Monster

It wasn’t until they came to the Atrium that Potter started to talk to Draco. “So, Malfoy, the Order’s set up a safe house for you for the time being, and I’m supposed to get you there. Do you think you can go through Side-Along Apparition?” Potter gave him a disapproving frown. “Mrs. Weasley’s going to have a field day with you,” he muttered half to himself.

“I’ll be fine, Potter,” rasped Draco. He already looked weak enough without voicing how sick he really was. Merlin forbid if Potter took advantage of him at a time like this. Maybe he would want to pay Draco back for all those school years he had harassed him. That’d be a fine way to go, for the bully to be killed by the bullied.

“Come on, then,” said Potter. He held out his hand, which Draco stared at without touching. Potter let out a sigh of annoyance. “I won’t bite.”

Draco smirked, making him feel a bit more like himself. “Please, Potter. Can’t you get snakes to do that for you?” Without waiting for an answer, he took Potter’s outstretched hand and almost dropped it in surprise. He wasn’t prepared for the shock of electricity to run from Potter’s cool, calloused hand to his own clammy soft one.

“Are you okay, Malfoy?” Potter said from somewhere far away.

“Y-yeah,” replied Draco breathlessly. “Let’s go.”

He barely held on as Potter turned and they were sent into a dizzying spiral. Rubber bands constricted around Draco’s chest, making his ribs slice into his flesh. He couldn’t breathe; everything in his body hurt. Potter’s hand tightened momentarily on Draco’s and the bands burst. He barely got in a lungful of air when he vomited up the water he had drunk earlier.

“I didn’t think you were well enough for that,” said Potter in disgust as he took a step back from Draco.

A little color returned to Draco’s ashen cheeks. “Sorry,” he whispered as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Harry!” a shrill girl’s voice shrieked from behind them. They turned to see Mudblood Granger running towards them at full speed, her bushy brown locks flowing behind her. She flew into Harry, almost knocking him down. “Harry, we just heard a few minutes ago that the trial went well, and that you did great!” She squeezed him and Draco could feel his stomach churn what little was left in there. Granger pulled away from Potter slightly. “Did you bring Malfoy with you?”

Draco scowled. “I’m right here, Granger.”

She looked over at him and covered her mouth. “Oh, I’m sorry, Malfoy. It’s just… just… have you seen yourself lately?”

“Oh yes,” replied Draco. “You see, in the Ministry, where they’re keeping all of us dangerous Death Eaters, they supply us with mirrors and showers and good meals. I’d say it was even better than what Hogwarts used to be, even though it can never measure up to my mansion,” he added sarcastically, biting his tongue so he wouldn’t slip up and call her a Mudblood out loud.

Granger’s face set into a determined, irritated look, and she put her hands on her waist. “Well, excuse me, Malfoy, I just wanted you to know that you look absolutely horrible. I hardly recognized you.”

Draco narrowed his eyes and shook his head in frustration. If he hadn’t used all his voice in telling her off only once, he would’ve done it again. He caught Potter’s eye gave him as much of a pleading look as he could muster.

“Come on, Hermione; let’s get Malfoy inside so Mrs. Weasley can get him cleaned up,” said Potter.

Granger nodded and gave Potter a smile. “Sure. We need to talk, and Mrs. Weasley wants to feed you too. She says you’re still too thin.” Together they laughed, making Draco feel more alone than ever.

Potter and Granger started walking back towards a quaint brick house. Draco followed the two through a lush garden and through a back door, into a kitchen almost eight times the size of Draco’s cell.

He hardly had time to look around when he saw Aunt Bellatrix in the doorway. He gasped and backed into a counter. It was like looking at a ghost, but she had lighter hair and kinder, caramelized eyes that reminded him vaguely of his mother’s.

“Draco, this is your aunt, Andromeda,” said Potter. “She’s willing to let you live here until you’re healthy again.”

Andromeda examined Draco with curiosity and horror, her fingers drifting over her mouth. “So you’re my nephew?” she whispered softly.

He nodded, still too terrified to talk. One minute, he had thought his Aunt Bellatrix was alive, and the next minute he was meeting his disowned Aunt Andromeda.

She returned his nod. “Harry, will you fetch Molly from Teddy’s room?”

Potter walked past her, leaving Draco, Granger, and Andromeda in the kitchen alone. Granger looked between Draco and Andromeda as they stared at each other. Draco wondered if she was trying to find the similarities of their family in his face like he was doing with hers.

A moment later, Potter walked back in with a lumpy redhead women Draco presumed to be Mrs. Weasley, and a little boy with dark hair and a sad face, who must’ve been Teddy. Mrs. Weasley took one look at Draco, shook her head, and handed Teddy off to Andromeda before rushing over to the stove to make food.

“Draco, this is Teddy, your cousin,” said Andromeda between cooing at the little boy. “Do you want to go shopping with Granmummy? Hmm? Would Teddy like to go with Granmummy?” Giving them a nod of farewell, she left the kitchen with Teddy.

“Draco, would you like some lunch?” Mrs. Weasley asked from the stove. “Sit down, now, so I can feed you properly.”

Potter gave Draco a forced smile. “Told you she’d have fun with you,” he said, earning him a smack on the head with the wooden spoon Mrs. Weasley held.

Draco looked between his two peers at the table. Both sat on either side of the table, leaving an empty seat next to them. Who should he sit with? The Mudblood or the one who potentially ruined his life and saved him from it? He found himself literally repulsed by the thought of both sitting next to Granger or sitting across from her and looking into her great ugly face. His face shifted into a pained expression.

Potter sighed and stood, heading towards the back door. “Mrs. Weasley, I really have to go, they need me at Headquarters–“

“Nonsense, dear!” Mrs. Weasley said as she twirled her wand inside a pot. “You need a good meal to fill you in.” She clucked like a great hen. “You’re still too thin.”

Granger and Potter exchanged a humored look. “Fine, Mrs. Weasley,” said Potter cheerfully, making a point to sit next to Granger this time.

Draco cautiously took a seat across from the duo, giving Potter a small, grateful nod of the head. He returned it, a grin curling his lips. Draco’s heartbeat quickened at the thought of those lips.

“So, Harry,” Granger said, breaking Potter’s eye contact with Draco. “Tell us about the trial!”