Do You Still Believe?

See the stars from a million places
Porcelain skin puts our faces entwined in time
Never lost my way for you
Felt it all around me
-- A Skylit Drive - City on the Edge of Forever
-o0o-

Harry awoke to the sensation of pressure, and a heavy stare boring into his face. His eyes fluttered open, and he jerked backwards as well as he was able, his head striking the pillow beneath him as he found himself faced with a silvery-grey basilisk stare.

Come to think of it, considering how angry Malfoy looked, he'd rather have gotten into a staring match with a basilisk.

"Morning, Draco," he said as cheerfully as he could.

"You absolute bastard," Malfoy hissed. "What the fuck were you thinking, rushing off to confront the murderer like that? You could have been killed."

Malfoy didn't know. No one knew except him. They were all in horrible danger, especially himself and Malfoy - he hadn't been meant to survive that gunshot. "How long have I been out?"

"Three days, you prat." Malfoy's hands were on his shoulders then, and Harry found that he was actually climbing onto the bed to loom above him properly and shook him none too gently. "You scared the fuck out of me. I've never - there was so much blood - you were so pale - I thought you were dead!"

Harry blinked at him in surprise for a moment, watching the play of emotions across Malfoy's face. "I'm not," he said mildly.

"You stupid, idiotic, bastard son of a bitch," Malfoy murmured, tangling his hands in Harry's hair. "don't you ever fucking do that to me again."

"I don't intend to," Harry said, his tone light. Malfoy's eyes darkened until they were the colour of soot.

"Take me seriously, goddammit!" He slammed his hands into the pillow on either side of Harry's head. Harry found himself growing angry with Malfoy's temper tantrum, and gathered his strength, flipping them over so that Malfoy was on his back on the narrow hospital bed and Harry was the one looming above him.

"Don't worry so much!" Harry shouted right back. "I've die- I've nearly died so many times I've lost count! It's not important!"

"Like hell it's not important!"

"I'm an Auror, Malfoy, it's what I do!"

"No it's bloody well not! What the fuck do you expect me to do all the time? Sit at home and knit!?"

"What? Of course not! Where did you even come up with such a stupid idea?"

"I don't know, you tell me! You're the one who's got some sort of suicidal death wish!"

Harry kissed him. Malfoy blinked owlishly at him, but it was no more than a second or two before he closed his eyes and opened his mouth, and then they were snogging like two teenage boys, Harry still kneeling above Malfoy, who was stretched out on his bed.

"Merciful heavens," gasped an unfamiliar voice from the door. The two Aurors sprang apart guiltily, and Harry felt as though McGonagall had walked in on him at Hogwarts. "Mister Potter," the woman continued, scandalised. "You're injured! And Malfoy! You - I can only surmise that this is, in fact, your doing in some way!"

They launched into explanations in unison, both talking at once. The Medi-Witch held up a hand and halted their spate of talking. "I don't want to know," she said. "Mr. Potter, please lay back down. You've taken a serious injury, and need to rest. Mr. Malfoy, I'm ashamed of you! Encouraging such behavior!"

Harry reluctantly sat down on the bed, his legs hanging over the side. "I can't rest," he said. "I need to get back to work. Malfoy, it's Sinder."

"What?!"


"Sinder's the killer! And she's involved with Mrs. Littlewood somehow! We've got to get them both under arrest right now!"

"You'll do no such thing!" scolded the Medi-Witch. "What part of you nearly died didn't make it through that thick head of yours?!"

"I'll get on it," Malfoy promised, and then his eyes lingered on Harry's face, the grey smouldering like banked coals. "We'll finish this conversation later." He vanished from the room. Harry reluctantly let the Medi-Witch push him back onto the bed and cast her diagnostic spells.

-o0o-

Draco hurried down the halls of St. Mungo's, his mind whirling with the events of the last few days. Granger had died quietly in her sleep - Harry still didn't know, he realised with sudden horror - and he'd almost lost Harry, too.

He didn't know how to feel about that. He'd discovered Harry was missing the morning after; everyone assumed that he'd taken the day off after receiving the news about his friend, and Draco Apparated into his flat to check on him, and bring him some soup. The empty apartment set him on edge, but it wasn't until he saw the owl in the corner, it's note unread, that he truly began to worry.

