All I Ever Wanted

DISCLAIMER: Warning! I make no claim to any property of J.K. Rowling's, and am in no way profiting by this. I do offer her my sincerest thanks for allowing us this garden of the mind in which we play. Further Warning! This story...and likely any I ever write...are dominated by gay themes and characters. That's how it is, if this in any way makes you uncomfortable...do not read further.


"All I Ever Wanted" ....Chap. 15 'Green Eyes'


The bash he'd held at The Three Broomsticks had been pretty grand. He wished he could have had Harry beside him that night, but that would have been begging for trouble. Still, what a night! Two Sunday morning rounds of Harry shagging him almost daft, topped by chocolates and a party! In spite of all the little hassles, this really was turning out to be one of the best years of his life!

Draco vaguely remembered stumbling in to his bed, virtuously alone (and what a thought that was! A Virtuous Slytherin! The notion was pure paradox, but it was true none the less.) and drifting to sleep on a sea of Butterbeer and dreams of green eyes.

At least he hadn't been as drunk as two weeks ago. He remembered every detail of a party that had gone just swimmingly. Morning did find him faster than expected, though. He was an early riser by nature, but a bladder full of Butterbeer was trying to work it's way out, and that forced his eyelids open. Just as well, since it was Monday and classes were back in session.

He drifted into the bathroom of his suite and made use of the facilities. Idly, he mused over ideas for new presents for Harry. Some really sexy new clothes...maybe a trip to Malkin's for something tailored just right. He won either way...credit for giving a present AND the added pleasure of seeing Harry in something sharp! That had potential.

A lengthy shower and a few morning rituals saw Draco looking into the mirror at his very best. Primped and preened to perfection, his hair an artfully unkempt crown of spiky blond strands, his clothes and robes unwrinkled and fit for a king. More appropriately perhaps, fit for the Slytherin Prince. Still, he had an hour or so before breakfast, he could spare a few minutes to himself. Time to gaze into Harry's awe inspiring gift. That man had the soul of a poet!

Draco headed to the trunk that held his personal belongings. Alarm flared through his chest as he realized the special wards he had placed were gone! He cast a fast Tracer Spell to see who might have spelled it open and drew a complete blank. No spell was used in opening it. He sprung the trunk open and quickly checked the contents. His jewel! HIS FUCKING JEWEL WAS GONE! Some abysmal bastard had stolen Harry's gift!

A shade of the old Malfoy wrath flowed over him. If he found the guilty party, their suffering would become a legend in hell! This was intolerable! The worst part was that he'd have to investigate on the sly, since he couldn't very well just blurt out what had been stolen. Still, if he guarded the door to Slytherin closely, he could check pockets by spell and see if anyone was carrying it about...then...then some poor, stupid bastard would suffer a fate that would make demons weep!

Draco stormed out of his suite in a flurry of robes, his face a murderous mask as he stalked the curiously empty halls of the seventh year dorms. He exploded into the common area, intent on taking a position near the main entrance from the dungeon hall, when he noticed that quite a crowd of students were present in the commons.

Just as he turned to address them in the harshest possible tone, he heard the murmured spell that struck him dead in the back. A fucking Petrificus! Just great! Frozen solid because he was too pissed to be watching his own back. He didn't see Crabbe or Goyle around either. Damn...this could be bad! Then Theodore Nott stepped into his field of vision.

"How low the mighty have fallen, eh, Draco? See these good people here? They've been made aware of just how far you've strayed. Yeah! They know you've made a complete mockery of everything this house is supposed to stand for! Slytherin's grand history is in shambles thanks to a sorry little whore that offers it up to the first Gryffindork to pull it out in front of him!"

Draco could feel sweat beading on his head, but the spell had him locked up. This was bad...very bad! Nott was almost raving now, and it only showed signs of getting worse.

"You couldn't say no could you? It was a dick...you had to jump on it! Everyone in the school who isn't in Slytherin already calls you the Slytherin Slut. Why not prove them right? Oh yeah, I remember now! HOUSE FUCKING PRIDE! Have you ever heard of that you filthy little ponce! Of course you haven't, the only thing you ever cared about was lording it over the rest of us. Hexes for anyone that crossed your path or just bored you, but you had plenty of time to bow and scrape in front of Potter as soon as the lights are out."

Angry mutters were coming from the swelling crowd of students as they stepped closer. Nott wasn't even looking at Draco anymore, he was aiming his words for the crowd. Draco had a few million choice things to say, but his mouth was frozen with the rest of him. He knew he was well and rightly fucked...in a way he wouldn't relish in the morning.

"This farce ends today! No more kowtowing to the whims of a snarky little fairy who spends more time on his hair than on his house! No more hexes without just cause for punishment decreed by a chosen leader! No more watching our pride run roughshod over while other houses snicker at us! It's time to take back our house! WHO'S WITH ME!" The crowd roared and Theodore Nott grinned ear to ear. This was his golden moment!

