A/N: I don't know why it's easier for me to post to Ao3, but it is. There are so many of my works that have yet to make it here. I will work on that. In the mean time, I hope you like this. The first part of this chapter is a sort of prequel. Many people wondered how Harry came to be at the Dursleys and why he was never sent to Hogwarts. That is all answered in the first bit.

January 6th, 1981

It didn't make sense. What would the Dark Lord need with a house elf?

Regulus narrowed his eyes as the implications began forming in his mind. Being a Dark Wizard didn't mean nefarious. There were many upsides to Dark Magic. But… the Dark Lord was tainting all of it. He should have known all along that Sirius was right. Merlin, didn't that just burn?

Things had become less clear over the years and now the war was getting out of hand. Innocent people were dying. Not just the ones that slight the Dark Lord or beseech the good name of pureblood wizards. Innocent children were dying. Innocent elders were dying. Innocent people who never harmed a single soul were dying. The conscious that Regulus swore never existed was beginning to nag at him.

This couldn't continue forever. Something had to give. The only question was when?

It wasn't until Kreacher apparated home wheezing, coughing and nearly dead that Regulus knew this would be the beginning of the end for him. He looked down at his palm and wished that his soulmate would be okay with his decision. It shouldn't have to end like this, but what he wanted didn't matter. Not really.

"Severus." The whisper was clouded in emotion as Regulus couldn't keep his eyes off the raised letters forever inked into his skin. "I'm sorry."

Regulus straightened up and began running diagnostic spells on his house elf. "Wherever the Dark Lord took you, take me there. Now."

The lovely thing about being raised a Black was the knowledge of rituals that should be best forgotten. As Regulus approached the center of the cave, he knew what lay beneath the waters. Danger, darkness and death. How fitting of the Dark Lord, but yet utterly disappointing.

Kreacher was shaking behind him, but Regulus couldn't form the proper words to ease his worries. "Don't enter the water and touch nothing."

When the boat docked, and Regulus made it to the basin, his breath left him in a whoosh. Such Dark Magic. The kind that shouldn't be dredged up. Magic that twists the soul and separates the pieces that are needed to remain whole. What kind of depraved individual would create such a thing? Such a lack of empathy and sound reasoning. This was the mark of someone who can't be redeemed. Not even in delusions of grandeur.

Fighting for what is right was always something that never sat well with Regulus. Perhaps that was his mother speaking or the silence of his father. But as he looked down at what was obviously a Horcrux, he knew that doing what was right was the only path he could walk down. His own redemption lay forgotten, pushed to the side as a morality he didn't know existed sprang forward.

"Kreacher, don't allow me to enter the water and should I pause at any time when drinking this, force it down my throat."

When the elf didn't answer him immediately, he turned to reprimand Kreacher, but paused at the concern in large eyes.

"Master Regulus, Kreacher should drink the liquid."

Despite the mounting evidence of a lack of heart, Regulus felt emotions swell up. "Kreacher, you are a valuable member of the House of Black. My brother can carry on the family line. My mother needs you."

He didn't bother to see how his words faired on the elf. Regulus needed to get this under control while he still had time.

With the first drop of liquid that touched his tongue, Regulus knew that this would be harder than he originally thought. Figures the Dark Lord would use a combination of poison, crippling fear and compulsions for bad memories in one potion.

Regulus clenched the side of the basin tightly as he pulled on every ounce of Occlumency that he could muster. It wasn't a long-term solution, but it would work for now.

Three quarters of the way in and he felt his resolve breaking. "Kreacher, prepare to force the issue at hand."

His hand started to shake, and his heart skipped unhealthy beats. The poison had not only entered his system, but was also making itself known. It was a slow acting poison that was no doubt intended to keep the victim alive for questioning.

It took several attempts at keeping his hand steady before he was able to swallow the next scoop of liquid. The vile taste had his throat closing and his gag reflex kicking in. Distraction was the only way to disassociate with the reality of what was happening. Regulus thought of his soulmate, imagining the way Severus would glare at him when he braided the man's hair. Thought of the way his lover could scare children with a simple sneer. Severus was the only one who understood him and the only one who knew him in ways that seemed impossible.

He dropped the shell chalice in the basin when the pain became too intense. More cracks in his shields began splintering across his subconscious. A small touch to his lips had them parting. Belatedly, Regulus realized it was Kreacher forcing more liquid into his mouth. He wanted to knock the hand away and retreat into his own mind, but knew that the mission needed to be finished out. The Dark Lord could not continue down this path. The Horcrux needed to be destroyed. It had to.

"Master Regulus can do this. Kreacher believes in Master Regulus."

The words surprisingly grounded Regulus. A few more swallows and he was able to grab the locket inside. A quick spell was enough to get a replacement version, no matter how fake it looked. That couldn't be helped.

The moment his fingers touched the gold, Regulus had to clench his eyes tightly and attempt to repair his shields enough to repel the Horcrux. The magic surrounding the locket was recent, which let Regulus know that the Dark Lord's soul had just been splintered. Whether it was the first time or several, he did not know.

"Take me to Severus."

Severus tried not to look at the clock, but it wasn't like Regulus to be this late. Something had been worrying his soulmate lately and he was going to get to the bottom of it.

The crack of apparation had him pulling out his wand and spinning around.

"Regulus." The sight of his lover being supported by a house elf was not welcoming. He hurried over to help bring Regulus to the couch.

"What happened?" He demanded harshly, not caring if the question went to his soulmate or the elf. A quick summons of his potions kit had him prepared for any answer.

Regulus lifted up the locket and watched Severus recoil in disgust. "I stole the Dark Lord's Horcrux."

"Of course you did." There was a pause as Regulus bit his lip, waiting for the inevitable. "Sometimes I wonder if you should have been a bloody Gryffindor like your moronic brother! How I am to be married to you, I will never understand. How am I—"

Severus narrowed his eyes as he looked to the locket and the state of Regulus. With a heavy heart and stinging eyes, he ran a diagnostic spell.

"What did you do?" Severus hated the crack in his voice as he registered the irreversible damage.

"He has to be stopped." Regulus covered Severus' hand with his own and pulled him into a hug. "It's horribly selfish of me to leave this world without you, and I am sorry for that." He fought the tears that wanted to come out. "But I will die fighting this. You know what kind of lack of mental stability it would take for this kind of evil." He shook the Horcrux in his hands, hating the Dark Lord with every fiber of his being.

Severus wanted to despise Regulus for this. Wanted to hate the reckless and horrible morality that his lover had undertaken, but the incessant pulse of Dark Magic seeping into the room from the Horcrux was the only truth required.

"I can't repair the damage," Severus whispered, speaking just for the sake of doing something. Coming to grips with the ultimate decision didn't erase the ache in his heart that was beginning to crush him. "The poison has entered your stream and mutated the cells. You have months at max. Less than a year."

It felt like a death sentence for the both of them. Regulus nodded his head, understanding, but not able to provide any comfort. He would spend every last moment of his life fighting the Dark Lord.

"Are there more?" Wondered Severus as he clung tightly to Regulus' robes, not wishing to continue the discussion but needing a distraction.

Regulus would like to believe that one was enough, but the Dark Lord wasn't one to do something lightly. The chances of there being more was high. "Probably. Most likely."

Severus sighed heavily and braced himself for the inevitable recruitment that his soulmate would no doubt beg him of.

"You'll help me, won't you?"

As if Severus could deny him anything. "If I must."

Despite the aura of wrong that permeated the space near the locket, Regulus pulled Severus closer and allowed his mind to wander.

How does one take out a man so evil that splitting the soul was something done as a necessity? Is there any amount of good in the world to counteract such a thing?

March 16, 1981

Severus apparated straight to Regulus, ignoring the man's shout of surprise. His mind was still processing everything that he had overheard. It wasn't until a few minutes later that he realized they were in a ruined shack.

"Lovely renovation. Plan on moving in?"

Regulus grinned, shaking his head as he took down the wards surrounding the next Horcrux. "Found another one."

That had Severus straightening up, but he didn't move an inch. There was no telling what kind of spells were still in place.

"What are you doing here?" Regulus wondered, moving a few feet to the right to allow his magic to travel with the shift of air his movement caused. There was some kind of pull that was centered in the air around the Horcrux. "I thought you were sent to spy on Dumbledore."

"I was." Severus watched Regulus work in interest. He was strikingly good at the Dark Arts. "But I overheard a prophecy."

Regulus almost jerked his wand enough to send the magic into overdrive. "What?"

If the situation were different, Severus would have laughed. "At first, I discounted everything Trelawney spoke of. None of it made sense and I was positive she was a fraud. When it seemed as if Dumbledore was of the same opinion, she entered a trance."

Regulus shook his head, barely focusing on his magic as he tried to concentrate on what Severus was saying. "But prophecies never amount to much. So much can change with a simple decision."

"I know." Severus arched a brow, not bothering to keep the censure out of his tone.

"Did you tell the Dark Lord?"

When Regulus looked up to see a harsh glare sent his way, he bit his lip to stop from smiling. "Alright, sorry I asked."

Severus pretended not to hear him. "He'll summon me later tonight. I wanted to discuss it with you before I tell him anything."

Regulus paused, blinking rapidly. "Why? What was it about?"

"The downfall of the Dark Lord." Severus smirked at the way his soulmate gaped inelegantly.

Regulus paced around the room pointedly not looking at Severus healing himself. The Dark Lord hadn't been forgiving when it was discovered that no information had been provided on the happenings of Dumbledore.

"Let me get this straight. Trelawney's prophecy suggests that a child will be the downfall of the Dark Lord? One born at the end of July?"

Severus didn't bother responding. They had been over this countless times.

"But this doesn't make sense. There are multiple children that this could fall to. That would imply that the child would be whoever the Dark Lord chooses to go after. That alone is specific, the choice alone would suggest that it's about the Dark Lord and not the child."

"Mhm." Severus added, swallowing the last of his muscle relaxant potion. "It raises the age-old question; if a prophecy is announced, but there is no one around to here it, does it come to fruition?"

Regulus shook his head. "That's neither here nor there. You and Dumbledore were there to hear it."

"Yes," Severus conceded. "But not the Dark Lord. He is blissfully unaware of any such prophecy." Which was a good thing. If the man was aware of such a thing, he would stop at nothing to quash any such competition. Whether the prophecy was real or not.

That had Regulus humming softly. "If he is unaware of the prophecy, he can't force the hand by choosing a child intentionally."

"Doesn't mean the prophecy still couldn't come true." Severus pointed out, ignoring the glare sent his way. "Although, the whole thing is moot. Putting stock into anything as frivolous as a prophecy is a waste of time. The Dark Lord alone could have changed the course of the prophecy by any small choice he has made since it was announced."

Logically, Regulus knew this. He understood everything that Severus was saying, but if they were really going to take out Voldemort, then he wanted to cover every angle possible.

"We're going to protect every child that could fit this prophecy."

