The Labyrinth

Warnings: Angst,AU/AR,Crossover,H/C,Language,M/M (slash in later chapters), OOC-ness only to the extent that it fits the movie and plot

Author's note--The title of the movie scene that corresponds with this chapter is "Friends in Need". The last movie scene would be the end credits, so this is the last chapter that parallels the movie. (I think the only line from the movie scene is the part when Harry tells Ron and Hermione that he needs them just because he does...like in the movie)

Don't worry; this chapter reveals more information, as previously promised, and there will be MORE revealing in the next few chapters too! Ask all the questions you want; I may or may not be able to answer them right away, but they will be answered before the story is over. Enjoy!

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The Labyrinth

Dinner and Unintended Results

Harry tried to walk as nonchalantly as possible to Gryffindor’s table. His eyes automatically sought Draco out; the blonde was already seated at the Slytherin table, but Harry looked away just as Draco looked up. He tried not to blush or grin as he took a seat next to Ron and across from Hermione. He forced himself to focus on his friends, but the flash of pale blonde hair behind Hermione, directly in his line of vision, made that difficult at times.

“Harry, where have you been?” Hermione sounded angry and worried at the same time.

“I didn’t realize you cared,” he responded somewhat coolly. She blushed, knowing that he knew she had gotten irrationally angry about him wanting some alone time. Ron broke in, slapping Harry on the back, before that escalated into another fight.

“I can’t believe you got yourself thrown out of class, but Merlin! The way you put Malfoy in his place! You finally got the better of him, mate! I’m so proud of you!” Ron’s hand squeezed his shoulders in a quick one-armed hug before continuing in a quieter voice. “And I’m sorry for acting stupid about earlier.” Harry broke into a big smile, grateful that Ron was no longer mad at him, and he turned to the redhead, hugging him again, not caring that people were staring curiously.

“Harry, I’m sorry too. I know you like being around us, and that sometimes you just want to be alone. But you know that if you ever need us,” Hermione piped up, putting her fork down. She laughed as Harry jumped up and came around the table, bear-hugging her.

“I’m sorry too, you guys,” he said, settling back into his seat. “Of course I need you! You’re my friends, and I need you in my life…for no reason at all…other than, you’re just my friends!” Both Ron and Hermione grinned.

“You know I don’t approve of you getting thrown out of class, but I did get your stuff for you. Ron took your book bag to your room and left it on your bed,” she said, her cheeks pinking. “And I can’t believe you made him run away!” Hermione sounded torn between scolding him and being proud. Harry’s smile dimmed.

‘Um, yeah, you guys, about that—” Hermione continued as if Harry hadn’t spoken.

“But you know what was weird?” She leaned over and rummaged through her own book bag. That was Hermione, taking her book bag everywhere, even to dinner. She pulled out a copy of Hogwarts: A History and handed it to Harry. “I found this in my bag after we got back up to the tower. It’s yours. I have no idea how it got in my bag, but I thought I should give it back to you. Isn’t that odd?” Harry just looked at it for a moment, and then looked up at her, over to Ron, and burst out laughing. He guffawed so hard that tears were streaming down his cheeks. Hermione and Ron exchanged startled glances, but Ron just shrugged, going back to his plate, while Hermione continued to stare at Harry like he had lost his mind.

As he finally got his mirth under control, a sharp tap on his shoulder made him look up in surprise. His laughter vanished immediately as Minerva McGonagall stared down at him with her typical stern look. Snape was standing next to her, looking cross as ever.

“Mr. Potter, we need to speak with you right away,” she said in an odd voice. Harry looked at Hermione in surprise. The teachers generally didn’t pull students away from mealtimes to lecture them on their behavior.

“Professor, if this is about Potions class, Harry was just—” Hermione began, breaking off abruptly when the Headmistress held her hand up.

“Ms. Granger, this does not concern you, but no, this is not about Potions class. This is about You-Know-Who, and Harry, it’s quite urgent. Hmmm?” Minerva’s hand crooked around his arm, and Harry rose, casting a stray glance to Slytherin’s table. Draco had stopped eating and was watching the scene with his head of house and the two Gryffindors. Harry followed her out of the Great Hall, and as soon as she shut the door, Snape pulled up the left sleeve of his robe. Harry looked at his forearm. No Dark Mark. He looked up from Snape’s scowling face to Minerva’s worried one.

“Harry, Professor Snape tells me that after he threw you out of Potions class, the Mark on his arm flared up for a brief instant before waning, and he said that he watched it fade completely. The only times that the Mark changes is when You-Know-Who’s power grows or diminishes, but never has it disappeared completely! It was quite disturbing, and neither Professor Snape nor myself nor Madam Pomfrey could place why until I made some enquiries and Severus went to see a few other known Death Eaters. All reports are the same.

“The Dark Lord is dead. Gone. The Death Eaters who are still alive have no Mark any longer, but another curious thing is that quite a few of the Inner Circle ones have died. It’s all quite mysterious, but Voldemort seems to have…just…melted. Tell him what you saw, Severus,” Minerva turned to the greasy haired man.

