Just like Brothers

Chapter 44

"When did you get here?" Madam Pomfrey looked at Draco with a raised eyebrow.
    
"Uh," Draco wracked his brain for a believable excuse.
    
"He came in right after Dumbledore," Hermione said from her bed.
    
"What's wrong with you?" The Mediwitch snapped, surveying Draco from his head to his feet.
    
"Headache," Draco lied, "couldn't sleep."
     
Madam Pomfrey sighed, not looking convinced, "take a bed, I'll get you a potion."
     
Draco sat down on the white cot besides Harry, he kicked off his shoes and shrugged of the cloak Hermione had lent him.
     
"Do you think they'll free him?" Hermione spoke in a hushed tone, fidgeting with a strand of hair, "they just have to!"
     
"All we can do is wait, Hermione," Harry said, pale with anxiety.
     
Draco looked at the far end of the wing, Ron Weasley still laid unconscious on the last cot. He turned back around as he heard Madam Pomfrey approach again.

She handed him a headache potion before practically forcing chocolate down Harry and Hermione's throats.
     
Draco watched in amusement, as Harry and Hermione tried not to gag. Madam Pomfrey was not in a good mood, refusing chocolate would've made it worse.
     
"So," Hermione looked at the two boys, "you live together."
     
"Yes," Harry nodded, biting into a new piece of chocolate.
     
"Does anyone know?" Hermione asked.
     
"A few Professors, my friend; Blaise Zabini, Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom and you," Draco answered honestly.
     
"Where do you live?" Hermione's curiosity was getting the best of her.
   
"Spinner's End," Harry said, Hermione's face twisted with confusion.
    
"That's the street name," Draco rolled his eyes, "we live in Cokesworth, we're in a muggle community."
    
"Snape? In a muggle community," Hermione giggled, "who would've thought?"
    
"He wears jeans and ties up his hair," Harry whispered, grinning.
    
Hermione's jaw dropped, "no he doesn't," she looked to Draco for confirmation.
    
The blond nodded, a smirk growing on his face, "he does."
    
"We live a few houses down from my Mum's old home," Harry smiled, "she was friends with Snape, even before Hogwarts."
     
"Your Mum was friends with Snape?" Hermione gasped, "I would've never guessed by how he treated you before."

Harry nodded, "I didn't believe it at first, he gave me all these old letters and photographs," Harry smiled, "it's like I got a piece of my Mum back. There's a woman that owns the bookshop, Mrs. Whitely, she knew my parents."

Hermione smiled softly, "I'm happy for you, Harry," she reached out and squeezed his hand, "sounds like you finally have a home."

Harry blushed, "thanks, Mione."

Draco fumbled with the blanket, he had tuned out the conversation around him. His mind was spinning around one thought, if their plan worked and Sirius Black's name is cleared, what will happen to Harry? He knew Black was Harry's Godfather and if he was freed, would he gain custody of Harry? Would Draco be left alone again? Draco felt a pang in his chest, he knew it was selfish, he should want Harry to be happy, but he didn't want him to move out. For once Draco felt as if he had a true friend, a brother of sorts, despite their past and their differences, Harry and Draco knew they had each others back, no matter what. Draco wasn't a stranger to being alone, he had grown up in a large, empty home, barren of siblings and friendly faces.

From a young age, Draco learned to strive in solitude. But he didn't have to be alone anymore, he had Harry.

Draco Malfoy had a taste of companionship, brotherhood, freedom, and he knew, he didn't want to go back to his old path of life.

Draco was startled out of his mind by the door to the Hospital Wing opening again.

Snape had returned, he stopped, his eyes locking on Draco.

"I don't recall you in here earlier, Mr. Malfoy?" Snape has raised his eyebrows.

"Headache," Draco replied quietly, he was trying to avoid eye contact with the man.

"Mhm," it was clear Snape was not convinced. He turned to Harry. "You, Mr. Potter, are a horrible influence."

Harry's eyes grew wide, "But!" He flailed his arms in Draco's direction, "I didn't! He..."

Snape held up his hand, "I don't want to know," he walked to the foot of the boys beds, "are you ok?" He asked, concern apparent in his typical emotionless face.

Both boys nodded.

