A.N I have started a Facebook account to keep you updated on where I am with my stories, give snippets of upcoming chapters, to share ideas and any suggestions or questions you guys want to ask. It's also for everyone to geek out. If you want to add me, please do, I am Destiny Slay, I have set it up as a personal account rather than a fan page.
Harry sat on the massive bed and stared around the room he was in blankly. He was aware enough to realise that he had gone into shock, the numb feeling and heaviness around his limbs gave it away, the fog around his brain and the pressure in his chest.
Not that he could really be blamed after everything that had happened in the last few hours.
He was...
He couldn't...
He had been...
So many people had lied to him. So many. People he had loved. People he had cared for. People he had trusted, after everything that had happened to him, he had actually trusted them. And they had lied to him, tricked him, used him.
And now he was here. With people, he hated. With people that had tried to hurt him and harm him, repeatedly, in the past. People that had shown their dislike for him and everything he was over and over.
He staggered to his feet with a gasp as breathing suddenly seemed to become much more difficult to do. The pressure on his chest was getting heavier. It felt like a dragon was sitting there now. He staggered a few steps in the massive room and dropped to his knees as he desperately tried to suck in breaths.
He had been signed over to them. He had been given to them. And he was stuck in their manor, behind their family wards where they could do anything to him. He was going to be handed over to Voldemort, he was going to be tortured at the minimum. His life was over.
He was a Malfoy. He was Draco's younger twin. Lucius Malfoy was his father. Narcissa his mother. Draco his brother. And they hated him. Lucius had tried to kill him. Draco hated him. He had heard the screaming and shouting when he had been put into this room and told that it was his bedroom. He was not happy.
He had already lived in one house where he had known that he wasn't wanted by his family... Except they hadn't been his family had they. But he had known he wasn't wanted. And here he was in Malfoy Manor. And he had no idea what the hell they were going to do with him. Worst case he would be put on a silver platter and delivered to Voldemort for him to AK him. He could be tortured. They could use him before they killed him.
That was more likely. His breathing slowed down as his brain focussed on that. It was much more likely. Use him against the light side. Get what they could from him, and use what had happened to rip apart the other set of people who had used him, and then he would be killed. He had been passed from the hands of one group of users to another.
And who knew what they would do to him while they were using him. He was not the son that they wanted, the differences between him and Draco were glaring. Draco had been taught to speak properly, to be an Heir and Lord, he had been taught horse riding, etiquette, how to make speeches, laws, rules, how to act at parties and how to gain favour. Harry had been taught to cook, clean, garden, paint walls and fences, how to keep quiet and pretend he didn't exist, to wash and dry, to iron and mend.
He could see in their eyes when they had come and taken him from the Dursleys. He had seen the judgment in their eyes. He was far from the son they wanted and expected.
He had to find a way to get away and... what? They had taken his Gringotts key. He had no access to money, and even then, he had no idea what he would do. Where would he go Back to the Order? To Dumbledore after everything that he had done. To the Weasleys after finding out what they had done? Hermione, same story. He couldn't escape into the muggle world. He hadn't had an education there since he was 10. He wouldn't be able to get a job doing anything but manual work, he wouldn't be able to afford anywhere to live. And anywhere he went in Wizarding Britain they would all be able to find him. And aside from that he had no idea how to do anything in the Wizarding world either. Were there estate agents here? Would he be able to buy a house as a minor?
He dropped his head onto the floor as tears finally overwhelmed him. Sobs wracking through him as he realised just how stuck he was. He had nothing, he could do nothing. Once again, he had no control over his life, and was stuck waiting to see what others would decide what to do with his life.
Lucius slammed the door open the next morning startling Harry awake from where he had fallen asleep on the floor, crying himself to sleep. He blanched and drew into himself when Lucius looked down his nose at him, clearly not happy with finding him as he did.
"I was not aware that your intelligence was so little that you were not aware what a bed was! And Malfoys' do not sleep on the floor! You will shower, thoroughly and get that muggle stench off of you. And will change into appropriate clothing. You are going to have to wear Draco's robes for now, someone will be coming to fit you into proper clothes," Lucius drawled, his eyes sharp as he looked at him. "Well? Shower!" He grit out as though Harry were completely thick.
