What a Terrible Mess

Chapter 34

It had been months since they'd finished the house, it was now a deeply powerful place, much more so than it had been before. Draco and Blaise had both insisted on a charm on all the fireplaces that caused a person, besides themselves, to foget the location or the words to get back as soon as they left. They'd also insisted on a phrase that could be changed to get there through the floo instead of the name of the house. Everyone was still suspicious of a traitor in their midst, due to the attack on Grimmauld place. Hermione had transfigured another gated fence around the yard, mainly for Ron's sake. Their trip to Diagon Alley had been a successful one and none of them left the house without taking polyjuice first. Dumbledore was up and walking around now, though terribly weak and had announced his return to the wizarding world.

Early additions of the Daily Prophet had came out that night, flooding in everywhere. Dumbledore's twinkling eyes were everywhere they went- announcing that Hogwarts would be back in the fall, stronger than ever. They learned, through Harry's nightmares, that Voldemort was furious and had killed Pansy Parkinson when he discovered that Draco had not, in fact, been killed. Now, most of Harry's nightmares had come back with a vengeance, only easing when Draco began to brew large vats of calming draught and dreamless sleep. Voldemort wanted Draco and Blaise dead. They were too strong an asset to the side of Light, Dumbledore had explained.

Blaise and Neville were still just as in love, having officially bonded and accepted each other as their partners for life. Harry, however, had not. He refused to bond with Draco. Ron and Hermione had been fighting a lot. She fought with nearly everyone when they asked her what was wrong. For reasons only Hermione knew, she was becoming more and more stressed out as time passed; Draco seeming to be the only one unconcerned- urging people to just stop asking and leave her be. When they did, she seemed calmer though Harry and Ron could still see the worry in her eyes.

They were all sitting around the table one morning, eating breakfast, when Neville came in from a garden Blaise had bought the plants for, a rolled piece of parchment in his hand and Abeo on his shoulder.

"We all just got a letter from the rest of the Order. Death Eater's attacked Beauxbatton's last night. No one was killed but several were injured. I think he's trying to make a point to you Draco. Trying to draw you out," Neville said, looking concerned. It was common knowledge that Veela's frequently invited to attend Beauxbattons. Draco had even admitted to getting a letter from both there, and Hogwarts, before knowing his heritage fully. For unknown reasons, he'd chosen Hogwarts- most likely a subconscious pull to his bondmate.

"Good luck to him." Harry snapped, "Draco's not going out there. I hate that there was an attack, it's terrible. But, I'm not going to just send Draco out as a sacrifice, Voldemort can sod off."

"Calm down, Harry, no one expects you to do that," Neville replied- frightened at Harry's temper.

"Neville's right, Harry, there's no point in getting upset." Ron said, watching Harry carefully.

The table shook beneath them, rattling all the dishes together- causing everyone to tense up and push away from it for a moment. Harry sighed and tried to calm down. He was shocked, he hadn't had an outburst like that since he was a child at the Dursley's. Everyone was staring at him,

"I don't know where that came from, I'm sorry. I'm just really angry. I'm sorry." Slamming her plate down, Hermione got up and left the room with a huff- snarling under her breath. Everyone watched her, bewildered. Choosing, yet again, to pretend Hermione hadn't just had a fit, Draco broke the silence,

"No one's going to draw me out, Harry, I'm not stupid," he said, placing a reassuring hand on his bondmate's arm.

"No. He's not," Harry snarled, removing his arm from Draco's touch, "if anything, he's going to draw *me* out- to end this. It's getting really bloody old."