The Phoenix and The Dragon

The sitting room was filled with an uncomfortable silence. After Harry helped to lift Draco to his feet the blond had followed him around the fence and through the front of the house in a daze. He looked more pallid then usual and his eyes seemed dimmed. To the untrained watcher the blond wasn’t much changed but Harry had spent six years watching Malfoy and he knew better.

Draco sat down gracefully on the loveseat and the two Order members followed suit on the opposite side of the coffee table. Hermione moved into the kitchen and began to bustle about. Harry assumed she was gathering refreshments of some sort.

“Where were you tonight?” Harry wasn’t going to respond but Draco shocked him by replying.

“The Parkinson Estate.” Apparently Moody had assumed it would be more difficult to get an admission because Draco’s deadpan answer shocked the old auror into silence. Harry sat down and decided to fill in the blanks since Malfoy didn’t elaborate and Moody looked as if he was ready to start questioning again.

“We were talking to Pansy. Draco and I think she may be able to help.”

“Help with what exactly Harry?” This time the question came from Remus and Harry knew that the last true marauder (he no longer counted Pettigrew for obvious reasons) sensed something was going on.

“With mine and Draco’s, er, task.” The werewolf tilted his head quizzically.

“And what task is that?”

“I can’t tell you. Dumbledore told me not to tell anyone. Only Hermione, Ron, Draco, Snape and I know what it is.” And possibly Voldemort, but Harry was still hoping for the element of surprise.

“That seems like a lot of people already.” He was right, now that Harry had listed them off. But he couldn’t be blamed for that, Dumbledore was the one who shared it with the Slytherins. If the recently departed Headmaster could trust them, so could Harry.

“Yeah, but it’s not everyone. And they are all doing there part to help.”

“What is Severus doing to help you? How can he help you?” Remus looked agitated and a little worn. Harry wondered when the next full moon might be and tried to stay calm. “Harry, I really don’t think you’ve thought this through. Why don’t you let Alastor and I take Draco to Headquarters and we can sort this whole mess out.” Draco blanched, again, and Harry could feel the fabric pull as the blonde’s fingers gripped the edge of the loveseat they shared.

“No. I have my reasons for trusting him and he is in my care until he is out of danger. That’s final. If you want to take him you’ll have to fight me all the way.” Harry meant it and his intention was crystal clear. To the left Moody grumbled but Harry couldn’t quite make out what he was saying, although he could guess. Lupin just sighed and nodded.

“Fine. If that’s truly how you feel. Can you tell me where Snape is? What he’s doing?” Lupin’s tone was not pressing but it was firm and Harry knew how crazy he was about to sound.

“He is working to clear his name.” Lupin’s mouth fell open and he had to lean back into the sofa he was sitting on, Moody instead sat straight forward.

“How does he plan to do that? You said you saw him kill Albus. You saw him!” Moody’s gruff voice began the interrogation once more and Harry responded coldly.

“I know and I’m sorry, I can’t tell you.”

“Why not?”

“Because if you knew what he was doing you could find him and he wouldn’t have the chance to clear his name, which is the reason he’s out there endangering himself and not in hiding.” Moody grumbled again and got up to presumably check on Hermione in the kitchen. Lupin took this opportunity to lean closer.

“Alright Harry?” The werewolf was whispering so Harry followed suit.

“Yeah.”

“And you Malfoy, alright?” Draco, who had been silent during most of the questioning, nodded. Lupin looked pained. “You know, we haven’t had word yet on any of the prisoners.” Malfoy looked grim but his eyes looked more lucid to Harry and his color was returning.

“Moony?”

“Hm?”

“Has Hermione said anything to you, about what we’re doing?”

“No. I know it has to do with the Black Family records at least. I also know that it has something to do with that locket and whatever you were doing with Albus that night…But no, Hermione and Ron haven’t said a thing. Harry, I don’t understand why you’re doing the things you’re doing but I trust you to have a good reason…you do have a good reason don’t you?” Relief flooded Harry even though he felt guilty for not telling Remus and he laughed.

“Yup.” Harry couldn’t help but smile at Malfoy beside him. The blond was smirking back.

“You know,” Malfoy’s voice was soft but it was steady as he examined his nails theatrically, “you’re really better off not knowing. It’s no walk in the park to be in with the golden trio, I promise you that.” The flippant remark didn’t seem to agitate Harry’s mentor and Harry chuckled. He had been beginning to worry about Malfoy. As long as the Slytherin could still toss out the odd insult things couldn’t be that bad.