“Potter, I went to the Dark Lord’s most secret chamber, where his throne is, and his robes were laying in the middle of the floor as if he had melted. There were words scrawled above and below his robes. On one side of his robe was written part of the Prophecy. It said, ‘Power the Dark Lord knows not’ and on the other side, it read, ‘You have no power over me.’ I doubt that it is a trick or a trap because his followers were scattered throughout the residence, unconscious, maimed, or dead. What did you do, Potter?” Snape definitely didn’t have the grateful look of a freed man.

“Harry, we need to know if you felt anything through your scar. Did you?” Minerva’s voice was worried. Harry reeled under the news. He had faced Voldemort in his dream and spoken those very words…and the Dark Lord was dead? In real life? How was that possible? He reached out a shaky hand for the wall, and to his surprise, Snape grabbed hold of him to steady him.

“I killed him,” he said wonderingly. Snape and Minerva exchanged worried glances. “I faced him. He had Draco. I wasn’t afraid of him. Not anymore. He had power over me while I was afraid of him…I just wanted Draco back.” Both Minerva and Snape were speechless. Harry turned and pulled open the door to the Great Hall, walking back inside with a purpose. Ron and Hermione were waiting nervously, and they both jumped up and ran to Harry. Over their shoulders, he saw Draco’s face. The blonde looked positively petrified, and he swallowed hard, trying to discern the expression on the Gryffindor’s face, as Harry met his gaze.

“Harry, Harry, what happened? Are you in trouble? Do you have detention?” Hermione was firing questions at him before she noticed he was a million miles away.

“Mate?” It was Ron’s hand that clapped onto his shoulder that made him break eye contact with Draco and look at the redhead. “You alright?”

“Mmmm,” Harry said, smiling. “Better than alright. Voldemort is dead.” He left Ron and Hermione standing in shock, much like he walked away from the professors, and went directly to the Slytherin table. He saw Draco fidgeting nervously as he approached, not sure what was going on, and he pulled the blonde to a stand. Both Crabbe and Goyle leapt up, but Draco stopped them with one quick gesture.

“Harry?” Draco’s voice wasn’t much more than a breathless whisper as he searched those green eyes for an answer. Neither of them noticed that the Great Hall had gone absolutely silent, and all of the students, including Ron and Hermione, were staring at them.

“He’s gone, Draco,” Harry whispered back, taking Draco’s hand. “Voldemort. He’s dead. I killed him.” Draco’s mouth dropped open.

“You mean, when you…?”

“Mmm-hmmm,” Harry nodded, a slow smile spreading across his face. It was matched by Draco, and the blonde looked as if he really, really wanted to do something else, but his years of training and decorum held him back. Harry watched him a second longer, and then threw his arms around his lover, kissing him firmly on the mouth in front of the entire student body. Once Harry made the first move, Draco responded instantly, slipping his arms around Harry and kissing him back.

The reactions were priceless. There was a collective gasp from everyone at the sight of the two handsomest boys—and most notorious rivals—kissing each other. A dull thud rang out as Ronald Weasley fainted dead away in the middle of the Great Hall. There were also indignant screeches from Pansy, Ginny, and a shocked squeak from Hermione. Blaise raised his eyebrow, smiling slowly. The entire Hufflepuff table went “awwww” on cue, and some of them teared up. The clattering of utensils could be heard from the Slytherin table as they all stared up in shock at their leader, and Ravenclaw, while surprised like the rest, sat silently and grinned. Theirs was the table of logic, and as soon as they saw Harry and Draco kissing, it made sense to them. There was a fine line between love and hate, and while none would realize the depth of their connection, suddenly all of the superficial fighting made sense.

Dean and Seamus exchanged glances, grinning that their friend had finally found someone, stood, and began to clap. Neville jumped up and joined them a minute later, followed by Lavender and Parvati. Padma, at the Ravenclaw table, followed suite, as did Michael Corner, Terry Boot, and Luna Lovegood. The rest of Gryffindor, Ginny included, stood, followed by the remainder of Ravenclaw, and the entirety of Hufflepuff. The Slytherins exchanged glances, shrugged, and stood as well, clapping for Hogwarts’ newest and most gorgeous couple.

Harry and Draco finally became aware of the deafening applause and cheering, and they both turned bright red to see that they were the center of attention and receiving a standing ovation! Hermione had tears running down her cheeks as she crouched on the floor, clapping intermittently. She pulled her wand out and Enervated Ron, helping him stand, and he, too, clapped, albeit in a stunned and sullen fashion. At least the clapping covered the exit of Severus Snape, who had accompanied Minerva McGonagall back inside only to come face to face with his godson and his most hated student locked at the lip. It was quite enough to make anyone nauseous, and Snape did an about-face, his appetite for the night ruined completely.

Both boys were used to big crowds and being stared at, but while Harry hated it with a passion, Draco had a flare for being the center of attention. He turned around, standing in front of Harry, and pulled the Gryffindor’s arms around his waist, much like when Harry hugged him in the bathroom. Draco couldn’t stop grinning, and he couldn’t help posing a little, reaching up to touch the back of Harry’s head or twine his pale fingers into the tanned ones while throwing little ‘sexy’ glances around the room.

