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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
- 3
- 4
- 5
Chapter 4: Some Wounds Cannot Be Seen.
Harry had to hand it to Lupin; the man somehow managed to handle any situation thrown at him with calmness and consideration. He walked swiftly into the room just a few minutes after Ron and Hermione had left to get him, checked to see that Harry was all right, and embraced him briefly. Then he turned to Draco, who seemed to be struggling to stay conscious.
Lupin kneeled beside the ashen boy; �Ron, Hermione, would you bring me the healing supplies we have in the storage room?�
With a quick confirmation, they were off. Lupin pointed his wand at Draco and cast Ennervate. He relaxed once the boy�s eyes came back into focus, and the blonde murmured a small thanks, which seemed to both please and surprise the kind man.
When Ron and Hermione returned with the necessary supplies, Lupin thanked them and then politely asked everyone to wait in another room while he did what he could for Draco. Hermione and Ron turned to comply right away; Harry however, did not even stand. �I�m staying.�
�Harry, it�ll be all right, Lupin can take care of himself. Malfoy doesn�t look like he�ll be able to put up much of a fight now anyway,� Ron stated while ignoring the looks that everyone else in the room were giving him.
�I don�t think that�s what he�s worried about, Ron,� Hermione said patiently, �But Harry, you have to know that Lupin wouldn�t-�
Harry interrupted the brown-eyed girl again; he was starting to feel bad about doing that, it was the third time this evening. �It�s not that I don�t trust either of them. I just want to stay, besides, Lupin might need a hand.� He turned to Lupin, hoping to get some support from the gentle werewolf, however Draco beat him to it.
His pale eyes turned to the former professor. �If it�s all the same to you, I would prefer it if he stayed.� He made his request in a quiet, well-mannered voice, which seemed to catch Lupin off guard.
The lycanthrope recovered in the blink of an eye, however, and turned a kind smile on the injured teen. �Of course, that�s fine. I only asked him to leave for your privacy.� His gentle gaze turned to the others. �Thank you Ron and Hermione, I�ll let you know when we�ve finished here. Harry, would you look in that trunk for some blood replenishing potion?� Harry began searching for the requested potion without bothering to respond.
Lupin turned to Draco again, �I am not a trained medical wizard, Draco; I will need to know what I am healing. Would you mind removing your robes and shirt?� He asked quite gently, and noticed that the silver-eyed boy hesitated, and actually tensed quite a bit, before nodding dejectedly and acquiescing with the request.
Harry quickly spun around upon hearing a sudden intake of breath behind him. His eyes first settled on Lupin, whose usually calm, warm eyes were wide with horror for a second before a sad expression settled on his scarred face.
Lupin�s reaction had momentarily rooted the green-eyed teen to the spot, but now he followed his former professor�s gaze to Draco�s body. Then, Harry�s own eyes widened in shock. He thought he was going to be ill. �What happened?� He asked in an unsteady voice.
Now that he was partially unclothed, it was clear that Draco was emaciated and deathly pale, which only made the array of dark bruises, harsh red welts, and wounds bleeding freely, stand out all the more on his slender frame. The blonde�s eyes were squeezed shut for the moment, and Harry guessed that it partially due to the pain that must have increased when he pulled off his shirt and partially due to nerves.
The bruising around his torso suggested that several of his ribs and possibly his collarbone were broken. The blood, still moist and dark, on the back of his shirt, as well as the sofa -which could be seen, as Draco was practically doubled over- suggested several open lashes on the boy�s back as well. Harry noticed that the blonde�s left arm was wrapped in a bloodstained cloth that was dripping the crimson substance onto his lap.
Silver eyes finally opened and focused on Harry, �I told you, I was punished.� Draco answered quietly, but with such a casual tone, that Harry felt the urge to vomit again, and Lupin squeezed his eyes shut for a second.
�That,� Harry said, indicating Draco�s starved and mutilated body, �Is not punishment, Malfoy, its torture.�
�Same difference,� The pallid Slytherin replied flatly.
