Someone Else's Life

Seven: One Selfish Breath

Something I just might regret,
Something you will never forget.
Maybe I should throw away
Everything I’ve learned today…
--Drowning Pool “All Over Me”

It was just like any other first of September in the Weasley household since the eldest Weasley son, Bill, had attended Hogwarts, with a few minor changes in the household. Molly was running around the house, yelling at everyone to load up the car that her husband had managed to get to take them to the station, while Ron walked about in a sleepy haze, Ginny scurried about, Hermione (with a book) was already in the car waiting, and Draco was leaning against the car and tapping his foot.

“Harry, do you always take this long to get ready? And where the bloody hell is the Weasel?” Draco snapped, as Harry emerged from the doorway of the house followed by Ginny and then Ron who was being shoved out of the door by his mother.

She rolled her eyes and glared at Ron. “Will there ever be a time when we don’t have to worry about missing the train to school? Ronald Weasley, you were to have been packed last night!”

“Mum,” he whined in his sleepy state. “Wasn’t my fault the stupid bed wouldn’t spit my trunk out.”

At this Draco snorted. “Wasn’t it George who told you to tickle the left bedpost just below and to the right of the bed knob to get your trunk out? And didn’t he tell you this last night?”

Ron’s eyes widened as he swallowed thickly and looked at his mother. She gave him a stern glare and sighed in defeat. “What are you to do once you’ve left home? How will you take care of yourself?”

“I know I’ll at least be able to sleep till a decent hour,” Ron grumbled.

“What?!” His mother shrieked. “How dare you! If you weren’t going to Hogwarts you would be GROUNDED! As it is, if you step one toe out of line or give either of these two dears a hard time,” she nodded toward Harry and Draco who were sitting side by side. “You’ll wish you’d never been born! I’ll do more than cuff you on the ear. Ronald Bilius Weasley! Are you listening?!”

“Bilius?” Draco blurted out with a snort of laughter.

Ron glared. “And what would your middle name be then?” he asked, and his mother shot him a look of warning for punishments to come.

Draco simply scowled and looked away. Of course by that time Harry’s interest was piqued. He looked at the blond boy in curiosity. The blond sighed, and then mumbled something. Harry whispered something in his ear and then Draco shot him a scathing look and snapped, “Fine Potter, my name given me on my naming day was Draco Achilles Judas Malfoy! Happy now, stupid sod?!”

They all looked at him with wide eyes. Hermione cocked her head at the blond and finally closed her book. “Judas?”

Draco turned away. “Yes, and Lucius opened a vault for me that day, a vault with thirty sickles. Perhaps daring me to some day betray him.”

“But that is part of a muggle religion…” Harry said.

Draco rolled his eyes. “Lucius is morbidly fascinated by the religion. He is curious of how a belief considered so absolute and pure could cause such war and blood shed among muggles. Look at all of the many wars in their history, most of which over Christianity. His favorite story from the muggle Bible is of Judas’ betrayal. He is a well-read man on the subject, and finds the concept of a being of supreme evil, this fallen star of heaven, quite humorous, especially as the fallen angel is Lucifer, and Lucius name means bringer of light. You know that the worst level of hell was reserved for Judas and those like him, the final depth of hell is for the traitors.”

“Thirty sickles?” Ron piped up. “But your family is loaded, why so little when he could have given you hundreds upon thousands of galleons?”

“It’s symbolic Ron. For Judas’ betrayal of the messiah of the muggle religion of Christianity, he received thirty pieces of silver…” Hermione trailed and then looked over at Draco.

“He would give you the name of a traitor?” Molly asked. “What kind of man would do that to his own son?”

“A man with the soul of a monster,” Draco answered quietly and Harry wrapped his arms around the blonde’s shoulder.

The rest of the ride was in relative silence. Hermione was absorbed in her book, Harry and Draco were off in a world of their own, one where words weren’t necessary, and Ron, Ginny, and their mother were lost in their thoughts, although Ron tried in vain to start a conversation with first Hermione, and seeing that it was futile to separate her from her books, or Harry and Draco from each other, he then tried his sister, but she merely shrugged off his attempts and he dared not test his mother’s patience.

They reached the station with seconds to spare. They all hurried onto the train, the boys grumbling over Hermione’s carry on which consisted of three tote bags, each with their own mini library. They managed, by some stroke of luck, to find a cabin in the back that was empty, and that was where they sat. Ginny ran off in search of students within her year. Ron simply left to get away from Harry and Draco. While he was glad that his friend had found some sort of happiness, it was still unsettling to think of his best friend with a poncy little ferret. Hermione meanwhile, had finished the book she’d been reading in the car and had grabbed a rather large and ominous looking tome from one of her three tote bags. Harry rolled his eyes and knew she would soon be too wrapped up to really care or listen in to any conversations he had with Draco.

Harry leaned toward Draco and grinned. “Alone at last.”

“I’m sorry to correct you in that assumption, but as you can plainly see Granger is still present, and I am an exhibitionist for no one, Potter,” he returned with an arched eyebrow. “And we are not giddy parents after seeing the kiddies off to bed.”