If he hadn't found the letter from the killer, he'd have gone mad with anxiety. I'm sure he's turned more than a few hairs grey, he thought. He Apparated directly into Per Petyu Alley, and was greeted by the ashen face of his partner lying in a pool of blood. I may never recover from that, he griped to himself. His heart stopped fully in his chest for the span of three whole beats, and he burst into a flurry of motion, gathering his partner up into his arms and doing his best not to jostle him too much.

With Harry unconscious, they had no way of knowing who had sent the note, or what was going on. But now Harry was awake, and he'd named Silena Sinder - That blue haired bitch, - and Mrs. Littlewood. An unlikely pair, to be sure, but until Harry was back at top form, Draco wasn't going to be allowed anywhere near either of them.

He swung his fist into the wall suddenly. "Damn!"

Ignoring the strange looks he was receiving from visitors and hospital staff alike, he continued on his way out the door, ignoring the throbbing from his hand.

He apparated straight into Shacklebolt's office, and a fierce glare sent the Auror in conference with him scurrying out of the room.

"Mr. Malfoy, I certainly hope you have a good excuse for destroying the wards around my office and interrupting a very important mee-"

"Silena Sinder is the killer. She confessed to Harry. He's awake." Draco threw the words down like a gauntlet, in no mood to deal with Shacklebolt's antagonism.

"What? Sinder can't possibly be-" He was interrupted by the door opening.

"She is," Luna interjected, closing the door quietly behind her. "Tests on the hair came back five minutes ago. We ran the magical signature against everyone in the Ministry as a control, but she came up positive. And, she told Harry about the murder before we'd even discovered the body. We found traces of mud from the field in her office."

The door opened again after a brief knock. Sinder's partner poked his head in, and frowned when he saw Luna and Draco already there. "Shacklebolt, have you seen Silena? She's extremely late today, and I can't reach her on floo."

Luna, Draco, and Kingsley shared a look. "Thank you," Shacklebolt said. "I'll look into it. Return to your work."

"Yes sir," the man said, and ducked back out of the office. Draco's heart was in his throat, his mind a whirl of thoughts he couldn't pin down.

"We need to find Sinder," Shacklebolt said. "Draco, check out her apartment-"

"She won't be there," he said, a sudden revelation becoming clear. "No, we need to go check out Littlewood's house. They're... involved."

"You're not going there alone," Shacklebolt said. Luna raised her hand.

"I'll go with him," she offered. He looked at both of them, and then nodded briefly.

"Be careful," he said. "She's armed with extensive knowledge of the Dark Arts and a muggle firearm. This makes her the most dangerous criminal we've apprehended in nearly fifty years. My best is already down and out because of her; I don't need to lose either of you on the eve of the collar."

"We'll be fine," Draco said confidently. "Let's go, Luna." They filed out and Apparated to Littlewood's house, wands drawn and ready.

-o0o-

A strange woman answered the door. "Oh. Auror Malfoy. What a pleasant surprise. I'm very sorry to hear about your partner, but I see you've traded up."

"I need to speak to Anita Littlewood," Draco said sternly, flashing his Auror credentials. "Now."

The woman - an attractive, dark haired woman in her thirties - smiled seductively. "I don't really think-"

"Mrs. Littlewood," Luna interjected. "You're looking quite well."

Draco shot her a horrified look, and then peered closer at the woman in the doorway. She could have been Littlewood's daughter - or Littlewood herself, fourty years younger.

"Annie? Who's at the door, baby?"

"You're under arrest!" Draco shouted, and cast incarcerous on Anita Littlewood. Silena Sinder stood behind her lover, dressed in a bathrobe with sleep-mussed hair. She gaped at Draco, and then drew her wand and Apparated. "Fuck!"

"Language, young man," Littlewood chided from within her bonds. "I know where she's gone. It was a beautiful dream while it lasted. Thank you for giving us these last few nights together."

"You'll talk?" Luna asked mildly, and Draco was gratified by Littlewood's nod. He set a Portkey on her shoulder, and waited until it took the formerly old woman into a holding cell in the Ministry before he and Luna Apparated back to the DMLE.