Lupin quirked a brow, Harry assumed at their odd behavior, as Alastor was walking back into the room. He was followed by Hermione and an enormous tray of what looked to be cucumber sandwiches. Harry half expected her to cluck at him and Draco for looking ‘peaky’. Her resemblance to Molly Weasley was uncanny.

“You remind me of my mother,” Draco’s voice was almost joking but Harry thought he sounded unusually serious, “entertaining at the worst of times.”

“Really? She reminds me of Mrs.Weasley.” Hermione looked flustered as she set the tray down on the table and took a seat next to Lupin.

All heads turned to a creak on the stairway. Then another.

Alastor had his wand pointed to the entrance of the sitting room and Lupin had his hand in his wand pocket. Harry felt vaguely uneasy as he imagined Vernon barreling into the room in his striped pajamas, face purple and hair stuck up in odd directions from sweat.

Petunia looked irritated as she entered with her arms crossed over the front of her bathrobe and her short curly hair held back by a ribbon. Her face was pail, pinched and obviously tired. Harry thought she didn’t look like she’d been sleeping anyway.

“You might try not waking half of Surrey.” Alastor’s wand hand relaxed but the rest had eyes only for Mrs.Dursley. Lupin spoke first.

“We apologize Petunia.”

“Remus.” She curtly nodded. “I would offer you something but it seems you’ve helped yourselves.” She gestured towards the plate of sandwiches. Hermione was about to apologize again but Harry interrupted.

“You know each other?”

Lupin nodded his assent.

“We’ve met.” Petunia’s words were cool. Her behavior was confusing Harry more each day.

“Your mother used to bring Sirius, your father and I to your grandparents house during the summer hols.”

“But, you never said anything.” Harry felt a little out of his element.

“I hadn’t paid much attention to her. She had just been Lily’s muggle sister.”

“It had never seemed important.” Petunia reluctantly added to the explanation. Then she searched the faces in the room as if for a change of topic. “We have not been properly introduced.” She gestured toward Hermione and Moody.

“I’m Hermione Granger, a friend from school. I made the sandwiches…Sorry.”

“Alastor Moody, Ex-Auror, Order Member.” Moody’s response was conditioned.

“May I ask what brings you here?”

“The escape of Lucius Malfoy and the state of Azkaban Prison.” If anything Moody was clinical and to the point. Harry would have blurted out something about dementors and danger and Draco’s father being possibly dead if it had been up to him.

“That’s the wizard prison?”

“Yes.”

“Who is Lucius Malfoy?”

“He was my father.” Draco’s cool veneer cracked and he could only manage to croak out the word father before his voice seized up. Harry leaned in and put an arm around the blonde’s shoulders as Draco breathed heavily threw his nose.

“Is his father.” Harry tried to sound resolute. He’d be damned if he was going to let Malfoy buckle under the pressure. They still had horcruxs to find and a dark lord that needed killing. They had training to do for Merlin’s sake! Although he wouldn’t deny how oddly comfortable he felt with his arms around the blonde boy and how being close to Draco made him momentarily forget about the war. It seemed selfish but he thought that if Draco needed someone to be close to tonight, he would be there.

Then again, Harry wasn’t actually sure Draco fancied blokes. To be quite honest he hadn’t even wondered. In fact what if Draco and Pansy were…no that couldn’t be, she wasn’t his type. No, definitely not. Not that it would matter to him either way, but then again…

“-safe to contact Pansy?” Lupin and Moody were discussing the finer points of Harry and Draco’s house arrest with Petunia and Hermione.

“Absolutely not.”

“But she could be able to help the Order.”

“She could also be a Death Eater. We need constant vigilance!” He had zoned out for too long.

“Look Pansy’s information could be valuable and she’s risking her life to get it. We can’t just forget about her. And Draco and I are going to have to practice somewhere. I’m still an awful occlumens and I bet Draco can’t even produce a corporeal patronus.” Malfoy huffed but didn’t argue. “We can’t stay cooped up here, I want to fight!”

“You know I could help you with occlumency.” Malfoy sat up excitedly.

“Right and I could teach you to produce a patronus! But we can’t do it here. The ministry will be all over us.”

“If you come to Grimmauld Place then you loose what protection you have here.”

“Grimmauld Place? The Black mansion?” Draco looked scandalized. Harry realized he had never told him were headquarters was. Apparently Lupin assumed that he had filled Malfoy in.

“Yeah.” It seemed inadequate but Draco was feeling talkative apparently and a little miffed.

“That’s my house!”

“Actually it’s my house.”

“But you’re not a Black! You’re not even a pureblood!” Figures the ferret would start to grow on him and then bring up old prejudices. He saw Hermione sit up out of the corner of his eye and hoped she wasn’t preparing to interrupt.