"I... I don't know where the shower is,"
That clearly defined for Lucius just how thick Harry actually was as with an impatient sigh he pointed to a door at the far side of the room. Scrambling to his feet he rushed to the room. Shutting the door quickly behind himself.
"Do not slam doors!" Lucius shouted from the other room.
Trembling slightly Harry stared around the massive bathroom he was in. It was easily as big as the down stairs of the Dursleys house, with a separate shower stall and a massive sunken bath that was more like a swimming pool.
He was not really sure he wanted to strip off and leave himself more vulnerable than he already was. But at the same time the thought of getting to shower for the first time in a week did sound good. And he did not want to risk angering Lucius, the look in his silver eyes lingering in Harry's mind. One look at the shower however had tears filling his eyes again. He had no idea how the hell to even turn the damned thing on!
There was a soft pop behind him and a House Elf appeared holding a bundle of robes in his hands.
"Master is being asked me to bring these to you. You are requested to put them on once you are finished," The House Elf squeaked.
"Wait please!" Big eyes turned even bigger at the please, and the House Elf stared at him stunned. "I don't know how to turn the shower on, and he will be angry with me if I have to ask. Do you know how to do it?" Harry asked softly.
"Of...of course young master here. You turn this, and tap this with your wand, this adjusts the heat, left for cold, right for hot. When you are finished tap this again," The House Elf explained for Harry.
"Thank you," The House Elf made a shocked noise and popped out.
The shower was wonderful, nothing but the best of course. And Harry made sure to scrub himself properly before finally stepping out, turning the shower off as he had been instructed.
The robes were far too wide and long on him, and he looked ridiculous once he had finally managed to get into the and do up all the ridiculous buttons and fastenings. Taking a breath, he yanked all the Gryffindor courage that he had to himself and opened the door to go back into the bedroom.
Only to let out a cry of dismay and run across the bedroom to snatch his photo album from Lucius. The man had emptied out his trunk all over the floor and seemed to be putting things in a keep and get rid of piles. Needless to say, the get rid of pile was larger.
"What are you doing these are my things!" he cried.
"These are not suitable for a Malfoy they will be taken and replaced with suitable objects. That needs to go as well!" Lucius went to take the album from Harry but he pulled it against his chest dodging back.
"No! These are all I have of my pare..." He stopped himself as he realised what he was about to say. Lucius obviously realised though, and his eyes flashed dangerous.
"They were not your parents! You will never speak of them as such again! Now hand it to me!"
"No!" Harry couldn't explain it but dozens of reasons were going through his head as to why he wanted to keep it. Firstly, being that for so long it had been so important to him, despite everything that happened to him it did not change that it had gotten him through some tough times, he wasn't ready to give it up. It had been a gift, a kind and thoughtful gift from Hagrid, who he did not believe knew what had happened, he had done something sweet for him, something no one else had thought to. He also wanted to go through and look at the picture of his...James and Lily, Sirius and Remus, of Hermione and Ron and the other Weasleys and figure out if he had missed something in their faces. Something that should have told him. Something he had to have missed.
He cried out in pain as Lucius sent and incendio at the album and the thing lit up like kindling. Flames biting his wrist and cheek. He dropped the album quickly and watched it go up in flames, eaten by the powerful spell. He looked up when Lucius stepped towards him with his hand outstretched, something in his eyes Harry didn't recognise. He jerked back, holding his arm tightly to himself scared at what the other man would do next.
Lucius stopped short and his face went blank again.
"The robes are too long on you,"
"I'm smaller than Draco," Harry said softly.
"And do you not know magic! Can you not perform a fitting spell!" Lucius snapped. Harry froze and stared at the man not sure what to do to get him into the least trouble. "You do not! Oh, for Merlin's..." He performed the spell himself as Harry lowered his eyes.
"Thank you," He said softly.
