Crossing Wards

Notes: This idea has been on my mind since HBP first came out, so now I'm giving it a try. It will be H/D and it might get to R rating. For now, it's not. Comments and constructive criticism are always welcome; flames are highly frowned upon.

As usual, anything recognizable belongs to JK Rowling and affiliates.

Part One

The house was quiet when the perimeter wards went off. They weren't a loud beeping or anything that noticeable; just a soft red flashing in the corner of the three inhabitants eyes.

They had been sitting in the kitchen at the time, discussing tactics and strategies over tea. When the red flashing started they shared worried looks before the one closest to the door stood up.

"I'll go," he said.

The other two stood up quickly.

"You can't, Harry. Let me go, or Ron," the girl argued.

Harry shook his head. "No, Hermione. It's my turn. You two checked the last two times. It's probably just a cat again. Don't worry."

Then, he turned, grabbed the invisibility cloak from the cloak rack and disappeared out the door. The red light disappeared from their vision, and Hermione knew Harry had reset the wards.

~

Outside, Harry crept through the bushes surrounding the rundown shack. He knew that it was dangerous, so he had his wand at the ready. He wouldn't find a Muggle out here. The Muggle repelling charm worked just like it should. He also knew that despite his previous comments, it wouldn't be a cat. He had changed the wards to stop reacting unless the animal was an Animagus, unbeknownst to Hermione. He was almost positive that whatever set off the wards was either a wizard or a witch.

Harry crept to the edge of the wards and began to follow them. That was the procedure he, Hermione and Ron had decided on. Go to the edge of the wards and work towards the house in concentric circles.

Harry couldn't help but let his mind wander as he snuck along the wards. He thought back to how they had ended up here. He supposed it began at Dumbledore's funeral, when he first proposed the idea. It was on the train ride home that the details were ironed out. After lots of shouting, refusals and tears, it was decided that Harry would stay at the Dursleys until Bill and Fleur's wedding, after which the three of them would go to Godric's Hollow. When they arrived, they found the house that Harry had lived in as a baby. It was mostly just a cellar with little bits of walls here and there and lots of rubble. It seemed that no one had rebuilt it or demolished it completely. Harry thought it was understandable after what had happened there.

In the end they found an old abandoned shack out behind the graveyard where Harry's parents were buried. Since Bill and Fleur's wedding had been the day after Harry's birthday, they were all seventeen and could legally use magic. Hermione had shrunk a lot of very useful books to bring with them and in them they had found the Muggle repelling charm and the spell for the wards.

Harry wasn't fond of the two bedroom one bathroom cottage, but he certainly didn't want to fight Death Eaters for it. As Harry crept around in the bushes, he prayed it was someone on their side.

Just as he finished that thought, the bushes ahead of him moved and he heard a groan. He was only a few meters from the edge of the wards, but his wand was ready. He peeked around the bushes and his eyes widened. Lying face down on the ground on the other side was a black robed figure, barely moving. As he snuck closer, he realized that what he had taken for an erratic pattern of dark blotches were really blood stains, and that the person's hands were similarly colored. The figure let out another groan, this time more quietly. Harry rushed towards them, still wary, but he was pretty sure this person wasn't in a state to overpower him. Carefully, he turned the figure over onto their back.

"Malfoy?" he whispered angrily. For it was indeed Draco Malfoy, lying half on Harry's lap and bleeding profusely.

The boy opened his eyes a little and groaned in pain. He squinted and a flash of recognition and relief crossed his face.

"Harry," he whispered. "Help me..."

Then he sunk into unconsciousness.