Visions of an Empath

Chapter 13

Draco stared pensively into the flames, bored out of his mind. His father and Severus were gone, fetching their wayward mate, and Draco wistfully wondered if he would ever find love like that. He couldn’t help but be a bit jealous of the Gryffindor. Harry had two mates who loved him unconditionally while Draco had no one.

As he pondered his loneliness, the floo suddenly activated, drawing Draco’s attention. Knowing it was his father returning, he stood up to greet Lucius, but he didn’t get the chance to utter a single word. Severus stepped into the room with a wiggling and protesting Harry in his arms and stalked passed Draco without a word. Seconds later, Lucius appeared and followed the pair silently.

Draco scowled at the empty doorway, angry at being completely ignored like that. “Hello, Draco. Lovely to see you again. Did you miss us while we were gone?” he asked the empty room mockingly. So engrossed in his one-sided tirade, he didn’t notice the other two people who flooed into the room. “Father! I’m glad you’re back. I did miss you.” He huffed irritably and crossed his arms. “Is it really that difficult to greet someone these days?”

“You’ll have to excuse them, Draco. Harry’s been holding out on them, so they’re a bit frustrated at the moment,” said Hermione in amusement.

Draco yelped in surprise and whirled around to face Hermione. “How did.. What are... When did you get here?”

“During the ‘Father! I’m glad you’re back.’ dialogue,” said Hermione, smirking at the blonde.

“Do you talk to yourself a lot?” asked Ron. “It’s the first sign of madness, you know.”

“Shut up, Weasel. Who wouldn’t go mad with Potter in such close proximity? You should know that better than most,” said Draco snidely. “What are you doing here anyway? I can’t believe my father actually gave you the address to come here. What in Merlin’s name was he thinking?”

Ron glared at the blonde and opened his mouth to insult the annoying little ferret, but Hermione spoke before he could. “We are Harry’s best friends, Draco,” said Hermione placatingly. “I imagine he didn’t want to anger Harry even more by denying the company of his friends. They’d already managed to piss the poor boy off once today, and Harry punished them for it by cutting them off.”

Draco grimaced when he realised exactly what Hermione was implying. “Eww! That was more information than I ever wanted to know, Granger. I do not want to hear any details about my father’s sex life.”

Ron hated having anything in common with Malfoy, but he had to agree with the blonde’s sentiments. Harry was his best friend, and as long as Harry was happy with Malfoy and Snape, Ron was happy for Harry. That did not mean, however, that he wanted to hear the slightest detail of any of their bedroom activities. That was just too much information, thank you very much.

Hermione just smirked at them knowingly. It was just too fun to tease them like this. She finally took pity on them, though, and changed the subject. “Draco, Harry told us he helped you with your animagus transformation. What is your animagus form?”

“I’m a mini-wyve,” said Draco proudly. Only powerful wizards could achieve a magical creature animagus form, but even then, it was extremely rare to do so. The fact that he and Harry both were magical creature animagus’ was astronomical.

“A mini-wyve?” asked Hermione thoughtfully. “I think I’ve heard about them.” She tried to remember what she’d read about the creatures, but she was drawing a blank. Then it hit her. They were also called... “Fairy wyvern!”

Ron snorted in amusement. “You’re a fairy wyvern? Is there something we should know about you, Malfoy?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” spluttered Draco indignantly.

“Are you as much of a fairy as your animagus form?” asked Ron gleefully.

Draco scowled at the redhead. “I’ll show you fairy, you little weasel.” He shifted into his animagus form and darted toward the redhead, lashing his tail around angrily.

Ron yelped and ducked. “Calm down. It was just a joke, Malfoy.”

Draco just screeched and swooped toward Ron again, scratching the redhead’s arm with his sharp claws. He would show that little weasel that he was no fairy.

