The Lion and the Serpent

Draco retreated into Harry\'s bedroom and curled up on the bed. He was breathing evenly, deeply, trying to compose himself. He heard the voices behind the door. He heard Hermione and Harry instruct Layre to get started.



When a loud sound indicated the boy\'s departure, Hermione said softly to Harry:



“Get some rest.”



Lying with his eyes shut, Draco heard Harry enter the bedroom. The bed shuddered when Harry collapsed next to him.



Draco did not move, or open his eyes. He just continued breathing evenly and quietly.



“I know you are not sleeping,” Harry said, with a note of amusement in his voice.



Draco stayed stubbornly silent. Harry reached over to him and tugged on his sleeve.



“Put your jacket on. Come with me.”



Draco stirred. It sounded like a request, rather than order, and he wondered if he could just say no. He couldn\'t go, he thought despairingly. There was nothing else he could do. He had done everything Harry asked of him. He found a place for him to die. He prepared the poison. What more could Harry want from him now?



Harry\'s tugging on Draco\'s sleeve only intensified. “Come on,” he nudged him. “How would you like to remember this evening five years from now? Wallowing, or doing something real?”



Five years? Draco thought. He hadn\'t planned a day beyond Harry\'s death. In a way, it was like making plans to do something after the end of the world. And – Harry was rushing that end, hastening it every day. Two weeks – a few days – and then – tonight?



“Come with me,” Harry spoke again, now seriously, placing his hand on Draco\'s stiff shoulder. “I promise you won\'t regret it.”



With a deep sigh, Draco got up and grabbed his jacket.



“Fine...” he said gruffly, but his resistance was already beginning to melt away.



Flying to Hogsmeade was exhilarating. Draco realized that even though he hadn\'t flown in over a year, the control of the broomstick came back to him right away.. Harry flew in front of him, his entire body leaning along the broom, as if merging with it.



Draco followed closely, feeling the wind beat against his face, and small, cold drops of rain smash into his face. Draco blinked furiously, and glanced at Harry, wondering if the rain was bothering him. Harry looked completely untroubled – flying with absolute and utter self-abandon, as if nothing else in the world existed. Draco watched him, mesmerized. It was as if watching a lightning, or a storm. The man was a force of nature, complete in and of itself. Draco just stared at him in in silent awe, certain that Harry was oblivious to his presence, when suddenly, Harry turned his head towards him and asked, with a smile:



“Having fun?”



Draco could only nod, and smile back.



When they arrived to Hogsmeade, they carried the brooms on their shoulders. Draco felt people\'s eyes fixed on him, drilling into him. They knew who he was. Most of the world knew that he was the son of Voldemort\'s supporters, and a murderer who got away on a technicality. Draco lowered his eyes, wishing he could disappear. But then, Harry placed his arm around his waist, and drew him close, in a gesture that unmistakably said he\'s with me, as they walked side by side.



“Are you sure?” Draco whispered contritely.



“What does it look like?” Harry said impatiently, and nudged him towards a door that led inside a small repair shop of some sort.



It was dark inside. There were pieces of wood, strands of hair, feathers, claws, twigs and strings lying everywhere.



“Harry,” a quiet elderly voice said from the corner. “Good to see you again.”



“Wand Master Pavo,” Harry said, and pulled something out of his pocket. To his surprise, Draco recognized the mangled, broken remains of his own wand.



“You want me to fix this,” the old man chuckled, shaking his head. “So many come, wanting me to mend the irreparable, save the unsalvageable...” His hands took the broken wand, and cradled it gently, as if it was a fragile, injured creature that had to be nursed back to health.



“Yes, you see, the inner core of this one is unbroken,” the man mused. “Very thin, very flexible.... almost invisible.. it bends readily, but doesn\'t break easily. Yes, I think we can work with this. You know, as long as the inner core is intact, anything is possible.” He seemed to be staring right through Draco, deep in thought.



“You know what is at the core of your wand, don\'t you, young man?” Pavo asked.



Instantly, Harry supplied the answer.



“Unicorn hair,” he said, startling Draco with his confidence.



“The wand will be ready in a couple of days,” the man said. “I will see you then.”



“Draco might be coming by to pick up the wand on his own,” Harry said nonchalantly. “Please show him the same courtesy you would me.”



“Of course, Harry,” the storekeeper agreed politely. “As you wish.”



