong! I just want to do the Runes work, but it’s difficult enough with the potions and I need the support of other people too. I can’t do it if I have them fighting over my head. It’s hard enough and I just can’t do it.”

He turned in Lucius’ arms and he held on and just let himself cry. Rodolphus stood up and the furious look on his face would have been frightening if he didn’t give him a gentle, soft touch as he scratched his nails over Harry’s scalp for a moment before he stormed off out of the room.
Harry cried himself out for several more minutes before calming down and just taking some comfort for himself as he stayed in Lucius’ arms and started breathing deeply and calmly, regaining himself and his composure.

“Do you feel better?” Lucius asked him.

Harry nodded mutely, still not letting go.

“You must have a headache now, do you want a headache reliever and a cup of tea?”

Harry nodded again and pulled back slowly, rubbing his face with the sleeve of his jumper, getting rid of his tears. His face was itchy now though, because of his crying fit.

“Pimsey.” Lucius called out, waiting only a moment before the house-elf came into the room.

“Master called for Pimsey.”

“Tea and an adolescent headache reliever.” Lucius said as he focused on Harry and used a handkerchief to mop up what parts of his face that Harry had missed with his sleeve.

The house-elf came back with a serving tray, with three cups, milk, sugar and a teapot, complete with tea cosy, and one vial of potion.
Lucius took the vial from the tray and he handed it to Harry.

“Yet another potion to swallow.” He grunted as he unstoppered it. “Is it okay to take it considering I had one this morning?”

“It is fine to take them six hours apart.” Lucius told him. “As long as you don’t make a habit of it, there shouldn’t be any lasting effects.”

Harry knocked the potion back as Lucius made him a cup of tea just how he liked it. As soon as he swallowed the potion down, he took the tea and sipped at it, holding it in his mouth to help take away the bitter taste.
It took just minutes for the potion to work and he could feel the headache ebb away under the effects of the potent potion as surely as the tea washed away the lingering taste. His life was all about swallowing potions these days. He sighed heavily and allowed himself a small amount of comfort as he turned back to cuddle with Lucius in place of Rabastan, who had been one of the causes of his little meltdown to begin with.

“Do you feel better?” Xerxes asked him, looking at him seriously, with a hint of concern.

Harry nodded. “Much better, but I’m very tired now. The crying wore me out.” He said, disgusted with himself.

“I would imagine that that had been building for a while, am I correct?” Lucius asked him.

Harry nodded miserably. “I think so. I’ve been feeling the need to just let go and cry for a while but I keep squashing it down, usually with anger. Anger comes to me easily.”

“Truly? We hadn’t noticed.” Xerxes said dryly.

That made Harry crack a smile and he chuckled a bit wetly.

“Though it nice to see you displaying a different emotion other than anger for a change.” Xerxes told him. “Even if seeing your tears was truly heart wrenching, I’m sure that is why ‘Dolphus booked it out of here so quickly. He never was good with such displays, he’s likely gone to knock Marcus and Basti’s heads together.”

“He won’t hurt either of them will he?” Harry asked, holding his cup between both hands and occasionally sipping at it.

“Oh, most certainly.” Xerxes nodded and it took Harry a moment to realise that Xerxes hadn’t given a general disagreement as most people would have, but had actually confirmed his words.

“I…but he won’t hurt, hurt them?” Harry said worriedly, lowering his cup and looking at the door as if he could see through it to the drawing room just down the hallway.

“He won’t kill them, but he has grown fond of you, in his own way. Seeing you in tears would not have sat right with him and in his mind, he has gone to sort the problem at the source in the only way that he knows how…with violence.”

Harry was saved from answering by a knock on the door before Marcus walked in.

“Are you well enough to carry on our lesson?” He asked, showing no sign that he’d been butting heads with Rabastan or had been confronted by Rodolphus. He wasn’t physically harmed in any way that could be seen and he didn’t seem mentally injured either. Harry relaxed himself a bit.

“Yes, I feel better now.”

“Good, come here and finish these worksheets off, you’ve made a good start.”

Harry was almost relieved that Marcus was his usual, caustic self and he slipped to the floor with his half full cup of tea and he pulled the worksheet back towards himself.
Lucius and Xerxes were near silent as they spoke to one another, Lucius having stood up and moved closer to the other man to give the two of them a chance to talk quietly while leaving Harry and Marcus to work in peace.

