Triumvirate

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the songs included in this fanfic nor do I make money off them. These stories are for entertainment only.
~~

I'll begin to let you go

When the sunlight melts the snow

Every night i drive away from you

I see the mountains i have to move



And you there

You don't care

I wonder if you



Wanted me like i wanted you

It's a lonely truth

That i can't change you

And you sure can't change me



Let it go - Fauxliage





Draco hit the ground, black talons digging into the loamy earth. Harry felt the sinous neck lower and slid to the ground.



Draco’s eyes clenched shut, his muzzle tucking close to his chest as though in pain and looked around.



In the broken ring of stones the flicker of firelight came, moving slowly from the ruins of the house on the hill above. Like a winding serpent of flame it zigged and zagged over green grass and jutting white rocks.



Draco was crouched just out of sight of the people in that procession.



“We have to wait until we see her” Harry said, “That way we can make sure she isn’t accidentally hurt.”



Draco looked down at the human between his feet. “I should look from the air”



Ron blinked up at his huge form and swallowed loudly, “Blimey..”



Draco turned his tapered snout towards the other and huffed, a small plume of smoke circling Ron.



“Something to say?” he asked.



Ron shook his head, grasping his wand.



“Good. I doubt a broken nose would be the issue”



Draco crouched low to the ground and then sprang upwards, his wings beating catching the updrafts from the nearby cliffs.



He seemed to vanish against the night sky.



Harry let his eyes move back to the stones. Death eaters milled about there, and then he saw them.



Voldemort, Fenrir. And in the werewolf’s arms. Hermione



Her head back, long hair trailing over his arm. Her body lax.



As they entered the circle, Voldemort took Hermione into his arms, waving his hand before her face.



She came awake, and Harry sighed with relief.



She struggled against the dark lord, shrieking and kicking. Like an angry veela.



Voldemort stunned her but she fought through it, panting, her limbs shaking. She knew they were near. Harry, Draco. She only had to hold on a while longer.



The pendant was warm against her upper arm hidden in her sleeve. How she wished for her wand. If wishes were dragons, she thought, she’d fly away.



She focused her power into her hands and when Fenrir moved closer she shot him backwards with a hard strike to the chest.



A death eater tackled her, wrestling her to the center of the stones and chained her down.



Voldemort began his usual theatrics. Welcoming his followers, ranting about the usurper Harry Potter and his inevitable downfall and of course his brilliant plan to override Harry in the prophecy by getting a whelp on the muggle born witch.



Harry saw red at that, stepping forward, he nodded to Ron and his men and they rushed the ring of stones wands drawn.



Voldemort was just climbing atop a frantic Hermione when her voice rang out in the night, “Harry! Draco!”



Voldemort sneered into her lovely face, “They. Aren’t. Coming. Poppet”



Her tear filled eyes closed as she felt the cold slide of his hands against her folds. His fingers forcing their way inside of her dry channel and she screamed at the injustice of it.



He grinned cruelly at her, before curling his fingers within her and stretching them side on a vicious bruising, tearing thrust.



“You may not like this” he hissed to her, “But I shall.”



Beside him, Fenrir was changing, his lupine form wavering before holding. His thick sex jutting up.



Suddenly, a terrifying roar filled the night and Hermione felt a blast of heat against her skin.



She looked up to see a scaled underbelly pass overhead and then Voldemort was falling backwards, screaming in impotent rage before he apparated with a pop.



She heard the snap and screech of abused metal and saw black talons tear at the chains holding her fast.



The snarl of a wolf and then a sharp whine followed by the sickening crunch of bone.



Her head rolled to the side, taking in massive talons buried in the earth. A tuft of bloodied furred flesh winked back from between those dragonish toes.



She rolled to her stomach, heaving as the scent of blood met her nose. Her small hands tearing ineffectually at the grass as she tried to pull herself away. Her stomach roiling, her eyes tightly shut.