Severus sighed heavily. "Of course we are. Of bloody course we are." Love was stupid, idiotic and never a good idea. It was also the only reason he was going along with this stupid, idiotic and not good idea.

May 31st, 1981

"What makes you think I should trust you?"

Regulus sighed internally as he peered at Lily Evans-Potter. "I honestly don't care if you believe me. It's up to you on whether you want a dead child or not." He knew there was a less crass way of responding, but he didn't have time to deal with this. Either she was with him or not.

"Does Voldemort know about the prophecy?" Lily asked, eyeing him with a touch of hatred.

"If he did, do you think you would still be out in the open?" Honestly, this was becoming a waste of time. "I knew I should have listened to Severus." His soulmate had suggested protecting from the shadows and never forming contact with the families.

"Severus?" Regulus frowned when her eyes got a faraway look to them. "He sent you?"

"In a manner of speaking." There was an odd pause as she regarded him intently.

Lily sighed heavily. "Alright. I've got a sister that could watch him for a small amount of time when the moment comes."

Finally. They were getting somewhere. Now all he had to do was visit the Longbottom's.

July 21st, 1981

Regulus slammed open their bedroom door and scowled at his sleeping lover. "We've got a problem."

"Yeah," Severus began, not bothering to open his eyes. "Mine is a pretentious prick who wakes people up in the middle of the night."

"It's not like you need your beauty sleep." Regulus barely dodged the wandless stinging hex sent his way.

"How did the summoning go?" He hadn't been required to attend since no potions were of need.

Regulus worried his lip between his teeth. "The Dark Lord has decided the quickest way to demolish the Order is by taking out the strongest contenders."

Severus snorted loudly. "It's taken him how many years to come up with that brilliant deduction?"

"The Potters and the Longbottoms are on his list."

That had Severus sitting up and blinking rapidly to clear the sleep from his eyes. "Does it seem as if he is aware of our plan?"

"No." Regulus shook his head slowly. "There were several other names on the list as well. But those two were at the top."

Severus narrowed his eyes taking in the agitation to Regulus' stance. "This isn't proof of the prophecy."

"I know." And he did. Regulus was aware that this could be a coincidence or just the normal succession of events. But he couldn't help but worry.

"When does he plan to attack?"

"The moment his operative returns."

Severus huffed, not liking the secrecy. "Any ideas on who is the source?"

Regulus shook his head, not sure of who in the Order was selling primary intel. "Bellatrix seems to be aware, but you know her. She isn't telling." His dear old cousin was more of a nuisance than anything.

"That's just great." Mumbled Severus, not bothering to hide his disdain. This meant they were flying blind with little information. Of course they were.

"We have to reach out to both families and relay what we know."

Severus wanted to point out that they hardly knew anything, but the determined glint to Regulus' eyes let him know it would be pointless.

It was clear that he was just along for the ride anyways.

August 1st, 1981

Regulus smirked as he flooed home. They were one step closer to accomplishing their goals. He leaned against the wall and watched Severus move around the kitchen. Despite being the youngest Potion's Master in centuries, his soulmate couldn't cook whatsoever. At this point, Regulus would take the week-old leftovers over whatever was burning on the stove.

"If you are just going to stare at me, you might as well come help."

The snipe had Regulus smiling fondly as he entered the kitchen. "It would be a disservice to provide assistance. Surely, you don't want us to salvage whatever it is you are ruining."

Severus turned around to smack Regulus on the hand with a wooden spoon. "Why am I with you? I truly have no idea why I put up with you."

Regulus took the spoon out of Severus' hands and wrapped his arms around the surly man. He didn't respond to the question, they both knew how much they meant to the other.

"What has you in a good mood?"

The question wasn't a surprise anymore. Regulus wasn't sure how Severus always managed to know his mood. "I found another Horcrux."

Severus closed his eyes, wishing that this wasn't good news. When did his life become so messed up? Each day that he woke up with Regulus was just another reminder that his time with his soulmate was running out. "Where was it?"

"Inside the Black family vault."

Severus listened to Regulus regale a rather boring story of how he had stumbled across it when doing a favor for Bellatrix.

The chime of the clock in the living room was just another reminder of the time that was slipping by.

September 13th, 1981

"Severus, love of my life and the best-looking man in this room," Regulus was cut off by a suspicious look from the man.

"What do you want? Your flattery is atrocious and so off putting I could fall asleep."

Regulus huffed before shoving Severus' shoulder somewhat playfully. "I need you to seduce Malfoy."

When Severus choked on nothing, Regulus couldn't help but grin. It wasn't everyday he was able to get a reaction like that out of the man.

"I must have heard you incorrectly. If you ever want to touch me again, I better have heard you incorrectly." Threatened Severus, shuddering at the thought of seducing Lucius Malfoy.

"I just need you to distract him enough that I can get into his library." Regulus looked around the ballroom, making sure the other guests in the Manor weren't nearby.

Severus crossed his arms and gestured for more information.

"There's another one here." After all of the Horcruxes they have found, Regulus was beginning to be able to form a detection within his own magic for the Horcruxes. He could feel the twisted presence lingering in the Manor.

Severus sighed heavily. "If he so much as looks at me the wrong way, I am going to make him impotent."

"Do make sure someone photographs it. I would like the photo on my gravestone as my best living memory," Regulus teased before pressing a quick kiss to Severus' cheek.

Severus looked at Lucius and grimaced as the man moved around the room. He debated about even attempting to flirt with the aristocrat, but the thought of Regulus being caught had him surging forward.

"Lucius, how charmed it is to see you." When the man smirked at him widely, Severus had to force himself to remember that he was doing this for Regulus. Which his soulmate owed him for heavily.

The lie fell easily, and the long but creepy conversation afterward was worth it to see Regulus slip back into the room with a smile on his face.

October 31, 1981

The time for false pretences was over. Regulus knew the moment that they were to split up and attack multiple members of the Order that it was time.

He turned to Severus and spoke before his lover could. "Watch over the Longbottom's, will you? I'll head to the Potters before the Dark Lord arrives."

Severus searched his soulmate's eyes before pulling him in closely by the collar of his robes. "Be safe." He whispered against Regulus' lips. "Return to me."

The kiss was far gentler than Regulus could ever remember them sharing. His heart twisted painfully, and his muscles jerked. The side effects of the poison were getting worse and he knew that he had to do this before his muscles atrophied in the coming weeks.

"I love you, Severus." Regulus cupped Severus' jaw. "Even if you are a grumpy git."

Severus shook his head fondly. "I love you too, even if you are a reckless idiot that should have his Slytherin status revoked."

Regulus smiled into one last kiss before he apparated out of the room.

The moment Regulus apparated to the designated area that he was to call for Lily, he was being pushed behind a tree.

"Please take him to my sister." Lily begged, handing over a small child bundled in a blanket. "Dumbledore thinks there is a traitor amongst the Order."

Regulus would have whistled slowly if he had the time. Merlin, was the old man just now aware of the leak? No wonder the Order was going to fall tonight.

"Tell her I will come for him shortly. A few days tops."

He thought that was a little brazen to assume that she would survive an attack from the Dark Lord, but Regulus chose to say nothing.

He nodded his head and secured the Potter child closer to his chest.

"Thank you for doing this," Lily whispered, eyes glued to her son. "I don't know what I would do if Harry were in harms way. Just thank you."

Regulus looked down at the sleeping child. The life that represented not just the innocence of one child, but the innocence of all children. This was what the wizarding world should be fighting for. Maintaining innocence of the next generation.

He watched Lily kiss her son on the head and wondered if life had been different, if he could have had a child with Severus. With a crushed heart and a small child in his arms, Regulus apparated away.

Regulus took a deep breath as he knocked on the door of the most appalling house he had ever seen. Sure, the outside was neatly trimmed, but the synchronized conformity was appalling. Did muggles not have free thought? Or did all houses look the same?

A small gurgle had him peering down at the baby Potter. He sighed heavily when the child grabbed hold of his finger. Regulus didn't have the same optimism as Lily.

As the door opened and a woman with a rather long neck glared at him, he wondered if this would end up being the child's permanent residence.

"Your sister left a letter for you," Regulus offered kindly, hoping that Lily had explained everything to her.

When the woman snatched the child from his hands and closed the door in his face, Regulus was reminded why he had signed up to be a death eater in the first place.

"Fucking muggles."

The magic in the air was the first thing that let Regulus know the Dark Lord was winning. He ran towards the coordinates that were provided by the traitor.

The Potter house was in shambles. He let out a breath as he clenched his fists. A fire was breaking out among the pieces of the house that was intact. Bodies of fallen death eaters littered the ground, but he could care less about them.

As Regulus approached, he could make out the Dark Lord in the broken entrance to the home. The man was clutching a huge gash in his chest and barely breathing.

"Regulus, assist your Master."

Regulus closed his eyes at the command. He wasn't sure if all of the Horcruxes had been gotten rid of. It was always possible that there was more out there.

He waited until the Dark Lord closed his eyes for a brief moment before sending a patronus message to Severus. If he was going to die, it would be with the conscious effort in letting his soulmate know how much he was treasured.

"Yes, M'Lord." The tone held enough fear that Regulus knew the man wouldn't be suspicious.

The safest means of getting rid of the Dark Lord would be the same way he got rid of the Horcruxes.

"Tonight, was a win. The Potters are dead."

A pang went through Regulus at the thought of the Potter child being raised without his parents, but he pushed that to the side. It would seem that without any knowledge of the prophecy, the Dark Lord held no thought for the missing child.

The moment Regulus came within contact of the Dark Lord, he took a deep breath and slashed his wand.

Fiendfyre exploded around them, causing red eyes to snap open. "What have you done?"

Regulus ignored the burning of his feet as he clung to the Dark Lord. "Doing what is necessary." He encased them in a shield and tackled the already weak man to the floor.

Death was inevitable. His time had been limited the moment he drank the poison. At least this way, he was taking out an evil that should never have been unleashed onto the world.

The sound of the Dark Lord's screams and the smell of burning flesh was the last thing that Regulus could actively make out. As he closed his eyes, a last fleeting image of Severus was what drew a small smile forward before everything was blissfully blank.

Severus handed the Longbottom child off to Augustus Longbottom gratefully. The annoying child had spit up on him twice. Regulus owed him for this.

Before he could offer some kind of parting goodbye to the Longbottom matriarch, a wispy silver Falcon landed on his shoulders.

The sight of the patronus had Severus tensing. They weren't ones to leave messages in such an open method.

"I love you."

Three words that would normally fill him with warmth had his heart twisting painfully.

"No." Severus felt his knees buckle but he didn't bother to hold onto anything. Not when the weight of the words sunk in. Regulus wouldn't have sent this unless something dire was happening.

Denial is a dangerous thing. Despite the knowledge of what the patronus stood for, Severus had to do something. Had to find a way to protect Regulus.

