Chapter Twelve: The Search

 

~*~

 

"I AM LORD VOLDEMORT!" Draco bellowed, his voice echoing off the walls. 

 

Chloe saw the maniacal gleam in his eyes and whimpered.  

 

“I want to go home.”  

~*~

 

“I’m afraid there’s been a slight hitch in getting the search warrant.” Ms.Kaitlynn Dewey sized Harry up nervously, certainly not displaying her usual confident air. 

 

Harry looked up sharply from the blueprints of the Malfoy manor that he was discussing with another Auror. “But you were still able to get the warrant, correct?”

 

“Yes, Mr. Potter.  There are just a few items that you should have been brought to your attention.  If my associates and I could speak with you for a moment…”

 

Harry nodded and followed her to his other two lawyers.

 

“Ms. Finch and Ms. Howe and myself had quite a time unraveling several items that have come up, quite unexpectedly.” 

 

“You have my attention,” frowned Harry, crossing his arms.  “Just give it to me straight.”

 

“Draco Malfoy is suing you,” Cindy Finch said flatly.

 

“So sue him back,” Harry replied without hesitation. “Isn’t that what I pay you for?”

 

His lawyers shook their heads, their mouths pressed in identical firm lines.

 

“The suit is for accusations of defamation. He claims that you’re using your station as head of Aurors to harass him for personal reasons.” Lizzie Howe pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose.  “But that’s not all….”

 

“He’s had a restraining order placed on you,” added Kaitlynn. “That means you can’t search his property.”

 

Harry looked infuriated, but he drummed his fingers on the table and answered in the calmest of tones.  “But my Aurors can?”

 

“Yes,” nodded Ms. Dewey. “The nearest you can get is the grounds of his property.”

 

“It’s a slap in the face,” growled Harry, the lines around his eyes deepening as he thought about the situation. “He’s mocking me, that’s exactly what he’s doing.”  Harry drew his attention back to his lawyers quickly. “How can we revoke this? Aren’t restraining orders supposed to take time?”

 

“He filed this before the kidnapping,” said Ms. Finch, “therefore we can’t prove a connection between the two. Our hands are tied, Mr. Potter.”

 

“But we do have a search warrant?” Harry pressed. “And it’s valid?”

 

“Yes sir, you just can’t assist your Aurors in the search of his property.”

 

“Something is better than nothing,” Harry replied, striding away.

 

~*~

 

 Draco Malfoy’s smile stretched across his face like a skull. He drew his hand back and let the curtains fall back into place.  His lawn was coated with Confederation blue, and the agents had yet to even knock on the door. They just kept filing onto the grounds, the brainless insects that they were…

 

Finally, the knock came.  Draco opened the door and faced the five Aurors standing stiffly on the porch.

 

“Good evening.”

 

“Mr. Malfoy, we have a warrant to search your premises, please step aside.”

 

 Draco put on a face of mock surprise. “Search my premises? May I please see the warrant?”

 

An Auror held up the parchment for him to see. “Any Auror of the Peace may search your property for the next 48 hours.”

 

Draco glanced up at his grounds.  “By all means… search everything. I have nothing to hide. I never do, actually. Yet you insist on coming here.”

 

Draco sighed, opened the door wider and gestured for them to come inside.  “Take care you don’t frighten my son.  He should be up in his room playing.  The searches always upset him, his toys get misplaced.”

 

The Aurors glanced at one another. They seemed surprised that Draco had agreed so readily.  One brought a thin silver whistle to his lips and blew it twice. 

 

“Move in!”

 

The clusters of blue on the snow-covered lawn began jogging towards the door, and Draco moved outside to allow them easy passage. 

 

Then the lawn was clear.  Except for one person.

 

“Nice evening for a raid, isn’t it, Potter?” Draco called crossing his arms and smirking at him.  “So sorry to hear about your daughter on the news this evening.”

 

Harry walked across the lawn, Auror robes flapping in gusts of wind.  “You coward,” he spat, narrowing his eyes at Draco. “Why don’t you dare let me in your house?”

 

Draco held up his hand just before Harry reached the brick walkway of his house. “Stop. I do not permit you to go any further.”

 

“Coward!” shouted Harry.

 

“Don’t take another step, Potter, or your Weasleys will be having to find you in jail rather than looking for your little brat.”

 

“The restraining order doesn’t keep me from killing you,” said Harry coldly.

 

“Idle threats, Potter. They always are.” Draco crossed his arms.  “Your Aurors won’t find anything of worth.”

 

Fat raindrops splattered on the walk and another gust of wind exposed Harry’s scar. “Go straight to hell, Malfoy.

 

Draco sneered at Harry and then laughed briefly.  “You’ve got to do a lot more than wishing. Do try not to get wet, Potter. It’s going to rain.”

 

“Why don’t you save yourself the time and confess now?” Harry shouted at Draco’s retreating figure.  “We both know you’re guilty!”

 

The raindrops quickened and began sliding down Harry’s face, but he could still see Draco’s expression when he turned again. 

 

“Who are you?” Draco glared at Harry and fumbled for his wand. “How dare you show up on my property!  I’ve had enough Ministry filth peddling their redemptions!” 

 

Harry paused.  Had he heard that correctly? Who was he? The door slammed, challenging the thunderclap that followed, and Harry stared a long while at it.

 

 What had just happened?

 

 

~*~

 

“You’ve been standing out here for four hours.”

 

The voice definitely sounded a bit angry with him so Harry simply shrugged his shoulders and didn’t turn to face it. 

 

“And even if you did cast a waterproofing charm, your cloak isn’t warm enough for this kind of weather. You’re going to make yourself sick, and that isn’t going to help anything, Harry.”

 

“You really sound like your mum sometimes. Did you know that?” he answered. 

 

A small figure in a brown hooded cloak came into his line of vision, and Harry noticed that the brown eyes were still pretty even when glaring at him.  Ginny pulled her own scarf off and put it around his shoulders, perhaps a little more roughly than necessary. 

 

“My mum would be dragging you home and force feeding you hot pots and clucking at the state of your woolen socks.  I’m going to stand here and keep you company, probably catching a cold in the process.”

 

Harry was amused. “You must like me then.” 

 

“It’s possible. But I don’t like hot pots.” Ginny lifted her head and smiled at him. 

 

Harry put his arm around her, grateful for the extra warmth.  “They haven’t come out here to tell me anything.”

 

“I'd guessed as much.  I’m sure they’re just being thorough.” 

 

“Ginny, what am I going to do if they don’t find her? I won’t be able to prove anything.”  He had to fight to keep his face expressionless.

 

“But they will,” she insisted. “You can’t think like that.”

 

“But I have to.  Chloe’s probably by herself, scared to death, freezing—“

 

“Harry, don’t. Please, don’t do that to yourself.”

 

He pulled off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, exhausted.  “And today… Draco did the oddest thing.”

 

“Of course he did,” Ginny said, wincing at burst of chilly wind. “He’s nervous about them searching his house.”

 

“No, I think he’s crazy.”

 

“When have we not thought that?” asked Ginny. “He’s a Death Eater.”

 

“No,” Harry shook his head vigorously. “No. I mean insane, Ginny.  I’m serious.”

 

Ginny was silent for a long time, and Harry waited for her to ask him to explain but when she opened her mouth, she answered quite differently than he'd expected her to. “We’ve got to find Chloe.”

 

The front door of Malfoy Manor opened, and Harry stiffened when his Aurors began filing out.

 

Ginny held her breath when an officer hurried up to Harry. 

 

“And what did you find?” Harry asked flatly.

 

The officer swallowed. “Nothing, sir.”  

 

~*~

 

“Your precious Daddy came,” said Draco pulling Chloe up by her hair.  “Did he save you? No! He was too stupid to even to know how to find you!” He roughly yanked the gag out of her mouth and laughed at her. “His Aurors barely tried.”

 

“I hate you!” sobbed Chloe.  “My Daddy will get you.”

 

“Shut up, you ugly Mudblood.”  Draco slapped Chloe across the face again, and this time a bright spot of blood appeared on her smudged cheek. 

 

Chloe backed against the wall and turned her face away from him. Her shoulders shook with sobs. 

 

There was a knock at the door.

"Enter," said Draco, magically releasing all the locks.

The door opened and a very annoyed looking child appeared.  He had to be about Chloe’s age, and he looked at Draco with big blue eyes. "Father, you said we would go….”

"There’s been a slight change in plans, Aidan,” Draco said waving his hand to silence the boy. “We'll go another day. However, you came at a perfect time."

 

"What is that thing?" Aidan looked directly at Chloe and screwed up his face. “It’s dirty!”

"That is a Mudblood. A very valuable Mudblood if you believe it," Draco laughed as he clapped a hand on Aidan's shoulder.

Aidan narrowed his eyes as he squinted to get a better look at Chloe. She glared right back at him. "How is a Mudblood valuable, Father? That doesn't make sense. All Mudbloods are useless, right?" said Aidan, still keeping his disinterested sulking look.

"Yes, that is exactly right. Very good. But, this Mudblood belongs to someone. By having her in my possession, I can use her to get what I want."

 

Aidan yawned. "What do you want, father?"

"Harry Potter.”

 
"Are you going to get him today?”

"No, tomorrow he will come. Then he'll get what is coming to him," said Draco smiling down at his son.

"Can the Mudblood clean my room? I’m tired of making Binky do it."

"No, Aidan, I haven't decided when I'm going to kill her yet." Draco pulled out a long knife from the folds of his robes.  Aidan didn’t look remotely surprised.

"I don't want a Mudblood in my house,” he said looking at the knife.

Draco laid the flat side of the knife on Chloe's cheek. She felt herself trembling as she looked up right into his gleaming blue eyes. He raised the knife and grinned at her....

He brought it down with a swish, and Chloe felt a rush of air. She closed her eyes and cried out in fear.

It didn't happen. The knife blade scraped against the stone wall with a sickening screech, and Draco laughed.

"Not tonight, Mudblood. We have tomorrow, or maybe I'll just come in the middle of the night. Come, Aidan. You may help me decide what we shall do to her." Draco stabbed the knife into the book on the bookstand, and they turned and walked toward the door. Draco waved his wand and the candles snuffed out. They stood in the light of the door leering at her. Chloe felt all her muscles seize up again as she fell to the floor from another binding curse.

The room was pitch black again. There was more clicking of locks. Then it was quiet.
 
