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Harry Potter and the Unusual Alliance	By : RikuRocks Category: Harry Potter AU/AR > Slash - Male/Male Views: 5752 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to Harry Potter, nor am I making any money from this work of fiction.

Chapter List
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Chapter 2: Understanding the Other Side.
Draco was staring at Harry as though he were seriously worried for the raven-haired boy�s mental health. Not that the latter could really blame the other boy; he had just suggested that Draco accompany him back to the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. His plan was to get Draco healed, gather any necessary supplies for their expeditions, reconnoitre with Hermione and Ron, and then disappear without telling anyone what they were doing or where they were going.
�You actually think that this can be done?� Silver eyes locked onto green ones as if looking for a reasonable answer.
�Well, it�s not going to be as easy as it sounds,� Harry said with a touch of guilt and embarrassment.
The pale teen seemed to note this, but only responded to the words, and not the emotion behind them. �Nothing ever is.�
�If we arrive during the middle of the night, no one will be there except probably Lupin and Mrs. Weasley, plus Hermione and Ron, of course�And maybe Tonks or Fleur. We can enter quietly and find Ron and Hermione, get what we came for, convince them that we�re going to explain in the morning, and then leave before they wake up.� Harry was speaking in a rush, and he knew it sounded as if he were trying to convince himself as much as Draco.
The blonde�s expression was mildly curious. �Is that what you did before? You left them in the small hours of the morning without any explanation?�
The green-eyed teen scratched the back of his neck; �Look, it�s not the way I wanted to do it, but I had to, I just didn�t�� He stopped there, vaguely wondering why he was explaining himself to Malfoy.
�You just didn�t want anyone else you cared about to get hurt because of you,� Draco said softly, and for a moment, it seemed as if he were looking through Harry.
�Is that what happened to you?� When the blonde did not answer or even look at him, Harry decided to mention one of the questions he really wanted to ask; �I heard your mother is in St. Mungos. I never found out why.�
Draco answered in a small, hollow voice and his eyes appeared even more distant than before. �I think it was because of me; although in all honesty, V-Voldemort has reason to be displeased with all of us by now. I know that my mother was never as useful or loyal to him as my father was, but he wanted to punish all of us� He certainly did that.�
�What do you mean?� Harry was curious, wondering if Malfoy, of all people, could understand exactly how he felt. It certainly sounded as if that were the case so far, In any case, the fair Slytherin had never showed this much emotion before, at least never in Harry�s presence. He found this side of Malfoy to be rather intriguing.
�My father failed some objective; I don�t know what it was. Furthermore, as you know, he was sent to Azkaban.� Draco seemed to slip even further away as he continued, �Thus, V-Voldemort called on me, no doubt knowing I would not be capable and hoping that I would fail. It would be a long drawn out punishment to my father and make a point to his other followers. My mother intervened, she went to Snape for help, and he agreed. You know how that turned out. I still failed by Death Eater standards, and she still acted against V- V-his will.� The slighter teen was trembling harder again.
However, Harry found that now -for some reason that he could not explain- he needed to hear the rest. Although he felt slightly bad about forcing the other boy to say something that he clearly did not want to, he had to press him; �What happened, Malfoy?�
The Silver-eyed boy flinched as if Harry had struck him. �He- They used the Cruciatus curse -for hours- on both of us, but, they went even longer with her... It was too much for her�she just, drifted away��
Harry�s first thought was that it was fitting that the sister of Bellatrix Lestrange should meet the same fate that she had inflicted upon the Longbottoms. However, he quickly felt ashamed of himself for even thinking such a thing, as he looked at the broken son of a woman who had been tortured into insanity, all because they did not wish to follow the orders of a demented fiend. He had never thought of the Death Eaters as people, but now he realized that such a line of thinking would only make him like them.
The pale teen before him clearly blamed himself for his mother�s current state, and just as clear was the fact that he loved her dearly. Maybe they were not as different as Harry had believed, or maybe the events of the past year had changed the other boy�s perspective enough for him to re-evaluate the ideals of his family. In any case, he was just as human as Harry was.
