The Contract

Chapter Twenty-Two – The Hospital



Draco woke to the sounds of movement. He listened for a few moments without being able to understand much. Opening his eyes with a groan, he squinted in the light.



“Draco? Are you okay?” It was Ron.



Damn, then this isn’t all a dream. he thought savagely. “Yea, I’m okay. How’s Harry?” He tried to sit up but Ron’s hand on his shoulder prevented it.



“He’s a bit… he’s going to be fine, it’s just going to take awhile. He won’t be going back to Hogwart’s with us right away.” Draco nodded. “Listen, I need to get the healer, you passed out and got a bit concussed in the process. You will be in here at least overnight. There are Aurors outside the door so don’t try to get up right now.” Draco nodded again and lay back against the bed.



Ron leaned in a bit closer, whispering, “Listen, mate, you are under house-arrest. You didn’t protect your servant. And since you broke the bond, he can bring charges against you. He isn’t really completely conscious yet, and mum won’t let the Aurors in his room to talk to him. But you should know anyway. We’ll talk to him. Do our best and all that…”



Grabbing Ron’s collar, he pulled him down closer. Desperate for Ron to understand, “Lucius…he actually got him pregnant. Harry lost the baby because I didn’t do what I was supposed to do. Harry was left alone. Where is Dobby? I trusted that damned elf to protect him when I couldn’t and instead Harry lost the baby and is now here long term. Does Harry know yet?”



Leaning in until his breath ghosted across Draco’s ear, he whispered, “No one knew that, mate. We weren’t told and some time you will have to explain how you knew that. I don’t want to know how you did either. They have your memories of that night at the Ministry. They have to follow the laws, but right now, that is hard to do, as Harry hasn’t really returned to us yet. I need to go. The nurses watching already wonder if you and I are having a fling.”



With a nod, Draco released him. “Tell him Weasley, tell him that I loved him and I only did what I thought was best…”



Ron walked out of the room. Closing the door behind him, he looked to the Aurors. He is asleep again. “Please don’t let him be disturbed.” They acknowledged the request and returned to their post.







Molly and Arthur were sitting beside Harry’s bed. Hermione and Ginny had gone to the Burrow with his older brothers. Entering, he asked is he could have a word with his dad. A quick kiss on Molly’s head and Arthur was following his youngest out of the room. “Somewhere private, dad. Can we just walk for a moment?”



They did, exiting the front doors to the bustle of London. They walked in silence for a few moments until they reached a small diner. With a gracious smile, Ron opened the door for his dad.



Once seated in the back corner, they ordered. The place was quiet, but Ron used the Muffliato spell before he started talking.



“Dad, I’ve just come from Draco’s room. He said that Harry was pregnant.” Then went on to give detail about the entire conversation. When he finished, the waitress arrived with their dinners.



“Well, that certainly makes a difference. So, our original supposition was correct: Lucius planned for Harry to carry his grandchild and when he didn’t do what he was supposed to, he impregnated Harry himself?”



A mouth full of hamburger prevented a verbal response. “I really hate that man. If we can keep this knowledge from getting out…I think maybe you should go home after this and get some rest. I’ll have a chat with Kingsley and see what the laws are. A pregnant servant has more rights in some ways because they are carrying a magical child, but in others, they have less. I don’t remember the specifics, but I believe the gist is that a pregnant servant must be protected. This could mean big trouble for Draco, I’m afraid.”



“But it wasn’t his, dad. The healer told Draco that Harry was only a day or two along. I didn’t even know they could tell that soon. The only reason he even knew was because they had to run a test because of the…damage that was done.”



“Then Lucius’ rape of Harry…I hate to even say that out loud…resulted in a child?” Ron nodded. “Are we sure it wasn’t Draco’s?”



“Pretty sure, they’d only been together once and Draco swears that was the first night, so Harry would have had to be further along than a few days.”



“You should know that a male pregnancy can be detected much sooner than a female because of the readjustment of the internal organs, That’s why within twenty-four hours, a healer can tell if a male is pregnant.” Ron looked at his father as though he had swallowed Boober-Tuber Puss. Arthur finished, “Right, let’s finish up here and go back to the St. Mungo’s. Its time I had a heart to heart with Draco myself. He may have actually save Harry’s life by releasing this bond.”



“Dad, have we heard from Dobby?”



Arthur’s brow furrowed in thought. He was so tired; he tried to remember if anyone had actually looked for the creature. “I don’t know, son. But I will speak to Tonks and see if he can be located.”



