Chapter Three of 'For Their Unconquerable Souls'- Potter the Infuriating

[lomonaaeren]

Thank you again for all the reviews!

Chapter Three—Potter the Infuriating

What made everything worse, Draco thought later, was the lack of expression on Potter’s face when he spoke. He certainly didn’t look worried enough about a patient he’d just been warned was in danger from other people in hospital. Maybe he was a mediwizard, but he seemed to have missed the training that most of the Healers Draco knew had received, emphasizing the importance of patients’ safety, and their sense of that safety. They would not rest as well, nor recover as quickly, if they had to look over their shoulders for an enemy around every corner.

Actually, Draco thought he would have known that without hearing that the teaching occurred as part of Healers’ training. It was common sense. But Potter had learned to ignore that, hadn’t he?

“And you’d simply let them, is that it?” he asked Potter in a snarl, his hand falling to rest on his wand. He felt an extra surge of fury when he remembered the plan he’d dreamed up for seducing Potter. He would have wasted his time and his skill with someone who cared as little about his patients as Potter cared about Lucius. Someone like that did not deserve to be coaxed into loyalty to the Malfoy family.

“Don’t be more of an idiot than you can help,” Potter snapped, and Draco paused as he saw rage split those green eyes like a flash of lightning. Perhaps Potter is taking this more seriously than I thought he was. Potter turned towards the bed and kept one shoulder pointed at Draco whilst he spoke ostentatiously to Lucius. “This is a matter of practicality, Mr. Malfoy. I have other patients and can’t spend every hour here with you.”

Draco concealed a sneer, but only because exposing his contempt of Potter now would mean exposing far too much of what he really felt. He never wanted to become used to displaying his emotions unguarded in front of someone who wasn’t part of the family.

“I also can’t guarantee that I’ll have the curse reversed in a week, which is the time span of safety my superior gave me. I won’t hurry it and possibly hurt you. Nor do I have the authority to set up wards around your room. If I tried, someone would find out and use that as an excuse to have me removed from your case.”

Lucius nodded shortly.

Limitations are all you give us, Draco thought, his hand curling around his wand again. Is this the honesty my father so admires? Admissions of weakness and incompetence? Perhaps Potter knows that the one shining moment of heroism in his life was destroying the Dark Lord and now he tries to advertise himself as he really is to the rest of the world, so they’ll forgive him his failure since then to live up to that moment.

“What do you think the best solution is?” Potter asked. He stood with one hand braced on his hip, the other folded into a fist beneath his chin. His eyes were locked on Lucius’s face. Perhaps, Draco admitted reluctantly, he wants to do everything he can to save Father, and is admitting his limitations so that we won’t demand the impossible. “Can you arrange protection on your own? Is there someone you want me to contact?”

“I can take time away from my training.” Draco said the words because they were true and obviously he would have to be the strong one here, the real hero and protector, but also because he wanted to see Potter’s reaction. Potter shot him a startled glance, as if he had never considered that Draco might care for his parents. Draco touched Lucius’s shoulder and gazed evenly at Potter. He had no intention of hiding his strength. “I’m still a year away from my mastery, you know that, and I’m at a point where pausing my studies won’t hurt me.”

“I would not want you to have to live in hospital, Draco, when I am the one who is sick,” said Lucius.

Draco flicked his right eyelid in an imperceptible motion, catching and acknowledging the hint of anxiety behind his father’s words. Malfoy Manor needed at least one member of the family there as often as possible, to reassure the house-elves and anchor the wards and show their enemies that it was not worthwhile trying to occupy their home. Lucius had assumed Draco would be that person most of the time, but Draco saw no reason for it to be so. His mother was better at a distance from the bedside anyway, where she was not confronted so strongly with evidence of her nightmare—the disintegration of the family—from moment to moment.

Of course, though Lucius understood all that, Potter might not. And Draco had accepted that they should not antagonize him, though he doubted his private feelings about the man and Lucius’s would ever be in agreement. “I want to,” he said. “Please say you’ll allow it? You know Mother isn’t as good with the sight of potential death as I am.”

