Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

For Their Unconquerable Souls	By : Lomonaaeren Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Draco Views: 29229 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
- 9
Thank you again for all the reviews!

Chapter Eight�Stubbornness
Is Not a Virtue

�� But, mate,
Malfoy.�

�� Draco bit
his lip on the impulse to charge into the room and confront Weasley over the
incredulous tone of his voice. He wasn�t supposed to be here, after all, and he
doubted that yelling at Harry�s friends would grant him any progress in
climbing into Harry�s bed.

�� Will anything?

�� Draco shook
his head to rid himself of thoughts like this�of course he would despair if he
got too impatient�and focused his mind on the conversation again. Harry was
speaking with a warmth behind his voice that Draco wanted to bask in. Now, if
Harry would direct that tone at him someday, matters would fall out perfectly,
but in the meantime, at least he knew what it sounded like for his daydreams
and wanking fantasies.

�� I know.
But I do think he�s changed since school.�

�� Silence,
whilst Weasley struggled with the concept of people changing. Draco rolled his
eyes. He was beginning to wonder how Weasley and Harry had survived the war,
what with the total lack of intelligence on one side and common sense on the
other. Of course, Granger had been with them. Perhaps she made up for Harry�s deficiencies
as much as her husband�s.

�� I still don�t
think I�ve understood,� Weasley said. The overly plaintive tone in his voice
made Draco cock his head thoughtfully. �Maybe if you use smaller words, mate?�

�� Harry gave
a soft chuckle before he responded. �I don�t really understand it myself,� he murmured.
�No one else ever offered me a bodyguard because I�d done the only right thing
I could do. Granted, the situation
with Lucius is extraordinary, but��

�� Well, there�s one obstacle right there. If
he persists in thinking of Lucius as only another patient, then he won�t
understand any explanation I could offer him.

�� Now you
sound like Hermione.� There was a soft thunking noise, probably Weasley�s
fingers impacting on his hollow skull. �I�ve spent most of my day being
deafened by the newest Fwooper Charm George designed. Then what was left of my
brain dribbled out my ears when I visited Percy and had to listen to him
crooning baby talk to Lucy. Small words, remember.�

�� Draco was
certain, now. The lack of intelligence Weasley showed was a game, as though he believed he was best
off pretending to be stupider than he really was. Perhaps he found an amusement
in that behavior because the game didn�t take much effort for him, Draco
thought.

�� But the
thought made uneasiness swell up in him like a breeding salamander. Yes, people
could change since Hogwarts, and Harry and his friends were among them. Draco
could not be certain that his perceptions were telling him the obvious truth
the first time. He would have to listen and observe, if he wanted to come to
sophisticated conclusions like the ones about Weasley�s game.

�� Lucius is
an unusual patient.�

�� At least he recognizes that much. Draco
shifted to make his position of leaning against the wall more comfortable. He
wished he could lean around the wall to catch a glimpse of Harry�s expressions�Lucius
had taught him long ago that the best observation was not done through one
sense alone�but he didn�t know how the room was laid out, and so where the
fireplace might be, and so he didn�t know whether Weasley could catch a glimpse
of him.

�� You got that right.�

�� Draco
blinked. Perhaps he could manage to feel a bit of compassion for the Weasel
after all, if he got into the habit of agreeing with Draco.

�� And it
seems that he wants me alive so I can heal him.� Harry sounded half-amused,
whilst Draco fought the impulse to drum his head against the wall. �What
Malfoy�s interest in the matter is, I�m not exactly certain.�

�� Draco raked
a hand through his hair. Why in the world
can�t he see my motives? I�ve explained them to him with flirting. I�ve hinted
that they�re related to the Heart�s Blessing spell. And he knows my interest in
keeping my father alive, and that I think he�s the best mediwizard to do it.
What does he need? An official edict from the Ministry, signed by that vulture-eyed
superior of his whom he defers so strongly to?

�� But he�s
serving as honor guard until we can find out who tried to kill Lucius by
removing the stabilization fields, and it�s not impossible that that same
person might try to remove me as well.�

�� Draco bit
the corner of his cheek, eyes firmly closed, until he felt the soothing blood
pouring into his mouth. Of course Harry sounded utterly unconcerned that he
might be the target of an assassination attempt.

�� To think I
thought being a mediwizard was a peaceful career.� Weasley had a proud tone to
his voice, probably imagining that he was delivering a great piece of wit.

�� Harry
laughed. Draco felt himself rise to his toes with involuntary reaction, but a
new piece of information had come to him then, almost as pleasant and
distracting as the laughter. So Weasley
doesn�t really understand the self-neglect and the worsened temper that Harry
suffers as a result of his job. No surprise there. I think he would hide such
things from his friends as often as possible, and perhaps I can�t blame them
for not being solicitous enough of him.

