There Is A Thin Line Between Hate And Love

Disclaimer: Not mine. Please don‘t sue I don‘t have any money
Pairing: (Eventually) Harry/Draco
Author: Catium
Beta: Moi
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 4800 words
Genre: Romance/ Drama.
Status: In Progress.
Warnings: Language. And a huge surprise. People with heart diseases are advised to avoid reading.
Summary: What happens when that thin line between hate and love starts to disappear? Starts in the Half Blood Prince then moves on to year 7. The Deathly Hallows never happened.

The Malfoy family secret is finally revealed and explains why Claudia is so different from the rest of her family. During that Harry learns about the real reason behind Snape’s and his father’s rivalry.

Chapter 12 – Secrets and lies

The next week passed by quietly but it was never too quiet for too long around the quartet. One day they were sitting in the library studying. It was Saturday. Claudia all of sudden came running in to the library straight towards the quartet she was obviously upset and had tears in her eyes.

“Claudia what is going...?” Draco started saying but wasn’t able to finish the sentence because Claudia flunked herself in his arms and started crying.

“Tell me it isn’t true...tell me it isn’t true Draco...tell me so...please?” Claudia said and looked up with tears floating down her checks.

Draco wiped Claudia’s tears away and looked at her with such love that it almost took Harry’s breath away.

“I would not mind Draco looking at me that way.” Harry thought then stopped himself “Wow I’m trying to figure out if I might be...different...I’m not looking for...that.” He thought and then turned his attention to what Draco and Claudia were saying.

“What is not true Claudia? I do not know what you are talking about?”

“Some of the Slytherins in my year were saying that...they say everyone’s talking about it. They heard it from some of your old friends...”

“Heard what Claudia?”

“That I’m not related to you. That I must be adopted or something. That if I were a true Malfoy I would have been sorted into Slytherin not Gryffindor since all Malfoys have always been sorted into Slytherin.” Claudia sobbed and said again. “Tell me it’s not true Draco.”

Draco opened his mouth to say something but closed it again and looked really uncomfortable. Harry could see the unease in his eyes. Draco stood up, lifting his sister away from his embrace, holding her shoulders and looked her in the eyes. Then he said.

“Come on Claudia we are going to go see mother.” And took Claudia’s hand and started walking out of the library. He stopped like he had just realised something, turned around to face the Trio and said.

“Well come on. You are my baby sitters you cannot let me go wander off by myself.”

The trio stood up and followed them out of the library. Then Ron said a bit sarcastically.

“I’m sorry to burst your bubble Draco but we can’t leave the grounds.”

“Who is saying that we are leaving the grounds?” Draco asked.

Hermione answered Draco’s question. “You said we were going to go and see your mother Draco. You kind of have to leave the grounds in order to do so.”

“No we do not.” Draco said and looked real smug all of sudden. “She is here.”

“What?” The Trio said all at once.

“McGonagall decided it would not be safe for her to be staying alone at the Manor or the Headquarters. If they were attacked no one would be able to come to her rescue until it was too late. So she gave her quarters here at the school. I have not visited her yet since McGonagall wanted it to be a secret she is here. And bringing one or all three of you with me would have made it not a secret. But now we really need to see her.”

Draco turned another corner still leading the small group of five on and stopped facing a life size painting that showed a really pretty blond woman dressed in a 17’Th century purple dress sitting in a chair.

“Hello” Draco said. “I’m Draco Malfoy could you tell my mother we are here to see her.”

The women bowed her head and stood up and walked out of the side of the frame. Not a minute later she reappeared and the painting was opened, revealing a door. There stood Narcissa Malfoy. Upon seeing her two children she smiled and beckoned them to come in. They entered and Narcissa closed the door she turned around still smiling and hugged Claudia. Then she turned to Draco and said.

“It is nice to see you. What makes you finally deciding to see me children?”

“Sorry about us not coming to visit you sooner mother.” Draco said rather stiffly and once again Harry wondered about the stiff relationship between the two off them. “We were supposed to keep it a secret you staying here, and I can’t really go anywhere these days without having a babysitter or three.” At these words Narcissa looked like she noticed Harry and the others for the first time her smile fading away.

“Oh...I see...Mr. Potter...Miss Granger...Mr.Weasley.” She gave them looks over that made Harry feel like he was being measured but he could not tell if he was being found unwanted. After looking at them for a minute, Narcissa looked like she had made up her mind about something and said.

“My, I am such a rude hostess. Come and have a seat I will get one of the house elves too bring us some tee and biscuits.”