The bespectacled teen decided that he had made the other expose enough of himself for the time being, and that it was his turn to explain. �You were right. With what you said before. I don�t want anyone else getting hurt because of me. My parents, Cedric, Sirius, Dumbledore, they all died because of me. Mr Weasley was almost killed and my friends could have died so many times over; I can�t- I can�t lose anyone else I care about.�
�Then it�s a good thing you don�t care about me.� Draco stood with a notable effort and continued to hold his bleeding forearm. He finally met Harry�s eyes again; �I don�t think it�s a good idea for me to go into the headquarters of the Order. They�ll send me to the Ministry, who�ll put me in Azkaban, where I�ll be killed by Death Eaters or Dementors, in either case; I won�t be of any use if I�m dead.�
Harry blinked in surprise at the statement, not only at what the other boy had said, but the certainty and acceptance with which he had spoken. He quickly found his tongue, however, not even questioning why he was so determined to talk his former rival into staying with him. �That�s why were going to go when most of the Order is gone and only talk to Ron and Hermione if we can help it. If we cannot, Lupin and Mrs. Weasley will at least listen to what we have to say before doing anything. They�re more understanding than you know; they won�t just write off a boy -who by the way doesn�t look well at all- just because he was involved with the Death Eaters by force.�
The raven-haired boy could tell that the blonde was not convinced, so he took a deep breath and added, �They know it was Snape who killed Dumbledore and that you only did what you did because Voldemort threatened to kill you and your family. I didn�t tell them everything, but I told them enough, and for what it�s worth, I�ve never believed that you would have killed him. I told them as much already.�
That did it, he knew. Draco had only come to his aid because the blonde wanted Voldemort to be stopped, and Harry had only helped Draco in return because of his pity and ever nagging hero complex, but now, they understood each other�and understood that they needed each other�s help.
�Come with me, Malfoy. I don�t want to go back there either, but we have to. We cannot take on bits of Voldemort�s soul like this. I won�t let you out of my sight, I promise; and if anyone tries anything, I�ll Apparate us out of there. Okay?�
�When did you learn to use your head, Potter?� The question was not cruel, but spoken softly, with a touch of something that sounded close to respect, and felt more like a light complement�between friends. The silver-eyed teen took a steadying breath, �You�re right; we can�t go on like this if we mean to succeed, and we have to succeed. There isn�t anywhere else to go, so�� He exhaled rather forcefully before continuing, �Let�s try it. First, however, we are coming up with a better plan than just �show up at night and hope no one is there that ought not to be��
Coming up with said plan proved to be harder than Harry expected it to be, and he hated to admit it, even to himself but he knew he would not have been able to without the pallid boy�s help. He was used to just rushing -or being forced- into things and between his friends, his nerve, and sheer dumb luck, he and everyone who was dragged into it with him survived�usually. Draco, however, tended to think things out, looking at what Harry would have considered a completed plan from different perspectives and working out the potential problems that he found.
First, the pale teenager wanted Harry to explain why the headquarters of the Order would likely be empty save for a handful of people. Therefore, the green-eyed teen explained that Order and the Ministry were very busy these days, now that the Death Eaters were back in action and the entire wizarding world knew of it. McGonagall had arranged for the some of the staff members of Hogwarts to remain at the school, and provided the castle as a summer safe house to the children of those who would be busy due to Voldemort�s return or who had lost their family in one of the Death Eaters or the Ministry�s raids. The spouses of several Ministry workers and a few Order members volunteered to remain at the school as well for added protection and supervision.
Most of the order members and Ministry employees were constantly out on missions or working late at the Ministry each day. Fred and George had kept their shop open and offered the apartment above as a resting place for Order members stationed in Diagon Alley, relayed messages, and invented things that the Order could use to track, spy on, and escape Death Eaters. Ginny remained at Hogwarts, along with Luna (who requested to stay there), Neville (who�s grandmother had volunteered to stay there), and several of their other friends and schoolmates.
