Howl into the Night

Published: Jan 20th, 2025

Trigger warning: Mentions of past abuse and triggers, R word usage

"Come on, mate! Mum wants everyone to come over tonight! It's our first dinner since the war, and everyone is home and safe. She wants to see you! She hasn't stopped nagging..." Ron muttered through the floo, a few days later.

"Ronald Weasley! I do not nag!" a voice came from another room.

Harry smirked and eyed Draco, who was hiding in the kitchen doorway. "Ron, I want to... but...."

"Tell him if he doesn't come over, I will come and see him!" Mrs. Weasley threatened.

Draco gasped and Harry just wanted to shake off the conversation. "I'll get back to you, alright?" he said quickly and Ron said goodbye.

He sighed and went to the kitchen, where Draco was trying to pretend that he didn't hear. At least he wasn't in a panic attack.

"So? What'd Weasley say?" Draco asked, looking at the table, trying to be nonchalant.

"I know you heard. Don't worry, I won't let her come here."

Draco shrugged. "You said that you wanted to go."

Harry froze, realizing that Draco wanted him to... what? Go? "I do, but you're my priority. They understand... well, Hermione and Ron does."

"You left to visit them. I can handle a night without you," Draco said, looking at him.

Harry looked at him. "Oh... are you sure?"

"I won't destroy the house."

"No... I just... I don't want you to be alone and have a panic attack."

Draco took a deep breath. "You've made me learn these breathing exercises and do grounding exercises. I'll be fine for a night. I... want you to see your... family."

Harry grimaced and he came closer. "I'm sorry... that you can't see your... mother." Harry had never mentioned Draco's father, or that he was dead. Draco hadn't asked, either. He could take a hint.

Draco nodded. "Floo back and tell him you'll come over, okay, please?"

"If you're sure... thanks, Draco," he said, and flooed Ron that he'd come over in a bit. He came back and said, "You can floo if you need anything, okay?"

"I'll live."

"I need to make sure that you get dinner. What are you going to do?"

"Read a potions book or something and sleep. I'll be fine!" Draco insisted.

Harry went and got changed. Draco was content with a sandwich and shoved him toward the floo. "I'll be fine. Have fun with your friends."

Harry reluctantly left and flooed to the Burrow. Ron and Hermione greeted him first, but then he had to move for Bill and Fleur, who came in right behind him. Mrs. Weasley came into the room and hugged him tightly.

"Oh, Harry! I've missed you so!" she said and hugged him, again. They had barely had time after the funerals before Harry ran off chasing Greyback's pack.

Mr. Weasley, Charlie and Percy also came down and hugged him, Bill and Fleur. A small explosion came from upstairs and Harry looked.

"Don't worry, we're alive!" Ginny called down.

"Fred and George are upstairs playing in their old room," Ron muttered.

"Why? Don't they still have their flat?"

Luna came down with Ginny, and said, "Yep! They just wanted to show Blaise their old room!"

"Oh, hey, Luna, I didn't know that you'd be here. Or Blaise?" Harry said, looking at Ron and Hermione.

"We didn't know either," Ron shrugged, not too enthralled by the idea.

"Apparently, he's had some great ideas for the shop, and he works there now," Hermione explained.

"Oh... right," Harry said. He didn't think to ask Draco what he wanted to say to Blaise... or anyone else.

Mrs. Weasley was fussing over Charlie, who had returned from a trip to Romania. He had come home during the war and returned back to work with dragons. Harry smirked as Percy told him that Kingsley had offered him a position as a junior assistant, again, but he looked as Blaise, Fred and George came down.

"That was a bit too much horn powder, eh?" Fred asked Blaise.

"Horn? What kind of horn?" Percy asked.

"Never you mind, Your Majesty, Sir Junior Assistant to Minister of Magic," George chortled.

Blaise smirked, but then his dark eyes landed on him and then scanned the room. "Potter... you came. But where's Draco?"

Everyone looked at him, and Harry took a deep breath. "I...didn't think... that Draco could handle... so many people. He stayed at home."

Blaise scowled. "You left him alone?"

Mrs. Weasley turned to him, and said, "What's this? You left him home?"

Harry turned to her and back to Blaise. "He gets panic attacks easily. I'm not sure that he could handle coming here."

"Did you ask him if he wanted to come?" Blaise growled.

Harry grimaced. He hadn't. "He told me to go. He heard Ron and I talking and my refusal. He said that he'd be fine."

"Draco always says he'll be fine," Blaise said.

"Harry, go home and bring him here," Mrs. Weasley demanded.

"But... he's... fragile... I don't know how to explain it. They really hurt him, and he doesn't handle talking and eye contact very well. I don't want him to be scared."

"We won't bombard him all at once," Mrs. Weasley assured him.

"He doesn't handle confrontation all that well, and he's not... on the best terms with everyone here," Harry said, pointedly.

"Oh, Harry, I'm sure it is not as dire as you think."

"Really? Shall I go through the list of possible triggering events unrelated to after we were captured?"

Hermione held up her hand, "Harry... I don't think...."

"One, his father tried to kill Ginny. Two, Luna was kidnapped and held prisoner at his house. Three, me, Ron and Hermione were also captured and held prisoner at his house. Also, Hermione was tortured in front of him. Four, Draco almost killed Ron. Five, Draco was beaten to a pulp by George and I in front of the whole school. Six, Draco let in Death Eaters to Hogwarts and Bill was permanently scarred... by the werewolf that tortured and raped Draco."

"That's enough!" Mrs. Weasley said, a little red. "I get your point."

"Do you? I could go on. Draco trusts me to keep him safe, and bringing him to a house filled with people that have both hurt him... and that he and his family have hurt isn't exactly what I call safe."

Mrs. Weasley puffed up. "No one in this house better not hassle the boy, understand?" She glared at each of her children and their guests. "Now, Harry, please go home and invite Draco over. You have my assurances that he will be treated kindly and with respect. He needs other people other than you, Harry."

He didn't like it, but knew it was the only way to keep the peace. "I-I... I won't make him come. I will ask him."

"Please tell him that I am here, too, Potter," Blaise said, staring at him.

"I will, and... please... no one touch him suddenly or ask about... what happened, please," Harry pleaded and left to go back home. Draco wasn't in the sitting room or kitchen. He went upstairs and found Draco literally rolling on his back on his spot in the bed. It was cute.

Draco's eyes went wide when he finally opened his eyes. "Harry!" Draco said, happily and then embarrassed. "Wha-"

Harry glossed over that he saw what Draco was doing. "I... didn't think to ask... but do you want to come with me?"

Draco blinked and his shoulders dropped a little. "You want me to come... with you?"

"I... I'm sorry... I didn't think to ask. But Mrs. Weasley says that no one will treat you badly... or there'll be hell to pay. I think... it'll be okay, but if you don't want to... it'll be fine, too."

"They'd... want me to come?" Draco asked, not believing what he just said.

"Mrs. Weasley gave me flak for not asking at least. Blaise... he's there too."

"Blaise is? Why?"

"I guess he's working at Fred and George's shop, now. Luna is there."

Draco nodded. "Luna was kind to me."

"Really? Bill is also there," Harry said, wanting to ensure that Draco wasn't surprised by unexpected people.

Draco swallowed. "Is he mad?"

"No. No one is. They don't blame you for what happened," Harry said and came to the side of the bed. He lifted Draco's face up to look at him. "I'll be there, and we can leave at any time."

Draco leaned in for a sniff. "Okay, but I'm wearing a turtle-neck, again."

Harry smiled. "Whatever you want, and I'm sorry for not asking."