She snapped her fingers and a house elf wearing the traditional towel with the Hogwarts crest appeared. Harry saw Hermione purse her lips trying to hold herself back. After doing that Narcissa joined them at the sitting area, sitting next to Claudia. She looked again at the Trio for a bit then said with a little smile tugging at her lips.

“I must say Draco that the company that you are keeping now a day are much more to my liking then the one you kept in the past.”

“Thank you mother. I really rather agree with you on that.” Draco said and then added. “I am sorry but we really did not come here to get your approval off my new company. Claudia ran into some troubles some moments ago. There were Slytherin kids teasing her.”

Narcissa turned her attention immediately to Claudia. “Oh honey, I hope they did not give you a hard time...”

“They were saying that Claudia is not related to us.” Draco said quickly.

Harry had been expecting Narcissa to laugh it off saying something in the lines off. “That is ridiculous”. But instead she went even paler then she usually was and gave a little yelp. “How...” she stammered.

“She does not look a thing like us mother.” Draco snapped sounding angry. “Who did we think we could fool? We should have gotten her homeschooled like father...”

“Do not dare...” Narcissa snapped back sounding even angrier than Draco “Don’t you dare start talking about your father will now. This would never have happened if he would have just stayed home and...”

“We were right.” These words fell out of Hermione’s mouth before she could stop herself and she grabbed her mouth shocked at herself for not having more self control.

Narcissa turned to her and asked a bit more calm down now because of the interruption “Right about what Miss Granger?”

“What is going on?” Claudia cried out. “I don’t understand.”

“I can’t not in front of her you tell us.” Hermione said

“It does not matter anymore. Lucius is in jail so will not find out about the secret being out anyway. It was his will to keep this a secret not mine.” Then she turned to Claudia and said. “It is time you know the truth darling.”

“Mother what are you talking about?” Claudia cried and tears were running freely down her face.

“You are not a Malfoy, Claudia.” Narcissa answered Claudia faster than was to be expected and the truth hanged in the air like a thick smothering blanket.

“What...?” Claudia stammered.

“But you are a Black. And you are related to both me and Draco. But Lucius is not your father.”

Upon hearing that Harry’s mouth fell open and he saw the same thing happening to both Ron and Hermione.
“All right we were wrong.” Hermione said in a shocked voice.

“What did you, Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley think?” Narcissa asked.

Claudia was still too shocked to say anything.

“We thought...” Hermione said “We thought Lucius had been cheating on you and gotten his mistress pregnant and then that he had taken the child to raise it himself.”

“You were half way right Miss Granger.” Narcissa said bitterly. “Lucius did cheat on me. More than once, more than twice and kept on doing so regularly up until the point he was sentenced to Azkaban. But it was me that went on and had one affair. Only one. Only for one summer and was stupid enough to get myself pregnant.” Narcissa stopped and looked at Claudia. “I want you to hear this Claudia. Let me finish and do not judge me until you have heard the whole story all right sweetheart?”

Claudia still too stunned to say anything simply noded her head.

“It was the summer Draco turned six. That summer Lucius was working for the Ministry and didn’t have time to take a summer holiday. It was too much trouble going on my own with Draco this little, so for the first time since I was a teenager I stayed home during the whole summer. All of my friends were away for the summer with their husbands and children. I was...well quite frankly I was bored out of my mind. Draco has always been really self sufficient. He was out playing in the yards most days. I barely saw him.”

Narcissa paused and no one said anything they were waiting for her to go on with the story.

“Anyway... sometimes during May our gardener, a really nice elderly wizard, was bitten by one of the more dangerous plants, he had to go to St. Mungo’s for the rest of the summer. The Ministry found out that, that plant was illegal and came and investigated our gardens. They took out all the dangerous magic plants that were there and put the ones they left behind in a special closed off garden surrounded by a hatch. They claimed that we lived too close to a Muggle village to allow us to have the magic plants all around the yards. So they closed them off. Told me that we were not to hire another wizard for a gardener. That I could take care of the magic plants myself. Told us to hire a Muggle to take care of the gardens. Lucius was furious of course but he had a reputation to look after. Back then after the first war he was really well respected, some people spoke of his supposed relationship with the Dark Lord but those voices were few back then. And now people were speaking off him having dangerous and mostly illegal magic plants in his gardens. He wouldn’t have that so he did exactly what the Ministry told him. Paid some of the officials to shut it about the illegal plants and advertised for a Muggle gardener in the Times. After two weeks or so he had found the perfect Muggle in his opinion. Or as perfect as a Muggle could be he would say with mockery in his voice."

“That is my father.” Draco interrupted his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Nice is his middle name.”
“Don’t interrupt me Draco.” Narcissa said. “Please.”

