Harry Potter and the Womb of Requirement NOW CODED

50

After a meagre breakfast, Draco fed and changed Cariad and they left her in the Protected Section with Molly and Poppy. The rest all went outside into a muggy overcast day. Within minutes, hair was sticking to sweaty foreheads. They wandered out onto the lawn. The Order and Staff were on patrol. The Ten saving what energy they could. They wandered down to the lake in the hope of a fresh breeze. No joy. Although various people paddled at the edges. Blaise looked longingly into the centre, dying to swim, but as all knew of it’s inhabitants, desires like that were shelved.

They flopped down onto the grass. It was too hot to even cuddle much and they made do with holding hands or playing with a lover’s hair. The fear in the air was palpable.

Harry closed his eyes once more felt out Voldemort’s channel. He sensed it in his mind, like silent static on a tuned out TV. He closed his mind to his lover and friends, keeping the idea of his Shields in place below his skin, ready to snap them to, then sent hard across the channel. Then a loud yelp into his mind that made him jump. His Shield snapped to instantly and the channel was cut. Draco was all concern in a moment. {Harry, what happened?}. Harry grinned, {I shouted into his mind. It made us both jump}.

Hermione and Ron were beside him in seconds. He turned to his best friends, {Come on, ‘Mione, you said to call him out. I think I just woke him up, actually. I’ll try again in a bit}.

Hermione sank back into her gloom. Draco spotted it and sat beside her. {What’s bothering you?, I know this isn’t just about Ginny fighting with the others}. She turned haunted eyes to his, {I might have to kill your father}. The baldness of the statement took Draco aback. He shrank away slightly, looking down. {Oh, fuck. The Potion. He’ll have to take it won’t he?}. He sensed the assent at his side, also Hermione’s crumpling into herself.

He threw his arms around her, she buried her face on his shoulder, {I can’t do this, Draco. I can’t kill the man in cold blood like that. He’s your father}, she howled in terror. Ginny and Harry were alarmed, but Draco shushed them, shaking his head. They realised what their bond-mates discussed and stayed out of it. Draco held the weeping girl to him, threading his fingers through her hair, letting her cry herself out.

As sobs turned to snuffles, he raised her head. She couldn’t look him in the eyes. He touched their foreheads together, {‘Mione?, I’m going to send you something. Be strong. It’s not nice. Then see how you feel}. She glanced up at him then. To see the grim expression. She nodded once. He sent his previous summer holiday, in more detail than he’d shown Harry. She paled and parted them slightly, looking into Draco’s eyes, horrified. That this boy’s own father could do such a thing to his own son. She was aghast. She watched Draco’s eyes fill, then sent her own father revealing to her the suite of rooms they’d built for her, handing her the scissors to cut a length of pink ribbon over the door on the landing.

{That’s what fathers are supposed to do, Draco. And if this is the pureblood Wizarding world. Then I’m glad I’m a Muggle-born}. Draco held her close again, weeping into her shoulder, {‘Mione, you just do what you have to, okay?. If it means that bastard dying, then I for one, give you my permission}. She looked up into his determined eyes, still shedding tears, wiping them with her fingertips, {I’m so sorry, Draco}. He shook his head, then sent the revelations about his sister, the difficult decisions his parents had had to make until fate took his sister from him.

{So, he may yet be redeemed. If any of that goodness is still within him?}, she’d got it immediately, and Draco knew that not only Magi were to be counted amongst the truly wise. {Shit, Draco, what if you two have to make a decision like this with your two?}. He shook his head, {Haven’t a clue, ‘til we have the other one}, he smiled then. {So don’t worry. Do what you have to. Please}.

{Of course I’ll worry, it’s in the nature of Gryffindors, but it’ll be bloody hard to do, all the same. I’ve had a lovely life so far. My parents love me to bits. They had no problem with me and Ginny being together. Mum sussed it out before I told her}, in her mind she was running up the stairs to her beautiful suite of rooms, her channel to Draco open. His arms tensed around her, {Hermione, I can see all of this. I’m right behind you on the wooden steps}. She gazed into his eyes, then in her mind, she turned to him and grabbed his hand, {Stay with this, I’ll show you something}.