-o0o-

"Luna, you've got to go tell Harry we lost Sinder, but have Littlewood. He's in room 594, St. Mungo's." Draco talked quickly, opening the door as he spoke. She nodded, and Disapparated. He strode into the building, and went directly down to the jail.

"Vial of Veritaserum," he asked the man behind the counter just outside the cell block. He signed for the vial, and took it to Littlewood. She obediently opened her mouth, then pursed her lips seductively as he stood back to let it work.

"Your full name," he asked.

"Anita Marianne Littlewood."

"Your age?"

"Seventy three."

"Your involvement with Silena Sinder."

"About twenty years ago, I had dealings with her mother. We traded in magical blades and weaponry for several years, something Silena showed great aptitude for. We grew to be friends. Eventually, the more time we spent together, we realised we were falling in love, but I knew it could never work; I was far too old, and she was just beginning her career in the Aurors."

Draco wrote her words down as she spoke, and then leveled a measured look on her. "How did this lead to the murders?"

"Silena never gave up on her loves, not of me, and not of dealing in magical weapons. She happened across a knife that stored the life energy of those killed with it, and transferred it to another human being. Most people, historically, made use of the knife to gain eternal life, but Silena... she wasn't interested in living forever. We decided to use it to youthen me, so that we could be together."


"How does this tie in to all the calls you made to Shacklebolt's office?"

"At first it was an excuse to see Silena, but then they began sending Auror Potter to see me. Shortly afterwards, someone began creeping around my house. I thought it might be Potter, but after Silena found out, she set some new wards up. We discovered it was Rafe Fliven - he'd found out our secret somehow, and was looking to - oh, I don't know, get some credit for stopping us. He was rejected from the MLE, you see, several years ago. Perhaps he wanted to prove that he was unworthy of his failure, and wanted a second chance. I don't know."

"Why purebloods?"

"I am a pureblood, Auror Malfoy. I don't want my youth tainted by a filthy mudblood or even a halfblood. No, only pureblooded na's idea and wizards would do. It was Silena's idea to target the purebloods with little to no family - they wouldn't be missed immediately, you see. I wasn't expecting her to lead Auror Potter to Per Petyu Alley - I was rather sad to hear that she'd shot him, especially after finding out that he was indeed pureblood. I would have dearly liked to have invited your mother out to tea one day, Auror Malfoy, we did get on so well in our younger years. But after she took out Potter, it did give us a few, wonderful days together in which I could enjoy the fruits of her labour."

"Where is Silena Sinder now, Mrs. Littlewood?"

Littlewood smiled again. "I imagine she's gone back to Per Petyu Alley. It was always her favourite place as a child."

"You will remain here under Ministry authority until your trial which will be set by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement's head, Kingsley Shacklebolt. I will strongly suggest the Kiss for both of you." Draco walked calmly back out of the cell block, and then Apparated to Per Petyu Alley.


-o0o-


Silena couldn't seem to stop crying. I almost had her! she thought bitterly. "Damn him to hell!" Damn Potter. Apathetic, unloved, bastard. He should have died. I should have shot him again. I should have aimed for his head. Anything to keep that damn busybody Malfoy out of our business.

She heard the crack of Apparation, and wiped her eyes, readying her gun. She had only one bullet loaded, the bullet she was prepared to use on herself. With all her dreams shattered, she had no reason to continue. They'd apprehended Anita, which probably meant the person in the Alley with her was here on Anita's information.

A sob escaped her before she could stop it, and she clapped a hand over her mouth to catch the sound. It was too late; someone turned the corner, wand trained on her.

Unwilling to face her fate crouched on the ground like a common criminal, she took a deep breath and rose to her feet.

"Silena Sinder, you are under arrest for the murder of Rafe Fliven, Sheea Nader, and Albert Prewett. Drop your weapons and put your hands in the air."

"Malfoy," she spat. "Filthy blood-traitor."

"You're one to talk," he retorted, scowling. Overhead, the sky crackled with thunder and lightning illuminated the dark alley.

"I won't," she whispered. Thunder rolled overhead, echoing strangely in the enclosed spaces between the abandoned buildings.

