FAMILY TIES

Note: italics are telepath thoughts between Harry and Draco

Chapter Sixteen


The newly bonded couple got used to their telepathic abilities over the next few weeks. Whoever was with one of them at the time, didn’t have to guess as to what went through their minds, as their faces flushed, and their eyes would smolder. They tried to curtail the more erotic thoughts when they were not in class, especially after a potion had spilled on Draco’s robes, burning through to the skin the one day after a particularly vivid image of the two of them in the shower.

It was about a week before the Christmas holidays when the students were allowed to go to Hogsmeade to finish off their shopping. Draco had asked if he could go with Ron and Hermione to find something for Harry, while Harry went with Severus and Bree. Fortunately for both Draco and Harry they were able to block each other’s thoughts when they wanted. They did not want to ruin their surprise. Although they didn’t read each other’s thoughts, they could tell when the other was happy or excited about a certain purchase.

Draco surprisingly had a good time with Ron and Hermione as they shopped, getting to know his husband’s best friends. They went into ‘Flourish and Blotts’ for books on wizarding creatures, history, and divination for some of Harry’s family. Quidditch shop was visited for Julien’s . . . Harry’s Uncle, and Harry’s gift as well. Draco also dragged them into a shop that he heard Pansy talk about near the edge of the village that dealt with leather and lace. It was easier than he thought it would be to buy gifts for Harry’s family. He had met almost all of them as they popped into visit at Hogwarts, finalizing plans for the second wedding.

He was looking through his list of gifts to purchase as Ron and Hermione debated about something or other in front of him. He used to find their quarreling irritating, but now he found it quite amusing. He was very thankful that the shops they went to delivered. Even shrunk down, they would have been bothersome. He checked one more name off the list, then dropped it to the ground when he felt arms go around him, and a damp cloth go over his mouth and nose before sinking down into oblivion.



Harry was having a good time with Severus and Bree, getting two entirely different perspectives for gift ideas. Severus tended to be practical, as Bree had a more fun perspective. Bree seemed to needle Severus constantly, which Severus didn’t seem to mind as he gave as well as he got from her. At Bree’s suggestion, they apparated to muggle London to do their shopping, all of them grimacing at the overly decorated stores and streets. Way too commercial for their liking.

Harry was walking between them in a one of the shopping malls, drinking his Pepsi from his plastic cup, when he suddenly stopped, dropping his drink to the floor. “Harry? What is it?” Bree asked, concerned at the pained look on her face.

“We have to go back! NOW!” Harry cried out, rushing outside.

“What is it Harry? What happened?” Severus asked, gripping Harry’s arm in the alleyway where they would apparate.

“It’s Draco. I can’t feel him,” Harry quietly said, looking into Severus’s eyes. “I....he was happy . . . having a good time, then I felt that he was panicked . . . then nothing.”

Severus wrapped his arms around Harry’s back to hug him close, then apparated them back to the Hogwarts gates, with Bree close behind. He let go of Harry to look at Bree. “Take him inside. I’ll go find Ron and Hermione.”

“I’ll go too,” Harry said pulling away from Bree.

“No Harry. Check your rooms and the school. I will let you know if I find anything. Keep trying to connect with Draco,” Severus instructed, already rushing to the village just on the outskirts of Hogwarts.

When he arrived, he saw many students scurrying store to store, their wands at the ready. He found Ron and Hermione standing in one spot, with Hermione pointing her wand to the ground. When he came closer, the two of them looked up. “Where is Draco?” He asked.

“He was right behind us,” Ron began.

“We found this,” Hermione said handing Severus Draco’s gift list.

Severus scanned the list, recognizing immediately his godson’s writing. “Did you hear or see anything?” He asked.

“We heard a small gasp, then turned around and he was gone,” Hermione said, tears falling down her cheeks. “There are tracks following ours, then they stop.” She motioned to the ground, “I’ve scanned the other’s prints and found that they belonged to Lucius Malfoy.”

“Scanned?” Severus asked looking at the footprints to see many.

“‘Mione’s been reading some wizarding spy novels lately,” Ron explained.

“There are many prints there, but when I scanned them there was Lucius’s . . . right behind Draco’s. There was a spell that I read in one of those books that can read the magical signature of the prints, and I tried it,” she said. “How is Harry?”

“He’s a wreck. He sensed something was wrong and we came right back. You go to the school and let Harry know what you’ve found . . . and don’t keep anything from him,” Severus said. “I’m going to go to Malfoy Manor to see if he’s there. Don’t let Harry follow me. I will come back as soon as I find anything.”