"Don't kill me," Severus whispered, allowing his pain to manifest in a false show of fear. Death was nothing if Regulus was already gone to the world.

"That was not my intention." Dumbledore's tone was harsh and far crueler than Severus could ever remember hearing, but it did not matter. Death eaters weren't someone to be taken into account when dealing in pleasantries.

"What is it you seek? Do you come bearing any final demands?" There was an odd fluctuation to the Headmaster's tone, but he didn't have the time to figure it out.

"No, I come on my own merits and not by the Dark Lord's account."

When Dumbledore said nothing, Severus wondered if something else was going on. Something he was not quite aware of.

"Severus, do you come to me now to protect Lily while you handed your Master the knowledge of the prophecy?"

Severus was thankful his head was bowed. Lily? That would suggest that the Dark Lord had gone to the Potters himself. If so, it wasn't with the knowledge of the prophecy. He could speak up and tell the truth, but they hadn't worked this hard for it to end now. There were dozens of reasons why they hadn't gone to Dumbledore when the truth of the Horcruxes came about. Trading one Dark Lord for its counterpart wasn't smart. Desperation was the only thing keeping Severus still.

"It's too late. The Potter's are dead, and their house obliterated."

The giant well of denial burst so suddenly that Severus sagged under the weight of mounting grief. "Were there any bodies found?"

If Dumbledore thought this question odd, he didn't voice it. "Decimated remains of his followers."

Severus closed his eyes tightly as his nails dug into the palm of his hands. The truth was undeniable, and his heart had long ago shattered.

"What of the Dark Lord?"

There was a long pause, almost lengthy enough to have Severus peering up at the man, but he restrained himself. Now was not the time to give away his secrets.

"He is gone."

Before he could take a shaky breath in relief, Dumbledore continued, fracturing his momentary pass at stability.

"Voldemort will return."

No. No. Regulus can't have died for nothing. His soulmate; his beautiful, generous and kind soulmate didn't deserve this kind of ending. Not when they had worked so tirelessly for months. Not when they did more in the effort of bringing the Dark Lord down than the Order has in years.

Despite the vague tone, Severus couldn't help but be annoyed at the lack of context. It was clear that the man was aware of the Horcruxes, but how deep did that knowledge go? Was he aware of everything they did to destroy them?

"And when he does, I fear he will seek out other means of destruction. Far more dangerous than he has before."

Severus rolled his eyes. If Dumbledore thought he was going to buy into this, then he was mistaken.

"I will overlook your lapse in handing over the prophecy if you offer something in return."

The instinct was to deny this vehemently, but the odds were in the favor of Dumbledore. Should the Dark Lord return at a later date, he would need the support of someone as powerful as the Headmaster. Especially if he was to use this knowledge to find the last of the Horcruxes.

"What is it you need?"

"You know how and why Lily died, make sure it was not in vain. I require your service."

Severus nodded his head as he felt his will being carted from one Dark Lord to another that shrouds the light as a weapon.

He was doing this for Regulus. All of it for Regulus.

His soulmate owed him.

Harry exhaled softly, watching the peaceful way Draco's breathing mellowed. It had been hard calming his soulmate down after another episode, but he didn't mind. He knew that Draco worried about being considered a burden, but Harry could never see it like that. The year he had spent mourning Draco's death was pure hell. The thought of losing his soulmate before ever getting the chance to meet them, had been something that killed a piece of his spirit. Despite Draco being alive, that piece never came back. The part that mourned, cried and screamed its grief, would never be quite what it used to be. Nothing about their current situation would deter Harry. Nothing would keep him away from his soulmate.

"I love you." Harry whispered, placing a gentle kiss to the top of blond hair. He knew that his boyfriend was asleep, which was honestly one of the only reasons he was able to get away with it. Draco wasn't the best at handling affection. Although, that was something Harry could understand. Sometimes, never having something can create a disassociation. They were both touch starved and loved each other, but Harry knew that Draco had a hard time expressing his wants. Not that it bothered Harry, he loved everything about Draco. Even the things the man couldn't voice.

Change wasn't something that came easy to either of them, but Harry was fairing well with his new life. Finding out that he had magic had come as a shock, but it paled in comparison to finding Draco. He could live without magic and be just fine. He could even live without Draco, but he didn't want to. Not when he knew what it was like to have the snarky git in his life.

Magic itself was rather confusing. He supposed if he had been brought up to learn it as others had, that it would make more sense, but Harry just found it to be more of a nuisance than anything. Magic tended to make things more difficult. Sure, there were plenty of times where magic was quicker and more efficient, but it was also lazier. Why summon something to him when he could get off his arse and go get it himself? Why use magic to heat up his water when he could just use a kettle on the stove? Wizards were beyond lazy, and Harry just didn't get it.

In some areas, he was completely fascinated with magic. The medical advances were astronomical. But he couldn't help but wish that wizards would find a way to help muggles in that aspect. It didn't have to be flashy or break the statue of secrecy, but he just wished they would do something.

His own magic was difficult. Different than most wizards but still difficult. Draco had asked the healers to run tests on him and they showed that his aptitude for magic wasn't as high as a typical wizard, only slightly higher than that of a muggle or a squib. Which wasn't something he really cared about. He had gone his whole life just fine without magic. The knowledge of its existence wasn't going to change his viewpoint on life.

After finding out more and more about the wizarding world, he had been worried that Draco would grow to dislike his lack of interest in the wizarding world, but his worries turned out to be fruitless. His soulmate didn't care one iota if he never used magic at all. At the time, the healers in the room appeared to be quite startled by this. It wasn't until he had learned more about Draco's family that the statement really solidified it all for him. Draco loving him was a statement in its own right and Harry couldn't help but melt at everything his boyfriend said on the subject. All of Draco's pureblood ideals were crumpled into nothing every time they kissed, or acknowledged their relationship.

Being with Draco was easy. People tend to think that love is difficult, and it can be depending on the situation. But with Draco? It wasn't something he had to actively think about. Being with his soulmate came subconsciously, everything inside him moved towards his boyfriend instinctively. They argued at times, especially when the blond pain was being thick. It usually was always centered around Draco's recovery. Tearing down walls to safeguard insecurity was difficult. Draco had spent his whole life sectioning himself off from everyone, never allowing anyone inside. It wasn't as simple as scaling the walls, Harry had to blast through them before he could build them up with proper care and all the love he could possibly possess.

It wasn't as if this was one-sided. He believed that the only way to really showcase how they would become a unified front, would be with the knowledge that they needed to heal together. Just as Draco allowed him inside his walls of internal fortitude, Harry allowed Draco inside. Allowed his soulmate to see the bits that no one else knew existed. There is a certain strength in allowing oneself to be vulnerable in a healthy atmosphere. They may not have started off knowing each other well, but as the weeks went by, Harry knew without a doubt that Draco was everything to him. The other man knew everything about him, knew what made him tick, knew what he detested and even knew his own desires. Which was something that went both ways. Harry could honestly say that he knew Draco better than anyone else.

The sound of a chime let Harry know that the healers wouldn't be around for Draco's afternoon checkup for another few hours. He could go back to his flat—the one he was dangerously close to being kicked out of—but the thought of leaving his boyfriend didn't sound too appealing.

He knew he wasn't supposed to get in bed with Draco, but the healers wouldn't be around for a bit and Harry really wanted to hold him.

Harry had just settled down enough to fall asleep when he heard the door open. He wondered if it was Dobby, but the house elf wasn't supposed to visit for a few more days. He wasn't sure what to think of Dobby. The house elf was… odd. But he welcomed any friend of Draco's with open arms. Anyone that had done as much for Draco as Dobby had, was alright in his books.

Whoever they were, they were making a bunch of noise without saying anything. Harry furrowed his brows, trying to remember the spell to make it so that he could talk without Draco hearing him. Harry had been given Draco's wand to take care of, since the healers were still restricting his boyfriend's magic. But Harry couldn't hold a wand without feeling utterly ridiculous. A stick of wood was supposed to be his conduit? A flimsy breakable stick? Every time Harry touched the wand he felt silly, like a child pretending to be a wizard. He had seen the healers perform magic and even Ron and Hermione a few times when they stopped by, but it was just odd for him. While alone, in the privacy of his flat or with Draco, he had discovered that he liked to do magic without a wand. It was easier to pick up his own method than to learn the proper way. Magic wasn't something he used often at all. But when he did, it was far easier to pull it from within than to expend it outwards with a stupid wand.

Harry pulled his magic to him as he cast a silencing charm. At least, he hoped he did. Magic was still a guessing game for him. Only when the newcomers began talking loudly, and Draco was still sleeping, did he relax.

"Woah." One of the visitors whispered. "I don't think healers are allowed to sleep with their patients."

"Doesn't look like a healer to me." A second voice argued, both male.

"If either of you wake up Draco, I will personally disembowel you." Harry threatened, not bothering to roll over and see who he was talking to. "I'll do it without magic too." They didn't need to know that he had cast a silencing charm.

"Fucking hell!"

Harry snorted at the horror in the first visitor's tone. He sighed heavily before rolling over and standing up. He blinked at them, but they were a blurry blob without his glasses.

As soon as he could see, he held out his hand politely. "Hello, I am—" Harry trailed off when he noticed the way they stared at him with a flabbergasted but also painful expression.

Harry cocked his head to the side, looking at them closely. They seemed to be peering at him as if he should know them. The were both older, late thirties to early forties. One had long black hair that was a little unkempt, he had laugh lines and a kind face, but his eyes told a different story. His eyes were clouded in something else, something that was a little haunting.

The man next to him had light brown hair but several scars adorning his body, including his face. He seemed kind, but also tired. Harry could tell they were soulmates without having to see their marks. It was the way they leaned into each other and mirrored the other's stance. There was an understanding that screamed soulmate.

"Harry?" They both whispered, voice cracking.

There was an awkward silence as Harry nodded his head and took a step away from them. He had no idea who they were, and their stares were beginning to creep him out. Stranger danger.

"How do you know me? I am positive I have never seen you before." He narrowed his eyes when they both seemed to deflate, as if he had somehow wounded them. It would seem they were creepy and emotional.

"We knew your parents."

Harry felt the breath leave him in a painful choke. He had always wanted to know more about his parents, but the Dursleys refused to tell him anything but falsehoods. Their explanation of a car crash was a lie, he had always known that. Car crashes are generally reported and there is always a trail. Only, there wasn't a single whisper anywhere when it came to his parents. He had known that they wouldn't elaborate, but the mystery of his parents had always left a sizable hole inside of him.

"We thought you died with them."

The more they spoke, the more Harry wasn't sure he wanted to know more. There was grief in their faces and in their tone. He wasn't sure he could handle it. The thought of leaving entered his mind, but he couldn't do that. Not with Draco still sleeping. That wouldn't be fair to his soulmate. He took another step back until his knees hit the bed. He wished he wasn't on the same side as them. Retreating was becoming difficult.

Just when he was going to panic further, a hoarse whisper caught his attention.

