Silent Nights

Title: Silent Nights
Genre: Angst, Romance, Drama, Slash
Pairing: Harry/Draco, Ron/Hermione
Warning: Disregards DH
Summary: Draco makes a choice and risks everything and in the end loses everything. He tries to make a fresh start with his life but is faced with obstacles.
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowlings. Just borrowing them for this story.
No copyright or trademark infringement is intended. No money is being made, this was simply written for fun.


New Beginnings

Draco sped down the dark, smelly, trash filled hallway leaping over some guy’s legs who was passed out, leaning awkwardly against the wall, a nearly empty bottle lying in his limp hands. The florescent lights above flickered on and off as he sped through the hallway toward the stairwell, his heart hammering hard against his ribs. He slid through a large puddle of water from a dripping pipe above. He desperately reached out toward the paint-chipped wall, steadying himself from slipping against the slick linoleum.

He slammed his shoulder hard into the grey steel door with a dimly glowing red exit sign just above it. Pushing it open, he then sped down the cold stairwell, hoping down 2 stairs at a time. He could felt the stairs vibrate heavily as the large, burly man pursuing him continued to give chase just behind him. He felt the sweaty, beefy fingers graze his arm as Draco hopped onto the landing, latch his hand onto the railing and using his forward momentum, swung his body around and sped down the stairs leaping over the remaining 4 steps. He stretched arms forward to catching himself on the floor before he completely lost his balance and tumbled into a graceless heap at the foot of the stairs. He steadied himself, his knees aching from the harsh impact.

Draco barreled through another grey steel door, his torn black and white converse sneakers squeaked against the chipped grey tiled floor, as he slammed hard into the wall opposite of the stairwell door. He looked up and saw his escape a few feet ahead. The setting sunlight filtered in through the dirty wire meshed window paned door, as if haloing his escape.

He hazard a quick glance behind him and saw his dark haired pursuer waddling down the stairs, chubby hands gripping the stair rail, his face flush from the exertion. Draco gave the man a mock salute and a smug smirk as the stairwell door slowly closed. Draco turned toward the building exit and with a burst of speed; he tore down the hallway toward his freedom.

Just as he neared the exit, the door swung open emitting a short, older lady pulling a two wheeled metal cart filled with brown-bagged groceries. He quickly tried to sidestepped past the lady but crashed sideways into the cart, painfully topping over it and spilling out its contents.

With barely a pause, Draco pushed himself up, pushed through the doors and leapt down the steps and weaved in and out between the people walking along the sidewalk.

The sky began to darken as large grey clouds engulfed the setting sun the air heavy indicating an impending storm. He continued to move down the busy sidewalk under the harsh yellow glow of the street lamps. Draco glanced behind to ensure that he had lost his perusing landlord. He shook his head; make that his former landlord. Draco had been sneaking out of the building to avoid his landlord, as he owed Ray a few weeks worth of rent money. Money he did not have. But today Ray had been waiting for him.

Draco felt a heavy drop fall onto his head and looked up into the dark grey sky as it suddenly opened up and began to pour relentlessly.

He pulled up the cuffs of his ‘borrowed’ jacket that some guy had carelessly left unattended on a park bench the day before. It was a little large but kept the cold away.

The rain began to fall harder if possible. He shivered as some of the cold rain trickled down from his neck to his back. Four months now he had been stuck here in New York City. How he craved for his large bathtub with jets massaging his aching muscles. He would then wrap his green plush terry robe over his shoulders, hugging his body in fluffy warmth. His mouth began to water as he thought of the large assorted foods that used to be splayed out on the bright white laced cloth covered table in the large dining hall of his former home. He could almost smell the succulent turkey breasts. Peas. For some reason he began to think about peas. He had hated peas his whole life and now found himself salivating for just one small bite of peas.

He stepped down from the curb to cross the street. So lost in his thoughts, a yellow cab flew past him, nearly missing him. Yet it managed thoroughly soak Draco from head to toe as it hit an especially deep puddle. He futilely wiped the excess moisture from his face then looked down at his completely soaked clothes.

“Just bloody fantastic!” Draco muttered grumpily. He turned toward an alleyway hoping to seek some relief from the rain. He ducked under a vestibule that managed to marginally protect him from the onslaught of the rain. He shrugged off his pack back and plopped it down on the ground near his feet. He then leaned wearily up against a heavily graffiti steel door as his stomach continued to grumble reminding him that his last meal had consisted of a barely edible half eaten hot dog last night.

