Bounty Hunter

Title: Bounty Hunter

Rating: R-ish

Author: Snippy

Pairing: H/D, Hr/SS (a little)

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and Co. do not belong to me. Sadly.

Summary: Warning: dark fic, character death and H/D slash. This story is not light and hope and puppies, people. The bounty hunter is going after the Death Eaters one by one, but at what price? This story is not about black and white, it\'s about shades of grey. Can people change? Can a hero become a villain? Can a villain save a hero? And which is which?

FYI:

(****) indicates a scene shift.

(*~*~*~*) indicates a flashback

(*word*) emphasis

A/N\'s: I know exactly what you were all hoping for in this chapter, and let me assure you that it\'s there. That said, bear in mind that this story is R, not NC-17. If you would like to read the NC-17 version of this chapter, leave me a review with your email address (not just your address, I want your opinion, too, lol!), and I will send it to you.

Also, this chapter is at least five pages longer than most of the others, so I hope you enjoy it. Much love ~Snippy

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Draco took a slow, deep breath and reached for his shirt, pulling it over his head in slow motion, before reaching for his trousers. He felt the cloth tug at his skin where it had been scratched and the blood had dried to the cloth. He watched, almost dispassionately as the black fabric pooled on the floor. In the back of his mind, he could hear the shower running, and the warm steam seemed to cling to him. His face was calm, but his heart was trying to pound out of his chest. He looked up to see Harry stepping into the shower, the hot spray hitting his face and sluicing over his body as he raised his hands to slick back his hair. Draco\'s breath caught.

As he watched, Harry turned to him and opened his eyes, leaning back against the wall of the shower. He crooked an eyebrow at him. \"Coming?\"

\"I\'m not even breathing hard yet, Potter.\" He murmured walking slowly to the shower. As he stepped under the water, Harry reached around him, closing the shower door. Then he hooked his hands around the back of Draco\'s neck and pulled him into a sudden, fierce kiss.

Pulling back, Harry offered Draco a feral grin, before reaching for the bar of soap on the shelf under the showerhead. He set about cleaning the both of them up in a perfunctory way, when he heard Draco\'s sharp intake of breath. Pausing, he took note of several cuts and abrasions scattered over the other boy\'s body. Dimly he realized that the soap was stinging parts of himself as well.

Quickly, he switched positions with Draco so that he was now directly under the spray, rinsing the soap away. Harry grasped Draco\'s bound hand. There was a dark slash across his knuckles. Holding Draco\'s gaze, a wicked glint in his eyes, he brought the blond\'s knuckles to his mouth and slowly licked the wound. Draco hissed again, more in anticipation of the sting than in actual pain. He looked down at his hand and found that the wound had completely healed, leaving pale, unblemished skin behind. His eyes widened. \"How - \"

Draco\'s words died in his throat as Harry leaned forward and began licking the scratches on his neck. He let out a low moan, which Harry followed with a soft growl. Harry moved to Draco\'s collarbone, running his tongue lightly over the flesh, then to a bruise on his bicep, then the scratch on the inside of his elbow. Carefully, Harry licked every scratch on Draco\'s body, ending up on his knees before the blond to heal the one just under his navel. Harry looked up at Draco through his wet, spiky black lashes. Draco was leaning heavily against the wall of the shower, his head thrown back, an expression of almost pain on his features.

\"P-potter . . . \" He panted. Draco reached down, tangling one fist in Harry\'s black hair, and roughly tugged him to his feet, holding him still as Draco hungrily covered his mouth with his own.

Harry managed to pull away long enough to gasp, \"Bed. Now.\"

Draco stepped out of the shower, tugging Harry with him. He pushed Harry towards the bedroom, keeping as little space between them as possible. Vaguely he realized the shower was still running, and frankly, he didn\'t care. When he felt Harry\'s ankles hit the mattress on the floor, he shoved Harry onto it, quickly following him down.

Draco straddled Harry, gathering his wrists in one hand above the dark-haired man\'s head. For a moment, he was caught in Harry\'s eyes, green depths swirling with raw heat. He allowed himself the luxury of looking Harry over once more, his breath still coming in shallow pants. The boy-who-lived was covered in faint white scars, and fresh scratches and bruises. One of them was clearly from the sword fight, though Draco had never noticed when the Death Eater\'s blade had connected with Harry\'s skin. Harry had never flinched. Harry stared back at him, a question in his eyes.