“You do realize that if he left Harry alone for any length of time that he is probably dead?” Arthur nodded his agreement. Finishing their meal, the two men stood, paid their bill and returned to the hospital. Just before they entered Harry’s room, Arthur pulled Tonks to the side and spoke in a low whisper.



Ron entered Harry’s room. “Has he woke?” He asked his mother.



“Yes, Ron, I am awake.” Ron looked up in surprise at the voice. It was different that just a few weeks ago. Deeper and with a rasp to it that indicated he needed more healing. “How are you?”



“Mate, that’s rich. How am I? How are you?”



Harry seemed to consider this for a moment. “I am sore, tired, feel like my body and soul have been separated. Past that, great!” He finished with just a hint of a smile.



“Err, right. Have you spoken to the Healers?”



“No, they haven’t been in and I have not notified them that he is awake yet. He wanted to talk to you first.” Mrs. Weasley stood, stretched, kissed Harry on the cheek and left the room.



“Okay, now what do you want to talk to me about?” Ron asked as the door closed.



Harry closed his eyes for a moment. “What happened to me? I mean the last thing I remember was pushing Malfoy away and calling for Dobby. How long ago was that?”



“Two days, almost three now. It seems like much longer though. Dobby took you to Grimmauld Place for safekeeping. Then left you there. Draco…”



“I don’t want to hear his name.” Harry said stubbornly.



“And I don’t care, mate. You pushed You-Know-Who’s name on me often enough, deal with it. Now, as I was saying, Draco thought you would heal like you did the first time. We didn’t know you were in a bad way. No one knew where you were, but we just figured Dobby had it under control. So we took some time and researched the bond, had Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix LeStrange arrested, slept a bit, got Draco healed up, and missed a rather spectacular argument between Draco and the Fates, or whatever heard his decision. Oh, and apparently, I have grown up in Professor Snape’s eyes. I wonder if that will make my last year of Potions any better.”



Harry listened then went back over what Ron had said, “Wait, Bellatrix?”



“She was impersonating Narcissa. Haven’t found her yet either.”



“Explain full Ron, I have no idea what you’re on about.”



“Oh, sorry, okay…” and Ron went over the basic details of the arrest and what was discovered, rounding out the whole conversation with the name ‘Draco’, which made Harry hiss like an angry cat. “Sorry, mate. He’s in a bad way right now. He passed out in the hall and got a concussion. Now he’s under house arrest and will stay that way until you decide what to do.”



“I just don’t want to see him again. I don’t really want him to go to jail. But, what will happen to Lucius?”



“They both will be sentenced later today. The trial that cleared him of Death Eater activities was longer than the one today. Dad told me at dinner that the Wizengamut viewed the Pensive memories Draco supplied and found they guilty pretty quick.



“They are waiting on you to decide whether to actually bring charges against Draco or not. What do you want to do, Harry?”



“Just… I don’t know, Ron. I trusted him and he let me down. He gave me to his Father to use. God, Ron. It hurt so bad.” Harry paused as a shiver wracked his body. Fighting for control, he continued, “I knew I had to comply with Draco’s wishes, so I consented and didn’t fight him. It was so hard. I…I can’t explain it. I don’t want to see him. But I don’t want him hurt more either. I suppose I won’t bring any charges forward. As long as his Father pays for what he did.”



The door opened just a bit, Tonks entered. “They are giving Lucius and Bellatrix the death penalty. Twenty-four hours from now, neither will be allowed to hurt you or Draco again.” Then with a confirming nod, she withdrew, closing the door behind her.



“Harry, I need to let them know what you want to do with Draco. Are you sure you don’t want to bring charges against him?” Ron asked with all seriousness.



“Yeah, I’m sure. Just let them know, okay? But Ron, I don’t want to see him either.”



Ron nodded, clapped Harry on the shoulder and left. Molly and Arthur were told first, and then went into Harry’s room. Ron then told Tonks of Harry’s decision. They would confirm it later, but for now the investigation would be dropped.







Exhausted, he returned to Draco’s room. The gray eyes met blue for a moment as Ron entered. “Okay, I’ve just come from Harry. He doesn’t want to press charges. But he doesn’t want to see you either. I can’t get around that right now.” Draco nodded. “Also, Tonks told me that your father and aunt would be put to death based on the Pensive memories you gave the Ministry. I’m really sorry, mate.”



“I’m not. Let them both rot in hell for all I care. If the charges are dropped, can I leave the hospital?”



“I’ll see what I can do.” Was the muffled reply, and stifling a yawn, he retreated from the room once more. Wishing for nothing more than a bed and Hermione Granger to sleep with.