The Dragon's Kitten

39 - Malfoy Manor

~*~*Draco's POV*~*~

I was pretty much terrified and I hadn't realized that Harry was terrified as well. I was glad when my father accepted Harry although I would have preferred not giving away his secret. Blaise would have paid for what he did if Harry didn't stop me.

Before I knew it our holidays were over. It wasn't that I didn't trust Molly Weasley, it was more that I didn't want to take advantage of her. So I asked Harry if he was okay with letting my parents take care of Scorpious. I was a little surprised when he agreed without any hesitation.

We ended up spending two days at the manor and Harry disappeared for an entire day. I almost thought he left me again. The thought quickly went away since I knew he wouldn't really just leave without Scorpious.

"So. Are you ready to go back tomorrow?"

"Draco, if you want to ask, just ask. I went looking for Nagini. She was his last horcrux." Harry sighed.

"I thought you were done with all of that." I frowned.

Harry shrugged. "I am now. I'm also really exhausted so can we just lay down and sleep."

I knew Harry was trying to avoid a conversation that probably didn't need to happen. It was still a little strange to me but I guess I could understand some of it. Most of his reasons went over my head and I really just didn't want him to disappear again.

"We haven't even eaten dinner. You can just tell me you don't want to talk about it." I sighed.

Harry sat up and shook his head. "I am actually tired. It takes a lot out of me to deal with the horcruxes Draco. I don't even know what to say to you that won't make you feel bad or reopen the wound I left behind anyway."

"Just tell me everything straight forward." I shrugged. "I'm still trying to figure out the..."

"Draco, Harry, dinner is ready." My mother poked her head in.

I nodded my head and looked at Harry. "Eat or talk."

"Eat." Harry said and climbed off my bed.

I was really trying. I was trying to be understanding but honestly none of it made sense. His reasons were vague and unrelated. Nearly 5 months of him being so reliant on me that he almost died and then nothing. He was just gone for basically 10 months. I couldn't understand what changed.

I sat on my bed not really in the mood to eat anymore. I sighed and made my way to the dining room knowing my parents wouldn't let Harry eat unless I was there. Was I the one becoming dependent on Harry? No, I love him and I just have this overwhelming desire to protect him.

I picked at my food until Harry was done eating and then excused myself. My parents gave me funny looks but didn't stop me. I wasn't even paying attention to Harry's expression if I was honest. I was still trying to figure out the shit in my head.

"I changed."

I looked up and frowned. Harry sighed and waited for me to sit before straddling me. I raised an eyebrow and he shrugged.

"It wasn't you or anything you did. It was me. The potion and resulting inheritance had an initial change on my physical appearance and behaviour. I told you that I hid being a Little by doing what people expected. After the potion thing and you being so kind to me I felt secure. Something I hadn't felt in forever. That's why I kept choosing you. Then I fell in love with you. I'm not saying I wasn't before but being around you all the time made me realize the truth of my feelings. When you took me to Griphook and he told me about the inheritance I was hoping that you were my dominant but I didn't want him to tell me." Harry took a deep breath and sighed.

"So you don't..."

"I'm not finished." He covered my mouth. "The potion made me grow to depend on you. The inheritance heightened all of that. It took the few months I was a cat and multiplied it by a thousand. I became even more dependent and attached to you because I felt safe and secure. I don't know if you knew it but I was constantly at war with myself because I wasn't happy with being who I was. I wanted you around but I was constantly scared of people finding out my secret. Then I got sick and almost died because I pushed myself too far. Honestly that whole thing made me think about why I was so dependent on you and it forced me into a position I didn't like. And then the whole thing with your mission and the vow. I didn't want to be in that position again. Seeing you hurt because of the people around you getting hurt. When I got pregnant with Scorpious it was like the lingering effect of the potion was washed away. I felt like myself before the potion. I still felt secure with you but my desire to feel that all the time wasn't governing my decision."

I pulled his hand from my mouth. "So you stopped..."

"Draco! Will you let me finish!?" Harry yelled and I nodded my head. "I never ever wanted to see you in pain because you couldn't do anything to help again. I wanted to protect you from that pain because I know exactly how it feels. I knew what I planned to do would be dangerous and possibly kill me and I never wanted you to see me dying. That's why I left without really saying anything. I knew that if I said something to your face I wouldn't be able to say no to you coming along. I didn't mean to hurt you and that's why I kept Scorpious. I just wanted you to be safe and alive so that when I finished my mission I had a secure home to return to."

I raised an eyebrow and tried not to smile. "Home?"

Harry smiled a little and his face went red. "Yes, Dray. You are my home. My safe zone. My protector. I still only feel safe with you and I still love you that will never change."

"You're saying that you were trying to protect your protector." I smirked a little. "You're so adorable."

"Shut up." Harry pouted.

I couldn't help but smile at him. Sure it still made no sense to me but I could somehow understand what he was trying to get at. I pulled Harry into a kiss and felt him relax almost immediately. I heard crying and honestly almost completely brushed it off. Scorpious wasn't a baby that cries very often if he ever cried at all. Harry on the other hand pulled away from the kiss and got off of me in one swift move.

Scorpious was actually the one crying because I guess he was scared of the snake. Wait... What?!? I stood up and pulled my wand from my pocket. Harry stepped in front of me holding Scorpious on his hip and blocking my aim at the snake.

"She's not going to hurt him." Harry said.

"I thought you said you dealt with the snake." I frowned.

"I did. She's no longer a horcrux. I wasn't destroying the pieces of Tom's soul. I was restoring them." Harry raised an eyebrow. "She's just a normal snake now and she's actually friendly."

I frowned more. "Seriously?"

Harry started to speak in parseltongue and I was even more confused than ever. I had figured something like that would no longer be possible for him. Nagini slithered towards Harry and curled up next to his foot. I slowly started to put my wand into my pocket again and I walked towards Harry.

"How can you still speak Parseltongue?" I asked.

"Dealing with all the parts of his soul left an impression. It's a small one but it's there." Harry shrugged.

"You make no sense." I sighed.

Harry shrugged and I took Scorpious from him. He bent down and picked up Nagini and then left my room.

(1375 Words)