ACT 3


Draco had spent the rest of the day in the Slytherin dungeons. Every now and then Professor Snape would come into the common room and talk to him. But from his gestures, Draco could see that Snape was never quite sure whether Draco could hear him. Probably Severus thought he looked absolutely ridiculous doing it.
Harry had spent his time with Almost Headless Nick for this, as the ghosts were the only ones who could see them. Professor Binns, too, was now working hard with Dumbledore to find a way to get her back.
In the afternoon an owl arrived that had clearly been sent by the Malfoys. Sirius Black arrived shortly after on the back of his hippogriff and asked loudly about Harry.
Even Draco could hear him in the dungeons!

+++ +++

He couldn't really believe Sirius was there. As quickly as possible he ran towards the entrance hall, where he saw his godfather standing with Albus Dumbledore."Sirius!" he exclaimed happily and fell into his godfather's arms. For a moment he had completely forgotten that he could probably neither see nor hear him. He was all the more surprised that Sirius was staring down at himself as if he wanted to see something.
"Harry, is that you? Is that you really?"
Sirius sounded unsure, but still very relieved that Harry didn't seem to be as dead as he had thought.
"I'm really glad you're here. You can't possibly die before me, kid. Now all we have to do is get your soul back into your body and everything will be fine, right?"
Sirius had a lot more motivation when it came to bringing Harry back to life than Harry himself. He himself had completely lost his vigor for this matter after talking to Draco a few hours ago. But he wanted to live in spite of everything. Even if it was going to be an unhappy life.+++ +++

Draco looked down at Felidea and brushed his blond hair back from his face as he had so often before.
// Looks like we're gonna have to join the others! It can't be long before ... //
He didn't need to finish this thought, for the arrival of Lucius Malfoy was hard to miss.
His boots echoed off the walls as he approached Sirius and Dumbledore stepped up to them, followed by Professor Binns.
"So where is my son?" he asked in a cold voice. But Dumbledore just smiled kindly and waved his hand in the direction of the Slytherin dungeon.
"Down there somewhere, my dear, but I have no doubt that he will be here very soon to welcome you."
Lucius blinked at these words, as if he wanted to wipe away the emotion that stood in his eyes.
But Draco didn't miss it, as he appeared at the bottom of the stairs.
"Dad!"
He had made up his mind to remain calm and greet his father with dignity, but when he noticed that Lucius was in ANSAH, he too could no longer hold his own.His father, the only person he wanted to see again before he died, instinctively knew that he was still alive. And he would never forget the signs of relief that graced Lucius' face for a brief moment.

+++ +++

Harry hid his face against Sirius' chest, hoping it would be over soon. He just wanted to get it over with and nothing more. However, an angry hiss made him jump and his gaze slid directly to Felidea, who gave him a meaningful look.
~ Meissssster! This sssssso cannot go any further. You have to do something! You two need to clear up a few things. You can't just ignore yourselves forever, Meisssster! ~
A low sigh escaped him. Harry knew she was right, even if he wouldn't like to admit it.
~ Yeah ... I know that ... I know ... but I can't just talk to him. Wasssss sssshould I tell him ssssss? ~
~ How about esssss if you told the truth ssssssss?~
This was again one of the moments when Harry wished that everything was always as simple as it sounded. Because this was really nothing that was easy for him. How could he please explain to Draco why he reacted this way? How? The blonde Slytherin probably wouldn't understand.
~ I can't ... I just can't eat ~ Harry hissed softly, then averted his gaze. He just didn't know how to start.
~ We'll see essssss soon. ~ Felidea answered again and stared up at Lucius as Draco allowed himself to hug his father joyfully.
Then she slipped off Draco's arm and fell almost silently to the floor. Draco looked after her in amazement, his eyes following her as she snaked across the floor towards Harry.
"W-what?"
Lucius frowned as Draco turned away from him and watched the - to him - invisible snake.
Meanwhile, Dumbledore began explaining how they would revive the two bodies."First we have to remove the domes of the glass coffins. And then we have to give them blood. Blood of the living who are closest to them. And of course they are both!"
He pointed to Lucius and Sirius.
"And then?"
Dumbledore screwed up his eyes.
"Then we have to wait and see if their lost souls find their way back to life - if they want that!"
Both Lucius and Sirius looked confused, but they tried not to show anything.
Felidea snaked up Harry's leg until she snuggled around his neck.
~ I am sssssss sure that you can do that Meissssster! Just talk to him. You have to do this! Esssssss is no way around it ~
Harry nodded resignedly.
~ Maybe ... ~
~ Not maybe .. Thatssss eats the truth! ~
Meanwhile, Dumbledore led everyone into the room where the coffins were and instructed everyone what to do. They watched the glass domes from the coffins being removed.Shortly afterwards, Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall stood in front of Lucius and Sirius, ritual knives in hand. Both were given a slight cut in the hand and the blood was collected in a goblet, with which the tutors then went to the bodies of their students and instilled it into them. Then they took a few steps back and the wait began for them.