She threw open the door and Draco took in the large room before him. He was literally moving around in her mind. He pointed to various objects and she named them. She plunked them down on the settee and flicked the remote so the TV came on. Some random gardening show. She felt Draco’s amazement. She changed channels, an Action movie, lots of shouting and explosions. {‘Mione, what’s happening here?}

She shrugged wiping her face, {Dunno, stay with me. Let’s test this further. We’re sitting on the sofa, yes?}. Draco went back and nodded. {Okay look over your right shoulder. I’ll look at the TV. What do you see?}. {A door and a long desk thing with a box on it, looks like a square TV, not like the one we’re watching}. {Okay, can you get up from the sofa, open that door and tell me what you see?}, her instincts were on full alert. Draco checked to see if he could see his feet, then stood up in Hermione’s mind and went to the door, opening it. {Wow, you’ve got your own shower room, cool}. They snapped back to the present, their eyes round staring at each other.

Ginny and Harry were sending like mad, {What’s the matter?. That felt really strong, although I couldn’t read it}. Draco reeled the two into the ‘conversation’. Hermione grinned at them. {The Magic just changed again, or we figured something out that we’ve had for a bit. Harry, None of us has ever been to the Dursley’s. Open up to this channel and send us something}. Draco giggled a send to Ginny. {I’ve just seen TV for the first time}.

Then all at once, all four were in Harry’s dismal bedroom at Privet Drive. {Your room’s far nicer}, Draco cheekily sent to his Elemental, then sent what he’d seen to the other two. Ginny was amazed, {It’s exactly right. And the box on the desk is the computer monitor}, she giggled.

After some prodding, Draco took them on a short tour of the Manor, shuddering as he passed the entrance to the dungeons, Hermione squeezed his hand and the tour continued. He led them into the large kitchens, his favourite small study that was for his exclusive use and showed them his comfortably appointed suite of rooms. Harry giggled. They all caught it. {You still keep your teddy bear on your bed?}. The tour finished with a snap and Draco looked down, embarrassed. {Wasn’t my bear. It was Cariad’s}, his send mumbled. In moments they were back in Little Whinging and with a sniff, Harry showed them all the cupboard he’d lived in until he was twelve, {Just so you know}.

Draco, his face creasing again, relinquished Hermione and took Harry into his arms. Hermione and Ginny took a hand each. Hermione sent to the other six who were showing concern, {It’s all right. There’s some new Magic that we can do. It seems we can walk about in each other’s memories, and we’re just sharing some. That’s why it’s a bit emotional}.

Draco rocked his bond-mate as they both wept, {Harry, I promise you that you will never have to go back there. And I never want to see the Manor again. Merlin knows where we’ll live after all this.....}, his send faded. Harry moved in his arms and looked up, {I don’t care, my Dragon. I’ll sleep on a friggin’ park bench with you and our baby if need be, but neither of us are going back. Anyway, I’ve got loads of money. We’ll find that garden. Then buy it. I can’t be doing with mortgages}.

Draco was confused. Mortgages? Huh? Property in his family was inherited. Harry, rich? More confusion. Hermione chuckling, {Didn’t you know, Draco, Harry can buy your family out to a factor of at least four?}. He turned wet but puzzled eyes on his lover. Harry shrugged, {She’s probably right. Go on, how much are you worth?}, his grin was extremely cheeky. Draco replied, {You show me yours and I’ll show you mine}. He pouted. Harry kissed him, {Oh, no, you don’t. You first}.

The girls were agog. Draco let out a long breath. {We won’t be short of a Galleon or two, Harry. Currently, I’m worth about 3 mil that I came into on my majority. Then when I finally inherit, I’ll be sat on about 35. Go on, your turn}. Harry let a slow smile spread. {Okay, the Galleon currently fetches about 2 and a half to the British Pound}. He tipped his head back trying to do the Maths. Hermione sighed, {About 17 mil at my calculation}. Harry flicked her a thank-you glance, then smirked worthy of a Slytherin. Hermione leaned in slightly. She’d always known Harry was rich, but he’d never divulged the extent of it. She held her breath. He took a deep breath, {Well. I’m worth about 156 million. Pounds Sterling. Even though it’s all in Wizarding cash at Gringott’s}. This news caused three dropped jaws.

