Visions of an Empath

A/N: Due to popular vote, the pairing in this story has been changed to Severus/Harry/Lucius. Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 11

Sunlight was peeking through the windows when Severus next awoke. He picked himself off the floor with a pained grunt, muscles aching from sleeping on the library floor all night. Despite the advantages of the enhanced strength and speed from his vampire heritage, a battle with an enraged drake was no trifling matter. Although he had managed to hold his own for most of the battle, Lucius had eventually gained the upper hand when he had partially transformed, his hands becoming deadly claws, tough scales covering his skin, and teeth growing longer and sharper.

With a frustrated growl, Severus started toward the door, but a flash of gold in the corner of his eye stopped him short, reminding him of why he’d come in here in the first place. Hufflepuff’s goblet sat innocently on the table where he’d left, tipped carelessly over onto its side. Severus grabbed the goblet off the table and stalked out of the library. The cursed thing needed to be destroyed, and Gryffindor’s sword was in the study.

Stepping into the study, Severus was surprised to see Lucius asleep on the sofa, a half empty decanter of brandy on the end table. A smidgen of guilt wormed its way through him. Obviously, his actions yesterday had driven Harry and Lucius apart. With a heavy sigh, Severus grabbed the sword and left the study, heading for his bedroom.

Severus set the goblet down onto the floor and pierced the centre of the cup with the sword, wincing as a high-pitched scream assaulted his sensitive hearing. The horcrux now destroyed, he set the goblet on the shelf with the destroyed locket. With that taken care of, he headed to his potions cabinet and grabbed a hangover potion, quite certain that Lucius would need it when he eventually awoke.

A moment later, a knock sounded on his door. Severus opened the door, and Draco impatiently pushed his way inside. “Have you seen Harry? I went to wake him this morning, but he wasn’t there.”

Severus frowned in concern. “I haven’t seen Harry this morning. I saw Lucius, but he was passed out on the sofa in the study.”

“You don’t think father made him leave, do you?” asked Draco softly.

“I wouldn’t think so,” said Severus slowly. “I can find out, though.”

Severus stormed back to the study with Draco on his heels. Stepping into the room, he stalked over to the sofa and shook Lucius awake. When the blonde groaned in pain and squeezed his eyes shut, Severus pushed the hangover potion into Lucius’ hands.

“Drink that.”

Lucius raised the potion to his lips and gulped it down quickly, sighing in relief when the headache and nausea began to diminish. Once he could move without his head trying to explode, Lucius climbed to his feet and stretched his aching muscles. The sofa did not make a comfortable bed.

Severus scowled at the blonde and bluntly asked, “Where’s Harry?”

Lucius froze, the events from yesterday rushing back to him, and sank heavily back down onto the sofa. “He left,” said Lucius with a heavy sigh. “He said he would stay at Grimmauld Place for a few days to give everyone a chance to calm down.”

“He left?” asked Draco incredulously. That didn’t sound like something Harry would do. Harry didn’t normally run away from fights, so there had to be some other reason. “Why? What did you say to him?”

“I told him that if he’d just stayed away from Severus none of this would have ever happened,” said Lucius softly.

Draco scowled at his father. “But he didn’t know...”

“That Severus wanted him as his mate? No, he didn’t, so of course he wouldn’t avoid Severus. I realise that, Draco. I was just frustrated and angry and spoke without thought,” said Lucius bitterly.

“You said he went to Grimmauld Place?” asked Severus. He turned a speculative gaze on Lucius. “Why didn’t you go after him?”

“He blocked the floo so that only firecalls can come through,” said Lucius wearily.

“You could always apparate,” said Severus.

“There are anti-apparition wards on the house, and I don’t know the exact location to apparate outside of the house,” said Lucius in exasperation. “If you’ll recall, the last time I was at Grimmauld Place, I was in your pocket and didn’t get a chance to see my surroundings.”

“You can side-along, though, and I do know the exact location,” said Severus calmly.

Lucius looked at Severus before turning toward Draco. “I need to have a word with Severus in private, Draco.”

Draco scowled at his father, irritated at being excluded once again, and stalked out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

Severus glared at the door and rubbed his ear lightly. Vampire senses could be a right pain. As the silence stretched, he warily turned to face Lucius. “You wanted to talk, so talk.”

“Leave Harry alone,” said Lucius bluntly. “He’s my mate. Not only that, he’s my fiancé.”

Severus sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I can’t, Lucius.” He suddenly slammed his fist into the wall. “I told you from the very beginning that it was sheer foolishness for me to stay. You knew that my vampire half had chosen Harry as its mate. And now he bears my mark, and the drive to claim him completely practically consumes me. Don’t ask me to stay away because it’s too late for that.”

Lucius growled at the reminder of Severus’ mark on Harry. The fact that Severus had marked Harry first is what infuriated him most of all. It should be Lucius’ mark Harry wore so prominently on his neck. However, as angry as he was at Severus for marking Harry, he was equally angry at himself. As Severus said, he’d known from the beginning the risks of allowing the vampire to stay.

Severus watched Lucius’ internal struggle dispassionately. There were only two choices from this point. Either they battled to the death over Harry, or... they would have to learn to share. “Lucius, you need to make a choice.”

Lucius scowled at Severus. “And what choice is that, Severus?”

“Try to kill me or learn to share Harry,” said Severus bluntly.