“She won’t notice us. Light reading for her is practically falling into a book. And I would rather see us off to bed…”

Draco gave Harry an incredulous glance. “Harry Potter? You can’t be that innocent little Gryffindor goody. It’s the Slytherin way to proposition in so underhanded a manner.”

“I have never been innocent,” Harry breathed against Draco’s ear, and then flicked his tongue across the lobe, certainly surprising the boy.

Draco turned to look at the dark haired boy so bent on seducing him. “And what would your precious Head of House say if she knew of your intentions toward me?”

“Are you trying to ruin the mood?” Harry asked with a sigh, and then flinched as a thought occurred. “What about your Head of House?”

“Don’t you mean my godfather? In matters such as these he is more family than school official,” Draco said with a smirk and then added, “And I think he would highly disapprove, and suggest that I retaliate for such an ill thought gesture on your naïve little Gryffindor part.”

“Retaliation?” Harry challenged.

“Of course, Potter, every action has a consequence…” the blond whispered and then his arms were around Harry’s neck, bringing the boy in closer for a kiss, his tongue running over the succulent lips of the dark haired boy, demanding entrance, demanding submission to temptation…

“Oh, Honestly!” Hermione snapped and the two boys reluctantly pulled apart, both glaring at her. She returned the glared and rolled her eyes. “How can I be expected to read with all of that smacking? Boys! Do you all think alike?”

Draco’s eyes sparked with a wicked glint. “Well, we are all lust driven creatures at some point, Granger. I’m sure all boys have their fantasies, girls as well. As it is, I see myself in some rather compromising positions with Harry here, some of which would probably defy the laws of physics; one in particular involves a more complex form of snogging. I would wager that Ron, while his fantasies would be more of the dinner and innocent snog variety, as he is such a Gryffindor, would see you as the sole object of desire.”

Hermione flushed a deep shade of crimson, put her book back in one of the totes, grabbed the bag, and with a squeak, scurried out of the compartment, without a glance back. Harry turned his gaze on the blond.

“Was that really necessary?” he asked.

The blond smirked. “We are alone, Potter. I think the means are certainly justified by this most promising of ends…”

“I thought we were at beginnings,” Harry said as he lifted a hand to run it through the blonde’s hair.

“Gryffindors,” the Slytherin said. “Always bloody optimists.”

“Would be nice if it rubbed off on you,” Harry pointed out.

“What?” Draco said, scandalized as he pulled away from Harry. “And loose my charming wit?”

“You call sarcasm charming?”

“I’ve been rubbing off on you, Potter… Admit it, you adore me.”

“No, I just happen to have, in my state of absolute darkness and despair, found my salvation in the arms of a snarky Slytherin, and…” Harry paused, his eyes widening as he realized what he’d almost said.

“I’m truly shocked. I am rubbing off on you. Your improvement in conversation skills alone is quite impressive. You may now continue, where you so pointedly left off,” the blond said.

Harry swallowed thickly and shook his head, and this caught the blonde’s attention more than anything. Harry hadn’t been nervous around him in a very long time. “Harry? What is it?”

“I…” the dark haired boy began and then his green eyes locked with grey. “How do I tell you I love you, when I’ve never told that to anyone else?”

“You… What?” the blond asked and looked at the green eyed, dark haired boy facing him.

“I…” Harry began timidly and then met the eager grey gaze, and his strength grew tenfold. “love you, Draco.”

The blond blinked and looked at the boy before him, seeing the honesty in those green eyes. “Thank you, Harry,” he said and then his arm snaked around the dark haired boy’s neck, bringing him into a searing kiss, which they quickly broke apart from upon hearing the gasp after the door to the compartment was thrown open and quickly slammed shut.

----------

The boy was blushing furiously as he slammed the door of the train compartment behind him. His breathing was labored and he could hardly believe what he’d just seen. He had to find someone, to verify or deny with laughter and vehemenence what he’d just bared witness to. It wasn’t possible. Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy, or whatever that Slytherin was calling himself, were enemies.

The awkward boy took off down the corridor. A door opened and someone stepped out of it. A sandy haired boy of rather questionable and flirty behavior. The awkward boy ran headfirst into the sandy haired boy, and both landed in a pile on the floor.

“Neville?” the sandy haired boy asked in a deep brogish Irish accent. “What in the devil’s got into you?”

“I…” the awkward boy began. “S-saw H-Ha-Harry sn-snogging Malfoy!”

“What?” the sandy haired boy said and then broke out laughing and was joined by the deep rich laughter of his friend in the compartment.

“Hey Dean? Would you believe that Neville would have us on like this? Harry and Malfoy snogging? Aye, now there’s a tale if ever I heard one. Why Harry’d kiss me before even thinking o’ that prat… He’d even look past me reputation.”

“No one could see past that, Seamus,” Dean said with a roll of his honey brown eyes. “But that was a good one you tried to pull over Nev. Good to know you’ve a sense of humor.”

“It’s n-not a joke. Harry and… They were kissing! I tell you!” Neville said with a conviction that shocked the two boys.

