Broken Wings

Chapter-23

The Truth Part II

Harry's throat was closing. He could not speak anymore. His best friends could have untied themselves, it was not a difficult task for them but he saw understanding in their eyes. He untied them because he did not have the energy to even hold his wand anymore.

His eyes were watering. Draco had carried this secret for the past ten years. He was so hurt that he was still denying the truth after so many years.

"No, I was not raped. I was never raped. It was consensual." Draco spoke and Harry's knees felt week.

He knelt down weakly and hugged Draco from behind. "I am so sorry Draco. I am sorry for being late."

"No, Harry, I was not raped. You don't understand. I was not raped. I am a Malfoy and Malfoys are not weak." Draco's voice was urgent and Harry broke down completely. He started sobbing on Draco's shoulder.

His friends murmured "We will prepare tea in the kitchen. " but he paid no attention to them speaking to Draco instead "I am so sorry Draco. So sorry."

"I- I wasn't-" Draco's voice broke and his complete body trembled. "I was not- raped. Please Harry."

Harry did not answer because he couldn't bear to lie to Draco. He would have to accept this truth sometime. Finally, it felt that Draco was letting it out.

"Wasn't-" Draco trembled again and Harry crawled in front of him to hug him properly. When Harry's arms wrapped around Draco, the blonde completely broke down. He cried, actually, wailed would be a better word. Draco started wailing. It was like he was letting all his grief out. There were so many questions that were still unanswered but Harry did not know anything except the fact that Draco was so hurt and he had hidden it from everyone.

Draco cried and cried and he heard Hernione sob too. It had to be difficult for the woman considering that she was a healer and did not even realize that Draco was in trauma.

Harry held Draco through his breakdown and Draco did not keep anything inside.

Each word that he uttered ignited the fire of revenge inside him. He vowed to find the real culprits and pay them.

After several minutes, Draco stopped crying and just slumped in Harry's arms.

"I don't deserve you." His husband whispered and Harry snapped at him "Don't say this again. I love you and I can't live without you. That's that."

Draco's arms tightened around him and a kiss was pressed on Harry's neck. The reassuring kiss calmed Harry's racing heart and he whispered "I want to know some other things as well. I think others should be present for this."

Draco murmured "Okay."

"Do you have Veritaserum?" Harry asked and Draco pulled back, looking at him in surprise "Yes. Why?"

"You will see. Please bring it. I think I will need a vial."

Draco nodded in acceptance and stood up. When he left, Harry called his guests "Please come back."

They came inside and sat in front of him. Ron was the first one to murmur "We were not the ones Harry. You know us better than that. Moreover, we were with you after the trial, trying to search him."

"We will see." Harry murmured curtly. He was sitting crosslegged with his hands on his knees and his back straight. The fire that burnt inside him will never dampen unless he found the culprits and punished them.

"You really think that Ron and Hermione led him there to be raped Harry." Fred spoke, his eyebrows rose and Harry looked at him sharply "I know nothing except what Draco has told me."

Whatever George and Neville were about to say was interrupted by Draco's return. He came inside and stood beside Harry. There was no evidence of tears or a breakdown on his face now. His brave husband was back and Harry was proud of Draco.

He muttered "Give two doses each of Veritaserum to Neville, Fred and George first." Draco nodded and his ex-friends did not argue. Harry noticed that Draco did not avert his eyes from them. He looked steadily in their eyes.

"Now, ask your questions Draco." He spoke and Draco sat beside him, putting forward his first question "Did you get my letter for giving me the job related to potions in your joke shop?"

Fred's eyebrows rose in shock and he looked at George "Did you get his letter George because we could have made an excellent use of his potions skills? I most certainly didn't."

George shook his head muttering "No. I didn't."

The next question was put to Neville "I owled you and requested you to give me the job of tending to your greenhouses. Did you get my letters?"

"No. I did not get any letter." Neville whispered and Draco turned towards Hermione and Ron.

"Did – did you lead me to that room that night?" He asked and Ron shook his head "I would rather die than leading anyone to – to that."

"I was not the one who led you Draco." Hermione replied, his eyes still wet. "I just did not approve you as a life partner for Harry. You were too unpredictable, too volatile. I did not know that you were so hurt. I am so very sorry. I will never be able to forgive myself."

Draco sighed deeply and sat beside Harry "I think that it is –"

"It must be Ginny. I think that she took our hair to polyjuice into us and I think that she intercepted their letters to. It would have been easy considering that she was dating Neville." Ron said resolutely.

"I will punish her. I will get her thrown into Azkaban." Harry snarled at the ceiling and the other inhabitants agreed with him, all except Draco.

He looked towards Draco and asked softly "Why are you not saying anything?" He asked and Draco whispered "I do not want revenge. I do not want any of you to take any such step. I want Fred George and Longbottom to return to Britain and behave as if they do not know anything. I do not want anything investigated."

"She had accomplices Draco. We need to investigate their identities." Harry said and Draco shook his head "I don't want to know. I don't want revenge."

"What do you want, Draco?" Hermione asked and Draco looked at her "I apologise for slapping you."

She nodded and replied "It's okay. You are forgiven."

He turned towards their other guests as well "I apologise to all of you for being rude to you over the past many years."

They nodded at Draco and Draco continued "I want you to take your leave now and behave as if we never had this conversation. I do not want to investigate anything at all. Thank you and good night."

Hermione hugged Draco lightly and Ron touched his shoulder. The others just nodded at Draco and hugged Harry lightly before leaving. Fred, George and Longbottom murmured "Keep in touch mate" to which he nodded.

"I want you to make love to me and I want children, Harry, our children." Draco whispered, looking with anxious eyes at him. Harry was so shocked that his jaw fell open and his eyes shot wide open at Draco's statement. He could do nothing except open and close his mouth like a fish for a couple of minutes.

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