"That is a spell you should know yourself, you will learn it! Follow me," Lucius spun and left Harry no option but to follow him. The halls were endless and he despaired of being able to find his way around. If he would even be allowed to move around by himself. It wasn't very likely. They walked into a dining room where Draco and Narcissa were already seated, and Blaise Zabini. They all turned to look at him when he walked in, and he could see from Draco's face that he was far from happy about this situation. Join the club, he thought sadly.
"Sit down," Narcissa was sitting stiffly as she motioned to the chair opposite Draco. Shakily he made his way to the seat, but the moment his bum touched the seat he felt the spell activating which sent him sprawling on the floor.
Draco and Blaise burst out laughing while Harry blinked from his place on the floor. His head was spinning and he was really starting to feel ill. The pressure of everything that had happened plus his normal shock diet at the Dursleys had left him really not feeling well.
"Get up! You seem to like spending time on the floor!" Lucius snapped, frustration written across his face. Burning in embarrassment, Harry scrambled to his feet and sat back in the chair a house elf had repaired. There were three in the room, and going by the wide eyes he was getting the elf from earlier had told them about his manners.
Sitting down he kept his head and shoulders low as he listened to Draco and Blaise laugh at him, at least he did until it felt like he was being snapped across the shoulders with a ruler. Jerking he sat up straight as Draco and Blaise started laughing again, Narcissa had her wand pointed at him and was looking at him with a disapprovingly.
"You do not slump! It is not appropriate for a Malfoy!" She scolded. He had been right then, he was to be hit. Home from home. Especially with Draco and Blaise laughing at him.
"He is going to need a lot of work," Lucius sighed. Harry went to slump again until the spell snapped over his shoulders once more. He straightened and looked down at his plate instead, before going wide eyed when he saw the amount of cutlery there was. He had no idea what to use for the porridge that was in front of him.
He tried to look discretely at what the others were using but they had a cooked breakfast. A small movement made him look up and he saw the House Elf from this morning motioning to him. With a silent snap of it's fingers a spoon appeared in his hands and he held it up for Harry to see. Looking down he spotted the spoon himself and lifted his cautiously, wincing and waiting for the spell again. Narcissa eyed him but did not tell him off so he guessed he had got it right. He shot the House elf a grateful look before starting to eat his breakfast.
"...going to have to spend a lot of time. Education, basic spells, manners, elocution...how not to eat like an animal!" Lucius snapped in the middle of his list and the spell was cast again. Draco and Blaise were laughing uproariously now as his face burnt again. He hadn't eaten properly in a week and he had been starving. Now his stomach was rolling. He placed his spoon down beside his bowl.
"Do not be mulish!" Narcissa scolded.
"I'm sorry, I'm not hungry anymore," He knew that if he tried to force himself now he would be sick. After years of starving and what he reckoned was probably malnutrition, his stomach was a delicate balance.
"Stop sulking!" Lucius shouted suddenly making Harry jerk. It happened so fast. His jerk made his knee knock the table and so his bowl off to smash onto the floor, a jug fell over and spill across the table cloth. Narcissa and Lucius both sent the spell at him, smacking off his back and wrist making him jerk back from the table again hunching in on himself, the momentum meant he was spilled out over the floor again, cradling his wrist to his chest where the spell had landed over the already burnt skin.
Everyone paused and then Draco and Blaise started laughing again. As fast as he could he scrambled to his feet and ran out the room, trying to follow the way back to what seemed to have been his room, he thought it was anyway. For now. He was hopelessly lost in second but before he had to turn back or try and find held, a house elf popped in front of him.
"Oh, thank Merlin, can you take me to the room I was staying in please?" He asked her shakily.
"I... yes of course young master," The House elf motioned down the hall.
"I'm sorry to ask but would you be able to apparate us there? My legs are a little shaky," Harry asked softly. He thought he had offended her from the look he got, but then tears appeared in her eyes.
"Wizards do not trust us to apparate them! Blinky was right, you is being different!" She sniffed.
"Blinky, is very kind, he helped me a few times. What is your name?" Harry asked gently.
"I is Maisy," She sniffed taking his hand and popping them back into the room. The smell of smoke lingered, and he ignored the fact that the 'to go' pile was gone.