Potter frowned even as Lucius nodded. Draco restrained a sigh this time. He wished he understood Potter. Why would he admit that he could barely do anything, even protect his patient’s health, and then demand some voice in the proceedings?

“I have one condition, then,” Potter said.

Of course you do. Draco turned enough to face him and show he was listening, keeping his face calm and bored. You’re probably about to ban Dark Arts books from Lucius’s room, despite needing to study them yourself in order to understand the curse on Father.

“I insist on some respect from you, Draco.”

He what? Draco stared, unsure if the demand or Potter calling him by his first name surprised him more. Did Potter understand how impossible it was for Draco to give him that because he called for it? He had to do something to earn respect first. Only family members received unconditional emotions. Draco would set limits even on his hatred when he found it interfering unjustifiably with his obligations.

“If you’re continually questioning me in the midst of delicate operations and insulting me, you’ll take up valuable time I could be using to cure your father.”

He practically admitted that he couldn’t cure Lucius, and now he claims he wants to try anyway? Draco was glad he didn’t live in close proximity to Potter on a regular basis. His friends probably needed Mind-Healers merely from trying to keep up with the swift change of his moods.

“I don’t promise not to ask questions at all,” he said, largely because Lucius had pressed a finger to the inside of his wrist, and he knew that his father would require a verbal answer to satisfy him. It would probably escape Potter’s notice that Draco hadn’t actually agreed to his other ridiculous request. Of course, Draco could feign respect, and that would be good enough for a man who didn’t have parents to fall back on, never mind a pure-blood family.

“Reasonable questions are fine,” Potter said. “Unreasonable ones can wait.”

And then, exactly as Draco raised his eyes to Potter’s face, he did—that.

He smiled.

Draco had been sure he had memories of Potter with a smiling face. If he did, he learned in that moment, they were years out of date, and he had only ever seen a sneer or a smirk or a smile on the edge of tears. This was full, this was real. Potter looked at Draco as if he were the center of the universe, as if light glittered on his head, as if he had a pocket full of Galleons that he would spend on needy Muggle orphans at will.

He looked as if he were interested in him.

Draco could not remember the last time someone save Narcissa or Lucius had done that.

He could feel himself blinking, his jaw dropping, but he didn’t care. He couldn’t have held his reaction in, dangerous as it was to get used to expressing emotion. That would have been less than genuine tribute to Potter and the rich and rare property he represented. Potter arched an eyebrow curiously, as if he didn’t understand, but that didn’t matter. Draco understood, and Lucius, who touched his wrist again. Draco didn’t have to glance at his father to know there was a hint of smugness in the expression.

Yes, perhaps Potter’s honesty and forthrightness had their value after all.

A shiver of desire dried Draco’s throat. He could bed someone who smiled at him like that. He could have a more lasting relationship with him than he could with most who were not part of the family. He wanted—

“Combined with what you told me yesterday about Smythe and the Aurors’ report,” Potter said then, “I’m confident his motive was revenge. We know he wanted your death to be painful and lingering. That gives me a few ideas about what spell he could have used. I’ll return tomorrow and let you know what I’ve found.”

“Thank you, Mr. Potter,” Lucius said. Draco glanced briefly at his face. Yes, smugness about the corners of his eyes. He knew his estimation of Potter had proven more correct than his son’s. “You have proven yourself more competent than I could have dreamed.”

“You dreamed about me often?”

And Draco’s perception of Potter changed again. He scowled and didn’t try to prevent himself from doing so. Potter gave him a half-glance as he left again.

How in the world am I supposed to decide if I want him? He goes from splendid to arrogant in two minutes, from heroic to vulgar. Perhaps we might be compatible in bed, but I would never like or trust him in the long term.