A long serpentine nose nudged her upright and to her feet. Her legs were like jelly.



She stumbled and he was there, bracing her as she fell across the bridge of his great nose. Draco was nearly cross eyed looking at her, “Are you hurt? Gods Mione! Are you hurt?”



She threw her arms around his snout and kissed it! “Merlin! I am happy to see you!”



He blinked his large eyes before looking back to where Harry and the others fought, “Not safe here” he told her, trying to herd her towards the trees.” His great nose shoving at her shoulders.



She shoved back, spinning to pin him with a deep stare. Her eyes held no fear, no revulsion. Only gritty determination. “Saya is here” she told him, “And Cain. He’s locked in the house. The cellar under a spell of eternal moonlight.”



Draco nodded once, “Get to safety. Harry!”



Hermione looked up to see Harry rushing towards them, wand drawn, hexes and unforgivable leaping from it‘s tip.



Draco hated that the fighting was creeping closer. Ron swept in on his broom, “Give her to me!” he shouted above the screams and the sounds of battle. His body tense.



Draco growled at him. Hermione felt the rumbling vibration in the ground beneath her feet. Her small hand bracing against the large scales of his legs.



Ron’s frightened eyes swept the surrounding area. His outstretched hand making a frantic gesture.



Draco’s scaled lips lifted ever so slightly to display razor sharp fangs. “Haven’t you harmed her enough?” he asked.



“Look” Ron said, “I am a git of the worst sort… I know it, and I am sorry. I will take her to safety. On my life Malfoy, I swear it.”



Harry skidded to a halt, having heard most of the exchange.



Harry nodded after a moment’s consideration and Ron pulled Hermione onto the broom in front of him. She struggled against him, reaching for Draco and Harry. Blistering the air with her curses.



“Your life it is Weaslby” Draco snorted.



Draco rounded on the house, leaping up the hill in one fluid bound and with his massive claws, he tore the side of the house away.



He nosed through the rubble until he found the scent he wanted. With careful claws he wrapped Cain in a shield of flesh and rose on his haunches.



The fighting was nearly done and he saw Harry motioning wildly pointing at his wrist. Draco concentrated and shrank to his human form. He was tired. Exhausted as the larger form drained his energy and his magic.



“Too close!” Harry shouted, coming to stand beside him.



Draco looked up at him from where he was kneeling on the ground. “What?”



“Too bloody close Draco! Your thirteen hours is nearly gone. You’ve got perhaps an hour left. No more.”



Draco hung his head, and felt Harry wrap his arms around him. “They’ve all fled. Well… the ones that lived” Harry added, “We should get back.”



Cain was shivering as he retook his human form, and Saya appeared from nowhere to kneel beside him. “The portkey” she said softly, gesturing to a book in the grass. “Knockturn Alley. It will take you there.”



Draco turned his weary eyes to her, “Are you hurt?” His large hand lifted slowly to cup her cheek. An affectionate gesture, a friendly gesture.



She covered his hand with her own. “No” she replied, “But please Draco… let us go now.”



He grimaced sadly, “I never held you Saya” he told her, “You’ve been free all along you know that.”



She nodded, her eyes sad, “Just tell me that I can take him and go. Then I will not feel so badly about leaving you to fight, Forgive me Draco… I just…want to ….live”



Her last was said on a whisper and the sound tore at Draco’s heart. For he had the very same wish.



He gave a short nod and she wrapped her arm around his neck , pressing her lips to his cheek, “You are a good man Draco Malfoy. It’s why I’m still half in love with you.” she whispered.



“Leave me” he rasped and she gathered Cain against her and vanished with a familiar pop.



Draco hung his head, feeling sorrow wash over him. Another goodbye. Always a goodbye. Every hello was a goodbye, he’d known it years.



Had known when he saved the two werewolves years before that they would one day part ways. Why did it hurt now?



Because he loved them, he realized. They had been his first true friends along with Harry. He loved them, as he loved Harry, as he loved Hermione…and soon he’d lose them too.



