Whisper

Chapter 13: Heart Shaped Box-Evanescence



Draco held Kid on his hip as he held James by the hand. James wasn’t disagreeable of the idea of holding hands with Draco or that Draco was leading. In fact, he had a hold of Draco’s sleeve at the same time. It was almost dark, or what would be considered dark in the stormy skies, and Draco was leading them to a place to sleep. But the place he was leading them to was the Slytherin House dormitories in the dudgeons. James told Draco that the memories change around so he hoped Draco would get a mild one this time.



“We were going to get married,” explained James as the walked. “Harry told her that he, or rather we, were bisexual. She took it rather well.”



“How did you know you were bi,” asked Draco.



“Cedric Diggory if you believe it,” said James. Draco looked at him in surprise and James laughed. “Who did you think it was? Ron?”



“I shudder at the thought,” said Draco and James laughed again.



“Cedric was the handsomest guy in school, next to you.”



“And were you attracted to me?” Draco’s curiosity was getting the better of him and he knew it, but he still asked questions anyway.



James nodded. “During sixth year, believe it or not,” he said. “At first, I thought it was because I suspected you were up to something, which I was right about. Then, I realized it was more then that. It was that I was strongly attracted to you. Eventually, I convinced myself that I was following you because you were up to no good and that was what I told everyone else.”



Draco looked at James with a small smile. “You’re an amazing person, James,” he said and gave James a light kiss.



“Not just me. Harry and Kid as well.”



“Yes, Kid and Harry too,” said Draco, realizing he actually meant it. He did find Harry an amazing person, to actually survive everything he went through. He smiled at Kid and continued to lead them but felt a slight tugging and turned to face James again. The teenager was looking at the ground, his hand clutching Draco’s tighter and Draco’s sleeve held tight in his fist.



“What is it?”



“You like me, don’t you?”



“Of course I like you, James.”



“And Kid?”



“And Kid too. Where are you going with this?”



“What about Harry? Do you like him too?”



Draco paused, looking at James for a long time. He can admit that he likes James and Kid. That was no secret, but could he like a person he had been taught to hate all his life? With every door he opened he was learning more of Potter’s life then he thought he did. Could he learn to love someone with such a horrible past?



“James, I don’t know,” he said. “All three of you are the same, yet so different. But I think I can, if you and Kid are there with him.”



James smiled. “That’s all I ask.”



Nodding Draco continued going down towards the dudgeons. He thought he would take James the long way, to confuse the teenager as to where the dorm was. He didn’t want to, but House pride demanded that he would do all he can to keep the House whereabouts a secret. But as he was about to lead them down one corridor, James tugged him down another.



“It’s faster this way,” he said pointing down the corridor.



“Are you sure,” asked Draco, raising an intrigued eyebrow.



James smiled. “It is Harry’s mind.”



So Draco let James lead, and not only did he lead them on a faster route to the Slytherin House, James was taking the same path Draco had walked everyday since he entered Hogwarts fourteen years ago. It came to a surprise for him when he stood before the concealment wall that was the entrance the Slytherin Common Room.



“How is it you know how to get to the Slytherin Dorms,” asked Draco looking at James. James actually looked stuck on the answer.



“Uh…..”



“James….”



“Well, honestly, you’re the one who showed us the way.”



“What? When? What do you mean?”



“Remember when Crabbe and Goyle acted strangely Christmas vacation second year?”



“Yeah, I asked them what was wrong and they looked at me stupidly. I thought they were being their slow selves.” Draco paused for a moment before turning to James. “That was Harry?!”



James nodded. “And Ron. It was Hermione’s idea to use Polyjuice Potion.”



“That’s an extremely dangerous potion. If you had gotten one ingredient wrong….”



“Then we would have gotten into the Magical Damage ward in St. Mungo’s. But we’re not. The Polyjuice worked, except for Hermione turning into a cat….”



“A cat?!”



“But it’s all right! She turned back a few weeks later thanks to Madam Pomfrey.”



“I swear your whole life is nothing but pure luck.”



“Ron joked once that we probably fell in a cauldron full of Felix Felicis as a baby,” said James with a grin and Draco laughed.



“I don’t doubt it. Now, how do you open this door?”



“It has to be something Slytherin-y.” James thought for a moment before saying. “Pure-blood.” But the wall remained shut. “Well, that didn’t work.”



“Salazar Slytherin,” suggested Draco and the wall still didn’t move.



“Basilisk,” said James and groaned when the wall didn’t move. “I wish it was as easy as Lord of the Rings, but they had a riddle to help them.”



“Hogwarts is part of Harry, correct,” asked Draco in a thoughtful tone.