Lupin took the potion that Harry had forgotten he was still holding and handed it to Draco. �We�ll need more of this. I don�t think I can heal all of these completely.� He was slowly passing the tip of his wand over a laceration on Draco�s chest, which closed more with each passing. His other hand was on the opposite shoulder, holding the boy up.
�You�ll be sore and weak, and the deepest ones will leave scars,� the lycanthrope stated sympathetically.
�That�s fine, thank you,� Draco answered sincerely. Lupin�s calm and caring demeanour, combined with his new trust in Harry, seemed to lower the pale Slytherin�s icy walls for the time being.
As Harry looked into the other boy�s face, he could almost feel the pain that those usually indifferent pale eyes reflected, and he knew that it came from more than just the wounds he could see.
�If you have the necessary ingredients, I can brew some more of this afterwards,� Draco said before he downed the blood-replenishing potion. As Harry handed him another vial, he noticed that there was already a long scar across the ashen boy�s torso, and with a stab of guilt, he realized that he had been the one to give it to him.
Lupin was currently healing the marks around Draco�s neck. �You can brew that already? That�s impressive. We have everything needed -it�s one of the few I can make without trouble- but you are going to have to rest after all of this. Would you move forward and turn away? I need to see your back.� Again, the injured teenager complied with the gentle request.
Harry�s shock was starting to wear off. He noticed Lupin�s brow creased in worry and concentration. Draco appeared to be focusing on breathing.
�Why didn�t you say anything about how bad off you were yesterday, Malfoy? How long have you been like this? You weren�t in this condition when you entered that ca-� A shift of silver eyes reminded Harry that he had not intended on mentioning the cave to anyone who did not know of it already. After all, he had promised Dumbledore that he would not.
Draco decided to answer before Lupin became suspicious about Harry�s poor cover-up, if cutting oneself short mid-word could even be called that. �Trust has not been a virtue I could afford for a very long time, Potter. When you have enemies and adversaries all around you, showing weakness is unwise�hiding them has become habit. I certainly didn�t expect this kind of help.�
It only answered the first question, and vaguely at that, but the blonde hoped it was enough to satisfy the Boy-Who-Lived; he did not want to explain any more, especially in front of anyone else.
The room was quiet for a while after that, as Lupin concentrated on closing wounds and mending bones. Harry gave Draco some more potions, used some simple spells like Scourgify and Tergeo to clean him up, and cast Episkey on some of his lesser bruises, welts, and cuts.
Sometime later, after most of his injuries were treated and Draco was no longer rigid and breathing shallowly, Lupin gently lifted the pallid boy�s left arm, and tenderly started to remove its wrappings. At first, Harry could not understand why he would wait on one of the most serious injuries, but then he noticed how much the ashen Slytherin tensed, and he understood. Lupin had waited so that Draco would feel more relaxed with the idea of them touching him before moving onto a wound that was obviously sensitive in many ways.
The blood stained fabric fell to the floor, and a steady flow of crimson followed it. Harry squeezed his eyes shut, feeling as though he was going to be sick once more, and then forced himself to look.
There were three deep cuts running the full length of his inner arm, and a decent portion of flesh missing from the inner side of his forearm, near the centre. Bruises covered the entire arm as well.
�This will scar,� Lupin said, and upon noticing how little his spell was working to close the wound, added, �Badly. You�ll have to keep it wrapped for awhile.�
Draco just nodded. After several spells were cast, the bones -many of which were either fractured or sprained- were healed, the bleeding had been stopped, and the cuts were closed, although they looked very raw. The large wound in Draco�s forearm seemed resistant to healing spells, but one that Lupin tried seemed somewhat effective, still, it had to be wrapped tightly.
After taking care of that, Lupin turned to his pseudo-godson, �Would you mind loaning Draco a shirt, Harry? I don�t think the one he came in with is suitable.� Noticing Harry�s look of confusion, he added, �All of your belongings that were left at your aunt and uncle's house are in the room you used to stay in here.�
Harry�s expression changed to guilt, and the werewolf smiled warmly and placed a hand on the bespectacled boy�s shoulder. �Don�t worry about it, Harry, I understand. I disagree, but I understand.�
With a small smile and a nod of thanks, Harry left to retrieve the shirt. He heard Lupin asking Draco to let him treat his legs as he went. Harry was careful not to make any noise on the stairs or in the hall, for fear of waking Mrs. Black�s portrait or Mrs. Weasley. Sure enough, he found his trunk, his broom, a box marked �Harry�s things�, and Hedwig�s cage at the foot of one of the beds in the room he and Ron had shared during their previous stay at Grimmauld Place.