Draco glared at his mother with a look that made Harry chill to the bone “I will try mother but I’m not making any promises.”

Narcissa sighed but kept on going.

“He came at eight his first day. I woke up earlier than I was used to during the summer to meet him and talk him through his duties. Since he was a muggle and couldn’t know about us I put on one of my rarely used muggle dresses. I walked into the hall and there he stood. He was...” Narcissa sighed wearing a dreamy expression. “Almost black, wavy hair, chocolate brown skin, and dark brown eyes, and really good looking, tall, lean and muscular and a few years younger than me. He was 25, me 31.”

“All in all any women’s wet dream.” Draco said and Harry noticed he had somehow managed to get himself a drink of what looked like Fire Whiskey.

“Draco please!” Narcissa said. “We got along really well right away. The first days and weeks went by like a dream. My showing him what to do and he was a quick learner. Then later, helping him out in the gardens. I have always loved gardening. We would talk about everything and nothing, laughing a lot and I don’t think we ever stopped smiling. We became really good friends.”

Draco snorted.

“We were friends, at first. Then one day after he had been working for us for about a month, we were talking and joking like usual. Then one thing led to another and...well. For the rest of the summer we kept going with our relationship. Then autumn came and I started to feel sick. I used a pregnancy spell on me, it was positive and I realised Lucius would kill him. So I told him to quit and leave, preferably the country if he could. I also asked him to never contact me again, that is if I didn’t contact him first. He did and I’ve never seen or heard from him again. Around two weeks later when I knew he would be safely far, far away. I told Lucius everything. Furious did not even come close to Lucius reactions. I just thanked my lucky stars I was pregnant. Despite that, he told me he would claim the baby. Always thinking of his reputation. Claudia was born in March and when Lucius saw her, a girl, didn’t look a thing like him, or me even. Let’s just say he was less than pleased and I was not pregnant anymore. Afterwards he decided that we would not take Claudia off the grounds more than necessary and that she would not be around when we had our friends around the Manor. He made up a story she had a disease so our friends would not ask questions I did not have answers for. Then we kept her away from other people. And that is the story the whole truth, nothing but the truth so help me Merlin.”

Narcissa had been looking at her hands during the last few lines and now she looked up and looked them in their eyes.

“So this is why I could never see other kids? Why no one came to my birthday parties? Why I had to play alone or with Draco when he was at home?” Claudia said sounding really upset.

“Darling...your father...I could not do any...”

“You never could. Could you?” Draco interrupted his mother. “You never could stand up to him. The summer after Claudia was born and he told you to stop cuddling me you did. When you saw I had a bruise on my cheek or arm you ignored it. When he would not allow anyone to be invited to Claudia’s birthday party you did nothing. YOU NEVER DID ANYTHING!”

“Well what was I supposed to do Draco? If I tried to protest he would beat me up.”

“BETTER YOU THAN YOUR CHILDREN!” Draco yelled.

“I agree with him” Claudia added “How could you let him treat you...treat us like this?”

“I...I...could not.” Narcissa stammered.

At that moment the painting swung open and in stalked Snape.

“Narcissa I just came back from a meeting and thanks to your help, the mission group found one of the Horcruxes in one off Lucius’s vaults. The Hufflepuff cup. It’s been destroyed, so it’s down to something of Ravenclaw’s, the snake and final goal Voldemort.” Then Snape saw Narcisssa had company and stopped in his tracks staring at the strange combination. Narcissa, Draco and Claudia Malfoy and the Golden Trio together in the same room.

“How come you know about that?” Harry asked Snape. “You...” Harry spit out. “...were not supposed to know about that McGonagall promised me.”

“Oh I’m sorry... she promised you Potter did she? They were painting themselves into a corner and needed help. McGonagall had to make a decision and recruit someone to help. She can’t call you every time she needs to make a decision about everything. Not all things are about you Potter, but it’s only natural you would think so, being your father’s son.” Snape said sneering

“Don’t you dare talk about my father.”

“Why are you afraid you might hear something you won’t like?” Snape said and since there was no one there to stop him he went on.

“I’m sorry Potter but I’m going to burst the perfect image you have of your father. You always thought I was the one who started taunting him, because I was jealous of his and your mother’s relationship right?”

“Right.” Harry said. “And don’t try and tell my something different because I know it’s the truth.”

“Why because Black told you so?”

“Yes.”

“Have you ever tried to ask someone else about my and your father’s rivalries besides the man who hated me possibly even more than your father?”

“No.”

