Whisper

Chapter 4: I Believe I can Fly-R Kelly



The next day Draco made a plan. He was going to see if the real Harry was still inside of the man he was working with. Knocking on the doors of the Sanctuary he was greeted by Weasley.



"Hey, Malfoy," he said none too enthusiastically and opened the door for him.



"Nice to see you as well, Weasley," said Draco as he walked in. "I wish to run an experiment today."



"I told you you\'re not going to make Harry into a guinea pig," growled Weasley as Granger walked in.



"What are you two carping about now," asked Granger.



"He wants to experiment on Harry!"



"You mentioned he owned a hippogriff named Buckbeak," asked Draco ignoring Weasley\'s astonished face.



Granger nodded. "It\'s at the Burrow with Molly and Arthur. Oh, you\'re going to take him flying!"



Weasley looked sharply a first to Draco then to his wife. "What? But he can\'t go flying. He could get hurt!"



"What is the experiment for, Malfoy," asked Granger.



Draco crossed his arms defiantly and glared at them. "I want to see if Potter is still in his trapped mind. Since he can\'t vocally tell us that he is present. I am trying for physical communication."



"I agree," said Granger as Weasley looked sharply at her, as did Draco, both in surprise.



"Hermione!"



"Ron, think about it. We\'ve tried for the past year to get a response from Harry, but we\'re too afraid for him to do what he loves most. He loves to fly, Ron. If Malfoy think it will help, I\'m all for it."



"Why am I the one ignored here," Weasley almost whined.



"Because you\'re the only one acting like a dunderhead," said Granger and Draco smirked. Both acted like they were still in Hogwarts and arguing over the end of the year exam.



Weasley turned to Draco with a warning glare. "If he is so much has one scratch on him…"



"I know the drill, Weasley. I promise you. Potter won\'t be hurt."



"Mr. Ma\'voy," called Evangeline from the landing. Harriet was behind her as Evangeline walked down the stairs. "You back!"



"Till your father is better, I\'ll always come back," said Draco crouching down to look at her. Her happy face suddenly went sad.



"And af’ver dat," she asked. "Will you visit af\'ver dat?"



Draco looked at Granger and Weasley. Weasley was looking away, tapping a foot irritably, and Granger looked skeptic about the possibility.



"I don\'t know," said Draco turning back to Evangeline. "But I certainly hope so."



Evangeline smiled at him. "I hope so too."



"You\'ll be visiting Grandma Weasley today," said Granger. "Mr. Malfoy wished to watch Uncle Harry for a while. Get your stuff ready."



Both the girls cheered and ran to get their stuff. Draco watched as they leaped up the stairs. At the top of the steps he saw Potter looking down at him.



Granger waved him down. "Harry, look who\'s here," she said. "It\'s Draco!"



Smiling Potter ran down the stairs and swept Draco into a hug. Surprised Draco gasped for breath, but soon relaxed into the embrace and patted him on the back. Smiling Potter let him go.



"Hi, Harry," he said. "How are you today?"



Smiling Potter took his hand and dragged him upstairs. Draco was sure he got whiplash. Potter led him to his room and handed him a piece of paper.



"Another drawing," asked Draco and Potter nodded. Draco studied the drawing for a moment. As usual it was irregular, but it was clear. And what he saw frightened him. There were rows of silver squares and white rectangles. Mirrors and sinks. And along the wall was a row of stalls. A bathroom. It looked like the bathrooms at Hogwarts. And in the drawing were three figures, one had black hair with his wand pointed at the second figure with blonde hair. The third was transparent. What got him scared was the blonde seemed to be falling over with blood coming out of a chest wound and the raven had a horror struck face. The transparent figure was screaming.



\'The fight in the bathroom,\' thought Draco, and touched his chest where there was still a scar. \'He remembers, and regrets it. It must have haunted him all this time.\'



Setting the drawing down, he smiled at Potter. "It\'s a nice drawing, Harry," he said. He attempted to hand it back but Potter shoved it back at him, an urgent look on his face. "You want me to keep it?"



Potter nodded enthusiastically. \'He wants me to forgive him,\' thought Draco. With a soft smile he rolled up the drawing and hugged the other man.



"Thank you, Harry," said Draco. Smiling Potter returned the hug. \'Thank you for saving my life. I would have made a terrible mistake if you hadn\'t stopped me. I almost died that day, and I didn\'t want to become a killer.\'



Smiling it was Draco this time who led Potter down the stairs. He noticed Evangeline and Harriet playing a dice game and Potter went to join them as Draco went over to Granger and Weasley.