Snape nodded, he turned to Harry and Hermione, "what you did tonight was very dangerous, putting yourself in harms way, you two are extremely fortunate. If the situation turned out...messier than it did, nobody would've known where you were. Curfew is set for a reason, you're expected to follow it." Harry and Hermione took the lecture without argument. "Mr. Potter, I am very disappointed in you, I specifically told you to remain in the castle and you went against my orders. Miss Granger, I thought you brighter than to put yourself and your friends in harms way."

Hermione looked ashamed and she hung her head, "sorry, Professor," she mumbled.

"As of now, Peter Pettigrew is being detained and both he and Sirius Black are being questioned with Veritaserum, I suspect the Minister will be here shortly to question the two of you on the night's events as well."

"Will Sirius be freed?" Harry asked eagerly.

"I'm not sure," Snape answered honestly. "It can go either way, there will probably be a hearing, all you can do now is wait."

"One more thing Professor," Harry grinned, "don't let the Minister into Hagrid's hut."

Snape closed his eyes and rubbed his temples, "Harry Potter, you are going to drive me into an early grave."

>•<

Snape stayed in the Hospital Wing for the remainder of the night.

Ron woke up shortly after Fudge finished questioning Harry and Hermione on what happened.

The corridors were just about deserted when Harry, Ron and Hermione were released at noon the next day.

Draco Malfoy had left for breakfast earlier that morning with the promise he would meet them at Hagrid's later that evening.

"So, you're telling me, you and Malfoy are like friends now?" Ron gaped at Harry as they walked through the halls.

"Well, yeah," Harry laughed, "we share a room so it was kind of hard to hate each other."

"This is bloody weird, I think I lost too much blood yesterday," Ron rubbed his head, "how did Ginny and Neville know before us?"

"I slipped up while talking to Ginny last summer and we ran into Neville during Winter Holiday," Harry explained, an apologetic look on his face.

"Ginny's known since last summer!" Ron roared, "of course, she doesn't shut up about anything but when it's important..."

Ron fumed the rest of the way to the Gryffindor common room.

Since exams were over, the majority of the school was taking advantage of the warm summer air. The trio thought they'd change clothes before visiting Hagrid.

"Harry!" A voice called as the boy crawled through the portrait hole. Ginny came running at them waving a newspaper in her hand.

"You!" Ron seethed, Hermione grabbed the back of his robes, shooting a warming look.

Ginny ignored her brother and instead stopped in front of Harry, "you lot are idiots," she laughed handing him the paper, "it's the talk around school this morning, you just can't get out of the spotlight, can you? Anyways, I'm meeting friends by the lake, I just thought I'd give you this before I went." She smiled and walked past him, "Hermione, Ronald," she greeted before walking through the portrait hole.

"What does it say?" Hermione asked, coming to read over Harry's shoulder.

Sirius Black; Innocent?
Last night, Sirius Black was captured and detained at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Black, who has been imprisoned in Azkaban Prison for the last 12 years for charges of murder is filing a claim; he's innocent and has been framed by Peter Pettigrew.

Sirius Black, the first person to ever escape Azkaban unassisted, has been on the run since last August, the chase finally came to an end last night, June the 6th. Upon a shocking discovery, Peter Pettigrew, who was claimed to be murderer by Black, was found alive. It is now unknown to whether or not Black is indeed guilty or framed, as he claims, by Pettigrew all those years ago.

Tomorrow, June 8th, Sirius Black will have a trial that can end in either a lifetime sentence in Azkaban or the dropping of all charges against him. Sirius Black will be using the evidence provided from Veritaserum and statements from Hogwarts students, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. If Sirius Black is found innocent, he will walk free and Peter Pettigrew will take his place in Azkaban.

"His trial is tomorrow?" Hermione cried, grabbing the paper from Harry's hands to read it again. "Do you think we can go, Harry?"

"I'm not sure, I don't think we have to," Harry frowned, not too keen on a trip to the Ministry, "Fudge took our statements last night."

"We'll talk about it later," Ron interrupted, "if we don't go change now, we won't be able to grab something to eat before we go to Hagrid's!"

"I swear," Hermione huffed, "all you ever think about is food!"