“Yeah, so?”



“So what it is a riddle? Harry’s riddle. Ravenclaw’s dorms are easiest to get into because it’s all riddles and logic questions. Now I’m thinking Slytherin’s password is something that Harry hates since he didn’t particularly like Slytherins.”



“So Slytherin is Harry’s Moria.” Draco looked at James in confusion and James smiled. “Never mind. And Harry didn’t actually hate Slytherins, just one.”



“Me?” Draco suddenly became worried on whether the answer was yes or no. he knew Potter didn’t really liked him in Hogwarts, but he didn’t know if it came close to hate.



James shook his head. “No, Voldemort.”



“What about Snape?”



“Snape was a spy for the Order of the Phoenix. He did what he had to to keep his cover, and he didn’t like my dad.”



Draco nodded. He had respected the old family friend wasn’t completely with the Dark Lord, but never said anything. The man had been the closest thing to a father he had in his early years.



“So what’s the one connection both Slytherin and the Dark Lord had?”



James crossed his arms in thought. “Well, they both didn’t like Muggle-borns. Voldemort’s reaction to them was nothing but unadultrating hatred. Slytherin just tolerated them. They both came from bad families, hated Gryffindors….”



“Actually, Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin were best friends before Slytherin left.”



James looked at Draco in surprise. “Really? You’d figured they’d work it out.”



Draco nodded. “Too bad they didn’t.”



“Salazar Slytherin created Slytherin House. Voldemort was a member of Slytherin House. They both favor snakes as pets, because they both spoke….Of course! Parceltongue!”



“Parceltongue?” asked Draco.



“I had such trouble getting into Slytherin because of the password, but I didn’t need it. Just Parceltongue.”



“You mean to open this door you needed to be a Parcelmouth?”



“I think so. We’ll know in a minute.” James stood in front of the wall and seemed to be concentrating. Opening his mouth James began to hiss. Lucius had made Draco learn a few words in the Language of the Snakes, since it was a very complicated language to learn if not born into it, so Draco knew a few words. He could easily translate the word James hissed.



“Open.”



The door rattled and slid away to reveal the Slytherin Common Rooms. James looked at Draco with a triumphant smile. Draco took James’ hand and kissed it.



“I knew you were smart,” he said.



“I can be a Slytherin when I want to be.”



“You can still speak Parcletongue?”



“The Peverell Brothers,” said James. “Voldemort was descended from Cadmus, Harry was descended from Ignatus. Both from Slytherin.



Draco stared at him in disbelief. “You are descended from Salazar Slytherin?”



James nodded. “And Godric Gryffindor.” He moved toward the door and sighed. “Open you mouth and close your eyes. Get ready for a big surprise.”



“What?”



“Old Muggle saying,” he said. “Basically means to get ready for a surprise.”



Draco nodded, and him and James holding Kid’s hands, stepped through the doorway.



(He felt the cold before it chilled his bones. Dudley had felt it as well.



“What are you doing?” he yelled.



“It’s not me,” he yelled back he looked up and saw the grey clouds where once there was bright sun light. His breath chilled in the once smoldering summer air.



“Dudley, run,” he ordered but his cousin remained where he was. “Now, Dudley!” And grabbing Dudley’s arm he dragged his cousin out of the park and up the road. He knew Dudley would be in a haze of grief and fear so he led his cousin in a jog down the street. He knew what it was that chasing them away in fear, and knew they wouldn’t stop till they were drained off as well.



He steered Dudley into an alley and pushed him forward.



“Keep going, Dudley,” he yelled whipping out his wand from his back pocket. “Run!”



Dudley was too dumbstruck to do anything else. He ran down the alley just as the Dementors came upon them. One tripped Dudley and he landed hard on the concrete, stunning him. That gave them time for one of the Dementors to trap him. The other held him in a strong grip, so tight he choked.



‘My parents,’ he thought. “Exspecto Patronum.” ‘Ron. Hermione.’ “EXPECTO PATRONUM!”



A silver stag shot out of his wand and charged at the first Dementor. The Dementor ran away from the Patronus, frightened.



“Over there,” he yelled waving his wand to the second Dementor standing over Dudley, about to give him the frightening Dementor’s Kiss. “No! Get it!”



The silver stage charged at the second Dementor, catching it in its antlers and throwing it away. The stag dissolved in a silver mist as he stood in the alley, shaking.)



Draco leaned his back against the wall after the end of the memory and shook his head to clear it. He looked over to find James massaging his head as if from a headache and Kid was hiding his head in Draco’s robes. Smiling Draco mused up the boy’s hair. Kid looked up at Draco and upon seeing the blonde’s smiling face, smiled back. Draco picked up Kid and went to James.