"Thank you, Maisy,"
"If you is being needing anything, you be calling for us. We is always around, you is a Malfoy, so you just need to think about one of us and we will know," She told him before with a gentle, hesitant pat to his hand she disappeared.
Leaving him standing trembling in the massive room.
He did not see a Malfoy, besides himself, for a week after the incident. They obviously did not want anything to do with him. His only contact was with the House Elves who would bring him his meals, and call in for chats with him to keep him company. And with the tutor that came for 6 hours a day and sat in the living room section of his massive bedroom to drill all sorts into his brain.
He soaked it all up, praying that there would be something in what he was being taught that could help him know how to live in the Wizarding world, should he manage to get away. It was obvious that the tutor was a little disgusted in how little he knew, and told him that the Malfoys were appalled at his knowledge and insisted that Harry was to be brought to a level that would not humiliate them or their line. He also took great delight in telling Harry that he normally taught six-year olds what he was teaching Harry.
Harry grit his teeth and ignored him, and just tried to soak up everything that he was being taught. It didn't help that Lucius and Narcissa had decided that he would be dropping Divination and would be taking Ancient Runes instead, as it was apparently something that all Malfoys should know. So, he was now having a new subject drummed into his head as well as being taught all about how to be a pureblood heir.
His days consisted of waking up, showering, changing, breakfast, Mr Grundings would arrive and hammer him for six to seven hours. Depending on how his learning was going that day he might get a small lunch, or he would have to watch Mr Grundings eat while he read out whatever he had gotten wrong. Grundings would leave and he would have another shower, just because he could, and then he would have supper and chat to one of the elves, before going to bed to read one of his books and then sleep.
It wasn't the best routine, but compared to what he would have been doing at the Dursleys it was a vast improvement. Though he was left to wonder over and over what the hell was going to happen to him.
This routine was broken when he was sitting chatting to Missy and a bracelet suddenly appeared on his wrist. The House Elf had gasped and stared at it wide eyed while Harry just looked confused.
"That is being a bonding bracelet Young Master!" Missy gasped.
"Bonding..."
"Master has been signed into a marriage agreement!" Missy explained.
"Marriage..." Harry stood and stormed out the room before poking his head back into the room. "Could you take me to Lucius please," He asked a little sheepishly.
Missy popped Harry right outside Lucius' study and Harry thanked her before slamming the door open and storming into the office. Lucius looked up from behind his desk shocked at the sudden intrusion. His eyes narrowed in annoyance.
"Clearly I am wasting money on teaching you manners!"
"Clearly you are! I am never going to be another little mini me! And I am not going to be what you want, you will always be disappointed in me!" Harry snapped.
"Disappoint...you think we are disappointed?" Lucius frowned, something in his face changing, but Harry was so angry, tired and frustrated that he didn't even pause before responding.
"You have made that more than obvious. I don't know what the hell you want with me, what you are planning to use me for, but what the hell do you think you are doing agreeing to marry me off to someone?!" Harry demanded.
"Harry! Calm down!"
"Or what you will hit me again!" Harry spat.
"Hit you? That was just a gentle correction spell," Lucius frowned standing up.
"Yeah that how it starts, you are just as bad as them! All of them, wanting to use me and get what you can out of me! And along the way if you want to abuse me, well what the hell you might as well have a little fun along the way huh while you have to 'put up' with me and my animal manners and my endless list of faults and how I am disappointing and..." He stopped when two strong hands gripped his shoulders tightly.
He tried to pull away, but Lucius held tighter and then completely stunned Harry by pulling him against his chest. He battled against the hold of the older, bigger man, but Lucius was determined, and Harry was shocked to find the arms around him gentling, still holding him firmly, but he was definitely hugging him. He froze completely, stunned at the move, and with the honesty in the hug.
He froze completely.
And Lucius pressed his face into his hair, holding him even closer, and suddenly his shoulders started shaking as though...Harry blinked and slowly wrapped his arms around Lucius' back as well as the wet trickle of Lucius' tears fell on his cheeks. He didn't know what to do, and he didn't know what to feel, but something in his chest ached.
"I don't understand," Harry said shakily.