"Harry."

Harry spun around to look at Draco, who was sitting up with a worried expression on his face. All it took was for pale arms to spread in an invitation before he launched himself at his boyfriend.

Draco tightened his hold on Harry and ran his fingers through messy locks. The sound of Harry's quick intake of breath worried him.

"It's just—" Harry trailed off, hiding his face in Draco's neck. He wasn't sure how to voice it. No one knew about his parents. At least no one until now. The Dursleys treated his parents as a taboo topic, and would become angry if they were brought up. He had gone so long keeping them as a secret that he wasn't sure he could handle unearthing it all. Especially with people that knew them.

"I know," Whispered Draco. Harry had told him the very little that was known about his parents and Draco knew that had been difficult. How could it not?

The understanding in Draco's tone had Harry relaxing into the hold. "You shouldn't be comforting me. It should be the other way around."

Draco pressed a kiss to the top of Harry's head, ignoring the surprise he knew his soulmate was probably experiencing. "Says who? We are here for each other, Harry." Besides, he was getting sick of needing to be comforted. Draco couldn't wait to get out of this bloody place.

A smile into his neck had Draco smiling softly. "Just let me hold you." He whispered, hoping his voice wouldn't carry.

Harry nodded the best he could with his head where it was. A sudden thought had him pulling slightly away. "Did I wake you? I thought I placed the silencing charm correctly." He ignored the guests in the room, not caring about them at the moment.

"You did," Draco told him in amusement. "Only, you put it around the room and not just around you. So, I was included inside the charm."

The way Harry deflated had Draco shaking his head. "But it was still a good spell. You successfully pulled it off."

The praise was nice, but Harry was bummed that it hadn't gone as he thought it would. "I just didn't want to wake you." He cupped Draco's cheek as he ran his thumb along the purple marks underneath silver eyes. "You needed the sleep."

"I can sleep at any point in the day."

That wasn't entirely true—something they both knew—but Draco didn't feel like elaborating. Sometimes, his mind couldn't help but relapse and sleep wasn't up to him.

There was guilt on Harry's face and Draco wasn't having any of it. Distraction was the only thing that would work on Harry.

"I love you."

Harry felt a grin form on his face despite himself. "I love you too." He wanted to tease Draco for being a sap, but now was not the time. He would wait until they were alone to do that.

"What's going on here?" An exasperated tone pulling their attention elsewhere.

Draco gazed at Sirius as he lifted a brow. "I don't know if you've ever had a hug before, but this is what it looks like."

Harry snorted when the man let out a heavy sigh. He ignored the question and moved until he could stare at the two visitors. "How is it you knew my parents? And why did you think I was dead?"

The two men shared a long look before one of them cleared their throats. "My name is Remus Lupin, and this is Sirius Black. We were friends with your parents at school."

The statement had Draco jerking a little, tightening his hold on Harry. "Hogwarts? Harry's parents were wizards?"

Harry had known since finding out about being a wizard that is was possible that his parents were ones too.

As Remus nodded his head slowly, Harry looked to Sirius, who hadn't said anything. There was a certain longing in the man's eyes that felt weird to him. He wasn't sure what their relationship with his parents were, but he was beginning to think it was a close friendship and not just acquaintances.

"We were best friends since our first year." Sirius whispered, attracting both Draco and Harry's attention. "Your father was the best man I had ever known."

Harry turned his head back into Draco's neck, not sure he could meet the man's eyes.

"He wasn't one for rules and I can't say we were either." There was a slight chuckle that Remus released, and Harry just knew there was a story there. Probably many. "Despite that, he valued morality and stood up for injustice. I won't lie and say that he was perfect or there were never mistakes, but James Potter was a brave man and loved you so much."

Harry clenched his eyes tightly, wishing just once that his own father could tell him that. Wishing that it wasn't secondhand knowledge. "What about my mother?"

Draco watched Remus smile and he furrowed his brows. Why didn't they tell him about any of this when they found out about Harry being his soulmate? Sure, the battle happened so suddenly afterwards, but it's been years since then. He had been stuck inside St. Mungos for over two years.

"Lily," Remus began, voice soft. "She was very opinionated about life in general. If something wasn't up to her standards, then she changed it. Changed herself or the situation in general. Lily was a fierce protector of others and couldn't stand bullying or any kind of injustice. She was brave, beyond daring and held so much courage. Lily wasn't one to sit back and let other's pave her path. Which is why in the beginning, James and she didn't see eye to eye."

That had Harry arching his brows. It wasn't really surprising; some soulmates don't get along.

Sirius let out a barking laugh and Harry couldn't help but smile at the sound. It was obvious the man was someone that saw the joys in life. "She always told James that it didn't matter if they were soulmates or not. There were parts of his personality that she herself couldn't agree with. Lily thought he was too brash, too much of a rule breaker and just a git in general. It wasn't until their seventh year that James mellowed out and she really took notice of who he was as a person."

"They loved each other?" It wasn't something Harry needed an answer to, but it was something that he had always wondered.

"Very much." Both Sirius and Remus answered in unison. "You were their whole world. They lov—"

"Please don't." Harry choked out, holding onto Draco tighter. He couldn't hear it again.

A slightly awkward silence settled around the room, but Harry wasn't keen to change it. Part of him felt like he was hiding inside Draco's embrace, but at the same time, it was comforting.

"How did they die?"

"Voldemort."

Both Harry and Draco jerked. Harry had been told about Voldemort and the things that led to Draco choosing a side.

Draco shook his head in confusion. "But wouldn't that have been public? Wouldn't that have been announced? How did Harry survive? Was he even there? What happened?"

The concern and the rush of questions had Harry smiling softly as he ran his fingers along Draco's night shirt.

"It was public," Argued Remus. "Just not in the way you are thinking."

Sirius looked at them both before running a hand over his face. "Voldemort had gotten wind of an impending battle that we were planning. He knew which of the Order were more powerful and aimed to knock them out first. When whispers got back to us that your parents would be targeted first, plans were made. Not only did we have the house under protection, but there was back up."

Harry listened closely, getting the feeling that some details were unknown or even misleading.

"Remus was away trying to recruit werewolves to our side." Draco watched the way Remus looked down with curious brows. Did the man blame himself for not being there?

"I had been assigned by Dumbledore to be at a false safehouse. It was supposed to lead Voldemort's resources on a wild chase, but there was a traitor among our midst."

Harry snapped his head up angrily. There was a traitor? Someone had been on their side and sold out his parents? It wasn't until Draco's hand rubbed his back soothingly, that his angry furrowing mellowed out.

"What happened after that is a lot of hearsay. All witnesses to what happened that night are dead. A fire broke out at some point during the battle and everyone was decimated."

Draco hummed curiously. "A fire shouldn't have gotten rid of magical signatures, there should have been a trail somewhere."

"It was a Fiendfyre," Whispered Remus, hands clenched, and eyes narrowed angrily.

The name wasn't familiar to Harry, so he lifted his head to Draco and silently asked for an explanation.

"It's a curse, powerful Dark Magic. Fiendfyre is hard to control once unleashed, any idiot can cast the spell, but it takes someone with knowledge and experience in the Arts to manage it afterwards. The countercurse is harder to learn than the original spell, which makes it very deadly in the hands of the uneducated. Due to this, it was outlawed by the Ministry."

Harry nodded in understanding, not sure why anyone would want to cast the spell in a confined space to begin with. That could always lead to them getting caught in the aftermath.

"Did Voldemort cast the spell?"

Sirius shrugged as his hands lifted up in the air. "There is no saying. He would know how to control the fire, but it goes against his previous casting methods. If he did cast it, he was caught amongst the spell too."

The logic of the whole thing wasn't sitting well with Draco. Voldemort wasn't someone that would get caught in his own spells. Something else was going on here, there had to be.

Harry sighed, not sure he was really understanding anything. "What of the traitor? What happened to them?"

The growl Sirius released had Harry peering at the man in concern. It wasn't normal for people to growl, right? Again, he felt as if he was missing out on something.

"Wormtail was one of our friends." The words were barely audible as Sirius' teeth were clenched. "He sold them out to Voldemort in the belief that we would have lost in the end."

A friend was the traitor? Harry shook his head in disappointment, not understanding that kind of logic. They clearly weren't a good friend to begin with if this was the end result.

"When I realized that Voldemort had found them despite the spells that were set up to safeguard that, I knew it was Wormtail. There was no one else that knew. I cornered him, and a duel broke out. He managed to fake his death and I was accused for the crime and carted off to Azkaban."

That would explain the haunted aura to the man's eyes. Despite how spineless and despicable Wormtail was, Harry couldn't write off the man's tactics. There was skill there, even if it was horrible.

"Did he ever see any justice?"

Remus made a distressed noise. "Legally? No. It wasn't until just recently that I was able to have the Ministry take a look at Sirius' lack of case and get them to reverse the ruling." He breathed through his nose a few times before continuing. "Peter's body after the battle is what allowed the possibility of Sirius' acquittal."

Harry couldn't imagine what that would be like. Innocent and not only charged with a false crime, but knowing that the traitor is free. It would burn and ache.

The knowledge of Wormtail wasn't exactly new for Draco, he tuned some of it out as his mind began to wander. "If the fire took out everyone that was there, who got Harry to his aunt and uncle?"

The alarmed expression on Sirius' face would have been comical if Harry wasn't so focused on Draco's question.

"You grew up with the Dursleys?"

Harry blinked rapidly as he nodded his head. He supposed it wasn't out of the realm of possibilities that Sirius would know who they are if he was friends with his parents.

Sirius ran his fingers through his hair before scowling at the wall behind Harry and Draco. "I met them once at a Christmas celebration Lily wanted to throw. The Dursleys were vapid, dull, disturbing and just plain ignorant in many ways. I am your godfather, I was supposed to be your guardian if anything ever happened to Lily and James."

The rush of emotions in Harry's heart was almost too painful. He didn't know Sirius, but his parents did. At least enough to choose him as a guardian. Harry wondered how different his life would have been like if he had been brought up with Sirius.

"Were they at least nice to you?" Sirius' tone had gone soft, but Harry could still make out the anger there.

Harry shook his head, not willing to get into his childhood. He rested his head back on Draco's shoulder, needing the support of his soulmate.

"I'm sorry, Harry."

The whispered apology was enough to have Harry's head snapping up. "What on earth are you apologizing for?" It was his family that was messed up and to be blamed for.

"If I hadn't gone after Wormtail, then I wouldn't have been caught."

Remus furrowed his brows before pulling Sirius into his arms. "That wouldn't have changed how Harry grew up. We have no idea how he came to be at the Dursleys. Don't do this to yourself. Please."

When Sirius sagged into the embrace, Harry couldn't help but smile. Seeing their dynamics was nice. It was heartwarming to know that even after everything they have been through, they were still there for each other.