Before leaving the Dursley�s house, Harry had sent Hedwig to Ron, with a note asking if he would take care of her for a while, and some money for owl treats. He made an excuse about his uncle not wanting her there and tried to make it sound as if he were only asking him to care for her for a short while. He figured if he did not return, then either Ron or Hagrid would keep her. Then he packed a knapsack as if he were going on a long camping trip, and left everything else behind.
He opened his trunk, noted that whoever packed it had done a nicer job than he ever did, and quickly found a dark grey long sleeved T-shirt, figuring the blonde would like to keep himself covered as much as possible. Then he grabbed a pair of faded black jeans, and a pair of socks. He cast reducio on all of them until they looked like they would be close to Draco�s size; he figured they would still be a little loose on his thin frame, but at least they would not fall off, as they probably would have done before.
Harry quietly made his way back to the study. As he entered, he saw Draco remove a small roll of parchment and three vials of some kind of potion from the inner pocket of his discarded robes. He handed all the items to Lupin, who accepted them, and looked them over. Then he looked at the boy questioningly and yet still kindly, �What are these?�
�It�s a variant of the Wolfsbane potion. That�s a full treatment, so it should be easier to manage,� the pale boy answered, then continued, sounding a little hesitant.
At the werewolf�s curious expression, the silver-eyed teen explained, �When I helped Severus brew it in our third year, he commented that it could use some improvements. I thought that, well, now that�our side doesn�t have such a strong front, perhaps you could use some advantage�to keep any�others, you may have convinced. It will still take some time to brew, and will require someone with higher than average potion skills to do so, but that�s true of the current Wolfsbane potion. It�s not what Severus was planning, but it�s an improvement.�
Lupin had unrolled the scroll and his brows furrowed as he ran his eyes over Draco�s neat script. He returned his gaze to the boy with a look of wonder on his face. �Did you come up with these adjustments on your own?�
The blonde nodded and Lupin glanced at the parchment again before turning his gaze back on the pale teenager, �And you helped Severus brew the potion for me in your third year? That is very impressive. How long did you know?�
Draco seemed reluctant to meet Lupin�s gaze. �I became suspicious when Severus taught that class on werewolves, and I wrote the essay before you cancelled it. During my research for that, it became obvious, so I approached Severus about my concerns and he confirmed them. He also said that it was to remain a secret�but it is a rather tedious potion to brew, and as you�ve noted, I have a talent for potions, so he said I could assist him in brewing it since I already knew.�
Before he could stop himself, Harry asked, �Why didn�t you tell any of the other Slytherins or your father about it? Any of them could have been bitten, and you father could have gotten Lupin sacked right there and then.� He sat on the end of the sofa that Draco was on, and placed the clothing down between them.
The silver-eyed boy looked almost annoyed, as if the answers were so obvious that he should not have to explain. �As far as the threat of anyone being bitten, Severus was brewing a potion for that and he said that Dumbledore had taken other precautions. My father was already trying to get Hagrid sacked and Buckbeack, I believe he was called, killed, which was a waste of time if you ask me. Most importantly, and you should know this as you were obviously listening, Severus told me it was to remain a secret. I know this is something we shall never agree on, but I trusted Severus.�
Harry could not help but snort at that statement. He replied bitterly, �Oh yeah, everybody trusted Snape for some reason. I�ll never understand that.�
Lupin looked slightly distant as he responded, catching both boys� attention. �Dumbledore trusted him, Harry, which was enough for me. It was enough for most of us.�
Draco turned back to the bespectacled teen, �And I never had any reason not to.� Harry shot him an incredulous look before silver eyes locked onto his. �Yes, Potter, he was needlessly cruel to you and your friends. So was I, and in my opinion you were just as bad to me. He might have felt the same.�
Harry was about to interrupt, but was quieted by the raising of a fair hand; �The problem is that most people consider Severus untrustworthy because he rarely displays what he is feeling or thinking. Most people have the luxury of wearing their hearts out on their sleeves, where as he�s always had to keep his heart up his sleeve. I understand, because it�s always been the same for me. It was always too dangerous to show any emotions or weaknesses. I would have expected you to understand that.�
Draco dropped his eyes from Harry�s and then noticed the clothes that the bespectacled teen had brought for him. He murmured, �Thank you,� and then pulled the shirt on.