�� Then
Granger�s voice spoke, and Draco felt a frisson of unexpected pleasure; she
sounded more mature and intelligent than Weasley, which relieved Draco from
listening to the ramblings of stupidity, but she also spoke on the subject that
he had hoped someone else would talk to Harry about. �You have Malfoy living in
the same house with you? Sharing your meals, sleeping across the corridor?�

�� Yes, Harry, think about that, Draco
thought complacently. Not only that I�m
so close I can slip into your bed without much forewarning, but also that I�m
willing to give up my own privacy and comfort in order to attend you in this desolate
place. That suggests no small level of devotion, doesn�t it?

�� Er, yes?�
Harry sounded both amused and bemused. Draco tapped his fingers in a steady
cadence against his knee to relieve his feelings; tapping them against the wall
would reveal him as surely as sounding a cymbal or a drum in the corridor.

�� And he
wants you healthy so you can heal his father?�

�� There was
unmistakable interest in Granger�s voice. Draco straightened. I should have known that she would try to
protect Harry�s health. She isn�t held back by the blindness that Weasley
labors under or the odd indifference to it that Harry covets. But of course
Harry ignores her advice when he can.

�� That�s right,�
Harry said, hastily. �But he�s not in charge of maintaining that health.�

�� Irritation
exploded through Draco, and he stepped out into the doorway of the room before
he could think better of it. Damn it, Harry was turning aside all the good services
that his friends tried to offer him, and he would do the same thing with the
services that Draco could offer him,
given half a chance. Draco had a natural ally in Granger, and he didn�t intend
to let the chance pass him by.

�� The room he
stepped into was a nicely-appointed one, with carvings above the mantle and along
the grate that he knew must be original to the house. A window with too few
wards hovered threateningly in a corner, but Draco ignored it for the moment,
knowing that showing too great a fear in front of Granger and Weasley would
only get him teased and mocked. He could see Granger�s head hovering among the
green flames of the fireplace, and Harry straightening to face him as if Draco
were the enemy.

�� If he includes the enemies of his own
stupidity among that number, then I am.

�� I beg to
differ, Potter,� he said, and Harry gave him an outraged little glance that
reminded Draco of a kitten trying to stand up to an enormous hound. Draco
snorted loftily into the air and ignored it. �Once again, we use widely varying
definitions.� I did think you looked too
peaky when I saw you come into my father�s room this morning.� And your constant labors on the behalf of
other people since then, whilst sparing nothing for yourself, haven�t helped.

�� Granger
bristled like a cat who recognized the enormous dog as an intruder on her
territory and could legitimately tear it to pieces. Draco nearly smiled. There
was more than one reason he wanted her for an ally.

�� I made
sure he rested nine hours last night,� she said.

�� Ally or
not, Draco was not going to allow her to defend her inadequate guardianship of
Harry, lest Harry start thinking that he could get away with being unhealthy on
Draco�s watch. �Well, quite obviously that wasn�t enough, Granger.�

�� And you
think you can get him to sleep longer than that? When he�ll be worried about
having you in his house?� Granger rested her chin on her fists like someone
making a business deal across one of those great tables Draco had never been
comfortable sitting at. �Good luck with that.�

�� Draco
choked back a protest about how he would never hurt Harry, and Harry ought to
be afraid only of his own susceptibility to Draco�s seduction. If he couldn�t
expect Harry to understand his position as a member of a pure-blood family, how
much more education could he ask of Granger, who was a Mudblood?

�Am I the only one in the room who
realizes how bizarre this conversation sounds?� Harry asked the wall.

Draco felt his lips open
automatically to give an answer about how, when Harry acknowledged that his
disdain for his own health was a problem, he could be involved in the
conversation, but then he shook his head and extinguished the impulse. No, he
was talking to Granger right now. She was watching him with keen, cutting eyes,
and he wanted to impress her. It would be no bad thing, if he could start ingratiating
himself with Harry�s friends right now. And besides, it was a relief to find
some affable qualities in at least one of
them; it would make up for what he might have to endure later on.

�� I�m here
to help him, not trouble him,� Draco said. �Let a few days pass and he�ll be so
used to me that he might want me around all the time.� He folded his arms and
tilted his chin up, but he was watching Harry from the corner of his eye,
waiting to see how he reacted to this. Harry looked ungratifyingly astonished
at the idea. Draco growled under his breath. How much did he have to extend himself
before Harry would make some return? Couldn�t Harry see that he was trying?

�� Granger
laughed, and thank Merlin, his new addiction was only to Harry�s laughter; hers did nothing to his insides. �But
I�ll bet not even you could make him
eat a regular meal. He doesn�t, you know, most of the time. It�s �gulp a
headache potion and continue working until I wonder why I�m fainting,� with
him.�

�� Draco
exhaled hard, appalled. Losing sleep was one thing; it could be made up on
nights when Harry managed to escape early. Besides, from what Draco had seen
here, Harry didn�t have a bed that would encourage him to spend extra time in
it. But a lack of taste for good food was worse. How was Draco to repair that?