“Are you okay,” asked Draco.



James nodded. “Yeah,” he said. “Stupid headache. Comes and goes.”



Draco paused for a moment to think. How could James have a headache without Harry being affected? James was a person inside Harry’s mind, so James shouldn’t have a headache.



“When did it start,” he asked.



“A while ago,” said James. “It’s nothing. Harry’s probably having a headache.”



“But Harry’s asleep.”



James turned to him with slightly amused expression. “What else could it be?” he asked.



“I don’t know.” He looked apologetic at James before smiling. “Come on, let’s go to the dorms.”



James smiled and gave Draco a kiss. Draco opened his mouth to let James in and the teenager accepted it. He felt a kiss on his cheek and turn to see Kid smiling at him while hiding his face in Draco’s shoulder.



“Were you feeling left out, Kid,” asked Draco. Kid nodded and Draco looked at James. Like Granger and Weasley, he and James had a silent conversation and came to the same conclusion. Both gave Kid a kiss on each of his cheeks. Kid giggled.



“Come on,” said James. “We’re safe here. They don’t come into the dorms.”



Nodding Draco led the way to the dormitories. He opened the door to reveal a circular room with five beds. Draco set Kid down in the middle on.



“So, which one you want?” asked James looking at the remaining beds.



“Draco shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. Kidd will probably want one of us to sleep with him.”



“You’re right,” said James. “It’s no like I’m going to sleep with you.” James smiled at Draco’s stunned expression. “I’m not ready for it anyway.”



“Because Kid’s here?”



“That, and many other things.” James smiled at Draco and the blonde had to catch his breath. “Come on, we’ll both sleep with Kid.”



And so they did, with Kid sandwiched between them Draco and James fell asleep instantly.



xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo



Draco came out of a dream of his Hogwarts days when someone nudged him. Still half asleep he attempted to push the poker away.



“Go ‘way,’ he said.



“Dway, wak up,” said a voice slightly slurred, but in an attempt to speak properly. “Muff wak up, Dway!”



“What,” he said opening his eyes and looked up to find Kid leaning over him. “Kid?”



“Dwayco ‘wake,” said Kid happily. Draco didn’t imagine it this time. Kid was talking! It sounds like a two year old, but he was definitely talking.



“James? James!” he said shaking the teenager. James woke with a start and shot out of the pillow.



“What?” he said worriedly, looking at Draco.



“Kid’s talking!”



“What?!”



“James!” Kid latched onto James and the teenager landed on the pillow again. “James ‘wake! James an’ Dwaco sweep wong, wong time!”



“Well, he’s getting my name right,” said Draco smiling.



“But he sounds like a two year old,” said James.



“But he’ll speak better with time.”



“Go now?” asked Kid.



Draco nodded. “Let’s go.”



Kid laughed and gave both Draco and James a kiss before jumping off the bed.



“Except for his speech, he’s exactly like he was before.”



Draco looked at James. “You mean he’d kiss you awake every morning?”



James laughed. “No actually, that one’s new.”



“James, Dwaco, go, go!”



Both laughing, James and Draco got out of bed and went over to the boy. Kid took both their hands and walked between the. To pass the time and to help Kid’s speech from James began singing. After a few verses, Kid joined in, his speech still lisped but he sang with vigor.



“The Road goes ever on and one, down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the Road has gone, and I must follow if I can.”(1)



“Da woad….”



“No, Kid, the Road,” said Draco, emphasizing the “th” and “r’’.



“Za Woad,” Kid tried again.



“Closer,” said James. “The Road. The. Road.”



“The Road,” said Kid and smiled. “The road goes ever on and on, down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the Road has gone, and I must follow if I can.”



“That it,” said James. “That’s it! Kid, you did it!”



“You did it, Kid,” said Draco, lifting the boy into his arms and hugged him. “You’re talking!”



James hugged Kid as well and Kid kissed them both. They continued to walk to the Great Hall. Draco didn’t know why but he wanted to go to the Great Hall. He felt it was significant for some reason. He just couldn’t explain why.



When they reached the double doors Kid let go and ran forward. James wasn’t kidding when he said Kid was a chatter box when could talk before the attack. The boy talk about every happy childhood memory he could remember about Harry. When Mrs. Fig let him hold a kitten for the first time. Harry had wanted to keep the Kitten but Mrs. Fig said that he wasn’t allowed. And when Harry found a cat in secret and took care of it. His first pet. But Aunt Petunia found it and called Animal Control. He had been locked in his cupboard for a whole day after that. Draco half listened as the walked to the Great Hall.



Kid opened the double doors and paused at the entrance.



