A Heart So Ravenous (Sequel to A Love So Belated)
folder
Harry Potter › Slash - Male/Male › Harry/Draco
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
44
Views:
36,855
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326
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Category:
Harry Potter › Slash - Male/Male › Harry/Draco
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
44
Views:
36,855
Reviews:
326
Recommended:
1
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Chapter 12: Toward Reconciliation
Chapter Number/Total: 12/44
Chapter Title: Toward Reconciliation
Words: 3773 Words
"Reconciliation should be accompanied by justice, otherwise it will not last. While we all hope for peace it shouldn't be peace at any cost but peace based on principle, on justice." – Corazon Aquino
Harry didn't know what it was that made it seem like an entire year had gone by in the blink of an eye, but it had. It had passed faster than a professional Quidditch player on the latest broomstick. He couldn't believe it was already the anniversary of the downfall of Lord Voldemort.
Magazines and newspapers did nothing but print stories and articles on the matter. The radio was a constant broadcast of what was like a belated commentary for the events of the war, and Harry wasn't left out of the mess. He'd received letters and requests for his appearance at a great many memorial services. He might've gone to some of them, but honestly, he was still nervous to be without Draco, and Draco was nervous about being in public, and those events would be very public indeed. So they mostly kept to themselves, as they had been doing.
But then there was another event, one that Harry had been reminded of when he received thanks in the post for his generous donations to the portrait gallery in London, the one to which Narcissa had also given. It had nearly escaped him completely. The thank you letter had also invited him to the private opening the weekend before it actually opened to the entire public. Family and friends of those lost in battle and generous donors were attending. It really was something he wanted to see, and something he wanted to share with Teddy who would be able to see his parents, even if he might not know exactly who they were.
Since it was going to be more private, and since his mother was also going to be attending, Draco wanted to come too. Harry was happy, as he wouldn't have gone without the other man.
When opening day came around, which was a Friday in the month of May, Harry and Draco Flooed to the address they had been given in the letter. Upon arrival, Harry realised that, though it was 'private,' there were still quite a lot of people there – people all talking with echoing voices in a huge hall-like room. It reminded Harry of an entrance into a museum, which he supposed it was. He looked at Draco and took his hand tightly, moving with him out of the path of the fireplace in which they had appeared.
Draco had to remember to breathe. It had been three months since the attack, but he hadn't been anywhere near more than a handful of people since then, and only out of Grimmauld Place a few times. Now he was in a huge hall with what felt like a large crowd. He usually didn't do public displays, but at this moment he was hanging on tightly to Harry's hand.
A tall man in smart, black dress robes approached them, holding a tray of what looked like champagne. By the look on his face, he knew exactly who they were, but he didn't say so. Harry held Draco's hand even tighter.
"Something to drink?" the man asked, inclining his head.
Draco glanced at Harry, finding himself almost afraid to answer. This is ridiculous, he told himself. He was acting like a coward.
"Er, okay," Harry said, reaching for a glass, since it seemed everyone around had one. He couldn't take Draco's though, because he wasn't willing to let go of him.
Draco gritted his teeth and reached for a glass as well, pleased that his hand barely trembled. The man nodded to them again, and then left to deliver drinks to some other guests.
"Okay," Harry said quietly, both to himself and to Draco. He scanned the crowd, looking for a familiar face.
Draco looked around and spotted his mother. She was standing with Minister Shacklebolt. He squeezed his lover's hand and nodded in their direction.
Harry saw where Draco was looking and began to brush past the many people standing in their path. Not just a few of them stared, but rather, the lot of them did – mostly at their joined hands. It made Harry feel almost suffocated, and highly protective.
Narcissa smiled brightly when her eyes landed on them crossing the room to her. She kissed Draco's forehead in her usual gesture. "Minister," she said politely. "My son, Draco. And, well, I'm sure you're very familiar with Harry?"
Harry smiled at both Draco's mother and Kingsley, giving a nod.
"Mr. Malfoy," Shacklebolt acknowledged, "your mother speaks highly of you." Draco had to release Harry's hand and move the glass to his left to shake the hand the Minister held out to him.
Then Shacklebolt turned to Harry, smiling broadly. "How are you doing, Harry?"
It had been quite a while since Harry had seen Kingsley. Actually, he hadn't seen him since he had enquired about being an Auror. Merlin, he'd not seen hardly anyone at all in forever, now that he thought about it. It seemed he'd stepped right out of his former life when he'd decided to include Draco in it. "I'm doing fine," he answered. "And yourself?"