"We handled this terribly, so terribly Harry, I'm so sorry...Will you come with me, I want to show you something," Lucius slowly pulled back, and everything was pulled back from his face. There were no masks, no barriers, there was just pure grief and tear stains.
"Ok," Harry said slowly.
Lucius cautiously wrapped his arm around Harry's shoulders, leading him gently through the manor. It was a good five-minute walk before they stopped outside a gilded door that hummed with wards. The older man brushed his finger over the door before opening it, they stepped in and Harry stared wide eyed around the nursery they had walked into. It was mint green, with stencils of magical creatures as a boarder, a rocking chair sat in one corner in front of the large window that over looked the grounds, two beautifully carved cribs stood side by side, two matching wardrobes also stood in the room, a toy chest and changing table matched in as well.
Harry's feet moved slowly and he crossed to one of the cribs, reaching out and ran his fingers over the carvings, and then reached up to brush his fingers over the glass mobile hanging over the crib. It was in crystal, unicorns dancing with fairies glittering in between, it was beautiful and delicate, and when he moved it, it made a lovely tinkling sound.
"Was this..." He asked softly without looking at the man who stepped up next to him.
"Narcissa and I designed this room together. We sat right there, in front of the window. Narcissa was 6 months pregnant, and we knew for sure it was twins. We sat cuddled on the window seat and planned what we would do for this room, we chose the colour together...we picked out your cribs, the furniture...the mobiles...we put together this room together..." Lucius dropped his head and took a deep breath. "And then you were gone, lost to us, dead we thought. And we grieved, we made another nursery for Draco, we didn't want him… in here… alone...we held him so much closer, because we...there was a hole where you should have been in our arms. On the anniversary of that six-month scan, we come in here, and we mourned you,"
"But...I'm not the son you mourned, the son you would have imagined I would have grown into," Harry frowned wrapping his arms around himself.
"No, you are not, because that boy was two dimensional, and you are here, now," Lucius reached out but Harry stepped back.
"You don't want me here,"
"Harry, we want you so much!" Lucius protested.
"You made it clear when I arrived! I haven't seen any of you!"
"Harry...we thought...the way you reacted we thought that you did not want anything to do with us, you were so distressed and upset. We thought, the best we could offer you was teaching you how to survive in our world, and hope that along the way, maybe you would let us in. We did not react well, you are definitely not Draco, and we didn't know how to cope or treat you, we were in shock, and we did not react particularly well. We can't apologise enough for that," Lucius sighed.
"You're lying!" Harry snapped, Lucius spun around sharply, but Harry was done. "Even the damned tutor you hired to bully me tells me on an hourly basis how much of a disappointment and disgrace I am to you! He lets me know exactly how unwanted I am here but that you are doing your duty!"
"He said what?!"
Harry turned around to see Narcissa standing in the doorway looking furious. She looked furious, and not at all the carved stone he had come to view her as. She spun around apparated out, Lucius held his arm tentatively out to Harry, who took it, damning his Gryffindor curiosity, and grimaced as they popped into the entrance hall. Though it was in time to see Grundings slamming into a wall, before being lifted and slammed into another wall. Narcissa was standing in the centre of the room looking like a storm.
"How dare you! How absolutely dare you! My son! You! You!" The noise she made was pure anger as Grundings slipped to the floor.
"He isn't a Malfoy...you had him separated...I thought..."
"We did not pay you to think, we paid you to help Harry. Did he do or say anything else you Harry? Did he hurt you?" Lucius asked softly. "Harry?" The older man asked when he saw Grundings shaking his head at Harry.
"He refused to let me eat,"
The noise that Narcissa and Lucius made was pure and utter rage, and he was fairly sure that the only reason Grundings survived the spells they threw at him was because they clipped each other just before they hit him. The man was very unconscious and looked like he might be so for quite a while.
Narcissa approached him shakily, her hands reaching out with a fine tremble to them. This was not the woman who had been in the dining room the other day, this was not a woman he had met before. Her sharp features were softened and her icy blue eyes were wet with tears. She was still as beautiful as a carved statue, but she looked a little more real.
