DISCLAIMER: Honestly, me owning either Gundam Wing or Harry Potter? Never gonna happen.

You Hold My Heart In the Palm of Your Hand

Summary: Quatre never believed in magic, much less that his blood could tie his very soul to another's. 04xCreature!Harry.

Thanks go to Nanashi-Angel, without whom this story would never have been finished.

Sunlight filtered through the thin cloth over the window, illuminating the room. The figure on the bed lay as still as death. A young man sat in a chair at his side, his face blank as he watched his friend sleep. The door opened, a braided boy slipping through quietly.

"How is he?" Uncharacteristically quiet, Duo took in the weakened form of the blond pilot, his eyes dark with worry.

"Not good. He barely fell asleep a few hours ago." Trowa stood, stretching muscles that had stiffened as he kept watch.

"Nothing unusual?"

"The pain seems to be getting worse every day. I don't think he'll last much longer if we don't do something."

Duo snorted quietly, "There's nothing left to do. We've tried everything we could think of. Nothing's worked." Trowa frowned, but did not refute Duo's words. They were true, though he wished otherwise. "Anyway, there's breakfast downstairs. Heero told me to tell you to eat before you sleep, or he'll have to take drastic measures."

Trowa shook his head, a glimmer of a smile in his eyes, "Wouldn't want that, would we." Duo watched him walk out, closing the door quietly behind himself, before taking a seat in the still-warm chair.

"I hope you get better soon, Quat."

I'm so sorry, Duo. Quatre thought, clenching his fists under the covers as he fought to keep from letting Duo know he was awake. His eyes stung with unshed tears of frustration, as he mentally cursed his weakness. His chest burned with need, hollow and empty without. . . whatever it was he needed.

For over seven months, Quatre had yearned for what was missing. Seven months, since he had first collapsed the evening of his sixteenth birthday, his friends had put their lives on hold to care for him. No matter what they tried, Sally had not found anything wrong with Quatre, even as the pain worsened, from mental to physical, draining his strength with each passing day.

Suddenly, the loneliness became too much, pressing down on his chest. It felt as though he were alone in the world, suffocating in the silence and the dark. Quatre gasped for breath, his eyes snapping open, latching on to the slumped figure of his friend. "Duo?"

"Quat?" Duo was out of his seat in a flash, scanning the blond with worried eyes. "What's wrong?

Quatre couldn't answer, tears of relief and sorrow dripping down his face. Instead, he pushed himself to a seated position, a hand reaching up to feel the warmth of Duo's skin.

Duo seemed to understand what was needed, as he sat down on the bed and wrapped his arms around the fragile blond. The contact eased the pain somewhat, and Quatre began sobbing. "I can't do this. It hurts so much, and it never leaves. I need him. There's a hole inside of me, and it gets larger every day. I fought, I killed, and it never hurt this much. What if he knows? What if he doesn't want a killer? Duo, please! I just want it to go away. I want to stop hurting. I want it to go away."

Duo just tightened his grip around Quatre's chest, burying his face in the blond's hair. This was not the first time the blond pilot had cried for the mysterious 'him,' and it wouldn't be the last. And as always, there was nothing he could do, nothing he could say, as Quatre's desperate cries tore into him, his voice quieting as his sobs slowed.

After a while, Quatre composed himself, pulling away from Duo's embrace. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'll do whatever it takes to help you through this, Quat." A flash of grief sparked in Duo's eyes so fast Quatre barely saw it before it was replaced with the too-wide smile. "You hungry?"

Truthfully, Quatre didn't really want to eat - no matter how good the food was, or how hungry he was, it always seemed to taste like he was eating sawdust - but he had no wish to make his friends worry more than they already did. He nodded.

"I'll just run and get the food then." Duo stood to leave, stopped by the quiet voice.

"No." Duo turned to stare at Quatre in confusion. The blond clarified, "I want- I don't want to stay in bed. Please. I want to sit at the table, pretend I'm not sick for a while." To know that I'm not alone. Cerulean met indigo, open and pleading, and Duo smiled, a true smile, sad and gentle.