"Things are beginning to shape up at the Ministry," Shacklebolt answered. He gestured around him. "Have you given any more thought to joining the Auror program?"
"I ... had been thinking about it," Harry said. Honestly though, he wasn't so sure if he felt as comfortable with the idea as he had before. Wouldn't a job like that require a lot of ... away time? He glanced at Draco, as did Narcissa.
Draco shifted his weight to his other foot, and reached for Harry's hand again.
Harry took it unquestioningly. He and Draco hadn't talked about his being an Auror in a long time, and he knew the idea wasn't one Draco had liked before. He suspected he would dislike it even more now. "What it everyone standing around in here for?" he asked, deciding a change in subject was probably wise.
"It hasn't been opened yet," Narcissa answered. "There's going to be a speech from the project director."
Draco let out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding. He looked around the room, trying to spot Andromeda and Teddy.
Shacklebolt excused himself, telling Harry he'd love to talk more with him soon and then went off to talk with the director.
Harry stood around, still clutching Draco's hand as Narcissa talked about one thing or the next, going on about the makings of the hall in which they were standing. He, too, found himself looking through the crowd after a few minutes, then, he heard a very loud cry of, "Ma!" He was nearly positive it was Teddy. He looked at Draco and smiled, scanning the crowd a little quicker.
"There," Draco said when he'd spotted the little boy in Andromeda's arms. It was easy enough, given that his hair was orange.
Harry saw them too and his smile widened, like it always did when he saw Teddy.
Several people were staring at the strange little boy with orange hair, and one of them was Narcissa. She had gone quiet and still. Harry glanced at her. "Shall we go and say hi?" he asked, talking to Draco, but including Narcissa.
She started, looking slightly alarmed with the question. "I think I'll stay here," she said.
Draco looked at his mother, considering. He set his half-empty glass aside and held out his hand to her. "Mother?" he asked.
She looked at him, and then at his hand for a moment before she took it. "Yes?" she said.
He arched an eyebrow at her. "Come with us," he said softly.
There were lines on her forehead when she frowned, and Harry could see that she was ... nervous. "Very well," she said just as softly, and muttered something too quiet to actually hear when Harry moved to lead all three of them over to where Andromeda stood with Teddy.
He was the first one Andromeda appeared to see. She smiled and took a step forward, but then her eyes went obviously wide and her step faltered.
Harry knew this was about to be awkward. "Hi," he said.
"Hay!" Teddy said happily, which was what he called Harry. "Hay, Daco!" He waved a little hand floppily.
Harry couldn't help but smile again.
"Hello, Teddy," Draco smiled at the boy, his face lighting up as he did.
Andromeda's throat visibly worked as she swallowed, and she actually looked around herself quickly, as if she could make an escape or something.
Harry swallowed too, and wondered if this was such a good idea. "You've met Draco," he said.
Andromeda nodded stiffly.
And then Harry felt very odd, because one couldn't really introduce sisters, right?
Draco sighed, wanting to say something, anything to make this better. He looked at his mother, eyes as close to pleading as he would allow in public. "Please," he whispered under his breath.
Her eyes hardened as they rested on Draco's, but, to Harry immense surprise, she was the one to step forward. "Andromeda," she said in a superior tone.
For a second, Andromeda looked a little more like Bellatrix than she already did. "Narcissa," she said.
Harry stepped out from between them. He wanted to take Teddy as well, but didn't want to risk it.
Draco glanced at Harry and back at the two women, eyes a bit wide as he waited to see what would happen.
The sisters stared at each other for a few seconds, resentment in both their eyes.
"It has been quite a while," Narcissa said next.
"Yes," Andromeda agreed. "It has."
Silence.
"How have you been?" Narcissa asked. Harry thought it was quite brave of her.
"You mean you want to make small talk with me, Cissy?" Andromeda said with a rather regal raise of her eyebrows that Harry hadn't seen on her before.
Narcissa's cheeks barely pinked, but they did. Harry didn't know if it was embarrassment or anger. Perhaps both.
"If I may," Draco said, but didn't wait for an answer. "I thought part of the point of this event was reconciliation. Isn't the motto, 'Honouring the Past, Looking to the Future'?"
Andromeda turned that regal look upon Draco. "Do you think it is so simple?" she enquired.
"Draco," said Narcissa. "Perhaps you could ...." She trailed off, as there wasn't much she could tell him to go do, but Harry had just been thinking the same thing. He felt odd standing there watching what felt like the beginnings of a quiet battle.
