A Second Chance

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I am not the owner of Harry Potter or anything related to him. I can wish all I want but the fact of the matter is that he already belongs to J.K Rowling...despite how ticked off I am at her for the direction that she's currently taking my two favourite characters!

A/N: Warning...this one is a little more tripped out then the others. It is Au and Yes, there is SLASH involved! I attempted to make the chapters longer. Hopefully this is better then the previous chapter.


Chapter Five

Harry groaned, slowly regaining consciousness. Every muscle in his body screaming in protest at even the slightest movement. He could feel grass beneath him and cool air brushing across his skin, but couldn't place where he was. The last thing he could remember was...the caves! “What's going on?”

“I was hoping you'd be able to tell me!”

Harry struggled to get his eyes open, his head pounding hindering his attempts.

“What did you do, Potter?”

“Draco?”

“Who else were you expecting? The Easter bunny?” Draco snapped, moving to kneel next to Harry. “The last thing that I can remember is leaving the tent and the next thing I know I'm waking up in the middle of a field, you're past out beside me and I have a splitting headache!”

“The caves,” Harry groaned, pushing himself up on shaky arm, the pain the motion caused making his vision swim. He was extremely relieved when Draco moved to sit behind him.

“What caves? And what happened to you? You can barely move.”

Harry relaxed against Draco, the pain once again receding to a dull throb. “The caves we were investigating. When you left last night, you didn't come back. When we found out where you were I followed you with Julian and Alexander.”

Draco's brow furrowed. He shifted Harry's weight gently so he was more comfortable. “I don't remember even leaving the camp, let alone going into some cave.”

“When we found you, you were chanting. When I said your name the entire cave began to shake. After that all I remember was Alexander telling us we had to go and a sharp pain going through my body.”

Draco remained quiet for several moments. “It doesn't make sense,” he finally muttered. “The dark magic wasn't being cast. It was just...in the cave. It can't just take control over someone's mind.”

“We've never had that level of free magic in one place before,” Harry responded, softly. “In all honesty we have no idea what it was capable of.”

“Magic cannot just decide to manipulate things. It has to be cast!” Draco responded, falling completely into the problem. “But there couldn't have been anyone there. We would have seen them.”

Harry relaxed letting his eyes slip closed as Draco ranted. It was nice to be able to just relax in Draco's arms again. The feeling of warmth and comfort was definitely something he had missed. It had taken all of his strength to push Draco away the previous day. He didn't want to admit how much Draco had been right. He did miss the blond....a lot. A small frown appeared on his face at the thought. It's all well and nice for the moment, but you'll be on the back burner as soon as someone else comes along.

Harry sighed softly and opened his eyes again. So much for relaxing! He thought bitterly.

Harry continued to sit there listening to Draco talk through the problem. Up until this point he hadn't really noticed his surroundings. They were situated in what appeared to be a small valley. Behind them were steep hills, dotted with rock faces, each one jutting out from the inclines. In front of them lay a large open area. In the distance to their left appeared to be a small lake, a river running through the hills feeding it on the northern point. In the distance, directly in front of them was a forest. The trees looked to be knitted close together, a nightmare for anyone to travel through.

Harry squinted as movement among the trees caught his eye. What is that? It didn't take long for him to find out as three people stepped from among the tree. Two men and a women. All three of them had long black hair. The two men were wearing theirs down, while the woman's was pulled back into long braid. In each of their hands they held a weapon. The two men each had a long, dangerous looking spear, while the woman, on the other hand, held a rather intimidating sword in her grasp.

“Draco?” Harry responded, quietly, growing nervous when he was positive that the trio had spotted them. “Draco!”

Draco stopped talking and glanced down. “What? I was in the middle of trying to figure this out.”

“We have to go....now!”

“And where are we suppose to go?” Draco asked, rolling his eyes. “We don't even know where we are.”

“It doesn't matter,” Harry responded, struggling to get his body into a sitting position. “We have to go.”

“And why is that?”

“We have company and they don't look inviting.”

Glancing up and finally catching sight of the trio, Draco's eyes widened. “Oh shit! And you're just telling me know?”

His only answer was a pained groaned from Harry.

“Great, we're in unknown territory and being approached by three half naked people with spears.”

“Draco, I can't get up,” Harry gasped, already growing exhausted from trying to move his body. “I can barely move.”

Draco's gaze flickered from the approaching figures to Harry. Carefully he helped Harry into a sitting position, trying to ignore the whimpers coming from him as his muscles were stretched past their current limitations. We won't be able to make it far. They'll catch up to us in no time. He thought worriedly, judging the distance between them as he reached for his wand. He froze when his hand met an empty pocket. “I don't have my wand!”

Harry glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. The only movement he could make without sending more pain through his spine. “Check for mine. Hurry.”

Draco shifted closer and began digging around in Harry's pockets. “Yours isn't here either.”

Harry could know make out the the red feathers, decorating the their weapons and their hair. “Forget it, Dray. We have to go.”

Draco froze as the nickname brought more then one different emotion to the surface. Shaking his head to clear it he stood up and stepped around Harry. “I'm sorry, Harry, but I have to do this.”

Harry glanced up with a confused expression as Draco gripped his arm.

Biting his lip gently, he quickly pulled Harry into a standing position, causing him to cry out as a jarring amount of pain ran through him, leaving the Gryffindor dizzy and nauseous in the aftermath.

“Come on, Harry,” Draco encouraged, moving forward towards the hills behind them. “Try to walk with me. We have to get you out of here.”

Harry gritted his teeth and managed to stumble forward as Draco moved them forward, gritting his teeth as he fought to keep from vomiting with each step.

When the strangers noticed that their prey was moving their pace increased, changing from a walk to a run.