��So, you see? There won�t be a whole throng of Order members or Aurors waiting for us.� Harry understood the other�s desire to hear explanations, but he had been wary about giving specific details of the order and his friends� whereabouts. The fact that he told Draco as much as he did, with hardly any prompting, was a little unnerving to him. It was as if part of him wanted to trust the other boy, while another part fought tooth and nail against the idea.
Finally, the Slytherin suggested that Harry write to his best friends beforehand to be sure, and to determine the best time for their arrival.
The raven-haired teen looked at the other boy irritably, �There�s just one problem with that; I don�t have Hedwig with me, and what if one of the order members asks them what the letter says?�
While he was finally able to speak with a steady, albeit raw, voice, Draco still did not look any better than he had when he arrived in the dungeon; if anything, he looked even paler and more exhausted. Fortunately, his mind seemed as sharp as ever. �That�s actually two problems, Potter, but well done in any case.� The blonde stated the compliment without a lot of sincerity, but it also lacked any form of sarcasm.
Harry decided not to react, and the silver-eyed teen continued; �Okay, first concern; all wizards have the ability to call upon their personal owls. It is a simple spell and there is no question that Hedwig is yours, so you can use it. As for your second concern, just write the letter to Granger only. She should have the sense not to discuss the situation with anyone else and she�s only shown loyalty to you in the past, so it�s safe to assume she�ll keep your secret for the time being, right?�
Harry had never before realized that Malfoy was so observant. He made a mental note not to take the other boy�s presence lightly while they were working together.

Would I anyway�?
Pushing away the thought and noting that he had been doing a lot of that since meeting up with the blonde, Harry managed to respond without making himself feel or sound foolish. �Yeah, as long as I tell her that I have reasons and that I�ll explain them to her later. That won�t really matter though, since Ron will probably be with her when the letter arrives and will no doubt read it over her shoulder.�
Draco sighed; �That�s rather rude of him, but it�s nothing that that we can�t work around. We can enchant the letter so that you need to speak a password to read its entirety. The part that�s open for all to see can explain that the letter is for Granger�s eyes only and then she can tell Weasley to mind his own business.�
The bespectacled boy could not help but chuckle; �That certainly would do it. None of the Order members would invade our privacy by trying to expose the letter once they knew it was from me, and Hermione will keep Ron in check until we get there. They�ll expect us to explain some things right away though...�
�Then perhaps you should; not everything of course, but at least tell them something. I understand your reasons for keeping them out of this, I tried to do the same with Severus when I was�What?� Draco had finally looked up and noticed the other boy�s expression.
Harry was staring at the currently frail-looking teenager, stunned by his sympathy and understanding, until the last part the unfinished statement dawned on him. �What do you mean; you tried to do the same thing with Snape?�
The silver-eyed boy immediately tensed and seemed to be speaking as tonelessly as he could manage; �He offered to help me, with what I was ordered to do, but I didn�t want him to get hurt. I couldn�t tell him that I was afraid, that I was falling apart; he might have tried to- So I lied and even pretended to be angry with him. It kept him away for a while, but he was already involved, and he wanted to be, because he cared. Your friends are the same.�
�You think Snape killed Dumbledore because he cared?� Harry shouted, and then continued in a very harsh tone; �He�s a vile, self-serving, lying traitor! He murdered someone who was supposed to be his friend and ally, someone who trusted him, someone who thought he cared about doing the right thing! Someone he supposedly cared about! How can you believe -?�
�Because I have to believe in something!� Draco�s sudden, uncharacteristically emotional outburst silenced Harry as nothing else could have. The blonde continued in a hushed, thick, and shaky voice, but his silver eyes locked onto green ones and held them like a steel cage. �Everything that I have been taught for my entire life was a lie. I thought my father was a powerful, noble, courageous man, working to preserve the culture of wizard kind. I respected him, even if his methods seemed cold or cruel. Now I know he is either a sadistic murderer, the pawn of a depraved madman, or a coerced coward just as I was.�
Silver eyes softened before lowering from Harry�s gaze. �I always made excuses for him, but he was always- I just- I can�t�� Draco took a few steadying breaths and finished in a very constricted voice; �I have to believe that Severus is at least vacillating. Even that is�hard, to acknowledge. Can you understand that?� His normally distant silver eyes now held a pleading look that floored the boy he cast them upon.