~*~

This is absurd, thought Harry. He glanced at his watch. Here it was, nearly two in the morning, and he still hadn't done anything to help Chloe. He was to the point where he didn't care if it was against the law, he was going to break into the Malfoy manor and get her back. He wouldn't be put in prison unless he killed Malfoy. Yes, that sounded like an agreeable plan: enter house, strangle Malfoy, get Chloe, and make it home in time for a good week of sleep.

Harry yawned and blinked fiercely. Most of his Aurors were still working, some taking shifts and letting others sleep. 

 

The family on the other hand….

 

Fred had conked out face first on an open law book. Sirius had assumed dog form and curled up in the corner. Hermione was snoozing with her head on a table, and Dumbledore was asleep by the fireplace, his hat covering his face.

Harry decided to take a walk around the building to keep himself awake.

The sound of his footsteps magnified in the empty ballroom. Harry looked at the white marble floor. It seemed so long ago that he and Ginny had danced here. The chandeliers were casting long shadows on the floor, and  Harry lit them one at a time with his wand. The stained glass wall felt cool through his robes as he leaned against it. He closed his eyes and his mind drifted to thoughts of the Christmas ball.

 

Before he even realized it, Harry fell asleep.

 

~*~

 

Chloe closed her eyes and imagined a dinner table with heaps of good things to eat. Roasted chicken, rice, fresh bread, pudding, and she would even eat a Brussels sprout.

 

Chloe was hungry, but she was stuck lying on her stomach on the bumpy, cold stone floor. She lay with her cheek pressed on the damp floor and imagined her room with the plump pillows and thick down comforter. She wished Norbert were here to keep her company. She’d also really like it if she had her bauble with her.  The pretty golden light would be nice right now.

She held her breath as the locks clicked again. The door opened very quickly and shut.

Chloe didn't hear a the sound of boots so she cautiously opened one eye. It was still pitch black.

 

Then there was a sudden light, and a pale green face was brushing against her own.

Chloe shrieked loudly.

The thing staring at her gave a startled yell, leapt backwards and tumbled to the floor.

It was a house elf. Chloe watched him tug nervously on one of his bat ears and shake like an off-balance washing machine.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scream," she whispered hoping the creature would stay and keep her company.

The elf looked slightly less panicked. "I is sorry I wake you," he said with another nervous tug on his ear.

"I wasn't asleep. I'm glad you came, are you nice? All of our house elves are nice." Chloe tried to get a better look at him even though she was helpless on the floor.

"You don't belong to Binky's master. Binky has heard that you is the Harry Potter's daughter. Is true?" Binky gulped and studied Chloe.

"That's me. I'm Chloe Grace Potter," said Chloe proudly.

To Chloe's astonishment, Binky bowed. "You is a great Potter then! Binky is honored to meet you!"

Chloe giggled. "I'm only five."

Chloe found she could move again. She sat up and smiled gratefully at Binky. "Thanks! You are nice!"

"Binky's master must not know Binky is helping his prisoner. But Binky wants to help Chloe Grace Potter because he has heard the brave and great things that Chloe Grace Potter’s father has done," said Binky looking at her with admiration.

Chloe was glad for this new company, and she smiled at him.

A warm fire leapt up in the fireplace, and Chloe scooted towards it to warm her hands and feet. Binky looked pleased. He adjusted the ragged dishtowel he was wearing and plopped down next to Chloe. "Is hungry?"

 
"Oh yes!" exclaimed Chloe, clutching her stomach.

Binky brightened. "Binky will be back in a very soon time!"

"Okay," said Chloe as she studied the frayed ends of her robes.

About five minutes later the door creaked open again, and Binky poked his head in. He and four other house elves entered carrying trays. Each of them set their trays down and bowed to her before they scuffled quietly out of the room. Binky stayed with Chloe and handed her a mug of hot milk. He then revealed a plate filled with food from the trays in front of her. Chloe immediately felt better.

"I hope my Daddy comes soon," she said, taking a bite of chicken.

"Harry Potter come here?" asked Binky curiously.

"Of course he's coming!"

"Harry Potter needs to be careful, Binky's master is not feeling well most lately," said Binky wringing his little hands.

"Oh, he's sick?” asked Chloe not understanding what Binky was hinting at.

"Binky cannot speak ill of his master. Please do not ask Binky...." Binky tugged on his ear again and looked around nervously.

"He wouldn't hurt you, would he? Oh, I do hope he's not mean to you also!" she said becoming concerned for her little friend.

From the look that Binky gave her, Chloe got the idea that Binky wasn't treated like the Potter Manor house elves. "Binky is glad Chloe Grace Potter understands."

"Chloe pushed her plate back to show she was finished. "I don’t want that mean man to catch you. I hope I can see you again, Binky." Tears pooled in Chloe's eyes and she wiped her eyes.

Binky looked as he might burst into tears also. "Binky feels sorry for Chloe Grace Potter, and he is glad to help." He collected the trays and the fire went out.

"When my Daddy comes, he'll save you too," promised Chloe, lying on the floor again.

Binky put the binding curse on her, but he made it so she could at least move a little. "Binky is sorry, he must leave! He be hoping Harry Potter comes tomorrow."

"He will."

With that said, the room went black again and Binky was gone.

 

~*~

Ginny was the first to wake up. She glanced at her watch. Six o' clock. She rubbed her eyes, taking care not to bump her bruises and looked around. Where on earth was Harry? She put a hand on the crick in her neck and wandered around to see if by chance Harry had left a note. No one stirred, and Ginny didn't blame them; they had worked themselves to death yesterday. She decided to chance it and see if Harry was in another part of the building, having his morning coffee or something. Silently she cursed herself for not keeping better tabs on him. She owed it to him, for goodness sakes, it was partly her fault that Chloe was missing. If she had only fought a little harder. If, if, if, thought Ginny gloomily. She had to stop doing that. She walked into the ballroom and spotted Harry right away.

Harry was fast asleep, slumped against the stained glass wall. The light from the window spilled across Harry's face in shards of red and blue. It reminded her of the Christmas ball. His tousled black hair had drifted across his forehead and his only movement was rising and falling of his chest with each breath. It was one of the few times she had seen his face completely relaxed. Not a trace of worry or concern. Ginny didn't want to wake him; if she did he would have to face the morning.

Ginny gave him a small kiss on the cheek and took his hand. "Harry. Harry, wake up.”

Harry opened his eyes slowly and sat for a moment staring at her. Then the realization struck him and he jumped up. "What time is it? Did something happen?”

Ginny sighed. The worry had come back to his face again. "Calm down, everyone else is still asleep and it's only six o' clock." Much to Ginny’s surprise, Harry bolted past her. "Harry! Harry! What are you doing?" Ginny ran after him.b

 

“What are you doing?” she repeated in a loud whisper when she caught up with him in the other room.

 

Harry pulled on his cloak, his eyes dark with fury.  “Ginny, I’m not going to sit around and play fairly when he isn’t. That’s my daughter. He’s going to kill her.”

 Ginny set her jaw. “I’m coming with you, Harry.”

 

“No, you aren’t,” Harry said shaking his head. “I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’m not letting you get involved with this.  Ginny, they could put me in prison, but I don’t care. I’m going after him.”

 

“No, Harry! I’m coming! Accio cloak!”

 

“Shhh!” said Harry urgently, he stepped in front of her and caught her cloak. “Don’t wake anyone! This is only between you and me.”

 

“Harry, give me my cloak,” Ginny demanded.

 

“No,” said Harry flatly. “I can’t let you. Please, listen to me. Please.”

 

“You don’t know what’s in his house,” Ginny said taking a firm hold on her cloak. “He could have traps.”

 

“Exactly. You’re a nursery school teacher,” Harry said pulling back on her cloak. “What if you got hurt? I would never forgive myself.”

 

“Don’t tell me what I can’t do!” Ginny said sharply yanking her cloak free from his hands. “I’m going. I want to do this. For Chloe. For Neville. Harry, you can’t stop me!”

 

“And what would Neville say about you going?” asked Harry in a harsh whisper.

 

Ginny’s expression wavered. “That isn’t fair.  You can’t throw that at me!”

 

“Yes, I can,” Harry said taking her face in his hands. “I care about you, Ginny. I want to protect you. Stay, please.”

 

Tears brimmed in Ginny’s eyes as he smoothed a red strand off her cheek and then brushed his lips over hers. 

 

Then Harry was gone.

 

“Wake up!” Ginny said loudly, wiping her eyes. “Harry’s gone!”

~*~

It was around five in the morning when Chloe was lovingly kicked awake by Aidan Malfoy. 

"What are you doing?" she cried with a pained yelp.

"Waking you up. Father says I can make you do whatever I want. And now you're going to go clean my room," grinned Aidan.

"No, I'm not," said Chloe, yawning at him. She was beginning to feel quite cranky.

Aidan was surprised that she just refused to do something he ordered. That never happened. He always got his way. "Yes, you are, I'll kick you!" he said.  Keeping his promise, he kicked her.

"Ow! That's not fair!” Chloe shouted. "I can't move!"

Aidan thought about this, and then he kicked her again. "So what? You're still going to clean my room.”

"I can’t clean it. You can't take this magic off of me. You don't know enough," said Chloe in a mocking tone.

"Can so," said Aidan.

"No, you cannot," retorted Chloe.

"Can so," said Aidan, becoming more irritated.

"Cannot," smiled Chloe.

"CAN SO!" screamed Aidan jumping up and down in a rage.

"Then do it," said Chloe finally.

Aidan pulled a wand out of his pocket. "I have a wand, my dad gave me his old one," he bragged.

"You don’t know how to work it.” Chloe rolled her eyes. “I don’t believe you.”

"Well, I can! ALOUISOUS!" shouted Aidan.

"Was something supposed to happen?" asked Chloe politely.

"You shut up!" said Aidan on the verge of hopping up and down in anger again.

"I think there's a spell for that too," informed Chloe.

"I hate you," said Aidan sitting down to think.

"Are you going to kick me now?" asked Chloe. “Because I don’t like you, either. I think you’re mean.”

"I said shut up, you stupid Mudblood.” Aidan suddenly grinned evilly. "BINKY!!!" he bellowed.

The house elf appeared looking petrified. "Master Aidan?" he asked in a tinny voice.

"Take the binding curse off the Mudblood. NOW!" Aidan crossed his arms and looked impatient.

Binky gave Chloe an apologetic look and then Chloe could move again. She got up and faced Aidan even though he was quite a bit taller than her.