They walked away from the shop and Draco was about to mount his broom, when Harry did something unexpected. He brought his broomstick to hover in the air, parallel to the ground, and then jumped on the handle with both feet. For a moment, Harry balanced precariously, and then found his equilibrium.



“Ever tried flying like this, Draco?” he asked with a wide grin.



“I have seen you do this,” Draco muttered disapprovingly.



Harry laughed. “Come on – it\'s fun....Try it just once.”



Draco did. It took him a little while to find the balance – while standing on the handle of the broomstick. He felt uncertain, and shaky, but Harry held his hands, steadying him.



“You are a great flyer, and it only gets easier from now on,” Harry assured him. “The faster you fly, the easier it is to maintain balance.”



It turned out that Harry was right. As they soared upwards, Draco found to his surprise that maintaining balance became almost effortless. He suddenly remembered Harry\'s lecture about \'walking the line\', and how hard it was. Perhaps that\'s why Harry was no longer walking the line – he was running it, flying it, rushing towards the end goal, and the faster he moved, the easier it became.



They soared above at an incredible speed, facing each other, holding hands. And then, as the clouds parted around them, Draco saw Harry leaning towards him, and Draco met him halfway, kissing him on the mouth, passionately and furiously.



Draco wished the flight would never end, but of course, it ended too soon. When they arrived to Hogwarts, they walked together, exhausted, drenched in sweat and rain, tracking dirt and water through the hallways, and then, through Harry\'s quarters, all the way to the shower door.



In the shower, the streams of hot water enveloped them, and Draco closed his eyes. Harry\'s hands were on him, turning him around, making him lean against the wall. Trembling from arousal caused by his owner\'s touch, Draco complied, and arched his back out in blissful surrender. Harry\'s lips pressed against Draco\'s back, and a long, tender kiss lingered on it. Then, Harry\'s fingertips stroked Draco\'s back gently, as his tongue traveled along Draco\'s spine. Draco gasped with astonishment at how much pleasure his body could experience and endure.



When Harry knelt behind him, and kissed the small of his back, Draco shuddered involuntarily. And then, Harry\'s hands gently parted his buttocks, and the torturous tongue slid between them, caressing, bathing, and finally penetrating his opening. Draco cried out plaintively, feeling as if his body was being transformed. It was as if his Master was changing the memory of his body, erasing the memories of violations and mistreatments, replacing them with memories of pleasure.



When Harry\'s hands finally connected with Draco\'s throbbing member, Draco gasped, and tried to hold back, but once again, he spent himself almost instantly, his seed mingling with the streams of hot water.



Draco turned around and stared at Harry, blushing deeply. Even kneeling before him, Harry was unmistakably the Master, clearly in full control of his servant\'s body, just as the traces of seed on the shower floor indicated. Draco opened his mouth to thank him, but Harry just shook his head and smiled.



Turning the water off, Harry wrapped a large soft towel around Draco, and led him out into the bedroom. Draco sprawled on the bed luxuriously, his head resting against Harry\'s shoulder. For the moment, nothing else mattered, or even existed.



“Harry,” Draco asked quietly. “You knew it was Unicorn hair... how?”



“It fit you,” Harry said with an absent smile, his hand stroking Draco\'s shoulder. “You know the lore... unicorns...creatures of absolute purity.”



Draco laughed bitterly, his hand automatically reaching to touch his Mark. “You\'ve gotta be kidding me,” he said. “Voldemort\'s promised sex slave, as a creature of absolute purity?”



Harry\'s hand clasped over Draco\'s, their fingers interlocking, Harry\'s knuckles brushing against Draco\'s Mark.



“A Unicorn can only be captured by means of injustice,” Harry said softly. “His horn is said to neutralize poison...don\'t you see? That\'s what you are doing, Draco. You are taking care of Voldemort\'s venom. For all of us.”



Draco listened, hypnotized by Harry\'s voice.



And yet there was something left unsaid between them.



“What else?” Draco whispered.



“Sometimes, you remind me of someone else,” Harry said gently. “His wand used to have a Unicorn hair at the core as well.”



-------------------------- TO BE CONTINUED -----------------------------

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Author\'s Note:



So yes, the Unicorn lore.... and the trivia nuts will remember that Ron Weasley\'s wand had unicorn hair as the core. Draco is officially part of the new Trio.. yes...



Next Chapter is titled Last Night, but it\'s not ready yet.



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