“No! What are you doing?” Marcus told him sharply. “Do you want to blow off your own arm?! Remember back to our first couple of lessons, Harry, you never put those two Runes next to each other. You know this! I drilled it into your head over and over, an emotional breakdown does not excuse you from stupid mistakes.”

Harry frowned and rubbed his head. “I knew there was something important about those two Runes. I couldn’t remember if it was the correct answer or one of the explosive combinations.”

“Always assume that it is the latter!” Marcus told him sternly. “Then you check for yourself to make sure. Never put any combination together if you aren’t sure of the result and even if you are sure, you check before carving them or you’ll end up dead or missing limbs.”

Harry nodded. He knew that, he should have known. He squeezed his hand into a fist and he rubbed the side of it over his forehead. He was frustrated with himself more than anything.
He drew a thin, clear line through the Runes that he’d drawn and he started again, staying away from the dangerous combination. He did notice that Marcus was behaving himself a little more under the watchful gaze of Lord Malfoy and Lord Lestrange, Harry’s adoptive family and his soon to be in-laws. He was still just as abrasive and firm on him as always, but Harry did notice that the foul language had dropped off and so too had the insults to his intelligence. Harry found himself missing them in a way, because they had become familiar to him, because he had come to associate them with Marcus and his Runes lessons. It was odd that they were absent, but in the peace and quiet, Harry was able to concentrate and get through his worksheets at a nice, steady pace. As he finished one of the sheets, he would put it down and Marcus would pick it up and start marking it as if it were an actual exam and then, once all of the sheets were completed, to wind down the lesson, Marcus would talk him through his marks and why he got less on some questions than expected or what he was doing right.

“We have a little more time than usual to dedicate to your lessons if you wanted, now that you’re out of school for a fortnight. You said that you had no homework?”

Harry shook his head. “No. I’m on a very light workload.”

Marcus nodded. “I will see you early evening in three days then, the first thing I will be doing will be quizzing you on the dangerous pair combinations that we’ve already covered. I want them all listed and exactly why they can’t ever be paired together, understood?”

Harry nodded. “Yes. I do know them, I swear. It was just a stupid mistake caused by distraction.”

“Distractions while working with Runes often end in death, Harry.” Marcus told him seriously.

Harry nodded. “I know, I remember. I suppose it’s a good thing that I’m not ready to start messing with actual Runes just yet.”

“Make sure that you don’t mess with them.” Marcus told him.

“I won’t.” Harry assured him seriously. “You’ve taught me well the dangers of them, I’m not ready.”

Marcus nodded his head and then collected up all the paperwork, leaving his worksheets to put in his folder with the rest so that he could use them as revision or as notes for his actual lessons at Hogwarts.

“I will see you in three days then.”

Harry nodded and stood up, holding out his hand politely. They shook hands like adults and Harry smiled.

“Thank you.” He said gratefully.

“Any time, just make sure you keep to your theory practice.”

“I will.” Harry nodded.

Marcus left quickly after a polite nod of his own to both Lucius and Xerxes and then he was gone and Harry was able to sit back on the settee and just blow out a big breath and relax.

“That certainly was eye opening.” Xerxes said. “To see how passionate young Flint is over such things and how quickly you can learn under his tutelage. You’d never think to see you now that you’d only been studying Runes for just six months. It’s outstanding.”

“Marcus truly is a genius with Runes.” Harry smiled tiredly. “It’s why it has to be him and no one else who tutors me. He has an understanding of them that many just don’t seem to be able to comprehend. I don’t think even Professor Babbling can compare to Marcus. He has caught me up with what I need to know and given me a good base understanding of several advanced branches in just a few months with just one lesson a week for two or three hours per lesson. No one else could have done it. No one.”

“After what I’ve just witnessed I am inclined to agree with you.” Lucius nodded. “It pleases me to see you doing so well with such a new subject.”

Harry smiled tiredly and he raised his hand back to his head and rubbed gently.

“You still have that headache?” Lucius asked concernedly as he immediately picked up on his movements.