The buzz in his ears slowly became louder once again. He dug a finger into his ear as if trying to dislodge some blockage. At times his hearing would cease completely or at times such as now, began to buzz and the sounds around him would sound severely muffled. Slowly the buzzing began to ebb away, once again leaving him in silence.

Draco dug his hands into his damp jean pockets and pulled out a $5 bill and some change.

Draco sighed. This certainly was not turning out how he had planned and felt himself falling into despair. Finding a job was proving to be much more difficult than he originally thought. And now with him losing his hearing, it would only prove to make things more difficult. It was becoming harder and harder to hear things now.

He wasn’t sure how he was supposed to make any money with this developing annoyance. He had heard of other street kids selling themselves, but there was no way in hell he would stoop that low…yet. However, as the weeks passed and he continued to wander the streets searching endlessly for a job, he began to receive a few lewd offers. He was indignant at first but the thought of a warm meal in his belly...the offers were becoming less repugnant.

Draco stuffed the money back into his pocket and leaned his head against the door shutting his eyes, trying to breath slowly to calm his nerves and to ignore his gurgling stomach.

He did not see nor hear the tall, dark haired boy approach him from the far end of the alley. Flanked on either side of him was a tall lanky boy with long brown hair pulled back into a slick ponytail and a short stocky boy with messy dirty blonde hair.

“Well, well, well! What have we got here?” The three boys stalked up towards Draco after watching him pull out some money then stuffing it back within his pockets.

“I think he should share the wealth? Don’t ya think Joel?” He nudged the boy with the ponytail beside him.

“Sure do Bane.” Joel nodded with a smirk.

“So what say you kid? Why don’t you hand it over and you won’t get hurt….much.” The other two boys snickered in reply.

But Draco did not budge. He remained leaning against the door with his eyes still shut.

This only infuriated the boy.

“I think he’s disrespect’n ya, Bane.” Joel said nodding towards Draco.

Bane scowled and stalked closer to Draco shoving him hard.

Draco gave a startled yelp as he slammed into the wet pavement. He looked up, alarmed to see three boys hovering above him. The dark haired boy looked pissed while the other two looked at him in amusement.

He barely had time to react when Bane lifted his scuffed boot clad foot and repeatedly kicked Draco hard in his stomach.

“Should…answer…when…spoken…too.” Bane gritted in between kicks. He then turned to his two sidekicks who were standing nearby snickering in amusement.

“Cam, grab the money. Joel, check the bag.”

Draco was huddled on the ground clutching onto his abused stomach when Cam shoved him roughly onto his back with his foot. Draco could feel the rain dripping onto his face and his back becoming cold as the rainwater on the ground soaked through his clothes. He then felt hands clumsily fumble into his jean pockets.

Cam pulled back and offered the money to Bane.

“This is fuck'n pathetic. Get my hands dirty for chump change.” Bane turned towards Joel. “Anything in the bag?”

“Nah, man. Dude's got fuck all in here. Just some clothes and a...stick?” Joel held up a long smooth stick waving it around.

Bane reached out and grabbed Draco’s wand and shoved it in front of Draco’s face. “You hold’n out on us Blondie?” He waved the wand in front of Draco’s face.

Seeing his wand, Draco tried to make a grab for it only to have Bane step away, his wand instantly out of reach.

Bane threw the wand aside and fisted Draco's jacket tugging him close to his face. “What’s the matter with you. Why don’t you answer me? You fuck’n deaf or some’tin?” Bane yelled impatiently, spittle mixing with the rain on Draco's face.

Draco watched helpless as the infuriated boy's lips move soundlessly before him. The boy looked beyond pissed about something. He wish they would take what they wanted already and leave him be. Draco’s thoughts were answered with a hard fist to the face. After that, everything was a blur as the three boys surrounded him and began kicking and punching him.

As quickly as it began, it ended. Draco curled up into a ball and began to whimper in pain as every inch of him was aching.

He felt a soft touch on his shoulder and immediately flinched and waited for the impending attack. But it never came. Draco slowly opened his eyes and found that the boys were no longer there.

Instead, a man with short black hair with a touch of grey by the ears was hunched over him clutching a long smooth piece of wood, looking at him with concern. The man’s lips were moving, but Draco could not hear him. Draco tried to watch his lip, to follow and understand what the man was saying but the effort was proving ineffective. Instead, his gaze fell upon the large stick in the man's hand again warily watching as it moved to the man's other hand.