Dean was standing in the doorway of the compartment by then, when a door to another compartment down the corridor opened, and all three looked toward the sound. The first to exit the compartment was Harry Potter, and Dean and Seamus were about to tell him all about what Neville had been saying, when they noticed how flushed Harry was and then they saw a boy with striking platinum hair follow Harry into the corridor. The two boys’ mouths fell open as they looked from Harry and Malfoy to Neville.

“Bloody hell, Nev! You weren’t having us on?!” Seamus said in a voice flooded with shock.

Neville simply squeaked and nodded as Harry and Draco approached them. Harry was blushing by then and as he took a deep breath his hand interlocked with the blond Slytherin’s. They stopped once they reached the three boys. Oddly enough, it was Draco that spoke first.

“Hello,” he began softly and then with a squeeze of his hand from Harry he cleared his throat and continued. “I refuse to apologize for what is past, I just thought I would make that clear. I am certain that you have heard stories about me over the summer. How I ran away or was kidnapped, disappeared, was murdered, or some such nonsense. None of it matters. All that matters is that Harry and I are together. I wanted to be the one to say this, to announce it to the world if you will.”

“What in all of hell have you done to him, Malfoy?!” Seamus snapped.

The blond winced at the reference to his former surname, and Harry answered in his stead. “Don’t call him that. His name is Draco, and his last name is now Black, after his mother. Nothing was done to me, this just happened. If you knew about what happened this summer. If you’d seen all that I’ve seen, you would understand…”

“I doubt we would want to see what you’ve seen, Harry. Doesn’t matter what his name is now. He’s still who he is, or have you forgotten?” Seamus asked in a challenge.

Dean cut in, “Yeah Harry. Changing his name doesn’t make up for him being a Slytherin.”

“Really?” Harry answered. “Well I could have been what he is. None of it matters, it’s just a mascot for a dorm house. You would tell me that something I feel is wrong because of a stupid school rivalry?”

“What about his father, Harry? He could hand you over to his father,” Neville said.

“I have no father,” Draco spoke coolly. “I have been stripped of all titles related to that monster and do not wish to be reminded of Lucius. Come on Harry, let’s go find Ronniekins and Granger, perhaps they’ve found the food trolley, we certainly wouldn’t want to find that Ron’s polished it off before we’ve gotten so much as a blood lolly or a chocolate frog. Do you suppose there is a truffle left, perhaps?”

“If there is, it’s yours,” Harry said with a grin.

Draco shook his head and rolled his grey eyes. “You know I would share it Potter… For a price.”

“Oh? And what would be the payment?”

“I could think of something…”

“All right,” Harry said with a sly smirk and he and Draco walked on down the corridor, leaving three very confused and speechless Gryffindors in their wake.

As Harry and Draco made their way down the narrow passage of the train one of the compartments opened, and both boys groaned as they saw who was exiting that particular compartment. Draco grabbed Harry’s hand and gave it a tug in the direction that they’d come, as he wasn’t particularly eager to face his fellow housemates so soon, but Harry refused to comply. Draco rolled his eyes and braced himself as Harry squeezed his hand in a gesture of support.

“Well, well, what have we here? Draco holding hands with Potter?” Pansy’s annoyingly loud and high-pitched voice filled the passage. “Do you always need Potter to hold your hand? Can’t face the world as a little nothing now? This is what you resort to when you no longer have a name?”

“I don’t need the name of a madman to be someone, Parkinson, but I wouldn’t expect your sort to understand that. Just leave off, I no longer have what you always wanted from me. Now is the time that you grow up and realize that wealth is not the only key to power,” Draco answered, and took a step closer to Harry.

Pansy looked murderously at the blond. “How dare you! It was not the money. It was you. I’ve always wanted you Draco. You’re a pretty thing to own. A pretty toy that won’t break easily, a challenge. You think I’m a fool? I knew about your little experimentations with Blaise while my father was negotiating the terms of a betrothal between us. I knew and I held my silence, biding my time until I could have you all to myself. I should never have fooled myself. You were dirty the moment Blaise touched you. You were ruined the moment you turned your fancies to boys. And Potter of all people. You’ve sunken so low. I think they should resort you, as you are such a disgrace to your current house. You would make a very fetching Hufflepuff.”

Rage raced across the pale features of the blond boy as the two oafs serving as Pansy’s muscles snickered. “You’ve no right to question the things I’ve done in my life. You were never meant to be a part of my life, and thank the Gods you never will be. As for what I had with Blaise, that was never yours to be concerned with, and leave off with Harry. Snarling little pug faced bitch, they couldn’t find a suitably ugly mongrel for you to breed blast-ended skrewts with.”

Pansy’s face grew a rather bright and unseemly shade of red, to which Draco merely smirked. Then Pansy snapped her fingers. Harry almost stepped in front of Draco in order to protect him, but the blond held up his free hand and shook his hand. Suddenly the two brutes stopped midstep, their eyes filling with blind terror.