But the memory of that smile still made Draco want to fuck him. Another paradox. He could imagine those green eyes widening up at him, that smile gaping into a slack grimace of passion, even as he knew he would flinch at the words that emerged after the sex.

“You are too stern, Draco.”

Draco turned with a slowness to face his father that Lucius would understand very well. Sternness was a family virtue. If anything, Lucius should be encouraging him to show it.

“We are limited in our choices.” His father had sat upright against the pillows, though the effort made sweat start on his face, and he stared at Draco with a slight relaxation of the lucid mask he wore over his emotions in public. That alone was a sign of how disappointed he was in Draco. “We do not have a private Healer. We have no member of our family who possesses Healer training.”

“I can brew the potions.” Draco folded his arms. Lucius would read that relaxation of Draco’s armor in much the same way Draco read the loosening of his father’s mask. “Let me treat you.”

“The knowledge of spells—“

“Potter doesn’t possess that,” said Draco. “He’s a mediwizard.”

“Who possesses skills that may be more valuable to us than mere Healer training.” Lucius raised an eyebrow. “I trust I need not enumerate them?”

Draco thought of protesting that Lucius had just said Healer training was valuable, but instead a reluctant smile touched his lips. Lucius was already thinking of ways to use Potter. He could strategize from the middle of his hospital bed, which meant he did not think he was going to die.

Draco could already imagine the shadows lifting from his mother’s eyes when he told her the good news. She would have allowed herself to despair if Lucius had despaired. And then she would have lifted her chin and sallied forth to the protection of the family in any case. But at least this proved that the burden was not one she need bear.

“Do you really think he’ll continue to be valuable after you’re cured?” he asked. No matter how much Lucius worked to convince him, Draco was not yet ready to say that Potter would be the one to cure his father. “What if he doesn’t want to leave the hospital and his other patients who mean so much to him?”

“A man like Potter will go where the need is greatest.” Lucius splayed his fingers delicately above his heart. “I am sure I can convince him that my need is the greatest in his immediate vicinity, for a time. And then we will have other means to bind him to us.” He gave Draco a significant look.

Draco inclined his head. Think of the fucking as for your own pleasure and the family’s use, he told himself. It should not matter, then, if Potter kisses you with the same mouth out of which he flirts with your father.

*

“Mr. Malfoy?” The man striding through the door didn’t seem discomfited to realize that there was more than one man in the room he might address by that name; he simply nodded to Draco and repeated, “Mr. Malfoy. My name is Julius Adoranar. I’m one of the Aurors working on the Smythe case, here to report what we’ve learned so far.”

Draco bristled without moving a muscle. His father reached out to him without moving one, either. The blink of one eye was enough, in the way the lid deliberately descended and the lashes flattened along his cheek for a moment. Lucius wanted Draco to be still and not interrupt whatever Adoranar was about to say, and Draco still obeyed his father when he thought his commands worthy.

Adoranar was taller than Draco himself, and his eyes were as gray. His dark hair hung to his shoulders, in a style that Draco would have considered handsome. He moved in a graceful, fluid way that made Draco think he’d had dancer’s training, and was probably designed to make others think he’d had dancer’s training, though if he had, Draco would eat Muggle crisps. He knew exactly what his good looks were like, from the smile behind the smile he wore, in the same way Potter didn’t know what his smile did to his face.

Draco despised people like this. They had so little reason for vanity, and yet they insisted others indulge theirs.

“Please proceed,” Lucius said, his voice calm and so composed that Draco felt a brief frisson of envy lick up his cheek like a cool tongue.

Adoranar stood up straight and began to recite details with his hands behind his back, for all the world like a schoolboy. Draco curled his tongue within his mouth as he listened, in place of curling his lip. All the information was stale; they had already known that Smythe appeared to have some insane grudge against his father, and that he refused to take Veritaserum and confirm what spell he’d used against Lucius, and that the spell was complicated and dark, and that it would be weeks before the Aurors had any answers. But Adoranar spoke as if he thought the mere favor of speaking ought to endear him to them, and then finished and gave a meaningful wink and stare in Draco’s direction.

