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Draco knew that sitting on the floor cross legged with his back against the door was not only undignified and unmalfoy-iso of him, but it was also a dumb decision in terms of being able to hide and escape in the case of an emergency.
But he couldn’t help it.
He was trapped. In his bedroom. Not even the wing, but simply the bedroom and washroom. That’s all he had to himself and only because his mother had put her foot down when anything to the contrary was proposed.
Sure he was allowed to leave his room, but he would be at risk of running into Death Eaters at every turn, casting hexes, invading his mind - in terms of his aunt.
So he didn’t. He didn’t leave his room unless specifically summoned by the Dark Lord, and even then he kept his occlumency shields up and as strong as possible. If anyone. Anyone. Found out he doubted the Dark Lord in the slightest way he would be killed on the spot without hesitation. He knew too much after all.
So he spent his days like this. Sitting on the floor in a way that he knew his father would pinch his mouth at, and listened through the door to hear what was going on. His quarters were one hallway off the main entrance so there were constantly people coming and going, and he’d be able to hear snippets of conversations. Snippets of what was going on in the outside.
His mother decided he wouldn’t go back to school after the Easter holiday much to his displeasure. Sure Hogwarts wasn’t the safest place at the moment, but it was sure as Salazar safer than the manor.
He should have a silencing charm up. Because if he can hear out of the room, they can hear into his room. But he couldn’t help it. After weeks of just sitting here, occasionally reading books but stopping the second he could hear footsteps in the hallway, he was going mad.
Nobody should spend this much time in their room. Trapped.
Suddenly there was commotion in the hallway. Footsteps rushing past, shouts from whoever it was. There was no way he would ever be able to memorize all the people who come through, they change far too much. Although there was the inner circle of the Dark Lord that Draco could recognize simply by their footsteps.
There was shouting and suddenly a knock against his door. Soft and slow, only three thumps. His mother. He jumped up and tried to flatten his shirt although he was sure the wrinkles wouldn’t just go away. He unlocked the door and pulled open the door slightly and made sure it was his mother before pulling it further open.
“Draco.” She smiled softly at him. “We need you to come identify someone.”
If they wanted him it meant that it would be someone that he went to school with, but he also wasn’t there when Thomas and Lovegood were brought in so he wasn’t entirely sure why they actually wanted him.
“Who is it mother?”
This is when she let a hint of fear show on her face, only for the smallest fraction of a second before hiding behind her mask again. Had anyone but he or his father been looking they wouldn’t have caught it. But Draco did. And he knew that it wouldn’t be anyone he liked.
“Harry Potter. Snatchers believed they found him and his friends in the woods. But he’s been hit with a hex and your aunt believes you’ll be able to identify him.”
He was right. It wasn’t anyone he liked. Or rather, it was his only hope here in his house about to be slaughtered. He nodded slightly and followed his mother out of the room, making sure to pull it shut and cast a strong locking spell to keep the curious out.
As they walked the few hallways to the main sitting room Draco mentally prepared himself. There was a good chance that it wasn’t Potter here, that it was someone who just looked like him. However Potter had been on the run for months now, and there was also the slightest chance that it was.
He wasn’t sure which he hoped it to be. He wanted to see Potter, sure. Make sure that he’s okay and alive. But then he also didn’t want to see Potter. He didn’t want him to be here, in his home. He wants the man to be oh so far from here.
Although there was noise all throughout the manor he couldn’t hear a thing over his heart beating in his ears.
When they entered the room there were more people than he had expected. His Father, Aunt, three snatchers, and the golden trio. And it was them. There wasn’t a doubt about it. Granger and Weasley were the most obvious, but after years of fighting with and obsessing over Potter, there wasn’t any doubt it was the man. His eyes were too perfect of a green, his skin -although seeming to sag off of his tiny frame- the right shade of brown. And although he couldn’t see the other boys forehead or hand he knew that they both had scars. There wasn’t a doubt about it that it was Potter.
He took in a breath and looked to his Aunt who was looking at him expectantly. “I’m not sure.”