“Hmm? Oh, no. I’m just thinking. I’m tired more than anything now. I usually start slowing down and getting a little drowsy about now, it’s normal. Well, it’s not, but it is for me at the moment.” He amended. “The calcium potion always affects me like this.”

“Take some quiet time to just relax and unwind from your tutoring lesson and see how you feel in a little while.” Lucius told him.

Harry nodded and he summoned the book that he was almost finished with from the coffee table, too lazy and too comfortable to sit forward and pick it up. Both men chuckled as Harry did this, but he paid it no mind, opening the book to his bookmark and finding the paragraph that he had left off on, picking it back up and carrying on reading.
He could easily block out the soft, quiet voices of Lucius and Xerxes as they spoke, occasionally a louder sentence or mutual laughter would interrupt his quiet bubble, but he didn’t let that bother him as he curled up on the settee and took a bit of time for himself…that had been getting rarer lately too, just taking a bit of time for himself, everything was always about his health or his recovery or the mountain of homework that he had to do, even the joy of having a nice soak in the bath had been taken away with the daily necessity for a bath that the nutrient potions caused because of the terrible night sweats. The summer couldn’t come soon enough in his opinion.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ X

Rabastan had apologised to him for his behaviour, but he was still rather quiet…he became downright sullen when Harry answered his question of when Marcus was coming next with a curt, three days.
Rodolphus cleared his throat noisily and Harry saw the evil glare that he sent his younger brother, who sneered and turned away, obviously ignoring whatever warning his brother was giving to him.
Harry did not have the energy to spare for this, nor the concentration, so he ignored Rabastan and struck up a light conversation with Draco instead. After they’d eaten dinner, Harry held Draco’s wrist and pulled him to the sitting room in his bedroom.

“What’s going on? You were so excited to spend all your time with Rabastan.” Draco asked once they were settled. “I didn’t think I’d get a look in of your time while we were home.”

Harry sighed and shook his head. “He doesn’t want me to have tutoring with Marcus.”

“I thought you got over all of that just after Christmas.” Draco said.

“I thought that we had, but he refused to leave us alone to work and he and Marcus started bitching and fighting over my head. I couldn’t concentrate because of the calcium potion and there was so much going on that I got dizzy. This can’t keep happening, Draco. I can’t go through life afraid to talk to anyone or go near anyone for fear that he’s going to get angry or leave me. It’s not right. He needs to be able to trust me as I trust him. He’ll insist that it’s the others that he doesn’t trust, but I’m not so sure that it is anymore. I’ve proven over and over that I can look after myself if need be, no one is going to get to hurt me, so why else would he behave like this unless it’s me that he doesn’t trust? I’m just so sick of it, how many more times do I need to reassure him that I love him and I’m not going to do anything with anyone else?”

Harry rubbed his hands over his face and he sighed heavily.

“I’ve had enough, Draco. I’m not well as it is, I can’t handle this stress on top of everything else. I need him to just stop doing this to me, to us!” Harry sighed. “I love him, is that never going to be enough?”

“I don’t know, Harry. I’ll find out for you.”

Harry sighed and shook his head. “Don’t worry, it has to be something that we do ourselves, I’m just not in the mood today after everything. I’m going to rest a bit more and then get to bed nice and early so that I can try to recover from this afternoon.”

“Did it make you sick?”

“No, it nearly did. I was so dizzy that I was stumbling around all over the place, I am surprised that I wasn’t actually sick now, thinking back to it. That would have completely ruined everything.”

“Do you want anything now?” Draco asked worriedly.

Harry shook his head. “No. It’s early still, but I think reading out here for a bit and then going to bed will be for the best.”

“You have your nutrient potion here with you?”

Harry nodded. “Yes, I’m all set.”

Draco stood and touched Harry’s hand. “I’ll sort this…if Xerxes and Rodolphus haven’t done so already.”

Harry smiled. “Rodolphus has been rather…vocal, in his thoughts today.”

“He likes you.” Draco told him simply. “You’ve obviously won him around and he now believes that you are what’s best for his brother, so he’s not going to stand by and watch his idiot of a brother throw away the greatest thing that’s ever happened to him.”

Harry blushed at that, immediately, before he could even think to control his reaction. He moaned in embarrassment and Draco laughed.

