Family secret (HPDM/DMHP) English version

Prologue

Harry had just apparated to the Malfoy estate, accompanied by a team. As head of the auror's office, he rarely went out into the field, but this case was different. An alert had been sent to the center, announcing that a fiendfyre was ravaging the manor. Knowing that Draco Malfoy was in the United States on a liaison visit to MACUSA, he couldn't be there.

"Beck and Vorez, cordon off the area and question whoever was there! No civilians or reporters are to enter the area! The rest of you, check the surrounding area!" he ordered his men.

He turned to his assistant teammate.

"Ron, with me, we'll take a look inside, in case there's a casualty."

"This doesn't bring back fond memories, Harry..."

"Speaking of memories," he said as he spotted an object lying on the ground a few feet away. "Take the broom over there and fly around above it, I'm going into the manor!"

"But Harry, you..."

"From the looks of it, the fiendfyre started in the west wing, on the second floor. I'll apparat into the dungeons..."

"Harry, if..."

"Ron! You're not going to start overriding my orders?"

"No, but... well, so be it, yell if you need help!"

He didn't have long before the fire reached the basement. Once there, he incanted a lumos and began his search.

"Is anyone there? Here, Auror Potter!"

He ran through the deserted corridors for over two minutes when he realized that no one must be there.

"Potter..."

A small, trembling voice sounded not far from him.

"Where are you?" Harry questioned worriedly.

"There..."

Harry sighed heavily and walked towards her with a quick step. The heat above him was beginning to take over the place, telling him he had to act quickly. He finally spotted a shadow, huddled in one corner of the hallway. As he approached, he knelt down to find a pale face staring back at him with a look of fear.

"Malfoy! I thought you were in New York?"

As he spoke, Harry helped him to his feet, briefly visualizing the tarnished mark on his left arm. Malfoy seemed to be gibbering words he couldn't understand. He was so frail and shaky against his body that Harry wondered what could have happened to him.

"Say again, I don't understand anything," he asked.

"He can't know I'm here," Malfoy replied nervously.

"Who?" Harry questioned, his heart pounding as he met his gray, terror-filled eyes.

"Hush, Potter..." Draco whispered to his with an index finger on his lips.

Harry quickly glanced around to calm his heartbeat. The oncoming fire caught his attention. He had no time to think, so he tightened his grip around Malfoy's waist.

"Hold on tight, we're going to apparat to the outside."

"No!" the aristocrat yelled as he pulled away from him. "I can't. No one can know..."

"Damn it!" swore Harry as he carefully pulled him towards him.

Malfoy looked so confused and disturbed that Harry felt nauseous. This was not the Malfoy he knew. It was frightening, and yet, as he hugged the trembling body to his, his heart did not lie. Only Draco could make it beat like that.