Hermione sighed softly and raised her wand. “Impedimenta!” The screeching mini-wyve froze in place. Hermione turned to Ron with a scowl, grabbing his ear in a punishing grip. “Honestly, Ron, when will you ever grow up? We are here to help Harry. If I have to break up another fight between you and Draco, I assure you that you will not like what I do to you. We don’t have time for petty squabbles, so I suggest you both get over this little animosity between you.” She finally released Ron’s ear and turned back toward Draco. “Do you understand me?” With that she lifted the spell on Draco and watched in satisfaction as the little wyvern plummeted to the floor.

Draco transformed back with a pained groan, scowling at Hermione. How dare the little mudblood treat him like that! Besides, the Weasel had started it all.

Ron winced in sympathy and rubbed his aching ear. “Jeez, Hermione. Did you have to grab my ear like that? You’re as bad as Mum.” Hermione growled at him, and he squeaked in fear. “Okay! No more fighting with Malfoy. I got it.”

Draco snickered at how whipped Weasley was until Hermione turned that vicious glare toward him. He quickly straightened and gulped nervously. “I won’t fight with Weasley anymore, either.”

Hermione just smiled sweetly. “I’m glad we all agree.”

***

Harry faced off against his two Slytherins, scowling at each equally. “I don’t want to talk to either one of you right now. Go away, and leave me alone!”

Severus raised an eyebrow and smirked at the angry teen. “Is that all you could come up with? It never worked before, so why should now be any different?”

“Fine! You want to talk? Then let’s talk. Let’s talk about the way you both continue to arbitrarily make decisions regarding me without asking my opinion first. I’m your mate, not some mindless little pet that needs constant supervision,” snapped Harry. “First, you storm into Grimmauld Place, declaring that you’ve decided to share me. Fine, I can agree with that, but you should have asked me what I thought about it first. Then, you leave my bed to argue about who gets to claim me first. Again, you completely ignore my opinion. And now you’ve dragged me back to the safe house without asking if I even wanted to come back with you or not.” Harry’s shoulders slumped in defeat as his anger burned out. “I don’t want to be in a relationship where my thoughts and opinions are disregarded as if they are completely unimportant. That’s how I felt the whole time I was at the Dursley’s, and I just can’t live with that again.”

Lucius sighed and pulled the dejected brunette into his arms. “I’m sorry, Harry. Severus and I have been right bastards, haven’t we?” He smiled slightly when Harry nodded in agreement. “Harry, we don’t want a mindless pet. We want the fiery, stubborn, reckless mate we found in you.”

Harry crossed his arms and stared at them skeptically. “Is that right? Then I guess next time your arrogance gets out of hand, you won’t mind a swift kick in the arse to get you back on track.”

“If you think you can accomplish such a feat,” said Severus tauntingly.

“I’m sure I can handle it,” said Harry calmly. He walked over to Severus and placed his hand on the vampire’s chest. “You see, I read something interesting while I was at Grimmauld Place. Did you know that Empaths have the power to project their emotions? No? Well, let me give you an example.” Closing his eyes, Harry focussed on the desire and need he’d felt in Lucius’ arms the night he proposed and channelled those feelings into Severus.

Severus tensed and gasped when the first wave of desire rushed through him. The emotions were so intense, he found himself on the edge of release in mere seconds. “Harry,” he hissed softly, reaching for the teen.

Harry stepped out of reach, cutting off the flow of emotions. Severus fell back against the wall as the feelings disappeared abruptly and stared at Harry in shock. Harry just raised his eyebrow at the stunned vampire and calmly walked back to the other side of the room.

“That was just a taste, dear Severus, and far more pleasant than I could have made it,” said Harry sweetly. “Just because I’m younger and smaller than you doesn’t mean you can walk over me like I’m some kind of doormat. I am perfectly capable of making sound decisions on my own.”

“I stand corrected,” said Severus stiffly. “It won’t happen again.”

Harry smiled wryly. “Oh, I’m sure it will happen again. You’re too dominant in nature for it not to. Just expect the repercussions if it does.” He turned back to Lucius. “And what about Ron and Hermione? You didn’t just leave them at Grimmauld Place, did you?”

Lucius held up his hands defensively. “No, Harry, I gave them the address before I left. They’re probably already here.”