His eyes drifted close.



Harry reached for the book and then the dizzying pull swept them away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Draco lay resting a few hours later, Harry and Luna in quiet bedside conference. She had drafted the potion that could cure or kill Draco. She simply needed his go ahead to administer it and one, key ingredient.



“Blood?” Harry asked, brow furrowing.



Luna nodded, “Neville and I were going over the final formulations last night. All we need is three drops of his bloodline’s blood and the potion should cure him.”



Harry wrinkled his nose, “His blood? That shouldn’t be a problem.”



Luna sighed as though trying to maintain her patience, the dark smudges under her eyes told Harry she hadn’t slept. “No Harry” she said, “His bloodline but not his blood. We need the blood of the man who activated the curse… we need….his father’s.”



Well..wasn’t life bloody wonderful?



Harry pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes to quell the ache that was blooming there like a livid fireflower.



Draco grunted from the bed, as he sat up, “Well then, that solves that little riddle doesn’t it?” The two whisperers jerked guiltily. They watched as Draco pressed his hand against his mouth, a habit he had picked up since that night.



He had kept some of the more draconian elements of his transformation. His nails were black and his incisors were pointed. Luna said it should only have been expected.



Harry turned to look at him, “What are you talking about?”



Draco shoved his hand through his golden hair, “Blood. Father’s blood.”



Harry looked down, “Is gone. I’m sorry Draco. He died not long after he did this to you.”



Draco chucked mirthlessly, “Ah, bad luck that. Might’ve made it easier. But there is a still a small store of his blood out there in the wizarding world Harry.”



Luna met silver eyes with understanding. “Death eaters must take a blood oath.” she whispered.



Draco nodded, “Yes, Voldemort requires a small sacrifice of blood. It is how he contacts the death eaters across the miles. And it gives him power over his followers. How he kills when not in vicinity of them.”



“But your father is dead” Harry repeated, “Wouldn’t he just throw it away?”



Luna shook her head, “Oh no. All blood is powerful. But Lucius Malfoy would have been an excellent source for spells requiring very pure blood.”



Harry sighed, not liking at all where this was going. “So how do we get it?”



Draco smirked, a hint of fang peeking out, “Thought that was obvious… we fight. Battle is coming anyway, might as well up the stakes.”



Luna nodded, and stood, “When it’s done, let me know. “ She turned those clear blue violet eyes on Draco warmly, “I really hope this works for you.”



Draco watched her shut the door before he silently added, ‘me too’.



“We’ll need to see Hermione” Harry announced. But Draco seemed very distant.



“What can we give her Harry?” he suddenly asked.



Harry blinked, “What do you mean?”



Draco stared out the window, “Just what I said. What can we give her? What does she deserve?”



Harry pondered for a moment, “Everything” he answered honestly, “Everything good and great in this life and the next.”



Draco hn’d softly, “I agree. I also doubt that we can give her that.”



Harry sat on the edge of the bed, “Draco?”



He refused to look at Harry, his eyes on the winter hollyhocks outside his window, far below, nestled in the snow. But it wasn’t really the flowers he saw. It was a face caught in rapture, lips panting his name.



“I think I am dying Harry. No, I am certain of it.”



Harry balked, “No you aren’t! Stop that garbage Malfoy!”



Draco met his eyes fully, “Look at me” he whispered, “I am half man, half beast. A potion to kill or cure me. I have nothing to offer her. Not time. I am not the hero you are, I am not the good guy Harry. All I can offer is me, and hell, half the time, even I don’t want me”



Harry shook his head, “Stop it”. He rose to his feet, hands fisted at his sides. “So that’s it? You’d just give up on it then? On me, on her, on us?! Yourself?





Draco held his hand up for silence, “You have much more to offer her Harry. A life, a future, happiness. You can do all those things for her. True, a dark lord doesn’t marry, but I think she could be happy without that.”