“Memory,” asked Draco looking at James, who nodded.



“You might remember this one,” said James and lead Draco forward.



(He was frozen where he stood under the Cloak as the blonde boy stepped forward. Dumbledore was still weak so he had to lean against the rampart.



“Hello, Draco,” said Dumbledore.



Draco looked around, noticing the second broom.



“Who else is with you,” asked Draco.



“Shouldn’t you be asking yourself that question?”



“I’ve brought them. The Death Eaters. They’re here.”



“Well, well, so you have brought them. It must have taken you a long time.”



“Yes, and right under your nose.”



“But you are alone.”



“They’re here. They met some of your friends.”



But Draco just stood, staring at the weak old man. In the distance he could hear the sounds of battle.



“You don’t have the heart of a killer,” said Dumbledore.



“How do you know,” yelled Draco. “You don’t know who I am! Don’t know what I’m capable of! You don’t know what I’ve done!”



“My dear boy, if you were a killer, then you would have killed me long ago. You did accidently harm Ms. Bell and Mr. Weasley, but you were unsuccessful. They were feeble attempts, which showed your heart wasn’t in it.”



“I can do it! I’m not afraid!”



“I never said you were, I was merely saying you don’t have the heart to kill or you would have done it by now. Or are you waiting for your friends to join you?”



“They would have been here by now if not for your Order of the Phoenix.”



Dumbledore smiled. “Oh, yes. They do have that habit.”



“But they’re not here, I am. I’ve got the power. I’ve got your wand. You’re at my mercy.” Draco almost sounded hysterical in his ears.



“No, Draco, it is your mercy, not mine, that matter now. I’ll pray for you.”



Draco opened his mouth to speak, or to say a curse, but the door flew opened and several Death Eaters walked in, including Fenrir Greyback and Severus Snape. Draco’s wand hand had been shaking so much he couldn’t move.



“You’ve got him, Draco,” said Aleco. “You’ve go him! Good boy!” And she petted him like a a favorite pet. Draco flinched away.



“Well, finish it!” yelled Fenrir, blood dripping from his lips, but Draco was still frozen to his spot.



“Severus,” said Dumbledore, looking at his staff member pleadingly. Snape held up his wand, looking firmly at the headmaster.



“Avada Kadavra!”)



Draco flung out of the vision in tears. James and Kid were also crying.



“They punished me after that,” he said. “Locked me in a small dark cell for weeks….” James placed a hand on Draco’s shoulder.



“We know,” he said.



“You saw?!”



James gave him a sad smile. “What ever Harry knows, we know.”



“But how could Harry know….”



“Harry saw the same vision you did during the Dementor attack. We don’t mean to look, but we had no choice.”



Draco smiled and gave James a kiss on the forehead, right where the scar would be. “It’s all right,” he said. “I’m not mad at you.”



James smiled back and gave him a small kiss.



“Kid want kiss too,” said Kid. Draco laughed and kissed Kid on the cheek. They looked up at the ceiling and gasped.



At Hogwarts, the ceiling had been enchanted to reflect the weather outside, but in Harry’s mind the ceiling acted as eyes. It was playing scenes from a dream Harry was having, probably after the nightmare they unleashed when they walked in the room. A pleasant dream from the look of it.





(Harry and Evangeline was playing on the green grass, throwing a small ball back and forth, each effortlessly catching it. Hermione was setting a picnic blanket with Harriet.



“Where are those two with the lemonade,” asked Hermione.



“Probably fighting over what type we’d like,” said Harry smiling.



“They’re coming,” said Harriet pointing to a redhead and blonde walking together, each with a jug of plain or pink lemonade. Evangeline stopped throwing the ball and ran to the blonde.



“Draco,” she called and hugged him.



“Hello, Evangeline,” said Draco and looked up at Harry. “Hey, you.”



“Hey,” said Harry with a smile and pulled Draco into a kiss.)



The vision faded and went dark.



“That’s it,” said James. “The dream’s over.”



“Harry likes me,” said Draco softly, still looking up at the ceiling.



James smiled. “Oh, that’s an understatement. He loves you. He doesn’t exactly know when he started liking you, but he did notice it during sixth year. And when you came to help him, he didn’t know if you would hurt him or not, but he hoped you would help him.”



“So he accepted me,” said Draco, softly caressing the wall next to him.



“You got it.”



Draco chuckled. “You know, there was a time when I didn’t want to know a thing about Harry except how to beat him. Now, I’m learning more then I thought I knew.”



James smiled back. “Is that a bad thing?” he asked. Draco turned to look back at him with a smile.



“No.”



To Be Continued



(1) Bilbo’s traveling song from Lord of the Rings.