Someone Else's Life

Eight: Bleed

Trying to find a way to fight the pain
But it seems, there’s no way around it
Reaching for the sun and finding rain
I melt, I’ll always be grounded…
--Drowning Pool “Break You”

For the first time in his life Draco woke up from a truly peaceful sleep, not one tainted with exhaustion, but a sleep of perfect content. He couldn’t help the lazy grin on his face, when he felt the strong, lithe arms of his lover around him. He looked over his shoulder and saw the top of a dark head of hair. He felt Harry nuzzle his nose into his shoulder, and he chuckled. The sun from the window filtered across them, they had forgotten to close the bed curtains in their desperation of the night before. The sun warmed Draco’s fair skin.

A few moments later the blond heard a sigh and felt breath against his shoulder. The dark haired boy lifted his head, and looked at the blond, a glowing and happy expression on his face. The dark haired boy leaned up and lazily kissed the blond, slowly, with a smile on his face. The blond slipped his tongue between those inviting lips, and when they parted grimaced.

“Gah! Morning breath.”

Harry just shrugged, as nothing would ruin the moment for him. “Don’t worry, your highness, I’ll brush my teeth.”

“Good, and soon please,” Draco responded and then smiled at his lover. “So, my little Gryffindor, how does it feel to have been properly shagged?”

“Well,” Harry began and then carefully stretched. “I never thought I’d be happy about aching so much…”

The blond laughed and looked at the dark haired boy. “How could I let myself fall for you? I must be going mad.”

“And what about me? They probably think I’ve gone nutters too!” Harry said.

“Naw,” Draco said. “You’re allowed to be eccentric, what with the hero complex and those relatives of yours. Oh and they probably think I have you under some spell, at least that would be the speculation of the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors, as I know the Slytherins have all labeled me a traitor, and Hufflepuffs aren’t much for speculation.”

Harry began to laugh until something occurred to him, and his face suddenly went pale before alighting with a bright blush. Draco cocked an eyebrow at this. “Harry?”

“Um…” he began in response and then looked shyly at the blond. “I was in such a hurry to meet you last night that I… Well I left my clothes in my room. I don’t have anything clean to wear…”

Draco looked at the blushing boy and burst into a fit of laughter. “Bloody Gryffindors, always headfirst without thinking of the next step. Oh Harry, Harry, Harry, how have you survived for so long in this world?”

“I don’t know,” the dark haired boy grumbled.

“It’s all right you know. You can borrow one of my uniforms for the day. Blaise had my trunk sent to this room instead of his, and we are practically the same size. Now I think a shower is in order, don’t you? Just pull on your trousers and run to the shower. I’ll get us some clothes and meet you there in a moment,” Draco said.

“Me in one of your uniforms! I can’t wear Slytherin colors! Are you mad? The Gryffindors will call me a traitor!”

The blond rolled his eyes. “You’ll survive Harry, besides the green and silver tie will go perfectly with your eyes. No. There will be no arguing. You will dress like a proper Slytherin today.”

“All right,” Harry said, and then looked at the blond. “But you will dress like a Gryffindor tomorrow, messy hair and all!”

“Messy hair!” Draco gasped.

“Yes,” Harry said. “Your hair looks so good tousled about like this. It makes you look so human, so warm and enchanting. I like your hair like this. Of course you’re beautiful regardless.”

“Flattery may get you somewhere with me, but you aren’t making it to the shower any faster, now go, before we miss breakfast,” the blond said.

And with that, Harry climbed out of the bed and scurried about until he found his trousers, pulled them on, and then raced out the door and to the showers. Draco rolled gracefully out of bed and gathered up two sets of his school robes, trousers, shoes, ties, and shirts. He then took a deep breath and closed his eyes, recalling the night before, remembering fondly the moans elicited from the Gryffindor.

He stepped out of the room, closed the door, locked it behind him, and was about to continue walking toward the shower when he heard a gasp and then began the enraged yelling.

“How could you?! What about Harry, and since when have you been seeing Blaise Zabini?!” Hermione raged.

Draco rolled his eyes and shot a look at the girl. “Blaise Zabini is over, that whole thing has been over for a long time. He just gave me his room, because he feared for my safety in the Slytherin Common Room and Dormitory. If you don’t believe me, walk into the showers. Harry is there.”

