Darker Side of Me

Darker Side of Me –Chapter 11

The sun rose quietly in the distance and filled the small room with blinding white light. Draco followed the stream of light with his eyes from the tiny opening in the drawn bed hangings to Harry’s sleeping body. The Gryffindor had fallen asleep cuddled up to Draco after the night’s exertions. Malfoy brushed a lock of hair away from his lover’s face to reveal the thin scar on his forehead. He ran and thin finger over the old wound and then brought his attention to his own wounds.

His arm had stopped bleeding and the cuts began to heal slowly. He frowned at the sight of it because his mark was once again visible through it all. His bruises were also less prominent as they had been before, though he still looked as though he’d been the victim of multiple stampedes. Draco cared little for these things now, however, in light of where he found himself.

Harry stirred a little next to him and pulled his hold on Draco tighter. He really was beautiful when he slept. Malfoy would never admit that to him, mind you. At least not any time soon. He needed to keep up some of his cold temperament.

“Mm,” Harry mumbled, bringing his hands to his eyes to block out the sunlight. “Whassat?”

“It’s called the sun,” Draco jeered softly, pulling Harry close to him. Harry made a strange face and buried himself in Draco’s neck. “Good morning to you too.”

Harry made a snickering sound from his position and ran his hand down Draco’s front, teasing him happily without opening his eyes. Draco made some incomprehensible sounds and pulled Harry’s arm up, turning him onto his side to face him.

“I think we should get up,” he whispered. Harry finally opened his eyes to look at the blonde. He smirked and kissed him gently.

“Good morning,” he finally said.

Draco sat up and shook his head of sleep. He ran his fingers through his silver-blonde hair and shot Harry a sidelong glance. He was lying, completely uncovered, in a very seductive position. Malfoy laughed to himself wondering if Harry ever got tired of it.

“Are you perpetually randy, or something?” he mused, staring at Harry’s naked body. Potter sat up and wrapped his legs around Draco’s waist.

“You did this to me,” he admitted, kissing the back of the Slytherin’s neck. “Not my bloody fault you chose this way to get close to me.”

Draco frowned slightly, wishing that the circumstances of their relationship had been different to start with. He turned to the Gryffindor and ran his fingers through the boy’s hair.

“How was I to know you’d turn into a shag fiend,” he laughed. “I guess I underestimated my own irresistibility.”

“Oh, right,” Harry snorted. “Like you’ve ever had anything but overly high opinion of yourself.”

“I have my moments,” Draco conceded. He kissed Harry and turned to get out of bed and get dressed. Harry followed suit.

“You had several last night, if I’m not mistaken,” he reminded the Slytherin while he dressed himself.

“I told you you would never forget it,” Draco said. He glanced around the room for his belt before finding it hanging from one of the bedposts.

“I hate to admit it but you did keep your word,” Harry answered. “I guess now I have to do the same for you.”

“What do you mean by that?” Draco turned to him, a sly smirk on his pale features.

“That depends, what’s your fantasy?” Harry asked, holding his shirt in his hands.

“You’ll have to figure it out on your own.” Draco put on his shirt and shrugged at Harry.

“I’ll accept that challenge,” he answered as he finished clothing himself. They got the rest of their stuff together and left the Room of Requirement only to bump straight into Dumbledore, who was waiting patiently outside in the hall for them.

“Good morning, boys,” he greeted with a pleasant smile. “I take it you had a good night’s sleep?”

“Yes, Professor, thank you,” Draco responded immediately. His mind whizzed over the images from the night and he laughed to himself realizing that they had slept very little at all.

“Very good,” the old wizard answered with a small smile. “I have made all the arrangements for you to take up residence at the Order Headquarters. You will have to leave today, mind you.”

“But, the school year isn’t over,” Harry interjected, rather displeased that he would have to let Draco go alone to Number Twelve.

“I realize that that may seem worrisome,” Dumbledore admitted. He gazed at the two of them over his half-moon spectacles. “Though naturally you both will receive passing marks for all your classes and allowed leave from the school until September.”

“What?” Potter asked, rather abruptly. “I’m going too?”

“Why yes, of course,” the Headmaster explained. “As I explained last night, you are Draco’s protection. It would be illogical for me to send him there alone. That and it is probably safer to have you under the protections of the Order as well.”

“But, Ron and Hermione,” Harry began, still confused. He could tell that Draco was also a little apprehensive about the whole thing.

“You will have ample amount of time to explain it all to them now, before you leave.” Dumbledore checked his strange pocket watch. “You will have to meet Professor Snape just outside the castle gates at noon, so I suggest you hurry up.”

“Professor Snape??” Harry was disbelieving. “Why?”

“He is your guide to the headquarters. I cannot send you off alone and Professor Snape has business with the Order today. It works out rather well, actually.”

Harry opened his mouth to argue but thought better of it at the look that the Headmaster gave him. Dumbledore bid them a safe trip and allowed them to return to Gryffindor Tower. They made their way back through the castle in silence, both rather worried about what lay ahead. Draco did not know how to feel about what was going to happen.