Seeing the direction of Draco's gaze, he carefully placed the wood weapon down onto the ground. Bat, right? That's what it was called. Draco vaguely recalled the name of the wooden item at a park he was passing through one day. There were a bunch of kids with a similar piece of wood and a ball. Draco gently shook his head as his thoughts drifted and returned his focus on the man before him. The man seemed to be speaking to him again and appeared less threatening with the bat no longer in his hands.

With trembling hands, Draco reached up and cupped them over his ears and shook his head gently hoping the man would understand.

It seemed he did and nodded. He moved closer toward Draco to carefully help him up, he groaned as sharp pains shot from all over his body. Draco swayed as the man gripped him firmly to keep from letting him fall down. The man then led him toward a back entrance, the very door that Draco had been leaning against moments before, where a large black plastic bag sat. The man had obviously come out to discard some trash when he happened upon the boys attacking Draco.

The man led Draco inside then ushered him into a small cluttered office. He carefully helped him onto an old beat up yellow flowered couch. Satisfied that Draco was comfortable for the moment, the man left then returned shortly with his backpack and a petite woman following closely behind him. The woman appeared similar in age as the man and had dark chocolate colored hair that was pulled back into a messy bun.

Draco had leaned his head against the armrest of the couch his arms resting over his aching abdomen as he wearily watched them converse. His eyes fluttered shut, feeling the cuts over his face pull. He felt light headed. He carefully opened his eyes and noticed the man and women still standing by the office entrance. They were currently rapidly taking to each other exchanging silent words, periodically glancing his way.

His stomach gave a violent lurch and squeezed his eyes shut swallowing back the bile threatening to come up. It would not due to throw up on his rescuers carpet.

He felt a tap on his shoulder and snapped his eyes open to be faced with warm green eyes. Draco’s thoughts immediately turned to a certain messy raven haired boy but quickly quelled those thoughts away. That was not part of his life anymore and returned his attention to the women before him who held out a lined yellow pad of paper before her. A brief note was scrawled out.

Draco reached for the pad and read the note. ‘We should take you to the hospital’ it read.

Draco snapped his head up and shook it vigorously, his eyes wide in panic then immediately regretted the rash movement as his stomach lurched again.

The women frowned slightly and looked over at the man who was now standing beside her. She retrieved the pad from Draco’s clenched hands and began to scribble another note and handed it back to Draco. ‘You really need to see a doctor, your injuries may be serious and you may have a concussion.’

Draco looked up pleadingly, “I- I can’t” he said softly. Draco slowly sat up and laid the pad of paper down beside him. He then carefully pushed himself up from the couch wincing slightly in pain.

“If you could show me the exit, I won’t bother you any longer.” Draco said softly, almost pleadingly. He was scared that they would force him to go to the hospital. He knew that there could be a great possibility that medi-wizards may be stationed there and was scared beyond belief that he would be recognized and sent back to his father. He did not get this far only to be caught now. Draco began to look around the room for a possible exit or rather escape. He could feel his hand trembling now; he was beginning to panic.

The woman sensing Draco’s anxiety, looked sadly over at the man beside her and they both began to speak to each other for some time. Draco watched their lips move soundless trying to understand the words until he finally gave up. His stomach churned and his unease deepened the longer they spoke.

The man finally ended the conversation with a soft nod and the woman turned back to Draco with a warm smile. She bent over toward the couch reaching for the discarded note pad. Ripping off the used page, the woman began to scribble a much longer note before she finally handed it over to Draco.

Draco reached over and began to read the note. His hands began to tremble, his throat constricting.

The note read:

My name is Gwen Culpepper and this is my husband Thomas. Your injuries require attention and we have supplies back at our home since you refuse to let us take you to the hospital. You may stay with us until your injuries are healed since I am guessing you do not have a place to stay?

Draco looked over at the Culpepper’s stunned. Were these muggles for real? “You don’t even know me.” Then Draco began to shake his head and stepped back. “I-I can’t.”

Gwen reached for the pad and quickly wrote another note and handed it back to Draco. ‘Yes you can. We insist!’

Gwen reached over and gave Draco’s arm a reassuring squeeze and a warm smile. He then looked over at Thomas who also gave him a warm smile. Draco was so confused. These are not the ruthless, barbaric muggles that his father often drilled into his head.

Draco was so grateful he could only give a water-eyed nod. An emotion foreign to him began to bubble up deep within. He was use to cold hard emotions. These people did not know him, yet they opened up their home to him, a complete stranger who could be a psycho path for all they knew. But he was humbled and he was grateful. He had been through so much during the past few months and was so close to giving up until the Culpeppers came along and offered him the one thing he thought he would never feel again, hope…

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A few days turned onto weeks and a few weeks turned into a month. Within that time Draco grew close to the Culpeppers. Gwen and Thomas were like the parents he never had and like wise treated Draco like the son they never had.