"Drop your weapons," Malfoy repeated, inching slowly towards her. "Incarc-"

"No!" She jerked the gun up, and aimed for his head. "You bastard! It's all your fault! You took Annie from me!" The harsh sound in her voice startled even herself, and she squeezed the trigger.

"No!" Something jerked her arm upwards just as she completed the squeeze, and the bullet fired harmlessly into the stone walls above her. "Incarcerous," hissed a familiar voice. "You're under arrest, Sinder."

Malfoy's face was white in the lightning flash, and she glanced over her shoulder and locked gazes with a pair of fierce green eyes. "Games up, Sinder," Potter said as the magical ropes settled around her body. Her knees weakened, but he held her up easily when she would have collapsed to the ground in tears again.

"Someone like you wouldn't understand love," she spat.

"I don't believe in love," Potter replied quietly. The world around her dissolved and she felt a tug behind her navel as a portkey activated and deposited her in a cell beside Anita. They shared a kiss between the bars.

-o0o-

This is the end!! HUZZAH! I have an epilogue in the works to wrap it all up, but here it is! Case closed. Thank you all sooo much for sticking with this for the entire three years it's been in the works, from beginning to end, and through all the times I stepped away from the HP fandom - you guys are fantastic. I couldn't have asked for a better group to fall in with, and I love everyone who loves Harry/Draco as much as me.

I can't tell who reviewed which chapter, so I'm just going to answer all current reviews in this chapter.

Yuutousei: Not so much a goose-chase now; all bets are off, but Harry was supposed to bite it. And I love that my readers are willing to help with the rock-slinging. Actually, most of the end was decided by reviewers; the killer was originally supposed to BE Mrs. Littlewood, but then everyone was like, "SHE'S DOING IT!" and I was like "ONOES! YOU FIGURED IT OUT. UHHH... RANDOM PERSON!" XD

Jennifer: Twisted enough for you? X3

thrnbrooke: I have no idea how long you've been reviewing fics, but I realised last night that you've been reviewing mine for three years. That's incredible. You need some sort of reviewer award or something. ♥

KillingProphet: I hope you weren't up too late! And I hope I'll have this chapter out by the end of the day, at least.

Mr Spears: Thanks; I've always liked Narcissa (I RPed as her on a forum once, so I might be biased) and even though I hated her in the new movie, I still can't think of her as a total wench. Mm, as to your other question, yeah, I believe he is. XD

Dragon: Durnit! She was supposed to be a secret! XDD Ah well, no one else seemed to have figured it out (unless they, like you, just said nothing about it when they did.) LMFAO@'that damn creepy lady'. Frightening? Really? x3 You give me confidence. And I certainly hope you survived to read this last chapter!

Mulle: I sat down to write, and decided to check my email, which is when I got your review! Is that good enough? ♥ Should have this chapter out tonight at the latest (unless the muses go partying.) Mm, I feel a sequel coming out of this. Maybe just a short one, but a definite follow-up to the end of the case. And yes, Draco will be seme. Seme!Harry is a little weird to me. Draco seems like the type of person who's not happy unless he's in control. Granted, Harry's the aggressor in the beginning (that kiss up there *points*) but Draco takes it to the next step. In fact, I just figured out what the sequel's gonna BE. I'll start on it as soon as I finish this chapter up (I'm pretty sure this is the end of the story, but I'm not quite done writing it yet as I'm replying to reviews. XD) And thanks for the love and encouragement! I totally need it some days, and it's ALWAYS a nice thing to know that people enjoy what I write.

About the ghost thing:
That's sooo cool. O.O I would never leave the gravel square if I was there, just sit there and feel the eyes and hope that I could see something. And the kids. I'm absolutely fascinated by ghosts, if you couldn't tell. XD One of my plans for life is to visit as many haunted places as I possibly can (the Stanley Hotel, castles in the UK, Gettysburg, whatever I can possibly get to.) And I'm totally interested; I have a few stories of my own, but the one I told at the end of the last chapter was my best. Share away; I'm jealous as hell, but curious too.

Errol: Thanks for reading! After this there's either an epilogue or a sequel... possibly both.

Blackfoxx: I love Nancy Sinatra. *goes to download that song* Seems like a good choice, hm?

KillingProphet: You're very welcome. Thanks so much for reading~ It means a lot to me that you like it.