"Go away," sneered Aidan to Binky.

Chloe watched Binky scurry out of the room at once. "It's polite to say please,” she said making a face at him. “You are mean.”

 

Aidan gave her a put out look. "We don't ask servants to do things, we tell them," he corrected her.

"Well, it doesn't matter if you ask me or not. I'm not cleaning your room," said Chloe.

Aidan looked as he had swallowed sour milk. "I'm bigger than you, and you'll do what I say or I'll have father kill you right off," he threatened.

Chloe was a well-read five-year-old. Books had been her refuge in her cupboard. Although she couldn't always read every single word or she had to rely on the pictures, her old sitter Mrs. Figg could be counted on for a snippet of a good story in between cat stories. She probably knew every last fairy tale and every single fable.

 

She also knew that a person had to be clever to escape the evil villains and one of her favorite stories gave her a very good idea of how to do it.

"I'll clean your room," she said with a disgruntled tone.

Aidan almost looked surprised for a moment. He then acted as if he knew all along that he would be able to bully her into doing things. "Then start walking!” 

The door had been unlocked since Aidan had come in and she followed him out of it. Chloe gazed down a passageway with flickering torches and a varnished spiral staircase at the end of the passage. As they reached the base of the staircase Aidan glanced back at Chloe suspiciously. Aidan shoved her in front of him.

"Go ahead of me, so I can make sure you don't try anything stupid.”

Chloe began to climb the staircase that seemed to go on forever. Just to irritate Aidan on the way up, she would hop to step to step, or twirl around on every third step.

"Would you stop it?” screamed Aidan after another spectacular twirl from Chloe.

"Okay," shrugged Chloe. Inside she was nearly bursting to keep from giggling at him. He was so easy to make angry that it was almost like a game to see how long he could go without throwing a tantrum. Just for fun, she began to climb the stairs backward, facing him.

"Stop it!" howled Aidan making a grab for her hair.

"You’re boring," she said dodging him.  

"You don’t know anything," said Aidan sounding somewhat offended as they began to climb the stairs again. “And I am not.”

"Are so," said Chloe, turning to face forward.

"I am not," said Aidan a little louder.

"Yes, you are," she sang.

"AM NOT!"

"Then when do you have fun?" she asked.

"All sorts of times," he said defending himself.

"Do you play with your friends?"

"I don't play," he mimicked, "I do much more important things."

"So you are boring, you should have fun. Maybe you'd like to paint. My friend Meg-"

"I don't need to have fun, when I can be important," he interrupted. He sounded on the verge of a fit again.

They finally reached the landing of the staircase and the conversation was halted.

Aidan threw open the door and Chloe stepped into the armor room of Malfoy Manor. Then Aidan slammed the door shut and it vanished into the wall.

 

Chloe shuddered. This room was lavishly decorated, and everything was a dark blood red down to the carpet. Knives, swords, and chains hung off of the walls as decoration and torture objects were displayed in spotless glass cases. All of the items in the room were well oiled and shining like cherished sets of silver.

 

Aidan was going around the room and showing her various things. She took this opportunity to put the first part of her plan in action. Chloe tugged at the hem of her robes, and a scrap of the fabric was carefully concealed in her hand. She glanced quickly around and set it right next to a glass case. Aidan didn't notice a thing. He was too busy bragging about the family heirlooms. It had worked for Hansel and Gretel, why not her?

~*~

Draco stood in front of the full-length mirror in his bedroom, and admired himself. He straightened his collar and smoothed down a hair. He jumped. A rat scurried across the floor, and he kept his gaze on it. Draco narrowed his eyes. The audacity of a common rat, daring to show its face in the Dark Lord's home.

Draco opened a dresser drawer and silently pulled out a long knife. The rat was in the corner, with its back turned and nibbling at something. Draco clutched the knife and smiled as he raised it to kill it.

"Rat, how dare you place yourself in the presence of Lord Voldemort!" he screamed bringing the knife down on the rat.

He was about to turn away, satisfied with the end of the creature, when suddenly there were two! They were multiplying! Draco gave an enraged cry and began pursuing rats around the room. They were everywhere, twitching, gnawing, taunting him. Draco grabbed his wand. He would show them!

 

~*~

Binky opened the door a crack and peeked in. His master was screaming and ripping the canopy on the bed with a knife. Binky trembled a little, his master was screaming very loudly about rats but Binky couldn't see any rats in the room. His master was now holding a hat in his hands and ripping it apart with his bare hands.

"There! The last one!" shouted Draco to what he believed was a rat on the floor. Draco then went back to the mirror to admire himself again and smoothed a wrinkle on his robes.

Suddenly Draco swung around and grabbed his knife again. "The girl!"

Binky felt a tear roll down his cheek. His master remembered about the little girl in the armor room. Binky scuffled down the hall and sobbed noisily for the sake of his little friend. Binky wiped his face with his tea towel and sighed heavily.

He would have continued crying for Chloe, but a loud noise startled him out of his misery. The noise was so loud that it was echoing all through the house. Binky could hardly believe it, this hadn't happened in a very long time…

 

~*~

 

Author Note: Special thanks to several people.  All of Harry’s lawyers are the people who helped me untangle the law matter of this thing.  If you’re one of those people, I’m sure you’ll be able to recognize yourself. J  Thanks to Anne for betaing this!   And oh yes, sorry about that little…erm…four month gap.  Thanks for sticking around!

 

“Have you hugged your stuffed dragon today?” Join  Chloe's Bookshelf today!

---

Chapter Thirteen: "It's going to take more than a spoonful of sugar"

“And that's the most expensive portrait that has ever been painted. It cost my great-grandfather over--" said Aidan pointing to yet another 'Most expensive thing ever' in Malfoy manor, while Chloe tuned him out to hear a much more interesting sound.

"What is that noise?" Chloe interrupted when he took a breath.

"What noise?" said Aidan irritated at being cut off.

"That noise!" said Chloe, pointing towards the location it was coming from.

Aidan listened and looked puzzled for a moment. “I don't know, I wonder what it is?" he said half to himself, and without realizing it, half to Chloe.

"It almost sounds like a--"

Aidan suddenly noticed he had been talking civilly and carrying on a conversation with Chloe for the last few seconds. He quickly changed his tone. "Shut up, you dumb Mudblood. You don't know what you're talking about.”

Chloe couldn't help feel the sting from the last comment. All during Aidan's boring tour of the manor, he had actually been nice to her.  She wasn’t sure about him now.

 

Both children jumped as Draco burst into the room. Panicked, he grabbed Chloe and threw her over his shoulder.

Chloe screamed and kicked. "Let me go!"

Aidan, left alone in the room, spotted Chloe's slipper on the ground. He didn’t think he wanted her to die today… she hadn’t been all that bad. He had never really known a   father had told him about this. Mudbloods were stupid, yet tricky.

He clenched the slipper, furious at Chloe, and threw it out the window. He was glad she would die.

~*~

 

“He’s gone to break into Malfoy’s house. We can’t let him go alone,” Ginny said, taking out her wand.

 

“How long ago?” asked Ron hurrying to put on his cloak. 

 

“Just now,” she said anxiously.  “Hurry!”

 

“I don’t want too many people to go,” Sirius warned. “If we don’t find anything then we’ll probably be arrested.” 

 

“I’m coming along,” said Remus.

 

“I do not condone this!” Percy stood up and frowned at all of them.  “The proper authorities have searched Malfoy Manor in a perfectly legal manner.  This simply can not turn into a wild goose chase!”

 

“I’m not chasin’ after any gooses,” Hagrid interrupted clipping Fang’s leash. “I’m chasin’ a Death Eater. An’ Harry needs me and Fang.”

 

“Be reasonable!” Percy said above the din. “Listen to the Aurors!”

 

“You’re fully welcome to arrest me and your commanding officer after we perform a little…surprise search on Malfoy Manor,” said Sirius shaking an Auror’s hand. “Got it?”

 

The Auror looked quite unsure of himself for a moment but then sat down. 

 

“We don’t know what you’re talking about, sir,” he said turning to his compatriots. They nodded and began talking to each other quietly.

 

“Ginny, I think you should stay here and let Fred or George go in your place,” Ron suggested.

 

“No. I will not,” Ginny said, her voice coated with ice.

 

“This is a very unwise decision!” Percy bellowed, trying to get someone to listen to him.

 

“Excuse me,” said one of the Aurors, tapping Sirius on the shoulder. “But I think there might be some Portkeys left on that table to your right… although I simply don’t know where you might end up.  Maybe they might inadvertently go to wherever you might want to go, but I don’t have the slightest idea where that is….”

 

Sirius grinned. “I hope you get promoted.”

 

~*~

 

They spotted Harry approaching the front door of the manor.  Hagrid and Fang veered off to the right to make a full circle of the property in case Fang might catch scent of Chloe.

 

"What is he going to do?" Ron said incredulously, watching Harry. “Knock like a gentleman?”

Harry began pounding on the door with all his might. The noise was sending the birds in the trees into flight. "OPEN THE DOOR, MALFOY!" bellowed Harry.

Catching up with Harry, the four were standing behind him, unnoticed, until Ron spoke up in-between poundings.

 

"What exactly are you doing? Are you going to break down the door with your bare hands? Or are you going to blow it to bits, like a proper wizard?"

Harry blinked, "Oh, right. Sorry, I guess I was just not thinking."

"We could just unlock it with magic..." said Remus trailing off.

"I don't think so, that seems too cordial," grinned Sirius.

"Yes, I do agree, blowing something up makes much more of a statement. I'd love to see Malfoy wet his trousers," Ron commented with his wand ready.

~*~

Malfoy grit his teeth as he ran down a corridor. That blasted, incompetent house elf.

He skidded to a halt in front of the proper wall in the armor room and hastily rapped on the wallpaper with his wand and muttered a few words. The door appeared out of the seams of the wallpaper, and Draco flung it open. He was about to dash down the stairs when he hesitated, foot poised over the doorway.

The stairs would take more time then he had. Draco got a better grip on the Mudblood and threw her from his shoulder. He then slammed the door shut and sealed it. Maybe if she were lucky, she'd fall down the entire four flights of stairs and break her neck.

Potter could never break this charm. He didn't know enough Dark Magic. Draco quickened his strides, he would have to hurry now, time was wasting, and he had several wizards to kill. Today was the day the world would know of his power.