"Lucius was right, we did not cope or deal well with this. We had a year, a year to make sure that if you left us, you would be ok. We made the choice to try and teach you first, and convince you to allow us to be part of your life as we went along,"
"But you were so cold," Harry frowned pulling back slightly as she went to touch him. The hurt on her face was visible before she pulled herself together.
"I am so sorry, we will never be able to make up for the way we acted, before and after this revelation, and we understand that you will likely never forgive us. It is no excuse, but the only explanation we can give you is that we were in shock, and horror. The son we had mourned, the son that we believed had passed away nearly 16 years ago, was alive and we had both met him, we have missed 16 years of your life, 16 years that we can never ever get back, it was stolen from all of us," Narcissa pressed her trembling hand to her chest as Lucius took her other.
"When I got that call from the Bank to say you...to say our son was there, and then they told us what they had found, the blood curse, that you were ...we didn't know how to act, we didn't know what to do. We just knew we had to get you here, where we could keep you safe. And then it sank in, that you would, after everything that happened, that you would hate us,"
"We were fools, we tried… I don't know what we tried, we wanted to so badly take you into our arms and hug you, to not let you go, but we knew we could not do that, we knew that that would scare you more, and so we tried to reign ourselves in. And the result was what you saw. After that, we left you to your room hoping you would come down and try and spend time with us when you were ready. We had forced you here, we did not want to force your hand more and make you resent us," Narcissa said softly.
"I don't...I don't know what I want," Harry admitted his shoulders drooping. And he just felt so tired. Lucius took his shoulders gently and led him into a comfy, if grand, living room, and sat him in a comfortable armchair. He blinked when he found a blanket laid over his lap, and a cup of tea pressed into his hand as Narcissa placed a large plate of biscuits, cake and chocolate onto his lap.
"How about, how about you tell us about what you know you want?" Lucius asked.
"I want...family. Love. I want to belong somewhere and not feel as though I have been dumped on them, or that they are putting up with me. I want a home," Harry was horrified to feel tears trickling down his cheeks. He started when his face was brushed with a handkerchief, Lucius brushing the tears away.
"How about we start with that then? We start by learning about each other, what we like and dislike, who we are. And we try and build that?" Narcissa offered.
"I... can do that. What about my tutoring?" He sniffed glancing to where he could see Missy dragging Grundings down the steps to the kitchens, she gave him a wide grin, before carrying on, seemingly making sure as much of the ex-tutor hit the stairs as possible.
"We won't force you into something you don't want to do, but learning this is important," Lucius said. Harry blinked at him before he remembered exactly why he had stormed into Lucius' study in the first place.
"Won't force me? Then what the hell is this!" Harry glared holding up his wrist.
"What the hell is that! When did it appear?!" Lucius took his hand gently and started running his wand over the bracelet.
"Missy said it was a bonding bracelet, that I have been betrothed to someone," Harry frowned.
"Missy, the House elf?" Narcissa scrunched her nose.
"So, this wasn't you?" Harry asked ignoring the question.
"No! Damn it! Harry have you ever signed anything for Dumbledore?" Lucius asked with a silky dangerous quality to his voice that he took to mean he was really angry.
"No! But..."
"What?" Narcissa asked.
"I have to sign my homework, could he have got it from that? Do you think it's him? That did all this?" Harry asked. The thought had gone through his head, especially when he had realised how manipulative Dumbledore had been of his life.
"We think so, but we have no proof, but only he would have benefited and been powerful enough to replace the...Potters lost babe with you," Narcissa looked pained just speaking about it.
"Can you stop it?" Harry asked desperately, looking at the bracelet.
"Yes, luckily," Lucius sighed before slicing a small cut into his thumb with his wand, and letting the blood drop onto the bracelet. The words he murmured were harsh and firm, his wand movements sharp as he cast the spell on the bracelet. Finally, there was a soft click and the bracelet fell open followed by a sharp flash of light. "The fool didn't realise that you here,"
"They haven't noticed I am missing yet?!" Harry choked.
"No, obviously not. Luckily for us or he could have used a different bonding. This one I was able to break easily as your father and head of house,"
"What if he tries again?!" Harry asked worried.