She looked at him suspiciously and then marched straight for the showers without a second thought. She threw open the door and then shrieked. A moment later Draco heard, “BLOODY HELL! HERMIONE! BUGGER! WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?!”

The door of the showers was quickly closed after that and Draco watched as the girl walked away, blushing furiously. He snickered as he headed toward the showers and went in. He noticed Harry quickly wrapping a towel around his waist, a stream of curses pouring from his mouth, as he stood by the massive shower done in black marble, with gleaming golden shower heads, and designer stained glass that depicted a lion and a serpent.

Harry looked up and gave a sigh of relief upon seeing Draco, and then narrowed his eyes in suspicion as he noticed the smirk on the boy’s face. “You sent her in here, didn’t you?”

Draco shrugged. “Well, what else was I supposed to do? She thought I was having an affair with Blaise. With you in here as evidence I knew she would find that her grounds for accusation were indeed false. I’m sorry if you weren’t prepared for such an intrusion. If it makes you feel any better, I think she is by far more embarrassed than you.”

“I was the naked one!” Harry snapped.

“And she was the mortified one, now are we going to bathe or argue over the mundane? Personally I would like to see you naked and wet, but that is simply a preference of mine…” the blond said, his voice growing husky as he put the clothes on a counter and began to undo his trousers. He raised a hand in the direction of the shower and the water began to shoot from the showerhead. Harry looked from his lover’s hand to the showerhead and then dropped his towel and Draco, in all of his naked glory, began to walk toward him and the shower. Harry watched the blond with hungry, eager eyes, until the blond removed his glasses and placed them on the counter before capturing his lips in a searing kiss.

----------

The pair of lovers walked into Great Hall, an arm around each other’s shoulders, laughing and talking like old friends instead of former enemies. Every now and then one of them leaning in for a kiss as they approached the Gryffindor table. All eyes were locked on them, but they seemed oblivious to the attention. When they sat down at the table, they finally looked around them, and Harry flushed upon looking at Hermione, as he remembered what had happened earlier. She was just as crimson as he and Draco was snickering. Harry shot him a warning glance as Hermione glared at the blond Slytherin.

“You knew!” she hissed in venomous rage.

Draco smirked. “Well Granger, you wanted proof, and you got it. I would never cheat on him. And wouldn’t you agree that he is wild and free? So much like Herne of the Wood. Such a honey gold complexion. One would almost mistake it for a tan.”

She made an indescribable snort of noise, which caught the attention of Ron, who’d been vaguely listening in. “Oy, Mione, what’s he on about?” Ron asked and then his eyes widened and he nearly choked on his eggs as he bellowed, “Blimey Harry! Are you wearing Slytherin colors?!”

Harry groaned and tried to sink low into his chair as everyone turned to stare at him. He shot Ron a dark look and then made a grab for Draco’s orange juice. The blond rolled his eyes as he filled Harry’s goblet and took it for himself. “You know you really should stop that Harry. I know as we are in a relationship that sharing is a part of that, but I’m still adjusting to the concept and I am most certainly not used to having someone snatch up my drink without so much as a questioning glance in my direction while timidly reaching for it.”

“He’s teaching you manners?!” Ron said rather loudly and incredulously. “This has gone too far!”

“And you are making more of a scene,” Harry hissed.

Harry suddenly felt a chill creep up his spine, as a looming presence drew up behind him. He swallowed thickly before turning and looking up into the sallow face of Professor Snape. The man looked down his slightly crooked aquiline nose at the boy, his right eyebrow raised in disdain, his whole presence intimidating.

“Potter, would you care to explain what it is you think you are doing in desecrating my house colors, and also what sort of game you are playing at? What is this public display between you and Mr. Black?” the man spoke, and at his tone Professor McGonagall stood up at the Head Table, and was prepared to approach, but for the wary hand of the twinkle-eyed headmaster.

Harry swallowed thickly, unsure of what to say, when the owls began to crowd into Great Hall with the morning mail. Suddenly Colin Creevey stood up waving a copy of The Daily Prophet in his hand, the picture on the front page big enough for many spectators. Snape snatched the paper from the boy and looked at the picture, and his eyes widened. He looked up from the paper in shock, and turned to the blond Slytherin.