He lifted his eyes to Harry again, his expression sadly resigned.



“This… thing between us… it ..IS…magical. And you must believe my feelings are true. It’s why I can’t do this anymore. The way people look at the three of us. Look at her.. Like she’s tainted…no. I won’t let that mar her. Tell her I love her?”



Harry’s power flared around him. Papers whipping into the air, glass cracking.



Harry smacked him hard, “No! You tell her Draco. You tell her you are too much of a coward. Tell her you can traipse half way round the world fighting but you can’t face her making you feel anything!”



Harry spun on his heel and left the room, slamming the door hard enough to rattle the lead paned window.



Draco pressed his fingers to the cold glass and then covered his face with his hands and lost himself in his despair.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Weeks passed. The snows losing momentum. Hermione got regular owls from Harry and even a few visits. But he didn’t try and touch her and she was too afraid to broach the subject of her exodus from Malfoy manor.



She retired to her flat at night, bundling before her fire, fighting tears.



She heard the whispers everywhere. She couldn’t escape them.



“Whored out to two wizards, scandalous!”

“Forgot about her right quick they did. Heard Draco is pursuing Pansy Parkinson again.”



“Lord Potter is a young man, prone to sow wild oats, I think he is set to settle down now. That Ms Brown is looking like the candidate.”



“Did you hear? Lavender Brown spent six hours in Lord Potter’s office yesterday. AND she had flowers on her desk today.”



“Poor Granger”



“Should have known better.”



“Cheapened herself, well that’s what happens when you aren’t decent”



They rang like angry bells in the space between her ears that used to house her brain. How had she been so stupid?



She tore Harry’s ring from her finger, the thin silver bands scattering, the jewels far apart. She refused to even look at Draco’s gift. She had been so eager to work things through when they had rescued her. Thought she’d have the chance.



But she hadn’t. She’d been rescued and left alone.



“I really messed up” she whispered one night to Severus who sat reading in his portrait.



Black eyes glanced up at her, “Whatever do you mean?”



“They aren’t… here” she said in a broken voice, “They aren’t coming. It’s because I ran away. It’s because I am just like Pansy to them! You should hear what people are saying.”



Snape snapped his book shut and glared at her, “Stop being such a moron” he said, “The final battle is getting closer. Harry is at his wit’s end trying to get ready, to minimize losses and wounds. Draco is trying to find his cure. That is why they haven’t come. Besides the fact that they let this little love affair be leaked at the worst possible time…”



“But they haven’t asked me!” she protested, “Haven’t included me!”



No. They hadn’t.



“They need time Mia” Severus finally said, “Time to understand what it is they want, what you need, what they have to do. What they cannot lose.”



She shook her head.



“Go home” Severus finally said, “Search the library. There might be something that can help you.”



She blinked. Of course he meant his home. Wit’s End.



She nodded, better to busy herself there than mope here. She refused to think of it as running away.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



She searched endlessly, taking her work and completing it from within the safety and comfort of Severus’ home.



Snape returned to Narcissa’s portrait often to discuss the goings on of the world and the state of Draco’s curse.



“I don’t think you should ask him to fight in the final battle Lord Potter” Narcissa said one night.



Harry glanced up from his paperwork. “I never ask anyone to fight” he reminded her.



She wrung her hands, “But his time is nearly up! The temptation to change out there could grow too great!”



Severus folded his arms over his chest and glared at the pretty blonde who had more than a little to do with his death. “He is aware of that”



She glared at him but said little, after all she owed him her son’s life…whatever is was. As she owed him her own, but that alas…was no longer hers.



Harry sighed, his concentration broken. He slammed his fist on the desk, “What?” he barked, “What do you want from me?”



Two sets of eyes, one pale green, one black as sin locked on him in surprise.



Harry was working himself into a fine fit. He had earned one he decided. “I have to do everything!” he shouted at them, “Watch for death eaters, protect the order, keep the muggles and everyone else safe! Everything is always about other people and I can’t even have…. What I want! The people that I want! Without everyone frowning down on us, driving us apart!”