Pansy swallowed thickly and looked at the blond, her eyes widening. Draco just stared into her dark brown eyes as he spoke evenly. “This is a warning Pansy. There are many things that you know nothing about. You’ve no idea the power I possess, nor do you know the things I am capable of. Lucius saw to furthering my education years before I began attending Hogwarts. I do not need a tool such as a wand to defend myself against you. I’ve hidden my gifts well, however, I now have something to protect. Think me weak if it makes you feel better about yourself, but know that I’ve read the Book of Thoth and the Book of the Dead. I am a master of Necromancy, and Lucius’ only mistake in teaching me the things that I know, is that I mastered them, where he failed. Be very careful what you stir up. I’m sure that whatever petty things you attempt against myself or Harry and his friends, will result in a none too pleasant visit from your most beloved Grandmother Opal.”

The color drained from the girl’s face as she stared at him. With a flick of his wrist his two former henchmen knocked into the wall and fell to the floor. Draco turned to face Harry and noticed the stunned expression on the dark haired boy’s face.

“Draco?” he asked.

The blond rolled his eyes and sighed. “I’ll explain as we walk. Remember the truffles?” Draco said, and then smiled at the confused boy. Then Harry nodded and the two began to walk again, leaving Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle to sort themselves out. Harry cleared his throat and Draco let out a breath of air and sighed. “Well, Harry, this goes back to the wand that I now have. There was a reason I was stunned that you could use it. I think our magic has bonded somehow. You see, only a necromancer can use a wand that contains a core of vampire blood, because vampires are the undead, with the exception of the first of course. She’s special. I think her first name was Lilith, but she has had many names since then.”

“How can our magic bond?”

“Potter, are you honestly this thick?” Draco asked, and then looked at the confused expression of the dark haired boy. “All right, it’s time I finally explain to you what it means to be soul bound. Our souls are joining, making us two parts of one whole, therefore our magic will bond as well, until it is something that we share between us, and ultimately this will increase the power of our magic. Not to mention the fact that I am a necromancer, which is very rare in the wizarding world. Most necromancers are gypsies or practitioners of Vaudun, more commonly known as Voodoo.”

“Ummm…” Harry began and then ran a hand through his hair as he hesitated over his question, before finally spitting it out. “What is a necromancer?”

“Oh, sod it all Potter! I’m one of the few wizards capable of death magic. I’m not talking about killing, that’s too easy a feat. I mean resurrection, reanimation, communication with the deceased, or even getting the dead to do my bidding.”

Harry’s eyes grew as wide as saucers. “Resurrection. You mean… Could you… My parents… Your mother.”

Draco shook his head. “It isn’t that simple Harry. Your parents were killed by a curse; therefore I couldn’t bring them back, even though I want to, because it would make you happy. As for my mother, she’s made her peace. To bring her back would be torture…” the blond whispered and then cocked his head at his Gryffindor companion. “You want to know how long? Lucius knew that I was a necromancer shortly after my seventh birthday. My mother got me a black kitten for my birthday and Lucius, deciding that attachments made one weak, broke her neck. I picked her up and cradled her in my arms. I can’t even remember what I said, but somehow the words came and there was a coldness that rose from the base of my spine until it reached my fingertips and then it entered Sekhmet’s body and she was alive again. That was when my training began. I read everything he gave to me, which included two of the most rare books in the world. Both Egyptian texts believed to be lost. The most powerful being the Book of Thoth and the other the Book of the Dead. I could perform magic long before I received a wand. Still the wand is convenient. It’s a tool that helps to direct the power more easily, still it is not a necessity. Your wand is not a necessity Harry, you have only been taught that it is. You are the master of the tool, not the other way around.”

“If you are so powerful then why did it take you so long to escape Malfoy Manor?” Harry asked suspiciously.

“While poison is not an effective means to kill a necromancer, as a necromancer is capable of detecting such a thing, and can prepare their body to fight against the death causing substance, it can severely weaken them. Lucius had my food prepared in the essence of Oleander. Anyone else would have died from eating such preparations, I just grew weak and ill,” Draco said with a shrug.

“But if you were safe from poisons why didn’t you just stay at Hogwarts with Snape?”

“Because, Harry, like any good Slytherin, only myself and Lucius knew of my abilities. Severus has no idea of what I am,” he said as they reached a door that was suddenly pulled opened. The blond stopped abruptly and a moment later a dark haired boy with rich dark eyes stepped out of the compartment and bumped into the blond. Both froze.

“Draco?” he asked and then he looked over the blond’s shoulder and noticed the Gryffindor. “I see. I told you that he was good for you. You deserve happiness, especially with all the shadows in your life.”

“Blaise…” the blond began, but the boy simply shook his head and smiled at the Gryffindor looking from him to the blond.

“You don’t have to explain. I’ve seen this coming for a long time, Draco. I’m not a simpleton. I would like to think that I’m clever as I am Head Boy. We had fun, that’s all it was. I just had illusions of grandeur. I only hope that won’t interfere with the friendship we had, that we could still have. I told you things… I trust that you would keep those secret,” he said, his voice soft, emotions flittering within each syllable.

“You two were…” Harry said in realization and couldn’t make himself continue.

“Lovers,” Blaise supplied, and Harry suddenly looked visibly shaken.

