The Re-sorting Hat.

Tacenda.

Harry had stayed. This surprised Draco more than anything else, when he had first arrived at Slytherin he was completely miserable but now he looked...okay he still looked completely miserable but he had reason to be. At first when Draco had heard the announcement he thought Harry would leave and then awkward sneaking about would proceed but this was better. Or maybe not. There was frantic word from his father that he was going to be a ceremony in less than two weeks today and he hasn't had to think too hard to guess what this was. The dark mark. He was sure that his father wanted him to get the dark mark and be what his father was but he didn't want this, however the urgent words that spoke from the parchment more than hinted at urgency and punishment if not obeyed. And Draco was scared, petrified. He didn't want this but what could he do? Say no and walk away? They were his family. And even though the hated, no repulsed, the black snake branded on his father's arm, it had been there since before he had known. But to have one on his own pale arm made him sick to his stomach. He hasn't told Harry any of this, naturally, as he had to think about it first. But Draco was utterly terrified of what would happen if he told Harry.

He'll hate you. He'll punch you in the face and call you scum. He would never look at you ever again. His mind whispered and Draco had to swallow thickly. Now was not the time for this. He had to tell Harry.

But then there was a tap on his shoulder and McGonagall was standing there stern as ever.
"Your mother is in my office, she needs to see you immediately"
Draco felt his heart pound, was this about his father? He got to his feet and left the great hall in a matter of seconds.

Draco paled as soon as he saw her. She was standing facing the roaring fire away from him but her body language screamed despair. Her shoulders were slumped and her long blonde hair was falling limply around her face and what worried Draco more than anything was the wedding ring that she kept fiddling with and she had never done that before. And that scared Draco more than life itself.
"Mother what happened?" Draco asked quietly.
When she turned around and Draco saw tears he feared for the worse.
"Draco..."
"It's father isn't it?" Draco whispered stepping forward.
Narcissa nodded tightly before letting out a sob.
"He was on the run from from aurors and he he.." She broke off "they warned him to surrender but he he..."
Draco felt tears prickle like swords on the back of his eyes and he rushed forward to his mother, hugging her tightly and they held each other like that. By now both were crying and Draco felt the most conflicted he had ever felt in his life. What now? Will I still have to get the mark of the death eaters?
At some point, though merlin knows when, the sobbing had ceased but the room still held two broken people, the last of the Malfoy bloodline.

"What's going to happen now mum? He had said I had to get the dark mark." Draco asked with a hint of desperation, he hoped she could see how much he repulsed the idea.
"I...I don't know Draco but listen to me. I won't let the death eaters take you. You're all I have left and I love you too much to let anything take you away from me."
"But, but how are we going to escape them? It's impossible! Bella had said herself that we could never escape this"
Narcissa sighed deeply and slumped into a chair, dropping her head to rest on her hands. She looked up and spoke quietly and with not enough certainty "We're going to figure it out. I'm sure there's someplace we could go. I'm going to make sure you are safe Draco. I'm not going to loose you too"

-------------------------------------------------------------

When Draco got back to the common room it was deserted. But still somehow after all of this he found himself going to Harry, climbing into his bed, shaking him awake and then demanding "hold me Harry, I need you to hold me and tell me it will all be okay" in a breaking voice.
He was held, Harry clutching Draco close to his chest and rocking back and forth as tears found themselves back in Draco's eyes. He wept that night. He was so confused, angry, sad and above all so very very scared.
He had told Harry that night, everything, though it may have been incomprehensible. But Harry's hand hadn't stopped it gently pattern on Draco's back.
"I think I know where you can go" He remembered Harry saying. "My godfather's will had a building in it and it belongs to me now so you and your mother could go there"
Draco's eyes had lit up and he lunged forwards pressing his lips to Harry's fiercely. Harry had initially gasped but he kissed back with the same passion. 'Thank you. Thank you. Thank you' Draco had said kissing Harry's forehead, cheeks, nose, chin and just about every other inch of skin he could see.
Harry was grinning and gazing hopelessly into Draco's eyes.
"I don't know what state it's in but I'll be safe"
Draco then began to cry again, he saw Harry's face almost break as if it hurt him as much as Draco hurt right now.
"No stop that face. These are happy tears"
Harry still cuddled Draco into his chest and said nothing.

It reminded Draco of a Latin word he had seen once. Tacenda. Things better left unsaid. Because they were both aching - in their hearts - but they both had arms they could fall into when they fell apart. Draco knew only time would fix the void in his heart and so did Harry so there was no use wasting words over that. They both knew how much family meant (the weasleys for Harry). So things better left unsaid were the feelings in this room, in this bed and in this moment.