The green-eyed teen opened his mouth, but closed it without saying anything. He was wondering how Draco managed to halt his temper in its tracks with nothing but a gesture and a few calm but thickly stated sentences. Normally once he was about to blow, it could not be helped, especially when it was about Snape. Harry looked at Lupin, who was staring at Draco with a thoughtful expression.
�How did you know about me spying on the other werewolves?� The lycanthrope asked as politely as if he were inquiring about the weather. Both boys looked confused, and Lupin held up the potion recipe that Draco had given him. �This is the same handwriting as the letter that warned me I had been discovered. I looked into it and discovered that, indeed, I had been.� He turned his attention to Harry, �That�s why I�m here, instead of underground.�
Lupin looked at Draco again, and the blonde boy reluctantly met his eyes. �I didn�t know you were a spy, actually, I thought you were recruiting. That�s why I said you might need some advantage to persuade others. I heard Greyback talking about you after he saw you in Hogwarts. They didn�t think I needed to be watched between�sessions, so I was able to sneak the letter out.�
Lupin watched the blonde with a mixture of sympathy and interest. He seemed to be trying to work something out in his mind. �Why don�t I go and make us some tea? You can finish getting changed; I�ll tell Ron and Hermione that you need a little time, all right?�
The werewolf rolled the potion recipe and took it and the vials with as he moved towards the door, but stopped when Draco responded with a soft �thank you�. Lupin smiled cordially at both boys, nodded once, and left.
Draco picked up the pants and socks that Harry brought down. �Would you mind turning around?� He looked expectantly at the raven-haired teen.
Harry stood up and turned to give the blonde some privacy, but he did not leave the room. From the moment he had seen Draco�s left arm, he wanted to know something. The green-eyed boy had a feeling that Draco would answer him, but not in front of anyone. Now that Lupin had left, he decided to ask, �What happened to your arm? I mean-�
The blonde's tired drawl interrupted him. "He asked if I no longer wanted it. I told him that I never had," Draco's voice lowered and he added in an undertone, "As he bloody well knew," he continued in what Harry considered the Slytherin's 'new' normal voice. "So he said he would see me marked anyway, and he did."
Harry heard the sound of a zipper pulled shut, followed by the soft thump of a light body dropping onto the couch behind him. He turned and saw Draco sitting on the sofa, putting on the loaned socks and looking like an alternate version of his former self; tired and haunted with the Muggle clothing hanging off his thin frame. Harry noticed that even one of his pale feet had a couple of scars across it.
Harry returned to his seat on the opposite end of the sofa as Draco moved his shoes to floor beneath him but did not put them on. The silver-eyed boy folded his clothes and placed them in a pile on the floor, before curling his legs under him on the sofa with his arms wrapped around him. He reminded Harry of an ill at ease cat.
The raven-haired teen came out of his musings when Draco tossed his light hair out of his eyes and looked at him, before asking in a quiet voice, �So what�s the plan?�
�What?�
�When are we leaving, where are we going, etcetera�?� Harry was surprised that the pale boy�s voice still lacked any hints of superiority, even in a situation that made it blatantly obvious who the more cunning of the two was.
�Oh, I don�t know yet�� Harry realized he had not thought of the Horcruxes since Kreacher�s grim statement about Draco earlier. �I�d still like to talk to Ron and Hermione, we didn�t really learn anything about our mission�and you should get a decent night�s rest before we go.�
Harry wondered if he was being paranoid by not mentioning the Horcruxes, but noticed during the other boy�s response that Draco was careful not to mention them either.
