Harry Potter - Series Fan Fiction ❯ Behind the Fog (Backup Upload) ❯ Behind the Fog (Backup Upload) 28th Chapter ( Chapter 28 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Anything you recognize is property of JK Rowling. Additionally this is not my story. I am uploading this to my own account in support of the author the story belongs to who has been struggling with hackers.

The thing I've most been dreading as a fan is that the story would be removed from the site by the hackers and the author wouldn't have access to their old chapters when the situation was eventually brought under control in the event the site moderators wouldn't be able to give the author their account back.

For anyone interested the author goes by Hancock23 on Fanfiction -dot- net. I will remove the story from my account when Hancock23 has gotten the story safely uploaded elsewhere or has been safely given their account back on Fanfiction -dot- net. Without further ado I give you a backup upload of: Behind the Fog by Hancock23.

PS: This Backup Upload contains minor edits for grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Plus some rewording/restructuring of sentences so they make better sense and flow better. Hope you don't mind me becoming something of a Beta Reader for this Backup Upload Hancock23.

Chapter 28 - My Favourite

When Harry arrived in the East Tower, he was surprised to find Draco in the room; and he felt a jolt of pleasure when he saw the other boy's eyes widen when he saw him. Draco had been reading something Harry couldn't make out from his position at the door; and he put it aside in favour of focusing all his attention on Harry.

"You certainly went all out didn't you lover boy." Draco teased, with a smile on his face.

"Jealous Malfoy?" Harry asked, as he swaggered towards the blonde.

"I would be if your hair wasn't still a bird's nest." The Slytherin said, as he made a show of checking out his Gryffindor husband.

Harry was wearing bottle green robes that were tight at the torso and layered from the waist down; and Draco could not help but admire the picture he made. Sure, Draco had seen Harry naked many times, but there was something to be said about well-fitting dress robes that hinted at what was beneath the robes without making the wearer look like trying too hard to make their attractiveness evident. To be truthful, even the bird's nest like hair went well with Harry's new image, but Draco wasn't about to tell him that.

"I will put in more effort when we go out together." Harry declared, eliciting another smile from Draco, who pat the space next to him on the couch; indicating that he wanted Harry to take a seat.

"What do you have there?" Draco asked, eyes on the package that Harry held; his curiosity evident.

"I come bearing gifts." Harry said, and handed over the catalogue he had removed from his pocket and resized as he headed up to the tower.

"For as much as I love shopping, the new season doesn't start until April." The Slytherin said, but nevertheless took the catalogue; and began to thumb through the thick book quickly.

"Madame Jeannette found you some silver spider silk." Harry informed, and Draco snapped his attention back to Harry at the mention of the fabic; Harry couldn't help but smile. "Calm down." He continued, when he saw the excited look on Draco's face.

"It was touch and go for a minute there; what with Ginny demanding that she wanted it, but I managed to convince Madame Jeannette that she should reserve it for you." He said, but Draco wasn't buying it.

"She already had it reserved for me, didn't she?" Draco asked, with a knowing look and a smirk.

"Yes." Harry smiled. "A fact that gave me endless grief. At some point, I was expected to buy a hundred robes just to show I could be as good a customer as you; Just so the silver spider silk could be sold to us instead."

"You could never be as good a customer as me!" Draco declared with a hearty laugh, and Harry marvelled at the sound.

"Only because you are a vain git." Harry pouted. "It was quite horrible really. First, they were on my case because I did not fight for the spider silk, and then because I did not fight for Madame Jeannette to serve them personally. It cost me several trinkets and dinner at Antoine's, just to show I do not favor my husband over my girlfriend."

Draco laughed again. "You seem to have had quite the lovely day."

Harry rolled his eyes. It was both good and awkward to complain about his friends and girlfriend to Draco.

"And you; how was your day?" He asked, not really expecting an answer from Draco.

"Quite productive." Draco smiled mysteriously, and Harry knew that nothing more would be said, but that was okay.

For a reason he could not fully explain, he wanted to find out what Draco was up to by himself and make the decision on his course of action thereafter just the same. Maybe he relished the challenge; or it could be that he was buying himself time to know Draco so that he could make the right decision when he finally came to that point. "I suppose Madame Jeannette wants me to choose a cut?"

"Yes, she does." The blonde nodded, but set the portfolio aside. There was no rush to choose, so he decided to look at the patterns later; when he had the time to sapre to give it his undivided attention.

"What's in the other package?" He asked, when he noticed that Harry still had what looked like a box placed next to him on the seat.

"This, my dear husband, is something that the people at Antoine's forced me to take, and I couldn't possibly say no." Harry handed Draco the package, and watched as the boy squealed; Not that Draco would ever own up to making such an undignified sound, in complete delight at the Fondant au Chocolat Harry had brought back.