Draco turned to Harry. “It’s in the past Harry. It has been for a long time. You honestly didn’t think I was an innocent? I’ve never been one for girls. Besides what did you think Pansy meant?”

“I don’t know. I think I knew what she was implying, but it never really registered until just now,” Harry said.

Blaise looked from the blond to the dark haired boy. “He’s right, Potter. Our affair ended a long time ago. It was an easy break up, and I would like to think that our friendship has survived it.”

“Of course it has. You know that,” Draco said, and then cast his eyes to the floor. “Blaise. Harry and I… There’s something you should know… We’re…”

“Well, spit it out, Draco. I’ve never heard you being so inarticulate before,” the Slytherin said with a smirk.

“He and I are soul bound,” the blond finished.

The boy visibly reeled as he looked from Harry to Draco. “Soul bound?” he said and then laughed as he shook his head. “That explains a lot of things. I remember the things you use to say in your sleep. Don’t try to deny them. You know, you’re a lot tamer than you used to be, and that is meant in a good sense. I would never insult you. Let the lion tame you serpent, and breathe fire to ignite your passion. Remember our oaths as brothers?”

The blond nodded. “Thank you. Consider our affairs settled and balanced.”

“There is one other thing,” Blaise said and then looked at the two boys. “My gift to the both of you. I know how hard it would be for you in the Slytherin dormitory, Draco. So, I’ve arranged for you to take my rooms, and I will sleep in the dormitory in your place. I’ve had an extra key to my room made. It’s for Harry. You two could share the room and no one would be the wiser if you are discreet. Draco, you will be familiar with the password to give the portrait of the sea serpent. Think of the flowers most abundant in Lucius’ private garden.”

The blond chuckled and accepted the keys from the boy. “You do more for me than is necessary.”

“You deserve more than I am capable of.”

Draco conjured two white gold chains and put the silver keys upon the delicate looking chains. He handed one of the keys to Harry and put the other on. The two boys shared a look, which Blaise had always wanted to share with Draco. He smiled a sad wistful smile at the pair and then went on his way past them and down the passage to check on the first years.

“I was almost afraid of returning to Hogwarts. I wasn’t sure how I would sleep without you there. My sleep seems more peaceful with you there,” Harry said.

The blond looked at him and smiled. “I know. I felt the same way. At least this time we could share the bed with a perfectly reasonable excuse, as there is only one bed in the Head Boy’s room. A whole room to ourselves. Harry could you imagine?”

Harry smiled. “I think I will leave that imagining to you, Draco, as long as you apply it practically.”

“Your conversation skills and boldness are vastly improving. I’m so proud of you,” Draco said in the gushing tone of a teacher to his pupil.

Harry rolled his eyes. “You are an entirely bad influence on me.”

“But an influence nonetheless,” the blond shot back with a wink, as he wrapped his arms around the dark haired boy and drew him forward for a kiss.

----------

The train had finally pulled into the Hogsmeade station. With a hiss, and a long blow of the whistle, the grinding of the wheels came to a stop with a squeal. The two boys looked at each other, knowing that rumors were already beginning to spread about them, and would reach a fever pitch by the time they reached the gates of Hogwarts. After the confrontation with Blaise, the boys had found the food trolley and then gone back to their compartment at the end of the train to enjoy the sweets and each other’s company.

Now as the train stopped Draco was hurriedly tying his tie and looking at Harry with a roll of his eyes as the Gryffindor struggled with his tie. The blond rolled his eyes. “This is your seventh year tying this bloody tie and you are absolutely hopeless Potter.”

“Well, it’s not like Hermione is around to do it for me,” he answered with a growl.

This brought the blonde’s right eyebrow into an elegant arch. “So she’s the secret behind your tie always being tied perfect and straight?”

Harry just glared at the blond, a glare that was in no way dimmed by his spectacles. “Well, you could help as you’ve done such a smashing job with your own.”

“Oh fine, if it will get us off of this bloody train sooner,” the blond said and then began to tie the red and gold tie for Harry, his nimble fingers making the task look simple.

When he was finished he gave the knot a little tug to straighten it, and smirked at the Gryffindor. The smirk changed as he noticed the darkened appearance of those green eyes, eyes dark with lust.

“You’re gorgeous my Herne, wild, and still I can tame something of yours, now if only your hair was as easy to manage as your clothes,” the blond said in an attempt to lighten the mood, as they were about to leave the compartment to go to their home for the next nine months.

“I want you now, Draco,” Harry answered.

“You know we will have to wait. We must make our grand entrance at Hogwarts, and once you’ve settled into your dormitory, you can sneak into our room. If I know Blaise, his password is Oleander, a lovely flower with shadowed intentions, deadly as it is beautiful,” Draco answered, and then noticed Harry turn his eyes toward the floor. The blond sighed. “This doesn’t mean that I don’t want you. Bloody hell, Harry. I’ve wanted you for a long time. Almost had you in the shower as you may recall, but this is hardly the place.”

“I know, but you know us Gryffindors, hardly one for patience,” Harry said and leaned into Draco before the blond could utter a response, catching the soft lips and parting almost as suddenly.