"'Course, Quat. Ro'll be glad to see you up." Quatre smiled back at the thought, Heero was the one who had brought them all together, who had dedicated his time and effort into ensuring that Quatre was taken care of properly as they tried to find a cure. The Perfect Soldier was surprisingly protective of his friends, especially now in the peacetime when he had little else to direct his energy towards. "Think you can walk on your own?"

It was with great effort that Quatre managed to stand, clutching Duo's arm tightly to hold himself up. "I- would you mind?" The blond blushed deeply as he spoke, eyes downcast as he tried to fight off the embarrassment of helplessness.

"Not at all." Duo ducked under Quatre's arm, wrapping his arm around the blond's torso to hold him up. Quatre gripped Duo's shoulder tightly, his legs shaking under his weight.

It was a short walk down the hallway to the dining room..Trowa was seated across from Wufei, his back to the doorway. Wufei looked up as they entered. "What did Duo do this time?" Trowa swiveled in his seat to see what he was talking about.

"I resent that." Duo turned his head away with a dramatic flourish, "I would never blackmail Q-ball into coming out of his stuffy room."

Trowa's eyebrow rose skeptically as his eyes shone with amusement, and Quatre couldn't hold in a giggle.

"Hey, Heero!" Duo called as he helped Quatre into the seat next to Trowa. "Come and see! Quat's alive!"

Heero was in the doorway in an instant, his eyes visibly lighting up as he saw Quatre sitting at the table. "You are feeling better?"

Quatre shrugged with a sad smile, "the same. I just didn't want to be stuck in bed the rest of my-" The blond broke off mid-sentence, visibly stiffening before he collapsed. Trowa caught him before he hit the ground, cradling the limp form of his brother into his chest.

"Quat!" "Quatre" Resounded across the room as the other three pilots rushed to Trowa's side.

"He doesn't appear hurt. His breathing and pulse are steady. Let's get him back to bed."

They barely made it to the bedroom door before Quatre woke up with a vengeance. Sliding out of Trowa's arms, he seemed to glow with energy. "Harry Potter. I need to know who he is and where he lives!"

"Quat?" Duo reached a hand out in concern, only to find himself in a full-on bear hug as Quatre smiled widely.

"I feel whole. For the first time in months, I feel whole. I need to find Harry Potter!"

Heero went for his laptop, as the others watched Quatre carefully for any signs of weakness. There were none, as the blond paced the hallway like an caged lion. "Who is Harry Potter?" Trowa asked, keeping his voice level.

"He is mine! My other half. My mate!"

"Why do you only know this now?" Wufei asked.

"I- I don't know. He told me his name, and he begged me not to leave." Quatre's eyes filled with tears, "But I had to. I couldn't stay. I promised I'd come for him. I can't let him down, Wufei. I won't let him down." A tear slid down his face, even as he glared at the Chinese pilot, daring him to try and stop him.

"Harry James Potter. Sixteen years old today. He lives with his aunt, uncle and cousin at Number 4 Privet Drive in Surrey, England." Heero returned, holding the laptop with one arm as he typed with the other. "We can get there in under eight hours if we leave now."

"Let's go!" Quatre would have gone for the door, had Trowa not stopped him.

"Get dressed first." Quatre jerked away with a growl, "Do you want to make a good first impression?"

Quatre nodded sheepishly, running into his room. Heero took charge, "Duo, run and grab the bags. We don't know how long we'll be gone." Duo nodded and took off. "I've already reserved a shuttle and a car, so we should be good to go."

"What about this Potter? What if he doesn't want to come with us?"

Dark blue eyes flashed dangerously, "If he is needed for Quatre to recover, then we will make him come."

There was no time for the others to say anything before Quatre and Duo were back. The excited blond barely let them lock the doors behind them in his eagerness to reach his mate.

X

Darkness all around, his heart pounded harder. Something was missing, something his heart, his whole being needed with an urgency that threatened to tear him apart.

A figure illuminated in a beam of light stood in the distance, pulling at his heart strings.

He ran desperately towards the light, hand outstretched. Faster and faster he ran, even as the figure remained just out of reach.

"Please! Don't go!"

For a moment, the face came into view - turquoise eyes, warm with care, shone over a gentle smile. The feelings of love and longing enveloped him, banishing the overwhelming loneliness. "I'll come for you. Just tell me who you are."

"I'm Harry, Harry Potter." The smile was thankful, if not a bit sad.