"I must be sure to make patronage to that restaurant at some point if they make a habit of going out of their way to place their desserts in stasis, and force my favourites onto people." He had a brilliant smile on his face when he said that; and Harry thought that the entire mess of a day he'd had, had been worth it for a culmination like this.

"Their food is delicious too." He informed.

"Is that so? What did you have?" Draco asked. Harry tried to remember; but he had no idea what he had eaten.

"Treacle tart?" Draco laughed in good humour and leaned in to kiss his bonded's cheek in an uncharacteristic show of affection. Harry flushed in happiness and moved in closer to Draco even though there was barely any space between them, but the blonde didn't seem to mind it.

They transfigured some paper clips into cutlery and pounced on the cakes which they ate as they talked cheerfully; and Harry couldn't help but think, that it was a perfect evening to end the horrible day that he'd had.

For his part, Draco hadn't had a terrible day, but he had missed Harry. It was happening more and more lately and rather than be alarmed like he would have been weeks prior, he enjoyed the feeling. He enjoyed that things between them had improved to this point where he could miss Harry, without feeling like he was setting himself up for heartbreak. Now, he could admit that he missed Harry whenever the other boy was away, and he wasn't even uncomfortable with the fact that he had opted not to hang out with his friends, in favour of waiting in the East Tower for Harry to come back.

Draco loved spending time with his friends; and he could say that he was genuinely happy whenever he was with them, but being with Harry was different. His heart felt lighter at the sight of the other boy; and his smiles came easier and unrestrained whenever he was in the Gryffindor's company.

Lately, his heart had begun to flutter every time he saw Harry and his stomach would lurch every time he saw him with Ginevra. It was the same feeling he had always had for Harry; but at the same time, it was completely different. This time, rather than the despair that had always accompanied his feelings, he felt free.

He felt free to do whatever he wanted, and feel however he wanted; but he was also feeling more cautious. There was just too much between them, and Draco did not know whether Harry would be able to leave the Weaselette, or if he could truly accept him after finding out about everything that had happened in his life.

There was also the fact that Draco couldn't let go of everything that Harry had said and done over the last few months. Draco wanted to be able to not hold those things against Harry, but at the far corners of the recesses of his mind, he was afraid of bestowing his trust on the Gryffindor. He was scared of being hurt yet again; and that fear was crippling.

Draco was brought back from his thoughts by Harry's question. "Do you think I have changed Draco?" The other boy asked, causing Draco to startle. Although they had been using each other's first names in their own minds, this was the first time that either had dared to do so out loud.

At hearing his name on Harry's lips, Draco blushed, and Harry was hard pressed not to act on his instincts that were screaming for him to take the other boy in his arms and snog him senseless.

"Do you feel as if you have?" Draco asked in exchange; breaking the loaded silence that had taken root in the last couple of seconds.

"I feel as if I have become meaner." Harry answered with a frown on his face, and Draco looked at him, silently scrutinizing him for a long time before he spoke.

"You haven't changed Harry." He finally said.

"Then why…" Harry began, but was cut off.

"The world has misunderstood you." Draco said, and seeing that Harry didn't understand; he explained, "You haven't been twisted by the ugliness of this world, but everyone around you lives under the belief that no one can see as much as you have without changing. I bet all this started at that meeting a while back; When I started the Grey faction."

Harry thought back and realised that Draco was right, that was exactly when he had begun to become weird.

"At that time, they showed you how the world really is; and you haven't been able to look at it the same way you had before since. You are the same person, but you have been able to see more than you are used to seeing."

"I see." Harry understood what Draco was saying, just a bit. Until Shacklebolt said what he did in that meeting, Harry had still thought that light meant good. "When did you first see the ugliness of this world?"

"I never saw anything but the ugliness of this world. Only difference between you and I is that I thought that was how the world really was; until I was told that regular people don't live like that." Draco explained; Harry didn't ask for more, because a shattered look had come over Draco's face, and the raven knew that answers would not be forthcoming.

Not wanting the blonde to sink further into the mood that was coming over him, Harry chose to lighten their conversation; but he catalogued what had been said for later perusal.

"What were you reading before I came in?" He asked, and Draco immediately brightened.

"My favourite manga." He said, and passed the volume to Harry so that he could read the title.

"One Piece?"

"Yes." Draco began, and Harry settled back to listen. "In the world of One Piece, there lived a pirate called Gol D. Roger who sailed all the seas and acquired a great treasure known as One Piece. Twenty years ago, he was executed. Right before his death, he told the gathered crowd that he had left all his treasure on an island on the most treacherous of seas called the Grand Line. This announcement started the great pirate age which has lasted for twenty years; but no one has been able to find the treasure. Gol D. Roger is called the pirate king since he is the only one to ever possess One Piece and sail all the seas of the world." Draco finally took a pause for breath, before he continued.