“You are the greatest thing to have ever happened to him, and if he could pull his head from his arse for a single moment then he’d be able to see it too, like the rest of us can.”

“I’m just…I’m sick to the back teeth of all of this, Draco. I think we get over it and it’s put behind us and then I dare to go near another man for whatever reason and it all blows up in my face again. It can’t keep happening and I just can’t keep dealing with it. It’s just not fair.”

“Don’t fret over it, Harry. Let me sort this, with Rodolphus’ help, and we’ll put him straight again. You just focus on yourself for a little while, you need to heal.”

Harry nodded and he curled up on the settee, tucking his feet up under his bum. Draco stood and patted his shoulder and he left the room.
The blond was furious that Rabastan had upset Harry yet again and he wasn’t going to stand for it any more. Either Rabastan woke up and saw Harry for the wonderful young man that he was and treated him with the respect and love that he deserved or Draco would throttle him and then focus on finding someone more fitting, more worthy for his younger brother.
He found Rodolphus first on his hunt and he stopped, hoping to get the older man on Harry’s side and to sort his brother out once and for all.

“Where is your brother?”

“I’ve already told him he’s being stupid.” Rodolphus said, looking up from what he was doing to look at him. “He already knows that he’s done wrong and he’ll make it up to Harry in the morning.”

“He can’t keep doing this, Rodolphus, it’s killing Harry inside. He’s going to walk if this carries on.”

“How serious is he about that?”

“He doesn’t want to. Merlin knows that he doesn’t, but he will if this carries on. He’s no doormat to be walked on and he’s stubborn and determined enough to do it, even if it hurts initially. He’s not going to stand to be treated this way, Rodolphus. If Rabastan wants him, then he has to stop this behaviour, Harry is doing nothing wrong and treating him like he is, it is going to drive him away. We all believed that this issue of Rabastan’s was resolved, Harry believed that he’d sorted this out already and to have this blow up in his face yet again. He’s sick and tired of it and if it carries on, he’ll call off the wedding.”

“That would destroy Rabastan.” Rodolphus sighed.

“He’s doing it to himself.” Draco said, not in the least bit sympathetic having come from his talk with Harry. “Harry adores him, you’d have to be blind not to see it. You know, he spends half his time at Hogwarts talking about Rabastan and the other half wishing that he was with him and he has actually started kissing his engagement ring like a fool! He loves Rabastan so much and having that constantly thrown back in his face is destroying him. It can’t carry on, Rodolphus. I know you can see it too.”

Rodolphus sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He eventually nodded. “I see it, of course. I’d see that even if I was blind. The way they speak to one another and how they ignore everyone else around them is a huge indicator to their inherent chemistry. It would be devastating if they broke up, because they do love one another. Rabastan is just so insecure and Flint did kiss Harry before, while Rabastan was at a low point and thinking that their betrothal contract was going to be revoked.”

“It was on the cheek and it was done to spur Rabastan into action, of which it did.” Draco said firmly, not allowing that to be used as an excuse. “Marcus now has his own betrothal and Harry is still just as in love with Rabastan as he always has been. He has done nothing wrong, Rodolphus and Rabastan cannot hide behind his insecurities and lash out at him just because he’s feeling threatened by others. It is unacceptable behaviour and Harry doesn’t deserve to be treated in such a way. Sort it out or the next time will be once too many and Harry will break off their engagement. He’s already at his limit because he’s sick and stressed, this is not helping him!”

Rodolphus looked up, a steely glint in his dark eyes. “Leave it with me. I can’t say that this isn’t going to happen again, with others, but I will make Rabastan see that Marcus isn’t a threat.”

“Make sure that you do. Harry is upset over this and I’m not having it. He’s very ill and he could have died! I will not watch him wither away because of this!”

Rodolphus watched the Malfoy boy storm off and he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose again. He tucked away the parchment reports that he had been looking over for the Dark Lord and he took the folder with him as he went hunting down his brother. He stopped off at his room here at Malfoy manor, putting the folder away safely from the prying eyes of the two young boys living here, before he went next door to see if his brother was wallowing in his room instead of trying to fix things with his own Fiancé. He was, which only angered him more.

“What are you doing?” He demanded.