Narcissa blinked, her lips pressed firmly together.



Severus pressed a hand to her lower back and urged her away, “Seek another frame for a little while Cissa” he said in a deadpan voice, “I must speak to our little lord Potter”.



Narcissa Malfoy didn’t even complain as she was forced from her own portrait.



Severus turned a clever eye on Harry a moment later. “Out with it.” he spat.



Harry leaned back in his chair, “What?” he demanded.



“Out. With. It. Potter” Snape drawled, “It’s obvious that you are miserable. Mia is miserable and I daresay Draco is as well. What has become of your shining triumvirate? Your love affair? Your close held prophecy?”



Harry held his head in his hands and Severus didn’t see a dark lord before him. He saw a scared and lonely boy. The same boy he had tried to teach occulemency to.



“Scared…. Potter?” he taunted. Daring the boy to deny it.



“Yes!” Harry shouted, “I am!”



Severus blinked, features well schooled. “What are you afraid of?”



Harry swallowed and flung his arm out towards his garden, “A garden full of everyone I know, of some I don’t! Of not being able to protect them. Of not having Draco, or Mione!”



Severus gave a smarmy smile.



Harry glared at him, “Happy now?” he demanded.



Snape leaned forward his robes billowing around him in the frame, “Ecstatic.”



“I hate you”



“I doubt that Potter. After all I have never taken anyone dear away from you..not really.”



Harry’s eyes were like green fire, “But you hold her so tightly. The wizarding world looked down you two as well, but she was somehow stronger for you..”



Snape fingered his thin lips, “Hardly Potter. I was the stronger of the two as I continue to be. Which is why she clings to me. You and Draco play at being dominant in the bedroom. But a true dominant is always so. No matter the setting, the place. You have failed to be.



She wallows in misery because of wagging tongues that you have the power to silence. You have not done so. She sits alone because of her loneliness which you have done nothing to remedy. Hermione felt safe with me because I wrapped her in my strength, my confidence and soon… it became her own. The longer you allow this to continue the deeper the fracture.”



Harry blinked. The damnable dungeon bat made a very good point. Neither he nor Draco felt very strong in the fervor of the naysayers. Neither felt very strong when it came to protecting her. Which is what they needed to do, needed to be.



Oh he’d heard every venomous word that had been uttered. More than a few about himself and Draco but the majority about Hermione. He was more than aware of Lavender’s contrivances to curry favor with him.



It was all over the paper this morning. Draco and Pansy’s imminent reconciliation and marriage, his own budding affair with one Ms. Brow.



Now bloody likely, but the rumors were like wildfire and everyone drew closer to flames in dark times. The Triumvirate would not survive it at this rate.



“You see…now?”



Harry lifted his head, “How do I do this?”



Snape shrugged, “Only you can answer that. But…. I … can tell you…. Where to start.”



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The goblins and their ilk left Lord Potter’s office late that afternoon, promissory notes and several large rolls in their hands. Lord Potter had commissioned them, and so, work would begin at once.



Harry turned to look at Snape, who nodded, “An admirable start. Now, go to Draco.”



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Draco was moping in his usual fashion. Which meant more than half of his practice targets lay strewn about in splintered bits of charred wood. His hands fairly ached from all the wandless magic he had used.



He was barefoot on the cold garden stones of the manor, his black trousers loose on his hips, his white shirt unbuttoned, untucked. Flapping in the lingering winter wind. No matter how he punished his body with tactile sensation he could not drown on his hungers. Or his pain.



Gods but he missed them. Missed Hermione’s shy smiles, Harry’s blushes. Missed touching them, holding them, being held.



He shook his head, “Its best this way” he told himself.



“That makes seventy today alone Sir” Maddy pointed out from the herb beds where she was tilling soil in preparation for spring.



Silver eyes narrowed on blue but the elf looked unconcerned.