“Shit, they're moving faster. We can't out run them, not with you hurt,” Draco responded, attempting to move them quicker.

“Just leave me here and go and get help,” Harry muttered, breathing heavily and swaying.

Draco rolled his eyes. “Stop playing the hero. I'm not leaving you.”

“We need help, Dray. You'll be able to move quicker on your own.”

“And what about them,” Draco responded, glancing over his shoulder as he moved. “How do you know they won't kill you.”

“We'll have to take that risk.”

Draco growled, he seriously wanted to shake the stubborn Gryffindor until some sense finally fell into the thick head of his.

“No. End of story,” Draco responded evenly. “We've been in worse situations before and I didn't abandon you then and I'm not going to do it now.”

Harry wanted to argue but knew there was no point once Draco was set on something. Nodding slightly, he turned his attention back to his attempts at walking.

They made it within 10 yards of the first rock face, before Harry collapsed to his knees, tears of pain sliding down his cheeks. “I can't do this...it hurts,” he cried, his muscles cramping up from the movement and his stomach flipping. “Something is...wrong with me. It feels like my entire body is...on fire.”

“It's okay, Harry.” Draco responded, worry sketched across his face as he dropped down beside him. Moving closer he wrapped his arms around the Gryffindor, positioning him so he could lean back against his chest.

Harry's breathing was unsteady and his heart beat was quick. Draco glanced up, the trio was almost on top of them. He watched in wide-eyed fascination as the woman lifted one hand delicately and drew two symbols which glowed a bright red. Before she could finish the incantation, she stopped abruptly and jumped back, just barely dodging the white arrow that was lodged in the ground where she had been standing.

Unfortunately, it was enough to stop the woman but the other two were not so easily put off their target. Draco glanced around frantically, but couldn't locate anything that would help them. Shit! Harry. Shifting he moved to cover Harry, shielding him as best he could, while still holding onto him.

Harry cried out as the ground began to shake beneath them, jolting him from the settled position. Draco's eyes shot open in surprise. Glancing up quickly he caught sight of their attackers once again. The woman was sending what appeared to be spells at the top of the rock face, while the other two were attempting to balance on the shaking ground.

When the earth began to actually move beneath them, Draco tightened his grip on Harry. “Hold on, Harry.” he responded, trying his best to keep him from being jarred as much as possible. He was about to offer some more comment when they lifted off the ground. At this point he had to catch himself from shrieking in surprise.

They continued to rise until they had reached the top of the rocks. Draco sighed in relief when they weren't dropped to their deaths as he thought they would be. Instead they were set rather gently onto the ground at the top of the rock face. Their attackers were retreating back towards the woods. He turned to thank who ever had saved them but froze, his eyes widening. Behind them stood roughly 15 people. Their appearances similar to those who had just been attempting to harm them, with the exception that this group was wearing elegant robes instead of battle outfits.

Draco watched as an elderly man stepped forward and signaled two of the others to move forward. Draco tensed as they can closer.

“You must let go, young one,” came the gentle command from the man in front of him. “You are safe now. No harm shall come to you.”

Draco's eyes widened as the two men took his arms and pried them away from Harry. “No! Let me go!”

Once he was completely removed from Harry another couple came forward. This time female. Making the same kind of symbols he'd seen the other woman make, Draco watched as Harry was lifted off the ground, levitating between them as they moved away.

“No! Leave him alone!” Draco shouted, fighting the grip that the two men had on his arm. “Where are you taking him?”

“It is not a time for fear,” The elderly man calmly stated, motioning for the two holding Draco to follow him. “It is time for healing. Your friend is close to death-”

“WHAT?” Draco exclaimed, fighting even more to get out of the firm grip that held him in place. Landing a hard kick to the shin of one of the men he managed to get one of his arms free. Balling his fist he aimed a punch for the man still holding him. Just before contact his body froze in place.

What the hell is going on? His mind practically screamed. I have to find Harry.

Draco focused on the elderly man as he stepped up to the blond. “You must not fear us, young one,” he responded in the same quiet, calm voice that he had first spoken in. Reaching out he placed two fingers on Draco's forehead. “Sleep.”

When the words were uttered, Draco's immediately fell still in their arms, his eyes slipping closed as he fell into a deep sleep.

* * * *

Jason paced his tent. His hair was rumpled, his clothes were rumpled and his eyes bloodshot. It had been two days since the incident in the caves and he hadn't slept since. It had taken several long seconds before he had registered Lynn's comment. “They're gone!”

When he had gotten his motor skills back under control he had dashed around to face the screens of the computers. He hadn't removed his eyes as they had attempted test after test, trying to bring up even the slightest trace of magic from any of the missing men. When all the tests failed, he'd organized a search party to check out the area surrounding the caves. Only a few select members were given the task of searching the caves.

After several hours of searching the teams found Julian and Alexander. Each of them had been found withing the caves, unconscious. Julian was located first on the far side of the large cavern at the center of the caves, while Alexander was found shortly after further along in the winding passages. There had been no sight of either Harry or Draco. They had found their wands laying on the stone floor of the cavern but no other physical signs that they had been there.

Jason ran a hand through his disheveled hair. He was at a complete loss. The only ones who may have any answers were laying in the medical tent across the camp, unable to answer any questions asked. Even after two days Julian and Alexander had not woken. All their vital signs were normal and the test done showed that there was nothing wrong with them, besides the fact that they were unconscious. It was as though they were sleeping.

He'd tried everything to find an explanation and had failed at every attempt. Unfortunately his time was running out. In a short 5 hours, he was expected to file a report on the incident. The only question on him mind now was, How do you tell the British Ministry of Magic that not only had two of their best agents, not to mention one of them being Harry Potter, had disappeared without a trace and two of the agents from the Canadian Division had been rendered unconscious and showed no signs of waking any time soon?