Rabastan looked up at him then went back to staring at the floor.

“Enough, Rabastan.” Rodolphus demanded furiously. “Do you hate Harry that much?”

Immediately he had his brother up in his face, baring his teeth.

“How dare you say that! I love him!”

Rodolphus shoved Rabastan back hard, sending him back into the seat that he’d leapt up from.

“Then how about actually showing that you love him instead of being this pathetic, insecure mess that keeps hurting him! He is seriously unwell, Basti, what are you playing at?”

“I hate that Flint boy!”

“No you don’t, you’d never even met the boy until the Parkinsons party. This is all because he showed the slightest bit of interest in Harry and you felt threatened by it. You need to get used to it, he’s a good looking boy, he’s powerful, rich, he has two Lordships and all at just sixteen. People are going to show an interest in him for any or all of those reasons, they’re going to flirt with him or touch him and there is nothing that you can do about it. There’s nothing that anyone can do about that!”

“I love him so much.” Rabastan said dejectedly.

“And he loves you! Why do you keep missing that important point? He loves you, Rabastan. He doesn’t want anyone else, he picked you, so get your head out from your arse and treat him properly! He deserves respect, he deserves your trust.”

“I don’t know why he’d even want me.” Rabastan said miserably as he looked at his own arms, feeling along the one, picking out every miniscule flaw.

“Love is about more than physical appearance, do not insult him by suggesting that he doesn’t love you because of the way you look as you will come across as calling him shallow when he is not.” Rodolphus told him. “He doesn’t care what you look like, Rabastan, he cares for how you treat him, which is why this issue is hurting him the most. Because you are treating him poorly and he’s had enough of being treated like an animal from when he was with those Muggle beasts!”

Rabastan’s eyes flashed dangerously. “I would never abuse him as those vile beasts did!”

“Oh, but you are getting very close to treating him how they did.” Rodolphus said, his jaw set furiously. “How long before your tongue gets away from you and you start calling him all sorts? How long before he speaks to the wrong person and you hit him for it? How long before someone touches him and you start locking him up and away from anyone and everyone who might touch or talk to him? Enough is enough, Rabastan, you can’t treat him like this, he is not a possession that you own and you can’t control him or those around him. People are bound to flirt with him and try their luck, but he loves you, so he will rebuff them and come right back to you.”

“But what if he doesn’t?”

“He will.” Rodolphus said firmly. “He might have a soft head and a softer heart, but I’ve gotten fond of him. It is because of that soft heart that he will come back to you. He loves you, Basti, do you not understand what that means?”

“I do understand, I just can’t believe it.”

“You need to start trusting him and the things he says!” Rodolphus said firmly. “I would kill to have what you do with him! If you want to we can swap, you can have a Wife that you can’t fucking stand and no hope of ever having a child and I will have a beautiful, young boy who truly loves me, who fawns all over me, who is willing to give me several sons. He is so good for you, he supports you, he helps you, he loves you, so what the fuck is your problem, Rabastan?”

“You don’t like boys.” Rabastan told him. Rodolphus wanted to curse him, in fact his fingers actually flexed towards his wand and he had to clench his hands into fists to prevent himself from doing so.

“I think you just missed the point entirely.” He said, not allowing his brother to squirm out of this talk.

“I just…I just want him. I love him so much. I don’t want to lose him.”

“This is your response?” Rodolphus demanded. “You carry on in this way, Rabastan, then you are going to send him running for the hills. This is not the way to keep him! The tighter you hold on, the further you’ll push him away. You can’t treat him like a prisoner.”

Rabastan flinched at that connection and Rodolphus had finally found the way into his brother’s thick skull.

“I’m not treating him like a prisoner!” Rabastan denied vehemently.

“Not yet you’re not, but how long will it take, carrying on in this manner, before you start locking him up and keeping watch over him at all times? Checking who visits him or what letters he’s writing and to whom? He’ll end up being your prisoner, not your Husband. But it won’t ever get that far…”

“No, it won’t!” Rabastan cut in.

“It won’t get that far because Harry is an intelligent little fluff head. He won’t let himself be treated in such an appalling manner and he will break off your engagement before it reaches that point! Sort yourself out, Rabastan and decide what you truly want more, before you lose him, the best thing that has ever happened to you.”