He kicked Draco's legs out from under him, watching Draco crash helplessly to the floor. Then he kicked Draco directly in the stomach. Draco was frozen, he couldn't even react to the injuries inflicted on him. Maybe that made Nott crazier, but either way, he kept kicking. Before long, others joined in, a few at first, then more, then nearly all. Draco had no choice but to lie frozen and take it. Fists, knees, feet and even girls using books. Most of Slytherin had taken a turn before it was over.

He could feel things, important things, breaking in him. He knew he was bleeding an awful lot, and he was pretty sure his nose was broken...the blood kept sliding down his throat. Maybe he deserved this. Maybe he needed to just die and get out of this living hell. His father had been right. Love couldn't keep you safe...and he'd thrown away power and influence. This is what he got for his foolish weakness.

His mind was flickering out when the only tiny solace he received was a gentle daydream about green eyes that brimmed with love. Then there was darkness and he was at peace.

Snape sat in his office preparing the potion ingredients for the day's classes. A sudden banging on the door interrupted his work and immediately incensed him. He headed for the door with his sternest scowl in place, only to find a note on the floor of an empty hallway. Snape picked up the note and with an air of irritation he scanned it quickly. "Sir, come to Slytherin commons right away! A student is in serious danger! Please come immediately."

Snape folded the note into his pocket and marched swiftly and directly to the entrance of Slytherin House. He would see to this nonsense swiftly enough. As soon as Snape was in the door, he saw the body in the center of the room. He took in the scene in less than a second.

A severely battered Draco Malfoy lay still, blood pooling near his head and mouth. The room was empty of students, all had gone to breakfast. Snape crossed the room in a heartbeat and swept Malfoy into his arms after casting a few brief Healing Spells to stabilize the boy. His wand was still in hand despite the burden he carried, and with a few muttered curses he whisked them both to the hospital ward.

Harry sat in their 'special' suite waiting for Draco. He hadn't seen Draco all day, and he was starting to worry more than usual. There had been a party for Slytherin at The Three Broomsticks last night, and Harry had heard the rumors. Nothing bad, just fun for all. When Draco hadn't shown for their early Potions class (the only class they still shared), Harry hadn't found it surprising. A couple students were rumored to have wicked hangovers. Draco was probably saving his strength for their private time, a thought that left Harry grinning with anticipation.

The usual Slytherin suspects were all pretty silent today, though, and that was passing strange. Snape had looked angrier than usual, but hadn't seemed to notice Harry at all. That was very odd. All in all, the whole day had been a little off, not in a bad way, just quietly different. But now it was almost an hour since Draco's last class and he still wasn't here.

It suddenly occurred to Harry that they had no way to pass messages to each other. How would Draco tell him if he was sick or couldn't come. Harry sweated it out a few more minutes, until he remembered his Map. He laid it out on the desk and activated it, then scanned for any sign of Draco. When he saw where Draco was located his eyes widened for just a second, then he folded the map and left the room in a flash.

Harry was out of breath by the time he reached the hospital wing. He hammered the doors with the strength he had left, desperate to find out why Draco was in there. Finally, Madam Pomfrey opened the door with a look of fierce protectiveness on her face. "Mister Potter, if you please! Stop that racket this instant. This is a place of healing and I certainly expect better of you!"

Harry suddenly realized he'd have to play very nice or show his hand a little more if he was going to get in to see Draco. "Madam Pomfrey, I'm really sorry, I just panicked a little. Draco is okay, isn't he? Is he awake? Has he asked for me?"

Her eyes narrowed a bit, "And what precisely do you know of this, Harry Potter?" Her tone was serious, and that didn't bode well.

"Nothing! That's why I'm here. I heard he was in hospital and I came to see him. I just need to know he's okay. Please! Tell me something...anything!" Harry was getting seriously worried, a thread of panic was quickly starting to move through him.

"Wait right here. I shall send Professor Snape out to talk to you. I should only tell you that young Mr. Malfoy is alive and will recover, but the matter is quite serious. That's all I can tell you. Professor Snape shall have to decide what you can or cannot be told."

"That's not fair! What's he got to do with this! Please let me just see Draco for a minute! Half a minute!" Harry was starting to tear up despite his best efforts.

"I'm sorry, Harry, the matter isn't in my hands. I would have turned anyone else away. Wait. The Professor will be with you shortly."

Harry collapsed onto one of the benches in despair. He was sick of this silent fraud he had to commit every day. Something had happened to Draco and he couldn't even see him! It was sickening. Worst, he'd have to face Snape to get even a little information. Harry didn't have to wait long. Madam Pomfrey was gone only a few minutes before Snape stepped out of the hospital's doors with an expression of nearly pure loathing on his face.

"Mr. Potter, it stands to reason that you are in some way connected to this. When disaster strikes you never seem to be far away or far behind...which is considerably more than I can say for your studies. I will ask you a series of questions. If you answer them to my satisfaction, I may be willing to discuss a measure of what has transpired with Draco, but rest assured that I will only do so if it furthers Draco's interests, not yours. Are you clear on this?"