Draco actually felt a sense of calm settle on him at that moment. "After what has happened to me in the last two years, I think I know a bit about the pain family can cause," he said to Andromeda. "But I also know that we can change."
She continued to look at him, and there was curiosity behind her eyes.
Narcissa looked at him too, causing Harry to do the same; he definitely knew change was possible.
Narcissa and Andromeda looked at each other once more. Narcissa sighed quietly. "How have you been?" she tried again.
Andromeda shook her head and did not look truly convinced, which Harry supposed wasn't surprising. "It hasn't been as bad in recent months," she said anyway.
***
They must have spent a half-hour waiting outside in the hall. Even more people filed in, and Harry stood with Draco and Teddy. Andromeda had finally handed him over with the agreement that they would stay close enough for her to see.
It was definitely ... interesting ... to watch Narcissa and Andromeda together. More than once it seemed they were going to break into an argument, but Harry thought it was the crowd and the embarrassment of such a thing that prevented it. At least they were talking, though.
Eventually the director, a witch named Miranda Innis, made her speech, thanking everyone for coming to see something that she believed would be a new and meaningful part of British Wizarding history. She informed them that the portraits, which had been made in an unconventional manner, were not yet able to speak, but could move and recognise different faces. Apparently the magic had not yet taken full effect, but she had felt it appropriate to open the gallery during 'the anniversary of the horrors coming to an end'. Harry supposed he agreed. The doors were opened then, and they were allowed into the main building.
Draco was actually nervous about seeing the portraits now that it was time. He knew, for instance, that there were portraits of both Dumbledore and Snape included in the hall. He wondered how they, or the other portraits who had known them, would react to seeing him and Harry together. Harry was currently holding Teddy. The boy was getting big and heavy enough that they tended to trade him back and forth. With both arms occupied by the boy, Harry wasn't holding Draco's hand, but Draco kept his hand on the man's arm. The looks they got from the living ranged from curiosity, to shock, to outright disgust.
Harry tried his best to ignore the looks, though it was sort of getting difficult, especially when he actually heard one woman say, "Oh, that poor little boy," as if he and Draco were actually going to do something to Teddy. He wanted to spin round and take pity on her own children, right in her face – with a few choice words thrown in. He took several deep breaths. When they had finally made it in past the crowd to actually see the portraits, he tried to focus on them, scanning for faces he knew.
The big framed paintings were not so different from those at Hogwarts, though possibly a little larger. They were beautifully done and had obviously been crafted with great care. He smiled, filled with both happiness and sadness when he saw a very small girl with what looked to be her mother, pressed right up to the portrait of a man who pressed right back against her on his canvas. Harry figured that most of this would be bittersweet.
Teddy pointed around excitedly at all the commotion, shouting nonsense.
"I hadn't known there would be so many portraits," Harry said to Draco, still looking for something familiar as they walked.
"So many died," Draco said. On both sides, he thought. Then he saw, in a central place, side by side, Dumbledore and Snape. He almost froze, but his hand on Harry pulled him forward.
Harry saw them at just about the same moment Draco did. He continued moving forward, feeling a strange mix of emotions as he did, and stopped in front of them.
Dumbledore smiled down his crooked nose at Harry, and curiosity shone in his eyes as they turned on Draco and Teddy.
Draco wouldn't meet Dumbledore's eyes. His fingers tightened around Harry's arm.
Harry looked at Draco, and realised then that of course Draco wouldn't exactly want to see Dumbledore. "It's okay, you know," he said quietly as Teddy stared up with an open mouth and wide eyes.
Draco glanced at Harry. It didn't feel okay to him.
"It is," Harry said. He didn't know how to make Draco feel okay though. He looked up at Snape then, meeting his hard black eyes, and nodded to him.
As they moved in front of Severus Snape's portrait, Draco lifted his eyes to those of his old professor's. He looked – confused. It wasn't an expression Draco was used to seeing on that face. Snape arched an eyebrow at him. Draco didn't know whether or not the portraits could hear yet. And he certainly wasn't explaining his relationship with Harry in front of all these people. Someday he would have to come back to talk with Snape. He had his own questions for the man as well. For now, he smirked a bit and gave a shrug.
Dumbledore looked at Snape with his strangely twinkling eyes, and his body shook with what seemed like a chuckle.
Harry and Draco stood, staring up at the portraits for a little longer. Eventually, the crowd around them grew and jostled, so they moved on, leaving Snape still obviously confused and scowling.