“What is the meaning of this? I thought that display yesterday was some clever little trick of yours. Using Potter in such a way,” he hissed at the blond.

Draco looked at the man, heat sparking in his eyes. “I’m not using him, and I thought you of all people would understand!” he snapped, and then he saw what his godfather was staring at. His eyes widened and he turned to Harry.

“Well? What is it?” Harry asked in annoyance and cringed at the seething look of loathing he got from his Potions Professor, and then Hermione was unrolling her own copy of the paper and gasped. Ron looked decided unwell and the whole of the school was now staring at Harry and Draco. Finally Harry snatched the paper from Hermione and dropped it just as quickly as he saw the photograph clearly for the first time.

It was of him and Draco surfacing in the lake a couple of days before, and kissing. He looked at the blond and suddenly pulled away from the table and took off from the dining hall, needing to get away from it all. Draco almost went after him, but the steely grip of his godfather’s hand on his shoulder was more than sufficient to stop him.

The boy snatched his shoulder from the iron grip and glared at the man. “You have no right to interfere in this matter, and you know it.”

“I have every right,” the man hissed and then looked around at the audience of students and staff surrounding them. “And I think it best that we continue this discussion elsewhere. Now.”

“Fine,” the blond snapped. “After you.”

Severus Snape glared at the boy for his insolence, and then with a sweeping snap of his robes began to walk out of Great Hall and down to the dungeons, his godson at his heels, both boiling with anger for different reasons. Upon their exit, the entire Great Hall erupted in the noise of fresh gossip, with Ron, Hermione, and Ginny exchanging looks of worry over their friend, and with Blaise Zabini slipping out of the hall headed in the direction of the Quidditch pitch, guessing that as the place where Harry was most likely to go.

----------

Harry found himself suddenly at the Quidditch pitch, not really sure how he got there, just that everything in his life had finally been working out, and suddenly he was lost and floundering struggling against the currents, fighting to keep from drowning in everything. He found it hard to breathe. He suddenly pulled his wand from the waistband of his trousers and transfigured it into a white handled knife, much like the one he used in Potions class. It was oddly fitting that he used his wand to tie up all of the loose ends. Desperation was a strange thing, but one he understood.

He brought the sharp blade of the knife down against the inner flesh of his left arm, pressing against it, but not breaking the skin. He took a deep breath and then applied pressure, oddly enough there wasn’t much pain, he’d expected searing pain. He dragged the blade down from his elbow to the wrist, cutting deep, but hardly feeling it. Blood poured from the wound, as he switched hands, struggling to hold the knife in his left hand, perhaps he’d severed a nerve, which made it more difficult to hold the knife in that hand. He then forced the knife into his right arm, dragging the blade from elbow to wrist, just as he’d done before, only this time it was more difficult.

Something in him broke, as pain from deep in his gut raged through his blood, as the blood poured from the deep wounds in his arms. He collapsed to his knees, crossing his arms over his chest, making a bloody mess of the robes Draco had loaned him. He suddenly felt guilt over soiling Draco’s finely tailored new robes and a hysterical laugh escaped his throat as he realized that things would finally end. Perhaps he would finally have the chance to meet his parents. He wondered if Sirius would introduce them.

And it was with that chilling laughter and the blood streaming from his arms that Blaise Zabini found him. He ran over to the boy, pulling off his robes, struggling to grab the boy’s arms and cover them, desperate to do anything to keep the precious blood from escaping.

----------

Severus and Draco had just made it to the door of Severus’ office when the boy suddenly collapsed to his knees and let out a blood-curdling scream. He yanked the sleeves of his robes up and stared at his arms, and suddenly he was on his feet and running back up the stairs. Severus called after him, but the boy ignored him, and thinking that he had another thing to add to the pending discussion with his godson, he hurried after the boy.

Draco burst out of the main doors of the school and ran straight for the pitch. He stopped once he reached there; he noticed the red grass first. Funny, grass wasn’t supposed to be red, and it wasn’t supposed to glisten as though it was covered with wine. Something twisted inside his gut and he saw a mist around the limp form being shaken by the dark haired, dark eyed Slytherin, Blaise Zabini.

