A Change Of Seasons

*Damn you Lucius! Damn you to all bloody hell for this!* Draco thought sullenly as he curled up in his bed. He never thought he could possibly hate his father more then at right this moment, and right now hate wasn't even the right word for what he felt. Anger, bitterness, and revenge filled his clouded mind, and that was a very dangerous combination in his hands. But nothing could erase the fact of what had been done, and only Lucius could be the one to be blamed for it.

Draco was startled then by a sudden scratching noise coming from one of the walls. Hogwarts never had rats before, unless you count that mangy looking thing Weasley had had for the first 3 years until they found out it was really the animagus form of Peter Pettigrew, but other then that he knew rats weren't tolerable to the house-elves, so it couldn't have been one. A moment later however, the scratching sound was finished, and he heard a little 'click' as the 'wall' suddenly became a door, and the most unlikely of people stepped through it.

"Ha-Potter! What on earth?" Draco said sitting up in shock.

Harry shut the wall behind him then walked over the bed before answering. "Secret passage, Snape showed it to me. You didn't know bout it I take it." he said keeping his voice level and keeping his gaze trained on Draco's face.

"Didn't actually, but then I just got this room this year. So Potter, to what do I owe this esteemed visit then?" Draco said though not sneering, had little emotion in his voice.

Harry chuckled, he'd heard those words not that long ago it seemed. "You know, you're starting to sound like Snape more and more these days. Not surprizing really though as much time as you spend in these dungeons. How you Slytherins take the cold down here even though it's still hot outside is beyond me." Harry said pulling his robes round him trying to fight off a sudden chill.

Draco shrugged, "Just goes to show we're tougher then you all too warm blooded Gryffindors. We can take it more. What do you want anyway Potter, and why did he make you come here?" He turned his gaze looking anywhere else then at Harry.

Harry didn't rise to the comment though he could almost sense there was a tension in Draco that hadn't been there before, not even when he'd fled from the tower last night. Leaning against a bookshelf that was adorned with schoolbooks and such, his eyes happen to alight on an item that very much so surprized Harry. The book was small, dog-eared, and well read through obviously, and the Harry, was the most out of place item in a Slytherin, let alone a Malfoy's, room. Suddenly he remembered something from that little book that he had read years ago, but somehow now seemed all too appropriate.

Walking closer to Draco, he focused his emerald green eyes softly onto Draco's swirling grey ones, and very softly repeated,

"My only love sprung from my only hate!

Too early seen unknown, and known too late!

Prodigious birth of love it is to me,

That I must love a loathed enemy."

"Snape didnt make me come here Draco, I wanted to. Does that answer you're question?" Harry said softly, sitting down next to Draco on the bed never taking his eyes off him.

Draco blinked in response, too astounded to say anything. Not because Harry knew the enigmatic and profound words of the muggle writer Shakespeare, but that Harry had known exactly that it was that scene in particular that for the past 2 weeks Draco had been reading and rereading to himself. "How-how did you know?" he said weakly.

"I just did, call it inspiration. Tell me what you want Draco. Not the 'game', I know all that. But something changed, something happened last night, and I think you know it too. Tell me the truth, what do you want from me?" Harry said almost in a whisper.

Again Draco's eyes filled with pain. How could he tell Harry what he really wanted when he wasn't even sure himself? No longer angry, no longer filled with hatred, he found for nearly the first time in his life lost, afraid to say what he really needed to, and somehow Harry seemed to understand this. There wasn't anymore need to say anything then, neither of them even knew afterward who made the first move, but somehow both boys were in each others arms, Draco's eye flooding with tears, and Harry's warm arms comforting him.

"Oh Harry, I wish I knew, I really did. You know now my life has been miserable, beyond that, hell. I cant fight him Harry...I cant anymore! How could you still even want me knowing what that...that person even did to me this summer!" Draco said chokingly, trying desperately to take a hold on his tears.

Harry held him tighter, wishing almost he hadn't seen what he had that night in the infirmary, but knowing that it only helped bridge the distance between the two of them really. Knowing what he did now of Draco only made him more convinced that they needed each other so desperately. "I dont care what he did, he's a bastard that gets what is coming to him Draco love. And he will, I'll make sure of that. All I care bout is you Draco Malfoy, and nothing else." Harry said softly into Draco's ear.

Draco responded only with a sigh that showed how happy he was. "I cant promise you anything..I cant promise you I can love you Harry..." he said quietly and sat back up to gaze into Harry's eyes.

"I know. I dont know what 'love' is either Draco, but I have a feeling we can both try to find out. I do know that I need you Draco Malfoy, I need to be near you, to hold you. Not on a whim of lust, or quick snogs in the nooks, but more. I dont know if that's love, but I know it must be a start."

"I wanted you so much, I wanted to possess you, to have you as an item that I and I alone would be in command of...but not anymore, not like that. Especially not now..." Draco said, his eyes for a moment reflecting the anger he'd felt earlier towards Lucius.

"Draco?" Harry said misinterpreting that look towards himself.

"Dont worry Harry, no I'm not mad at you. It's Lucius, what he's done now...this time...I cant believe him!" Draco said angrily getting off the bed and pacing. "Oh gods Harry, he killed my mother!" he said this time with so much venom that almost made Harry's blood turn cold.

"What?? He-he killed your mum?" Harry said shocked.

"Well, not that he'd say that outright, I know it was his fault though. My father, he was here today. When I got called into the room with Dumbledore, that's when I found out that...that my mother was dead. Honestly, I never cared much for her though she was my mother, but I respected her atleast, but now...now she's dead! And I just know Lucius had a hand in this!" Draco said as he stopped pacing to look Harry in the eyes.