Draco growled and looked at the boy. “I’ve never been fond of a tease, Potter.”

“Wasn’t a tease, just a promise of what is to come,” Harry answered with a grin.

The Slytherin shook his head. “You’ve spent far too much time with me, Harry, if you’re picking up on being clever.”

Harry smirked. “I credit Hermione with that influence as she is all books and cleverness.”

“And what am I?” the blond questioned darkly.

“A thoroughly bad, but appreciated influence,” Harry said and lightly brushed his lips against the blonde’s and pulled back before the blond could wrap his arms around him and deepen the kiss.

“Bloody Gryffindor tease,” the blond grumbled, and then the two were out of the compartment and headed toward the carriages.

Harry waved at Hagrid who was gathering the first years. The half-giant bellowed his greeting and then narrowed his already small dark eyes at Draco who was closely following Harry. Harry and Draco entered one of the carriages, followed by Ginny Weasley who had spotted them in the crowd of students and then the final passenger entered the carriage, Blaise Zabini.

Ginny turned to look at the dark haired Slytherin that had entered the carriage and then looked at Harry and Draco. Draco was smirking and Harry was giving Zabini a strange look, one that almost touched on jealousy.

Zabini was the first to speak. “Draco, I overheard something while I was making my rounds checking on the firsties. Pansy said you were talking about making her Grandmother Opal visit. Is that true, and how? That woman’s been dead for over five years.”

“Which is why it would be a most unpleasant visit. I simply refuse to resurrect the old hag on principle, but a raising of the corpse would be sufficient enough in taking care of that little bitch,” Draco answered.

“But that’s impossible. You know wizards can’t perform death magic,” Zabini answered.

“Death magic?” Ginny asked, her curiosity peaked.

She was ignored as Blaise continued. “Draco, how many years did Lucius try to master necromancy? He never succeeded.”

“You’re right, but he made a mistake when he began to teach me. I’m a necromancer, Blaise. My tolerance for Lucius’ favorite poison is one built over years. Three drops of the same poison that I could drink as though it were an innocent glass of milk would kill anyone else. And my wand, its core is a vampire’s blood.”

“What?” Blaise said in shock.

“He’s telling the truth, and I hope this means you can be trusted enough with this secret,” Harry said, speaking for the first time since entering the carriage.

“I… But it’s not possible. Gypsies are the only ones with power over death… Well Gypsies, and those with direct ties to vampires,” Blaise answered.

Draco turned away at that and closed his eyes. Harry looked at Draco in concern and the other two passengers looked at the blond in curiosity.

“What is it, Draco?” Harry asked.

“One of my mother’s secrets. She was never taught the art that was laced in her blood, but I was,” Draco answered in a whisper, and then looked at the two curious individuals sitting across from he and Harry. “Can we talk about this later? If I grow agitated it will only disturb the thestrals, and we wouldn’t want to do that as they are pulling the carriages.”

Blaise’s eyes widened. “So the rumors that circulated about your mother’s mother were true. She did have an affair, and your mother was the result. Your mother was not half veela, however, she was half lamia. The only reason she was raised with Black as her father was to prevent more of a scandal and verify the rumors.”

“Lamia?” Harry asked, and Ginny swallowed thickly.

“The child bearing vampires, direct descendants of Lilith,” Ginny answered, and all three boys just stared at her.

“I wrote an essay on vampires for Defense Against the Dark Arts last year. It was very thorough, and over ten feet long,” Ginny answered proudly.

Before another word could be uttered however, the carriages stopped. They had reached Hogwarts. Blaise and Ginny were the first to exit the carriage, followed first by Harry and then by Draco. Upon exiting the carriage, they were stared at; most of the looks were of shock, some (from the Slytherins) disgust.

Hermione and Ron found the pair and both stopped short upon seeing Blaise with them. Blaise smiled in greeting toward Hermione and said, “Congratulations on being named Head Girl.”

“And to you for being named Head Boy,” Hermione answered carefully.

He smiled at her. “I only hope that you don’t mind sharing a common room with a Slytherin who has a most eager and overzealous lover.”

Hermione and Ron’s eyes widened and Harry and Draco shot pointed glances to the audacity of the boy.

Hermione struggled to speak again. “It… You won’t make a show of it will you? You’re not…an exhibitionist are you?” she choked out.

He simply laughed. “We shall soon see. Now we should go into Great Hall, as I think we are all causing a scene, or rather Potter and Draco are.”

With a squeak Hermione nodded, and they all began walking toward the school and to Great Hall, followed by the rest of the school with the exception of the first years who were awaiting their sorting.

Upon entering the Great Hall, Blaise headed toward the Slytherin table, followed by the rest of the Slytherins, and the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaws tables began to fill up, but what was most curious was that while the Gryffindor table was beginning to fill up, Harry and Draco remained standing in the middle of the hall. Finally Harry sighed, grabbed Draco by the hand, which was followed by a gasp that circulated the Hall and led the Slytherin to the Gryffindor table. The teachers, already seated at the Head Table, with the exception of McGonagall, who was seeing to the sorting, watched as the Slytherin simply followed the Gryffindor and sat at the table that Harry led him too, all of the teachers were in shock, with the exception of the headmaster, whose eyes merely twinkled at the sight. Severus was the one most caught off guard as he watched his godson, Draco, willingly be led to the Gryffindor table, by none other than Harry Potter. Something was certainly amiss in his eyes.