+++ +++

At the same time, Harry and Draco had been instructed to stand next to their bodies so that they would have a better chance of getting back into their bodies. But it didn't seem as simple as they thought it would be. Because at first almost ... nothing happened.
The first thing Draco noticed was the spell that was spreading around the coffins. The excited voices of his father and his teacher seemed to move further away and not come closer.
Then his skin prickled, it got hotter.
For a moment he thought he was more likely to move away from life than get closer to it!He stared over the two coffins at Harry, who was wearing a similarly irritated expression.
"We have to do something!" Draco called, but his ears began to rustle, "None of us should go alone ... maybe none of us can go alone ..."
"Maybe that was what Felidea meant .. We can't go back alone. We have to go together, but we are together in this spell and despite everything we are still not in our bodies ... So ... what's here not correct?"
// Maybe we didn't talk to each other? because not everything was cleared up? could that be the reason? Is that why Felidea wanted me to tell him the truth? //
Harry was confused, but he tried not to make it too clear.
"Maybe it's because we can't decide what we want. Whether we don't care about dying and leaving our families behind ... or whether we want to return so we can finally make our dreams come true!" Draco explained and he felt a surge of emotion flood his soul.It was probably all the feelings that he had repressed during the trip and that were not expressed in the library that morning. So he added, "We have to make our dreams come true ... Together!"
It all sounded very logical what Draco was saying, and it touched the point inside him that this morning he had thought would be frozen forever. Harry felt the urge to cry again, but he really didn't have time for that.
"Yes ... you are probably right ... Presumably too much has not been clarified, also between us ... And I ask you now ... Do we have something in common
"Well ..." Draco paused for a moment, figuring out the right words. After Harry had reacted so sensitively to his words before, it was probably wiser to think before speaking.
"Well, we both dream of a fulfilled life. A life of meaning. And it forces me to think that we both dream of love too.A love that cannot be compared with what we feel for our parents or godparents. And..."
He stopped.
The words were on his lips, but he hesitated. If he said it, he meant it. He closed his eyes tightly again and tried to get inside through the heat on his skin to see the truth there.
"And ..." he whispered again, his eyelids still drooping.
"Dream Draco? Are we dreaming the same thing? Or are we just trying?"
Harry just nodded at what he had said and an indescribable hope grew inside him, but he didn't dare utter it yet. It just hurt too much when it wasn't supposed to, and he really didn't want to see it again.
"And?" he therefore asked cautiously and tried to banish hope from his voice, which he did not really succeed. He watched Draco tense, and that tension seemed to spread to the very last fiber of his body.It almost seemed like a lot depended on that answer, but what exactly it was was definitely something Harry didn't want to think about.
Draco's lips were played with a satisfied smile when he heard Harry's desperate voice.
The mute hope that the black-haired boy tried to suppress could not be ignored. Once again Draco noticed how deeply he had looked into the soul of the other and what honesty and sincerity - but also vulnerability - he had found there. He couldn't have imagined her before.
But most importantly, Harry had kindled a feeling in him that he had believed a Malfoy couldn't.
And suddenly he knew his way and the place where he belonged. At his parents' side, but above all Harry's.
Hesitantly, he opened his eyes, but the smile persisted and Draco reached over their bodies to reach Harry with a hand."And ... we can only find this love together!"
He almost did not expect such an answer. No, actually he didn't expect it, but he hoped it would happen. A