Rodolphus considered his point well-made and he left his brother’s bedroom. He was so angry at him for not seeing what the rest of them did. He was angry because Draco was absolutely right, Harry would leave before things got that bad, before Rabastan had a chance to do as such yet again, and he didn’t want to see that happen.
He went to the opposite side of the same floor of the manor and he went to check in on Harry. Harry who was still awake, but already in his pyjamas, who looked absolutely awful.

“You okay?” He grunted, a little uncomfortable with this interaction. Since Azkaban he could count on a single hand the amount of people he had spoken to who wasn’t a member of his family. That was not going to stop him however, he just needed to get used to it a little more.

Harry gave him a tired smile. “I’m okay, Rodolphus.”

“You sure? You look…” He cut himself off before he insulted the young boy and made the situation worse.

Harry just chuckled, not in the least bit offended because he wasn’t as vain as the majority of Purebloods who would take offense at such a small thing. “I look bad, I know. It’s been a rough day. Anger always makes me feel worse and forcing myself to concentrate makes me tired…well, more tired than the calcium potion makes me in the first place, but I’m okay, Rodolphus, I just need an early night and I’ll be better by tomorrow.”

“Those potions have some very severe after effects.”

Harry nodded. “They’re very serious potions.” He countered. “I am very sick, Rodolphus. I can’t…I can’t afford to hold Rabastan’s hand through his insecurities when I have done nothing wrong. I’m too ill to fight, I’m too tired to carry on reassuring him that I’m faithful, that I love him, every time I come into contact with another male. As everyone keeps telling me, I need to put my health first, before anything else, even if that means cutting off Rabastan.”

“You don’t want to do that.”

“No, I don’t. Look, I know he’s your younger brother and you’re very protective of him, Rodolphus, but he is draining me of everything and with the diagnosis I had in January, I can’t keep wasting energy on this.” Harry threw a hand through his hair and it immediately stuck up in odd directions, staying in place instead of dropping back down like normal hair. “I love him so much, I just wish that he’d believe me. I can’t go through my life fearing what he’ll do if I speak to other men, it’s not fair and it’s ridiculous and I can’t spare the energy at the moment, not until the summer at least.”

“You seem to be under the impression that I’m on Rabastan’s side in this.”

“Aren’t you always?” Harry said easily, with no heat and a small smile.

“Not always and not in this.” Rodolphus said firmly. “He’s out of order and I’ve already told him so.”

“Whether he listens or not is another matter entirely.” Harry said tiredly.

“He’ll listen.” Rodolphus insisted. “I’ll make him.”

Harry sighed and Rodolphus swore that he went three shades paler when he moved himself on the settee.

“You’re not going to pass out?” He asked concernedly.

Harry gave him a knowing smile. “No. I’m just very tired. I was just about to get to bed when you knocked. I’ve already taken the nutrient potion, but it’s settled wrong on my belly and I feel a bit queasy.”

“Drink ginger tea or have a few ginger biscuits.” Rodolphus told him. “It worked for me in the first few months after our liberation, when I had to swallow a different potion every two hours just to adjust to the world outside of the prison and the combination of them used to make me feel so sick that I couldn’t eat, which was obviously bad for my recovery and diet programme. I tried a few things and ginger just before or just after taking the potions helped immensely.”

Rodolphus took off out of Harry’s room as quickly as he had Rabastan’s, but not before he heard the quiet, heartfelt ‘thank you’ from Harry behind him. He cursed himself as a sentimental fool, perhaps Rabastan wasn’t the only one that Harry was making soft just by being around after all. The wretched little fluff head that he was.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ X

A/N: I believe that this chapter will now be the last update of this year, I have far too much to do in the remaining three weeks and there is too much crammed into the remainder of this year that I’m not going to be around much, so with that, I will bid you all a safe, merry Christmas, happy holidays, and I’ll be seeing you all in the New Year at some point. Enjoy yourselves, lovelies!
As always, lovelies, thank you for reading and reviewing, I hope you’ve enjoyed this chapter and I’ll be seeing you all in the New Year now,
StarLight Massacre. X
- 16
- 17
- 18
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

The Guile and Devotion of a Black Heir