Harry wasn't sure how to respond but tried anyway. "How did she actually die Draco? Did he say?"

"Yeah, he said she was the 'victim' of an 'unexpected' deatheater attack made on him at the Manor. Bullshit! Anyone who knows the Manor knows that it's so well protected NOONE can get through unless invited! He's doing this to draw attention away from himself being a deatheater after you tried to point the finger at him in 4th year, remember that? Ever since then he's been throwing the scent off himself, buying whatever official he can get his hands and money on. But this..this is beyond redemption Harry, he ordered them to kill his own wife!" Draco was so furious even Harry wasn't bout to say differently.

"Why though? What reasoning would he have to kill her though? I dont get it Draco."

Draco stared at Harry debating whether or not it would be safe to tell him, but decided if he was going to begin any type of relationship with him, it was best he knew the truth. "Me. To show me who's boss Harry. I've been reliving those nights with that veela woman in my nightmares, and finally it dawned on me. More then once I'm sure during all that hell, when I was left alone during the days to whimper and whinge at how rotten things were, I would think of you Harry, sometimes whisper out your name in my darkest times. There's no reason for me not to think someone might have heard me doing that. If it wasn't that veela bitch herself, then maybe a house-elf. They are all extremely loyal to my father, and would rat me out in a moments notice if they thought it would do them any good." Draco said muttering.

"Why now though? Why not while you were still in the manor, or right after you got here?"

"Dammit Harry dont you know? Severus might be a spy for Dumbledore, but Voldemort has his own spies right here...in school! Obviously word's gotten back to my father about you and me. The 'looks' we've been giving each other these past couple of weeks hasn't been exactly unrevealing to say the least to those maybe watching for them, and it's well known we've been 'partnered' for the rest of the year. My father is just reminding me not to try anything with you. I'm sure of it."

"Cripes Draco, I didn't know. I mean I knew alot of the Slytherin's parents were deatheaters, but I didn't expect them to be spying I guess. What are you going to do now? Do you have to leave?" Harry said praying Draco wasn't going to leave him.

Draco shook his head. "No, somehow thank Merlin for Dumbledore, we convinced my father that in view of the 'attack' it wouldn't be safe for me to leave for the funeral. I think even Dumbledore knew that if my father got hold of me outside the school anything could happen to me." he said wearily and sat back down on the bed.

Harry took Draco back into his arms, thinking wildly what he could do. There was only one thought that popped up into his mind right then, and though he had a very bad feeling if he did it he was going to interrupt something, there was little choice. "Draco, I think we need to talk bout this, but to someone else too. I know you're definitely not going to believe this, but trust me on this okay? Just be prepared for one hell of a shock." he said grinning at got up motioning for Draco to follow him.

Draco nodded but didn't say anything, just followed him. Harry opened the secret passageway next to the bookshelf, hoping that the same trick to get in was the same to get out, and was duly rewarded. "Keep that password in mind incase you need a quick exit okay?" was all he said and taking Draco by the hand led him back downstairs.

As they both exited the passage, making sure first that noone was bout luckily, Harry quickly opened the door to the potions classroom and shut the door behind them, whispering "alohamora" to lock it and putting up a silencing charm. Hoping that he wasn't going to catch holy hell for this, he went over and gently knocked on the door leading to Severus's private rooms.

A few moments later Severus opened the door and with surprize in his eyes said, "What do you want Harry. I'm a bit er..busy at the moment." he said keeping his expression as straight as possible.

"I know, I'm really sorry professor, but I wouldn't have interrupted if it wasn't so important. Please professor." Harry said and pointed towards Draco.

Severus looked at Draco's face and with the quickness he was known for disappeared back into the room. Draco heard him say something to someone in the room, though he couldn't make out what, and moments later, to his amazement, Severus came back out, followed by Remus Lupin.

Draco wasn't sure he was seeing things right, but one look on Harry's face said not to say anything just yet. Apparently Harry did know what was going on here though, and didn't seem a'toll surprized at the two of them together, and Draco really wasn't in any mood at the moment to even breach the issues. Severus arraigned himself on an edge of his desk, and Remus walked near him leaning against it.

"Allright Draco, what is it? It must be very important for Harry to come here at this err particular time, so please, go ahead." Severus said indicating for Draco to begin.

Draco noticed that Severus used Harry's first name for the second time, but with a nod from Harry, began the tale he told Harry back in the room. Severus and Remus listened wideeyed, neither of them once interrupting though for which Draco was grateful. It was hard enough telling Harry what had happened the first time, but the second time through was the worst yet. Surprized he didn't actually break down again but remained tear free and staid, he finished up telling his tale wondering what on earth these two were going to think about it all.

Noone got the chance to respond however, for as soon as Draco finished Albus Dumbledore swept into the room with a quickness that told everyone present something definitely wasn't right.

"Much as I hate to interrupt you all, I'm afraid it's utmost urgent. I"m sorry Draco, but your father did not accept our story earlier. I'm afraid he's coming back, and going to force you to leave with him. We have to get you away from here, now. At all costs. Everyone, please come with me to my office quickly, we've precious little time in which to make plans." Albus said, his eyes very much void of the normal twinkle.

Without a single word, and feeling very much like prisoners of war, the 5 of them swiftly left the potions classroom and preceded to Albus's office. Plans would have to be made, and quickly, or the very fate of Draco Malfoy would be on the line. Harry and Draco didn't even realize that they had clung to each others hands during the trip to Albus's office, nor that the refused to let go when they got there. The only thoughts running through both their minds was clear, neither of them were going to give each other up, not for Lucius, not for anyone. And both were willing to fight anyone who would dare try.

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