Harry cleared his throat, watching the way they both looked to him immediately. "I don't resent the way I grew up. It wasn't fun or ever something that I look back at fondly." When Sirius winced, he held up a hand. "But I learned so much from them. Nothing they intended, mind you. I learned who I wanted to be as a person by seeing their examples and choosing the opposite. I learned how important even simple passing decency is. I learned that an open mind is detrimental to not only myself but society as a whole. Everything that I am, came from my experiences. I wouldn't ever wish to relive any of it, but I am grateful that I am who I am because of it."

Sirius still looked uneasy, but there was nothing Harry could do to erase that. "I don't know why I was sent to the Dursleys or even by who, but they clearly saved me. And I am grateful for that. Don't beat yourself up over any of it."

A curt nod was his only reply, but it was enough for Harry. A silence filled the room after that, it wasn't uncomfortable, but it also wasn't exactly pleasant.

Draco took a breath before asking what had been bothering him the most. "Why did you never tell me about Harry? I told you the name of my soulmate over two years ago."

Harry narrowed his, disliking this already. He knew of the despair Draco went through while stuck in here and no means of finding any information on him.

Guilty looks were traded but neither Harry or Draco were in a caring mood.

"We believed that Harry had died. You were placed here and not aware of your surroundings for so long. We used to visit you in the beginning, but you didn't even know we were here. By the time you became coherent enough for conversations, Sirius' legal issues began getting solved. The Wizengamot is slow and tedious. We only just recently were able to clear his name." Explained Remus, wringing his free hand as the other one was still wrapped around Sirius.

Sirius shuffled his feet nervously. "We also didn't know how to break the news to you. The thought of having to explain that Harry was dead wasn't something either of us ever wanted to talk about. We knew how much faith you had in finding your soulmate, and we didn't want to be the ones to crush that faith."

Draco held Harry tighter to him as he listened to them. If they had told him that Harry had died, it might have made his hospital experience that much harder. Finding things to believe in after the battle had been difficult. He wasn't in agreement with their decision, but he could understand it to a certain degree.

Harry cupped Draco's cheek. He couldn't erase the pain they went through when separate, nor would he want to, but he could ease any lingering sadness now.

"I'm right here," Whispered Harry, keeping his voice quiet. "I may not have been here for you when you needed me, but I am here now. Always will be."

Draco smiled, laying his cheek on messy hair. He didn't respond, knowing that Harry would know the sentiment was returned.

"How did you find Draco?" Remus wondered, watching them closely.

They both groaned in unison before Harry explained the letter and Ron's lie.

Sirius let out a low whistle. "We haven't been in contact with the Weasley family much." A shake of his head accompanied him worrying his lip. "Is it wrong that I am finding comfort in this? That means they messed up worse than us."

"Sirius!" Remus chided as Harry chuckled in amusement.

Draco smiled as he laid further onto the bed and closed his eyes to the sound of Remus scolding Sirius. It was different having them here, something he didn't think he needed or wanted until now.

When Draco's grip went lax, Harry realized that his boyfriend was asleep. He nestled into the man and sighed when Draco made a noise of contentment.

A suspicious lack of noise had him glancing at Sirius and Remus. "What?" His tone was neutral, but their soft expressions were making him squirm a little.

Remus looked between them with a smile. "Draco has had a hard life. I've never seen him relaxed like this. He spent years trying to find you." He paused before gesturing for Sirius to finish his line of thought.

"Don't hurt him." Sirius explained, eyes narrowed for a moment.

Harry grinned widely, not expecting this. It was nice that someone else besides him was looking out for Draco's best interests.

"I won't." He wasn't talking about fights, misunderstandings or normal relationship problems. Harry would never actively hurt Draco. Never.

Appraising and calculating looks were sent his way, but Harry let them come without looking away.

When Remus nodded once in a silent affirmation, Sirius clapped his hands together once. "Well, how about we discuss some happier things."

Harry lifted one hand in the air, gesturing the man to continue. "Tell me about the rules my father would break."

The delighted laugh Sirius released was the start of many hours of witty comebacks, stories that seemed to be fake and an endless supply of horrible pranks.

As Harry listened to Remus and Sirius argue about whether people tend to retain characteristics from their animagus self, he wondered if this is what family felt like. He may not know either of them, but there was something comforting about it all.

Sirius may not have been able to be his guardian, but there was still time to get to know him.

The sounds alone let Harry know what he was walking into. Despite not being able to see Draco, he knew that his soulmate wasn't aware of his surroundings. This happened less frequently than it used to, but still often enough for him to be released from St. Mungos.

The room was dark, and the candles blown out, but that didn't matter. He knew that Draco was under the bed. For some reason, his boyfriend felt comfortable down there. The healers said this was a good sign, because this showed that there was some cognitive thought process that happened during an episode.

Despite the way he knew Draco felt about the episodes, Harry didn't mind being here for them. In fact, he wished he was around for more of them. If there was a single second of comfort that he could provide, then Harry wanted to be there to give it. There would always be times when he wished Draco didn't have to go through this, but he doesn't resent the episodes themselves. They were apart of his soulmate and Harry loved Draco. Truly loved him and would never belittle any aspect to him. If only Draco could see that.

As Harry approached the bed, he placed the food he smuggled in on the bedside table. Draco complained that the food here was atrocious, something Harry had to agree with. Whoever was in charge of the food clearly never taste tested it beforehand.

A slight whimpering noise came from under the bed and it had Harry's heart clenching as he pulled the duvet up.

Draco was rocking back and forth, arms tightly wound around his knees and little breaths of mumbled words coming out. Silver eyes were open but vacant, not gazing at anything and not taking in any surroundings. As Harry crawled on his knees to get to him, he was rather thankful for the new healer. The bed itself had been charmed to allow the space underneath to appear bigger than it actually was. Something that had been done to make it more comfortable for Draco.

Harry had learned the hard way that touch wasn't always welcome. The first time he had tried to hug Draco when the man was in this state, he had been on the receiving of violent flailing that resulted in a hard punch to the face. Luckily, the healers had him healed before Draco had seen the damage.

The words coming out of Draco's mouth weren't exactly audible. Harry wasn't sure what Draco was saying or if they were words at all. Perhaps just a sound that was comforting?

As he got closer to Draco, Harry began whispering to him. It was mostly just soft cooing and gentle uttering of his soulmate's name. There was no sign that his words were being received at all, but it established a small rapport. This way it could potentially be heard by Draco whether there was an outward response or not.

Harry reached out his hand and tentatively placed it on Draco's shoulder. When it wasn't shrugged off, he knew that it was okay to hold him. As he wrapped his arms around Draco and held on loosely, there still was no reaction. But that was alright, a reaction wasn't needed.

Time passed, but it was more of an afterthought. Harry could care less how late it was or how tired he may be. Making sure Draco was okay would always be his priority.

It wasn't until a hand reached out and clung to Harry's shirt that he knew Draco was back with him. He waited patiently for the blond to come to terms with it before he spoke. This was Draco's time to just think.

Draco sighed heavily, hating the way his mind tried working in overdrive. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't place where he had gone when his mind checked out. Sometimes, things would linger and give him a general idea, but not this time.

"How long was I out?" Draco whispered, laying his head on Harry's shoulder. The last thing he could remember was complaining about the food and his boyfriend assuring him he would help.

The question had Harry looking at his watch. "I don't know when it began, but since I have been here it's been close to two hours."

Two hours was shorter than Draco had assumed. He had been worried it would be another day completely, so it wasn't as bad as he had feared.

"Thank you."

Harry closed his eyes at the gratitude, wishing Draco wouldn't do that. Being here wasn't something admirable nor was it necessary to be thanked. All he was doing was being a supportive boyfriend. But he knew that Draco hadn't ever had this kind of support in his life, so Harry would be patient and loving until his soulmate accepted this.

"You don't need to thank me." Harry tried to keep the chiding out of his tone, but he knew that Draco would pick up on it anyways—he always did.

Draco smiled softly, burrowing into Harry more comfortably. He knew that he didn't need to thank his boyfriend, but that wasn't the point. There weren't many people that would be willing to stick with him during an episode. Hell, the healers didn't even do that. They just monitored his vitals and made sure that there was nothing he could harm himself with. It meant a lot to him that Harry was here, even if it was slightly uncomfortable for his boyfriend to see him in that kind of state.

"I know," Whispered Draco, closing his eyes and allowing himself to relax fully. He wasn't tired, but he did need a few minutes to really come back to himself.

"I'll always be here with you."

"I know." And he did, Draco knew this without a doubt.

The retort had Harry grinning, happy that Draco wasn't going to fixate on the latest episode. "I love you." Harry paused, narrowing his eyes. "If you say I know, I will hurt you. I don't have the right complexion to be the Leia of this relationship."

Draco lifted his head up, eyebrows furrowing so intently that it scrunched up his nose, something Harry had to try hard at not finding utterly adorable.

"Leia? Is this another muggle thing? Because I am still having a hard time deciphering the nonsense you spiel."

"Nonsense?" Harry arched his brows, grin turning to a smirk when he flipped them around suddenly, laying Draco on his back. "I have you at my mercy, consider this should you decide to insult me further."

Draco couldn't help but grin widely, testing the strength of Harry's grasp. "What if I want to insult you? That is my specialty."

By the sparkling shine to emerald eyes, Draco knew he was about to regret his words. It wasn't until fingers began mercilessly tickling him that he knew his boyfriend was secretly the devil.

"Oi!" Draco cried out as he attempted to dodge quick fingers. "H-Harry," He panted lightly, trying not to laugh as those fingers dug into the side of his ribs.

Harry only paused to kiss Draco quickly before continuing with his tirade. He would have continued until Draco admitted defeat, but the door of the room opened with a clang.

"You two aren't having sex again, are you? Because I really don't want to have to write that down later for Healer Hendrix."

Draco snorted loudly, loving that Emily, the Healer in training was the one barging in. She tended to roll her eyes at them constantly, but he suspected she was warming up to them.

"No, we aren't having sex." Harry called out, smirking when Draco made a disappointed noise. "We are dueling to the death."

"Oh, far less paperwork. Please continue." Emily mumbled with a laugh, tone colored in amusement.

Harry threw his head back and laughed loudly as she shut the door. He made a noise of surprise when Draco shook off his hold and wound slim arms around his neck.

"We could be having sex," Draco whispered, loving the red flush to Harry's cheeks. "Who cares if we make more paperwork for Emily." The woman liked to stay busy anyways.

It took a slow roll of Draco's hips before Harry succeeded that his boyfriend had a point. What was a little extra paperwork? It wasn't as if they had to do it.

The laughter was replaced with moans and this time when Emily entered the room, they didn't say anything. But her frustrated slam of the door was enough to let them know she understood what was happening anyway.

As Harry entered St. Mungos, he smiled at the portraits that he liked to consider a magical security guard. They watched the visitors with keen eyes and heavy suspicion.