Harry could not move if we wanted to; the other boy might as well have cast a full body bind on him.

What just happened? Did Malfoy really just pour his soul out to me?

The raven-haired teen was almost as surprised when he realized that he was nodding and opening his mouth to respond...kindly. �Yes, I can. I�m sorry...I didn�t mean to�err�� Harry paused for a moment to remember what had started his initial tantrum; he knew it was something Malfoy had said.
Then he remembered and decided to respond to the point that Draco had originally been trying to make. �You�re right; I�ll have to explain -at least a little- to Ron and Hermione. I don�t want them to worry�and I know they will, especially when they see who I have helping me. Wait; what do I write the letter with?� Harry decided they both were either simply going mental, or the events and suppressed emotions of the past months had taken more of a toll than he had realized.
Draco, who now looked much calmer, retrieved a sheet of parchment and a small quill with a thin vial of ink attached from his robes and handed them to Harry, who noted that his ashen companion was still trembling.
The bespectacled teen bit the inside of cheek and then decided to push the matter of the other boy�s health one more time before they proceeded; �Thanks, are you sure you�re okay? You don�t-�
Draco cut in before the raven-haired teen could finish, �I�m as well as I can expect to be. I couldn�t conclude exactly what that potion in the cave was, so the antidote I brewed was not as exact as it could have been. My physical injuries aren�t fatal either, since I-� Suddenly the emaciated boy looked at Harry with a mildly surprised expression, �Are you actually worried about me, Potter?�
Harry knew the answer, but he wanted to deny it for as long as possible, simply because he did not want to think about what the answer could mean. �Well, err�It�s like you said before; neither of us can do this alone, and you can�t help if you�re, you know, sick or something and-�
The raising of a pale hand quieted him. �I understand, Potter, you can stop rambling, all right?� However, the look in his silver eyes suggested that Draco actually did not; or maybe, he did not want to.
The green-eyed teen started at the parchment in his hand. �I guess I�d better start the letter.�
�Do you already know what you�re going to write?� Draco slowly sank onto the ground.
�Err; well�I supposed I�ll let them know that I�m all right and that I�m going to be stopping by. No, if I say it like that, Hermione will figure out that I�m not staying.� Harry decided to sit on the ground as well. The long, cool grass was more comfortable then he would have expected, but then, he had been in a dungeon for who knows how long so he supposed his idea of comfort was a little lax at the moment. �Hey, Malfoy, do you know how long they had me in there?�
After a brief pause in which the pallid boy figured out what the Gryffindor was referring to, he answered, �I wasn�t actually kept informed of anything. From what I could gather, I would guess between eleven and eighteen hours.�
Once again, Harry could not help but chuckle. �That�s it? It felt a lot longer. I thought I was there for at least a whole day.�
�I believe you; dungeons tend to have that effect.� The forced casualty in his voice as Draco suggested a familiarity with time spent in dungeons made Harry�s skin crawl.
�Does that mean you�ve spent time in there?� The raven-haired boy tried to sound something close to casual himself. The other boy nodded and seemed to be watching a leaf float in the breeze. �Why were you there; were you a prisoner?� Harry almost winced, knowing he had definitely failed at anything resembling casualty that time.
�I suppose you could say that; it was another form of punishment.� Silver eyes left the leaf and fell on Harry. Draco continued before the other boy could point out that he had said dungeons before; �Perhaps you should start by stating that you don�t want anyone else reading the letter�and do you think you could give her the password to it without actually writing it down?�
�Huh? Oh, the letter,� Harry looked at the blank parchment again. �I suppose so.�
After a while of playing with different ways to phrase things, Harry, with quite a bit of help from Draco, had a very carefully written letter that Hermione should have no difficulties understanding, and yet it should not tell her anything that Harry did not intend on informing her and Ron of.