“What we want and what we know we should do aren’t always conducive” he sniffed in a lordly manner.



Maddy rose to her full height of three feet and planted her hands on her lean hips, “And sometimes blind stubborness, fear and stupidity can ruin everything” she snapped at him.



Draco blinked, never, in all their years together had she EVER spoken to him like that.



“Maddy!” he said in a shocked tone, “What has gotten into you?”



She wrung her small hands now, “I hate it Sir” she whispered, “I hate…how empty this house is. How lonely it is. I hear it whisper down the halls. I hear you call to them at night Sir. Maddy wishes only for your happiness… and this Sir….is not it.”



He moved closer to her and knelt before her. His large hands framing her small face, her pointed ears protruding from either side.



“I just don’t want to hurt them Maddy” he told her.



Her little hands covered his own, as Saya had done and he felt his heart lurch. “You have never made a decision for me Sir” she said quietly, “You have always let me make my own and I praise every hair on merlin’s beard for you and the day you came into Maddy’s life. Let them have that option too?”



Draco felt his breath hitch at her words, “I am afraid” he admitted, his hands dropping.



Maddy wrapped her small spindly arms around him and clutched him close. Her long pointed nose pressing into his golden hair, “And there is nothing wrong with that Sir. Nothing at all.”



She merely smiled softly when Draco pulled her close, his face buried against her small shoulder and wept.



He was like a boy now and Maddy was determined to see him happy.



“You always do so much for other people Draco” she whispered, using his name as she hadn’t in many years, “Let yourself be a little selfish… even if it’s only this once. I promise you…. Love is stronger than you give it credit for.”



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The chief Editor of the Daily Prophet stared up at Harry in fearful wonder. It wasn’t that Harry had threatened to hex his bollocks off, or take a flame to his entire livelihood that astounded him.



It was the Dark Lord sitting down in his office for a nice long heart to heart.



In the end the Editor was certain he had the story of the decade, perhaps even century. Of course it would have to wait a few weeks before being printed. However, Harry had given him one tasty tidbit for the morning media.



As they spoke Aurors were closing in on one Rita Skeeter. Death eater and spy for the enemy. She had left her editor a note stating that because she had brought to light the more intimate nature of Harry’s life that he was out to hex her and had gone into hiding.



No one knew where she was only that regular owls carrying her work arrived on time for the newest additions. Gossip columnist she might be but she had an avid following of fans and therefore made many galleons.



By morning she would be arrested or dead. Either way, the public would want the latest news and would pay for it.



“We have an understanding then.” Harry said as he rose.



“Yes Lord Potter.”



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Crookshanks was hiding again. Hermione sighed when she heard the faintest tinkle of glass.



“Potion’s cabinet…. Again” she muttered.



“Mia! Control that bloody beast before he destroys my lab with all that needless tail waving!” Severus boomed from his portrait, “I should have hexed that blasted Kneazle when I had the chance.”



She rolled her eyes as she pushed the door open, “Crooks!”



There was no answer of course, but the flick of an orange tail tip from between the neatly arranged glass canisters drew her attention.



“You know he doesn’t like you being in here. Come on now. Out.”



Crookshanks leapt down and padded indignantly to the door and into the hallway. As he passed Snape’s scowling portrait, he cast a baleful yellow glare and the dark wizard.



“Yes… and I just miss you too” Severus growled at him, followed by a sharp hissing noise that sent the beast scampering away.



Hermione snickered from the doorway, “Last time you irritated him he pee’d on your shoes.” she reminded him.



Snape sniffed, clearly disliking the memory, “Well I sincerely doubt I have much to worry about now”.



Hermione smiled sweetly, “Several of your frames are in range Sev. I’d be careful.”



He said nothing but Hermione saw him slink from the edge of the frame as she turned the corner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Harry arrived at the manor just after seven. From the looks of things Draco had had a bad day. He stepped over wooden death eaters and piles of charred splinters and blackened stone and sand. Very bad indeed.