�� By some
method other than spiriting Harry
away to Malfoy Manor right this instant, which he had to acknowledge wasn�t practical.

�� But neither
was it practical to attempt to suppress his own irritation any longer. He spun
around to face Harry. �I�m not sure I appreciate my father�s care being in the
hands of a mediwizard who can�t even take care of himself.� That ought to get to
Harry. He was sensitive about any reflection that touched on his skill.

�� Harry stiffened
and lifted his head the way Draco had done when he stepped into the room, so
charming and defiant that Draco had to forego the temptation to jump on him
right now. �My patients are important.�

�� And you�re
not?� Draco clucked his tongue, and had the pleasure of seeing Harry look
furious. �Well, much is now explained. Your horrendous taste in furnishings,
for example. Of course you can�t choose the right ones if you never take the
time to pay attention to them.�

�� He was glad
he could speak lightly to conceal his own anger and concern. There was putting
others first, and then there was putting them only.

�� I�m
important, too!� Harry snapped, and then whirled around to glare at Granger,
apparently having decided that she was the greater villain here. �You needn�t
think you�ve won the bet forever. �Or
lost it.�

�� Draco
blinked. What bet? Did they make a sort
of bet about their health together? Well, that would be another reason why
Harry was accustomed to treating himself like shite, if he thought he could
wager on it.

�I mean,� Harry added then, �you
know that Malfoy won�t be a permanent house-guest, and you would hate it if he
was.�

�� Of course we won�t be staying here forever. Draco
shuddered at the thought. We�ll move to
the Manor soon enough.

�� As long as
he�s here,� Granger said, and she sounded happy about it, �he might as well do
you good.� Draco still got a scowl for all that. �If I hear that you�ve hurt
him, you�d better be on the other side of England from me.�

�� Draco let a
smile widen across his face, one that he knew stood a decent chance of charming
Granger. �You don�t need to worry about that,� he said. �Hurting him would be
counterproductive to my plans in more than one way.� He gave Harry a
speculative glance. �Unless, of course, he likes that.�

�� Harry�s
mouth fell open, and he blinked a little. Draco felt a small flame of triumph
flare to life in his chest. It was time that he had a chance at frustrating and
surprising Harry in the same way that Harry did to him.

�� Then, of
course, the Weasel appeared in the flames again, because no enjoyment that
Draco felt in Potter�s inferior house could go unalloyed. �You know what,
mate?� he said to Harry. �I�m going to close the Floo connection now, and we�re
going to pretend that this conversation never happened. All right?�

�� Draco tried
to say something about the Weasel being unable to stand even the hint of real
sexual pleasure, but Harry was speaking before he could get the words out. ��Ron, it�s really not what you think��

�� I�m sure
something can happen that�s worse than what I think,� Weasel said. �I�m trying
not to think about it at all. Just tell me when the ferret�s gone.�

�� Well, Draco thought, as Weasley closed
the Floo connection, that removes any
guilt I felt for thinking of him as a weasel.

�� Your
friends are more amusing than I remember them being from school,� Draco said.
He managed to sound reflective and not mocking, and was proud of himself for
making the effort. Surely Harry ought to appreciate this as one of the most
meaningful sacrifices Draco could make. �But that doesn�t mean you get all the
food or rest you need. You need a
full-time watcher.�

�� Fuck you,
I don�t!� Harry snapped, and turned around to face him. Draco blinked, unsure
whether the suddenness of the movement or the vulgarity had surprised him more.
�You don�t need to be here. You don�t
need to be afraid that I�ll suddenly lose interest in Lucius, or turn against
him the way the Healers have, or expose him to danger just because I�m tired.
You don�t need to have anything to do
with me. I��

�� Draco was
opening his mouth to explain, once again and patiently, that he was worried
about Harry for more reasons than that, when he saw a brown-yellow spell
tearing through the weak wards on the window, aimed straight for Harry�s back.

�� He moved
before he knew what he was doing, seizing Harry and bearing him to the ground.
Harry, of course, struggled, because God knew he couldn�t let anything be
simple, even the saving of his own life. But the cessation of that struggle was
a mixed blessing, because Harry promptly looked on the verge of fainting with
pain.

�� Draco
rolled him over, aware that he was grunting under his breath with desperation
and fighting his own fear, which might have frozen his hands. The spell had hit
Harry squarely in the middle of his back, tearing apart the cloth of his shirt
and his flesh with equal ease. Draco could barely look at the ridges of scarred
skin and muscle confronting him, or listen to the soft sizzling noise that the
spell made as it dug deeper and deeper.

