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-----*----- denotes change in location and character in this chapter



THE LINK



Over the next month Draco trained with Snape on several nasty Asian curses. The pronunciation had to be spot on, otherwise there were unintended backfires that usually blew Draco into adungeon wall or caused him to writhe in pain until he or Severus could say,"Finite Incantatum". Some evenings Harry sat in on the training sessions which spurred Draco into putting everything that he had into his training. There were times he saw Harry wandering the halls looking lost but he kept his distance hoping that some time would get rid of the lost haunted look in the Order leader's eyes. The Order members accepted the growing distance Harry put between them without complaint.



Draco knew that this distance would need to be breached sooner rather than later. For one thing it was not healthy and the Order needed a strong leader, someone who did not hide every hurt so deeply. One evening Draco and Blaisewere sitting in Draco's room working on their Potions essay when Blaise abruptly brought up the subject of Harry.



"I hope Harry's holding up ok," Blaise said as he finished off a paragraph of his essay. "He seems even more depressed than last week."



Draco threw down his quill in disgust, ink drops splattering the margin of his essay. Blaise just would not shut up about Harry's aimless wanderings around the school and grounds. Draco glared at his housemate until Blaise began to squirm.



"If you're so concerned Zabini," Draco gave him a cool look. "Why not confront Harry about his behavior?"



Blaise paled, "I may be concerned but I'm not stupid Draco. He might get angry. It's none of my business if he doesn't want to say anything. I have my instructions from the Order."



"You're afraid of Potter," Draco stated with a curl of lips.



"He doesn't like people asking personal questions," Blaise said defending himself to Draco. "He might go totally silent or not speak to me or even worse he might decide some form of punishment. He trusts very few of us to give him the space he needs. Dumbledore and everyone else push him enough to open up and expect miracles from him. We're here to support him."



"I see,"Draco commented coolly.



He did not see. Space to think over things was one thing. Space in which to walk about feeling lost and hiding it away was another. As a Malfoy he understood holding in anger until it was the appropriate time or occasion to release it. Anger could make one stronger if one had control over it. Sadness could only be used against you. A vulnerable Harry Potter could be destroyed. That Draco could not allow. He needed Harry strong to get his revenge. These were things that Draco well understood.



He waited until Blaise had been silent for a while, conveniently putting enough time between their conversationabout Harry to make it foolish to ask questions before kicking Blaise out of his room. Blaise might be content with allowing Potter to mope about, but he would not stand for it. Before confronting Harry he decided to see if Snape had any insights to offer or if Harry was in fact talking to the Potions Master about whatever was troubling him. Other than himself he did not know of anyone within the Order who would not only confront Harry but also be brutally honest and direct with him. And naturally because he was nothing but a Slytherin he planned to do whatever he needed to get things straightened out. Harry might have been Slytherin himself but there was little that could prepare him for a Malfoy who wanted answers.



Draco left his House Common Room not bothering to acknowledge either his fellow housemates and their surreptitious stares or Pansy Parkinson who seemed to want to approach him. Few of them would be bold enough or stupid enough to outright question his activities. In regards to the hierarchy of pureblood Slytherins they were predictable and Draco counted on that. Of course a visit from Crabbe and Goyle often permanently halted any questions.



"Professor Snape?" Draco said when the door to Snape's office swung open after his distinctive tap. "May I come in?"



Wordlessly Snape thrust the door open wider, peering out past Draco into the empty hall before slamming the door shut. The Head of Slytherin House dropped gracefully into the leather chair behind his large wooden desk.



"What might I do for you this evening Mr. Malfoy?" Severus studied Draco.



"I've come in regards to Potter," Draco began. "I'm concerned. We can't afford for him to be vulnerable. He needs to talk to someone, even if it's not by his choice."



Severus placed the tips of his fingers together on top of his desk, "Are you concerned for your own benefit or for his Mr. Malfoy?"



"Both,"Draco answered truthfully.



"Check the North Tower," Snape said after a moments'hesitation. "He came to me earlier today but you might do him some good. Know this though Mr. Malfoy, if he lets you in on the darkness the surrounds him you won't be able to use it against him and you will find yourself in a position similar to my own."



Draco gave a nod of understand and thanks, leaving directly for the North Tower. Most students avoided the North Tower because of the continual cold wind that swept through it.



He found Harry sitting against a slightly crumbling brick post. He was a pale figure in the eerie soft blue light from the old lamp above him, the glow making him appear to be none human. The wind blew his hair wildly about but to Draco, Harry did not seem to mind the cold. The blond Slytherin could feel the cold bite at his neck, trying to chill him.



"I'm fine,"Harry said as Draco sat down beside him.



"There are times you annoy me," Draco spat.



"Likewise,"Harry snorted. "I'm fine," He repeated again.



"You're moping around the school," Draco frowned. "That is not fine as you put it. There are those who might attempt to use this vulnerable state against you."



"I know,"Harry said vehemently. "I'll deal with it."



Before Draco could retort Harry let out an ear splitting scream as he clutched at his forehead and fell onto the hard cold stone floor. Thinking perhaps that Harry was having aseizure of some sort as the Order leader rolled around on the floor Draco placed a full body bind upon him. Harry's face was caught mid-scream, one hand over his scar the other clenching his robes. Rather than panicking Draco decided to bring Harry to Snape.



He took Harry's Invisibility Cloak from his pocket and carefully arranged it over the immobilized form of the Order Leader. He cast Mobilicorpus on the sill and silent figure and began to make his way through the castle to Snape's office.



"There you are Draco," Pansy sauntered up to him just when Snape's door had come into sight. "I've been looking for you."