Maddy merely bowed to him, before pointing towards the stairs. “Abed my lord” she whispered.



Harry nodded, taking the stairs two at a time before throwing open the door.



He froze at the sight that met his eyes. Wide silver eyes open and staring at the door from a naked Draco, hand wrapped midway round his length. He jerked the covers over himself and glared.



“Do you know what time it is?” he snapped.



Harry slammed the door shut, “Seven oh five” he answered stalking towards the bed, “Do you know what your problem is Draco?”



A golden brow quirked and Draco tried to sit up but was thrown back by Harry’s unspoken spell.



Harry was shrugging out of his clothing as he spoke, “You like being in charge just as much as I do and Hermione… she likes to pretend that she likes being in charge. It‘s why we need each other. To rip that control away, you‘ve said it yourself a dozen times”.



It was clear that Harry was very aroused by him, and very much in control.



Draco tried to rise but Harry forced him down again, "No. We are all caught up in the taboos of the world around us. Why is that I wonder?. Am I not a dark lord? Are you not my chosen ones? Do we not seek to make the world a better place? Do we not seek to break from the old?" he asked.



Harry climbed onto the large bed after asking his questions. Draco was reaching for him, and Harry released him.



Draco moved to his knees but Harry knew what he was thinking, and caught hold of his wrist, flipping him to land hard on his back. "You are right my lord” Draco said Harry straddled him.



The blonde flushed, as Harry ran his fingertips down the partially exposed chest. Harry leaned closer to his face, tracing his tongue over the full lower lip. Draco opened his mouth as his liege lord and lover deepened the kiss, drawing the darker of the two closer to him. It was a blatantly carnal kiss. One neither had savored in some time.



Harry’s tongue tapped the points of Draco’s fangs making the other man moan. Apparently, they were for more than looks.



Bedclothes were pushed aside in fevered movements. Draco moaned as Harry nipped at his throat, soothing the fevered flesh with laps of his tongue and working his way downward to the sculpted chest. He teased the hardened pebbled of Draco’s nipples with a greedy tongue and heard the roar of his underling’s blood.



Draco arched his body and whined softly as Harry’s hand slid into beneath the coverlet to stroke the hot length hidden there. Draco was hard and the skillful caress against his flesh made his eyes clench shut.



Harry ran his thumb over the head, before squeezing. Draco bucked against him. Harry leaned over him, dark hair mingling with silver gold as he whispered, "Tonight, you're the bitch Draco."



With a swift jerk of his arm, Draco’s bedclothes lay in ruined tatters on the polished floor. Harry stroked Draco’s hardness with merciless strokes, the assassin clutching at him.



He nipped at Draco’s stomach, chuckling softly when the muscles flinched. His warm breath teased Draco’s shaft.



Draco squeezed his eyes shut as Harry licked him, and choked on his own cry when Harry’s hot mouth enveloped the weeping tip of his desire.



Harry worked Draco in an unhurried pace, alternating between languorous licks and sucking sweeps. His fingers cupped the flesh sacs and Draco cried out harshly.



Harry felt his own sex weep with want even as he felt Draco tighten underneath him.



"Harry, " he panted, "I - can't, can't hold off.".



Harry pressed a knuckle into the flesh of his perineum as he sucked hard. Draco felt the heat of his passion erupt, his balls tightening horribly for an instant before bliss flowed through him.



Harry did not swallow all of the evidence, but smeared his hand with Draco’s essence and coated himself, "Turn around Draco." he commanded in a desire roughened voice.



Draco forced himself onto trembling knees and leaned his weight on his forearms. It had been a while, probably too long, he hadn't been with anyone since he left. Harry positioned himself at the tight pucker of Draco’s body.



He pressed against the opening for an instant before he angled his hips and buried himself to the hilt. Draco tensed and hissed in pain at the invasion.