�Your concern isn�t necessary, Potter, I�ll be fine now. We should try to figure out the possible hiding places of the other objects before we set off. I won�t be able to enter Hogwarts as easily as you will, so we�ll have to figure that one out. Hopefully that elf of yours will return with what you asked him to retrieve, assuming it�s the one we�re looking for.�
Evidently, Draco had not stopped thinking about their task, and Harry was impressed that his mind could focus on planning throughout the healing he had just undergone.
�Alright then, we�ll see if Lupin wants anything after he gets back, then we�ll say we�re heading to bed early and try to figure everything out.� Harry leaned back into the sofa, then added with a smirk, �You and Hermione can work out the small details, since you�re the only ones who pay attention to that sort of thing.�
Draco raised an eyebrow, �And how many times has that attention to the small details saved your neck, or the lack of it cost you? I know it�s kept me out of a good deal of trouble.�
�I�ll bet it has,� said Harry softly.
A moment later Lupin entered the room with a tray, containing a teapot, a few cups, and a plate of sandwiches. �I thought you two might be hungry.� Both boys thanked him, and they all helped themselves to tea and sandwiches, although Harry noticed that he was the only one to eat a full serving. Draco seemed distant and nervous, and Lupin appeared thoughtful and concerned.
When they were finished, Lupin gathered their cups as he told the boys that they could stay in the room that Harry�s things were in, and that they both should get some rest.
Harry said he thought that was a good idea, and Draco nodded as he put his shoes on and gathered his old clothes. They followed Lupin out of the room and parted ways with him at the stairs.
�Oh, Harry, Draco,� Lupin whispered up to them, clearly trying not to wake Mrs Black�s portrait or Mrs Weasley. �In that room to your right, there is some parchment and ink, and a book with yellow bindings; would you bring them to me, please?�
�Yeah, sure,� Harry whispered back. Draco, who was closer, had already turned into the room. Harry followed him, but did not make it far before he walked into the pale boy, who stood motionless. Harry instinctively pulled out his wand, before he caught sight of what had stilled Draco, and stopped in his tracks as well.
At first, he thought it was Lucius Malfoy, standing there in black robes, the Dark Mark exposed on his arm proudly, with his wand held in bloodstained hands. His eyes were cold and empty, and we wore a frighteningly cruel grin. Then Harry noticed that the man before them appeared too young and thin, with features that were finer and softer than Lucius Malfoy�s. With a shock, Harry realized he was looking at an aged, and evil, Draco Malfoy.
Before Harry could react to this, the real Draco raised his wand and cried, �Ridikulus!� Then the figure before them turned into a white-blonde ferret and began bouncing around the room.
Draco quirked an eyebrow, �Well, I certainly wasn�t expecting that.� Harry forced out a laugh and Draco followed suite, then the boggart vanished. They quickly gathered the items that Lupin asked them to retrieve.
�Lupin is cleverer than he�s given credit for,� Draco commented quietly as they left the room.
Harry was puzzled for a moment, then he realized what the blonde meant; Lupin had sent them in there for more then just a book and parchment. �What was that by the way?�
�It was a boggart, Potter, we learned about them in third year,� the blonde stated casually, but with a hint of trepidation.
Ignoring the fact that the ashen boy clearly did not want to discuss the incident, Harry pushed the matter. �I know that, Malfoy. I meant what it turned into.�
Silver eyes fell to the floor, �You saw it; can�t you piece it together on your own?�
The raven-haired teen thought about what he had just seen. �You�re afraid of becoming like your father.� It was not a question. In addition, the way Draco refused to look at Harry was all the answer he needed.
The green-eyed boy looked forward and saw Lupin waiting for them at the end of the stairs. �Is everything alright?� he questioned gently.
Harry nodded slowly; Draco continued to watch the floor.
Lupin caught Harry�s eye and offered an apologetic smile. �I just wanted you to be sure,� he said quietly. Harry smiled in return and handed the werewolf the things he had asked for. �Thank you, I�m going to get started on finding someone to make more of this potion. Good night, boys.� With one of his usual vague smiles on his face, Lupin left for the kitchen.