Draco coughed and looked down, {Merlin, Harry, You could buy my family out several times over}. Harry grinned, {Well at least I know you’re not marrying me for my money}. The girls were gobsmacked, {And I feel like a rich woman with 60 grand that Nana left me sat in the bank. Pounds Sterling, of course}. She started to laugh. Her Girlie joined in, {I’ve got precisely fuck all and I don’t even have a bank account. I may have a knut stuck in the bottom of a pocket somewhere}. Hermione kissed her, {Yes, but when we get you work, you’ll overtake Draco at least. Trust me on this. You’re going to be huge}. Ginny turned round eyes on her bond-mate, {This modelling lark can earn that much?}. Hermione nodded and kissed her again.

{Not all models earn in that league, but you can still make a nice earner out of it}. Ginny looked down thoughtfully, {If we survive this, then we’re going to telephone that scout. I never realised the rewards were that good}. She leaned back on the grass, spreading her hair around her head, arranging herself provocatively, licking her lips, striking several poses. Harry’s mouth went dry at the intensity of the gaze she sent to the three, {I wish I had a camera}, his send murmured. Hermione sent back, {Exactly}.

Ron brought them all back. {I don’t want to worry you, but I don’t like the look of that cloud up there. It’s sailing against the wind and approaching pretty quickly}. They all looked up and Harry immediately opened the channel. He felt a prickling in his scar but no pain. {It’s Him, but my scar doesn’t hurt, it just tingles a bit}. Hermione smiled at him briefly before turning to the small cloud on the horizon, {You’re a full-bonded Mage now , Harry, higher than him. He can’t hurt you through the scar anymore even though it’s a connection he wrought without your consent. He’ll know it causes you pain and it might give him pause that you cannot experience it as pain anymore. You’re bigger than him, Harry. Go to it, and I’ll mop up the mess. I think we need to assemble the others. Would you like me to do the honours?}. Harry stared at the cloud and nodded, {Yes. Please}, his send barely a whisper.

Instead of sending, Hermione rose and headed to the Castle at a run. Ginny followed. Hermione turned and stayed her lover, holding her hands out. {I need to fetch the Potion. You need to be with the Warriors}. Ginny frowned, {Missy?}. Hermione turned back and caught her lover in a breathless kiss, {Ssshhh, we have different roles now. Go do yours. I love you my bond-mate, my love, my own. Now go}. With a breaking heart, she turned Ginny and sent her back to join the others, then dashed up the steps and into the Castle.

She rushed to the lab, collecting Potion and cups, then to the Hall. A few folk hurrying a meal. She threw open the doors, {They’re coming. They’re a way off yet. They’re hiding in a cloud. We need everybody}. She turned tail and dashed out. She sent an open send to all to come to them, all of the various patrollers dashing to the spot, all gazing up at the slowly approaching patch of blackness. With a last kiss, she relinquished her Girlie. She glanced aside, watched Draco kiss his bond-mate desperately, then let him go. The Eight formed a line in the grass. Harry flicked a hand, rendering them all invisible to gasps around them, then an eight-fold shimmer ran three steps forwards and took off.

Draco and Hermione clung to each other watching the loves of their lives soar away. {Come on, Draco, we’ve got a web to weave}.

She placed them all around the field. Severus opposite her, Remus over from Draco. Arthur she set up from Kingsley. Minerva opposite Tonks, Sturgis, Albus. She extended her arms out to either side. They all mirrored the gesture. She screwed her face up and sent one of the strong ones. Crackling through space into similarly spread fingertips. Severus couldn’t help himself. He yowled into the air. Minerva doubled over. Tonks coughed loudly. Kingsley purred. Albus laughed and Remus flung his head back, biting his lower lip, {You’re bloody naughty}. She growled, {Concentrate, chaps}. Immediately, the mood sobered and they all looked to her.

