Draco and Harry: Escorts in Exile

Chapter Eleven

Harry barely had the presence of mind to pull his cloak back on as he fled from Hermione's cell. He raced down the corridor, not caring if his passing was heard. He had to find the Weasley twins, if they were still in the building. It was possible they had disappeared with Draco.

The lift doors had barely opened when Harry leaped out--and slammed into someone unseen. Harry went down in a tangle of cloak and limbs. Fred stared at him, hatless.

"Harry?" he asked. Harry snatched off the invisibility cloak.

"Where is he?" Harry tried not to sound frantic, and failed.

"He just disappeared, mate!" Fred said as he groped on the floor, searching for the invisible beret.

"Why? What did he touch?" Harry attempted to calm himself. He knew Draco was alive. That, at least, was a certainty. He could feel Draco, but only faintly.

"Nothing!" George's voice sounded out of thin air. A slight shimmer appeared, and then George was visible. One hand still gripped the brim of his fedora. "I was right next to him. Malfoy wasn't touching a thing. He was casting a spell--trying to unlock Umbridge's desk."

"Umbridge's desk? You were in Umbridge's office?" Shouting now. Yes, he was shouting. So much for calm.

"It was Malfoy's idea!" Fred protested, inching away from Harry, still on his hands and knees. Harry stood, and Fred finally located his hat. He grabbed it and moved to stand behind George.

"It was like he Disapparated, Harry," George said. "There was even that cracking sound, but Malfoy didn't cast the spell--like I said, he was midway through another spell when he popped out."

"He was surprised," Fred added

"Maybe someone invisible Disapparated with him," George suggested.

"Someone else just happened to be in Umbridge's office? Invisible?" Fred scoffed. "Besides, Malfoy would have noticed someone touching him. Did he act like someone grabbed him?"

"I was looking at the desk," George admitted.

Harry's frustration was growing. He needed to think.

The lift doors opened and a man stepped out. He stared at the three of them, and then his eyes widened as they flitted to Harry's scar.

"Obliviate!" Harry yelled. The man's face went blank. Harry escorted the official to the front doors and out, modifying his memory to block any recollection of him and the twins. When the man was safely away, Harry returned to the twins, who watched him uneasily.

"What?" he snapped.

"You're getting a bit scary, Potter," George said. Harry glared, not at all in the mood for a lecture on ethics from the Weasley twins.

"Let's go get Ron."

Harry hit the guard with another Sleep Spell, just in case he thought about waking, and stalked back to Hermione's cell. He didn't bother to pull his cloak on fully, not caring who saw him.

"I've got to find Draco. Again," Harry snapped. "Are you coming?"

"Malfoy certainly disappears a lot, doesn't he?" Fred commented. Harry rounded on him with a snarl.

"When has it ever been his fault?" he hissed, not forgetting the twins' part in the Maeve fiasco.

"Forget I mentioned it," Fred muttered.

"I'm coming," Ron said quickly.

"Me too," Hermione said. Harry turned back to blink at her. She shrugged.

"If Umbridge has resorted to kidnapping, she'll stop at nothing. I might as well be a fugitive than sit here to be used as bait."

They left the cell and retreated down the corridor. George stood in front of Lupin's cell, talking to the werewolf.

"Lupin's coming," George said.

"I want to find my daughter," Remus said grimly. Harry opened his cell with a flick of his wand.

"Is Tonks at Grimmauld Place?"

Lupin nodded. "Under house arrest."

They exited the dungeons. A couple of prisoners set up a clamor of questions, but the others ignored them. In the hallway outside the cellblock, Harry said, "Let's meet at Grimmauld Place. We can Apparate from here."

Harry did not wait around for the others. He Apparated into the living room at number 12, Grimmauld Place, where a man gaped at him from the couch. Harry Stunned him and bound him in several ropes just as Fred and George appeared. A yell sounded from the kitchen, and then a thud. Ron and Hermione stood in the doorway a moment later. Ron grinned.

"Got the one in the kitchen, mate. Prat was eating all you food, looked like. From the size of him, he didn't need it."

They heard a happy cry from upstairs--obviously Lupin had located Tonks. The Lupins pounded down the stairs a moment later. Tonks threw herself at Harry.