Draco groggily woke up, his heightened eyesight looking around his darkened cell. He tugged at his arms that were raised above his head, both wrists chained together to the ceiling. His feet were unchained. ‘Harry,’ he called out in his mind, \'please . . . answer me.’

Almost immediately he felt Harry. ‘Draco . . . gods are you all right?’ Harry telepathed back at him.

‘I think so. I’m chained up to a ceiling. Feel a little light headed from the drug the person used.’ Draco replied.

‘Can you tell where you are?’

Draco turned as much as he could, putting a bit of strain on his arms as he twisted half way around. ‘Looks like a bedroom in an old house. Not lived in for a long time. There’s picture’s on the dresser, covered in a thick layer of dust. The window is boarded up so I can’t see outside.’

‘Can you tell who’s in the pictures?’ Harry asked.

‘Not a clear picture. All I can tell is that it’s a family picture. A woman, a man with glasses, and a dark-haired baby.’

‘Is it moving?’

‘Yes,’ Draco replied, ‘so it used to be a wizarding home.’

Just then the door opened and he saw who his captor was. ‘Shit,’ he groaned to himself.

‘What?’ Harry thought, feeling the acceleration of Draco’s heartbeat through the link.

‘Father,’ Draco replied back simply.

‘Can you break the chains?’ Harry asked.

Draco tugged as hard as he could, feeling a chill run down his back as Lucius laughed at his struggles. ‘Harry . . . I can’t. I feel really weak,’ he panicked back to Harry.

‘Let me see what you see Dray,’ Harry suggested, ‘maybe we’ll be able to find out where you are.’

Harry closed his eyes, focusing on Draco’s thoughts and sight, with Ron and Hermione sitting quietly at his side while he talked to him. He was interrupted when the door to his rooms opened and Severus and Remus came through. “He’s not at Malfoy Manor,” Severus said, “the place is empty.”

“I know,” Harry quietly said.

“Have you connected?” Remus asked.

“Yes. He’s chained up in an abandoned house. His father is in the room with him now. Draco is weakened from a drug and can’t break free . . . and he feels . . . cold. Ah hh . . . fuck!” Harry cried out suddenly, flinching when his back started aching. “His father is using a whip on his back.” Harry got up off the couch and rushed to the door.

“Harry . . . concentrate. What does the room look like,” Remus said, holding Harry back.

Harry took a few deep steadying breaths to calm himself and tried to concentrate on what Draco saw, wincing as each slash of the whip was laid on his husband’s back. “The bed is a four poster, with probably was once green bedding. There’s a large mural of a stag on the one wall . . . and a picture of . . . ” he sharpened his gaze through Draco’s to try to see the family picture.

“Did you say a stag?” Remus asked suddenly, cutting off Harry’s thoughts.

“Yes.”

“My Merlin . . . they’re at Godric’s Hollow . . . in Lily and James’s house,” Remus gasped out.

“How’s Draco doing?” Severus asked.

“He’s slipping in and out of consciousness,” Harry replied, strapping on his daggers and sword.

“Can you boost some of your magic telepathically to him, so he could break free?” Severus suggested. “There are still apparition wards around the grounds. We need to give him some time before we get there.”

“I’ll try,” Harry said, standing still with Severus hanging onto his arm.



“Did you really think you would get away from me Draco?” Lucius sneered as he stepped in front of Draco. “You are a disgrace to the Malfoy name,” he snarled as he repeatedly whipped Draco’s chest and stomach, the metal tips digging into the flesh with each slash.

‘Harry . . . please hurry,’ Draco pleaded to Harry. ‘I can’t heal myself fast enough . . . it hurts.’

‘Draco, concentrate on our magic. I’m boosting your strength so you can break free,’ Harry said as he, Severus, and Remus rushed to the Hogwarts gates to apparate close to Godric’s Hollow.

Draco closed his eyes, blocking out his pain as he felt Harry around him. He gripped the chain with his hands and started to pull, his head down as his fangs and nails lengthened. The strain in his muscles could be clearly seen as he used all he had to break free.

Lucius had been laughing at his son when he saw him try to pull at his restraints again. His hand lowered, his laughter stopped as he saw the chain links stretching, and finally breaking, him feeling the magic grow stronger around him. “What the Merlin are you. Those chains are unbreakable,” Lucius said taking a step back.

Draco tugged one more time, the chains falling around his feet. He looked up then at Lucius. “I’m you worst fucking nightmare father,” he sneered, his fangs gleaming in the candle lit room. He whipped the one chain forward, connecting with the side of Lucius face as he stalked closer to his prey.

Lucius brought his hand up to his face, his fingers coming away slick with his blood. In that instant he looked down, Draco had moved with quickening speed behind him, wrapping the chain around his father’s throat. Lucius reached up, trying to loosen the chain around his neck. “Please Draco,” he rasped out.

