The Lion and the Serpent

When they returned to Harry\'s quarters, Harry sat down at the table wearily. Draco stood next to him, their hands still locked together.



“You disobeyed me,” Harry said tiredly. “By the mirror. I told you to back off. You didn\'t.”



“I know,” Draco agreed easily. “The punishment... can you make it quick?”



“I will,” Harry promised. “Stand still.”



Draco stood before Harry, looking at him serenely. Without a warning, Harry struck him across the face with the back of his hand. Draco let out a startled cry, and then smiled.



“Thank you,” he whispered, touching his swelling lip with his tongue.



“Don\'t mention it,” Harry said and pressed his hand to Draco\'s lip, muttering the old healing incantation. The pain and damage were gone instantly, but Harry\'s hand lingered on Draco\'s lips. Draco pressed his face against Harry\'s hand, and closed his eyes blissfully.



“I need to lie down,” Harry mumbled weakly.



“Let me come in with you,” Draco pleaded. “Don\'t send me away.”



“Come then,” Harry said.



Harry entered his bedroom and collapsed on the bed. Lying on his back, he closed his eyes and sighed deeply. Draco stretched himself out on the bed next to Harry. He felt Harry stir next to him.



“Hold me,” Draco mouthed voicelessly, his back turned to Harry.



Instantly, in response to his unspoken request, Harry\'s hands reached out to him, wrapped around him, and held him. Draco leaned back into his embrace, his eyes shut. Harry\'s hands stroked Draco\'s arms, with awkward tenderness.



“This is madness,” Harry whispered again, his voice laden with guilt. “I have just condemned us both to hell.... I am such an utter idiot, Draco.”



Draco found himself laughing a little. “Face it, Potter,” he said teasingly. “You don\'t have it in you to be perpetually cold and spiteful, even for the greater good.”



Harry\'s arms stiffened.



“Snape did,” he said flatly. “He never wavered. To the last moment, I thought he despised me and wanted me dead.”



“You are not Snape,” Draco said reasonably.



“I want to ask you something,” Harry said hesitantly.



Draco nodded silently.



“The necklace... the locket. You crystallized the poison... and then you transfigured it into something that would look like it had belonged to my parents. Was it meant for me?”



Draco sighed deeply.



“No. I hated you of course, but... honestly, here was no ... plan for it. I just did it.”



“But why... the inscription? Lily Potter? Draco – what the hell?”



Slowly and regretfully, Draco removed himself from Harry\'s embrace. Unable to turn around, and look him in the eye, he said miserably:



“I wanted to make it irresistible. To anyone who would see it. Who could pass something like that by? A heirloom of the exalted Potter family... friend or foe, no-one would be able to ignore it. Not even... a Death Eater.”



“Your father,” Harry whispered. “You wanted him to...”



“There was no plan,” Draco repeated. “I hated everyone. Him, mother, you, Weasley, Granger, Dumbledore, Voldemort. I wasn\'t thinking when I transfigured it. It was just an impulse... an emotion.. you know?”



Harry nodded. “Yeah, I know. Irresistible, huh?”



“Everything about you and your story was,” Draco said reluctantly. “To everyone. The way everyone carried on and on about you, your family, your destiny, your god-damn prophecies...”



Harry chuckled sadly. “I know. It worked.”



“Are you angry?” Draco whispered. “I don\'t mind if you are.”



“I am,” Harry admitted. “But not with you. Just ... angry.”



Harry\'s arms embraced him again, locking around him. Then his fingertips brushed against Draco\'s face, and found the dampness on his cheeks.



“You are crying,” Harry said softly.



“I am sorry,” Draco mumbled. “I can\'t help it. I am ... I wanted this so much...”



“But..?” Harry pressed gently.



“You are everything to me now,” Draco whispered dejectedly. “You own me. But all I can think about now is how little my life means to you. Two points to Slytherin...”



Harry groaned loudly, but continued to hold him.



“She was lucky to get them,” Harry muttered. “Arrogant little know-it-all.”



Draco laughed in spite of himself.



“I guess I just need to make peace with the fact that you will always mean more to me than I, to you,” Draco said finally. “Which I suppose, is only fair. Just like Ron\'s life meant nothing to me...”



“I don\'t like where this conversation is going,” Harry murmured. “I don\'t like it at all.”



“Sorry,” Draco said again, pressing against Harry\'s body. “I am not asking for anything more. Honest.”



“I don\'t suppose it occurred to you to cast a Revealio spell on the collar?” Harry asked suddenly.



“No... I didn\'t know that I could.”



“You can. And you would have discovered quite easily that it contains a basic suicide prevention ward,” Harry said reluctantly. “It works by responding to your thoughts, and forming a protective barrier against ... well, anything deadly that you might do to yourself. Given my proneness to murderous rage, I thought you might need it, and... ”



Abruptly, Draco turned to face him.



“And – I would have... I was never in any danger?”



“Of course you were in danger!” Harry snapped. “That wretched child nearly broke your neck by turning the water into ice. It protects against deadly self-harm, not accidents.”



“You lied,” Draco said in wonder, his lips contorting into a satisfied smirk. “You lied, when you gave her the points. You, Harry Potter, savior of the wizarding world, visiting Professor at Hogwarts, are a liar.”



“I did not, and I am not,” Harry protested, feigning wounded dignity. “She got one point for retrieving my property, and one, for...”



“Preventing the bathroom from becoming a revolting mess!” Draco laughed. “But, if what you say is true, I wouldn\'t have died, and there wouldn\'t have been any mess..”



“Oh? I bet you anything that if you had found yourself intact, unharmed, in midst of boiling water, you would have pissed yourself, or worse,” Harry said with a chuckle.



Draco elbowed Harry in the stomach playfully.



“Ow. Go easy on me,” Harry complained. “The bond protects against you using magic against me, not physical violence.”



“Good to know,” Draco laughed and elbowed him again.



“Stop that,” Harry said unconvincingly.



“That\'s just great,” Draco chuckled. “One of those days, when you join Voldemort, I can kill you just by punching you in the stomach. Imagine that! Draco Malfoy will save the wizarding world from Harry Potter by a mere punch...”



Harry\'s hand grabbed Draco\'s wrist. His fingers clasped around it, threatening to crush it.



“Get out,” Harry said suddenly. “Get the hell out of here.”



“Harry?” Draco looked at him. “Why? Look – I am sorry, I was joking – you must know this! You can read my thoughts, for crying out loud!”



“Go!” Harry roared. “Leave now!”



Draco scrambled to his feet. “Fuck you, Potter,” he hissed. “You should have just killed me.”



He slammed the door hard when he left.