"Don't worry, I will ensure that does not happen. I think a visit to the Minister may be in order though," Lucius drawled.
"Drink your tea Harry, you have had a long week," Narcissa said gently.
"The tutoring..." Harry asked.
"Do you want to do it?" Lucius asked.
"Yes, I understand why it was important for me to do, and I realised how little I know about the wizarding world," Harry said softly, embarrassed.
"Harry, we are not judging, or trying to hurt you, but why have you done so poorly at this? Your grades are a little mixed, but it seems like you know next to nothing about this," Narcissa asked gently.
"I have only been learning about this for a week, what are you expecting," Harry frowned drawing into himself a little.
"No, you have been learning about this since third year," Lucius blinked.
"I haven't,"
"You should have been attending lessons since third year," Narcissa said confused, before she closed her eyes and pressed her hand gracefully to her face. "You have not been attending, have you?"
"No... I should have had lessons in this for three years?" Harry asked quietly.
"Yes, you should have, all muggle born and muggle raised students are required to attend," Lucius grit out.
"But no one..." Harry drew off as realisation dawned on him.
"What?" Lucius asked.
"The only people that would have thought to say something or realised would have been Hermione and Ron. Hermione must have been attending the lessons herself. Everyone else likely assumed that being the 'boy-who-lived' I would have known everything and had it explained to me from a baby," Harry huffed dropping back in the chair.
"Don't slouch dear," Narcissa said absently patting his knee and making him sit upright. "I thought they were your friends," She said softly.
"I thought so too,"
He started when small arms wrapped around him and held him firmly, but with a hint of warmth. He floundered for a second, but then took in how different this hug was to Molly Weasley's smothering hugs, and then he realised, his mother was hugging him, his mother's arms were around him and trying to offer him comfort.
Just as Narcissa withdrew her arms, Harry pressed closer and sank into her warm body, closing his eyes as his body started shaking. Lucius moved forwards and placed a strong hand on his back as tears overwhelmed him once again. The betrayals and the mind spinning thought of being with his mother and father, the confusion of where he fitted now and how he fitted into their lives, what they wanted and expected from him. Everything washed over him again, and he found himself breaking down into Narcissa's arms.
"Mother, father why is there blood in the...wow Potter really pathetic way to try and get attention," Draco's drawl made Harry jerk and try and pull away, flushing with shame and trying to keep his head down.
"Draco that is enough, we have discussed this numerous times," Lucius said sharply. Harry was mortified, he could not stop his tears, and he knew Draco was laughing at him. He could hear him roaring with laughter. "Draco that is more than enough!"
Lucius stood and swept over to Draco, gripping his arm and pulling him out of the room. Narcissa made a shushing noise rubbing his back as he carried on trying to pull back the tears and failing.
"He hates me, I don't belong here when even my brother doesn't want me here!" Harry said through his tears. "Why would any of you want me!"
Narcissa held him closer when he tried to pull away, but shifted so that she could see his tear stained face. Tenderly she reached up and brushed his fringe away from forehead and pressed a gentle kiss to it.
"You belong here Harry! This is your home! You belong with us. Draco is used to getting his own way and being the focus of our attentions. He is struggling with the fact that he is no longer our sole focus. We have perhaps made a rod for our own backs. But we will all figure out how this will work, where we all fit as a family. Just as it is difficult for you to be here, it is difficult for him to cope with what has happened," Narcissa assured him. "Draco has longed for a brother for a long time, especially after we told him about...you when he was old enough to understand. He used to speak for hours about what you would be like, what you would do together, what a good big brother he would be. I think the discovery that you have been his brother all along has been particularly hard on him. He has dreamt of this amazing relationship, and then he finds out the boy he has been fighting with for years is that person. Do you understand?"
"I do," Harry sniffed a little. Narcissa grimaced slightly and held out her hanky, but there was an amused look there as well, not harsh as it had been when she disliked Harry's manners at the start of this mess.
"It will take time and work for both of you. But never doubt that you belong here Harry. This will always be your home," Narcissa said firmly.
"Is it ok if I go back to my room?" Harry asked.