Draco contemplated the complex healing spell that Harry had just performed. He vaguely recalled that it had to do with shamanistic magic and calling on the natural healing powers of magical creatures, such as the Phoenix. Such a spell should have drained Harry, but it barely seemed to have effected him at all. He came to a quick decision, lowering his mouth to the deep cut from the sword.

Harry\'s hand on his chest stopped him. \"What do you think you\'re doing?\"

\"Returning the favor.\" He replied, looking into Harry\'s eyes once more.

\"You don\'t have to do that, Malfoy.\" Harry\'s gentle tone softened the name he used to hurl as an insult.

\"Yes, I do. Purebloods pay back their debts. It\'s a matter of honor.\" Draco answered firmly, pulling Harry\'s hand off his chest. He resettled his weight, groaning as he came into intimate contact with Harry once more, and slowly, gently, began licking the slash across his upper shoulder. Harry could feel the salty rasp of Draco\'s tongue stinging the wound, then agonizingly slowly it began to heal. Draco sat back, visibly shaken from the effort of performing such a draining spell. He started to move towards another, when Harry once again stopped him.

\"Enough,\" He whispered. \"We have better uses for your energy.\" And he quickly rolled the blond on to his back, covering any protest with his mouth.


********

\"Hermione!\" Ginny Weasley called, as she stepped out into the rose garden of the Ministry. Arthur had agreed to bring her to the Ministry when she had heard that Hermione and Professor Snape had finally been rescued and were residing there until other arrangements could be made. \"Hermione, are you - Oh!\"

Hermione barely registered the feminine voice calling her name, her mind to enraptured in the man currently whispering it in reverence as he kissed her neck. But when the young red-head squealed loudly in shock, she managed to pull herself away. \"Oh, Ginny!\"

Severus let go of Hermione, allowing her to climb off his lap and go embrace her friend. He fought the blush that desperately wanted to tinge his cheekbones at being \'caught\' in such an unseemly situation. Severus Snape did *not* blush. He stood, quickly moving to stand behind Hermione as she finally released the younger woman.

\"Miss Weasley, you\'re looking well,\" Severus said, gently. They had been informed of Ginny\'s capture and subsequent rescue by the ministry, when they had filled them in on the more important events they had missed while in captivity.

\"Thank you,\" She whispered back, thinking that was the kindest tone he had ever used with her. Though he was nicer to her than most Gryffindors. She had come to him in her second year for bottles of dreamless sleep potion when she had started having nightmares about Tom Riddle. \"It\'s good to see you, Professor Snape.\"

Snape nodded, setting his hands on Hermione\'s shoulders. They had been rescued barely more than a day, and he still felt as if he was dreaming every time he gazed up at the sky. Hermione leaned back against him, smiling gently.

\"Ginny, how are you? We heard that you had been kidnapped.\" Hermione looked at the younger girl with concern.

\"I\'m - fine, actually. Harry rescued me.\" Ginny grinned. \"Again.\"

\"So, you\'ve seen . . .\" Hermione trailed off, not knowing quite how to ask what was on her mind. \"You\'ve seen Harry?\"

\"Yes,\" Ginny said, quietly, green light flashing in her mind\'s eyes. \"He\'s really changed. He was sort of - \"

\"Scary?\" Hermione asked sympathetically.

\"I was going to say hot.\" Ginny grinned back.

Hermione laughed out loud.


********

Harry came awake easily and silently, as he always did. In his Hogwarts days, he had been prone to sprawling, yawning and stretching. Not very stealth. Now, he slept and woke deathly still. He took a moment to examine his surroundings, another morning ritual.

His room was still dark, the sky outside lightening though the sun had yet to show. His wand was within easy summoning distance. His dagger . . . where was his dagger?

An image of the knife gripped in a pale hand, the blade flat against his neck rose to ming, bringing memories in swift succession.

Bathroom. Shower. Malfoy.