"I could wring your neck, Potter! I really could!" she said angrily, but held him tightly regardless.

"I know. I'm sorry. Call Neville and try to find Lyra while I look for Draco. One way or another, this thing will be done with." He paused. "You might let Kingsley and Bill know the situation, just so they won't be surprised when all hell breaks loose."

Harry went to his room, accompanied by Hermione and Ron.

"What did you mean 'look for Draco'?" Hermione asked.

Harry waggled his hand and the ring glinted slightly.

"I have an advantage now," he said. "I just need a Circle of Protection and a spell."

He conjured one of the books Maeve had copied, flipped to the appropriate page, and started to read. Hermione, unable to stop herself, read over his shoulder. Ron sprawled on the bed.

For once, Hermione did not attempt to talk him out of casting the spell. She wordlessly helped him draw a circle and pentagram on the floor. They lit several candles and Harry seated himself cross-legged in the center.

"If I'm gone too long..." Harry grinned humorlessly. "Well, you'll figure out what to do."

Hermione tried to smile and failed. Harry read through the spell once more, centered himself, and cast.

ooOoo

Draco, slightly disoriented from the strange sense of being Disapparated by means unknown, still managed to cast Protego the instant his feet touched solid ground.

It blocked a shouted, "Expelliarmus!" but did nothing to halt the blow that landed sharply on his forearm, nearly dislodging his wand. He lost it anyway when it was snatched from his numb hand just as another spell caught him. How many were there?

He sank to his knees as the Weakening Spell sapped his energy so quickly he could barely stay awake. A rough hand grabbed his jaw and forced his head upright. He glared into the mad eyes of Dolores Umbridge.

She squeezed so hard his jawbones creaked in protest. "Mr. Malfoy," she purred, "How nice to see you again."

"Fuck you," he managed.

She released his face and then slapped him hard. The blow knocked him to the ground, head ringing.

"That's a very filthy mouth for such a pretty face," Umbridge said. "Wouldn't you agree, Maeve?"

Draco opened and closed his eyes slowly, trying to focus. He got to his hands and knees, trying to muster the energy to stand. He glanced at his surroundings. They were outside, beneath a dark sky. The stars were invisible, so he assumed clouds, although it wasn't raining. He knelt in a clearing ringed with trees. The grass beneath him had been shorn, and a circle, drawn with white sand, surrounded him. Candles edged the ring, although one had been knocked over by Umbridge. Draco noted dimly that the splash of wax had hardened on the blades of grass.

A Summoning. Brigit and Maeve flanked Umbridge, and all three looked at him with varying degrees of satisfaction. Their features looked horrific in the dim light of the candles. Brigit had cast a Summoning--but you couldn't Summon people, could you? Draco had never heard of such a thing.

"Accio wand!" he said and it twitched in Umbridge's hand. She chuckled nastily.

"Oh no, Malfoy. You are going to stay right here and be the pretty bait for Harry Potter. And if your precious lover doesn't get here in time... Well, then you'll die."

She laughed again and cast a spell that sent Draco into darkness.

When Draco awoke, he was cold. He opened his eyes. It was still dark, and he could not tell how much time had passed, though he seemed to be in the same clearing. By the feel of his limbs, it could have been hours. He tried to move, and the pain in his arms was instantly obvious. They were tied over his head, bound to a rough pole.

He tugged at them experimentally. Fuck. He was roped to a stake. At the base, surrounding his bare feet, was a large pile of dry faggots and chunks of split wood. Draco was nude, which explained the cold.

"It's no surprise, really, that Potter was unable to resist you. How long did it take him, I wonder?"

He had been trying to ignore Umbridge, who stood in front of him with her fat lips split into a grin. Draco said nothing, but the thought of Harry caused a twinge of pain. The Gryffindor had found him last time, but by the look of things, time was something Draco had in limited quantities.

"An interesting article will be printed in the Daily Prophet tomorrow, speculating on your relationship with the Boy Who Lived. I wonder how he will enjoy that? His reputation..." Umbridge clucked in a parody of sympathy. "It's simply a shambles, isn't it? And all because of you."