"Yes of course, is everything ok?" She asked concerned.
"Yes, it's just, it's all a little much, and I have a bit of a headache,"
"Ok, off you go," She helped him to his feet and took him to the bottom of the stairs before letting him trudge up them. His head was swirling and he wasn't really sure what to think anymore. They wanted him here, they wanted him, but they were as unsure in this as he was. It was such a mess, everything was. He didn't know how to speak to them, or act around them, and they were apparently in the same boat. Draco was angry and clearly didn't want him here. Such a mess.
Despite the time, he pulled on his pyjamas and climbed into bed, feeling the impending niggle of a bad headache, and he tried to make himself comfortable, pressing his face hard into the pillow to try and relieve some of the pressure building in his head. He startled slightly when there was a knock on the bedroom door before it opened. Lucius paused halfway in looking a little lost.
"Is it ok if I come in?" He asked uncertainly. Harry blinked at him confused, before realising that he didn't want to just walk into Harry's room and intrude the way he had that first morning.
"Yes, of course," Harry nodded.
"Thank you, your mother said you had a headache," Lucius said as he swept into the room, a tray hovering in behind him as he made his way quickly to Harry's bed. He perched gracefully on the side and caught the tray before setting it beside Harry on the bed. "Here, this is a headache reliever, it should take away the headache in an hour, there is also some tea, soup, sandwiches, biscuits, and a little bit of chocolate for after you have finished at least the soup or half a sandwich. We weren't sure what fillings you liked, so there is a choice of a few,"
"A few," Harry blinked down at the plate. There must have been seven or eight different fillings there.
"These are things we are going to look forward to learning," Lucius smiled, honestly smiled as he reached out slowly, giving Harry time to pull away, before he brushed his fringe from his eyes. He caught Harry's wince however and pressed his hand to his forehead gently. "You are a little warm,"
"It's my headache, they make me feel a little washed out and hot," Harry explained.
"That's not good, you need to take this now," Lucius held out the headache reliever, but Harry was just staring at him completely bemused by the concern he was being shown. He didn't really know what to do with it. "Harry?"
"Sorry, I don't..."
"You don't?" Lucius urged when Harry blushed and looked away.
"No one normally bothers when I have a headache, or when I'm ill really," He shrugged still not looking at Lucius.
"No one? What about the family you were sent to..."
"Thank you," Harry interrupted quickly taking the vial and knocking it back. Lucius was looking at him piercingly, but he held out the tea silently for Harry to clear the taste of the potion when he pulled a face.
"We want to be here for you, if you will let us,"
It was in Harry's mind to ask Lucius what he planned on doing with him in concern to Voldemort, what was going to happen with the man who wanted him dead, who the Malfoys worked for. He wanted to know exactly what they wanted from him. But he felt that the accusation would not be taken well at all, that it could cause more damage to an already shaky and difficult situation that seemed to be improving perhaps a little.
"I'm sorry, we have gone from one extreme to the other, it must be very confusing for you. It will not be helping your headache. Rest, try and eat something before you go to sleep. Definitely when you wake up. If you want company, send one of the elves to come and get us," Lucius stood. He hesitated for a second and then he leant down and pressed his hand to Harry's forehead gently.
He looked at Harry with something in his eyes that warmed the teen and made him uncomfortable at the same time.
"Sleep well Harry," Lucius nodded before turning and leaving the room.
Harry made himself comfortable again on the ridiculously comfortable bed, and reached out for what looked like a chicken sandwich. A quick spell told him that there was an anti-spill spell on the tray, so he nudged it a little further away and snuggled deeper into the covers.
For the first time since he had been brought here this room felt a little less like a prison. They had a lot of work on, and he had no idea if Draco would ever accept that they were brothers. Twins. He wasn't sure that he would ever be able to accept that himself. But there was...potential here. His body tingled from where Narcissa had hugged him tightly. His forehead warmed where Lucius had touched him.
Tender touches that he had never know, tenderness and concern, and family. The way they had told him about the baby that they had lost, the love and mourning that they had done. For him. He had been wanted, so so so wanted and loved, and that was worth taking the chance on this.