Harry soon discovered that the portraits were not quite like being with real people. Well, of course they weren't, because they weren't real people. It was a sort of artificial meeting with the people he had known. He saw Colin, and he saw Moody, and then finally came upon what they had been looking for, well, all in one. Remus' and Tonks' portraits hung together, and on the same wall were Sirius and Harry's own parents. Even Tonks' father hung close by – and Andromeda, who hadn't been far behind them with Narcissa, crossed to him with tearful eyes.
Harry felt an ache in his heart as he looked up at all of these people he had loved, watched their likenesses move and smile and show glimmers of what had been their personalities. He smiled at his mother and father, and at Sirius, and all of them beamed back. They looked curious about Draco as well, but Harry didn't try to explain. It turned out the portraits couldn't hear yet either. The magic had yet to break any part of the sound barriers.
He stepped forward toward Remus and Tonks, holding their son, and Teddy looked at them with an odd expression on his little face, like he knew them from somewhere, but wasn't so sure about it. Harry felt another ache. He knew the feeling, and glanced at his mum and dad again.
Draco found the portraits made him feel sad and strangely guilty. Although, technically, Dumbledore was the only one in whose death he had played a part, it still made him uneasy. And there were some portraits he found he couldn't even look at. Charity Burbage, the former Muggle Studies Professor whose death he had witnessed, made him nearly as ill now as it had then.
"Say, hi, Mummy," Harry said quietly to Teddy as Teddy reached his hand out to touch Tonks' face. Yes. Very bittersweet.
He handed Teddy off to Andromeda when she came to get him, and stepped back to let them have their alone time. There wasn't much he could do but look at the portraits and gesture, but it was exactly what he did for a little while. Yes, it was artificial, but it felt good.
Narcissa came to join them after a bit, and Harry explained to her who these people were, even though she already knew. She stared at Tonks, and stared at her sister with Teddy.
Draco stepped back, feeling like he was intruding. He was caught completely unaware when he felt someone shove him and he stumbled forward. He heard the words "Death Eater scum" but when he looked back, he couldn't identify who among all those staring at him had done it.
Harry's head turned sharply, as did Narcissa's. He took the few steps to reach Draco and took his hand, his eyes flashing with anger. "Who said it?" he asked, and Narcissa stood on Draco's other side, looking around with that I'm-better-than-you way she had.
Some people turned away while others openly glared at Draco. No one spoke up when faced with Harry Potter.
"Yeah, that’s what I thought," Harry spat. He didn’t want to make a scene, but the wave of protectiveness and frustrating, prickling anger he'd been feeling since their arrival wasn't exactly an easy thing to suppress.
Draco reached for Harry's hand again. "Let it go, Harry," he whispered.
Harry clenched his teeth for a moment. "If anyone so much as lays a finger on him, know that I have no trouble reaching for my wand," he said clearly, and turned back around.
There was muttering after that, and Harry was probably squeezing Draco's hand a little too tightly.
Narcissa stared at Harry. "Perhaps it would be a good time to make an exit," she said quietly to Draco, her voice giving away her worry.
Draco nodded. The incident had brought up his fears again and he was having to work hard not to show it. Just when he was considering saying something, they came to the portrait of Fred Weasley.
Harry froze. Of course they would be here, but he had forgotten. He shouldn't have, because Hermione had told him she was going with the Weasleys to the opening, and Ron had said it too, but forgot he had.
Ron and Hermione were there, but so was everyone else. The only one missing, and Harry was grateful for it, was Ginny, who was in school. It didn't stop his heart from speeding up, or the sudden urge to turn and walk quickly in the opposite direction.
Yes, Mrs. Weasley had expressed wanting to see him again, but what about the others? Would they want to see him? His eyes landed upon George, who stood next to his mother, directly in front of the portrait, and Harry didn't even know how to describe the look on his face. He remembered George at Christmas and how he had known. He'd hardly spoken to him since.
Draco began to tremble. He had been having enough trouble hiding his feelings as it was. Now his eyes were drawn, not to George, but to Bill. Bill with his face scarred by Fenrir. Fenrir, who Draco had let into Hogwarts. Draco was covered in scars too, but most of them didn't show as long as he wore long sleeves and trousers. Even two years later, Bill's were still striking.
As Harry stood there, trying to decide what he should do, Hermione spotted him.
"Harry," she said, loud enough for everyone to hear, and they all turned their heads toward him.
There was a strange variety of expressions that passed the Weasleys' faces right then. Harry wasn't even sure what some of them were, and he didn't know if his overactive brain was making him see the bitterness, but then Mrs. Weasley cried, "Harry!" and rushed forward to hug him tightly.