�They�re going to be angry with me,� the bespectacled teen said as he watched Hedwig fade into the horizon some time later. �They wanted to come with me and I agreed before the end of term�but then, while I was at my aunt and uncle�s I decided I couldn�t let them. I left two days before some members of the Order were supposed to pick me up. I left a note with Hedwig, so they would know I wasn�t captured or anything like that.�
�They�ll understand, but do you think they�ll trust you not to do it again?� Draco was also staring at the horizon.
�You mean so that I can do it again?� Harry responded dryly before shaking his head lightly, �I�m not sure if I can lie that well, but I can be very stubborn.�
�So don�t lie,� the blonde responded quietly, �Just downplay the parts where you were, or will be, in mortal peril.�
�I�m not so sure that they�ll understand,� the green-eyed boy murmured darkly.
�How could they not? I understand, Potter.� Harry could not read any emotion in Draco�s voice, but found the words oddly comforting anyway.
The raven-haired teen spoke as he thought of the answer to Draco�s question; �They�ve never had to make the choice. They�ve never known that someone was in danger, or injured, or killed just because of them, just because they cared about that person. I don�t think you can understand, if you haven�t felt that.� Harry turned his head to face the pale teen beside him; �Why did you decide to leave? Wasn�t your punishment over yet?�
�I don�t think my punishment will ever be over, but it didn�t have much to do with my decision anyway. I just couldn�t do it. Even if V- he eventually decided that he would give me another chance, I wouldn�t want it. I didn�t really want it to begin with, to be honest; it was just something I was supposed to do. I was practically bred for it.� The blonde was still looking out at something in the distance, but did not appear to see anything.
�Weren�t you afraid? I was scared to leave everyone, but I couldn�t risk them. I can�t imagine what it would be like to have to stay in that kind of position in order to protect them.� Harry had once heard his godfather say that Wormtail should have died rather than join Voldemort, and he had heartily agreed, but it had never occurred to him that someone might have to choose between the deaths of another person -one they loved- or doing the wrong thing. He imagined that throwing away your own life for your values was easier than sacrificing your loved ones.
�Mother can�t be healed. I�ve heard that the same thing has happened a few times before, and it�s been said that it would have been kinder to kill the victim.� Draco stopped pretending to be looking at anything and Harry found the lack of pretence in the Slytherin to be both intriguing and disturbing.
�I already failed to protect my mother. My father is in Azkaban with Dementors driving him mad. My aunt and uncle have been in Azkaban for most of my life; I don�t know them and they don�t care about me, so they won�t be in any danger. Snape is too important...and now the lingering whispers of his disloyalty have faded, so they won�t harm him just to hurt me. It is strange though, my dilemma was the exact opposite of yours it seems; you had to leave so the people you care about wouldn�t be in danger, and I had to stay for the same reason.�
Draco met Harry�s gaze. He looked positively hopeless. �I still don�t want him to kill my family, but I can�t�� His eyes broke away and turned downward again. �I�ve always been told that I look just like my father, and I was expected to be like him, but I�m just��
�You�re not him,� Harry finished for the subjugated teen. After a very brief pause, he added, �I had to learn that one, too.�
�At least your father was someone to be proud of,� the silver-eyed teen said so softly that Harry almost had not heard him, �Mine would kill me, if he knew that I was trying to destroy his lord.�
Green eyes widened, �And you�re still worried about him?�
�Do your aunt and uncle love you?� Draco�s question sounded so hollow and yet so genuine.
The green-eyed teen turned back to the horizon; the sun was setting; �No.�
�Do you care if they die or are harmed?� It sounded as if the blonde already knew the answer.
The raven-haired teen released a breath that was halfway between a sigh and a chuckle, �I can�t believe I�m having this conversation with you.� As he stared at anything except the pallid boy beside him, Harry realized he needed to stop being surprised when the pale teen said something to disprove the idea that he was simply a heartless, bullying, prat.
The Slytherin looked up; the sun had set. �Neither can I.�
�I understand, Malfoy.� Harry�s gaze fell back onto his unexpected companion.
Draco met his gaze. �Thanks, Potter.�
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Harry Potter and the Unusual Alliance