The Secret Between Us - Prt.2

Chapter Six.

When Harry reached Malfoy Manor, he stood outside the house in a zombified state. The house wasn't even his; it was inherited to Draco. He didn't even want to live in the same place that housed his worst enemy, but Draco did, saying, "I played bride, you owe me this." 

At first, he didn't understand why the guy would want to live in the horrible mansion, until he realized what the house truly meant to Draco. Even though it had housed the Dark Lord, it was still Draco's childhood home, he had grown up in that house all alone, and even though he didn't want to admit it, he wanted his kids to replace the grim memories to joyful laughs and terrible pranks. 

Harry wanted very badly to step foot inside the large home, but every time he did, he had this overwhelming feeling, like he was being crushed from the inside out. He wanted to cry; he wanted to let the tears fall and ball his eyes out until he could no longer keep them open. However, all he did felt was an urge to burn the whole house down. He wasn't sad, he was angry--furious, really. 

He tried his best to suppress the nasty feeling crawling though his veins, and walked into the house. He'd only reached the stairs to the second floor when he stopped in his tracks to look at the picture frame hanging on the wall. Harry took the frame from the wall, then sat down on the steps. His finger rapidly shook as he traced it through the moving picture of him and Draco on on their wedding day. He happily smiled, remembering the frown his fiancee had for having to not only wear a white suit, but also become a Potter. 

"I want kids," Harry blurted out, making Draco choke on his drink. "Funny joke," he said with a nervous chuckle. 

"I'm serious, love.....I want five kids." 

"F-five?"

"Mh-hmm." Harry rapidly shook his head. His eyes glimmered with happiness as a huge smile spread across his face. 

Draco set his drink down. "Baby, you're drunk," he explained, rubbing his hand on Harry's back. "I know! But I'm serious; I want five--no! I want seven kids." Draco laughed and brought Harry's head so it rested on his chest. "Lets start with two, then we'll see where we go from there." 

Harry pushed himself from his newly weeded husband only to kiss him on the cheek. "I love you." 

"Me more." Draco slid from his chair, and Harry did the same. He placed his arm on the shoulders of the very wasted man, and whispered, "I have a surprise for you, what do you say we leave early?"

"You want to ditch your own wedding? Whyyy?" Draco gave Harry a knowing look. "Oh!" He shouted with delight, hopping in the process. "Malfoy-Potter, keep in your pants!" 

Harry smashed the frame on the ground when the lovely memory of his wedding night resurfaced. He hated Draco; he hated him with a passion. The man made a vow to him, one where he promised he would be with him until his last breath, a vow that he treasured and cherished every day, making Harry all more angered. Only a year later, did Harry truly know that Draco was going to follow through; that he was going to love him every day until his last breath; that he was never interested in Granger, Greengrass or Zabini, but only him, and that killed Harry.

It killed him remembering the times he let his jealousy take the best of him. It killed him of the times he confronted Draco on whether he was still seeing Greengrass, or if Blaise's over-friendly behavior had to do with them sleeping together. It made him angry knowing that he'd caused so much trouble in their relationship and he wouldn't really get the chance to apologize. 

Harry took off his glasses and wiped away his tears. The house was extremely silent; too quiet for Harry to not bury in his self pity even more. 

If it wasn't for the floo fireplace lighting up, Harry would've probably made something stupid. 

Hermione walked out of the floo fireplace in the drawing room, and headed towards the stairs where she believed Harry to be in his room. 

Only, he wasn't in his room, but sitting in the middle of the stairs. "Harry..?" She said the man's name in a soft whisper, scared that is she said it too loud she would scare him away. 

Harry's emerald eyes slowly shifted towards the woman standing in front of the stairs. His face was completely blank, but his eyes said something much more differently. Hermione made her way up the stairs, and sat beside the man. 

"Ron told me you took his case." 

"Draco has a dark mark," Harry explained, resting his head on Hermione's shoulders. "Did you know?" 

"That his dark mark returned?" 

"No, that he has a dark mark; not Voldemort's." 

Hermione began playing with her fingers. "No, I didn't, Harry." 

It seemed like those small words was all it took for Harry to start weeping. "He's not going to wake up, is he?" Hermione opened her arms in order to tightly hug her friend. "I'm really sorry, Harry." 

"It doesn't make sense; he was f-fine! He was with me...we were talking, and he just--" As Harry began sobbing, Hermione ran her fingers through his hair, something Draco did whenever he wanted him to calm down. "It would've been better if the poison had just killed him completely. At least like that, I wouldn't have a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, things were finally going to be okay." Hermione kept quiet, knowing that nothing she said would help Harry at the moment. 

"What am I going to do?"

"Harry...." Hermione sharply inhaled and pushed Harry off her. "Your husband is at St. Mungo's. So far he's breathing, and even though there is no anti-curse, he's okay. You ask me what is it that your going to do, well Harry, what are you going to do?

"Will you do like we did five years ago and run around all over England without a real plan in hopes of saving Draco; or will you do as Ron told you, get some sleep, and let everything in? Think everything through, and for the first time stop facing everything head on without thinking of the consequences."

Harry's gaze fell to his trembling hands. Hermione sighed and let him slide back into her embrace. It wasn't long before Harry's soft sobs echoed throughout the empty mansion, and his tears soaked Hermione's cotton jacket, for he knew that even if he tried his hardest, he would never find a spell to reverse the curse without killing Draco in the process.