Draco stepped back, giving the woman room. He released Harry's hand but found that his own trembled more. He was starting to panic when he glanced to his side and found his mother beside him. He gave her a tight but grateful smile.
Narcissa put her arm through Draco's, looking uncomfortable, but she nodded and returned the smile.
Chapter Title: Toward Reconciliation
Words: 3773 Words
"Reconciliation should be accompanied by justice, otherwise it will not last. While we all hope for peace it shouldn't be peace at any cost but peace based on principle, on justice." – Corazon Aquino
Harry didn't know what it was that made it seem like an entire year had gone by in the blink of an eye, but it had. It had passed faster than a professional Quidditch player on the latest broomstick. He couldn't believe it was already the anniversary of the downfall of Lord Voldemort.
Magazines and newspapers did nothing but print stories and articles on the matter. The radio was a constant broadcast of what was like a belated commentary for the events of the war, and Harry wasn't left out of the mess. He'd received letters and requests for his appearance at a great many memorial services. He might've gone to some of them, but honestly, he was still nervous to be without Draco, and Draco was nervous about being in public, and those events would be very public indeed. So they mostly kept to themselves, as they had been doing.
But then there was another event, one that Harry had been reminded of when he received thanks in the post for his generous donations to the portrait gallery in London, the one to which Narcissa had also given. It had nearly escaped him completely. The thank you letter had also invited him to the private opening the weekend before it actually opened to the entire public. Family and friends of those lost in battle and generous donors were attending. It really was something he wanted to see, and something he wanted to share with Teddy who would be able to see his parents, even if he might not know exactly who they were.
Since it was going to be more private, and since his mother was also going to be attending, Draco wanted to come too. Harry was happy, as he wouldn't have gone without the other man.
When opening day came around, which was a Friday in the month of May, Harry and Draco Flooed to the address they had been given in the letter. Upon arrival, Harry realised that, though it was 'private,' there were still quite a lot of people there – people all talking with echoing voices in a huge hall-like room. It reminded Harry of an entrance into a museum, which he supposed it was. He looked at Draco and took his hand tightly, moving with him out of the path of the fireplace in which they had appeared.
Draco had to remember to breathe. It had been three months since the attack, but he hadn't been anywhere near more than a handful of people since then, and only out of Grimmauld Place a few times. Now he was in a huge hall with what felt like a large crowd. He usually didn't do public displays, but at this moment he was hanging on tightly to Harry's hand.
A tall man in smart, black dress robes approached them, holding a tray of what looked like champagne. By the look on his face, he knew exactly who they were, but he didn't say so. Harry held Draco's hand even tighter.
"Something to drink?" the man asked, inclining his head.
Draco glanced at Harry, finding himself almost afraid to answer. This is ridiculous, he told himself. He was acting like a coward.
"Er, okay," Harry said, reaching for a glass, since it seemed everyone around had one. He couldn't take Draco's though, because he wasn't willing to let go of him.
Draco gritted his teeth and reached for a glass as well, pleased that his hand barely trembled. The man nodded to them again, and then left to deliver drinks to some other guests.
"Okay," Harry said quietly, both to himself and to Draco. He scanned the crowd, looking for a familiar face.
Draco looked around and spotted his mother. She was standing with Minister Shacklebolt. He squeezed his lover's hand and nodded in their direction.
Harry saw where Draco was looking and began to brush past the many people standing in their path. Not just a few of them stared, but rather, the lot of them did – mostly at their joined hands. It made Harry feel almost suffocated, and highly protective.
Narcissa smiled brightly when her eyes landed on them crossing the room to her. She kissed Draco's forehead in her usual gesture. "Minister," she said politely. "My son, Draco. And, well, I'm sure you're very familiar with Harry?"
Harry smiled at both Draco's mother and Kingsley, giving a nod.
"Mr. Malfoy," Shacklebolt acknowledged, "your mother speaks highly of you." Draco had to release Harry's hand and move the glass to his left to shake the hand the Minister held out to him.
Then Shacklebolt turned to Harry, smiling broadly. "How are you doing, Harry?"
It had been quite a while since Harry had seen Kingsley. Actually, he hadn't seen him since he had enquired about being an Auror. Merlin, he'd not seen hardly anyone at all in forever, now that he thought about it. It seemed he'd stepped right out of his former life when he'd decided to include Draco in it. "I'm doing fine," he answered. "And yourself?"
"Things are beginning to shape up at the Ministry," Shacklebolt answered. He gestured around him. "Have you given any more thought to joining the Auror program?"