He would likely feel very out of place being a Death-Eater amidst the Order of the Phoenix.

*_*_*

Harry knew that Draco must be feeling very nervous about going to the Order headquarters but he could not reassure him at the moment. He was too busy trying to figure out just what he was going to tell Ron and Hermione to convince them not only that Draco was good, but that he wasn’t totally insane.

They stepped through the portrait hole to find that most of the sixth year Gryffindors were sitting in the common room, mainly still in their pajamas. Harry stopped dead, realizing that they had probably waited all night for him to return and explain.

“Er, good morning,” he said quietly, walking over to sit on one of the couches. They did not seem pleased.

“Harry what took you? We’ve been waiting all night!” Hermione’s voice was clearly tired and worried. He frowned.

“I told you I would be a while,” he defended. Then Harry realized that Draco was still standing in the entranceway, apprehensive about entering the common room with all these other Gryffindors there. “Come in, Malfoy. Have a seat.” Harry waved him in.

Draco stiffened and walked forwards very carefully, his face set and expressionless. He looked very much like a Malfoy as he tried to sit down with as much dignity as was possible when one sank two feet into the cushions. Harry snickered a bit as Draco’s face flushed pink and he cast his eyes downwards.

“Harry, what the bloody hell is going on?” Ron finally spoke. His eyes were trained on the Slytherin sitting before them.

“It’s a rather long story,” he began, not really in the mood to retell the whole thing. “Draco here is in need of the protection of the Order so now Dumbledore has set it up so he and I are going back to headquarters to stay there for the rest of the year.”

“Why does he need the protection of the Order??” Hermione demanded, looking to Malfoy with mixed worry and distrust. Ron was more concerned with something else.

“Draco??” he spluttered, his face contorting into a strange grimace. Harry ignored him.

“Voldemort is after him and wants to kill him,” he answered Hermione. She gasped softly, clearly torn between hating the Slytherin and feeling sorry for him.

“Malfoy? You-Know-Who wants to kill a Malfoy??” Ginny piped in, staring at Draco disbelievingly. “Why?”

“Draco???” Ron continued, ignoring every other comment.

“Because,” Draco said softly, refusing to look at anyone but Harry. “I am a Death-Eater and I have deserted my position.”

Everyone stared at the blonde sitting among them. Even Ron gave up his shocked revulsion to stare at Draco, open-mouthed and incredulous. Harry frowned, wishing that Draco had not been so honest with them. Malfoy did not seem fazed at all by their reactions, mind you. He stayed quite calm and looked only at Harry.

“Why the hell is the Order protecting him then??” Ron spat, feeling very much out of the loop.

“He just told you, they want to kill him!” Hermione answered, clearly miffed that Ron was so slow. Harry rolled his eyes.

“But he’s a Death-Eater! Why should we believe him?” the red-head retorted angrily.

“Because I do,” Harry answered, his voice full of frustration. “And because Dumbledore does. That should be enough.” Ron shut his mouth and sat back in his chair.

“But Harry,” Hermione said slowly. “Why do you need to go with him?”

“Because I’m actually his protection,” he murmured in response. “And Dumbledore thinks it’ll be safer for me there anyway, for now.”

The students present clearly did not know what to make of the whole situation. They looked from Harry to Draco and back again, many times before anyone was capable of saying anything more. It was Hermione who spoke first.

“Should we come with you too? Since you both clearly need to be safe,” she suggested shyly. “It couldn’t hurt, could it?” Harry stared at her. She was actually suggesting skipping three months of school. Willingly.

“Don’t be silly, Hermione,” Ron answered, giving her a strange look. “How can we protect them any better than the Order or even Dumbledore can?”

“Well we’ve been there to help Harry in the past,” she defended. “I just don’t think it’s safe for them to stay alone in the headquarters away from Dumbledore! At least if we were there they’d have some extra comfort!”

“Hermione is right,” Ginny agreed. “We should be able to go with them! Harry can’t be expected to defend Draco all on his own and save the world! He needs help too!”

“DRACO???” Ron snapped, still in utter disbelief over what was happening. From the look of shock on Draco’s face, he had similar feelings as Ron did.

“Look, I don’t think Dumbledore has planned for you to come too,” Harry admitted. “At least not today. Maybe you should talk to him and figure something out. I don’t know what’s going on any more than you do now.”

“Alright, Harry,” Hermione replied quietly, picking up on the tone of his voice. “We’ll talk to Dumbledore. Maybe we can come later, or something.” Harry nodded to her.

“There’s still something I don’t understand,” Ron stated, exasperated. “Why are you his protection, Harry?” He pointed at Draco, who clearly did not appreciate his use of words.

“Because,” Harry hesitated. “I love him.”


A/N: Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews!! I appreciate them so much! I'm posting chapter 12 with this as well because of how they follow. Again, I'll wait to post chapters 13 and 14, but I promise you there will be more smutty love on the way very very soon! :)