"Hey, Henry." He waved cheekily as the portrait of a healer from the early 1200s scowled. "How's your day going? Catch any nefarious individuals?" He knew the portrait must be bored out of his mind, at least Harry would be if their roles were reversed. He didn't begrudge the man one bit for people watching.

When the portrait next to Henry let out a little giggle, Harry smiled softly at the little girl. He had learned that she was the first causality of Dragon Pox, but her death had lead to the discovery of the ingredients that would cure generations to come.

"Marletta, are you treating Mister Henry in kind today?" The portrait covered her face with her hands before letting out another giggle and peering up at him through parted fingers. She wasn't much of a talker, but Harry could read her body language. He waved when he was sure she wasn't going to answer and made his way towards the Welcome Witch.

"Jeni; my favorite employee, light of my day and wonderf—" He trailed off when she handed him a long chart. Wizards tend to not leave explicit written details in patient files. Not that Harry would own up to reading any. It wasn't until he established a friendship with Jeni that she was able to give him detailed information on each of Draco's days in regard to his healing and medicine.

"Flattery get's you nowhere, Harry." Jeni was the first friendly face in St. Mungos that didn't treat him with pity. As if having a soulmate who needed to be here for the long haul was something akin to a death sentence. Draco was the best thing in his life and he hated when people treated either of them like they had an incurable disease.

"Obviously works on you." He mumbled just loud enough that he knew she would hear him. The laugh she released held just a touch of fondness in it, and that was definitely a win.

Harry's eyes were still trained on the report and didn't look up when he could hear footsteps. They didn't sound too panicked, so it was probably just a visitor instead of an injured patient. That tidbit of knowledge alone spoke volumes of the amount of time he spent here. No wonder he was a few short breaths away from being fired from his actual job.

"Welcome to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. How may I be of assistance to you today?"

"We are here to see a patient, Draco Malfoy."

Harry snapped his head up, gaining the attention of the visitors. Right away he could tell they were of money. A young man and woman around his own age peered back at him in calculating manners. It was apparent the man didn't like what he saw, if his sneer was anything to go by.

"Mister Malfoy has a list of visitors that are allowed to be seen. Can you give me your names and I will check the list?" Jeni's voice was calm and friendly, but she kept stealing glances between the three of them.

"Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini."

Harry arched his brows, recognizing the names from a few stories where Draco mentioned them. His boyfriend had mentioned the pair in passing each time, as if they weren't close, despite being classmates.

When Jeni tentatively cleared her throat, Harry knew these two weren't on the list of preapproved visitors. The list had been made up by Draco not too long after Harry had arrived. Reporters from the stupid gossip newspaper liked to try and find a story. Apparently, Draco switching sides before the final battle was seemed as heroic and charming. Nevermind that there were casualties and people died. All the papers wanted to talk about was his looks. His boyfriend had barred entrance from his room except those he cared for.

"I am afraid that Mister Malfoy would have to be notified before you are allowed entry."

"Excuse me?" Pansy asked, voice becoming sharper. "We have known Draco since we were children."

Harry arched a brow at the explanation. He thought it was very telling that she hadn't said they were friends. He could say the same explanation about Dudley, but that didn't mean he would want his cousin to come see him if he were in the hospital.

When Jeni shook her head, and started to explain that the rules were in place for a reason, Harry lifted up a hand. "It's alright. I'll take them to him." He wasn't sure why they were here, but Harry wasn't going to find out unless he took them back.

Jeni bit her lip and eyed Harry curiously. "Are you sure? He might be angry with you."

"Probably," Harry admitted with a laugh. But Draco always did have a hard time staying mad at him. Something Harry used to his advantage.

Harry turned to the two visitors and ignored their narrowed eyes. "Follow me." He didn't bother to wait to see if they had listened to him or not.

"Do you work here?" Blaise asked, tone attempting to be polite, but not quite hitting the mark.

The question itself wasn't surprising, but more in the fact that they were willing to initiate small talk was.

"I wish. Getting paid to be here would be a nice change, especially considering I spend 90% of my time here anyways."

"I don't understand," Pansy began, voice colored in confusion. "If you don't work here, then why did the Welcome Witch listen to you."

Harry grinned, not bothering to turn around and face them. "Jeni adores me because I adore Draco." The woman was a sucker for romance and couldn't help but coo whenever she saw them interacting.

When Pansy and Blaise made a startled noise, Harry couldn't help but snort. Before they could say anything, he paused on the outside of Draco's door. He pulled his magic to him and enacted a silencing charm. One he knew would work properly this time. Well, he hoped it would. His magic was still a little wonky.

Harry turned around and folded his arms across his chest, eyeing them a little warily. "Listen, I know you went to school with Draco and were even in his house, Snakledor, or something like that." He might not have bothered to remember much about Hogwarts. The intricacies and knowledge of the wizarding world was a bit much to only hear about in stories. He had no visuals or books on the subject.

By the way Pansy mouthed, 'Snakledor', Harry figured he had butchered the name. Oh well.

"You aren't close with him or this wouldn't be your first visit in over two years." He watched the way they shared a slightly guilty look. Well, at least that was an improvement.

"I don't care who you are, who your parents are, what your political influence is or how much money you have. You will not impede on Draco's progress by dredging up the past or infringing on any of his hospitality. If you are here to belittle or degrade him in any manner of speaking, I will make you wish you had never showed up." He paused to glare at them, not liking the doubt he could see.

"Draco is not the same one that you went to school with. Entering this room will grant you a side of him that he would rather you not see. Draco is one of the strongest people I have ever had the pleasure of coming across and if either of you have nefarious purposes in mind, then leave now."

The silence that filled the hallway held a touch of awkward unease, but that was something Harry preferred. If he could make them doubt their intentions, then all the better.

"We just want to see him," Pansy whispered at the same time Blaise exploded.

"Who do you think you are? You can't order us around."

Harry arched an unimpressed brow. Years of seeing Dudley and his temper tantrums left him impervious to most outbursts. He chose not to answer the man as he lowered the silencing charm and entered the room.

Draco arched a brow when Harry walked in. "You defending me—unnecessarily by the way—is insanely sexy." A warm feeling settled in his chest at the overheard words. Harry caring about him so passionately was something he never thought he would have. Sure, he had hoped as a child to have his soulmate, but dreams are nothing compared to reality.

When Harry's shoulders drooped, he let out a loud laugh.

"Not again." Harry murmured, not understanding how the silencing charm could have failed. He could have sworn that he had done everything right.

"Come here." Draco held out his hand and waited patiently for his boyfriend to approach the bed. He pulled Harry to his lap and held on tightly. "The halls can only be charmed by the staff. It's to prevent families from trying to privately change the healer's minds about treatments and experimental potions."

Harry rested his head on Draco's shoulder and closed his eyes. He wasn't embarrassed at being found out. Draco knew how much he cared, it was just that he hadn't wanted his soulmate to hear him. In case Pansy and Blaise really were here for other purposes, he wanted to save Draco from the ache.

"I'm sorry," Harry began, knowing that he didn't really need to apologize, but it was the thought that counted. "I just—"

"I love you."

Harry lifted his head and smiled softly. "I love you too."

Surprisingly, Pansy and Blaise didn't interrupt them at all. If it wasn't for their presence in the room, he would have forgotten about them completely.

Draco continued to hold Harry as he looked up. "Pansy. Blaise." He wasn't entirely sure why they were here. The social ramifications would suggest that something had happened. They hadn't come to check on his wellbeing, otherwise this would have been done already. No, they were here for other reasons. Ones he was beginning to suspect would either be trouble or a headache.

"We heard about your parents."

That had Draco arching a brow. Sometimes he detested the vague subtext. Couldn't people just say what was on their minds? The subtle language of the higher class was daunting, and he absolutely hated it.

Draco hadn't heard a single whisper from his mother. He highly doubted this was their way of rubbing it in that his own mother hadn't come to visit him in two years, so this was something else. Last he had heard, his mother had attempted to transfer the Malfoy vaults to an offshore account, but the Goblins refused without Draco's consent. It didn't matter that his father had disowned him prior to the battle. Goblins consider heritage when dealing with ownership. Without there being another offspring that they could count as heir, the Goblins keep to the family. Which is why Sirius holds the Black family account regardless of being disowned. Draco's mother was only entitled to her portion of the family fortune.

"Heard about her high tolerance for alcohol, or heard about her lack of compassion for anything that didn't cost hundreds of galleons?" He didn't bring up his father at all, not caring one bit about the state of the man.

Harry furrowed his brows as he listened to the blunt tone. He knew that Draco was serious, but… that was just sad.

"She has approached my father," Pansy began, fingers twitching for just a moment. "He has some sway inside the Ministry now that it has been proven he wasn't a death eater." Supporter and death eater were splitting hairs, but Draco wasn't going to begrudge her family from managing to stay out of the negative spotlight.

A bad feeling was beginning to root in the pit of Draco's stomach.

"Your mother is planning to petition the Ministry to have you declared legally incompetent to be considered the Malfoy heir." Blaise took over when Draco clenched his fist angrily.

Draco closed his eyes briefly. It didn't surprise him, but it did sting. "She has no standing. I am competent enough for my inheritance." If he was released from the hospital in the condition that he is currently in, then his mother would have merit for her petition. While in recovery and safely inside St. Mungos, there was nothing that he was doing that could be a threat to his competency.

"With the lack of knowledge on whether you will ever get out of here, the Ministry could take her petition seriously."

What burned Draco the most was that his mother didn't need his inheritance. As her position of the head of the household, she had access to most of the family fortune. His inheritance was large, but nothing in comparison to what she already had access to. This was unnecessary and only showed a sign of greed.

"What about a power of attorney?" When everyone looked to Harry curiously, he flushed before looking down. "Sorry, I don't really know how wizards do it, it's just that in the muggle world, a power of attorney that had been assigned before your stay here, would have the power over your finances and your mother wouldn't have a standing at all. Because the power of attorney would act on your behalf."

"Muggle world?" Blaise sneered before straightening when Draco glared at him.

"There aren't power of attorneys in the wizarding world." At least Pansy's tone only held a touch of arrogance and censure.

"No," Draco agreed, cocking his head to the side. "But unlike the muggle world, we use soulmates as a stand in for the rights of their other half. The soulmate can act as a guardian of sorts if the Wizengamot declares the ward incompetent, disabled or incapacitated."

That wasn't exactly sitting well with Harry. Not that he wouldn't stand in for Draco. It was the fact that it seemed archaic. A power of attorney had the best interest in mind when it came to their wards. A soulmate did not mean that they were automatically trustworthy. There was so much wrong with that belief. Having a soulmate doesn't diminish free thought or will. He was with Draco because he wanted to be. Not because of the fact that they were soulmates. If he was to be a legal stand in for Draco, then it would be with the intent of actually doing what was right.

"That's not exactly quick solution," came Blaise's input. He looked between them curiously. "Unless you are his soulmate."

Harry arched his brows before showing them his right palm. The candlelight shrouded the letters in a way that it was gleaming.