And now he’s chosen me to indulge his vanity for him. Of course he has. Draco turned his head away and half-closed his eyes. He would not degrade himself by noticing Adoranar’s interest.

“But what else do you know about Smythe’s motives?” he forced himself to ask, because there was a slight chance Adoranar might know more than he had let on so far. “Is the tale that he believes my father raped his daughter true?”

Potter stepped into the room before Draco could properly finish his sentence. He nodded to Lucius first, and then to Draco. He didn’t seem to realize he had interrupted. Instead, he said, “Good morning, Mr. Malfoy. I have a suspect for the third spell Smythe might have cast under the Cutting Curse and the Permanency Spell. If I’m right, it gave Smythe control over your body’s healing, but little enough control to frustrate his purpose of opening constant bloody wounds in you.”

“How interesting,” Lucius said. “Please proceed.”

Potter moved forwards, and then Adoranar stepped in front of him to stop him. Potter looked up at him with a face he could probably persuade himself was blank if he saw it in the mirror, but Draco understood the situation at once. Adoranar made a caressing gesture that Potter stepped back from without appearing to realize he had done it, and he spoke in a husky voice as he said, “No word of greeting for me, Mediwizard Potter?”

“Greeting.” Potter had the same dry insulting tone he used to speak to Lucius. The next moment, he was on the other side of Adoranar, though Draco had barely seen him move.

They were lovers. Adoranar’s gaze following and lingering on Potter proclaimed it. The way Potter had flinched from the other man’s touch confirmed it. The too-casual way Potter held his shoulders, as if he were unaware of the man gazing at his spine and arse, shouted it to anyone with eyes in a hundred-foot radius.

Reactions rushed through Draco, so strongly that he barely heard the words Potter spoke next, explaining the Mansuefacio spell to Lucius.

I knew Potter was vulgar. He must have decided he had some emotional attachment to the man to take him to bed, and how could anyone have an emotional attachment to that?

Adoranar might have chosen to visit on purpose if he knew my father was Potter’s patient—which means it wouldn’t cost us as much if we antagonize him.

I don’t want him near Potter.

The last reaction would have surprised Draco a day ago, but he had seen that Potter had a few charms when he forgot to ride the stick of awful righteousness up his arse. And it was only right that he not want a love-struck Auror near Potter when Potter might be in the middle of those delicate proceedings he and Narcissa had both referenced.

“You were so courteous once,” Adoranar was sighing at Potter. “I cannot believe you would snub me now.”

Draco snorted, but made the snort so silent it only fluttered the outer edges of his nostrils. He thinks talking like a third-rate courtier from one of Pansy’s romance novels is the way to win Potter back?

“I have heard of it,” Lucius said, and Draco started. He would be referring to the Mansuefacio spell, of course, not the romance novels Draco had been thinking of. “I believe it commands mental processes. Why should my unfortunate enemy have cast it on me, if he desired a physical effect?”

“Your education has been lacking, I see,” Potter said. “A pity, though not astonishing by now.”

Draco stared at him again, and might have made a noise. Potter stood in the middle of the room and spoke as if he said words like this every day. By what right? Why does he speak to my father the way he would to any other patient?

Potter continued as though he were unaware that he had to be the exception to the rule all the time, even in Draco’s mind, which should be a protected space against Potter’s uniqueness if any such existed. “The spell commands parts of the brain, not mental processes. It also touches on the body. The book I read last night—“

“Which one would that have been?” Draco demanded. Potter could not challenge his father’s education and then speak of books neutrally.

He received a bright glare and a slight lowering of Potter’s voice in consequence, which did wonders for Draco’s cock. “Bryony’s History of Spells Marvelous and Depraved.” Draco had to admit that that was an adequate reference.

