Mute (Drarry) [COMPLETED]

Chapter 41

Draco couldn't stop smiling as he re-entered the common room with his arms wrapped around Harry. He had actually spoken, this was amazing, although Harry didn't seem entirely comfortable talking yet.

They had stayed in their dorm for a little chat, where Harry confirmed he had been spending time with Melissa alone in order to learn how to talk and try to become less afraid of his own voice. Draco pulled him into another hug after that.

"Did something good happen?" Narcissa asked, seeing the unusually large smile Draco had on his face, he looked like he had everything he could ever want.

"The best." Draco responded brightly, his eyes twinkling. He looked back to Harry to see if the smaller boy wanted to disclose why, or wanted to keep it a secret for now.

"What happened, you can't keep us all in suspense." Remus said jokingly. Sirius was curled up in his lap, they had been sitting separately, but Remus couldn't get Sirius to stop insulting or glaring at the Malfoys.

"I talked." Harry whispered into the good natured quiet. The warmth in the room, as well as the slight noise all froze, the fire no longer crackled or even seemed to dance as it was as every one, except Draco, seemed to be processing what had just happened.

"That's amazing Harry." Sirius said, smiling brightly, Remus holding him back from bowling Harry over with a hug, he couldn't see that going well.

"Only talk about what you're comfortable with and when you're comfortable, though. Anyone whose not willing to treat you well with your normal methods of communication isn't worth your voice." Lucius said in his usual coolly caring way.

Harry smiled slightly, he was glad that nobody was angry with him for speaking, or not speaking soon enough. He knew his fear wasn't baseless, but that didn't stop him from feeling like he had been making a big deal about nothing.

"You've done really well, Harry." Remus said with a small smile, hoping his desire to hug the small boy reached him, as he couldn't exactly get up with his husband on his lap.

-----

When everyone came back from their Christmas holidays Harry was slightly more comfortable with speaking, but his voice would still die in his throat if he tried to talk to anyone except the Malfoys and his godparents. He was glad to figure out he could talk to Ven, who scooped him up into a hug when they heard his small, tentative voice welcome them and Melissa back.

"So you saved it for a Christmas present?" Melissa teased Harry, gently booping him on the nose, she was very proud of him. She had several adopted family members who had lost their voice due to the horrible experiences they had been through before they joined the family, most of them never got it back, not that it was a problem, they were more than capable of communicating and having a great life, although a few ended up being home schooled because they were afraid of meeting new people in case they were abusive towards her.

"Yeah." Harry whispered, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Nothing could ever top that!" Draco announced, pulling Harry back from Ven, clearly more carefully than it looked because it didn't result in Harry falling unceremoniously to the floor, not that Harry seemed to be in a place where he would have noticed if he had. "Best Christmas ever."

"Are you sure nothing could top it?" Melissa asked, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively, although the implications went straight over the boys' heads.

"Melissa." Ven said warningly. "They're only 11."

"I know, what did you think I was suggesting? Oh, are you thinking of what you would want for a Christmas present, Ven I had no idea you were like that." Melissa teased them.

"Oh cut it out." They complained, pushing her arm away from them as they went up into their room.

"What were you talking about?" Harry asked in a whisper, hyper aware of all the other people in the common room, most of whom knew he was mute, so if they heard him talk he would undoubtedly become the centre of attention, which is the opposite of what he wanted.

"I was teasing them based on what they thought I was suggesting, which wasn't what they thought. I should go apologise." Melissa said, ruffling the two boys' hair as she went up to Ven's dorm to apologise.

"Ven, it's me, I'm here to apologise." Melissa called through the door after knocking. She really does need to learn when to shut her mouth sometimes.

"Go away." They called, making Melissa sigh.

"I'm sorry, Ven, I'll have a house elf send your favourite food, okay? Talk to me when you're ready. I'll apologise then, I swear on my blood and magic." Melissa said, turning away and leaving again to give Ven their space.

They hadn't told her what had happened yet, but something bad had happened with a 7th year Ravenclaw boy when the two of them were in second year, before Ven had fully figured themself out. She hoped they had someone to talk to about it, even if it wasn't her. If she ever sees that Ravenclaw boy again, he would regret messing with a Slytherin more than he already did, the Slytherin 7th years may have dangled him from the astronomy tower for the whole weekend.

The walk to the kitchens was uncomfortably comfortable, sometimes she wished Hogwarts could make her life difficult for her when she fucked up so that she wouldn't have to punish herself for it for the next 10 weeks.

"Can you send burgers and chicken breast in white wine sauce up to Ven's dorm in Slytherin, please." Melissa asked, glad something wasn't going her way as the house elves weren't accepting her refusals for food easily. Not that she would loose her temper with them, Magic knows how much abuse house elves faced.

"Mel!" Rosie's voice called out to her, something soft but firm thrown into Melissa as soon as she exited the kitchens, leaving her winded as the girl in question threw herself into Melissa's arms.

"Hello Rosie, did you have a good Christmas?" She asked with a gentle smile, she loved Rosie so much.

"It would have been better if my uncle hadn't set fire to the Christmas tree again." Rosie complained a little. "Are you okay? You look a little downtrodden."

"I messed up and reminded Ven of that." Melissa said with a sigh, trying not to meet Rosie's eyes, but the girl wasn't accepting that, grabbing Melissa's face in her hands and turning it to look Rosie directly in the eyes.

"Mel, that's not your fault, it's that Ravenclaw's. Ven doesn't blame you either, it was just bad timing. They'll forgive you when they've had time, they always do, because you deserve it. Everyone messes up sometimes, what's important is that you learn from it." Rosie insisted, looking into Melissa's eyes with as much sincerity as she could.

Rosie knew full well that Melissa loved Ven, not that she was threatened by that, monogamy was less important in the wizarding world according to the books she'd read, so she was sure Melissa wouldn't leave her when the two of them figured out how they felt about each other. If Melissa decided that she only wanted to be with Ven, though, Rosie would accept it as long as she could still be Melissa's friend and get her hugs.