His father walked up and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, pushing him towards Potter and down onto his knees to inspect him better. “Have a close look Draco. This could- put us back in the Dark Lord’s favour- if we are the ones to hand him in.” He said in a slow draw.
Potter looked at him expectantly. The boy looked like he wanted to raise an eyebrow in challenge to him. But he didn’t. He just stared into Draco’s eyes.
Draco glanced at both Granger and Weasley on either side of Potter. Weasley looked upset -no surprise there- but Granger looked intrigued. He knew that she knew that he knew it was Potter.
He look back into those brilliant green eyes and just stared, openly, for a moment before standing back up. “I can’t be sure.” And turned around to go stand with his mother near the door. She placed a hand on his back lightly.
Just then his aunt lost her mind about the sword of Gryffindor, screaming and yelling and demanding that someone go check her Gringotts vault and that she have a moment alone with Granger. That couldn’t be good.
“Draco go to your bedroom.” His father instructed before calling in other Death Eaters to help drag Weasley and Potter elsewhere.
As he walked out of the room he knew he couldn’t just leave them like this. He couldn’t wait of the swelling to go down and Potter be revealed. He needs the boy to live. He needs him to.
His mother followed a moment later and walked with him towards his bedroom, following him in before casting the strongest silencing spell Draco had ever witnessed.
“It’s him isn’t it?” She asked him with a knowing look. He looked down at his feet before nodding. “Okay. This is what you’re going to do, you’re going to take these extra wands and go to the dungeons. Summon Dobby to help you. He still is allowed to go in and out of the manor -dungeons as well- undetected. Give them these wands and make sure they come get Granger. Sooner than later darling. I love you.” She kissed him on the forehead before cancelling the spell, and pulling wands out of her dress pocket, handed them to him, and left the room.
Draco stared at the wands in his hands for a moment. Unbelieving. Had his mother just done what he thought she did?
He didn’t have time to dwell on this, because he could hear the screams of Hermione Granger from here. Hallways away. Taking a final large breath he slipped the extra wands in with his own and open the door stepping into the hallway.
As he made his way down the stone corridors, stepping softly and carefully as to not draw attention to himself, he couldn’t help but try and figure out what the plan was when he got to the Dungeon door. There would be someone there guarding it. Would he bind them? Confund them? Turns out both. And an obliviation for good measure.
He took the stairs carefully, knowing that when he got to the bottom and was in full sight of those down there they were probably going to eat his head off.
When he finally made the final step and walked around the corner he casted a muffliato quickly before speaking up. “Hello? Potter Weasley?”
“Hullo Draco.” Lovegood responded in her dreamy voice. “Here to rescue us?” The girl always knew everything didn’t she.
“Save us?” Weasley laughed. “As if Luna, if anything he’s here to curse us some more. Rub it in.”
“Ron-“ Potter started, but Draco cut him off.
“No you’re right Wealsey I’m here to curse you that’s why I’m about to unlock this door, summon a house elf and hand you some wands.” He rolled his eyes before unlocking the door. “Now listen to me very closely. Potter I need you to summon Dobby, he can come in and out of the wards, dungeons too, unnoticed. Get him to take these three to safety first before coming back. Granger is upstairs with my aunt and as im sure you can hear it’s not going well for her. The path as it is is clear to the sitting room down the hall to the right.”
Potter nodded as he took in this information and called out for Dobby who predictably answered immediately. “Dobby is here to help Mr. Harry Potter sir. What does Mr. Harry Potter need?” The elf asked then yelped when he saw Draco behind him. “Master Draco! My apologies I didn’t see you here.”
Draco let out a small smile at the elf, “Don’t worry Dobby you’re longer our elf.” He always did like Dobby.
“Dobby listen, we need you to get Griphook, Dean, and Luna to Shell Cottage before coming back for us upstairs. We are going to grab Hermione and then we need you to take all three of us, do you think you can do that?”
“Yes of course Mr. Harry Potter. What about Master Draco?”