“Then I’m going to tell you now. What you were told was wrong. Black didn’t have a clue. I was your mother’s friend before we even knew James Potter existed. Before Hogwarts. We met on a playground near her house. I only lived couple of blocks away. One day we met on the playground. We became friends almost right away. I sensed she was a witch so when so got a letter from Hogwart’s I was not surprised. We rode on the train to Hogwarts together but got sorted into separated houses. She Gryffindor, me Slytherin. But we still remained friends. Then Potter started noticing her. Lily didn’t like him at first, he was cocky, full of himself and way to wild so when he at first asked her to become friends, later if she would go out with him...Lily said no. She and I would still hang around and James noticed. He got jealous and starting taunting me for having a friendship with Lily, which he did not have. He put hexes on my and bullied me in any way imaginable trying to diminish me in front of her. It didn’t work. Or it didn’t work our first years anyway. Then during our fifth year I started noticing that Lily was getting less irritated by James constant attempts to get her to go out with him, she would still scream at him though when he was hurting me. At the same time I was confronted by a group of older students in Slytherin who asked if I would like to join their group and learn a thing or two so I could finally fight James Potter. I did not hesitate a moment before joining. They also started to teach my other things except hexes. Things about Purebloods, and Mudbloods. I still kept on hanging around Lily. Sometime I would say something about Purebloods or Mudbloods and she wouldn’t like it. She started to withdraw herself from me a bit. After the incident that you saw Potter in the Pensieve, Lily came to me and told me she didn’t think we could be friends anymore. During our six year Lily and James started dating and we didn’t hang around anymore. One day James put a hex on me and Lily watched and she didn’t try to protect my, she laughed with the other. It was then I knew our friendship was over and decided to take my Slytherin friends up on their offer. They had told me that if I decided one day to stop hanging around, I’m sorry Harry, Mudbloods like Lily Evans they could get me into a group outside of the school called the Death Eaters. I contacted the leader of my former group, Lucius Malfoy. He contacted Voldemort. I did what was required so I could join the Death Eaters and got my mark. Then after He killed Lily I was devastated. I went to Dumbledore and joined the Order, became a spy. And the rest you pretty much know."

“Why did you care?” Harry asked. “Why did you care that Voldemort killed my mother.”

“Don’t you understand Harry?” Snape asked.

Harry just stared at him blanked eyed.

“I loved your mother Harry. But she never saw anything more than a friend in me. James was jealous of me because of our friendship and haunted me over it. I tried to become a hard ass to protect me from him but got tangled up in the wrong crowd. Which pushed your mother from me and right into Potter’s arms. I in jealous rage did the wrong thing and got her, them killed. I was devastated like I already told you and I grieved for them. I might have hated your father but I did not want him dead, neither your mother. So I tried to make up for it by joining the Order.” Snape explained in a short cut.

“You are lying” Harry said.

“No he’s not Harry.” Narcissa all of sudden interrupted. “The Black’s and the Prince’s, Severuse’s mother family are old friends. I’ve know Severus since he was born. I watched these events he’s been talking about unfold right in front of my eyes. Severus is telling the truth. If you want I will swear that under the Veritaserum potion.”

At Narcissa’s words Harry gave up on all protesting and it was like a little light had been turned on in his head. He had never heard an untrue word out of Narcissa Malfoy’s mouth. She had less than 20 minutes ago confessed to an affair and told her daughter that the man she thought was her father wasn’t, but some Muggle gardener.

“You don’t have to do that Mrs. Malfoy.” He said tiredly. “I...I believe you Snape. And now I understand why you’ve treated me the way you’ve had over the years. It must have been tough on you seeing the living image of the man you hated walking around and with the eyes of the women you... loved. I’m willing to forgive you. If you will do me the same favour it would be great. I’m sorry for the way I’ve treated you over the years. I’ve never exactly given you an easy time. Acting up in class and diminish you authority. And if you could see it in you to do the same thing, it would be nice if we could bury the axe. Both ours, and yours and my father’s. Make a truce.

“I would like that Potter.” Snape said and for the first time Harry saw a small smile on Snape’s lips. “I accept your apologies and hope you will accept my apologise for treating you so badly just because I assumed you were like your father.”

“Apology accepted likewise Snape.” Harry said smiling a bit.

“Well as nice as this all have been.” Ron piped up out of the blue after sitting quietly for a really long time. “You know what I’m talking about. People confessing old sins and other people making peace with each other and just generally going to the happy place filled with bunnies and rainbows...I’m really sorry to break this up but it’s nearly time for dinner and I am starving.”

“I think Mr. Weasley is right. If we don’t have anything more to talk about you should all go and have dinner.”