Fighting the urge to turn sharply, he took the rest of his situation in. His back was pressed against warm skin, and a strong arm was looped loosely around his waist. He swallowed thickly, then set his jaw. Cooly he lifted the arm off his waist and silently slipped out of bed. He summoned his wand and pointed it at the offending appendage. \"Finite Incatetem.\"

The invisible chain between his arm and Malfoy\'s vanished. Harry was feeling a sudden need to put some distance in between him and Draco. He grabbed clothes out of his closet and headed into the bathroom. He dressed quickly, but carefully. Today was a very special day. His best dragon-hide leather pants, a black cashmere sweater Hermione had given him years ago for Christmas. Finally he added his werewolf\'s tooth necklace. He slid his dagger into it\'s sheath on his ankle, before walking back into his room to wake Draco. He was surprised to see grey eyes staring at him from his rumpled bed.

Draco looked Harry over, a satisfied smirk on his face. Harry\'s black, slightly shaggy hair was slightly disheveled, two dark bruises bearing Draco\'s teeth marks showed above his sweater. Though he seemed perpetually weary, his clean shaven face held the glow of last night\'s passion. The dragon leather pants were slung low on his hips. His gem-green eyes glinted wickedly.

Draco was sprawled indolently on the bed, a sheet draped over his hip. \"Good morning, beautiful.\"

\"Get up.\" Harry turned on his heel and headed downstairs to his small, sparse kitchen. The kitchen was the warmest room in the house. Once it had been sunny, but the many windows were now boarded up. Still, it was as close to cozy as any room in the house got. He flicked his wand at the coffee-maker, which immediately began to perk. Then he cracked three eggs into a pan, sprinkled in salt and stirred them briskly. He didn\'t eat a lot, but he needed to be at full strength today. He had efficiently sliced cheese, mushrooms and ham, tossing them into the mixture, when he heard Draco\'s footsteps.

\"Potter, you didn\'t have to make me breakfast,\" Draco drawled. \"Flowers and a phone call the day after would have been sufficient.\"

\"Funny.\" Harry replied, dumping the omelette onto a plate and slicing it in half. He set the plat in the middle of his small table. \"Sit.\"

Draco pulled back one of two chairs, elegantly sitting down with perfect posture. Harry poured two cups of coffee, set them on the table, and took the chair across from him. He picked up the fork next to the plate, taking a bite of the omelette, then held the fork out to Draco, who just raised an eyebrow and stared at him.

\"Eat.\"

\"Not that this isn\'t very romantic or that I\'m not enjoying your charmingly mono-syllabic presence, but do you think I could have one for my very own?\"

\"One what?\" Harry asked blanly.

\"Fork. You\'ve heard of them, yes?\"

\"No.\"

\"No? What have you been using to keep your spoons company all these years?\"

Harry\'s lips twitched. \"No, you can\'t have a fork.\"

Draco was taken aback. \"Why not?\"

\"I\'ve only got one.\" Harry admitted.

Draco looked puzzled for a moment, then understanding dawned on him. \"Not much for company?\"

\"No.\"

\"All evidence to the contrary,\" Draco smirked, touching a mark on his own neck. \"If you treat all your prisoners this way, I can just imagine what you could do for an actual guest.\"

Draco accepted the fork. He knew he could transfigure one for himself, though it would never have occurred to Harry. As a muggle-born, he did not rely on magic to solve every problem. It was probably why he had no qualms about killing with weapons instead of spells, Draco reflected darkly. He was about to suggest the configuration, when Harry, who assumed he was upset about using the same fork as him, spoke up.

\"Give over, Malfoy. Surely after last night you can share a fork with me.\"

\"Point taken.\" Draco saluted him with the aforementioned utensil before digging into his food, surprised at how good it was. He offered Harry a brief smile of thanks, before handing the fork back. They quickly finished breakfast that way, passing the fork back and forth in fairly companionable silence.

Harry found himself enjoying the company, but he tamped the feeling back down. Draining his coffee, he got to his feet and went into the weapons room, Draco following. He slid a black belt with a sheath attached around his waist. Then he took the sword of Gryffindor off the wall and slid it in place. He turned to face Draco. \"Ready?\"

\"For what?\" Draco drawled teasingly.

\"Field trip.\"

Draco was wearing the same clothes he had been wearing yesterday, though he had cast a cleaning spell on them. He slicked his hand through his hair, knowing it would only rumple it more. Eyeing Harry warily, he asked, \"You\'re not planning to Apparate into the Dark Lord\'s lair and ask him to brunch, are you?\"

\"No.\" Harry grinned for a moment, but the amusement left his face as he held out his hand to Draco.

Draco just stared for a moment, briefly thinking about his long ago offer to be friends with Harry. He kept his hands at his side.

