Forbidden Union

Potions was never a good class to let your mind wander in. As well as the particularly unpleasant professor who was prone to terrorising any student who was not a member of Slytherin, there was also the distinct possibility of explosions when potions were not carefully monitored. In the words of afore mentioned unpleasant professor; potions were a “subtle science and an exact art”. However despite Harry’s intimate knowledge of the dangers of both explosions and Professor Snape, still he found his mind wandering.



Draco; his nemesis, a boy who he had hated and been hated by since the second time they had met. Draco, who had not sent a scowl or taunt his way since the start of term, 3 days ago. Back on platform 9 ¾ Harry, Ron and Hermione had passed Draco, The boy had worn the usual sneer, but he hadn’t even looked at them. In the great hall during the sorting and headmasters address he had sat silently, not whispering among his friends, and not once had he looked over towards the Gryffindor table. In addition when the feast had appeared Harry had spared enough time from his own gorging to note that the Slytherin didn’t appear to be eating much at all. It was decidedly odd. Harry glanced around towards the object of his musings to find the boy studying the mandrake roots he had been in the process of slicing. With a look of absolute concentration he stared at the roots, then picked up a larger piece and rolled it between his fingers. Suddenly cold grey eyes rose to meet his own. Harry would have liked to pretend he hadn’t been staring, but he knew was caught and didn’t want to look weak by looking away, so he met Draco’s look with a challenging stare. Draco continued to study him for a second, then, carefully, without changing his expression Draco placed the Mandrake root back on the table and returned to his silent slicing.



“10 points from Gryffindor. Mr Potter as much as I’m sure you bring down the overall quality of your groups potion, I must insist that you at least make a pretence of assisting, since your marks depend upon the resulting sludge.”



Shaking his head Harry looked around to see Hermione staring at him. “Drop it Harry, maybe he’s just grown up over the holidays- after all he did get married. Why can’t you just be glad he isn’t acting like a complete prat.”



Returning his attention to the potion Harry didn’t see Snape stop at Draco’s desk and lean over for a few quiet words.





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Draco remained after Potions class as Severus had requested. He had been expecting this of course, Severus was his godfather, one of his fathers few friends, and of course he was brewing the potion that allowed Draco to hide the physical signs of his change. As soon as the last of the students had left the room the professor stepped close to Draco and proceeded to study him. Starting at his face Severus stared into his eyes, then ran his hands over his face, then instructed he open his mouth and studied his teeth. Then he stepped back and ran his eyes over the rest of his body. Finally he smiled.



“Well the modifications I made to the potion seem to be working well. Your eyes have changed slightly, they are somewhat more silver in appearance then before, your skin slightly paler, your hair has… something… a sheen... but nothing that anyone who didn’t know you well would notice, and definitely nothing that couldn’t be explained simply by your growing up. Most importantly your teeth appear normal; that has always been the biggest difficulty. Obviously the added…” noticing the small smile on Draco’s face Severus stopped talking and found himself smiling ruefully back. Opening his arms he hugged his godson, then stepped back and sat down, motioning Draco to take a chair across from him.



“So… you are now a Deatheater...”



“Not exactly by choice.”



“Of course… and a vampire. So how do you feel?”



“Different. The world is a different place to what it was. Things that mattered don’t anymore. To tell you the truth the thought of serving The Dark Lord no longer appeals to me. It is hard for me to care about wizards and muggle-borns and muggles. I feel… more a part of the world, less a part of… human struggles.”



“Well, I could keep much of that to yourself, and you are still a human Draco.”



“I know. I guess. I was born a human, but… I don’t know. Now I’m just me.”



Severus sat back studying him. “You’re going to be a father. Father to a wizard. How do you feel about that.”



“I… haven’t really thought about it…”



There was silence for a minute as both thought.



“So, what else is different since the change?”



“Everything really, I can see much better, and in the dark. My sense of touch is amazing; I can lose myself in it if I allow it. I can sense life, all around me, with insects and small animals it’s just a glow, with people I can hear their hear beat, and I can sense some of their thoughts. Even my hearing and sense of smell have improved slightly. Taste… not so much, food I used to enjoy is like ashes in my mouth. Meat just tastes… dead. Vegetables taste like poison.”



“And the blood lust?”



Draco felt embarrassed. Blood lust, even the words implied something depraved. When the Dark Lord and his father had hatched the plan for him to feed as needed off Crabbe and Goyle nobody had seemed to realise just how degrading it would be, having to ask his friends to allow him to feed off them, needing them that much.



Severus watched his godson, allowing none of his pity to show on his face. Draco had changed much more then he had anticipated. Not physically, no his potion had worked well, but in other ways the selfish, impetuous child Draco had been was unrecognisable. But still, Severus needed to know the answers.



“How often do you need to feed?”



Shaking himself out of his reflection Draco answered; “the potion helps, at first it was once every day or two, now it is about once a week, only once since I got back to school.”



“And when the hunger comes, is it slow, or sudden. Is it easily controlled?”



Draco grinned, “are you asking me if I am likely to go on a crazy feeding rampage amongst the student population?”



Severus smiled back, “yes I guess I am, although I admit that most of the students would hardly be a loss to wizarding society.”



“Then the answer is no, once again the potion has helped.”



“And how much do you know about your… condition? Did the Count Meris explain to you all the information about the heritage you were taking on?”



“The Count was more impressed with the title he would bestow on me then any of the particulars of how my life would change.”



Severus nodded, “Count Meris is an old vampire, he was turned over 100 years ago, old vampires are notorious for forgetting what it was like to be human, and for being somewhat contemptuous of human concerns.”



“Why then do they side with the Dark Lord in a human battle?”



“The same reason other magical creatures do. The Ministry have always been narrow minded, magical creatures like goblins and centaurs that have equal intelligence have never been offered equal rights. Still they are seen as inferior. Vampires and werewolves even more so because they threaten a wizards very humanity.”



“Ah, but I thought you said I was still human?” Draco smiled provocatively.



Severus scowled “don’t put words in my mouth. Anyway I found this for you; it should give you more information.” Rummaging in his desk draw Severus drew out a heavy book, the words “Of Vampyric Lore” in faded red writing on its dusty brown cover.