“I think me and Potter are as good as we will get.” Snape said.

Harry nodded his head in agreement.

“I would like though if you and your sister came again after dinner Draco. So we could continue with our discussion.”

“There is nothing to discuss mother. What is done is done; talking about things in the past will not change them. Besides I think both me and Claudia need time to think about what you’ve been saying today. We will come and visit you when we’ve done doing that.” Draco said.

“All right then Draco.” Narcissa said. She then tried to hug Claudia goodbye but Claudia avoided that and simply said “Goodbye mother.” Before leaving Narcissa’s quarters.

“We will talk later Cissa.” Snape said before exiting in his usual billowing of ropes.

“Goodbye mother.” Draco said.

“Bye Mrs. Malfoy.” Harry, Ron and Hermione echoed before hurrying after Draco.

“Goodbye children.” Narcissa said.

__________________________________________________________________________

Then they were outside the door Claudia was there waiting for them.

Draco not in the mood for more talk tonight simply said.

“Can we talk about this later Claudia? I understand you are feeling really hurt right now, but I think it would only do you good to think about this on your on for now.”

“O.K. Draco.” Claudia said in a small voice. “But I want you to know that I still love you like a brother.”

Draco stared at her for a moment and then hugged her tightly. “I am your brother. Nothing will ever change that. Blood bonds are not everything. You might think so now but it is so. Now I do not want to talk more about this tonight Claudia. Run along for dinner."

Claudia did so and Draco turned towards the Trio who had watched the exchange.

“I and she will finish this discussion tomorrow. I just want this over with. Then we will talk to mother tomorrow too. What a day...and not only for me.”

“Yeah.” Ron agreed. “You made peace with Snape, Harry. That’s huge.”

“It is” Harry agreed. “We may never become bestest buddies but not at least we should be able to be in the same room together without biting each other heads off.”

They all started walking towards the Great Hall.

“But why do you think, Harry?” Hermione asked. “That Sirius never told you the truth about the rivalry between Snape and your father.

“That’s easy. He didn’t want my “memories” off my father and mother to be soiled by this. Didn’t want me to know that they weren’t always together and that my father possessed in such a great deal one of the most loathsome emotions. Jealousy. Or that my mother turned her back on her childhood friend. But it does not make me think any less of them. It only makes them more human too me. Less saint like and more like they really used to walk on this earth for real.”

“Also I don’t think Black would ever have told you anything that would make uncle Snape look a tad bit nice.” Draco added

“That is true.” Harry agreed. “And uncle Snape?!”

“He is my godfather.” Draco explained and then slowed down a bit so he and Harry got pulled behind from Hermione and Ron who were hurrying to get to dinner.

“Are you guys coming?” Hermione asked.

“Yes we will be right there. I just need to talk to Harry privately for a minute.” Draco said smiling and waved them off.
__________________________________________________________________________

As soon as they disappeared around the corner. He turned to Harry and asked.
“Have you thought about things Harry?”

Harry was so thrown by the question he started to stutter.

“I...I don’t...it’s only been a week Draco.”

“That is true. I’m sorry Harry if I caught you off guard. Like you have not gotten enough stuff to think about today.”

“It really isn’t anything to think about. With this stuff between me and Snape sorted it is one thing less to think about. And the other think isn’t really my problem. Although I’m so sorry for you to have to go through all this. You father treating you like this, your mother allowing him.”

“It is done. I really don’t want to talk about it.” Draco said shortly.

“All right then sorry.”

“It’s not you that has to apologise to me.” Draco said. “But what is that Horcrux thing Snape was talking about?” He asked.

“Another thing I won’t have to worry about anymore.” Harry answered him.

“You do not wish to tell me?” Draco asked sounding a bit hurt.

“I’m sorry Draco. I’m still trying to process my feelings to you and one of those feelings is trust. I don’t trust you enough yet to tell you.” Harry said really sounding sorry.

Those words hurt Draco more than anything his mother had said that day and Harry saw him putting up his emotionless mask.
“Draco please...don’t shut me out.” He thought.

“I’ve worked my arse off Harry, trying to get you to trust me...to like me the same way I like you. I really do not want to rush you but if you do not hurry up and decide if you really can trust me...if you really want me in your life...then I might not want to be a part of your life when you finally do decide.”
Draco turned around and walked away.

The little voice inside Harry’s head used that opportunity to wake up sounding a bit like Snape.

“You better hurry up and make a decision Potter. Or you might lose him. And you don’t want that do you?”
Harry answered the voice up loud confessing his desire partly.

“No...I don’t.”
TBC

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