Draco sent a {You’re a trollop, Granger}, she flicked a glance to him, an eyebrow quirked and winked. Then turned her attention to the task at hand. Between them they wove elastic strands across the field between each other, each send more loving and protective from the Mage and his Elemental, and there wasn’t a dry eye as they completed the net, in time for Bellatrix LeStrange to fall into it. Dead.

{No}. Hermione magically anchored her strands and dived into the middle of the net, her face crumpling. She lifted the dead woman against her, sobbing. She clambered out of the elastic strands. {She might have been saved}. Draco shook his head. {No, ‘Mione. She, you could not have turned. Her webs were already woven too deep. Your Potion would have been wasted on her}. He anchored his own strands and went to hold her as she laid the lifeless body to the ground. The first casualty. He held her as they both looked up.

To flashes. And burns. The smell of wand-singed flesh floating down.

The flyers were almost treating it like a Quidditch game. Only they could send now, where their adversaries could not. And all was fair in love and war. Particularly War.

Harry sent to Ron, {Now you know why I had to dip out of Quidditch. Draco too}. Ron nodded. Then cleared a path. To Rodolphus LeStrange. His hand coming up in slow-motion, opening. Slowly, sensuously. A slow intonation, almost without thinking. {Avada Kedavra,} and Rodolphus sailed down to join his dead wife.

Antonin Dolohov was next. Hermione purred into her best friends’ minds. {That was the bastard that tried to kill me in the Ministry}. Ron caught Harry’s eye. They read each other. Dolohov was the next to drop. To cheers from Hermione. Even as she gathered his cushioned fall, and dragged him from the battlefield. She looked down at him, her nemesis for the last two years, and kissed his brow between his sightless eyes, {I hope I’m not depriving anyone of a husband and father}, she feathered her fingers over his eyes, closing them for the last time.

Draco trained his vision upwards. Harry seemed to be able to spread the invisibility charm so far, but every now and again, someone would appear from under it, to be blasted by a spell. Thus it was that Ginny, having seriously injured Peter Pettigrew, emerged form the Warrior’s charmed space by accident only to narrowly avoid a stinging hex to her heart. It caught her leg instead, tearing and burning through her jeans. She howled in agony, passed out from the pain and dropped like a stone.

Hermione screamed, “Girlie, No”, and clambered into the net, taking her beloved in her arms, her heart breaking, holding the redhead tight, rocking her, lost to all. Draco was at her shoulder, {Come on, ‘Mione, we need to get her some help. Get her out of here at any rate. Where’s Poppy?. Oh, gods, she’s with Cariad}. He sent to Arthur, {Can you go and relieve Poppy?, we need her here}. Arthur merely nodded and set off at a run towards the castle.

Hermione turned all of her healer’s skills toward her injured lover. She carefully removed Ginny’s jeans, glad her lover was still unconscious. She examined the wound, picking out stray bits of singed cloth, then drew closer, the stench of burned flesh in her nostrils. She couldn’t take Magic away but she could remove residual evil. With a sent, {Sorry, love, but this is going to hurt}, she swiped her tongue several times over the wound then spat forcefully several times.

Ginny came back screaming with pain, into Hermione’s arms, {Sorry, love. I had to..., let me look at you}. The pain subsided quickly and Ginny’s lashes fluttered shut again. She pulled Hermione against her and kissed her hard, and, even though she was in agony, a small part of her knew. The effect her lover’s magic had on others. She tried hard to smile, then passed out again.

Up in the air, the spells were coming thick and fast. The Death-Eaters kept enough of a phalanx around Voldemort, that Harry couldn’t get a direct shot. It wasn’t only Voldemort’s side who were throwing a determined shield around their champion. The six kept weaving and dodging in front of Harry, fighting off the spells fired at them.