The first years were brought in, and sorted, although it was mostly a blur, it went through so seemingly quick as almost everyone was staring at the end of the Gryffindor table where Harry Potter and Draco former-Malfoy sat side by side, sometimes whispering, and sometimes with a burst of laughter. There was also a series of small touches shared between the two, hands brushing together every now and then, a pat on the shoulder, small things.

Finally Albus made his announcements and the feast appeared upon the tables. Which provided a most curious show for the Gryffindors as they all stared in rapt silence as Harry and Draco began to fill each other’s plates. Harry scooped mashed potatoes first on Draco’s plate, and then on his own, and Draco would cut some meat first for Harry and then himself, until finally both their plates were filled with food, and Draco poured their drinks. Hermione, Ron, and Ginny, already used to this as they had seen it at the dinner table since shortly after Draco’s arrival at the Weasley’s, simply exchanged looks.

The boys picked up their utensils and noticing the silence of the Gryffindor table, looked up and noticed everyone at the table staring at them. Draco put down his knife and fork, and then looked up at the Head Table, noticing that the teachers, including his godfather, were staring, and Dumbledore was twinkling infernally. Finally Draco turned to Harry and Harry looked at him curiously.

“Well, Potter, it’s dinner and a show night,” the blond said, and before Harry could ask a question, Draco had his hands on the dark haired boy’s face and was kissing him thoroughly. Harry, so caught up in the moment, forgot where he was and opened his mouth, giving Draco’s tongue entrance.

When the two parted the whole of Great Hall was encompassed with silence. Draco then stood up and snapped, “Oh Bugger, just mind your soddin’ business and eat for Merlin’s sake!”

Afterward he sat down, picked up his knife and fork, and then he began to eat, Harry followed his example, albeit blushing furiously. Hermione, Ron, and Ginny simply shook their heads, and began to take care of their full plates.

Ron, of course, just couldn’t help himself as he finished off his mashed potatoes and looked at the two boys, and said, “Did you really have to do all of that before dinner? You do know that Snape looked like he found a blast ended skrewt tucked in his bed at the sight of you.”

“Ron!” Hermione gasped and popped him in the back of his head. “I would have gone with apoplectic, I really don’t want to think of the image you just conveyed.”

Ron simply rubbed his head where she’d smacked him. “I was only saying.”

“Well don’t say it again,” Ginny said, in full agreement with Hermione.

Eventually dinner was over. Harry went to Gryffindor Tower with Ron, and Ginny, as Hermione was busy leading the first years, as was her duty as Head Girl. Harry was fidgeting, hardly able to wait to get to his trunk, and his father’s cloak, so he could go to Draco. Once they were in the tower, Harry practically raced up the stairs and into the seventh year boy’s room. He pulled open his trunk grabbing things from it like mad, and once he came to his father’s cloak he threw it on, and pulled up the hood. He then hurried out the door and ran into Ron who’d been about to open the door.

“Harry?” Ron said to the supposedly empty air.

Harry sighed. “Yes, Ron?”

“Where are you going?”

“If I told you, you wouldn’t let me go,” Harry answered.

Ron snorted. “Can’t stand the thought of not sharing a room without him?”

“Something like that.”

“If you’re seen in the Slytherin dorm you’ll be killed,” Ron said.

“Who said we’ll be sleeping in the Dungeons?” Harry asked, with a smirk that he knew Ron couldn’t see.

“Then where?” Ron asked.

“Blaise is Head Boy, he was concerned for Draco’s safety, so he gave Draco his Head Boy room. He also gave Draco and me a key to the room, as well as the password,” Harry answered.

“Harry! Are you mad? What if you’re caught?”

“Since when have you been this sensible Ron?” Harry asked and then continued. “I’ll be fine. Seven years with the cloak and still running. Don’t worry, it’s not as though I haven’t shared a room with him before…”

“But there’s only one bed in the bloody Head Boy’s room!” Ron bit out.

Harry shrugged and realized that Ron couldn’t see it. “I know that, Ron.”

Ron visibly paled, his freckles standing out like copper knuts on a white sheet. “Harry!”

“What Ron?”

Ron shook his head. “Fine, I just don’t want the details. Go be with the little ferret, but watch yourself. You never know with his sort.”

“You worry too much,” Harry said, and then patted Ron on the shoulder, before heading down the stairs, carefully avoiding running into Seamus, Dean, Neville, or any of the other Gryffindor boys.

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The Head Boy sighed once he finally got the first years settled. He then turned to the platinum blond standing in the middle of the common room, tapping his foot impatiently and looking like something to be feared. The Head Boy smiled as he remembered how he’d once shared a bed with the seemingly cold boy. For someone with such a cool exterior he was exceptionally passionate.