"What did he give you," asked Weasley.



Draco clutched the drawing to his chest. It wasn\'t exactly the proudest moment of his life. More then likely the two knew about it, but he didn\'t want to express his embarrassment and fear.



"It\'s okay," he said putting the drawing in his pocket. "I forgave him long ago."



Weasley looked like he was going to say more but a nudge from Granger quieted him. She handed Draco two crystal jars, each with what looked to be silvery thread. Memory strands.



"We want them back," said Weasley and Draco nodded. The two soon left for work and Draco had collected Potter and the two girls to take them through the Floo. Potter had picked up Evangeline and Draco had Harriet.



"Everyone ready," asked Draco and everyone nodded. Taking a handful of powder he threw it into the fireplace. "The Burrow!"



They walked in through the green flames and arrived in a small living room with antique furniture adorn with hand made afghans. On the mantel over the fireplace were pictures of the six redhead Weasley children, a white rose on front of one of the twins. Draco remembered that one had died during the war. Frederick Weasley, also known as Fred. Another white rose was in front of Ginevra Weasley\'s picture.



Along the wall were wedding pictures of each Weasley and a family portrait. He saw Weasley and Granger sitting on a couch and between them was Harriet. There was also a picture of Potter and Weaselette, through Draco knew they never got married. Under the picture was another of Potter and Evangeline. Weaselette wasn\'t in the picture, but it showed Potter holding Evangeline in a pink blanket. He was looking happily at the tiny baby before looking up at the camera smiling.



"Hello, Mr. Malfoy," said a voice and he turned to find Molly Weasley standing behind him.



"Grandma," cried both girls and ran to her. Even Potter hugged Mrs. Weasley. Looking up at Draco she smiled.



"Hermione told me you were coming," she said. "We\'ll have lunch, and then the girls can take you to the paddock."



Draco nodded, taking in the woman. The last time Draco saw Mrs. Weasley was on the battlefield at Hogwarts battling his aunt, Bellatrix Lestange, and killed her. There was anger and hate in her eyes then, but now she was happy on the outside at the sight of her grandchildren, but Draco could see sadness behind it, especially when she looked at Potter.



"Thank you for allowing me to have this session with Potter," said Draco. Mrs. Weasley smiled at him.



"Anything to help Harry," she said. "Lunch is ready. Come into the kitchen and eat."



Nodding Draco followed her into the kitchen and sat in a chair. As usual, Potter sat next to him. Harriet and Evangeline sat across from them and began eating the pasta salad Mrs. Weasley set out for them. Draco would have a Muggle meal on occasion but hadn\'t had the meal in front of him. He took a careful bite. After moment he tasted the herbs, bacon and mayonnaise. It wasn\'t horrible, but it was very good. He ate his whole bowl and the second helping Mrs. Weasley gave him. After a moment he figured out it was her habit to give visitors and to children. Potter ate through thirds. Probably a habit for him too.



When lunch was over Harriet and Evangeline began a game with Mrs. Weasley while Draco led Potter to the paddock made for Potter\'s hippogriff. They were halfway there when he heard Evangeline call out to him and saw her coming toward them with, clumsily carrying a broom behind her and had something clenched in her hand. Draco went over to meet her and took the broom. She pressed the object in his hand, smiled and went back to the house. Draco looked at the broom and opened his hand. The object Evangeline handed him was a Snitch. With a smiled Draco returned to Potter who was crouched down looking at a bug on the ground. When Draco neared Potter shot up and continued to the paddock.



The hippogriff in the wooden paddock was a steel grey in color and very muscular. It looked a lot like the one that attacked Draco in his third year. It was Draco fault, he had to admit. If he didn\'t insult the creature then it wouldn\'t have hurt him.



At the sight of the hippogriff Potter smiled and ran to the fence, waving his hand in hello. The hippogriff, Buckbeak, looked at Potter before returning to the water trough.



"Do you remember how to greet a hippogriff, Harry," asked Draco. Potter just looked at him. Draco frowned. As Draco remembered it, Potter was very good at Care of Magical Creatures when they took the class together. And Potter was adamant that the hippogriff that had escaped wasn\'t dangerous. Why he would forget how to handle a hippogriff was beyond Draco.



\'It\'s probably the curse.\' "Well, you enter the paddock and bow to him. Keep eye contact. And if he bows back you\'re allowed to touch him. If not then slowly exit the paddock."