"Not muggle then." Pansy whispered, giving Harry a tight-lipped smile. As if her opinion of him had risen at the knowledge that he wasn't a muggle.

"I'm whatever I want to be. I was raised as a muggle all my life. I wasn't aware of the magical world until recently. Most of the time I can't stand magic and I would rather do it the muggle way. Regardless of this, I am a wizard. But I am more than that too. I won't degrade my muggle upbringing just to satisfy those who could care less. I may be a wizard, but that doesn't mean I am any less of the muggle that I was raised to be."

Despite being proud of his own statement, Harry couldn't help but be annoyed at their disapproval of him. It wasn't even due to his personality or legitimate reasons. They disliked him on the basis of a lack of worth. God, he hated this. Hated the discrimination and prejudice. Fuck society.

Draco smirked when Pansy and Blaise looked at him expectantly. "I know this is a hard concept to grasp since neither of you entered the war or took a stance, but every aspect of society is dependent on all parts. The belief that purebloods can function without the rest is laughable and delusional. Muggles and muggleborns are detrimental to the future of wizards. Without new blood and more chances for magic to spread, then we will die out. There is no point in the entitled belief that we are better than those who don't have our advantages or privileges."

His words wouldn't immediately take effect, but that was alright. The doubt was planted and that was good enough.

"I would have been perfectly content with Harry being a muggle. Him being a wizard doesn't make me approve of him anymore than before. I don't love him for his status or his magic. Whether he uses magic or not is not up to me. Nor would I care either way."

Harry swore that it wasn't possible to love Draco anymore than he already did. But he could see the truth of the statement, could see that Draco meant it. He looked back to Pansy and Blaise with a shrug of his shoulders.

"I will go to the Wizengamot and stand in for Draco. I don't do this out of a necessity. I am doing this because I love him. Regardless of his own status wealth wise or blood wise."

There was a silence as Harry felt himself being sized up. He wasn't sure what would come out of this or not. Would Pansy and Blaise continue to be in Draco's life, or was this a onetime instance? Either way, he was intrigued.

Pansy and Blaise shared a look before extending their hands.

"Pansy Parkinson."

"Blaise Zabini."

Harry smiled politely, not entirely forgiving them for their prejudiced nature just yet. "Harry Potter."

There was a slight furrowing of Pany's brows as she looked to Draco. "As in the Potter line that died out? The Potter name that was around since the beginning of our history? The same Potter line that has seats in the Wizengamot and a mass of wealth in Gringotts? That Potter line?"

"The one and the same." Draco took immense pleasure in the way they both scrambled to change Harry's opinion of them.

"Wealth?" Harry blinked rapidly. "What wealth?" He was barely managing to keep his cramped, tiny and utterly awful flat as it was. Draco had offered many times to help, but Harry had morals. Mooching off his soulmate was not something he was going to do.

"Sirius said he was getting it all squared away at Gringotts," Draco explained sheepishly. "He didn't want to say anything about it until the Goblins recognize you're are still alive."

They didn't tend to keep secrets from each other. Harry wasn't exactly hurt, more annoyed that anything. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Draco sighed heavily. "Harry just yesterday you were complaining about the bad plumbing in your flat and how you wished it wasn't so expensive to live in London. I didn't want to bring it up for it to not happen quickly. Sometimes the Goblins take a long time in handling wizard affairs. They are petty like that."

Blaise cleared his throat before Harry could respond. "I can help with that." It wasn't until they looked at him suspiciously that he continued. "My mother's new husband is a Gringotts liaison employee."

"He has my condolences." Draco mumbled, ignoring the way Blaise glared. It was common knowledge Mrs. Zabini would dispose of the man. What was this, the eighth marriage?

Harry wasn't sure if he would regret this or not. "Alright. I'll take your help."

When Pansy smirked widely, he knew he would regret it.

Heir of the Potter Fortune Returns from the Dead?

Harry James Potter was presumed dead until now. October 31, 1981 was the day James Potter, Lilly Evans-Potter and what the world assumed was their child, perished in their home. There is a lot of speculation as to the cause of such a horrendous tragedy. Many suspect that was the final push of he-who-must-not-be-named and that is the cause of the lapse in attacks until 1995. The lack of evidence to support the claim is sadly lacking.

Mystery surrounds Potter and his upbringing. Why has he not contributed to society? Why stay in the muggle world? A lack of schooling in magical matters is insulting. What was the cause for the divide?

Sources close to the Ministry admit that Potter has now reclaimed his wealth and has taken his representative chairs inside the Wizengamot. The latter raised several eyebrows. Can someone with no magical schooling whatsoever really know enough to be in a position of power?

When approached about such issues, Potter had this to say, "Fuck off."

Charming.

With little personality to be thankful for, the majority of the wizarding community wonder if it was better for the world when Harry Potter still was presumed dead.

-Rita Skeeter, head journalist and respected member of the Daily Prophet

"This is my favorite article ever." Sirius held the paper to his chest tightly, smiling at Remus' scoff. "I was told that I had to be nice to the Prophet if I wanted to be seen in a positive light after my acquittal. Harry just says whatever he wants. Not fair."

"Harry wasn't ever accused of a mass murder."

Sirius waved that away with a scowl. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Sirius,' Remus tone was patient, but his eyes were anything but. "It has everything to do with it."

A knock at the front door had Sirius springing up, thankful for the reprieve in what would no doubt be a lecture.

When he opened the door, Sirius blinked rapidly at the sight of Harry.

"Are you alright? You usually wait until we visit you and Draco at St. Mungos."

Harry bit his lip and sidestepped the man to enter the home. He nodded distractedly at Remus. "I needed to see you without Draco." He pretended not to notice the worried looks they began sending each other.

"This was sent to Draco."

He didn't bother looking at it as Remus and Sirius took the letter and read it together. The Ministry had sent what they thought was a welcoming message. Lucius Malfoy had run out of appeals and would be sentenced to the Dementor's kiss. While Draco put on an uncaring attitude and welcomed the thought of his father's predicament, he couldn't stop from being affected. The letter sent Draco into an episode. One that has lasted days. The healers were calling it a relapse, but Harry knew it was his soulmate's way of compartmentalizing it all. He just hoped that once Draco came back to him, that he would go back to the progress they had been making.

"This is good news, isn't it?" The hesitance to Sirius' voice had Harry sighing.

Harry sat down in a nearby chair and ran his fingers through his hair. "I suppose, depending on how you look at it and the status you place on life. I'm not here to debate the 'eye for an eye' manner that the world revolves in when it comes to death sentences. I need to get some of the anger I have inside of me out. The things that I wish I could say, but never got the chance. I need to see Lucius Malfoy before the kiss happens."

Sirius let out a whistle as Remus hummed in thought.

"It won't be easy," Remus informed him, as if Harry hadn't already known this. "Lucius is in the highest security Azkaban can place him in. Visitors have been terminated and the clearance level to see a former death eater is high."

"Tell me what I need to do. Please." Harry didn't care that he was begging. Didn't care that this might not make sense.

"As much as I like you, I'm not going to visit Azkaban. Especially not to see old Lucy." Sirius shook his head rapidly with an apologetic look.

Remus held up a hand when Harry adopted a dejected expression. "I may know someone who can help."

Harry snapped his head up and looked at Remus, silently demanding more.

When Remus didn't immediately continue, Sirius crossed his arms across his chest in suspicion. "Who do you have in mind?"

The question had Remus wincing. "He's a bit… difficult, but he was awarded several awards for his actions in the war."

"No." Sirius whispered, frown forming. "I'm sure there are other people that can help."

Remus placed his hands on his hip and turned to Sirius in exasperation. "He shot the final curse that killed Voldemort. He has sway whether you want to believe it or not."

"Who are talking about?" Harry interrupted before it could turn into some kind of squabble.

"Severus Snape." They answered in unison.

Righteous indignation was the first thing that Severus registered as he stood next to a guard when Potter walked in.

Seeing the reports on the Potter heir had been surprising. Part of him had always wanted to check on the results of Regulus' last day, but he hadn't ever been able to make himself do it. The ramifications for allowing Dumbledore the knowledge that the child existed had been too high. The headmaster had talked for years about the disappointment in the wake of the unfulfilled prophecy. There hadn't been a doubt in his mind that if Dumbledore had known about Potter, that he would have the child under his thumb in no time.

Despite the benefits that Potter could have had by being brought up a wizard were overshadowed in danger. If the Dark Lord had come back and seen that the Potter line hadn't been eradicated as once believed, the child would have been targeted regardless. Safety is what determined his lack of attention when it came to Potter.

Severus had been worried that the boy would receive a letter to Hogwarts when the time came, but with the belief that the boy was dead, Potter was taken off the list and no one looked at it twice. There is a beauty in small miracles.

A clang of the door shutting shattered the silence of the hall as Potter looked around the cells near the door. Severus raised his hand towards the guards in a silent command to stay still.

"Lucius is this way, Mister Potter."

He could have introduced himself, but Severus wanted to see how this unorthodox meeting would play out. The family resemblance to his father was obvious, but Severus wanted to know more about the child Regulus went through the trouble of saving. Not to mention, he wanted to know what kind of connection Potter would have with a death eater.

Harry took a deep breath, not really paying attention to the guard as he trekked the path to the room where the kiss would take place.

His nerves were out of control and Harry wished he had the support of his soulmate, but he hadn't decided if this was something he would ever mention to Draco.

When the guard stepped into the room and gestured for Harry to follow, he took a deep breath before doing just that.

The sight of Lucius Malfoy had Harry's fists clenching tightly. The man wasn't regal or pristine, not in the way he had seen glimpses of Lucius in photos. If it wasn't for the knowledge that this was indeed Lucius, then Harry wouldn't have been able to make the connection.

"Come to gloat?" The question was directed towards the guard, something Harry found odd, but he ignored it completely in favor of stepping forward.

Cold calculating silver eyes narrowed on Harry. The color might be the same as Draco's, but the hue wasn't. There wasn't the same kindness and love in them that Draco's held. This was a pale comparison.

"And who might you be?" The tone itself was of boredom, but Harry could see the way reluctant curiosity shone in Lucius' eyes.

"It's funny that you don't know me," Harry began in a whisper that carried around the room. "I have spent quite a bit of time despising everything you stand for. Not just your political beliefs, but the way you handle those you are meant to love."

Lucius made a noise of understanding. "You are here on Draco's behalf." A sneer accompanied a smug expression, and it took everything Harry had not to punch the pretentious prick in the mouth.

"You don't know me, because I was someone you thought would be unworthy of Draco. You don't know me because your moronic viewpoints on life caused several years of doubt inside of him. I was raised as a muggle and because of that, you chose to believe that I can't be his soulmate. Well, fuck you."

A slight cough in the background had Harry wondering if the guard was covering up a laugh. At least he was enjoying himself.