“Do forgive me,” Potter continued, voice as delicate as a knife made for parting flesh from bone. “I ought to have included that in the sentence, for the sake of the specificity mediwizards are trained for. Said book suggested that the spellcaster might have seized control of a rival wizard’s hand and thus his wand, by seizing control of the part of his brain that commanded the hand.” He had already turned back to Lucius. Draco experienced a small shiver of repulsion. They were not in Hogwarts anymore, and Draco might be as important to the progress of the treatment as Lucius, since he was the one who would deliver selected Dark Arts books to Potter and stay in hospital to protect Lucius. He deserved the courtesy of equal address, if nothing else.

“And in this case, he would have gained control of the part of my brain that regulates the body’s healing.” Lucius had a deep line between his brows, which Draco did not approve of, but could understand in this instance. Potter had to have evidence of an emotional reaction, or he would have probably assumed something more than the obvious was wrong with his patient and tried to intervene in unlikely and ill-advised ways. “Could he still have it? Could he use it from a distance? The Imperius Curse, at least, has the advantage of the caster needing to be close when he gives his orders.”

“I would question how such a worthy man knows the secrets of the Imperius Curse,” Potter said, “but I forgot that you were under it for some years when the Dark Lord first rose.”

Draco stared. He might have hesitated to say such a thing in Lucius’s presence; one thing they did not joke about was the war. And Potter spoke as boldly as if he were part of the family—

Draco clenched one hand into the folds of skin about his waist. Awareness of Adoranar’s gaze firmly fixed on Potter meandered through his mix of clashing and clinging and changing emotions.

Potter evidently decided not to linger and enjoy his triumph, the first wisdom he had shown since entering the room this morning. “And the answer is that I’m not sure whether Smythe could still have such control. I need to test for the presence of the spell first.”

Lucius nodded. “By all means.”

“Father—“ Draco began, and then stopped himself with a sharp snap to his lip. What was he thinking? Challenges should not be so open. He was merely startled that Lucius had agreed to what could be an invasive spell without even asking Potter questions about how it worked. But what was mere startlement now might be a sign of growing inattentiveness in the future, and the first enemy to notice could attack them and take great advantage.

“Do you have reason to distrust me?” Potter said, spinning on him.

Draco enforced silence and stillness on himself for a moment before he reacted. The mere sight of Potter’s green eyes had scattered his thoughts. That was not good.

“Call it, rather, distrust in your education,” Draco said at last, taking a step forwards and folding his arms. Potter half-bowed his head and looked an inch away from laughing. Draco wondered why. Surely he should be glad to see me acting more human. “You lack the ability to become a full Healer, or you would have become one.”

“I am glad to see that your education has imbued you with the ability to make such stunning leaps of logic,” Potter snapped, and then he wheeled away as if ashamed of himself, softening his voice. Draco wanted to roll his eyes. Did he think my father was politely not listening when he grew angry at me? “The final decision, as always, rests with the patient. Mr. Malfoy, do you wish me to fetch a full Healer who might treat you?”

“Would they be as committed to my physical safety?” Lucius asked. “Or as willing to be in the same room with me?”

“The only one I can think of is already overloaded with cases. It would be trading your current physical safety for the possible attendance of a Healer more skilled in potions than I am.”

“Then I decline such attendance,” Lucius said. “My son is studying for his mastery in potions. He can surely supply any knowledge that you lack.”

Potter nodded, and set to work. Draco watched as the blue magic crept over his father’s body and towards his brain, and allowed himself only a blink and shift of weight. Until—

“I always did like watching you work,” Adoranar sighed like a love-sick Hufflepuff, stepping up behind Potter and bending his head as if he would snuffle the back of Potter’s neck. “Such grace, such skill and power!”

And Potter remained with this git for months? Draco thought in befuddlement. It must have been months, if they had sex. His sensibilities wouldn’t allow him to climb into bed with anyone he knew less well than that. Well, no matter. Next to this idiot, I will seem positively a feast.