Draco carefully ser Harry's body down against the wall with the barest of movements and keeping his faintly bored expression upon his face replied, "Well you've found me. What is it Pansy, I have an appointment with our Head of House."



Pansy looked a bit disappointed, "There's a matter I wish to discuss with you. Some may think that the Malfoy name doesn't hold as much power but I know differently."



"Who's been saying such things?" Draco allowed an interested look to play across his face even though he felt his gut clenching in worry over the immobilized figure of Harry Potter that he had with him. "Wait out here Pansy," Draco said arrogantly as he again levitated Harry discreetly. "My business with our Head of House will not take too long, especially not in light of the matter you wish to discuss with me."



Pansy lowered her eyes a fraction and fell into step beside Draco. Professor Snape opened his door at Draco's tap and Draco levitated Harry's body in before him before Pansy noticed anything.



"I'll be here Draco," Pansy moved across the hall to wait. "Don't rush on my account."



Draco turned and gave her a slight smile before Snape shut the door. Quickly he turned and tugged the Cloak off Harry, lowering the frozen body to the floor.



"Tell me exactly what happened," Severus said tersely.



Draco relayed the conversation and what had happened. He told Severus how he had brought Harry to him as quickly as he could manage. The Potions Master meanwhile had grabbed several bottles from his personal stock and arranged them a safe distance from Harry.



"When Itell you to take off the body bind," Severus said backing up a short distance. "Now!"



When the full body bind was removed from Harry he continued to scream and then began to tear at his scar, "Damn him!" He shouted. "I swear I'll fucking kill him!"



Severus'lips quirked, "I have no doubt you will Potter. Can you sit up?"



"Not done yet," Harry spoke through clenched teeth, his back arching up off the ground as a fresh scream tore through him, his body shaking violently.



Using his wand the Potions Master opened the door to his private quarters, "You may go Draco," Severus quickly lifted the writhing Harry into his arms. "You did the right thing to bring him here. Return later in two hours."



The Potions Master left in a swirl of robes. He kicked the door shut and Draco heard the lock click. For a moment he stood there, then squaring his shoulders he left to see about Pansy.



As he knew she would be, Pansy was waiting for him across the hall. She looked up when the door opened, peering closely at Draco as he came over to her.



"Is my room safe enough?" Draco asked.



Pansy bit her bottom lip but nodded. Draco led the way a step ahead of her. Just to be on the safe side Draco cast a few more silencing and anti-recording charms in his room. Pansy seemed more relaxed when this was done.



"Nott is the one being free with his mouth," Draco spoke with certainty.



Pansy nodded, "He's the ringleader. Zabini is now listening to Nott and his other cronies. I thought that you were tutoring him?"



"I am," He confirmed. "Don't worry about Zabini. There's something else Pansy, I can tell."



"You've always looked out for me," Pansy began. "Our families were close. My parents now wish to pledge me to marry one of the Dark Lords followers. Over the years I have been an obedient daughter, no one can say otherwise. At one time you were the top candidate to whom I would marry. My parents hope to advance themselves with the Dark Lord through my marriage with no thought to me."



"What do you want me to do Pansy?" Draco asked showing her to the chair next to his bed, which he sat down upon. "I won't tell you what I think you should do but I can present you with other options if that's what you're looking for."



"What options?" Pansy twisted the silver bracelet he had given her for her birthday two years back.



"You could join a group I know," He offered.



"Are you talking about Dumbledore?" Pansy was suspicious.



"At least give me some credit Pansy," Draco said. "The Headmaster is powerful, yes, but he isn't your best option and he doesn't understand Slytherins. Even if you chose to only go against your parents, I will do all in my power to protect you Pansy, including giving you the Malfoy name or providing you with asuitable dowry if there is someone you have your eye set upon."



For a while Pansy sat there stunned and speechless. Draco did not want to pressure her into choosing. As with Crabbe and Goyle, he had grown up with Pansy. He knew her well enough to know when she was lying or holding something back, just as she knew him.



"Thank you Draco, for giving me a way out," Pansy whispered the words.



"Come to me if you have any problems or need anything," Draco reminded her firmly. "Some of those in our House have big mouths. Don't be too proud to come to me to have them shut up. This involves the Malfoy name now, Pansy.



She nodded seriously, "I will Draco. You've done so much for me already. I want you to know that you can count on my discretion and support for you personally."



"Thank you Pansy," Draco inclined his head, it was only from long years of knowing her that made him put his hand out to stop her from leaving. "Pansy? What is it?"



"I was only thinking of something Millicent said earlier today in the Common Room," The fair haired witch stopped before Draco. "About Slytherin House and purebloods."



"And what was it out dear piggish Bulstrode said about Slytherin?" Draco's tone was deceptively light.



"Only that those of us who did not plan on serving have no future," Pansy said. "And outside of this school she's right."



Draco pulled Pansy down to sit beside him on his bed. Consequence be damned, he knew what he needed to do and he was going to make sure that when Pansy left she would be secure.



"As you know Pansy most pureblood marriages are not arranged with thoughts to love but thought of the best arrangement for the families involved and because of blood," Draco began. "As you have already said there was a chance that our families were considering making such an arrangement between the two of us. I know that once you make your intentions clear to your family you will likely be disinherited and the only thing you will have to offer is your ancestry. You already know I am not nor ever will be asupporter of the Dark Lord. We have afriendship to build off of and all the Malfoy assets to ensure that we live the same lifestyle we are accustomed to. Pansy Parkinson will you agree to become my life partner and wife?"



Pansy began to weep softly, "Yes Draco Malfoy I will. I promise to be faithful and a good mother to our heirs. Draco, thank you for saving me, protecting me and giving me a future."



Draco calmly pulled out a pocket handkerchief and gently wiped away his fianc