Harry sent a desperate send into all of their minds, {Much as I appreciate the protection, guys, I have to get to him. It’s as the prophecy said, it’s him or me. We’ll carry on, but when I say now, then you all part. I need a direct shot}. He felt their assent.

With a lurch of sickening disgust, he felt Voldemort’s send. He snapped his connections shut to the others, they all sensed it and everything suddenly stopped.

{Harry, I’m not here to kill you. I’m here to claim you}, his tone was seductive. {I know what you are. I killed the Auror who first dowsed you. You were meant for me, Harry. I want you. I never wanted to kill you. I want to bond with you. Together we will do extraordinary things. There is no good and evil, Harry, there is only power. We shall have such that this world has never seen}.

Harry let his Shield down for a lightning fast moment, enough to send a whispered {Now} to his co warriors. They parted like early morning mist allowing Harry to fly towards his avowed enemy. In the air and on the ground, all held their breath.

Voldemort flew out in front of his Death-Eaters and watched Harry approach. Slowly, gracefully. He stopped half-way between their two camps and hovered. He allowed a small smile to play with his mouth. With a seductive motion, he beckoned Voldemort to him, licking his lips, tipping his head to one side, {Yes}, he whispered.

In a corner of his mind he could feel Ron’s battering send, {What the fuck are you doing, Harry?}. He received a quiet, {Ssshhh}, which did nothing to reassure him.

Harry’s nemesis drew level with him. Harry smiled then, an open smile, {And here was I, thinking you’ve been trying to kill me all these years. You idiot. Why didn’t you just tell me?}, he was forcing his breathing into a slow pattern. In out, in, out. They were now face to face, turning gracefully around each other. Voldemort reached out to Harry, his glowing red eyes transfixed to Harry’s deep malachite gaze.

Harry feinted away from the touch. But only slightly. The others were all horrified as they watched. Time stood still. Draco wanted to break away from Hermione’s restraining arms and fly to his lover’s rescue. {Don’t be silly, Draco. Harry needs to be close enough to do the ‘kiss’. He’s doing great. V’s besotted. He’s waited so long}, her send was slightly wistful, a half-smile toying with her lips. She could read her Mage.

She could see Voldemort’s chest rise and fall quickly, plainly pleased with how things were going. She saw Harry collect himself and go deep inside, breathing out until his sternum almost hit his spine, then softly place his lips over those of his bitterest enemy, and suck, HARD.

As his Magic was sucked out of him, he started to fall. Harry kept the pace, even snaking his arm around Voldemort to gentle his fall. Finally kissing Harry Potter made Voldemort oblivious. To convince, Harry let his tongue flick against his enemy’s to feel the gesture answered.

The net met them and they parted, ‘oof’-ing into it.

Instantly Voldemort was on his feet, his wand hand pointing towards Harry. {What trickery is this?}. No answer. It hadn’t been sent. His eyes burning, He sent, {Avada Kedavra}.

Nothing happened. Harry stood before him. Smiling slightly. “Your magic is all gone”, he said. Then grinned. Then tossed his head back and laughed.

Voldemort lunged at him, aiming for his throat, but a blond streak passed before his vision, knocking him sideways. Harry subsided into the net, turned and vomited copiously into the grass below the net, a thick brown viscous fluid that scorched the grass it landed on.

Draco yelled into her mind, {Hermione!. We need your Potion}. She was beside them in an instant, thumbing the cap off the bottle. She cradled the hated head on her arm and tipped a generous measure into his mouth, then clamped it shut, rubbing his Adam’s apple until he swallowed, much like she did when she’d given Crookshanks his worming tablets.

She saw the beast smile slightly, “What could you possibly do to me, mudblood?”. She shook her head. “Not me, but my Potion. I am an Elemental and this was brewed with love and light. The Truth will either set you free or kill you. Let’s wait and see shall we?. I’ve made it as gentle an exit as possible, if exit it is”. His eyelids were fluttering, “Are you sure this isn’t some silly schoolgirl prank?”, he giggled. Her voice was icy cold, “Does it feel like one to you?. Do Magic”, she commanded.