"I ... had been thinking about it," Harry said. Honestly though, he wasn't so sure if he felt as comfortable with the idea as he had before. Wouldn't a job like that require a lot of ... away time? He glanced at Draco, as did Narcissa.
Draco shifted his weight to his other foot, and reached for Harry's hand again.
Harry took it unquestioningly. He and Draco hadn't talked about his being an Auror in a long time, and he knew the idea wasn't one Draco had liked before. He suspected he would dislike it even more now. "What it everyone standing around in here for?" he asked, deciding a change in subject was probably wise.
"It hasn't been opened yet," Narcissa answered. "There's going to be a speech from the project director."
Draco let out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding. He looked around the room, trying to spot Andromeda and Teddy.
Shacklebolt excused himself, telling Harry he'd love to talk more with him soon and then went off to talk with the director.
Harry stood around, still clutching Draco's hand as Narcissa talked about one thing or the next, going on about the makings of the hall in which they were standing. He, too, found himself looking through the crowd after a few minutes, then, he heard a very loud cry of, "Ma!" He was nearly positive it was Teddy. He looked at Draco and smiled, scanning the crowd a little quicker.
"There," Draco said when he'd spotted the little boy in Andromeda's arms. It was easy enough, given that his hair was orange.
Harry saw them too and his smile widened, like it always did when he saw Teddy.
Several people were staring at the strange little boy with orange hair, and one of them was Narcissa. She had gone quiet and still. Harry glanced at her. "Shall we go and say hi?" he asked, talking to Draco, but including Narcissa.
She started, looking slightly alarmed with the question. "I think I'll stay here," she said.
Draco looked at his mother, considering. He set his half-empty glass aside and held out his hand to her. "Mother?" he asked.
She looked at him, and then at his hand for a moment before she took it. "Yes?" she said.
He arched an eyebrow at her. "Come with us," he said softly.
There were lines on her forehead when she frowned, and Harry could see that she was ... nervous. "Very well," she said just as softly, and muttered something too quiet to actually hear when Harry moved to lead all three of them over to where Andromeda stood with Teddy.
He was the first one Andromeda appeared to see. She smiled and took a step forward, but then her eyes went obviously wide and her step faltered.
Harry knew this was about to be awkward. "Hi," he said.
"Hay!" Teddy said happily, which was what he called Harry. "Hay, Daco!" He waved a little hand floppily.
Harry couldn't help but smile again.
"Hello, Teddy," Draco smiled at the boy, his face lighting up as he did.
Andromeda's throat visibly worked as she swallowed, and she actually looked around herself quickly, as if she could make an escape or something.
Harry swallowed too, and wondered if this was such a good idea. "You've met Draco," he said.
Andromeda nodded stiffly.
And then Harry felt very odd, because one couldn't really introduce sisters, right?
Draco sighed, wanting to say something, anything to make this better. He looked at his mother, eyes as close to pleading as he would allow in public. "Please," he whispered under his breath.
Her eyes hardened as they rested on Draco's, but, to Harry immense surprise, she was the one to step forward. "Andromeda," she said in a superior tone.
For a second, Andromeda looked a little more like Bellatrix than she already did. "Narcissa," she said.
Harry stepped out from between them. He wanted to take Teddy as well, but didn't want to risk it.
Draco glanced at Harry and back at the two women, eyes a bit wide as he waited to see what would happen.
The sisters stared at each other for a few seconds, resentment in both their eyes.
"It has been quite a while," Narcissa said next.
"Yes," Andromeda agreed. "It has."
Silence.
"How have you been?" Narcissa asked. Harry thought it was quite brave of her.
"You mean you want to make small talk with me, Cissy?" Andromeda said with a rather regal raise of her eyebrows that Harry hadn't seen on her before.
Narcissa's cheeks barely pinked, but they did. Harry didn't know if it was embarrassment or anger. Perhaps both.
"If I may," Draco said, but didn't wait for an answer. "I thought part of the point of this event was reconciliation. Isn't the motto, 'Honouring the Past, Looking to the Future'?"
Andromeda turned that regal look upon Draco. "Do you think it is so simple?" she enquired.
"Draco," said Narcissa. "Perhaps you could ...." She trailed off, as there wasn't much she could tell him to go do, but Harry had just been thinking the same thing. He felt odd standing there watching what felt like the beginnings of a quiet battle.
Draco actually felt a sense of calm settle on him at that moment. "After what has happened to me in the last two years, I think I know a bit about the pain family can cause," he said to Andromeda. "But I also know that we can change."
She continued to look at him, and there was curiosity behind her eyes.
Narcissa looked at him too, causing Harry to do the same; he definitely knew change was possible.