~*~

Harry peered into the foyer of the Malfoy home when the dust from the explosion cleared. Remus was coughing and swatting the dust away from his face. The house was still as death, and even with the sunlight coming in from the doorway, they could hardly see into the foyer. A prickle of unrest slinked up Harry's spine. Things were too calm, and altogether too quiet. The others had rested their gazes on him, waiting for him to make the next move.

"Lum-" began Ron, with intentions of lighting his wand for a better look into the house.

Harry turned sharply and shook his head no.

Ron closed his mouth mid-spell and gave Harry an imploring "why not" look.

Harry took a step into the entryway. His boots crunched on a bit of splintered door.

"Don't move another step," growled Draco Malfoy coming out of the shadows. He surveyed his doorway with an ugly sneer.

"Give me back my daughter and turn yourself in, and I won't move another step," said Harry flatly.

"I don't have your daughter. You are breaking and entering. I order you to leave this moment!"

The sound of Harry's step forward echoed in the hall. "I’ve stopped playing fairly. Your restraining order isn’t going to protect you from me."

"I said, leave!" said Draco jerking his neck sharply.

"I said, give me my daughter. Now, if you don't mind moving, I plan on conducting a thorough search of your premises," said Harry coolly, as he stepped forward again.

"I don't have your daughter. For one reason, that should be obvious. No Potter is, or ever will be, welcome across the threshold of my home," said Draco as he clutched his wand with an even tighter grip. He took a sharp intake of breath, his gaze darting around the floor.

Harry was watching Draco very carefully. Harry looked out of the corner of his eye in the direction of where Draco was staring. There wasn’t anything there. "I didn't ask to be welcomed, I asked you to move.”

"I have rights, and four to one barging into my house to attack me, is not legal," said Draco taking a step away from the rat. He chewed his tongue and started muttering to himself in a low shaky voice. “Tapping, tapping, scratching, running across my floor….”

 

“Two Death Eaters barging into a nursery school doesn’t seem to be legal either,” Ginny said sharply.  “Get out of the way before I hex you myself.”

"STAY BACK!!!" screamed Draco. He pounced on a spot on the floor and shook his wand at it.

 

Remus, Sirius, Ron, and Ginny immediately flanked Harry's side and waited for him to make the first move. Harry didn’t move, watching Draco curse at the floor.

“You were right, Harry,” Ginny whispered softly.

"What in God's name is he doing?" Sirius gaped.

"Take his worthless hide out first, ask questions later," said Ron as he watched Draco howl in agony.

"This could be a trick," said Remus wisely. “He could be stalling, Harry.”

 

Harry turned to them and spoke quickly and very low.  “No, not this time. Listen to me, you have to find Chloe. You can search the house together….”

 

“You don’t know if this is a trick, like Remus said,” Ginny protested immediately. “We can’t leave you alone with him, crazy or not.”

 

“I’m staying with you,” Ron added quickly. “Ginny’s right, you can’t be left alone with him. Anything could happen.”

 

Harry’s green eyes narrowed. “Believe me, I will take care of it. Either way, we need to do this now.”

 

“We can slip through that doorway,” Remus said inclining his head. “I don’t think he’ll notice, but Harry and Ron can distract him.”

 

“Be careful,” Ron said, looking concernedly at Ginny. “Who knows what he has in this house….”

 

“No,” Ginny said glaring at Draco. “You two be careful… with him.  Don’t turn your backs….”

 

"DIE! How DARE you show yourselves to Lord Voldemort," screamed Draco at the floor.

"DRACO!" Harry shouted.

There was a sudden silence. Draco looked up slowly from the floor, and an evil grin was played across his lips.

"Potter. I didn't see you come in. How lovely of you to remember my old name from the days when we were school chums," he said, standing up from the floor. “Come to finish that little duel we started in second year?”

"School chums. I'll show you school chums," Ron said raising his wand at Draco. “You low-life Slyther—“

 

“Old name?" said Harry, interrupting Ron.

"Draco Malfoy. Honorable surname, distinguished family, but I wanted more. My loyalty had to be unquestionable….”

"What in God's name are you ranting about? Loyalties? It's no secret who you associated yourself with! In case you didn't notice, the fight is over, " scoffed Ron with an impatient snort.

"The fight never ended,” replied Draco, sounding as if he were merely discussing the weather. “And yet it can and will end here today. With Potter.”

"I am not going to duel you,” Harry said flatly. “Consider your fight a stalemate. I refuse to fight you, Malfoy. There is nothing to fight for. Your war is over.”

"Only to those who refuse to see what is really there…."

"Voldemort is dead,” Harry spat.  “You can’t change that.”

"I AM LORD VOLDEMORT, FOOL!" shouted Draco, flinging his arms out.

 

Harry and Ron stared at him silently. Draco looked halfway disappointed, as if he was hoping for at least one gasp of horror.

Harry looked at Draco as if he hadn't heard the last statement. "Give me my daughter.”

"I killed her," whispered Draco, his blue eyes widening in their sockets, darting around the room.

Horror immediately turned into wrath in Harry. His wand clattered to the floor and he lunged at Draco. He grabbed the collar of Draco's robes and his fury came roaring out. "I'm going to kill you right here!"

He was so angry that Draco's resistance was no match for his adrenaline. There was a brief struggle, but Harry easily slammed Draco into the ground. Another fist smashing into Draco's face told Harry that Ron was in the fight now.

Draco jammed his wand into Ron’s side and shouted a disarming spell and full body bind curse.  Ron’s wand flew across the room and clattered loudly on the floor and Ron himself fell to the ground, unconscious.  

Harry instinctively made a grab for his wand, but he realized he had dropped it on the floor just before he'd attacked Malfoy.

 

Pointing his wand at Harry’s chest, Malfoy cackled as he got to his feet. 

 

“Looking for something, Potter? Other than your dead daughter, that is.”

 

“Don’t you dare,” Harry said staring at his wand in Draco’s hands. 

 

Snap.

 

“Oh, my, my, my,” Draco looked at Harry with a mock innocent face.  “However did that happen?  Won’t the wizarding world be in for a nasty shock when they wake up to the news this morning?  Their blessed hero, barging into an innocent man’s home, illegally even, and getting himself blown up.  Pity. They did love you so.”

Harry stared into the face of the man who had murdered his daughter. Malfoy's frigid ice blue gaze was clearly one of a madman. That was the last thing Chloe probably saw, his face. He killed her...she was just a baby. Draco Malfoy killed her. Harry felt his blood rumble in his ears as his anger swelled up to heights he had never known.

 

"I expect the funeral will be magnificent.  Do you prefer white lilies, Potter? I may send an enormous bunch, courtesy of Lord Voldemort.”

"Kill me! Kill me, you coward! Fight me without a wand! KILL ME!" shouted Harry, standing his ground and throwing his arms out to expose his chest.

Malfoy roared with laughter. "AVA-"

"MURDERER!"

 

Draco felt his body go lax and sheer pain spread throughout his body. This wasn't possible. How had Potter done it? He slumped on the floor. He gasped for air, and attempted to fight the curse off. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a rat appear. He gave an unearthly scream, and then saw nothing.

~*~

Aidan gave Sirius a sharp kick in the shins. Sirius winced and tightened his grip on the boy. Remus was holding fast to the boy's other arm, and narrowly avoided being bitten on the hand.

“Please tell us where she is,” Ginny persuaded.  “I promise you won’t get into trouble.”

"Let me go!" howled Aidan miserably. He sunk his teeth into Sirius' wrist.

Sirius gave a yelp of pain, and shook the boy off. He grabbed Aidan's arm again and leaned very close to his face.

"Listen up, you little monster. I wouldn't do that again. See my friend over there? He's a Werewolf. He'll bite you back.”

Aidan pursed his lips in a pout. “I don’t care.”

"Snotty little brat,” Sirius grumbled. “We should just shake it out of you.”

 

“Sirius!” The nursery school teacher was coming out in Ginny, and she gave Sirius an annoyed look.  “He’s five years old.  He can’t help who his parents are. I’ll deal with this, thank you.” 

“Be my guest, Mary Poppins,” Sirius snorted. “It’s going to take you more than a spoonful of sugar, but if you think you know best….”

 

“You’re ugly,” Aidan said to Sirius, sticking out his tongue. 

 

“And you’re a Malfoy, we all have our flaws don’t we?” Sirius shot back.

 

“Aidan, everything will be okay if you tell us where your daddy hid Chloe,” Ginny said calmly. 

"You can't make me," snorted Aidan.

Lupin sighed, and he pulled a vial out of his robes. “I think I have a different approach.” He shook it in front of Aidan’s nose. “Do you know what this is?"

"No," said Aidan, clamping his mouth closed.

"It's a truth serum, I can give this to you, and then you'll have to tell us everything you know about Chloe. You can open your mouth, or I can give it to you through the air. Either you tell us now, or I give you this.”

“Nyah, nyah, nyah,” sang Sirius, with a huge grin. 

 

“Sirius Black!” Ginny glared at him. “You’re as bad as he is.”

 
Aidan glanced from Remus’ hand to Sirius. 

"Did you ever hear of the wizard who couldn't tell a lie for the rest of his life after he was given too much? I do hope we give you the right dosage," added Sirius.

Aidan snatched his hand from Sirius’. “I’m not showing you,” said Aidan with a mutinous look in Sirius’ direction.  He turned to Remus and Ginny. “Okay," he muttered.

"Show the way," said Sirius briskly pulling him out of the room.

~*~

Harry stood over Malfoy's body. He was still breathing, but definitely knocked out. He could kill him here, just like this...but he wouldn't. It wouldn't be right to do the same thing he'd done to Chloe. He deserved much worse.

”Wake up, mate,” Harry said bending down and nudging Ron gently.  “Finite Incantatem.”

 

Ron groaned and stirred. 

 

“Come on, Ron,” Harry persisted. “You’re all right. Open your eyes.

 

“Bloody hell,” Ron said lifting a hand to his head, squinting at Harry. “What happened?”

 

“We’re in Malfoy Manor, remember?”

 

Ron sat up slowly, still holding his head.  When he saw Malfoy, he seemed to recall everything. “Is he dead?” Ron asked slowly.

 

“Unfortunately not," said Harry glaring at Malfoy’s still form. “I’m going to go search the rest of the manor.  I- I just can’t give up until I find Chloe.” 

“Let’s go then.  I know she’s going to be happy to see you,” Ron said giving Harry an assuring look.