"The story in itself is about a boy called Monkey D. Luffy who sets out to sea at the age of seventeen to become the pirate king. In this world, there are things called devil fruits which when eaten give the eater special powers, but it also makes them weak to sea water, and they become hammers in water."

"That doesn't sound so good, especially since people are sailing all the time." Harry observed.

"Well, you would think that, but the world of One Piece is filled with insanely strong people. Some who can cause earthquakes, make it rain magma, become ice, become smoke, become light, etcetera. It's a tough world where you can rarely become a force to be reckoned with, without a devil fruit. However, finding a devil fruit is hard; and it mostly depends on luck or wealth. Luffy himself ate the 'gomu gomu no mi' when he was a child without knowing that it was devil fruit."

"Gomu gomu no mi?" Harry asked.

"It's a devil fruit that makes his body become rubber." Draco answered and Harry nodded in understanding, very much interested in learning more.

"Basically, from chapter one, we see him setting out and gaining a crew along the way. All the crew members are strong, and they have their own grand goals which can only be achieved by sailing to the treacherous Grand line. As they sail, they encounter and fight other pirates, the world government, and even bounty hunters."

"World government? Bounty hunters?"

"The world government is a central government made up of over 170 nations, and marines are an organisation under the world government. These two organisations want to end the great pirate age and place bounties on pirates which add in the dimension of bounty hunters. The fights are great, and the story is remarkably well thought out."

"You really like it." Harry commented noticing how the shine on Draco's face increased the more he talked about One Piece.

"Like I said, it's one of my most favourite things in this world."

"Then I definitely have to read it." Harry said, and Draco nodded in approval before going to retrieve volume one of the manga. Instead of going back to his own volume, he leaned against Harry and began reading from his place against Harry's shoulder prompting Harry to inquire into his actions.

"What are you doing?" He asked, not exactly minding the closeness.
"I am reading it with you." Draco replied, in a tone that implied he thought his actions should have been obvious.
"Haven't you already read it though, and weren't you reading a different volume when I came in?" Harry remarked.
"Yes to both of those, but I have also reread most of the existing volumes of One Piece a thousand times now, and I plan to reread them a thousand more; So, I really dont' mind starting over together." Draco explained.

Harry let it settle in just how much Draco must like One Piece to have read most of the existing volumes so many times, now was truly curious; and he couldn't wait to read. It was also going to be nice to be reading a manga together for a change, rather than reading two different ones next to each other. Harry could definitely get used to Draco's head resting on his shoulder during these times if they became a regular occurence.

"You better be prepared, it's already pretty long; and as 'existing volumes' implies, it's still ongoing." Draco warned, before they both got back to the book Harry held in front of them.

They didn't get up from the couch until several hours later, when they could no longer stand the discomfort of sitting in a single position for so much time on end; the initial comfort of it having long worn off as their limbs all grew mostly numb.

"You were right; This is great." Harry said, itching to continue.

In the story, they'd left off in Syrup Village as captain Kuro attacked Usopp's village; but the crawling need to stretch their muscles had finally forced Harry to propose they take a break from the story.

"I am always right." Draco said smugly. "Let's finish the arc in the bedroom, and then pick up from there in the morning."

Harry agreed, and they took several volumes into the bedroom; tomorrow was Sunday after all. It should have been bothersome, sharing a book like that; and it was the wizard thing to do to make a copy of the book, but Harry wasn't bothered at all; he'd liked reading with Draco.

It took another two hours until Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and Usopp left Syrup Village in their new ship, Going Merry; that Kaya had given them, and Harry and Draco finally set the volume down. Tired from peeling their eyes so wide, they set the book aside on a bedside table, and fell asleep in each other's arms.

Neither had actually voiced it, but they both thought that they could truly get used to living like this. Time together had become a favorite thing.

Author's Note (Hancock23):

I noticed that I have focused a lot on Harry's emotional point of view, but I haven't really gone into Draco's, so I sought to begin remedying that. I decided to do that by letting Draco share something he likes with Harry, and since we all know Draco loves manga, I chose for him to share his favourite. Just to be clear, this story is not a crossover, and the One Piece detail I gave was only for aesthetic purposes. It was only meant to show Harry how Draco looks like when he likes and is passionate about something.

For those who don't know, One Piece is an original manga and anime by Eiichiro Oda. It started in 1997 and is still ongoing. If you have the time, I strongly recommend it.

That said, I would like to explain a few things:
1. Zoro, Nami, and Usopp are the crew members that Luffy has gathered up to the point of the story that Harry and Draco have read.
2. Syrup village is Usopp's hometown.
3. Kaya is the only daughter of the wealthiest family in the village, and she gave the crew the ship because they saved the town from captain Kuro.
4. Captain Kuro is a notorious pirate who had been planning to kill Kaya in order to steal her wealth.

Uploader's Note: This Has Been A Backup Upload of Chapter 28 of Behind the Fog by Hancock23.