Narcissa and Andromeda looked at each other once more. Narcissa sighed quietly. "How have you been?" she tried again.
Andromeda shook her head and did not look truly convinced, which Harry supposed wasn't surprising. "It hasn't been as bad in recent months," she said anyway.
***
They must have spent a half-hour waiting outside in the hall. Even more people filed in, and Harry stood with Draco and Teddy. Andromeda had finally handed him over with the agreement that they would stay close enough for her to see.
It was definitely ... interesting ... to watch Narcissa and Andromeda together. More than once it seemed they were going to break into an argument, but Harry thought it was the crowd and the embarrassment of such a thing that prevented it. At least they were talking, though.
Eventually the director, a witch named Miranda Innis, made her speech, thanking everyone for coming to see something that she believed would be a new and meaningful part of British Wizarding history. She informed them that the portraits, which had been made in an unconventional manner, were not yet able to speak, but could move and recognise different faces. Apparently the magic had not yet taken full effect, but she had felt it appropriate to open the gallery during 'the anniversary of the horrors coming to an end'. Harry supposed he agreed. The doors were opened then, and they were allowed into the main building.
Draco was actually nervous about seeing the portraits now that it was time. He knew, for instance, that there were portraits of both Dumbledore and Snape included in the hall. He wondered how they, or the other portraits who had known them, would react to seeing him and Harry together. Harry was currently holding Teddy. The boy was getting big and heavy enough that they tended to trade him back and forth. With both arms occupied by the boy, Harry wasn't holding Draco's hand, but Draco kept his hand on the man's arm. The looks they got from the living ranged from curiosity, to shock, to outright disgust.
Harry tried his best to ignore the looks, though it was sort of getting difficult, especially when he actually heard one woman say, "Oh, that poor little boy," as if he and Draco were actually going to do something to Teddy. He wanted to spin round and take pity on her own children, right in her face – with a few choice words thrown in. He took several deep breaths. When they had finally made it in past the crowd to actually see the portraits, he tried to focus on them, scanning for faces he knew.
The big framed paintings were not so different from those at Hogwarts, though possibly a little larger. They were beautifully done and had obviously been crafted with great care. He smiled, filled with both happiness and sadness when he saw a very small girl with what looked to be her mother, pressed right up to the portrait of a man who pressed right back against her on his canvas. Harry figured that most of this would be bittersweet.
Teddy pointed around excitedly at all the commotion, shouting nonsense.
"I hadn't known there would be so many portraits," Harry said to Draco, still looking for something familiar as they walked.
"So many died," Draco said. On both sides, he thought. Then he saw, in a central place, side by side, Dumbledore and Snape. He almost froze, but his hand on Harry pulled him forward.
Harry saw them at just about the same moment Draco did. He continued moving forward, feeling a strange mix of emotions as he did, and stopped in front of them.
Dumbledore smiled down his crooked nose at Harry, and curiosity shone in his eyes as they turned on Draco and Teddy.
Draco wouldn't meet Dumbledore's eyes. His fingers tightened around Harry's arm.
Harry looked at Draco, and realised then that of course Draco wouldn't exactly want to see Dumbledore. "It's okay, you know," he said quietly as Teddy stared up with an open mouth and wide eyes.
Draco glanced at Harry. It didn't feel okay to him.
"It is," Harry said. He didn't know how to make Draco feel okay though. He looked up at Snape then, meeting his hard black eyes, and nodded to him.
As they moved in front of Severus Snape's portrait, Draco lifted his eyes to those of his old professor's. He looked – confused. It wasn't an expression Draco was used to seeing on that face. Snape arched an eyebrow at him. Draco didn't know whether or not the portraits could hear yet. And he certainly wasn't explaining his relationship with Harry in front of all these people. Someday he would have to come back to talk with Snape. He had his own questions for the man as well. For now, he smirked a bit and gave a shrug.
Dumbledore looked at Snape with his strangely twinkling eyes, and his body shook with what seemed like a chuckle.
Harry and Draco stood, staring up at the portraits for a little longer. Eventually, the crowd around them grew and jostled, so they moved on, leaving Snape still obviously confused and scowling.
Harry soon discovered that the portraits were not quite like being with real people. Well, of course they weren't, because they weren't real people. It was a sort of artificial meeting with the people he had known. He saw Colin, and he saw Moody, and then finally came upon what they had been looking for, well, all in one. Remus' and Tonks' portraits hung together, and on the same wall were Sirius and Harry's own parents. Even Tonks' father hung close by – and Andromeda, who hadn't been far behind them with Narcissa, crossed to him with tearful eyes.