Impatiently, Harry reached out and grabbed his hand around the wrist. \"Catena Nos.\"

The invisible bond reappeared and the two Disapparated with a loud pop.


***********

\"Hermione?\" Ginny asked softly. They were seated next to each other on one of the courtyards many decorative and uncomfortable benches. \"I got an owl from Harry today.\"

\"What? What did it say?\" Hermione asked urgently, pulled from her feeling lethargy.

Wordlessly, Ginny handed her the letter.

\'Ginny,

I\'ll give your regards to Tom. Your nightmares end today. And . . . thank you.

~H\'

\"Tom? Tom RIDDLE?!\" Hermione gasped.

Ginny nodded somberly. \"He\'s going after Voldemort. Today.\"

The letter had chilled the redhead. It was not a \'goodbye\' or a \'just-in-case\' letter. There was no doubt in Harry\'s mind. No fear. No possibility of failure for him. The letter also warmed her. She thought she had failed to reach him during their encounter. But maybe there was still something left of the boy who had been her hero, some scrap of humanity.

\"I have to go.\" Hermione announces.

\"What? Why?\" Snape spun around from where he had been studying the phoenix fountain, while he let the girls catch up. Logically he knew that it would have been perfectly safe to have left them completely alone, but he could not bring himself to leave Hermione\'s presence. Twenty feet away was plenty of space when he had shared a nine by nine cell with her for so long.

Hermione handed him the letter. Snape cursed under his breath.

\"I have to go - I have to stop him!\" Hermione cried, extremely upset.

\"No, you don\'t,\" Snape said harshly. \"He was born to do this. He has to.\"

\"Fine. And I\'ll be standing by his side when he does,\" She said firmly, though her eyes welled with tears.

\"Yes, because that did Ron a whole helluva lot of good.\" Ginny shot back, alarmed. Hermione winced, but her expression was resolved. \"You can\'t go alone, Hermione. It\'s not safe. And he doesn\'t need to be worrying about you while he\'s trying to fight.\"

\"You don\'t understand,\" Hermione whispered.

Snape recognized the hurt and fear in her tone, and pulled her into a tight embrace. \"It\'ll be alright.\"

\"I can\'t lose him. Not n,\"n,\" She whispered brokenly, tears running softly down her face. \"I can\'t lose anyone else.\"

Ginny felt herself choking up. Then, before she could say anything, there was a flash of light and Hermione fell limply against Snape. \"Wha - what happened?\"

Snape was not alarmed however. He calmly gathered Hermione in his arms, then settled her gently onto one of the benches, brushing her hair away from her tear-stained face. He summoned his broom, then turned to Ginny. \"I had to. I can\'t let her go.\"

\"I noticed,\" Ginny said wryly.

\"I\'m going to find Potter.\"

\"You are?\" Ginny asked blandly, holding onto her temper. Hadn\'t the man been listening when Hermione had said that she could not lose anyone else? \"And then what?\"

\"I\'m going to talk to him. Try to explain that this might not be the best time.\" Snape snapped, not used to being questioned.

\"Uh-huh.\" Ginny smirked. \"So, a cold-blooded killer bent on avenging his parents, my brother and countless others is going to just wait until you\'re ready because you . . . what? Explained? Talked some reason into him?\"

Snape stared at her for a moment, then gestured to Hermione. \"When she wakes up, tell her - tell her that I\'m sorry, and that I do love her.\" He gave one last stoic look at Hermione before climbing onto his broomstick and taking to the sky.

Only to find himself lying flat on his back on the ground, staring up at a very angry Ginny Weasley, who had just stupefyed him off his broom. \"Tell her yourself, you great, greasy prat.\"


***********

Draco opened his eyes to a barren landscape. There were in a valley of some kind, and rolling hills surrounded them, high enough to touch the clouds that formed a greyish ceiling, softly muting the light. It was warm enough for him to be comfortable in his sweater, but a chill went through him. As far as the eye could see, the valley was filled with grave stones.

\"Where are we?\"

\"A graveyard,\" Harry replied.

\"I know that, Potter,\" Draco snapped. \"What are we doing here.\"

\"Just saying hello to someone,\" Harry answered softly.

\"In a graveyard?\"

\"Yes.\" Harry began to walk through the gravestones, not stopping to read the names. Finally he paused, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then he slowly knelt on the ground.