Lucius growled. “That’s not much of a choice, Severus.”

“It’s the only one you’ve got, Lucius. I won’t give up my claim on Harry, and neither will you,” said Severus. He walked to the study door and turned back. “I’m leaving for Grimmauld Place in an hour. Let me know your decision by then.”

Lucius glared at the brunette as Severus walked out of the room. Merlin, what a choice.

***

Harry wearily climbed out of bed and headed downstairs for breakfast. As Kreacher set a plate of eggs, bacon, and toast in front of him, Harry fought to keep his eyes open, having tossed and turned all night. He took a bite of toast and almost choked when he heard the front door open. Creeping to the kitchen door, Harry peered into the darkness, trying to see who had just invaded his temporary sanctuary. He breathed a sigh of relief when the intruders spoke.

“Really, Ronald, we should have been here all along. We promised to help Harry with this task,” said Hermione.

Ron scoffed. “I don’t know why, Hermione. He’s got Lucius bloody Malfoy to help him.”

Hermione glared at her boyfriend. “So what? Harry’s our best friend, and we promised to be there for him. Isn’t that enough?”

Ron sighed and tried to placate his girlfriend. “Yeah, I guess. How do we contact him, though? All we know is that Malfoy whisked him away to some safe house somewhere.”

“Or he could be right in front of you,” said Harry dryly, leaning against the doorframe casually.

Hermione and Ron froze at the sound of his voice and stared at Harry in shock for a moment. “HARRY!!!”

Harry grunted when his two best friends rushed toward him and grabbed him in a big three way hug. He couldn’t help but grin as they pulled him back toward the kitchen. He hadn’t realised just how much he’d missed them until now.

Hermione looked the brunette over and pushed Harry back into his chair. “For Merlin’s sake, Harry, eat something. You’re way too skinny. Hasn’t Lucius been feeding you? Where is he anyway?”

Harry’s happy smile faded and he sighed, listlessly picking at his toast. “Lucius is still at the safe house.”

“And he let you come here by yourself? He does remember that there’s a madman after you, right?” asked Hermione incredulously.

“Yes, Hermione, he does, and he’s not particularly happy that I’m here, let me tell you. It’s only for a few days, though, so I should be perfectly safe, especially now that you two are here,” said Harry. “Why are you here? I thought you were in hiding.”

“We couldn’t just hide while you risked you life to save us,” said Hermione. “We promised to help, remember?”

Harry cocked his head to the side and smiled. “I remember. Thanks, guys.”

Ron suddenly gasped and jumped out of his chair, rushing toward Harry and tilting the brunette’s head to the side. “What the bloody hell happened to you?”

Hermione saw the scarred bite on Harry’s neck and gasped in surprise. “Is that what I think it is, Harry?”

“I don’t know, Hermione. What do you think it is?” asked Harry irritably, jerking out of Ron’s grip and crossing his arms stubbornly.

“I think it’s a mating mark,” said Hermione primly.

“It is,” said Harry, rubbing the scar self-consciously.

Ron grimaced. “I don’t want to hear about you and Lucius Malfoy shagging, if you don’t mind.”

Harry looked away and sighed wearily. “Lucius didn’t do it.”

Ron and Hermione gaped at Harry in surprise. Hermione finally cleared her throat and hesitantly asked, “Then who did?”

“Severus,” said Harry softly. “Voldemort gave him the same potion he gave Lucius. Severus turned into a vampire.”

“Oh, Harry,” sighed Hermione. “Only you could end up being the mate of a drake and a vampire.”

“I can’t believe you let that greasy git touch you,” said Ron, wrinkling his nose in disgust. “Lucius Malfoy was bad enough, but now you’re shagging Snape, too?”

Hermione slapped Ron across the back of his head. “Shut up, Ron.” She turned back and smiled at Harry encouragingly. “I have to say I’m a little surprised about this. Vampires and drakes are extremely possessive of their mates. It’s amazing that they haven’t killed each other yet.”

Harry sighed miserably. “You have no idea, Hermione.”

“What happened, mate?” asked Ron curiously.

Taking a deep breath, Harry told his friends everything that happened since he’d left the Burrow, Lucius and Severus’ help in obtaining two of the horcruxes, Lucius’ proposal, and the circumstances surrounding Severus’ claiming bite. As his explanations drew to an end, Harry felt as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

Ron could only stare dumbstruck at Harry. “You’re an animagus. That is so unfair!”

Hermione just snickered. “Well, I guess we know where your priorities lie, Ron.” The smile faded, though, as she turned back toward Harry. “As glad as I am to see you, Harry, you know you can’t run away from this. You need to tell them how you feel.”

“How did you become an animagus so quickly? You didn’t learn at school and just not tell me and Hermione, did you?” asked Ron.

Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron’s single-mindedness.

“I don’t know how I feel, though, Hermione. I’m so confused right now, it’s not even funny. I don’t know how I feel about Severus. Now that he’s not so antagonistic, I actually like Severus. I respect him, and I can’t deny that I find him attractive. I think I could grow to love him if given the chance. On the other hand, there’s Lucius. I... I already do love him,” said Harry softly.

“So tell them that,” said Hermione, and Harry nodded in agreement.

“Can you teach me to become an animagus?” asked Ron.

Harry laughed. “Sure, Ron. Obviously, I’m not going to hear about anything else until I do.”