Over the period of a month, he found himself daring to drop his cold Malfoy demeanor and opened up to the Culpeppers. Late one evening while sitting around in the kitchen table talking with Gwen and Thomas, Draco found himself telling his tale of how he came to New York, minus the magical parts of course.

Gwen and Thomas were horrified and Draco suddenly found himself in a fierce hug from Gwen, tears streaming down her face. To Draco’s astonishment, he too found himself in tears and held onto Gwen just as fiercely. The years of torment at he hands of his father, trying to do everything to prove himself to his father only to have it thrown back into his face and be told that it was not good enough, the loss of his mother….everything. He felt his walls not crumble but come crashing down as he clung onto Gwen desperately.

After a long cry, Gwen and Draco pulled apart. Gwen looked up into Draco’s tear stained face and brought her hands up to gently cup his face. She ran her thumb over his cheeks wiping away the tears with her thumbs and gave him a soft, gentle motherly kiss on the forehead. Draco was deeply embarrassed by his emotions, but the Culpeppers seemed to bring out the softer side of himself which he had deeply buried within. It felt good to finally let go and embrace the person he longed to be.

The next day, Draco was taken to the Culpeppers family doctor and close friend, Dr. Jenison. Gwen assured Draco that it was completely safe and that he really needed to have his ears checked. Draco finally relented as he and Gwen left for Dr. Jenison’s office.

Draco had found the man pleasant enough. After a thorough check up and several tests, Draco and Gwen were called back to Dr. Jenison’s office.

Dr. Jenison stepped out of his office into the waiting room and called for Draco and Gwen to follow him. Gwen stood up and gestured for Draco to follow. He nervously stood up and followed Gwen and Dr. Jenison into the office.

Jenison sat behind his large oak desk wearing a crisp white lab coat with a stethoscope draped over his neck. He picked up a sheet of paper lying on his desk and offered it to Draco. Draco accepted the paper and began to read the note typed out on the smooth white sheet of paper.

His heart plummeted with each word. Words like Tinnitus, deafness and permanent seemed to boldly standout against the stark white smooth paper. Draco's hand numbly dropped against the arm rest, the paper fluttered forgotten onto the cream Berber carpet.

Draco numbly looked up at Jenison and watched as he explained the letter to Gwen who was sitting in an armchair next to him who appeared disheartened by the news. Dr. Jenison continued to answer all of Gwen's question as well as offering additional advice and various pamphlets as Draco remained passive and stuporous.

It was easy to pretend that eventually everything would be alright but the cold hard facts written on that paper effectively shattered that tightly held delusion.

A gentle hand to his shoulder drew Draco back from his bleak thoughts. Gwen gave Jenison her thanks for his time and both she and Draco morosely left his office.

It was a silent drive back to the Culpepper’s home.

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A few days later, after his visit with Dr.Jenison, Draco stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He ran his fingers through choppy blonde layers that framed his pale oval face giving him an almost cherub look. He splashed some water over his face to wake himself up and returned to studying his reflection in the bathroom mirror. His hand traced over the white scar bisecting his left eyebrow and then moved down to his lips where another scar bisected his lower lip, mementos from his father along with his deafness. His finger moved lower and traced over the pendent secured by a leather thong around his neck. Flashed memories of his mother dampened his mood even further.

When the doctor confirmed that his hearing loss was permanent he felt as if the room would cave in on him. What the hell was he to do now. How was he to survive? The doctor told him to not see this as a disability. He snorted. Yeah, right, says the doctor who can hear and has a nice cushy job and money.

Never had Draco felt so defeated and isolated. To top it off, the Culpeppers had suddenly become distant since the visit to Dr. Jenison’s. He had obvious over stayed his welcome, it was time to move on. “Your pathetic.” He told his reflection. He watched his lips move silently and finally turned away in disgust.

He descended down the stairs and headed into the kitchen to find Gwen and Thomas sitting at the kitchen table waiting for him looking very serious.

Draco’s stomach dropped. This is it he thought. Feeling that his previous thoughts of over staying his welcome were about to be confirmed.

Thomas gestured for Draco to have a seat, pointing towards the smooth wooden chair beside him. Draco pulled out the chair and took a seat.

Gwen pushed a sheet of paper with a short note towards Draco across the smooth kitchen table. Gwen gestured toward the paper indicating that Draco should read it.