\"Hello, Mom. Dad.\"

Draco fell silent, feeling as if he shouldn\'t be there, but because of the chaining spell, unable to leave. Instead, he stood behind Harry, arms folded behind his back, with his head bowed respectfully.

\"I\'m sorry,\" Harry whispered. He spoke lightly, but his voice was full of pain. \"I\'m sorry it\'s taken me so long to do this for you. And I\'m sorry that I\'m not the hero everyone thought I would be, the son you hoped I\'d be. I\'m sorry I have to do it this way.\" His voice grew stronger. \"But know, that I do this for you. I love you.\"

Harry stood, remaining silent for a moment, before blowing a kiss to the grave stones. \"Goodbye.\"

He turned, moving quickly away from the markers, head bowed. Draco followed quickly behind him. \"Potter! Wait up!\" Harry kept walking. \"Harry, stop!\"

\"What?\" He paused and turned around. Draco had half expected to see tears in the other man\'s eyes, but his face was dry and calm.

\"Harry, do you . . . can I . . .\" Draco, for the first time in his life, found himself at a loss for words. He had never been good at comforting people.

\"No, Draco, I don\'t want to talk about,\" Harry said, coldly. \"Especially not with you.\"

\"Why not with me?\" Draco questioned, harshly.

\"Maybe you didn\'t get the owl, Malfoy. I\'m not the touchy-feely type. I don\'t want to share and cry and hug and grow. I just want to kill something.\"

\"Well, that\'s a start,\" Draco offered. \"You don\'t trust me, even now, I know that.\"

Harry just looked at him. \"I don\'t trust anyone.\"

\"And why is that, Potter? You used to,\" Draco prodded, leaving the sympathy out of his voice this time.

\"Why should I? People die or they kill you. And I don\'t have much use for either.\" Harry pointed out. \"And if I wanted to \'talk\' I have friends for that.\"

\"Not anymore.\"

Harry winced, slightly, but tossed back, \"And you\'re not one of them.\"

\"But I\'m the only one here.\" He pointed out. \"And I\'m guessing that with that new little parlor trick of yours, you could use another wizard around for the fight. In fact, I\'m betting that\'s why you put this chain on me.\" He held up the arm with the invisible chain. \"What I don\'t understand is why you took it off this morning.\"

\"Needed some space.\" Harry bit out. Inside, he was twisted with conflicting emotions, emotions that he had fought back with Moody\'s training. Somehow he had lost a measure of that control. In a way it felt good, but it also scared him. And he hadn\'t been scared in a long time.

\"But you put it back.\" Draco pointed out.

\"So I did.\"

\"Face it, Potter.\" Draco smirked at him. \"You need me right now.\" His face turned more serious. \"And I\'m here. I\'m not going anywhere.\"

Harry\'s eyes flashed.

Draco held up the hand that was magically connected to Harry\'s. \"And something tells me that you don\'t want me to leave.\"

\"Maybe not,\" Harry conceded. \"But don\'t get your hopes up. It\'s just so I can use you like I used all the others. And you\'ll probably die.\"

Draco winced. It had occurred to him that as closely tied to Harry as he was that fighting next to him would put him in danger. But he didn\'t care. He had spent years playing the villain to help the Order of the Phoenix, and had come too close to becoming what he pretended to be. Now, he wanted the real fight.

\"I trust you, Harry.\" Draco intoned solemnly. \"Isn\'t is about time you returned the favor?\"

\"Standing here, *here*,\" Harry gestured back towards his parents\' grave. \"You\'re going to tell me I should trust you.\"

\"I didn\'t kill your parents, Harry.\" Draco said softly. \"The same cannot be said of you.\"

\"I never asked you to trust me.\" Harry bit out, a flash of Lucius\' prone form covered in snakes crossing his thoughts.

\"Didn\'t you?\" Draco asked, once again looking at his bound arm. He stepped closer to Harry, close enough to feel his body heat. \"I\'m going with you. I\'m fighting with you, you know that.\"

Harry nodded.

\"So tell me, Potter. When was the last time someone was willing to stand this close to you in a fight?\" Harry\'s eyes dropped to the ground. \"When was the last time someone was willing to be close to you at all?\"

\"Shut up.\" Harry growled. He stepped forward, tangling his fingers in Draco\'s hair, and tugged him roughly forward. His lips sealed over Draco\'s as they Apparated out of there. \"Just shut up.\"