Draco shoved down the unwilling guilt prompted by that statement and evaluated his situation. He wondered if Umbridge held his wand, or if she'd given it to one of the others. It was doubtful he could get it with an Accio, regardless. His eyes moved away from the toadlike visage of Umbridge, seeking Maeve and Brigit. Both were visible in his periphery, with their arms upraised as they chanted.

"Fire can be so purifying, don't you think?" Umbridge asked casually, but he heard the eagerness beneath her words. He was surprised she hadn't already lit the bundle of kindling beneath his feet. "Maeve is casting her protection spell on the land--the same one she tried to cast the last time Potter interfered, actually. Try, try again, I always say." Her simpering chuckle rang out.

Draco sneered absently, wanting to kick her. Back in Ireland again, then. He was starting to develop a severe dislike for the island. Maeve and Brigit finished with their preparations, apparently, and began to walk their way. Draco shifted, and noticed his feet stood rather precariously on a block of wood. If he kicked it over, all of his weight would rest on his arms.

He wondered grimly what would be the best way to die by fire. Smoke inhalation, most likely. Burning would be unpleasant. Better to breathe in the smoke and choke to death.

He was about to try Summoning his wand again, but a sharp tingling sensation overcame him. He gasped, a sound echoed by Umbridge.

"What is that?" she demanded.

Draco looked down in amazement. His patterned tattoo was back, and it was glowing. The tracery gleamed a brilliant gold, the same shade as Draco's sudden rush of hope. He felt Harry's presence, surrounding and filling him.

"Potter?" he whispered in awe.

Maeve ran forward and touched her hand to the sigil on Draco's flank.

"It can't be!" she cried. "What have you done?"

Draco grinned at her. He wasn't sure how, but he was utterly certain that Harry Potter was about to throw a very large hex into their well-laid plans.

The tattoo faded and disappeared. Draco nearly moaned at the loss of Harry's essence.

"Light him up!" Maeve snarled.

Draco laughed aloud. "Better hurry," he said. Umbridge threw him a vile glare.

"Incendio!" she snarled. Flames flickered to life and caught quickly at the dry tinder. Draco's smile never faltered.

ooOoo

"Got him!" Harry yelled, causing Hermione to jump violently. "Come on!"

Harry leaped to his feet and pelted down the stairs, nearly tripping and breaking his neck when he slipped halfway down. The twins looked at him expectantly, but the Lupins were gone.

"They went to meet with Neville. He might know where they've taken Lyra," George said.

"I know where Draco is," Harry said. "I think Umbridge plans to burn him alive." He was surprised at his own calm tone, especially considering he felt like screaming. Ron and Hermione entered the room and he said, "Is everyone ready?"

"Ready for what?" Hermione asked.

"To save Draco, of course," he replied. "Everyone join hands." They looked at him blankly. "Do it!" he yelled in his best Savior of the Wizarding World voice. They joined hands.

Harry gathered in as much magic as he possibly could, making sure to exclude everyone in the room in order to keep them from passing out. He took a deep breath and Apparated the lot of them.

Harry staggered to his knees when they arrived, weaker than he could have imagined. The distance had been father than he'd expected, and Apparating all seven of them at once... well, he admitted it was stupid.

"Too late, Potter!" he heard Umbridge yell. "Extonere ager!"

Harry fell face down and blackness licked at his vision, held off by willpower alone. Damn it! Umbridge had set up a Knockout Field and he had walked right into it. He fought to focus, and saw Draco's horrified face staring at him through a billow of white smoke. Oh god!

Umbridge yelled once more and Harry felt his wand slip from his grasp, unable to prevent it. He concentrated and pulled magic from the ground into himself. It was difficult--he was beyond tired and he was being magically compelled to sleep, on top of the drain of Apparition. The extra power began to revive him, but slowly--too slowly. He felt a boot kick into his shoulder, rolling him onto his back. A foot stomped into his chest, pinning him to the ground. Umbridge bore down and Harry found it hard to breathe. He heard Draco coughing nearby.

"Bind them!" Umbridge snarled, not looking at Harry. He wasn't sure who she was talking to, and he didn't care. He reached up and grabbed her ankle, squeezing as firmly as he could through the leather of her boot. She pressed down harder and darkness once again flickered at the edges of his vision. Harry pulled suddenly, not with his hand, but with his energy, and sapped every bit of magic out of Umbridge. She collapsed on him in a dead weight and Harry fought to free himself, alert once more, but now trapped. His eyes flew to Draco, who was nearly obscured by smoke. Flames licked higher.