"Yes, Professor! Whatever you want. I just need to know he's okay. I want to see him for a minute. I have to...he has to be all right. If you can get me in to see him, I'll tell you anything I know that could help!"

Snape was visibly taken aback by the miserable, tight tone of Harry's voice and the near total subservience in Harry's response. "What do you know of what happened to Draco today?"

"Only that he was in the hospital ward. I heard a rumor he was here about ten minutes ago. I came as fast as I could. I didn't think it would be serious, I just thought he'd be sick...and now all this!" Harry was struggling to keep his self control. Snape's icy gaze never wavered.

"I received a note almost an hour before my first class today; did you write such a note, or do you know of the party that may have written it?" Snape's voice was ice and iron.

"No. I don't know anything about a note. I didn't see him all day. When I heard he was here, I came. That was just in the last ten minutes. I don't know anything. I just need to see him...please...please help me, Professor."

"Mr. Potter, please stick to answering my questions or this discussion is over. Are you or have been involved in any plot to harm Draco Malfoy...or do you know of any sound reason why another person would?" Harry's face was torn...his eyes were starting to burn from the effort of holding back his tears. The moment of silence was not lost on Snape for a second. "Mr. Potter! Answer the question now! This matter is too important for your petty games to disrupt!"

"No! I would never hurt him, not now and not ever." Harry finally tipped over the edge, he started to lose it...in front of Snape! "I only know one reason why someone would hurt him. Because of me...he's...he...Draco's my boyfriend...I love him...now he's hurt and I can't see him. We kept it a secret so he wouldn't get hurt. I have to see him! Please...I'm begging you, okay! I can't stand not knowing what happened to him. Please just let me see him!" Tears were streaming down his face, all semblence of dignity lost. He didn't care what it took, he just had to see his love.

Snape sighed. This was worse than he'd imagined. He had expected a coup of some kind or an inter-house rivalry gone too far. This was not on the list of possible discoveries he had mentally made hours ago. Still, Potter seemed utterly without guile, for once, and as mad as it sounded there was no reason for Potter to invent such a fiction.

Snape was well aware that young Malfoy was gay, and though that concerned him not at all, the fact that his protégé and favorite student, who had taken much of the work of overseeing Slytherin House off Snape's hands, was a phenomenally gifted student and a godchild to the professor, did concern him. Given Potter's rather pitiful state, perhaps a certain small amount of kindness was warranted.

"Very well. Here is what I can tell you. Draco Malfoy was beaten nearly to death this morning just before breakfast. The injuries he sustained are numerous and serious. He very nearly died. A note was left for me informing me that a student was in danger in the Slytherin common room, and that is how I found him. Perhaps an hour later and he would certainly have expired. I have made inquiries as to what happened and have met with silence. The primary spells used for this kind of thing have had results that are inconclusive as to who did this. I can now only assume that someone unearthed knowledge of this (ahem) relationship you have with Draco and meted out punishment. In a roundabout way I was correct. Once again you have brought disaster down on someone else's head. This time in my own house!"

Harry looked stricken...and couldn't seem to get words through the sobs that were starting to form in his chest. All Snape wanted was to blame this idiot boy for his godchild's near death, but something stopped him cold. He had avoided Potter for years just for this reason. Those green eyes were staring up at him, begging for mercy...absolution...help of any kind. Eyes that mirrored a pair he hadn't seen in twenty years. Lily's eyes. Her child, her only child, the very one she had died saving because of Severus' youthful idiocy.

It hurt, and he lashed out when he hurt, but those eyes were taunting him with an error he had made a lifetime ago. Snape had to do something to make it stop...he was shaking with anger at Harry, at himself, at James Potter...all of it was boiling inside him. He clenched his will and drove his feelings down. Just this once a shred of mercy showed.

He pulled Potter up by the shoulders and leaned close, boring directly into Harry's eyes. "He will be alright. The injuries were purely non-magical, the worst have been healed. He will be here for perhaps a second day at most, and he will be very sore for days to come. If you care for him so deeply, you may go to him, but do not place him in danger again. I am not so casual with the lives of my charges as you apparently are with the lives of those you profess to care for. Tend to him until he wakes, then...then do as you will, but involve yourself in my investigation into this and I shall have you commanded to remain in Gryffindor tower until I am done. Now GO!"

Harry was dumbfounded, and the look of appreciation and gratitude he gave Snape would have moved a heart even stonier than the professor's. "Thank you...thank you." And with that Harry was through the doors and gone.

Snape was done for tonight. This...this was too much. He needed a stiff drink...and a lengthy series of others to follow...if he wanted to drive a pair of green eyes out of his mind tonight. He walked slowly down the halls to his quarters, his lost Lily at the forefront of his mind with every tired step.