Potter had already returned to casting by the time Draco paid attention again. The entire room filled with a tense glitter, and Draco had to watch dancing lights pulse and play around his father’s body without knowing what half of them did. Lucius was no help; he had deliberately adopted his thickest mask, the one that made him look like a devotee of some strange religion awaiting an oracle, and Draco would not be permitted to know and soothe his fear or his anger until they were behind the walls of the Manor.

And then Adoranar reached out as if he would rest a hand on Potter’s shoulder and interrupt him.

Draco moved with a speed that he knew blurred him in the eyes of his opponents, at the same time uttering a low, menacing hiss that would catch Adoranar’s attention whilst not disrupting Potter’s casting. Adoranar started back, and Draco arranged himself with arms folded behind Potter.

Only then did it occur to him that he had reacted as he did when a family member was threatened.

Of course I did, he told himself irritably. My father is threatened if Potter’s spell is interrupted, either with direct magical recoil or because he might not detect some of the harmful spells he needs to detect.

And if the explanation was not true at the moment, Draco was sure it would be in another moment. Only wait around Potter for a time, and your mood would change to match his.

“I wasn’t trying to do anything!” Adoranar protested.

Draco smiled, and was glad to feel the edges of the expression cutting into the sides of his face. This was simple. This was a threat, and he had long ago learned all the blades of sarcasm he needed for trimming a threat down to size.

Chapter 4.

Comments

[cheshyre]

This is great.
I love the POV of these Malfoys and the private scenes among them...

[lomonaaeren.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much!

[fauxpersonae007.livejournal.com]

I was waiting for some of Julius to come in. It's interesting to see how Draco sees him. I loved this installment and can't wait for more.

[lomonaaeren.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

Draco really doesn't think much of Harry's taste in lovers right now.

[carollinali.livejournal.com]

I absolutely love this! I'm laughing so much.

[lomonaaeren.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm glad you like it, since Draco himself doesn't have much of a sense of humor about it all.

[(Anonymous)]

Oh I so love getting this from Draco's POV. I'm so enjoying this story... again.

[jenndr.livejournal.com]

How strange. I wasn't automatically signed in LiveJournal anymore so my post was anonymous. We'll both of me really love this story.

[lomonaaeren.livejournal.com]

Thank you! This story is turning out to be more different from the original than I anticipated, with just the addition of a Malfoy POV.

[agr8fae.livejournal.com]

I love this so much! Draco is ridiculous as usual, and his signals with Lucius are made of Win. Julius is annoying of course.

[lomonaaeren.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

One of the things Draco will be most puzzled at in this story is how in the world Harry could have thought Julius was an acceptable lover in the first place. He's certain Harry could do so much better (and Harry will, once he takes Harry as a lover).

[violetage.livejournal.com]

I'm very much enjoying this insight to the convoluted Malfoy thinking.

Can't wait to see more!

[lomonaaeren.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[ravenqueen55.livejournal.com]

I was so glad to get Draco's POV of this scene!! I'm really enjoying this fic.

[lomonaaeren.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Next chapter you get even more of Draco's view of Julius, and possibly some of Xavier, if I can fit in it.

[kawanale.livejournal.com]

Oh this was interesting to read Draco's reaction to Adoranar. Yups, this is a brilliant concept, to re-write an excellent story from the POV of other characters. You're brill lomonaaeren!

[lomonaaeren.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I can't take credit for this concept, though, since it was duchessa's request. :)

[duchessa.livejournal.com]

If I were to choose on every single thing I love about this fic I'd be copy pasting the entire chapter. XD
I love that this fic feels so different from BbU. The charming and suave Julius becomes little more than a clown, Draco and Lucius are way more hilarious than how Harry perceived them, etc.

I usually prefer mature Draco, but I like this one. He's hysterical. Still so convinced in his pure-blood superiority (sometimes authors just take the 'easy way out' and suddenly make Draco all fine and dandy with muggles, it's hard to pull off) - I wonder how Lucius and Draco will rationalize Harry's half blood status later?

