Trying to be Good Mates (Drarry)

Chapter 18

"Harry?" Hermione's voice came from the other side of the door, Sirius' head perking up at the sound of her voice; what was she doing in Malfoy Manor? 

"You can come in, the door isn't locked." Harry called to her, still working through brushing Sirius' matted fur. 

"Malfoy wrote and said you found Sirius," Hermione sat on Harry's bed, Sirius between them, though unlike with the Malfoys he wasn't making himself be. "Harry, I know you want Sirius to be back but... The dead don't come back to life." 

"I know that," Harry's voice had a hardness to it, and he couldn't meet Hermione's eyes, his own green ones fixed on Sirius' black fur. "But then the only explanation is that he didn't die then." 

"Harry, just because this dog looks like Padfoot doesn't mean it's Sirius. How do you explain him being so much smaller?" Hermione tried to take Harry's hand, but he pulled it away. 

"Hermione, look," Harry sighed, looking up at her, though still not meeting her eyes. "I am terrified of dogs; all dogs, except Sirius. In my whole life the only dog I haven't been scared to by core by is Sirius. This dog doesn't scare me at all. I can't explain how, but I know this is Sirius. There's no other explanation." 

"Oe maybe you're getting over your fear of dogs, or maybe you're not scared of dogs that look like Sirius." Hermione's hear broke as she watched Harry cling to his belief, shaking his head at her suggestions. She didn't want him to get disappointed again. 

"No, Hermione, I have seen dogs that look like Sirius before this and I was still terrified. Besides, I think- I-" Harry sighed, Sirius pushing his head into Harry's hand at his clear distress. "My elven side isn't trying to convince me otherwise even though it usually tells me to do whatever other people say." 

Harry felt Sirius tense up at what he said, looking at Harry with worry. 

"There's nothing I can say to convince you, is there?" Hermione sighed, not noticing the changes in Sirius' body language. 

"Of course not. Is there any way I can convince you he is?" Harry's fingers were moving as if they had minds of their own, moving back and forth through Sirius' fur. 

"Not unless he turns back into his human form. Look, I don't want to take this away from you, Harry, but we can't watch you fall apart again. I can't, Ron can't, Remus can't," Sirius' ears perked up at the mention of Remus, though his eyes were sad. "And I know Draco can't." 

"I know." 

----- 

Draco lay awake, staring at his ceiling. 

The next morning they would be going to Hogwarts, and he had barely seen Harry since the trip to Diagon Alley. The dog that Harry was convinced was his dead godfather taking all of his attention. 

Unfortunately the first chance Harry would be able to speak to a mind healer would be the Christmas Holidays, and anyone could tell how thinly Harry was stretched right now. Hermione confirmed the dog was almost identical to Sirius' animagus form, though looking younger. Even if Draco wanted to, his veela side was not going to let him take away the little hope Harry had. 

What could even convince Harry though? 

There was no body, and Sirius hadn't come back as a ghost. If he had come back then Harry would never have believed the dog was the man to begin with. 

Draco sighed, rolling on his side. 

He wouldn't replace Harry for the world, but life would be so much easier if his mate was someone with an easier life. Or even if his mate was someone who knew anything about their intertwined fate.