�� Luckily, he
carried a potion that was effective against burns and wounds that resembled
them as long as it was applied in the first few minutes. He dug it out without
needing to look�the vials all felt different to him in shape or the texture of
the glass�and wrenched the cork from it. He tipped the mint-green Firebane
potion over the wound and heard the sizzling stop, replaced by the quietly popping
bubbles that showed it was working. The next moment, some of the harsh ridges
smoothed and softened. Draco sat back and put a hand over his eyes.

�� He was weak
with terror, and Harry was already lifting his head and turning it around,
though slowly enough to reassure Draco the impact of the blow had been felt.

�� Thank
you,� Harry mumbled, and then shifted as if he thought he would be standing
soon. Draco conquered the impulse to laugh; it would only become despairing
laughter, and refuse to stop. �That�s the debt your father owed me canceled,
isn�t it? You saved my life.� His words were dull, slow, fumbling.

�� I did,� Draco
said, anger lending his hands strength as he pushed Harry into the floor again,
�and the debt isn�t canceled because it�s not that kind of debt, and you�re
going to rest.�

�� I have to
sit with Mary.�

�� Draco
clenched his teeth so he wouldn�t scream. �I�ll make your excuses to the charming
young lady.�

�� I was on
the verge of figuring out the maze of spells on your father,� Harry said.

�� Draco
decided he�d had enough of this nonsense. Harry would have to put up with being
taken care of whether he liked it or not. He scooped Harry up in his arms and
turned towards the door from the study, telling him, because Harry would
probably explode if he didn�t, �It can wait.�

�� Can�t.�

�� You�re as
stubborn as a child when you want to be.� Draco laid a hand over the green eyes
staring up at him, unable to believe that such a gesture should be necessary.
�Go to sleep.�

�� Harry hung
his head and started snoring a moment later.

*

�� It didn�t
take long to settle Harry into bed in the bedroom Draco had chosen for himself,
or to strengthen the wards until they were glittering with almost angry sparks.
Draco would have strengthened them still further, but the windows bent and the
walls groaned when he tried. He sat down in a chair next to the bed and watched
Harry sleep for a moment.

�� Then he put
his hands over his face and took a deep, sighing breath, grateful there was no
one awake enough to scold him for it at the moment.

�� To be
attacked in his home was his worst fear, the worst fear of any pure-blood. The
home was the fortress, the one place where a family would have so many wards
and traps and tricks and secret doors and defensible rooms that no enemy could
destroy them even if he took them by surprise. And this spell had come through
Harry�s weak wards and shattered his window. Draco had seen the hole gaping in
the glass before he carried Harry away.

�� His hands
would not stop shaking.

�� Oh, Harry, God. To have found you and then
to lose you so soon. To be in the place that should keep you safer than any
other, and then to see you threatened there.

�� Draco�s
throat was thick with bile, and he had to choke several times before he could
swallow it all. He leaned over Harry�s bed, staring at his still face, his shut
eyes, his gently rising and falling chest. He knew he should probably feel some
smugness that he had such a perfect excuse to stay in the house�of course Harry
would need attendance of some kind whilst he recovered�but it was an entirely intellectual
appreciation of the way circumstances had worked out. How could he rejoice in
the way Harry had been confined to bed?

�� Harry
opened his eyes and sat up.

�� He did it
so quickly that Draco had no time to move out of the way, and the top of Harry�s
head slammed into his jaw. He staggered back, his hands clasped over his mouth,
swearing. The pain echoed up and into his ears and bones so that no other
course was possible.

�� And then
Harry started to get out of bed.

�� Mentally
snarling, Draco prepared himself for battle.

*

�� Slytherdor:
Believe me, I can fully understand both those impulses.

�� DTDY: Thank
you! I hope this satisfied you; I had hoped to get to the aftermath of the
attack in this chapter, but the next scene between Harry and Draco is just too
long.

�� Noir: One
of the reasons Draco has such trouble understanding Harry is that he doesn�t understand
how Harry can live without that sense of danger which is so clearly ingrained
in him and other pure-bloods (even as he acknowledges that Harry has some reason
not to fear as much). So he makes stupid decisions about Harry and thinks
someone is selfish for devoting effort to others instead of thinking about
himself as well, because every member of a family is important and every member
should be balanced. It is true that he wanted to become a Potions master in
memory of Snape, but even more, he�s doing it because it will serve his family
and because it�s important to him.

�� Thrnbrooke:
Thank you!

�� linagabriev:
Thank you! Draco only listens to what he wants to listen to, and, sometimes,
hears only what he wants to hear. But he is better with Ron and Hermione simply
because he accepts that he knows them less well.

�� Minna-chan:
Thank you very much!

��
- 7
- 8
- 9
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

For Their Unconquerable Souls