Smiling Potter opened the gate and entered the paddock. But as soon as Potter walked in the hippogriff squawked and approached him. Draco felt his heart plummet to his stomach as a flash crossed his mind of a hippogriff reared in front of him and slashed down on his arm.



"Harry," he called in panic. Potter looked at him in confusion and Buckbeak stopped and looked at Draco. It squawked at Draco then turned back to Potter. Both wizard and hippogriff were almost five feet from each other. Dangerously close in Draco\'s opinion. Buckbeak squawked again, getting Potter\'s attention. It squawked at Potter again and bowed, head down, one knee bent and wings halfway extended, but it was a bow.



Draco stood in surprise. Never had it been recorded that a hippogriff bowed to a human first. But for one to do so was unique. And it was happening right in front of him.



Draco looked over at Potter, who had a perplexed far away look. His face was blank and lack, but Draco saw a flare of recognition before it disappeared.



\'He remembers something. Something about this looked familiar to him.\' Draco made a note to write it down later in the notebook he carried with him.



Potter turned to Buckbeak and bowed, flawlessly, as if he\'d done it a million times. Both stayed like that for a moment before straightening. Buckbeak moved toward Potter and allowed the wizard to pet him, which Potter did smiling at Draco. He smiled back.



In the stable Draco found a Pegasus saddle, which allowed the person to sit on a flying creature, but this one had a chest strap with leather loops instead of reigns so the rider could stay on. After finishing the courtesies Draco strapped the saddle on Buckbeak, making sure that not a feather was out of place. When it was done he turned to Potter.



"Come on, Harry," he said . "Time to fly."



At the words Potter\'s face broke out into a smile and he approached Buckbeak. Buckbeak crouched so Potter could mount and with practice ease Potter put his foot in the stirrup and swung into the saddle, grabbing the leather loops. As if that was a signal, Buckbeak reared up with a screech and took off with a running start. Draco grabbed the broom, made sure the Snitch was in his pocket and took off after them.



Through hippogriffs were fast Draco easily caught up with Buckbeak and Potter. Buckbeak seemed to think it was some sort of race and flew faster. Draco accepted the challenge. After half an hour of racing both were exhausted and happily high on adrenaline. Reaching into his pocket Draco pulled out the Snitch. At the sight of it Potter\'s face brightened and Buckbeak squeaked. Both recognized the object. It might have been a game of theirs before Potter lost his mind. Draco released the Snitch and the race was on.



Buckbeak shrieked and flew after the golden object. Potter low on the hippogriff\'s back. Draco was soon after them. They spiraled and swerved around each other to be the first to catch it. Draco suddenly remembered all those years ago at Hogwarts when they had played against each other in the Quidditch Pitch. And by the look on Potter\'s face he remembered as well.



The raced after the Snitch lasted a half hour before Potter reached between Buckbeak\'s wings and caught the Snitch. Unlike in Hogwarts when Potter caught the Snitch, Draco didn\'t get mad. In fact, he was never happier to lose. To catch the Snitch in an open field in less then an hour was a good sign.



Potter looked at the Snitch in his hand and smiled. His mouth opened to reveal white teeth and he started laughing. Draco had never been more surprised. Potter was laughing. According to Weasley and Granger, Potter hadn\'t laughed since he locked his mind away. Draco couldn\'t help but laughed as well. Potter looked at Draco in surprised, but soon continued to laugh.



"All right, Harry," he called. "Let\'s head back. Mrs. Weasley is getting worried."



Potter looked sad at the idea of not flying anymore, but nodded and directed Buckbeak back to the Burrow. Buckbeak landed in his paddock, Draco beside him. He unsaddled Buckbeak and the hippogriff went after the fresh dead rats, ferrets and rabbits. After placing the saddle back on the tack Potter grabbed his arm and started dragging him to the house. Draco quickly switched Potter\'s hand to his own. Potter looked in surprise but smiled and continued to the kitchen.



"How was the flight," asked Mrs. Weasley. All Potter had to do was smiled and she got her answer. "I\'m glad you hand so much fun, Harry." She turned to look at Draco as Potter ate the snack of brownies she had out. "How did he do?"



"Better then expected," he said. "We\'re making real progress."



"That\'s great. I hope you\'re able to cure Harry soon."



\'As do I.\'



"Mr. Ma\'voy," called Evangeline and ran to the blonde, her stormy grey eyes excited. "How did Daddy do? Did he pass?\'



Draco smiled and patted her raven hair. "With flying colors."



To Be Continued