Star-Crossed (COMPLETED 11.27.08)

Chapter 11

Harry slowly opened his eyes. He knew he was alone, remembered telling Draco to get help, but it still hurt for some reason. He rolled onto his side, biting his lip hard to keep from coughing and groaned in pain as every part of his body protested the movement. He lifted a shaky hand to his forehead, wiping away the sweat the had pooled there. He heard voices outside of his hiding spot, unfriendly in nature.

"...and I can't believe he's making us look out here...again! He should have just fucking killed him when he had him." a familiar voice grumbled. Harry recognized the voice of one of the first people who had tortured him, Vincent Crabbe the senior.

"You know what he's like, dad. He's got to grandstand like the maniac he is." came the voice of Vincent Crabbe the younger. His father chuckled.

"Don't let him hear you call him a maniac, Vinnie."

"But he is."

"I know."

There was a silent moment.

"Dad?"

"Hmm?"

"Why is he hellbent on destroying Gryffindor? He could have dealt them a severe blow by killing the head of the Retrievers."

"Rumor has it that the Prince of Gryffindor is some kind of – what's the word I'm looking for – Mage and he wants that power for himself. If he kills off some of the higher ups, he won't get what he wants. Conquer through power, not by death. That's his motto."

"So what's his thing for Prince Draco?"

"The man has a bit of a fetish for pretty blonds, no matter their sex and he can be a bit...demanding in bed. Adding to that, he wants to get back at King Lucius for not allying his kingdom with Our Lord's."

"Is that what happened to that Parkinson wench?"

"Which one?"

"The mother."

"Ah yes. She lasted a lot longer than the others. We were surprised."

"Why didn't Our Lord just ask for a betrothal of his own between them?"

"Something about him not being a true King. Bollocks that! Lucius was, is and always will be a pompous stuck-up snobbish twat. Lord Voldemort is more of a king than all four of the others put together."

Vincent Junior grunted in complete agreement. There was silence as the two men rooted around in the woods.

"Dad?"

"What?"

"How come no one knows what the Prince of Gryffindor looks like?"

"I think I heard a rumor once that he was born with some kind of horrible skin defect."

Harry snorted when he heard that. Both men froze at the sound.

"What was that?" Crabbe Senior asked.

"Sounded like it came from over there." his son replied. Harry heard them moving closer and resisted the urge to groan. Shakily getting to his hands and knees, and wincing as his ribs protested the movement, he crawled deeper into the cave, praying to whomever was listening that the two men outside wouldn't think to look his way.

The footsteps came closer and Harry began to panic. He looked around the cave for any type of weapon he could use and that's when he spotted the ledge over his head. Cursing his weakened limbs and broken ribs, he used the wall to pull himself up. His stomach rolled and he bit the inside of his cheek to keep from moaning (and to prevent the bile that was churning in his gut from making an appearance). That accomplished, he reached up, his fingertips just brushing the edge. He was going to have to jump for it, risking further damage to his already broken body.

He gritted his teeth and jumped.

The scream that threatened to escape came out as a low, choked off moan as he pulled himself up. There was a sharp pain in his ribs and a coppery taste in the back of his mouth as he used his upper body to haul himself up.

Punctured lung most likely. Was his immediate thought.

Dimly he realized he was in another cavern and dragged his body into the darkness beyond, where he promptly passed out. If he had been awake, he would have swiped at the small trail of blood that oozed from the corner of his mouth.

Below him, Crabbe Senior and Crabbe Junior glanced around inside the cave, unaware that the one they were looking for was right above their heads. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, they headed back to the castle to report their findings.

- - -

Draco didn't want to, but he waited until it was dark once again before making his way back to the cave. He spotted the two hulking figures wandering outside their hiding spot and his heart lodged somewhere in his throat when they entered the cave. Fear threatened him. The two men left the cave empty-handed and he released the breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.

Making his way through the foliage, stopping at the slightest sound, he finally made it to the cave...but Harry was no where to be found.

"Harry!" he hissed. No answer. He moved around, searching the ground for signs of a struggle and spotted a dark spot near the back wall. Bending down, he touched it with a finger and put it in his mouth.

Blood! Harry!

Draco stood and looked around, finally noticing the thing stream of blood oozing down the wall. Looking upward, his mouth dropped open in shock when he spotted a pale hand dangling over the side of the ledge.

"Fuck! Harry!" Draco gasped. He jumped up, catching the ledge with his fingers and hauled himself upward. Harry was unconscious and bleeding heavily from his mouth. Draco felt tears come to his eyes. Harry was dying, right before his eyes. He'd never felt to helpless in his life. He crawled across his body behind him and pulled Harry's head into his lap.

"Don't do this to me, Harry! You can't do this to me!" he sniffed. "You're my soul mate, I know that now. Please come back to me!" But Harry didn't move a muscle or twitch an eye and Draco felt such despair, like his heart would never be whole again.

It was at that moment, an explosion rocked the very foundation beneath his feet...


TBC...
I'm going to tell you right now, I hate this chapter lol.