The Phoenix and The Dragon

“You want me to spy?” Draco smiled. Pansy was the most direct Slytherin he knew. She was sitting with them on her bed. The russet ferret, Pantalaimon, was curled around her neck. Kirjava was sitting languidly across her knees blending in with the ivory coverlet. Harry looked damned uncomfortable perched on the corner, Draco noticed, his feet awkwardly hanging just an inch or so off the ground. Draco himself was seated, or rather lounged, between the two. He was so close to Harry that he could actually feel the brunette blushing at being invited into a girl’s bed, especially a girl wearing only a simple silk nightgown. The boy maybe a pouf but he wasn’t immune to embarrassment.

“In so many words love. Yes, we want you to spy. We need to know his every move and motive but,” Draco’s lips grew tight, “I don’t want you to endanger yourself needlessly. Promise me you’ll be careful and won’t raise suspicion.”

Pansy narrowed her eyes and beside him Harry remained quiet. Draco simply sighed, Pansy was always adamant about where her alliances were, just never out loud. Draco knew, deep down, she would die to see Voldemort put in his place. Pansy, like any Slytherin was attracted to power, but not madness. Voldemort was madness made flesh.

“This is hardly needless, I’d say. The entire wizarding world and our lives at stake, I should be so lucky.” Harry balked. “What?”

“I just thought…” He trailed off.

“You obviously thought wrong Potter, I bow to no man. Let alone that thing my parents call Master.” She scowled deeply, her resentment etched in the lines of her forehead. Draco was proud to finally be able to stand beside her in the war, the act pushed aside. Harry looked apologetic and she took mercy on him. “But you also, obviously, were never given any reason to think otherwise.”

“Sorry.”

“Not at all, Potter. So, how will I be getting information to you boys?”

“Well I haven’t quite figured that out yet, possibly owl?” Pansy shook her head.

“Too easily detected. Floo?”

“Harry’s grate situation is complicated.”

“The Protean charm!” Harry smiled widely at his announcement. “You were able to do it with Madame Rosmerta,” he turned receptively towards Draco, “why not with Pansy? Whenever she has information she could signal us using the coin and we could meet her in half an hour by the yew trees!”

“That could work. Dray?”

“Well yes, it does seem feasible. Will you be able to get away?”

“Absolutely, you know how they are. I’m left to my own idle devices all day here.”

“And how will you get the information? What’s your plan?”

“You worry about the horcrux issue; you let me worry about the angle.”

Harry smirked and Draco was filled with something akin to the warm and fuzzies.

“It’s always about angles with you Slytherins.”

“And it’s always about saving the world with you Gryffindors. I think we are finally beginning to understand each other.” Pansy was all smiles.

On the walk back they decided that, again, Draco should lead. Although it had been immensely difficult and a relatively long process to enchant the two galleons Pansy had given them to use the charm on Draco was still wide awake. Under other circumstances this may have been different but he couldn’t relax with Harry pressed up against his back, every motion they made in time with one another. He kept thinking awful, naughty things and was ever thankful that Harry was behind him instead of in front of him because then he wouldn’t have been able to hide his thoughts so well.

Harry, for his part, wasn’t making things any easier. He apparently couldn’t see very well around Draco and kept stumbling forward. Every time this happened of course he would grab on to Draco for support, his hands either on Draco’s shoulders or waist or once a bit too low for Draco’s comfort. In fact the blond was wondering, by that point, how rude or out of character it would seem if he offered to sleep on the floor that night. He decided it would definitely be a white flag to his companion and it would be best just to try and ignore his baser impulses if it was at all possible.

“Potter if you trip one more time I swear to Merlin I will immobilize you and drag you back to the apparition point by your feet!”

“No need to get grumpy Malfoy.”

“Grumpy? You nearly pulled down my pants the last time.”

“You could try warning me.”

“As if that would make a difference.”

“It might.”

“Forget it. Just try not to take my pants with you when you go down.”

“I’ll remember that. Those are my pants by the way.”

“And a fine bit of tailoring done by Granger I presume.”

“You noticed.”

“Well I know you didn’t do it.” It was evident that Harry had bigger things to worry about then his pants being too big and Draco respected that. But it was good of the girl, he thought, to at least attempt to clean up the savior’s appearance. Somebody had to take care of him. At least it wasn’t that ginger-haired beast weaselette.

“True.”

“May I ask. Why did you break up with the littlest Weasley?”

“This is a bit of an odd time for that don’t you think.”

“Well what else do we have to talk about Potter? It’s a long walk.” That and he’d talk about pretty much anything to lessen the tightening in his pants.

“Because…because I need to focus on killing Voldemort.”

“And?”

“And I don’t truly love her in that way.”

“And?”

“And I’m pretty sure she only liked me because I’m famous and I saved her life second year from Voldemort’s Basilisk.”

“I see. Is that all?”

“Well yeah, it seemed like enough to me.”

“I guess.” That and the fact that Harry was as gay as the day is long. He didn’t say so only because he thought a screaming match ending in a passionate snog session would be inappropriate in the Parkinson’s gardens.

“You think I should have stayed with her.” Draco couldn’t help but hear the lightest trace of disappointment in Harry’s even reply. But the doubt that it was wishful thinking kept him in check. Best just to state the obvious he figured.

“Absolutely not. She wasn’t at all right for you.”

“How do you mean?”

“You need someone challenging, someone charismatic, and someone attractive and witty and intelligent.” And blond.

“Ginny was all those things.”

“No. She was irritating. And obviously missing something. You need someone that will go with you and stand beside you. Not behind you. You need someone that is more then superfluous. Someone who not only needs you but whom you need.” He had been talking about himself but didn’t expect Harry to catch on and wasn’t disappointed.