He could not. He laughed weakly, “If you are an Elemental, then you have bonded Magi close by?”. She smiled, “I, too am bonded. We did it right this time, Voldemort..... Tom....”, her voice softened.

Harry sat up in time to witness Voldemort’s death. In the air above them, Ron and Blaise and the others all held the Death-Eaters in a levitated binding spell, lowering everyone carefully back down to the net.

{What do you need to do to this lot, ‘Mione?}. She looked at the sorry group bound before her and rose. Striding purposefully towards them, she sent, {Draco. Maybe you need to look away now}. He moved closer, {Not on your life. If he has to die, then I’m gonna watch}. Hermione shivered slightly at the vehemence of his send, then did what she had to. She eased the cap from her bottle dispensing a generous measure into the mouths of Peter Pettigrew, Barty Crouch junior and Lucius Malfoy.

She made sure they swallowed. All collapsed in a swoon. Hermione counted a very nervous hundred. Then opened her eyes. Pettigrew was dead, Crouch too. Malfoy was deadly pale. Draco was horrified. Then his father opened his eyes, shaking his head and ventured to sit.

He looked up from his position to see Hermione standing over him, a sharp blade in her hand, a drop of blood on the tip of her thumb. Dumbly, Lucius held out his hand and she opened his thumb-pad. He braced himself as he touched with the Elemental. He swooned again.

There was a sound at the edge of Hermione’s consciousness as she felt events take her and she pitched over sideways. Applause, from the rest of the Ten, the Staff and the Order.

She awoke, her head pounding, willing herself back to the soft blackness. But the light intruded anyway. Then a murmuring and hazy darkness surrounded her. She vaguely felt a warm weight in her arms, Girlie, before she went under again. The next time she surfaced, it was to feel soft kisses on her face, gentle entreaties to wake up, but deep slumber tugged at her with eager fingers and she succumbed.

Her eyes were crusty and feeble as they opened again, but this time they stayed open a while. The blinds were all drawn, it was night time as far as she could tell. One arm was trapped and asleep beneath her beloved. Her other hand rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She extracted her other arm and winced as it came back to life.

Immediately she felt Poppy’s hand soothing her, {Ssshhh, Voldemort’s dead.. He’s dead. Your bond-family are all fine. You’re exhausted. Ginny insisted on staying with you. She needs you}. Hermione’s send was a bit hazy as she surfaced again, {I need her too, Madam. I always will}, then she closed out the Medi-witch and sent around the castle, {Draco, Your Father didn’t die. There’s goodness in him yet}. She vaguely felt the reply. {No. But he doesn’t know about Cariad yet. We’re waiting for you to be here. No rush. Take your time}. Harry.

She was faintly aware of voices coming and going as she surfaced and sank, but always the same soft weight of her lover against her, holding or being held. She clung on even though she felt she might drown.

She drifted in and out throughout the night and the next day. Suddenly, around dinner-time, she snapped to. In seconds Ginny was awake beside her, kissing her into oblivion. In a heartbeat her blood heated and she sank into her Girlie’s erotic ministrations allowing herself to stretch out and be taken in the slow delicious way her Girlie had until she howled in release, Ginny following, riding her thigh.

After a long bath and finding out she’d been asleep for thirty six hours give or take an hour, she found the strength to climb into clothes and, leaning against her Girlie, they made their way down to dinner. They entered the Hall to cheers.

She took her place and sleepily linked hands with her Girlie to one side, Ron to the other. All eight linked up and fed her energy. She laughed, feeling it course through her, energising her, Until she remembered. Two lights going out in her arms. Dolohov and Voldemort. She bowed her head, Ginny took her into her arms as she wept afresh.

Of Voldemort’s escorts, only Lucius remained. He was now led into the Hall flanked by Kingsley and Tonks in their capacity as Aurors, followed closely by Severus and Remus. He looked shrunken, diminished and very tired. A spell-burn on his cheek had been dressed. The bandage almost the same colour as his pallid face. He was led to a seat and ordered to sit. He was chained in place. He glanced at the weeping girl along the table vaguely wondering at her distress.