"Fuck your pureblood entitlement. Fuck your beliefs. Fuck your horrible existence and fuck your shite parenting skills." He paused to breath once, centering himself.

The way Lucius had reared his head back as if he had been slapped was so far the highlight of the trip.

"Despite the lack of empathy, compassion, love and respect you have given Draco, he has turned out to be one of the best people I have ever known. He cares about others, sure it's more subtle and internal, but he does care." Harry lifted one shoulder wondering how far that statement could go. His soulmate wasn't a people person, but still held compassion for others. Just not so readily as some.

"He loves fiercely and completely. Despite never seeing or experiencing love, he has so much of it to give. Draco has a hard time seeing his worth because of you. He doubts himself and hates part of who he is." Harry closed his eyes tightly, blocking out the sight of the Malfoy patriarch.

"I hate that you took so much from him. So much of his personal growth and his youth. You wanted to shape him into what you saw he should be and not who he truly is. It's not your job to mold him into what you want. All you had to do was be there for him and love him. Fuck, if that is too much to ask, then you are a completely hopeless case. What kind of parent are you?"

"One that did what I had to." It was barely a whisper, but it was enough to have Harry snapping his eyes open and slamming his hands on the table the man was chained to.

"Is that what you tell yourself alone in Azkaban? You keep this delusion to allow you to have a false sense of warmth as you shiver on the bloody ground? I begin to wonder what kind of mental stability you truly have if this is the pathetic excuse you offer."

When silver eyes narrowed, Harry barreled forward, not allowing himself to be interrupted.

"The moment you raised your wand to harm your son, is the moment you truly became unredeemable. No parent harms their child. You disgust me." He narrowed his eyes when the man smirked at him. Being here was nearly pointless.

"I debated about coming here. It's not my place to speak for Draco, but you robbed him the chance of doing this himself. If he could leave St. Mungos and tell you all of this, he would. I hate that he won't get the closure he deserves, but I hate you more."

Harry shook his head, unsure if any of this even mattered in the end. The man wouldn't reconsider his lot in life, nor would he be repentant.

"The only solace that I have is that you will rot without your soul. The moment the Dementor kisses you, you will be nothing but an empty vessel that will slowly slip away. It's fitting that this would be your justice, because without a soul you won't be cognitive, no sense of who you are or where you are. Your mental awareness is gone, and your eyes will never perceive a single thing again. Do you see the correlation I am making?"

The way Lucius sat up straighter had Harry smirking. "The symptoms of what you did to him are strikingly similar to the fate that awaits you. Every time Draco enters an episode, I know that he will come back to me. But unlike Draco, you never will. You are doomed to never be the same again. They say it's a fate worse than death. Which is something that you deserve. You deserve to not only experience what he has to go through but every karma imaginable."

Hatred was something that Harry was used to seeing. Only this time, he relished in it. Loved the bitter anger marring Lucius' face.

"Wishing the worst for someone never works out well," Harry whispered angrily. "But I could care less. I won't miss a single ounce of sleep over your fate."

Harry stood up and made his way to the exit. He said what he wanted to, and that was enough. It wasn't until he reached the door that Lucius spoke up.

"Mister Potter, look out for him."

Harry wasn't sure what to make of that. He wasn't stupid enough to believe that Lucius actually cared about Draco.

"That was never something to question." He stormed out of the room, wishing Draco could have seen his level of theatrics. It was something to admire.

When Harry made it into Draco's room, he paused at the sight of his soulmate awake and waiting for him.

"Sirius told me where you were."

Harry scowled, wishing the man could have kept his trap shut.

"I'm not mad," Draco promised, peering up at Harry softly. Perhaps at first he hadn't understood why Harry would bother, but the longer he thought about it, the more he realized how amazing it was to have someone care like Harry did.

"Just tell me one thing." Draco patted the bed, waiting until Harry laid down next to him. "Tell me were dramatic and feisty."

Harry grinned, rubbing his nose along Draco's jaw. "I channeled you all the way."

"Good." Draco sighed, by now the kiss would have been given. It was freeing in a way. The man was his father, but only in the sense of a title and not by actual means of the word. He wouldn't miss Lucius, but he would miss the what ifs. The thoughts that he used to treasure as a child. The wonder if his father would ever come around. The blind faith that everything would be alright.

"Tell me about it."

Harry obliged Draco and began telling him everything he could remember and even the things he wished he would have said.

"Thank you, Harry." The gratitude was more than just for what was said. There were undercurrents of a lot of things in Draco's tone.

"You would do the same for me," retorted Harry, using his own way of replying to the thanks.

Draco shook his head fondly. "When I get out of here, I will do return the favor. The Dursleys deserve a piece of my mind."

Harry held onto Draco tighter. "Yeah? I look forward to that."

Neither one of them knew just when Draco would make it out of St. Mungos. It was entirely possible that he would be here for the rest of his life. The chances were in their favor, but it was still up in the air.

"What else do you plan on doing?"

Draco closed his eyes as he pictured everything. "We'll buy our own house, one with a yard for a dog." He paused to smile at the thought. "We can get married down the line and maybe adopt a child. I would be able to explore my own desires for once. I can become a potion master or a bloody muggle astronaut if I wanted. We could travel the world, exploring everything we can. We can just exist together. Side by side."

The sheer want that filled Harry was almost debilitating. He wanted that desperately. Any life with Draco was a good one. He didn't hate this one or resent what they didn't have. But he couldn't help the twitch in his heart at the thought of sharing a life outside of St. Mungos with Draco.

Hope. It was all they could do. Hope had led Harry to Draco. It was hope that saved him during the dark times and it was hope that comforted him during the rest.

Draco would make it out of here one day. They both knew it. In the meantime, they would continue to hope. Together.

Bonus Scenes

"Mister Potter! Is it true that you just declared yourself as Mister Malfoy's legal guardian? Is he a ward of the Potter line?"

Harry breathed through his nose a few times as he fought the urge to shove the Quick Quills down all of the reporters' throats.

"What exactly is your relationship to Mister Malfoy?"

"Is it true that you saw Lucius Malfoy on the day he was Kissed? What was the conversation about?"

The thought that they were following him was too much. What was wrong with people?

"Any thoughts on why Narcissa Malfoy recanted her petition?"

Harry pushed past the reporters and made his way towards the fireplaces near the atrium of the Ministry.

"Do you have any words for us? Something to explain your behavior as of late?"

The sound of Rita Skeeter's voice was grating and could ruin Harry's mood quicker than Sirius chewing on his shoes as an animagus.

"You want a statement?" Harry asked, putting on a fake smile. One that he knew they were eating up. The rush of quills and parchment being brought forward had him sighing internally.

"The only thing I have to say to you all is, fuck off."

The outraged expressions on their faces was honestly freeing. This would be the image he used the next time he tried to practice the patronus charm.

When Harry walked by Emily going over another patient's charts, he groaned at her smirk. This spelled bad news.

"A reporter came by poking their nose into both Draco's and your private life."

Agnus, an older woman who was a genuine sweetheart that was bedridden by an experimental potion gone wrong, waved at him as Emily began running routine spells over the room.

"If you said anything about us, I will make you regret it." The threat wasn't exactly Harry's best, but he was distracted by whatever Emily seemed to have over him.

Emily threw a wink over her shoulder before going right back into looking over Agnus.

"I mean it," Harry continued. "The next time Draco and I have sex, I'll make sure the whole bloody floor can hear us."

"Oh good," breathed Agnus.

That had both Harry and Emily pausing to look at her in different forms of shock. Well, horror for Harry.

Agnus grinned unrepentantly. "I'm stuck here with no means of entertainment. I have to live vicariously through you."

The thought alone was almost enough to make him celibate.

"I didn't tell them anything." Emily assured. "But if I have to catch you two having sex again, then my mouth might just slip up next time someone asks questions."

Harry sighed heavily, heading towards Draco's room. "This isn't over, Emily. I declare war."

"One I plan to win." Emily's eyes were sparkling at that was enough to have Harry relaxing. He knew they would one day soften her.

He would have said something witty, but she slammed the door behind him. Rude.

Before Harry could open Draco's door, it slid open. Harry walked in suspiciously, but paused when he caught sight of the guard from Azkaban.

Draco smiled at Harry, glad that he seemed to be in a better mood today than after the last Wizengamot meeting.

"Harry, this is Severus Snape."

"Oh," Harry trailed off, wishing he had made that connection while at Azkaban. Now things were beginning to make sense. "Nice to meet you." He offered his hand easily.

There was a moment when Harry wasn't sure if the man was going to return the offering. Right when he went to withdraw, a strong hand covered his in a firm grip. "I have waited a long time to meet you."

Harry looked to Draco but when his soulmate shrugged, he glanced back to Severus curiously. It wasn't until the man gestured for him to sit down that he went over to sit next to Draco, curling himself around his boyfriend.

"I would like to tell you a story." Severus looked between them and couldn't help but feel a pang of longing for his own soulmate. "One about Dark Magic, unusual bravery, love, death and the importance of never giving up."

Severus took a deep breath, not really believing that he was finally speaking of the truth that led to everything.

"I am going to tell you the tale of Regulus Black. The hero without a title and the recognition that he won't ever receive."

Whatever Severus was about to tell them, Harry just knew that it was going to change his perspective on everything. He settled himself further onto Draco's body and listened intently about a man who chose the harder path despite the easier one being safer.

He listened to the tale of Regulus Black.

A/N: I don't know if this is anything like you were expecting. There is a lot of stuff that I would like to discuss.

Regulus. I fell in love with this version of him and wanted to explore his decisions in this universe. To answer any questions I may receive, no one besides Severus, Draco and Harry will know what Regulus did. I find a certain painstaking grief that someone who went through so much trouble for the light was unrecognized. Idk why, but this was something I wanted to explore.

Also, the reason I had Kreacher living after drinking the poison was a difference in species. His body would be different than that of a wizard and could be resilient to all kinds of things that would harm a wizard.

If you are wondering why Dumbledore was so keen to believe that Severus was doing it all for Lily, is that I believe he either wasn't aware of Regulus at all outside of the man being Sirius' brother, or he just assumed incorrectly about where Severus' heart was.

I debated a long time about whether I would show Draco getting out of St. Mungos or not. I decided to leave it this way because it felt more real. It felt more believable than having him have a happy ending that solved everything. He can have a happy ending and still go through what he did. He can still have a happy ending and be inside St. Mungos. I will leave it up to you to see what you will. If you see Draco getting out, then by all means, believe in that. If not, then that is fine too.

Some of you may wonder why I didn't go into depth about Ron and Hermione, but that was already explained in the first chapter. They lied to Harry because they assumed he was a muggle and didn't think it would be fair to him that he might not ever get to see Draco due to the spells keeping muggles out. They have apologized for this and he will become friends with them. Tentative ones. But it's a start.

The bonus scenes were something that I had wanted to include but didn't have a proper place for them. So, I still hope you liked them!

Thank you for reading this!

-XxTheDarkLordxX