Harry roared and gestured, letting fly with a burst of pure force. The burning pile of wood surrounding Draco was suddenly scattered into a fiery furrow in the grass that stretched for twenty meters. Malfoy sagged on the pole, seemingly unconscious, or dead.

Harry shoved at Umbridge's dead weight and finally succeeded in rolling her away. He was halted in his attempt to rise as a wand tip pressed painfully into his throat. His eyes rose reluctantly to meet the angry visage of Brigit.

"Say goodbye, Potter," she said. "Avada Ke--"

Before Harry could even react, Brigit collapsed. Harry stared, surprised, into the grim face of Susan Bones. She smiled at him and then turned away.

"Wake them up!" she yelled. "Is this the sort of Ministry you plan to serve? One that burns men alive? Stop blindly following orders and think, for once! This travesty needs to stop! Are we Aurors or fucking lapdogs?"

Harry got to his feet and saw a group of Aurors surrounding his unconscious friends. They looked at Susan nervously. Only one had conjured ropes to bind one of the Weasley twins. Harry took two steps toward Draco, but he had waited too long. Maeve was already there. She had cut Draco down and held his limp form tightly, although she struggled against his weight.

Maeve did not bother to speak, but Disapparated with Malfoy. Harry cast the spell that activated his Bond with Draco. The link allowed him to join ethereally with Draco, and see what he saw, as if he were present as a ghost. He held onto Draco's essence for a moment, drinking in the warm glow of life that still flowed in Malfoy's veins.

Harry pulled back into himself as Maeve stepped away from Draco. It was quicker this time--she had not gone far. Harry Apparated, and found himself glaring at a shocked Maeve. They stood in a small room--probably Maeve's house, Harry figured. She raised her wand and snarled a spell at him, which he deflected with a hastily cast Protego. He moved to Draco; Maeve had tossed him haphazardly on the sofa. Harry wrapped his arms around the naked Slytherin, trying to warm him.

"How do you keep thwarting me?" Maeve screamed. "Bloody fucking Boy Who Lived! Why can't you just let him die?"

"I love him," Harry said simply. The words seemed to enrage her beyond rationality. Draco stirred in his arms and began to cough. Harry pressed a kiss into his temple. It tasted of smoke and sweat. He suddenly wanted nothing more than to destroy Maeve and Umbridge, and anyone else that dared to hurt his Draco.

"This isn't over, Potter. I'll get you for this. I'll have Malfoy, yet."

She raised her wand and Harry knew she was about to Disapparate.

"I wouldn't leave if I were you, Maeve," he warned.

She sneered at him and Disapparated. Her scream echoed in the small room and Draco's eyes snapped open. Harry smiled softly.

"Cutting it a bit close this time, aren't you?" Draco asked. His voice was a horrible rasp.

"Sorry," Harry said and kissed him.

"It would help if people would stop snatching me, eh?" Draco said when Harry allowed him up for air.

"It's because you're beautiful. They can't help it." Draco melted in his arms and kissed him more deeply than before. Harry sighed happily. "At least Maeve won't be snatching you any more."

"Really?" Draco's silver eyes were puzzled. Harry gestured over his shoulder, to the place where Maeve had attempted to Disapparate. Draco flung himself off the couch in horror. "What the hell?"

Harry shrugged. "She Splinched herself. I told her not to leave."

Half of Maeve's body lay on the floor, the other half having Disapparated to her intended location.

"Harry, you--! You didn't--?" Draco's silver eyes were disbelieving. Harry glared at him.

"Yes. I did. And I'd do it again. I'm finished with people fucking with you, Draco. I've had enough of people screwing with our lives when we're just trying to mind our own business. Maeve was never going to stop, you know. Never. And trying to burn you alive? That was the last goddamn straw. I'm Harry fucking Potter and it's about time people around here started to remember that." He stood up. "I'm going to make sure the others are all right. I'll bring you some clothes."

Harry waved a hand and Disapparated, not willing to see the growing concern on Draco's face. God, he hoped he hadn't royally messed up.