Everything Remains

Chapter 28: When the Levee Breaks

Draco woke up countless times that night, tossing and turning between the sheets, a sheen of sweat on his brow. 
His nightmares plagued him with images of his father's face, contorted in rage. The flashes of light emitted from wand after wand. The immense feelings of dread that he would be stuck there forever, without ever seeing Harry or his friends again. 

But Harry was there. Wrapped up in the same sheets. Waking with Draco at every point and holding him through. Giving him water and coaxing him back down to the pillow for rest. 

It's not like Draco hasn't had his fair share of nightmares and trauma from Voldemort. Sometimes, he could still see that serpentine face flash behind his eyelids, the cruel curve of his grimace sending shivers down his spine. 

But this was different somehow. This was an immediate problem that was being force upon him BY his parents. His parents weren't protecting him from this fate. They were pushing him towards it. It felt raw, powerful, and drowning. Draco had to accept the fact that his parents were now the enemy, not the barrier between him and the enemy. 

As the sun shine crept through the enchanted room of requirement windows, Draco gave up on the prospect of sleeping. Sitting up abruptly, he rubbed his eyes of drowsiness and turned to Harry's still body, sleeping soundly. 
'How does he do this? After everything he has seen, how the hell does he get any sleep?' Draco shook his head in disbelief, rising softly from the bed as to not wake Harry. 
Draco padded across the expanse of the room to the kitchen door, opening it and stepping inside. 
'I would rather do anything than eat right now, but he needs it. He needs to keep up his health..' 
Draco started to pull out skillets and pans, finding the fridge well stocked. 'Of course, it literally has whatever we need.'

Draco made some eggs, sausage, and toast, trying to absorb the slight feeling of normalcy while he could focus. 
"Hey babe. Smells good." Harry appeared behind the icy blonde, a small smile at the corners of his mouth. 
"Harry. Have some, you need your strength." 
"I will if you do." 
Draco rolled his eyes, joining Harry at the table to eat. 

"Dray. We need to go and talk to Professor McGonagal today and tell her what is going on. She will be able to help us." 
"Do you really think she will be able to help though? My parents are ruthless and relentless. They will come after me, if they haven't already started." 
"I know she can. And I know your parents are intense and sometimes... insane... about you. But you forget their cowardice upon a fight they can't win. She can help." 
"I suppose you're right. Let's get going before they show up here or something." 

Harry and Draco left the Room of Requirement after making sure no one was around to see their departure, arriving at the headmistress office after a few minutes. 
"Damn. What could the password be? I haven't had to use it in months..." 
"Well, looks like that won't be an issue." Draco nodded up the stairway past the gargoyle, where Headmistress McGonagal was descending. 
"BOYS. I have been looking for you. Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger informed me that you would need my help this morning. Well, what are you waiting for? Come up." 
McGonagal waved away the Gargoyle with her hand, ushering Harry and Draco into the office space. 

Harry looked around the room for the familiar half-moon glasses and dark, curtained hair of the two professors he missed most. 
"Potter, they aren't here. I sent them out for surveillance. Now tell me, what is going on? Why have you been missing here and there for days at a time?" McGonagal summoned two cushy armchairs that swept up their legs, forcing them to sit. 

"Profes.. I mean, Headmistress. We had no choice but to leave. When Draco's parents took him home, they were... holding him against his will. They... wouldn't let him leave. So..." 
"So you, Granger, and Weasley took it upon yourself to act? Why is it always you three?" 
Harry couldn't help but chuckle lowly, shaking his head. 
"My... my parents were trying to force me to marry. Astoria Greengrass. They had enchantments upon the house so I couldn't leave and no one could come unless specifically requested. It was all because of Tinks, one of our house elves, that I was able to be rescued." Draco wrung his hands in his lap, his legs and voice beginning to shake. 
"My....my parents... they attacked Harry, Ron, and Hermione once they figured out they were there to save me. They even... attacked me. But we made it. And now I'm terrified that they will come get me again. You don't know what they are capable of...." Draco trailed off, tears flowing silently down his cheeks and onto his robes. 

"Draco. I am very sorry to hear that you went through this. But I am very pleased that everyone is okay, presumably so? 
Now, if you were still a minor, this might be a different story. There is not much that we could do if they requested you return home again. But, you are of age now, correct? This would be considered kidnapping and forceful imprisonment, plus the added attacks against you." McGonagal grabbed a quill and began to write furiously on parchment. 

"I know you are scared right now, and I don't blame you. But we have the rightful law on our side now. I'm writing to Kingsley to catch him up to speed. I would be surprised if Aurors did NOT show up on your parent's door step in the next 2 hours." 

Harry grabbed Draco's hand, squeezing it in reassurance. 
"I... I don't want anything bad to happen to them though... I don't want them in trouble." 
"Draco dear. You didn't deserve what happened to you. Now, and back then. You are allowed to be protected from those causing you harm, even when it is your flesh and blood." 
Draco nodded and sighed deeply, looking down on his hands again.
"What will we do if they are trying to come here and steal me again? What if they are already on their way??" Draco's heartbeat sped up, his voice showing the panic that was rising in his chest. 

"You didn't think that we didn't ensure the utmost safety upon the castle after last year? If you thought it was close to impossible to breach our school then, it's doubly difficult now. But if you are still worried, there is another option." 

"What would that be, Headmistress?" Harry questioned for Draco, afraid of pressuring him further. 
"The information I am about to tell you must stay a secret. So we will need to do some mutual secret keeping for each other. I know that is a monumental ask, so you can discuss before you commit to this." McGonagal looked over her glasses at the men, the seriousness etched across her aging face. 
"You can always count on me." Harry said earnestly, turning to Draco. 
"You... you can count on me too." Draco swallowed back fresh tears that were wanting to escape. 

"Hogwarts has a series of safe houses scattered throughout the country. We put them in place as an extra precaution after the war. If you feel like it would help you to feel safer, you could stay in one for a few days while this gets sorted with your parents."
"I think that would be incredibly helpful. So know one would be able to find us or know where we are?" 
"As your secret keeper, I would be the only one that knows. They are enchanted from the inside out to prevent anyone from detecting them. If you tell anyone though, the secret breaks and it will be viable to be infiltrated. So that means no telling anyone, including Granger and Weasley." McGonagal looked knowingly over at Harry to enforce her point.

"Can I tell them that I will be gone for a few days so they don't worry?" 
"Yes, Potter. But nothing else." 
Harry turned to Draco. "I think this is the best option we have. It is completely safe and away from Hogwarts, which gives another level of safety. What do you want to do Draco?" 
Draco bit his lower lip, pondering the situation. 
"Let's go." 


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