Severus came to an immediate stop behind his godson and looked in horror upon the one student he most loathed lying on the Quidditch pitch, skin as pale as porcelain, his blood staining the grass, his clothes, and the clothes of the shocked boy shaking him. Suddenly the moment was shattered as Draco ran over to the two boys. He shoved Blaise out of the way, and gathered the dying boy in his arms.

“Harry! Damn you! What have you done?” he yelled and clutched the boy to him. Suddenly the boy weakly lifted his hand and smiled at Draco.

“You can’t bring them back. You told me so, and they won’t accept us. I know they won’t. It’s better this way. When it rains remember me, and let the earth swallow me up,” he whispered weakly.

Draco’s eyes widened as he came to the conclusion of what he had to do, as he felt the life of his lover slipping away. Harry suddenly let out a rattling breath, and all movement in his body ceased. His body lurched and choked out one final gurgle and then he was still.

“No, Harry. You aren’t leaving me. You know I won’t let you!” the blond shouted, and then he took out his wand and clutching his lover’s body to him, he began an incantation the words slipping from his lips, and yet, he knew not their origin.

“I summon thee, Anubis, God of the Beyond, Guide of the Dead. I summon thee, as is my right as the son of your own. Bring back the other half of my soul. I command thee bring him back, my life as forfeit, my life for his.”

Black clouds gathered in the sky and surrounded the Quidditch pitch; both Severus and Blaise were struck speechless. Wind whipped up around the blond and the limp figure clutched in his arms.

A booming voice filled the sky. “So willingly you would sacrifice yourself? Son of Lilith, what do you know of the ways of death and life?”

“Very little, but I know that I cannot live without my soul,” the boy answered.

“And he is your soul?” the voice asked.

“Yes,” the boy spoke softly.

“Then use his knife, strike the blade across your palm and let him drink, your souls to be bound from this moment on, nothing to separate them. Your life need not be forfeit, but your actions have consequence. Unknowing of this consequence do you accept?” the voice boomed from the sky.

“Yes,” the blond boy answered, took up the white handled knife, brought the bloodied blade across his left palm and pressed the wound to the dark haired boy’s lips. He opened the mouth and as the blood dripped into Harry’s mouth something strange happened. He swallowed. His mouth latched onto the wound, Harry’s hands rose to Draco’s wounded hand and held it firmly, as he drank. Suddenly his eyes snapped opened, fiery green and he sat up, threw the wounded hand from his lips, and drank in a deep gulp of air, no longer drowning.

A flash of lighting shot forth from the blackened skies, and a naked figure fell heavily to the ground. Harry collapsed and Draco caught him before he could hit the ground. The dark haired boy fell into unconsciousness, but the wounds on his arms had disappeared, although their clothing was still stained with blood. Draco looked at his hand and noticed a faint scar where he’d cut his palm only moments before. Draco then looked in the direction of where the figure had fallen from the sky. It was a pale and slight figure, shrouded in long black hair.

Severus approached his godson, his eyes widened in shock as he stared at the boy. “That was necromancy,” he spoke weakly.

The blond simply nodded. “There are things that I need to tell you Severus.”

“Have you any idea what you have done boy? Your soul is bound to his forever. A God has spoken and said it is so!” Severus yelled at the boy, his panic and fear settling in his stomach and giving voice to his fright inspired rage.

“My soul was bound to his before this, Severus. We will discuss this later. Now let’s see to getting Harry to the infirmary and about the price I have to pay,” Draco said with a nod toward the naked figure shrouded in long black hair.

Severus nodded jerkily as Draco used a lightening spell on Harry so he could carry him. Blaise looked on, too shocked by what he’d seen to speak. Severus sighed as he approached the naked man lying still on the ground. He sighed as he pulled off his robes; leaving him dressed in a black button up shirt and black trousers, as well as his black dragon hide boots. He laid his cloak across the form and suddenly stopped upon catching a glimpse of the man’s face, his breath caught in his throat. The man’s eyes burst open revealing piercing blue orbs. He reached out blindly and caught Severus by the throat.

“Where am I?” he croaked and then his eyes narrowed as he looked at Severus, and growled, “What are you doing here, Snape?”

“I could ask the same of you, Black,” Severus answered.

-----------------

Readers are heroes when they review, so please do!