“You should write advice columns.”

“Like in ‘Witch Weekly’? Thank you, no.”

When they reached the trees they crawled back through unscathed and made their way, sans cloak, steadily toward the clearing. The undergrowth was dark and thick with lush forest flora and fauna. Every noise gave Draco the shivers and he imagined all sorts of fantastical beasts barreling out of the darkness to devour them. Thankfully that didn’t happen and they were soon moving quietly into the clearing.

“You can apparate us back without splinching me?”

“I got us here didn’t I?”

“Just making sure you’re not too tired. We could rest for a minute.” Something about Harry’s tone of voice set of Draco’s internal sensors.

“Do you not want to go back?”

“No, no its fine. I’m just don’t want you to wear yourself out.” He was lying, Draco could tell.

“You know I could use a breather I guess. Want to sit down a second?”

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

“So.”

“So.”

“Do you think this will work?” He thought it would be best to circumnavigate the issue with some horcrux talk and then try to pry again.

“I hope so. I mean I think I know where some of them are but I’m not even positive what they are.”

“What are you thinking.”

“I think one is in the muggle orphanage Voldemort lived in and I think another is probably guarded by dementors seeing as how they were on his side during the last war. If I had a horcrux to guard I’d use them if I could.”

“I meant right now. You’re not ready to go back to the Dursley’s. Any specific reason.” Harry looked a little ashamed and Draco immediately regretted his method. “You know its none of my business, forget it.”

“No, it is your business. I mean I live with you, I’m trusting you with my life. I just hate going back there. That’s all.”

“At least this time you’re not going alone.”

Rain began to trickle through the forest canopy and Harry unfolded the cloak once more and swung it over himself and Malfoy.

“This should keep us dry. Let’s go.”

“And I thought this cloak only had one use.” Hearing Harry laugh at his remark made Draco smirk in the darkness. With a crack they were standing in the Radford’s backyard. Harry had been about to remove the cloak when they heard voice over the fence.

“Hear that?”

“It’s Harry and Malfoy!”

“Where’d it come from?”

“I can’t tell.”

The first voice sounded to Draco like Mad-Eye Moody and the second like a sniveling Hermione, the last voice he couldn’t identify but Harry did it for him.

“Moony!” He whispered excitedly into Draco’s ear.

“Who?”

“Professor Lupin.”

“The werewolf?”

“Mm.” Harry had scarcely affirmed Draco’s suspicion when a voice called over the fence.

“Harry!” It was Hermione again. “You have to come out, you and Malfoy.” Neither of them moved.

“Harry, Draco, the dementors have abandoned Azkaban. You must get in the house. Don’t worry about Draco, he won’t be harmed.” Only a werewolf could remain calm about a pack of loose dementors, thought Draco stoically. Draco was about to uncover himself but Harry grabbed the blond around the waist and shook his head. He slid out from under the cloak and pushed Draco towards the ground beside his feet.

“I’m over here.” His shout was answered with footsteps and a loud squeak. Hermione must have been leaning on the fence opposite her fellow Gryffindor. Draco laughed silently at her lack of Gryffindor courage but chided himself. She was there wasn’t she, scared or not. He saw the three pairs of feet and two broomstick tails before he heard them. When he looked up Hermione was being held from Harry with one of Moody’s hands clamped to her shoulder and the ex-professor was staring directly at him with his electric-blue eye. Harry’s hand instinctively met with the back of Draco’s neck and the brunette took a step forward.

The night was warm and clear on Privet Drive and Draco could see the face of Harry’s company plainly in the moonlight. Harry spoke first.

“He’s under my protection.”

“He’s a fugitive.” Lupin was the voice of reason, his eyes on Harry. Moody though was steadily unsettling Draco with his gaze. The others couldn't see him but Moody's eye could see everythring. “He let Death Eaters into Hogwarts. Bill was attacked by Greyback. He is directly responsible for Albus’ death.”

“You’re wrong. Dumbledore died because of an unbreakable vow, made between Snape and Narcissa Malfoy. Dumbledore died because Voldemort wanted to punish Lucius Malfoy. Voldemort is directly responsible. He threatened Draco’s life and the lives of his family. Malfoy did what I would have done and even with all that fear, he couldn’t kill Dumbledore.”

“Severus could.”

“But Draco couldn’t. I was there, I saw. Dumbledore offered Draco his protection and so have I.” The warmth of Harry’s hand on his neck through the cloak, combined with the words in his defense, made Draco stand up. He didn’t even think about it, he just stood up, uncovered himself and pressed stood rooted beside Harry. Harry had made him believe in himself. It was all true. He might have been at fault but suddenly he wasn’t to blame.

“You are willing to risk your life for Malfoy then?” Draco flinched at Moody’s first words, directed at Harry but said while staring at Draco. Harry didn’t hesitate.

“Yes.”

“Very well.” Lupin lowered his wand and Moody released Hermione, who barreled at Harry and enveloped him in a tight hug. This of course meant, because Draco had been arm-to-arm with Harry, that he had been inadvertently swept up in the hug.

“Oof!” Draco struggled for a moment to dislodge himself but feeling the bushy haired girl’s grip tighten he simply sagged into the embrace and waited for her to let go. Harry, who it seemed was used to this, had relaxed earlier and was gingerly hugging Hermione with the arm not pressed against Draco.

“Is it true?” Harry sounded breathless and Draco silently concurred. Hermione released them and backed up. She nodded.

“Just tonight. They’ve gone and there has been a mass break-out.” Silence. Draco knew what they were thinking; his father was out of Azkaban.

“So he’s out?” Hermione nodded. “Then he’s dead.” Draco sank to the ground.