“Please what father?” Draco whispered by his ear. “Please make it quick and painless . . . or please spare you life,” he sneered, letting him feel the sharpened points of his fangs against the side of his neck.



Severus and Harry then burst through the door, their wands drawn. Harry met Draco’s eye, ‘you okay?’ He telepathically asked.

‘No, but I will be. Hungry?’ Draco thought, grinning against his father’s neck.

“Severus . . . ” Lucius pleaded, facing his old friend.

“Lucius,” Severus nodded as he stepped forward. “Have you met your son-in-law?” He smirked, then watched as Harry stepped forward to greet his father-in-law with his fangs extended.

“Ah hh . . . gods . . . no!” Lucius cried out as he felt Draco’s fangs sink into his neck. The chain slipped from his neck to slide down his body, tightening around him, holding his arms close to his sides. Draco grabbed a handful of the back of Lucius’s hair, tugging back as Harry leaned forward. Lucius’s gaze locked onto Severus’s as Harry began to drink from the other side of his neck.

After Draco and Harry drained Lucius, they let his lifeless body slump to the floor. Harry stepped over him to carefully wrap his arms around Draco. “He won’t hurt you again love,” he softly said by the blonde’s ear.

“Harry . . . gods don’t let go,” Draco hoarsely said into Harry’s neck, tightening his arms around Harry’s waist.

Severus came over to the two of them to check over Draco’s back and saw that the deeper slashes were not healing as much as the others. He noticed the slashes on his sides, his neck, and part of his face that was visible. “Draco, you should get to the infirmary,” he said as he transfigured a pillow case into a gauzy tunic.

“Why aren’t they healing Sev?” Harry asked, stepping back to look at the large welts on Draco’s chest and stomach.

“They will heal,” Severus reassured them as he picked up the whip. “This whip is covered in dirt and blood. The dirt is slowing the healing process. I will take care of Lucius’s body. You two should get back to Hogwarts.”

“Thanks Severus,” Draco quietly said, as he was welcomed back into Harry’s comforting arms.

They both sighed in relief as they heard Severus disapparate out of the room. Harry looked around the room in wonder. He was in his parent’s bedroom.

Draco could hear Harry’s thoughts as the other looked around the room. “This was your parent’s house?” He asked, leaning back to look around.

“Yeah. Godric’s Hollow. I didn’t think it was still here,” Harry reverently said.

“Do you want to look around?”

“We should get you back to Hogwarts. I can come back later,” Harry sighed.

“Harry, I do feel stronger, thanks to fathers’ blood,” he smirked, “still sore as hell, but I’ll be okay for a bit longer.”

“You sure?”

“Yes. I’m curious too, what your home was like,” Draco replied, opening his mind to Harry so he was able to sense he’d be okay. “You can baby me later,” he grinned.

“I love you,” Harry said, leaning in to kiss Draco’s mouth.

“Love you too, Harry,” Draco answered, returning the brief kiss.

The two of them explored the rooms, shrinking trinkets, pictures, and family keepsakes to place them in a couple of backpacks they had found. They left the nursery for last, where Harry stopped uncertainly.

“You okay love?” Draco asked, feeling the heavy sadness from him.

“This is where she was killed,” Harry quietly said.

“We don’t have to go in,” Draco reassured as he linked his fingers through Harry’s shaking ones.

“I know. I need to do this though,” Harry replied looking at him.

Draco looked on worriedly as Harry walked around the room, able to see some of the memories of that fateful night where Voldemort took away Harry’s family. He stood back as Harry ran his hands over blankets, pictures, and a rocking chair, the tears flowing freely down his face. He was not surprised when Harry shrunk most of the items in the room to add to their backpacks.

Once outside, they stood facing the house as the sun rose in the horizon. “We can always fix the place up . . . make this our home if you want Harry,” Draco said, squeezing Harry’s hand.

“I would like to fix it up, but I don’t know if I could live here,” Harry sighed. “We should probably get you to the infirmary,” he added seeing the darkened spots on the dark shirt where blood had seeped through.

“I’ll be okay Harry.”

“Let’s go home,” Harry said, “to Silvenwind. We would be going there in a weeks time anyway.”

“I do need time to heal,” Draco grinned, instantly liking the idea of going to Harry’s home land.

“We can send a note back to Dumbledore and Severus saying that you need to recuperate,” Harry smirked, “and Blaise has some healing salve there we can use on the slashes.”

“Okay. Take me home Harry,” Draco softly said as he wrapped his arms around Harry’s waist. He would make sure to add to the note that Harry needs time to spend with his family after the emotional brief time at Godric’s Hollow.


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