Harry and Draco went to the room in which they would be staying. They found Ron and Hermione sitting next to each other on one of the beds, waiting for them. Draco placed his robes and clothes on top of Harry�s trunk and sat on the bed, across from Hermione. Harry sat beside him, across from Ron.
�Are you feeling any better, Malfoy?� Hermione asked, looking concerned at Draco�s bowed head and distant expression.
Draco�s head snapped up, �Hmm?� He blinked and seemed to return from his thoughts before answering softly, �Yes, much better actually, thank you.�
�All right, so what�s the plan then?� Ron asked, looking from Harry to Hermione.
�Well, we should try to figure out all the possible hiding locations for the Horcruxes. We can�t just wander around aimlessly and hope to find them;� Hermione responded quickly, apparently she too, had been giving the situation a good deal of thought, but then, Harry had expected as much.
Draco was the first to come up with something. He appeared pensive as he spoke, �The ring was at the old Gaunt house, the sword is in Hogwarts, Nagini is usually seen at the Riddle home�do you know if the cave had any significance to V-Voldemort�s past, Potter?�
�Yeah,� Harry said, �He�did something�in there, to some kids from the orphanage he attended.�
The others looked disturbed at the thought of what that something could be. Hermione broke the silence, �Well, let�s just skip the details, unless you think they�re necessary.� Harry shook his head. �Good. Then he appears to hide them at places of significance to him. So, what other places can we think of that would fall into this category?�
�He worked at Borgin and Burkes for a while after he attended Hogwarts, that�s how he located the locket and the cup,� Harry told the others.
�The orphanage itself perhaps,� Draco suggested, �Or Godric�s Hollow.�
Ron and Hermione tensed and glanced at Harry, but rather than looking angry, he turned to Draco, looking confused. �Why Godric�s Hollow? He died there, besides it�s not exactly well hidden.�
The silver-eyed teen met Harry�s gaze. �It would be significant because he died there, and any house can be well hidden with the proper spells.�
�But he didn�t know he was going to die there,� Ron protested.
�Nagini was turned into a Horcrux after his death, and the diary found its way to Hogwarts somehow. I don�t think they were all as well hidden as the locket before he died,� Draco pointed out. �I�m not saying there definitely is one there; I just think we should consider it a possibility.�
�I agree,� Hermione stated calmly. Then, to interrupt whatever platitude Ron was going make, she added, �We have to consider every possibility, Ron, and anyway, it does make sense. I�m sure Voldemort didn�t enjoy dying, but it allowed him to be resurrected, which proved him to be immortal in the eyes of many.�
�My point exactly,� Draco stated with a nod toward Hermione.
�I agree too,� Harry said. �So that�s four places to check so far, unless he hid a second one at Hogwarts, but that seems unlikely.�
�Of course, there�s also the possibility that one of his followers was left in charge of it,� Hermione stated. �We don�t know how Lucius Malfoy ended up with the diary.� She avoided looking at Draco as she added the last part.
The fair Slytherin went rigid. �What?� He asked in a barely audible whisper.
�You didn�t know?� Ron asked sceptically.
Draco slowly shook his head. Harry turned to the ashen boy again, �It was the one your father refused to sell Borgin�he slipped it to Ginny Weasley that day, while we were in Flourish and Blotts.�
The green-eyed teen remembered that day clearly. In retrospect, the way Lucius had treated his son that day was actually quite similar to way he treated Dobby later at Hogwarts. He wondered why he had not made the connection before. If he had, then perhaps he would have formed a friendship with the Slytherin boy, and might have prevented many of the things that happened.
However, that was in the past, and could not be helped. Now, they had a chance to shape the future, and Harry realized that he could no longer dwell on things he could not change. He needed to focus on the things that he still could. They could prevent people from meeting the same fate as he, Draco, Neville, and all of their parents.
Rousing from his thoughts, Harry saw that Draco looked contemplative, while Hermione and Ron were bickering quietly, but that changed quickly.