“Good, then I think I’ll go downstairs and visit since my last visit was so rudely interrupted,” said Harry firmly.

“What about the claiming?” asked Severus.

“What about it?” asked Harry calmly.

Severus scowled at the teen. “You need to decide who should claim you first. I think...”

“Lucius,” said Harry abruptly. “I’m sorry, Severus, but I want Lucius to be my first.”

“I see,” said Severus softly.

“No, I don’t think you do really,” said Harry gently. “Lucius and I have had time to get more comfortable with each other in this relationship. I haven’t really had time to do that with you, yet. Given time, I have no doubts that our bond will deepen just as much as my bond with Lucius. Do you understand?”

Severus stared at Harry contemplatively for a moment. He did understand what Harry meant, but he couldn’t help the disappointment he felt at Harry’s choice. Once again, the person he loved was choosing someone else over him. But looking deeper into Harry’s anxious green eyes, Severus finally realised that it wasn’t so much Harry choosing Lucius over him. After all, he would soon get his turn to claim the teen, and that knowledge slowly erased the vampire’s disappointment.

“I understand,” said Severus softly. He smiled slightly at the worried brunette and kissed Harry on the forehead. “I do understand, Harry. Don’t worry so much.”

Harry gradually relaxed and smiled back at the vampire. “Okay. Thanks, Severus.” He brushed a quick kiss across Severus’ lips and turned to do the same to Lucius. “I’m going back downstairs. You’re both welcome to join us if you like.”

Severus’ lip curled into a sneer. “I believe I’ll pass on the invitation. I have some potions to brew.” With a curt nod to Harry and Lucius, Severus swept from the room.

Harry just snickered at the vampire’s retreat. “So predictable. He’d probably rather cut off both hands than suffer Ron and Hermione’s company.” He looked back at Lucius. “You wanna come? I fully intend to entice Draco into another rousing game of aerial tag. Are you game?”

Lucius smirked and wrapped his arm around Harry’s waist, leading him out of the bedroom. “I’m up for it. Just don’t be surprised when you’re both soundly defeated.”

“Oh, you wish. Draco and I can fly circles around you, Lucius,” said Harry confidently. “You just wait and see.”

“I can’t wait,” said Lucius.

***

“Draco! Tell him!”

Draco looked up and raised his eyebrows questioningly when he saw Harry dragging Lucius down the stairs. “Tell him what?”

Harry crossed his arms across his chest and scowled at Draco. “Lucius thinks he can beat us in aerial tag!”

Draco’s jaw dropped, and he turned to his father with a scowl. “Harry and I can fly circles around you, father.”

Harry burst out laughing at Draco’s comment. After all, he’d said the exact same thing just two minutes earlier. He walked over to his friend and draped his arm across Draco’s shoulders. “That’s what I said, but he still thinks he’s going to beat us. We’ll just have to show him how wrong he is, won’t we?”

“You’re damn right we will,” stated Draco firmly.

“What’s aerial tag?” interjected Ron.

“From the name, I would assume it’s a game of tag played in the air,” said Hermione calmly. “On brooms perhaps?”

“No way!” said Draco. “We play in our animagus forms.”

“Isn’t that kind of dangerous?” asked Hermione worriedly. “Your animagus form is much smaller than Harry’s.”

Harry looked at her in confusion for a moment before realising that he’d forgotten to tell them that part. “Drakes can adjust their size. Watch.” Harry quickly shifted into his mini-drake form, drawing a gasp of amazement from Hermione.

Draco grinned and transformed, chasing after Harry. A few moments later, another mini-drake flew after them, pouncing on Harry and nuzzling him affectionately. Draco, however, swooped down and rammed into Lucius, knocking him off of Harry. After that, the game was on.

Hermione and Ron grinned as they watched the three reptiles fly effortlessly through the air. It was refreshing to see Harry so happy for once. Hermione and Ron burst out laughing when Draco and Harry worked together in a flawless move to trounce Lucius. Harry and Draco preened proudly, pinning Lucius to the ground triumphantly.