Harry felt the tight ring of muscles tighten around him, "Relax Draco." he said.



Draco took a deep shuddering breath and forced himself to relax. Harry pulled nearly all the way out before slamming back in. His thrust was aimed and he hit Draco’s prostate.



Draco yelped and arched back against him, meeting his now furious thrusts. It always felt good when Harry took him, he was the only one who could. When Harry took possession of him as he was now, Draco nearly swooned with delight.



Harry growled as he worked the kneeling man, his hardness tightening as Draco clenched around him. Grasping his muscled hips, Harry pounded into him. "You like it when I take you Malfoy?".



Draco panted his answer, "Y-yes mm.mmy lord."



Harry leaned forward nipping between his shoulder blades. He was close, Draco was already succumbing to his own release and he knew, that he, the great dark lord would follow soon after.



They came together in a great roar, bodies spent and shaking. Draco crumbled beneath the weight of his lover and Harry gathered him close, kissing his brow. His body slid from the confines of Draco’s body making them both gasp.



For long minutes they lay on the bed in a tangled, sweaty heap. Breathing ragged and labored.



“ I want you” Harry suddenly said.



Draco rolled onto his back with a groan, throwing his arm over his eyes, “You just bloody had me” he replied in a tired voice.



Harry pushed himself up to stare down at him, “No. I mean I want you and Hermione. The three of us together again. For the battle, for always.”



Draco felt the brush of knuckles against his jaw and opened his eyes. “You really think that can work?” he asked.



Harry nodded, “It can. If we want it enough.”



Draco was silent and staring at the ceiling.



“Do you want it?” Harry asked softly, almost fearfully.



Draco closed his eyes, “I…. want many things I cannot have” he whispered back.



Harry peered at him with quizzical eyes, “Do. You. Want. It?”



After a long, terrible moment of silence Draco spoke. “I……want…it”



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Hermione lay in Severus’s large bed, the green of the sheets and the black of the coverlet warm and carried the scent of Juniper and mint, just a touch of vetivert.



She inhaled deeply as she stared at Severus. “They always smell like you…. Your things” she murmured.



He arched a dark brow, “Should it smell of roses and violets Mia? Or of sun sweet pears like you do?” he asked.



She inhaled again, catching the scent of pears. “They already do” she told him, sniffing again, “I like it best when all I can smell is you.”



He gave a warm smile, “And I prefer to smell the blending my scent and yours. It’s why I often touched you before you went out. Just so that I could have your smell on my hands until you returned again.”



She blinked, “Really?”



He nodded, “I even had a bottle of your perfume painted into my frame so I could always have at least that.”



She smiled as he held said bottle high for her to see. “I miss you” she said, “And this house. It is you isn’t it? It looks so dark and forbidding but once you are inside it is warm and safe and beautiful.”



He leaned back in his chair, setting his book aside, “It was my hope that Wit’s End would be your home” he told her, “Even if I didn’t survive. I made arrangements.”



She sat up, “What?”



“Wit’s End, Mia, has been yours since the second month we were together.”



She shook her head, “No. You didn’t.” Her voice was breathless.



He gave a single nod and a small smirk, “I did. Ask for the deed.”



With a quavering voice she called out, “Accio deed”



The parchment rushed into her shaking hand and she carefully unfurled it. Eyes scanning the document and the elegant signature at the bottom.





She lifted wet eyes to the potion’s master, “Why?”



“So you would always be safe Mia.”



“May I bring the things from my flat over tomorrow?”



He shrugged, “My dear the house is yours. Just don’t take down all my portraits.”



She smiled rising from the bed and crossing the room. She raised on her tip toes to kiss the canvas. “Thank you my heart” she whispered.



Severus watched her wander back to the bed, lifting the covers and climbing inside.




Not long after as she drifted to sleep he heard her murmur, "I ....just...wanted..them to love me.....just....a.....little"

He waited for a very long time until she was sleeping soundly to vanish back to Harry’s study.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~