The redhead�s voice was irritated as it rose loud enough for the other two teens in the room to hear, �I�m not saying that he deserves everything that happened to him, I�m just saying that he isn�t exactly an innocent victim here, Hermione. He-�
�Was raised by Death Eaters, Ron, of course he would think less of Muggle borns, it�s all he ever knew,� Hermione had that same tone she used when talking about SPEW, ��And as far as taunting goes, we were kids, and you were just as quick to tease -or hurt- him whenever you got the chance. I would think that we�ve all grown past that kind of thing. I think the fact that he wants to help us stop Voldemort -honestly, Ron it�s just a name- says a lot about his true character.�
�Speaking of true character,� interrupted Ron, �Let�s not forget that he was sorted into Slytherin, and we all know that Slytherins are all dark wizards.�
�What?� said Hermione sounding a mix between amused and irritated, �When did the sorting hat ever say that? Slytherins are supposed to be cunning and ambitious.�
Harry decided to enter this debate. �She�s right, Ron, they can�t all be dark wizards, or they would either get rid of that house or watch them all for future Death Eater activities. I don�t think it�s that simple to tell the good from the bad.�
Draco�s unresponsive voice joined the conversation now, �They�re both right, Weasley, and the sorting hat chose well with me. Even you cannot deny that I am cunning and ambitious. Potter could use someone cunning at his side right now and my sole ambition is to see V-Voldemort stopped for good.�
�Yeah, you really seemed cunning and ambitious last term�and wasn�t it You-Know-Who�s orders you were following?� Ron voice was harsh and taunting.
Draco�s voice remained subdued, �It wasn�t my ambition, as you pointed out. I didn�t want to kill anyone.�
�Then you shouldn�t have tried!� Ron fumed at the fair Slytherin.
�What would you have done if it was your family he was going to murder unless you did as he ordered?� Draco�s voice was getting thick with bottled emotion.
�I would have gone to Dumbledore, or McGonagall, or Hagrid, at the beginning of the year!� Ron persisted heatedly.
�Of course, because V-Voldemort wouldn�t have anyone watching. Besides, I wasn�t raised hearing Dumbledore�s praises shouted from the rooftops like you were, and I certainly didn�t have any kind of relationship with him at Hogwarts�or with Hagrid or McGonagall. My head of house and favourite teacher was one of his followers. My father, who was his right hand man, had just been sent to Azkaban. I�d just had the mark forced on me, so anyone from the Ministry would have thrown me into Azkaban without a second thought-�
Ron looked as though he was about to suggest arrest over attempted murder, but the blonde pressed on without giving him the chance, �Then I still would have failed and he would have killed my family and me. So honestly, let�s hear your brilliant idea on who would have been able and willing to save my family from V-Voldemort.� Draco�s face would have been a picture of calm indifference if it were not for the extra moisture in his eyes, and the fact that he was blinking far too often.
Ron opened and closed his mouth a few times, obviously lost for words, but not willing drop his argument yet. He turned to Hermione who was staring at him with a very heated expression and had her arms folded and legs crossed, looking very stubborn. The redhead swallowed and turned to Harry.
Harry tried to sound calm, but it sounded forced even to his own ears. �I told you before, I believe him. From what I�ve heard over the last couple of days, and what I saw in there with Lupin, I think he really is working against Voldemort. He offered to help me, and I accepted, so if you want to help me, then you�re going to have to learn to get along.
�Dumbledore wanted to help him too, right up until the end. He said that he knew it was Malfoy all year, but also knew that Voldemort would know if he contacted him, and that Voldemort would kill him. He said he knew that Draco�s heart was not in it; that he�s not a killer, and that he hadn�t hurt anyone, and Dumbledore appreciated the difficulty of his position.�
Harry had not gone into this amount of detail before now. Ron�s eye�s were wide and his mouth was open in shock, one of his arms had absentmindedly wrapped around Hermione�s shoulders. Hermione was in tears and held Ron�s other hand in both of hers. Draco had his head bowed, so that his hair hung into his closed eyes, but Harry could see the tears sliding down his pale cheek, and his gaunt body was once again rigid and quivering.
Harry�s tone hardened to leave no room for argument, �Dumbledore wanted to give Malfoy the chance to come over to the right side, and I intend to honour that offer.�
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Harry Potter and the Unusual Alliance