Also don't have much of a sense of humor, this Draco. Funny how he accuse Harry of being vulgar, when he's the one planning to seduce Harry. How does Lucius plan to use Harry anyway? He doesn't seem to think much of Harry's healer training, at least not at this point.

Again, went augh at the end of the chapter. So close to the Harry pawning Julius scene! Can't wait to read more!

[lomonaaeren.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

And yes, it's very different. That's one of the things surprised me and sometimes made me worry about writing the next chapter, because I wasn't sure I was staying true to either the original story or the spirit of your request.

Draco and Lucius honor loyalty to the Malfoy family above all things, so they will despise someone who is pure-blood and attacks their family (or someone who is pure-blood and turns against the traditions, like Ron) more than they will a half-blood who's clearly an ally.

Lucius actually doesn't have a solid plan to use Harry yet. That's just the kind of thing he says to maintain Draco's awe of him. :)

Lucky you! I'm writing the next chapter now, and the Harry pwning Julius scene is in there.

[star-faerie.livejournal.com]

Oh wow. What a different scene to the way Harry sees it. I can't wait for the next bit :)

[lomonaaeren.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[tray-la-la.livejournal.com]

i can't get over how much i love this! it's such a treat to get to re-read a story you love from a different character's perspective.

draco's conflicting emotions and assessments when it comes to harry are wonderful, and i love how matter-of-fact he is about sex and love. i find it endearing, rather than unromantic. all the pureblood customs are like that, in a way. completely fascinating, but eccentric from an outsider's viewpoint.

harry i so likable in this i just want to hug him! the banter with lucius continues to delight me and i'm so excited we are now getting into all of the drama with harry's exes!!! i can't wait to see draco's reactions!

[lomonaaeren.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

And thank you for the comment about pure-blood customs. That's the impression I meant to convey. If they're a little hard to understand, well, that's the way they're supposed to be, really.

Draco will mostly be very, very unimpressed, and wonder why someone as famous as Harry settled for such mediocre lovers.

[nimue-8.livejournal.com]

It's fascinating to have an insight into the sibylline Malfoy family.

Poor Harry, though. I remember form BbU how life was made miserable for him, and for now, the Malfoys are not even grateful yet!
One eyeing how he could manipulate him, the other despising him!

I love this scheming and clueless Draco, but I don't blame Harry for taking sooooo long in trusting the blond clan in this universe.

I wonder at what point Draco'smind will shift towards real tenderness and admiration. It sure took Harry a long time to believe in it in BbU!

[lomonaaeren.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

The Malfoys would not be grateful to anyone in this situation, if that helps. Even if they had hired their own private Healer, they would be certain he was only loyal to the limits of the money they were paying him.

Harry actually took so long to trust them mostly because he wasn't aware of the basis of that trust. He doesn't like or understand the Heart's Blessing spell being such a large deal to them, since he does the like every day.

And you might be surprised...

[helenadax.livejournal.com]

"Draco was glad he didn’t live in close proximity to Potter on a regular basis. His friends probably needed Mind-Healers merely from trying to keep up with the swift change of his moods." That made me laugh a lot XD

I love that you always create a pureblood culture. I like to do it in my fics too because I enjoy trying to imagine these differences. I think it's more interesting if wizards don't think exactly like muggles.

[lomonaaeren.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Of course, Draco will have to eat his own words when he starts getting closer to Harry later in the story.

And yes, I find that fascinating. For me, it's partly instinct because I write fantasy a lot.

[(Anonymous)]

Thanks! I'm greatly enjoying this take on the original story as well.

[lomonaaeren.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[your-hucklebery.livejournal.com]

I loved this: And if the explanation was not true at the moment, Draco was sure it would be in another moment. Only wait around Potter for a time, and your mood would change to match his.
So funny, Draco doesn't know what to think or feel about Harry from moment to the next.

[qumabh.livejournal.com]

Oh fun... I love confused protective Draco. On to the next chapter. :D

~Mab