”No, you stay here and keep watch just in case. Take it easy, you’ve got a bump on your head the size of a boulder. Besides, if he starts to wake up, you’ve got a wand, I haven't.

"Seems to me you were doing just fine without a wand. But, if that's what you want me to do, I'll be happy to have this scumbag as a footrest while I wait." Ron conjured a chair and dug the heels of his boots on Malfoy's face.

~*~

The house elves huddled in a corner of the kitchen, whimpering. Another shelf of dishes came crashing down as Harry pushed it over. He then ran his hand along the wall, murmuring spells.

 

Wincing, they watched as he threw open the pantry door. There was a loud thunk, and then a cloud of flour exploded from the pantry opening. An onslaught of cans came rolling out of the pantry and tears pooled in their eyes as they witnessed their beloved kitchen being ripped apart.

 

Wiping away tears, one of the house elves looked up, and promptly fainted. A huge human and a dog stood in the doorway. When the rest of the elves noticed, they bolted from the dog, squealing with fright. Fang pursued, snuffling them with interest. 

"Harry!" shouted Hagrid.

Potatoes rolled out of the pantry, and Harry's voice could be heard, muffled. "What?"

"Ba-rooooooo!" howled Fang announcing their presence.

"Fang found something ya' might want ta see!" shouted Hagrid joyfully.

Harry appeared out of the pantry with flour splotches decorating his robes. "What is it?”

Hagrid held up Chloe's tiny blue slipper and grinned.

"Ba-rooooooo!" howled Fang again.

Harry's eyes widened and he snatched it from Hagrid's hand for a closer inspection. “This is Chloe’s!” Harry exclaimed excitedly. “And the first piece of hard evidence we have!”

"Ah, I tol' you, we would be needing old Fang here," said Hagrid patting Fang's head. “He’s a good ol’ dog.”

Fang's tail whapped happily on a pile of flour.

"He’s getting steaks for the rest of his life," said Harry, handing the slipper to Hagrid and beaming at Fang. 

"I'll keep this until we need it again," said Hagrid putting it in his huge overcoat. “Find Chloe, Fang!”

"Ba-rooo!" barked Fang at the house elves, as he and Hagrid went in the opposite direction from Harry.

~*~

Malfoy Manor was one the most dreary houses Harry had ever set foot in. The house didn't lack beauty--it had many expensive and nice things--but it lacked the one thing that made a home...signs that a family lived there. It resembled more of a museum than anything. He surveyed the hallway with three branches leading from the kitchen door. Harry hesitated, then took his best guess on which way to go first.

Harry took a long sweeping look at the room when he entered it. This had to be a weaponry room or some sort of armor room. Whatever it was, it was dreadful.  As he glanced around something caught his eye, a tiny sliver of cool blue, contrasting the blood red around him. Harry’s heart began beating faster as he snatched up the familiar shaded scrap of fabric, and his hands shook as he recognized it.

"CHLOE!" he cried, listening desperately for her. “Chloe Grace, answer me!”

He could hear nothing but the excited sound of his breathing.  Fighting to calm himself, he tried to examine the room.

 

A trapdoor, perhaps?  Slowly, Harry checked the carpet, not wanting to miss an inch. 

 

He stood up in frustration, and something else caught his eye. The other walls had elaborate weapons or banners practically dripping off of them. Except one. 

 

There was no other reason why.  Harry placed a hand on it and closed his eyes. “Please, please, be this wall,” he prayed silently, before casting the most powerful unlocking charm he could think of. 

Click.

A door appeared on the red wallpaper. Harry clamored for the handle and flung the door open. 

 

There she was. He threw himself at her side and took her in his arms. She was warm. She was alive, unconscious, but alive.

"Chloe," sobbed Harry, holding her to him, unable to move. “Chloe, I found you.”

 

~*~

 

Author Note: Thanks to Anne for betaing this!

 

“Have you hugged your stuffed dragon today?” Join Chloe's Bookshelf

---

Chapter 14- The Most Obvious Thing In the World

 

Harry fumbled for the knob on Chloe's bedroom door and panicked as the screaming became louder. He made a dash for her bedside and nearly killed himself as he stomped on something that squeaked ‘Mama!’, bumped into the table with the tea set, and very nearly put his foot through two stories of a dollhouse.    

"Chloe! Chloe, please wake up!"

 

He reached her bed and wrapped his arms around her.

 

Chloe's face was wrenched in agony. Tears coursed down her cheeks, and her breathing was short and desperate. She struggled frantically against Harry's grasp and shrieked.

 

"Help me!"

Harry couldn't bear this. The first time it had happened, he had been so concerned he'd called the doctor to come in the dead of night. The doctor had reassured Harry that nightmares were common in children Chloe's age, and she would probably outgrow them. He also reminded Harry that the psychological impact of the kidnapping could have been much worse, so he should feel thankful that it was just a set of reoccurring night terrors.

Harry had wanted to kick the doctor through the window; he obviously didn't know what he was talking about. Why should he be thankful that this was all Chloe had to go through...why should she have to go through anything? These weren't regular nightmares, these were all the horrible things she had lived through at Malfoy Manor, coming back to haunt her.

"Chloe!" Harry was hoping to shake her out of her sleep. "Wake up, Chloe!"

Chloe's eyes fluttered open and she continued to cry.

"Don't leave me, Daddy! Don't leave me!" she wailed burying her face in his pajamas.

Harry smoothed her damp hair from her face and rocked her, "Shhhh, it's okay, Angel. I'm not leaving."

"Daddy, the man...he's coming to get me!" she choked.

Harry was beginning to feel sick. It wasn't fair, his daughter shouldn't have to go through this,

"Chloe, I'm right here. I'm not going to let anything happen. Don't think about it, it's going to be okay. Here, hold Norbert."

 

Chloe closed her eyes, tears streaming out of their corners. "Sleep here, Daddy, so he won't come. I’m scared!”

Harry had expected that. Chloe hadn't slept alone since the kidnapping. "Shhh. I'll sleep here. Don't cry, Chloe, it was only a dream."

"Promise?" she asked, clutching his pajamas so tightly that Harry hoped the buttons would hold.  

"I promise. Close your eyes and think of nice things."

"He's coming, Daddy!" sobbed Chloe, scrunching even closer to him.  

"Quiet now, you’re safe here with me.”

Harry rocked her in his arms and murmured the words to a lullaby.

"Goodnight, my Angel, time to close your eyes, and save these questions for another day.
I think I know what you’ve been asking me, I think you know what I've been trying to say.

I promised I would never leave you, and you should always know...
Wherever you may go, no matter where you are, I never will be far away.

Goodnight, my Angel, now it's time to sleep, and still so many things I want to say.
Remember all the songs you sang for me, when we went sailing on an emerald bay.

And like a boat out on the ocean, I'm rocking you to sleep...."


Eventually she fell back to sleep and Harry laid her back down on her pillow. He brushed the tears off her cheeks and kissed her forehead. She gave a little sigh in her sleep and drew Norbert more tightly towards her.

Harry gave a sigh of relief. It was over until tomorrow night. He lay down beside her and held her little hand in his. “I’m sorry, Chloe,” he whispered. “I’ll never let anything happen to you ever again.” 

 

~*~

 

Ginny sat at the table in the breakfast room, and worried over her muffin. Chloe and Meghan looked at her with interest as they had waffles and cranberry juice.

"What are you thinking, Aunt Ginny?" asked Meghan taking a gulp of juice.

"Well, I'm wondering where on earth Chloe's daddy could've been off to this morning for so long.”

"Probably picking berries," Chloe commented.

"Picking berries?" Ginny repeated, amused at the mental image of Harry with a basket, frolicking in the morning snow, picking berries. 

Chloe poured more syrup on her waffle and nodded her head seriously. "Oh, yes. I like winterberries an awful lot. I bet Daddy thought the same thing."

Ginny glanced at her watch. It was just after eight-thirty, and Harry had told her and Meghan to come by for breakfast. But, he said breakfast would be served at eight... Harry wasn't one to be late. The house elves said that he had merely told them he was going out for a bit and to please keep an eye on Chloe. 

Meghan nodded to Chloe's berry comment, "It's so pretty and sparkling, like diamonds!" She pointed out the bay window in the breakfast room.

Ginny wondered where Chloe had got the berry idea. She doubted Chloe had ever gone berry picking, for Ginny certainly never had, although it did sound fun.

"James Frost," said Chloe, putting down her juice, ”he's that little man that puts all the winter things out, right, Ms. Ginny? I think Mrs. Figg told me a story about him once."

Ginny smiled. "Yes, but it's Jack Frost, not James."

"Are you very certain it's Jack? Not James?" asked Chloe.

"Yes," replied Ginny

Meghan piped up, "I think that James Frost sounds so much better than Jack Frost. Don't you think so, Chloe?" she asked.

Chloe nodded. "It does. Let's call him James Frost. We'll know what his name really should be," she suggested.

Meghan swallowed the rest of her waffle. "We'll be the only ones who know his REAL name. Well, except for Aunt Ginny, but she won't tell, she never tells secrets."

With a rush of cold air and a door slam, Harry stood in the breakfast room looking disheveled but happy.

"What happened?" Ginny stood up and hurried over to him. “You have scratches on your face! Are you okay?” 

"Were you in a fight, Uncle Harry?" Meghan was staring at him with wide eyes. 

"Did you happen to find any winterberry bushes?" asked Chloe, not to be distracted from her first theory on where Harry had been.

"A fight?" Harry stamped his feet on the floor to warm them. “No, no fights. And I didn't find any winterberry bushes, although I might have landed in one..."

"Landed in one?" repeated Ginny faintly.

Harry pulled more twigs off of his clothes, "At least it could've been one. Whatever it was, it had lots of thorns."

"Ouch, Daddy!" said Chloe wincing for him.

"Uncle Harry, how come you landed in a bush?" asked Meghan.

Harry grinned boyishly. "This morning, the weather was very nice. So, I got my Firebolt..."

"The broom!" squealed Chloe. She set down her fork and listened eagerly.

"A Quidditch broom!?" asked Meghan becoming equally excited.

"Well, yes. Anyhow, it was a fantastic morning to go flying...I'll take you next time Chlo...you'll love it!"

"How did you land in the bush?" prodded Ginny.

Harry selected a danish off the silver platter and took a seat in a chair as he began to explain, "I was remembering some of my favorite moves, and I tried to do a Wronski Feint. And wouldn’t you know…”

Ginny sucked in her breath, "Harry! You haven't been flying in over eight years, and you go and try that again!"