All eyes turned on him and he opened his mouth in shock before closing it and repeating the cycle like a fish for a moment. “What about me?”
It was Weasley who surprisingly spoke up this time. “I mean unless you’d rather stay here. Although when you know who finds out you’ve let us go I don’t imagine it’ll go well for you. Come with us, to safety.” Dracos mind went blank before he nodded, not realizing he nodded until later of course.
“Excellent, okay Dobby you take Griphook and Dean first.” Potter said and with a snap Dobby disappeared. The three of them all stood there quietly before Potter thanked him for his help. A few minutes later Dobby reappeared and grabbed onto his and Lovergood’s hand.
“Thank you.” Draco said before being spun away to a house by the sea. There was a small house about 50 meters away and already Draco could see two people, a Weasley for sure and a very familiar blonde walking towards them.
Luna and him started walking towards the couple who were holding cups of steaming liquid. “The others mentioned you two would be joining us. Bill Weasley.” Weasley -Bill- said putting his hands out. And that’s when Draco realized who it was. Bill and Fleur from the TriWizard Tournament had married the summer prior. He shook the mans outstretched hand and then sheepishly smiled at Fleur who was looking at him with a strange sort of recognition.
Before anything more could be said the trio were back with Dobby. Granger with tears still flowing down her cheeks but otherwise the trio seemed unaffected.
He followed Fleur inside and Weasley went it go help the trio out. Ten minutes later everyone was inside and sitting around a small table that’s been covered in seashells eating warm soup. Not much talking other than Weasley updating them all about what’s been going on, and Luna occasionally swiping the air at whackspurts.
His room was shared with Luna who agreed she would be perfectly fine sharing a room with him and the top of the stairs. There were two small beds and a side table squeezed in-between. When Draco was younger he would’ve turned his nose up at it, but now it seemed like a more than welcoming little room. Cozy.
He fell asleep quickly after the surprising excitement of the afternoon. He knew that his father was probably being punished for this, but he knew his mother would be okay. She was always going to end up okay. She had to.
He had his usual nightmares, waking in a start, sitting up breathing heavily. In books it usually takes the main character a second to remember where they are, but Draco had no moment of disorientation. He knew immediately and turned to make sure Luna was still asleep. Thankfully she was.
He carefully got off the bed, cringing when the bedsprings squeaked before making his way out of the room and down the stairs to the kitchen to get a cup of water. There was nothing but black and stars out the windows so he was sure it must be very late at night and he needed to stay quiet.
He looked through a couple of cupboards before finding the cups and turning on the sink, letting it run a few moments to get the water cold before filling the glass and drinking it in three gulps. He filled it again before turning off the tap.
He nearly jumped a mile when he felt a tap on his shoulder, and turned to see Potter looking at him with an amused look.
“What?” He whisper-yelled, not knowing where anyone else was sleeping and not wanting to risk them hearing him.
“I just want to say thank you for today. You risked your life to help us.” Potter whisper-yelled back.
“Well I couldn’t let them give you to the Dark Lord. You’re the only one who can do it Potter. You have to live, my roll in this isn’t like that. I’m expendable.”
Draco had spent many hours thinking about his role in the war, thinking about why he had to fight in a grown-ups war anyways. And he was right, he was just a pawn in this game of chess. A pawn of a side he didn’t even want to be on. He had just chosen to follow his father as any child would and look where it led him.
“Malfoy-“ Potter frowned at his words. “You’re not expendable. You’re so needed here. Hell, without you today we would’ve all been killed this afternoon. You’re so damn important Draco you don’t even know it.”
Before Draco could say anything Potter was leaning into him, eyes closing and breathing softly. Draco didn’t even have time to blink before realizing Potter was kissing him. In the Weasley’s kitchen. In the middle of the night.
He kissed back, not really knowing what he was doing but as long as it felt right he went with it.
Potter put his hand around Draco’s neck, pulling him closer to him as though it was possible before finally pulling away. “Like I said, I just wanted to say thank you.”