The doors clapped open with a bang. Harry and Draco, Cariad tied around him, stepped into the Hall. Everyone looked up. Smiles all around except for Lucius, who scowled darkly at his son. Who walked up to him, hauteur in every step, matching his Father’s scowl, his eyes blazing down into those of his Father, “You lied to me. You didn’t prepare me. You didn’t tell me. Explain yourself”.

Lucius’ eyes flicked downwards then back to meet his son’s. “It was your sister, son. She had no Magic”, he whispered. Draco found his father’s channel immediately and sent, so only himself, Harry and his Father could hear, {I know Vati, I know}. Lucius started in surprise, {You have started to realise}. Draco allowed a small smile to toy with his lips, {I’m fully realised, Vati. There’s someone I’d like you to meet}. He made a motion for his father to move up. Lucius complied wordlessly, leg chains stretching and clanking.

Draco sank down next to his father. Harry the other side of him undoing the sling. Draco unwrapped his daughter and laid her in his Father’s arms. {Meet Cariad Lily Malfoy-Potter}. Lucius’ amazement knew no bounds. {Potter?. You said Potter}, he frowned. Harry came up beside Draco and placed his arm around his lover’s shoulder, {Yes, he did. And, yes, it’s me. We are Magi and bond-mates, and this is our daughter. Your grand-daughter}.

Lucius could feel all the eyes in the room on him. He lowered his and looked into his granddaughter’s clear emerald gaze then back to his son, who was wrapped in the arms of one Harry Potter, seated in his lap, his head dipping to capture his son’s lips with his own. They kissed for a moment, then reluctantly pulled apart. Lucius saw the smile on his son’s face, the flush in his cheeks, the loving look as they drew apart.

Draco, ever mindful of his daughter’s moods, heard the little hungry mewls and reached forwards, gently taking his child back, {She needs to feed. Excuse me.}. He and Harry stood and made their way to the Warrior’s end of the table. He didn’t turn again as he heard the clank of his father being led from the Hall. Lucius Malfoy was going back to Azkaban to serve out the rest of his sentence.

Before sitting down, Harry had a thought and sending his lover a grin he kissed his lover and left the Hall. {Be back in a moment, love}, he shot off.

Re-assembled, the Ten all set about their meal, all except Harry. Hermione shot him a frown. {Come on, Harry. You must be starving}. He nodded, {I am, but I thought your Potions had to be taken on an empty stomach}, her frown deepened, {Yes, but....}, then in her fuzzy state, she realised, she knew. And cracked up laughing. {Aren’t you even going to find the house first?}, she chuckled.

Harry shook his head, {If ever there was an occasion to celebrate life, then this is it. Dragon, lay your spare hand in mine}, his lover did so. {Ron, lay your hand on my shoulder, I need a hand free, here}, Ron grinned, {Sure, Harry, I’ll always be here for ya, mate}. Harry felt the warmth of Ron’s palm, {Now all join hands. Send me your encouragement}. Hermione couldn’t help herself, she giggled, {Have you thought of a name yet?}. Harry’s reply was serious but not sombre, {No, but if you don’t mind, I’d love Hermione as her middle name. To honour the person who has made this possible}. His Elemental went a pretty shade of pink as she clutched Blaise’s hand on one side, her Girlie on the other.

Severus nudged Remus, and a silent ripple went around the table. The Ten all joined together. Everyone watched, transfixed as Harry nudged the cap off a small black glass bottle, and to various encouraging sends, tipped his head back and consumed the Potion in two long swallows. He stood then and hurled the bottle at the wall, smashing it into a thousand shards.

To cheers from everyone.

The End

Written Nov 05 to Feb 06



Well, that's it, folks.

I hope you enjoyed this. Reviews/stars/constructive comments are always welcomed.

Thanks to all who have completed the journey with me. Much love and Happy Xmas.

Squigglesquared xxx

I hope that this re-edit has made for clearer reading and more enjoyment of this story. Happy New Year to you all.

The Squig xxxxx 02/01/2011