Chloe was beyond impressed. "Did you land in a bush, Daddy?"

"Yes, but I'm okay," he said winking at Ginny who now had her arms crossed.

Meghan giggled. "I want to see a Wronski Feint!"

Chloe bolted from her seat, "Oh! I remember! I have a book, called 'Quidditch!' It's my favorite book! It's got pictures in it! Let's go look and see if the Wronski Feint is in it! Did you know my Daddy is in the book too? A picture of him at Hogwarts, it's my favorite part!"

The two girls stampeded out of the kitchen. There was total silence after a second, as the French doors slammed shut. Moments later, one of the doors opened and Meghan's curly head poked in.

"May we be excused?" she asked politely, sounding quite rehearsed.

"Carry on," said Ginny.

The door slammed gain with a shudder and running footsteps were heard, along with giggles.

Harry took a bite of his danish thoughtfully. "I'm in that book?"

"Enough from you, Mr. Setting Bad Examples for Your Daughter! Look at you! Dripping wet and practically frozen! You're going to catch a cold! But, obviously you know better gallivanting off like that without telling a soul. What if you had got hurt?" Ginny crossed her arms and looked sorely at him. 

"Yes, I thought about the getting hurt portion when I was plummeting towards the ground," he replied mischievously.

"Harry! You have to think of Chloe now!" Ginny scolded.

"Oh, I did! I thought about how much fun she would have had with me."

"You know very well that is not what I meant!" she said trying not to smile at him.

Harry's grin sobered a little, and he halfway agreed that what he had done had been a tad irresponsible. "I can't take care of myself? Is that what you are implying?"

”Your powers of picking out context clues are utterly astounding, Harry,” Ginny said dryly. 

 

“Why, thank you,” Harry grinned. “And you’re so remarkably subtle about everything.”

 

Ginny burst out laughing. “Liar.”

 

He looked her up and down mischievously. “I know. I can’t really find one inch of you that I find subtle. It’s quite enjoyable.”

 

“I’ll bet,” Ginny remarked sarcastically, but blushing.

 

“I’m taking that as a context clue,” Harry said pulling her towards him by her hands. 

 

“Meaning?”

 

“Meaning, I’m taking it as an excuse to kiss you.”

 

~*~

Chloe pulled the book down and she, and Meghan plopped on the floor to flip through the pictures.

"There," said Chloe proudly when they got to a specific page.

"Wow! Your Daddy looks older now!"

"I know!"

Meghan nodded, "Will you read it Chloe? I don't want to work out the words, I'd rather draw pictures."

Chloe nodded, "When we grow up, I'll write a book and you can draw the pictures."

"I'm awfully thirsty, Meggy, I'm going to go get my juice. Okay?"

"Okay," said Meghan returning back to the book.

Chloe and Norbert hopped down the stairs on the way to the breakfast room.

She opened the door and halted. Chloe's mouth made a small 'oh' when she saw her Daddy and Ms. Ginny kissing each other. She stared for a moment, then looked down at Norbert, then looked back up at them for a few moments. Chloe blinked, and then spotted her juice on the kitchen table and went after it, unnoticed.

She set Norbert in her lap as she drank her juice and watched them quietly, with interest.

 

~*~

Ginny and Harry pulled apart after several minutes, and Ginny laid her head on Harry's shoulder and opened her eyes. He stroked her hair and sighed softly.

She gazed at the beautiful sight out the bay windows; it was such a lovely morning. She admired the trees, beautiful snow, and even little Chloe looked part of the picture. Chloe! Ginny let out a startled scream and bolted from Harry's arms.

Chloe had been so intent in her study of all this, that when Ginny screamed had been quite startled, so she screamed also. Her juice glass went flying into the air along with poor Norbert.

Harry had been basking in the utter perfection of the moment when he was thrown from his thoughts and Ginny's arms. Ginny had shoved him away with a scream and there was a shattering of glass and more screaming. Harry swung around and saw Chloe sitting at the kitchen table looking quite shocked.

Chloe's was looking from the juice to Harry and Ginny, tears brimming. 

Harry and Ginny both rushed over to her. "It's okay! Don't cry!” Harry scooped her up.

Ginny worried over her too. "Are you hurt Chloe? Here's Norbert."

Chloe didn't cry, but her lower lip quivered as she looked back and forth between the two embarrassed adults.

"I just wanted some juice," she sighed.

Harry smoothed some hair from her face. "I know, I know, and I'm sorry if we startled you, Angel." He cleaned the juice up with a quick spell.

"What were you doing, Ms. Ginny?" Chloe demanded now that the juice tragedy was behind her.

All of the blushing that Ginny had done up to this point was nothing compared to the way she was blushing now. Harry actually attempted a straight face.

"Well, I was...er. Um, I mean we were. Well you see, Chloe, I was kissing your father,” she finally got out. 

Chloe nodded at her. “I know that, Ms. Ginny. But, why?"

Harry interrupted and cleared his throat, hoping his voice came out in a calm fatherly tone. "I was kissing Ms. Ginny because I care for her very much."

"Do you care for my Daddy very much, Ms. Ginny?" Chloe interrogated, immediately turning back to Ginny.

"Yes I do." she said without hesitation.

Chloe gave an overly dramatic sigh. "Don't you know? That means you love each other!" she said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Harry was quick to answer that one. “Chloe, now let's not go overboard here. That's not always true."

Chloe gave Harry a disbelieving look. "If you say so, Daddy. But, do you love me Daddy?"

Harry smiled. "More than anything, Angel.”

"I love you too, Daddy," she said kissing his cheek.

"Thank you, Chloe," he said squeezing her in a hug.

Harry set Chloe down and she smiled coyly at them and skipped out of the room.  “I’ll be in my room if you want to care about each other very much more.”

 

Ginny slapped a hand over her mouth, having to turn away, so she wouldn’t laugh at Chloe. 

"Whew," sighed Harry, sinking into a chair clutching his chest.

"You handled that splendidly," smiled Ginny sitting down next to him.

He picked up her hand and laced his fingers through hers. "Thank you. I thought for a second that she would be scarred for life from that one.  Apparently not, since she practically told us to do it again.”

Ginny shook her head and grinned. “I can’t decide if she’s plotting this whole thing or if she’s really just that funny.”

 

“Gifted,” Harry corrected. “She’s gifted.”

 

Ginny shrugged. “Either way, I think we should follow orders.”

 

“Oh, really?” Harry smiled, kissing her forehead, cheeks, and finally her lips. “I think I agree.”

 

~*~

 

Disclaimer: Lullaby lyrics are not mine. They belong to Billy Joel. The song is “Goodnight, My Angel” Download it if you have time, it’s very cute.  Jack (or James…) Frost is obviously not mine either.

 

“Have you hugged your stuffed dragon today?” Join Chloe's Bookshelf

 

 

---

Chapter 15- Mother Hens and Harry Monster

 

“You have a visitor.”

 

The cell door rattled open and the guard cleared his throat impatiently.

 

Draco looked over at him leisurely as if the guard had announced his afternoon tea. “Who is it?”

 

The guard gave a noisy snort.  “It’s the Queen, who do you think? Now get up off your arse.”

 

Draco swung his feet down from the bed and smirked at the guard.  “That was quite comedic of you. Do you have any more jokes?”

 

“Do you want to get out of this cell or not!” growled the guard. “I can just leave you in here to talk to the little voices in your head if you’d like.”

 

When they got to the visitation room, Draco saw Pansy sitting primly behind one of the windows, dressed completely in black. 

 

“I would prefer to go back to my cell and rot, please,” Draco said sardonically to the guard.

 

“Sit down,” said the guard shoving him into the chair.

 

Pansy studied Draco in exactly the same way she might have examined a spot of mold on a loaf of bread. “Orange doesn’t suit you, Draco.”

 

“And you’re in mourning, I see,” Draco replied with a sneer. “As much as you might wish it, I’m not dead. ”

 

“You may as well be,” Pansy said coldly. “Your life is as good as over.  Potter will more than make sure of that.”

 

“Potter won’t kill me,” snorted Draco. “Nor will he allow a judge to do so.  You won’t get your hands on my money that easily. You know Aidan is the heir.”

 

“And have you taken your potion like a good boy?” said Pansy tapping on the glass with a plump finger, her fingernail was manicured in lavender. “We wouldn’t want you to hear all those voices in your head during that little trial Potter’s letting you have.”

 

Draco swelled like a violated puffer fish and gritted his teeth.

 

Pansy’s tone darkened, and she narrowed her eyes at Draco. “You’re ruined,” she hissed. “I told you to not meddle in that idiot’s life, and what do you go and do? You ring up an old Death Eater pal and merrily go on your way. No one can catch the great Draco Malfoy. No one can challenge the great Draco Malfoy. No one can bring down the great Draco Malfoy.  No one, except Harry Potter, that is.” Pansy spit the last word and a flush had crept up her plump and pasty profile. “And now Potter has free run over anything he wants. The Malfoy fortune. The Manor. Your life.”

 

“Is that in order of importance?” asked Draco, raising an indifferent eyebrow, “because I fail to see how any of this involves you, Pansy.”

 

“You’re crazier than I thought,” Pansy snorted. “If you think I’m going to get a divorce and settle for measly child support payments while waiting for your son to come of age…you’ve got something else coming to you! I haven’t put up with you for six years to get nothing in return.  Your snot-faced little son is hardly the beginning of the reparations you owe me. That fortune belongs to me.”

 

“You have just finished telling me that Harry Potter has free run over everything, Pansy.” 

 

“Not if we do this correctly,” snapped Pansy. “It’s about time someone intelligent does the planning. You’re going to listen to me and do as you're told, because I’m not going to let you drag me down in the process.”

 

“Oh, I feel so much better now that you have a plan,” Draco said dryly.

 

“You’re going to plead guilty and renounce your behavior.”

 

“I will not.”

 

“Oh yes you will, or Harry Potter and his Mudblood brat will get every last Knut of your fortune.”

 

“I said, I will not. Potter can have every last bit, but he won’t get so much as a word of an apology from me. Hell has a better chance of freezing over.”

 

“Why am I not surprised? You and your moronic Malfoy honor.”

 

“You have a duty as my wife to honor my wishes. Unless you want to talk about a divorce again….”