Harry felt an ache in his heart as he looked up at all of these people he had loved, watched their likenesses move and smile and show glimmers of what had been their personalities. He smiled at his mother and father, and at Sirius, and all of them beamed back. They looked curious about Draco as well, but Harry didn't try to explain. It turned out the portraits couldn't hear yet either. The magic had yet to break any part of the sound barriers.
He stepped forward toward Remus and Tonks, holding their son, and Teddy looked at them with an odd expression on his little face, like he knew them from somewhere, but wasn't so sure about it. Harry felt another ache. He knew the feeling, and glanced at his mum and dad again.
Draco found the portraits made him feel sad and strangely guilty. Although, technically, Dumbledore was the only one in whose death he had played a part, it still made him uneasy. And there were some portraits he found he couldn't even look at. Charity Burbage, the former Muggle Studies Professor whose death he had witnessed, made him nearly as ill now as it had then.
"Say, hi, Mummy," Harry said quietly to Teddy as Teddy reached his hand out to touch Tonks' face. Yes. Very bittersweet.
He handed Teddy off to Andromeda when she came to get him, and stepped back to let them have their alone time. There wasn't much he could do but look at the portraits and gesture, but it was exactly what he did for a little while. Yes, it was artificial, but it felt good.
Narcissa came to join them after a bit, and Harry explained to her who these people were, even though she already knew. She stared at Tonks, and stared at her sister with Teddy.
Draco stepped back, feeling like he was intruding. He was caught completely unaware when he felt someone shove him and he stumbled forward. He heard the words "Death Eater scum" but when he looked back, he couldn't identify who among all those staring at him had done it.
Harry's head turned sharply, as did Narcissa's. He took the few steps to reach Draco and took his hand, his eyes flashing with anger. "Who said it?" he asked, and Narcissa stood on Draco's other side, looking around with that I'm-better-than-you way she had.
Some people turned away while others openly glared at Draco. No one spoke up when faced with Harry Potter.
"Yeah, that’s what I thought," Harry spat. He didn’t want to make a scene, but the wave of protectiveness and frustrating, prickling anger he'd been feeling since their arrival wasn't exactly an easy thing to suppress.
Draco reached for Harry's hand again. "Let it go, Harry," he whispered.
Harry clenched his teeth for a moment. "If anyone so much as lays a finger on him, know that I have no trouble reaching for my wand," he said clearly, and turned back around.
There was muttering after that, and Harry was probably squeezing Draco's hand a little too tightly.
Narcissa stared at Harry. "Perhaps it would be a good time to make an exit," she said quietly to Draco, her voice giving away her worry.
Draco nodded. The incident had brought up his fears again and he was having to work hard not to show it. Just when he was considering saying something, they came to the portrait of Fred Weasley.
Harry froze. Of course they would be here, but he had forgotten. He shouldn't have, because Hermione had told him she was going with the Weasleys to the opening, and Ron had said it too, but forgot he had.
Ron and Hermione were there, but so was everyone else. The only one missing, and Harry was grateful for it, was Ginny, who was in school. It didn't stop his heart from speeding up, or the sudden urge to turn and walk quickly in the opposite direction.
Yes, Mrs. Weasley had expressed wanting to see him again, but what about the others? Would they want to see him? His eyes landed upon George, who stood next to his mother, directly in front of the portrait, and Harry didn't even know how to describe the look on his face. He remembered George at Christmas and how he had known. He'd hardly spoken to him since.
Draco began to tremble. He had been having enough trouble hiding his feelings as it was. Now his eyes were drawn, not to George, but to Bill. Bill with his face scarred by Fenrir. Fenrir, who Draco had let into Hogwarts. Draco was covered in scars too, but most of them didn't show as long as he wore long sleeves and trousers. Even two years later, Bill's were still striking.
As Harry stood there, trying to decide what he should do, Hermione spotted him.
"Harry," she said, loud enough for everyone to hear, and they all turned their heads toward him.
There was a strange variety of expressions that passed the Weasleys' faces right then. Harry wasn't even sure what some of them were, and he didn't know if his overactive brain was making him see the bitterness, but then Mrs. Weasley cried, "Harry!" and rushed forward to hug him tightly.
Draco stepped back, giving the woman room. He released Harry's hand but found that his own trembled more. He was starting to panic when he glanced to his side and found his mother beside him. He gave her a tight but grateful smile.
Narcissa put her arm through Draco's, looking uncomfortable, but she nodded and returned the smile.