Blaise Zabini looked at the blond and couldn’t help the small smile that spread across his lips. He shook his head and then walked over to the boy, putting his hand on the blonde’s shoulder and inclined his hand toward the portrait hole. That was the last of their physical contact as Draco pulled away and the two of them left the Slytherin Common Room. They walked down the corridors of the dungeon, up a few flights of stairs and finally they had reached the portrait of the sea serpent.

“I hope you find the room satisfactory, Draco. You always were so hard to please about accommodations,” Blaise said lightly.

The blond smirked and shook his head. “Things change, Blaise. People change with the right influence. I suppose you could say that I have been humbled over the summer. Thank you for this, and everything.”

Blaise looked taken aback at the words from his former lover. “I’ve never heard you sincerely thank anyone before.”

“I never had good reason to thank many people. Humanity is a funny thing isn’t it? Humanity is always paired with humility. It’s strange how the world can come into focus once you’ve faced death and were saved by someone you thought of as an enemy,” Draco replied.

Blaise shook his head and brought his hand up to lightly caress the blonde’s cheek. “You never thought of Potter as your enemy. We both know that.”

“You’re right. Well, good night, I expect Harry will be along soon,” Draco said.

Blaise tilted his head forward in defeat. “Of course. Sleep well Serpent.”

“And you too, Fire,” Draco answered, and this brought a smile from Blaise at the mention of an old nickname.

Draco watched for a moment as Blaise turned and walked away, headed back toward the dungeons. The blond closed his eyes, and let out a deep breath, wondering why that walk and conversation with Blaise had seemed so hard, and so final. Perhaps it was Blaise letting go of something he was never meant to have. Draco turned to the portrait of the sea serpent and rolled his eyes as the creature’s tongue slithered from it’s gaping jaws.

“Oleander,” the boy whispered, and the sea serpent flickered its tongue and pulled back from the doorway.

A moment later a shiver raced up the spine of the blond, and he felt a pressure on his shoulder. He spun around, to see who was behind him, and saw no one. Draco narrowed his eyes, and blindly reached forward, catching the delicate material of an invisibility cloak covering something solid. He gave it a pull, and revealed the head of none other than Harry Potter.

The blond rolled his eyes. “Are you mad, sneaking up on someone like that?” he asked.

The dark haired boy just looked at him, something dark in his eyes. “He loves you. Do you know that?”

“It doesn’t matter, Harry. Now let’s get inside. These portraits have ears you know,” the blond hissed and pulled the dark haired boy behind him as he entered the common room for the Head Boy and Head Girl.

He spotted the stairs to the left, that led to the Head Boy rooms, and letting go of Harry raced up the stairs and to the door of the room. Harry was soon behind him. Draco had already taken his key from around his neck and fitted it into the lock. He then opened the door and together they both walked into the room.

Draco suddenly grabbed Harry, quickly shut the door behind the dark haired boy, and then pushed the boy up against it, as he pressed his body into Harry’s, but Harry began to push him away. The blond growled in protest, but still Harry pushed him away.

“What the bloody hell, Harry!” he snapped.

“I saw you with him! You let him touch you! And he loves you! That’s why he gave you this room,” Harry snarled in anger.

The blonde’s grey eyes flashed brightly, as they appeared to glow liquid mercury with his growing anger. “He touched my cheek Harry! He grabbed no part of me! It was innocent. He was just trying to say goodbye! He knows I never loved him. He was the one that told me that I wasn’t capable of loving him! So it doesn’t matter! We have this room, and by Merlin it is ours! It was given with good intentions! I love you, Harry! Is that what you wanted to hear? Now quit being such a sodding prat!”

“I’m not being a prat!” Harry bit out and then he grabbed the blond and forced a kiss of savage possession on those pale lips. When he pulled back he looked into the face of the Slytherin and a spark ignited in his green eyes. “You are mine, Draco, mine and no one else’s.”

“And you, Gryffindor, belong to me. Body, mind, and soul,” the blond growled, and pulled the dark haired boy back in for another kiss.

He practically ripped Harry’s tie from around his neck, and violently flicked open the buttons on the dark haired boy’s robes. Harry was struggling with Draco’s clothes. Finally Draco stopped what he was doing, tugged off his tie, threw off his robes, and yanked his shirt off, with Harry eagerly following his example in getting undressed. They were down to their trousers as they came together for another vicious kiss.

“So, you finally want me, Potter?” Draco asked in a husky voice as they parted, and then he began to kiss down Harry’s throat, and once he reached the place where neck and shoulder met, he bit hard enough to leave a mark. Harry moaned, as Draco continued to trail kisses down his chest, and hissed when Draco’s tongue flickered over his nipples, followed by the blond blowing against the dampened flesh.

“No regrets?” the blond asked as he looked up toward Harry, and noticed the boy’s eyes were shut.

“Never. I don’t want to ever forget this moment,” Harry said in between a groan.

“You won’t have to,” the blond said and then he was on his knees before Harry. He smirked at the arousal pressing against Harry’s trousers, before flicking open the trouser buttons and letting the zipper fall…

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