 

Pansy slammed a fist on the counter. “You listen to me, Draco. I have custody of your son. If you want the little idiot to grow up with even a glimmer of likeness to a Malfoy, you'd better start reconsidering my plan.”

 

“Let me talk to him,” Draco said immediately.

 

“Agree to my plan,” Pansy said crossing her arms and smiling at him with self-assured smirk.

 

“You don't seem to realize that I've seen through your little plan. You think you’re being cunning and clever, working it out so that it does nothing but benefit you. That’s the last thing I ever want to do. I don't owe you anything,” Draco responded.

 

Pansy’s face lost the smirk. “Oh yes you do.  ”

 

“Even though you conveniently went on vacation during this entire ordeal, I believe that you might take care to remember that I know every delightful, sunny detail of your past.  I could simply start talking, and you might just end up right here next to me….”

 

Pansy’s laugh was forced and high. “You forget, Draco. They think you’re absolutely crazy, which you are,” she added scornfully.

 

“But what if they were to launch an investigation just for general interest in the accusations? That could certainly rattle the skeletons in your closets,” said Draco smiling in his normal fashion now, extremely pleased with himself.

 

“Don’t threaten me, you ba—“

 

“Do tread softly, Pansy.” Draco leaned back in his chair and laughed softly. “Why don’t you go fetch Aidan?”

 

~*~

 

Chloe selected a crayon from behind Harry’s heel and gave an enormous sigh. 

 

“Daddy?”

 

“Mmm?”

 

Chloe heard another page turn and waited for her father to respond with a ‘Yes?’

 

“Daddy?” she repeated, a bit louder.

 

“What is it, Chloe?”

 

“Daddy!” She poked him in the top of the foot with the green crayon. “Daddy!”

 

The book thudded shut, and Harry sounded slightly irritated.  “Chloe! Must you color under my desk!? What is it?”

 

Chloe crawled out from under his desk and glared at him. “I must color under your desk.”

 

Harry’s face suddenly turned a bit apologetic when he realized he was being mocked rather splendidly.  “Why are you doing it then?”

 

“Because,” Chloe said huffily, “I just might have a question, and I want to be by you.”

 

“There’s a perfectly nice table over there that you can color on, and you’ll still be by me,” Harry said shaking his head.

 

“Daddy, don’t be silly.  That isn’t as nice as my cave.”

 

Harry took a deep breath and then patiently continued. “You are only allowed to reside in your cave when you don’t leave your crayons under my fe—“

 

“The hairy monsters,” Chloe interrupted.

 

There was a short pause in which Harry took the time to glance down at his feet. “They most certainly are not!” he said defensively.

 

“Yes they are,” Chloe said pointing. “But they’re very friendly monsters, Daddy.”

 

“That happens to be my ankle,” Harry said smiling slightly. “It’s supposed to be that way.”

 

“Why?” Chloe asked curiously.

 

“Because, I—“ Harry looked down at his ankle. “Because, for Heaven’s sake, Chloe Grace, I don’t know.”

 

“Are you mad at me?” Chloe questioned in the soft hurt voice that absolutely made Harry’s stomach drop with guilt.

 

“No, Angel.  I’m just very busy. Do you still have a question?”

 

She nodded and played with the shiny green ribbon in one of her pigtails. 

 

“Go on, I’m listening.”

 

“The man….” Her voice dropped off and she sidled closer to him, putting her hands on his knee.

 

“Mr. Malfoy,” Harry said, placing a comforting hand on her back.

 

“He’s in prison?”

 

Harry nodded. “Yes.”

 

“Forever?”

 

Harry sighed. “I don’t know, Chloe. That’s why we have trials. A judge has to decide how long Mr. Malfoy has to stay in jail, or in a hospital, so he can get better.”

 

“What about that boy?” she asked, after digesting his comments.

 

“Chloe, you know his name. What about Aidan?”

 

“He doesn’t have to go to jail too, does he? Can they put kids in jail, Daddy?”

 

Harry pulled Chloe into his lap and hugged her tightly. “No. Aidan doesn’t have to go to jail.”

 

“But he won’t have a daddy anymore if they put him in jail,” Chloe said worriedly. “Shouldn’t he have a daddy?”

 

“Aidan has a mum too,” Harry said retying the green ribbon.  “Are you worried about him?”

 

Chloe screwed up her face. “No. He doesn’t like me at all. But I hope his daddy is nice to him after he gets better.”

 

“Chloe, sometimes children can’t be with their real parents. You know that,” Harry stroked her pigtail and sighed. “Like how you live with me now, instead of with your Muggle parents.”

 

“But Aidan’s mum and dad aren’t Muggles….”

 

“It’s very complicated,” Harry said hugging her. “I’ll tell you when you’re older.”

 

~*~

 

Aidan swallowed hard and squirmed in the plastic chair. 

 

Draco watched him a moment longer and spoke. “If you have a question, Aidan, ask it.”

 

Aidan had a million questions. Each more puzzling than the next but he couldn’t ask any of them.  Not to that man.  Whoever that man was behind the glass was certainly not his father. He had never seen the man behind the glass in his entire life.  His father would never wear orange, and his father would certainly not allow the man behind him to stare at him so rudely.

 

“What,” Aidan began slowly, “what are those things on your wrists?”

 

Draco glanced at down at the brass bands clamped firmly around his wrists.  “They’re Blocking Bands,” he said simply.

 

“What do they do?” Aidan asked, glancing back at his mother.  She had crossed her arms over her stomach and was glaring at the both of them.

 

“They keep me from doing magic,” Draco said after a pause.

 

Aidan didn’t want to look at him again. This was not his father. His father would never allow anyone to take away his magic. “Why?”

 

“Look at me when addressing me!” Draco snapped.

 

Aidan jerked his head up. Now that sounded more like his father. But he was still faced with…this…this…faker.

 

“Why did they take away your magic?”

 

“Because Harry Potter wanted them to,” Draco said shortly. “Anything else?”

 

Aidan nodded. “Are they going to kill you, Father?”

 

“No!” Draco barked. “Where did you get an idiotic idea, such as that!”

 

“Mother.”

 

“Your mother is nothing more than a foolish drunk.  You are a Malfoy and it is your duty to behave as one while I’m gone.”

 

“How long will you be gone, Father?” Aidan glanced back at his mother, who didn’t seem to hear his father talk about her.

 

“That is not of importance. What did I tell you?”

 

Aidan drew a deep breath and kept his blue eyes on his father. “That I am a Malfoy.”

 

~*~

"Harry?" Sirius entered the room cautiously.

"What?" Harry’s voice was strained and he didn’t turn to greet Sirius.

"Do you want something to eat?"

"Why do you feel obligated to feed me?”

"Don't be argumentative, Harry James.”

 

Sirius set his hands on the back of the couch and looked down at Harry, who was lying perfectly still, staring at the ceiling.  Harry’s Auror robes were unclasped at the collar and he had managed to kick off one of his boots.

"Sorry.”

 

“You look a wreck.”

 

“I’m dead tired, Sirius,” Harry said, finally letting his gaze rest on Sirius. “I just got home.”

"Want to talk about it?"

"It's awfully late to get into it.”

"Nine o' clock?" said Sirius, not falling for it. “Don’t you dare make me read about the results in the Daily Prophet.”

"Fine," sighed Harry, sitting up. "Can I get you something to drink?"

”No thank you. Just give it to me straight.”

 

“Well, of course you know we won,” Harry said flatly. “That’s all over the news already….”

 

“Of course.”

 

Harry sighed. “At least the judge had the sense to make it a non-public trial.”

 

“What happened?” Sirius prodded.

 

“I was pardoned for breaking the restraining order. Percy took care of it.”

 

“Good, good,” Sirius said approvingly. “I knew there wouldn’t be a problem.”

 

Harry shrugged apathetically.

 

Sirius crossed his arms. “Harry, what’s bothering you?”

 

“Do you know how long I've known Malfoy?” Harry said suddenly with definite anger in his voice. “Fourteen years. And did you know that in every moment in those fourteen years I wanted him to pay for all the foul things he’s done.  Then…for once, I knew I had the absolute advantage, and there wasn’t any question of me winning or not.”

 

Sirius didn’t comment, but waited for Harry to continue.

 

“And now it’s finally happened,” Harry said bitterly. “I’ve destroyed the rest of his life and it seems that I’m not any better than he is.”

 

“Harry, I understand you feel a bit guilty, but did Draco really have a fulfilling life? What exactly was he going to do, change mankind for the better? Kill off more Muggles? Go kidnap a few of Percy's kids next time? What he'd murdered one of us, would that convince you of his guilt?"

"No.” Harry lifted his eyes from the carpet. "I know he deserves everything. Everything! To tell you the truth, later on I'll probably think it isn't harsh enough for what he did to Chloe! He's a monster...but it's not just him I'm hurting!"

Sirius' dark eyes showed compassion, but his mouth remained in a thin hard line. “Harry, I didn’t attend the trial. You’re going to have to tell me.”

 

Harry strode over to his desk and snatched a folder off of it.  He handed it to Sirius like it was a particularly slimy thing he never wanted to touch again. "It’s all in here. Whether you judge it just or not, it’s over.” 

"Harry, I don't question your judgment," Sirius argued.

That got a small half-smile from Harry. “Yes you do.”

"Oh?” smiled Sirius, “You think it’s so easy being me? These conversations get harder as you get older! It was easier when you were thirteen or fourteen. Now the only response I get is that I'm the old geezer that questions your judgment! "

"Come on, Sirius, you're not an old geezer. Just read it,” Harry said taking his seat again.

Sirius squinted at the papers, snorted, and disobligingly took out a pair of reading glasses. “Old geezer," he muttered half to himself, half to Harry.

Harry rolled his eyes behind his own glasses and pointed to the title of a paper. “I have complete ownership of Malfoy Manor,” he said simply. “The judge wanted me to compose my own list of compensation, and I must say, my lawyers are nothing short of frightening geniuses.”

 

Sirius raised his eyebrows in an expression of surprise. “What are you going to do with that property?”

”I’ll get into that in a moment. I’m sure you’re much more interested to find out what is going to happen to Draco.”

 

“Very much so.”

 

“He’s been diagnosed as legally insane. He’s under a heavy regimen of potions and medicines right now, and that helps him function almost normally, but the doctors don’t know what will happen if he ever builds up an immunity to the medicine.”

 

“So whether he was found guilty or not, he would have been locked up?”