Draco swallowed hard and began to read, his stomach dropping with each word he read.

Draco,
We are not sure how best to tell you, but despite the fact that we have enjoyed your company, we feel that some changes are required.

Draco looked up at both Gwen and Thomas his face remained stoic. “I understand. I’m sorry I stayed so long. I’ll just go collect my things and leave immediately.” Draco said softly.

He moved to get up when Thomas took hold of his arm and pushed him back down into his seat. Thomas then reached for the pad of paper and began to write. Finishing, Thomas pushed the pad towards Draco.

Draco grabbed hold of the note and began to read. ‘Perhaps it would be best if we showed you.’

Draco furrowed his eyebrows and looked up at Gwen and Thomas in confusion. Thomas and Gwen stood up and began to walk down the hall towards a door that led to the basement and a side door that led to the outside.

Thomas opened the door to the basement, flicked on the nearby switch illuminating the stairwell and began his descent followed by Gwen. Draco was perplexed by their odd behavior and found him somewhat hesitant to follow. Good things never happened in low dark places, like dungeons. But the Culpeppers had never given Draco any reason to not trust them. He suppressed the ominous feeling and cautiously followed them down into the basement.

Thomas paused at the foot of the stairs and stood before a closed door. Thomas dug into his pocket and pulled out a key and proceeded to unlock the door. What the hell is going on? Images of cells and incarceration flashed through Draco’s mind causing him to instinctively take a step back.

Pushing the door open, Thomas and Gwen stepped inside. Draco paused outside the opened door as he was immediately assaulted with smells of fresh paint and carpet. He took a cautious step inside the door. What he saw made him freeze and his jaw drop. They stood in a large living room with a stone fireplace on the far wall with large windows on either side of it giving the room a light and airy feel within the room. Adjoined to the living room was a modest kitchen with white cabinets. A large island separated the living room from the kitchen and had two tall stools beside of it. Off to the side of the kitchen was door that led to the outside.

Draco turned to Gwen and Thomas in confusion. “What…?”

Gwen held up her hand and gently pushed him down a narrow hallway, which led to 3 doors. The first led to a small grey and white tiled bathroom with a large white tub. Further down the hall was a storage room. The final door led to a spacious bedroom with beige plush carpet.

Draco turned to Thomas and Gwen baffled to why they were showing this to him. Surely they weren’t asking him to stay. Gwen handed a folded note to Draco.

Draco took the note and began to read it.

‘We have been planning to renovate then rent out this space for some time now. It would greatly please us if you would accept this apartment. We would offer it to you at a reasonable rate until you become settled.”


The note in Draco’s hand began to tremble, his heart heavy. He slowly turned to look up at Gwen and Thomas. “I can’t possible accept, you have already done so much and I have no money to pay for the rent, especially a place like this. And I don't even have a job…”


Gwen held up her hand and pointed to the note in his hand indicating that Draco should continue to read. So he did.

‘We would also like to offer you a job at our bookstore. One of our employees is leaving and therefore we have a part-time position available. Also, Coby who owns the Salon next door to us is looking for help to clean, stock and wash hair. It is not much, but it would be a start The choice is yours, what do you say?”

Draco could only stare at Thomas and Gwen in shock. They were not kicking him out? Instead they were offering him a place to stay, a job...stability. Nobody was this nice without wanting something in return...right? But as he looked both Thomas and Gwen in the eye, he could see the sincerity and genuine honesty that they wanted him to stay. The emotions he was feeling was completely foreign yet not unwelcome.

He found that he could only give a shakey nod, not trusting his voice. Thomas stepped forward and gripped Draco’s hand in a firm handshake. Gwen broke out into a large smile and reached out embracing Draco into a tight hug. “Thank-you,” Draco finally managed to croak out.

If you were to ask Draco a year ago where he would be today? Sobbing on some strange muggle’s shoulder like a baby would not be it. Draco couldn’t help the small giggle that escaped his lips. His whole emotional breakdown was so unlike him. One month with these muggles and he was acting like a bloody Hufflepuff. He was acting so out of character, especially being Malfoy of all people. That particular thought sobered him immediately. A Malfoy he no longer was.

Gwen pulled away and held him by the shoulders at arms length. Draco watched her lips move as she carefully mouthed, “Welcome home, Draco.”

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Soooo, do you hate it...maybe, perhaps like it? Let me know. Please review.

Sorry for the delay. I had this story written out and had it stashed in a "safe place." Apparently my safe place was a great spot because now I can't find it and am writing this from memory. Just a little frustrated and sad.