Harry’s face turned red, and he thought that surely he couldn’t be any more embarrassed until Draco pulled him against his back and began modeling with him! He was too shocked to think, and he buried his face in Draco’s shoulder, groaning. Of course, the crowd drowned out any sound that Harry made, but at one point, Draco tilted his head and kissed Harry’s ear lightly—which resulted in another round of cat calls and whoops—and whispered to him.

“Easy, sweetheart; just have fun with it. Everyone here loves you, so you don’t have to be embarrassed at all. If you’re truly uncomfortable, love, then let’s leave.”

Harry peeked out, seeing Draco’s chin. He watched those lips move, and he felt a sense of calm descend at Draco’s concern. A minute ago, he had been sort of feeling like he was nothing more than a prop to the attention-seeking blonde, but after hearing Draco offer to sacrifice what he loved for Harry, he knew that that was just his own insecurity taking the worst perspective on it. And suddenly, Harry knew what he wanted to do.

“I’m fine now, lover,” he said, nuzzling Draco’s ear and ignoring the fresh cheers. “As long as I’m with you, I can endure anything. Besides, you’re a natural, you little attention whore.” Harry forgot where he was for a second as his tongue snaked out to lick Draco’s neck, and he began sucking on the hollow between the blonde’s ear and jaw. Draco’s knees suddenly went weak and nearly buckled as Harry began an assault on his neck. He was suddenly supremely grateful for his school robes as Harry’s ministrations had an unintended result.
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Author's note--MWA HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Remember, Harry gave Hermione his book in the labyrinth, so she has it in her bag in real life!!!! (I over-amuse myself)

And yeah, again with the whole "some things are randomly true from the labyrinth while others aren't" thing...like Snape NOT being dead (but more on that next chapter) while Voldie IS. (C'mon, I HAD to get rid of Voldemort so that we can get on with the Harry/Draco lovin!)

And a couple of things like Minerva going "Hmmm?" which is OBVIOUSLY from the movie! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA Okay, I can't say any more without giving future info away! I hope you liked!

The actual movie line in this chapter is from the end of the tenth movie segment. But I'm including the link to the eleventh segment too, just to finish out the movie. From here on out, the rest of the chapters do not have a movie equivalent, just so you know.

thrnbrooke--haha No, but hold that thought and it will be explained more fully in the NEXT chapter! Thanks!

hilfreak--Hey! I'm glad you're reviewing now! (Please don't feel bad for not reviewing; obviously I love your reviews, but I totally understand how it is when time is scarce!) The Breakfast Club...I think I have a vague recollection of that! YAY for cheesy 80's movies that we can thrust Harry and Draco into! LMAO Thanks for your kind words!

Extraho--Thanks for your review! As you can see from this chapter, Hermione and Ron are 'going with the crowd' for now with the whole clapping thing. Their reactions will be more detailed in the next chapter, so stay tuned!

Yami Bakura--*gasp* AFF has done that to me before too! That's just a kick in the nuts, if you ask me. Damn you, AFF! in that regard, anyway. I know what you mean, though, and don't worry about it! It's enough for me to know that you liked the story and the chapters! haha Thank you, though, for the thought. It really does count in my book! :)

WeasleyWench--*giggle* I love torturing Harry and Draco in that good way (makin' them wait)! And I know what you mean, too! I'm naturally impatient; I actually suggested to my ex-boyfriend when we saw each other two weeks ago (as I was passing through his town on my way home) that we should have a quickie (since I was really, really looking forward to sleeping with him) and then go eat dinner, and then "make love" for longer after dinner. He was like "Damn, why did I break up with you again?" haha Not really...we're still friends and all, and it was good to remind him of what he doesn't have anymore, lest he decide he was a COMPLETE fuckwit to end it with me. (Wow, yeah, THAT doesn't sound arrogant or anything, does it? LMAO I'm really not meaning for it to...I'm really not)

As for my "fun little experiences"...I don't know if I'm just in the "right place, right time" or if I somehow end up reading too much into things and interpreting ordinary events to make them extraordinary. Either way, you're right. It DOES make my life more fun and interesting, and I love it like that.

AH yes, the pic! Sorry about that! I think I got busy and I haven't gotten around to clearing out my inbox yet, so it's still shuffled in there somewhere. His thighs look larger than I remember, so THOSE seemed altered or something--or maybe it's just the angle of the camera because why would someone mess with his THIGH muscles, y'know?--but the rest of him seems pretty damn accurate! (I'll email you with more details; that's all I'll say in public, but I was impressed) haha Thank you for that luscious reminder, btw!

The first part of this chapter is the end of the tenth segment of the movie on youtube. Here's the link (again) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kp_UHr0bi1A

The second part of this chapter is the eleventh (and FINAL) segment of the movie on youtube. Here's the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL3hnOCwTeQ