 

“Yes,” Harry said nodding his head. “This only moved it on a bit sooner.  He, of course, thinks he’s perfectly normal.”

 

“Where is he going?”

 

“Raveneux Mental Institution. In solitary confinement until he stops this 'I am Lord Voldemort' rubbish. He’s also had his right to do magic completely abolished."

"Raveneux,” said Sirius thoughtfully, “that’s not exactly Azkaban, but I think it’s fitting. Jail with padded walls.”

"What's this here with the…house elves? Have you been talking to Hermione?” Sirius held up a piece of paper and skimmed it over with a smile.

"All house elves have been released from the Malfoy's supervision. They are welcome to go to other houses. However, I would imagine that a few will stay due to the renovation of Malfoy Manor."

“Go on….”

 

“I’m not taking away Pansy and Aidan’s home because of something Draco did. Technically, they can live there under my conditions," said Harry.

"Pansy isn’t going to take very kindly to your charity,” Sirius said with a smile.

“I’m not doing this for Pansy. I’m doing this for the little boy. He lost his father...and everything in his world is going to be turned upside down," said Harry quietly. "Malfoy Manor will be changed into a free boarding house for all witches and wizards that are Muggle born and don't have anyone to turn to in time of need. Also, any Hogwarts students can stay there for holidays if they live in a bad environment outside of school."

Sirius looked utterly delighted. “Pansy Parkinson using her own home to cater to the Muggle-born.  You’re right, Harry. Your lawyers are frightening geniuses.”

”Pansy won't be in charge of it all, but she'll work there. The Malfoy fortune will pay for everything. Only the best bedding, best food, and anything else will be provided for the residents.  Pity it wasn't around when I had to live with the Dursleys."

“What goes around comes around,” Sirius said wisely. “But I have to tell you, if it were left up to me, I would have just kicked the Malfoys out on their arses and made it into a playhouse for Chloe.  The Daily Prophet is going to love this, though.”

Harry groaned, "Don't remind me...."

"Daddy?" Chloe padded into the room, rubbing her eyes. “Are you finished with the trial now?”

 

“I am,” said Harry picking her up. “Did we wake you?”

 

Chloe shook her head no and sleepily laid her head on Harry's shoulder. "I forgot," she said simply.

"You forgot what?" asked Harry.

"I forgot to ask Mr. Charlie about the letter Ms. Ginny and I wrote him."

Sirius chuckled, "About the dragons sneezing...or something like that?"

Chloe yawned, "Uh-huh. Ms. Ginny said he wrote back and added a little note on the bottom saying he would tell me when he came and visited next. Then I forgot to ask him."

"That woke you up?" laughed Harry.

"My head thought it was important that I remembered," explained Chloe, closing her eyes.

"We'll remember next time. Okay?" said Harry.

"Okay," sighed Chloe, already half-asleep again.

"I'll go take her back to her bed," whispered Sirius taking Chloe from Harry and leaving the room.

 

Harry settled back down onto the couch and sighed. He wondered if Ginny had heard anything about the trial yet. Surely she would have stopped by to see him. 

 

“Did you talk to Ginny today?” Harry asked when he heard Sirius’ footsteps enter the study again.

 

“I didn’t. Did you?” responded a very clear articulate voice.

 

Harry bolted up. “Remus! Don’t do that!”

 

“Don’t answer your questions?” Remus asked, warming up by the fire.

 

“I thought you were Sirius…sorry.”

 

“If I'd turned into Sirius,” Remus said with a mischievous smile, “I’d be very concerned for the welfare of myself.”

 

“I’m guessing you heard about the trial, then,” Harry said.

 

“I did. I came by to see how you were.”

"You know, you and Sirius should start a psychiatric office, you seem to be awfully interested in my well being as of late."

"As of late?"

"Oh, that's right. You two have always listened to my griping about everything since I was, in what, in fourth year?"

"Third," corrected Remus automatically, "and I also don't think it's griping."

“I’m fine. And don’t get me wrong, I’m very grateful for the pair of mother hens that I’ve had the good fortune to be landed with.”

 

“I resent that comment.” Sirius smiled good-naturedly at Harry as he walked back into the room. “I am not a mother hen.”

 

“He sounds cranky, don’t you think so, Sirius?”

 

“I agree, Remus. Maybe he’s not getting enough iron in his diet.”

 

“Or maybe a lack of Ginny Weasley,” suggested Remus.

 

“Okay, enough,” Harry said moodily. “And no, I haven’t seen Ginny this week.” 

"So, why don't you go to Ginny's house, and you two go do something together?” said Remus. “It’s very simple.”

 

“You know,” Sirius said wickedly. “Like a date.”

 

“The Potter men never seem to catch on how these things work,” said Remus. “Took James years….”

 

“Wasn’t my father married?” Harry began. “Which is more than either of you ca—“

 

“That’s different,” Sirius said waving his hand distractedly.

 

“How?”

 

“We were discussing how you were going to go take Ginny somewhere this evening,” Remus interrupted succinctly.

"I would, but I need a responsible babysitter," retorted Harry.

"Ouch," said Sirius.

"I think that both of us can handle a sleeping little girl," reassured Remus, "Especially a really sweet one like Chloe."

"Is that the theory that two half responsible people make one whole responsible person?"

”Would you just go!" Sirius shoved Harry’s cloak into his arms.

"You'll get in touch with me if Chloe has another night terror?" asked Harry anxiously.

"Yes! Leave already! We're going to call up our lady friends and have wild party in your house!" explained Sirius.

"Oh? I wasn't aware the nursing home's visiting hours were this late," grinned Harry.

"Watch it!"

"Go have fun," ordered Lupin, "We've got everything under control."

"Go profess your undying love to Ginny."

Harry shook his head and laughed just before he Apparated out of the room.

"Nursing home..." grumbled Sirius, "if I didn't know better, I'd say Harry called us a pair of old coots!"

"Your hair is grayer than mine.”

"That's wisdom, dear Moony, not gray hair..."

~*~

Ginny opened her front door and gave a muffled noise of surprise. "Harry! I'm in my pajamas!"

"They're very nice pajamas" commented Harry with a grin, "I mean...sorry to wake you."

"It's okay, I wasn’t asleep. Is everything okay?”

"May I come in?”

Ginny let him in, "Sorry. Where are my manners?"

"Same place mine are, for coming to your house late at night," grinned Harry.

"Well, I'm always looking for someone to show off my favorite pair of Chudley Cannons pajamas. Since Ron is such a thoughtful gift buyer...it's only fair I show them to everyone that doesn't have the good fortune to own a pair.  Would you like a cup of tea?”

Harry laughed. “No thanks. I think Hermione is really trying to wean him off that horrible orange, I doubt it’s working though."

"Well we all know, Ron's best color is really-"

"Maroon," they said together and laughed.

 

“So what brings you to my humble abode?” Ginny asked. “I have some shapes you can help me cut out for the shape unit after Christmas break.”

"I was kicked out of my own house," said Harry shaking his head sadly.

"What?!" laughed Ginny. “Have you not been paying for it?”

"Sirius and Remus barged into my house and ordered me to go have fun.”

"They told you to go have fun...and you came here? You don't listen well, Harry," said Ginny cutting out a purple diamond.  “Unless you’re really interested in an enchanted game of Scrabble that Hermione decided I needed.”

 

He grinned. "How about you go get changed, and I'll take you for a night out on the town?" he suggested.

"Sold,” Ginny said setting down her shapes. “You’re ten times more fun than yellow squares anyway.”

~*~

Ginny threw open her wardrobe hastily and shoved robe after robe aside. No! These wouldn’t do at all! Why did everything look so “Nursery School Teacher” suddenly.

 

“Because you are a nursery school teacher, Ginny,” she reminded herself out loud with a groan.  

~

Harry paced around downstairs in Ginny's living room. Sure...that had sounded really great. 'A night on the town'...but now that he had said it...he had no idea where he was going to take her.

"That was a really stupid thing to say, Harry," he told himself aloud. "Now you're going to look like an idiot because you don't know what you're going to do..."

London? No...too many Muggles. A romantic walk by Hogwarts' lake? No...too hokey. He had specifically said, 'Night on the town.'

”I am such an idiot,” Harry said wracking his brain for any ideas. 

~


There was a crash as Ginny knocked over a few bottles on her vanity table. She was trying to brush her hair and apply make-up at the same time.

"You okay, Gin?" came Harry's voice from downstairs.

"Yes! Thank you!" she yelled as she pointed her wand at the mess and did a quick cleaning spell.


~

Harry looked at his watch. Why did girls take so long to get ready? No matter, he thought to himself, I'm still the one who doesn't know where we're going.

He ran a hand through his hair and rested his elbows on his knees as he waited on the couch and tried to think of something. Just before he was about to admit his situation to her when she came downstairs, his gaze fell on a book resting on Ginny's coffee table.

Harry grinned. Now that was a good place, regardless of the Muggles.

~

Ginny glanced at her clock. Fifteen minutes. That was a new record for her. She probably shouldn't let Harry think that it only took her that small amount of time to get ready. She slipped on her shoes and took a deep breath to calm herself before she went downstairs.

Harry turned around, "Wow! You look lovely," he said.

"Thank you," said Ginny smoothing her robes, deep midnight blue with silver trim on the hems.

 "We're going to Paris," he announced.

A smile traced Ginny's lips, "That sounds wonderful," she said. Of course it sounded wonderful...Harry could have well said 'South Pole' and she would have been perfectly content to go.

He buttoned up his cloak and helped her with hers. "We're not exactly in Muggle clothing, but I think we can get by. Don't you think?"

 

Ginny took his offered arm. “I think so.”

~*~

 

Disclaimer: Draco’s “Blocking Bands” aren’t of my invention.  A very talented writer named Terra came up with them. I’m only borrowing them for the sake of being rude to Draco. Great cause, isn’t it? Chloe’s shiny green hair ribbon appears courtesy of me, due to me actually owning one. The same ribbon actually appears in different fic of mine for those of you who are creepily over-observant and pay attention to kooky details. (Fifty points to Gryffindor to whoever can name who wore the ribbon.)

 

Special thanks to Anne, who is a hilarious beta reader. Her commentary makes me laugh at my stupid mistakes.  Thank you! And no, I’m really sorry Harry and Ginny don’t go to the Moulin Rouge. (This is the part where the author starts laughing evilly…)

 

“Have you hugged your stuffed dragon today?” Join Chloe's Bookshelf