“No kidding. Sirius left it to me in his will.”

“He can’t do that!” Draco looked indignant. “I’m the last surviving male heir!”

“Merlin Malfoy does this really matter right now?” Draco scrunched up his nose and looked about to reply when suddenly he closed his mouth and his eyes widened.

“The Weasley’s are there?” Hermione nodded.

“I bet my great aunt Walburga is livid!” Harry had never seen Draco’s face so alight with laughter. It was as if he was filled from the inside with sunlight while he giggled with mirth. “I bet you’re not even close to getting that awful portrait down.” When he saw the disgruntled looks from Hermione and Remus he started to laugh yet again. His laughter was infectious and soon Harry joined him.

“No! All she does is scream about filthy blood-traitors and mudbloods! We have to keep her covered with that velvet curtain!” Draco was clutching his side and nodding fervently.

When they had both calmed down Draco nodded again to the confused looking crowd.

“She died when I was five but I’ll never forget her. Mad as a hatter!” Lupin was grinning and Hermione seemed more at ease knowing that even Draco thought Mrs. Black was a nut case. Moody didn’t seem to care much but Harry noticed that even is usually whirring, electric-blue eye was focused on Malfoy.

“The portrait talks? Lily mentioned talking portraits at that school but, in a house?” Petunia looked shocked and a little in awe. Hermione took up the gauntlet of explaining the portraits of the wizarding world while Petunia listened incredulously. Mean while Moody began to discuss Draco again.

“If you decide to be moved to Grimmauld Place you must be questioned under the influence of Veritaserum by a member of the Order and sworn in by an unbreakable vow Malfoy. Those are the terms I will present to the Order at the next meeting. Then we will have to arrange a transport team to move the both of you. Do you agree?”

Draco looked at Harry and he could only nod. He thought it was a reasonable request now that the Order was aware of Draco’s presence.

“Yes.”

“On one condition. I be allowed to sit in on the questioning and I approve of the questions asked before hand.” Harry couldn’t risk them asking Draco about their mission and Draco having to tell them.

“I’ll give your condition to the Order but I can’t make any promises.” Moody didn’t look sympathetic but Remus did. Harry knew they would do the best they could.

Once Hermione had finished explaining portraits to Petunia the arrivals cast disillusionment charms on themselves and left quietly. Apparently they had flown due to discrepancies popping up in the floo system. Petunia cleaned up and bid the boys goodnight. When they were back in Harry’s room he noticed that she hadn't set the bolts back. It didn’t make up for an ignored childhood but it was a start. Draco flopped onto the bed with sigh.

“I’m bushed.” Harry had to agree as he lay dawn beside his rival and tucked his hands beneath his head.

“Hey Malfoy.”

“Hm?”

“Are you alright…with everything?”

“About the Order? Yeah.”

“I mean about your father.” Draco was silent for a stretch.

“I will be.”

“Draco?”

“Yes Potter?” Harry ignored the agitation in Draco’s voice.

“Were you and Pansy together?” Harry desperately hoped he didn’t stammer. He couldn’t tell if Draco knew he was nervous or not.

“You mean dating?”

“Yeah.”

“We did, yes.” Draco voice sounded casual and Harry though he’d press a little further.

“You broke up?”

“For all the obvious reasons.”

“Obvious reasons?”

“Do you care?”

“Well no, just curious I guess.” That sounded plausible.

“I fancy blokes Potter.”

“Oh.” He wanted to smile but he kept his face relaxed.

“Is that a problem?” For some reason Draco didn’t sound worried he sounded smug. Harry knew that is he had just admitted to someone that he fancied blokes he’d sound worried. Although Draco had had some time to figure things out for himself or at least Harry assumed he had.

“No.”

“Good.”

Harry got up and pulled of his shirt and pants and lay back down in boxers. He had simply wanted to do something so he didn’t have to continue the awkward conversation with Draco. He also didn’t realize until he was back in bed that it might have seemed a little strange. If it was the Slytherin didn’t mention anything, he simply followed suit and then crawled under the covers.

“G’night Draco.”

Harry had turned over when Malfoy had begun to change and couldn’t suppress the shudder that went through him when the blonde whispered ‘Night Harry’ into his ear. Draco's breath tickled over his neck and filled him with heat. He felt the bed shift again and figured Draco had turned over as well, which was just as good now that Harry had to think about all manners of disgusting things to try to will away his reaction to the Slytherin’s whispered words.

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! I know the boys haven't gotten to the good stuff yet but they will, promise. And for those of you on tenter hooks about Lucius...you'll have to wait and see! Mwahaha! Happy Reading, Madness