"I have to go now, but I will come for you, Harry Potter."

And then the warmth was gone, the figure fading into the darkness. "No! Please. . . don't go!" Empty once again, he fell to his knees, hugging his chest as the loneliness threatened to suffocate him. "I need you. . ."

X

Harry woke shaking, tears streaming down his eyes. Why did it hurt so much? He didn't even know the boy in his dreams, so why did it feel as though his heart wanted to break? He lay in bed, letting his tears fall as he wished that he could have been anyone but Harry Potter.

Harry Potter. The Boy-Who-Lived, the Boy-Who-Saved. The child who had given up his happiness, his magic, and very nearly his life to vanquish Voldemort, only to be sent away now that he was no longer needed. "It would be too painful for you to have to watch others use magic now that you have none." Hah! Excuses, excuses. Was it not enough that he was nothing more than a squib? That his friends had forgotten him once he was no longer needed? Fate had to send him dreams, glimpses of a warmth he had never before thought possible, only to have it torn away in the morning light.

A pounding on his door brought him out of his depressing thoughts, and he sat up quickly, rubbing at his cheeks to wipe away the drying tear stains he could still feel. The padlocks were unlatched as Petunia screeched at him to "Get up and cook breakfast, boy!"

Shoving aside his grief, Harry dressed quickly, ignoring the odd feeling feeling in his ears as he slid the over-sized shirt down over his head. His food stash had been running low, and if he hurried, he could sneak a few bites before Vernon and Dudley came down.

Petunia was already gone when Harry left his room, so he hurried to the bathroom before making his way down the stairs. Pulling out the frying pan, he set the bacon to fry before shoving bread in the toaster with one hand as he cracked eggs into a bowl with the other.

"Are you about done?" Petunia hissed as she descended the stairs.

"Yes, Aunt Petunia." Harry brought the serving plates to the table, there were enough eggs to feed a small army, along with several rashers of bacon and a tall stack of buttered toast. The warmth at his hip was reassuring, as he had managed to stash several pieces of bacon and toast into his oversized pocket. Enough, if he ate sparingly, to last him and Hedwig a few days.

"Be quick about it. My Vernon has an import-" Harry looked up as Petunia froze mid-word.

"Aunt Petunia?"

"What have you done to yourself?" It was a disgusted whisper, that had Harry looking down at himself. He saw nothing out of the ordinary, and stared at Petunia in confusion. "You- you freak! Vernon! Ver-non!"

The man came running, pounding down the stairs with his shirt half-buttoned and his tie hanging undone over his shoulders. "What is it, Pet?" And then he looked towards the stove, where Harry stood, his body tensed in confusion and fear. Vernon's eyes went wide, "What the-"

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" Harry had no idea what he was apologizing for as he backed away from his uncle whose face had gone purple, his teeth grinding audibly. All he knew was that it was best to appease Vernon when he got like this - it was rare for Vernon to lose all control over his temper, but when it happened, he was capable of anything.

"Freak!" Vernon stalked up to the fearful boy, hovering over him like a predator. Harry was backed into the wall, wincing away as spittle flew into his face. "I'll not have you contaminating my family with your freakishness!"

"I'm sorry!"

Vernon's hand darted up, Harry threw his arms up, tensing for a blow that never came. Peeking over his hands, Harry saw Petunia holding onto her husband's beefy arm. "Don't!" For a brief moment, Harry wondered if she was protecting him. And then she continued, her eyes darting nervously to the windows, "Not down here. The neighbors will hear. We can't let anyone see him."

The air grew thick, as Vernon's face paled. Stepping back, he pointed an arm down the hallway. "Go to your room! NOW!" He bellowed the last word as Harry hesitated.

That was all the warning the frightened boy needed, and he walked quickly to the stairs, refusing to let Vernon see how truly close he was to panicking. Harry made it up the stairs, past the curious Dudley who had poked his sleep-tousled head out of his door only to jump back in surprise at the sight of him, and into the bathroom. He had been in too much of a hurry to look in the mirror earlier, but now he had to know what had brought about such an extreme reaction in his relatives.

The sight that met his eyes was not one he had expected.

Cat-like pupils stared out at him from eyes an unearthly shade of green. Harry realized for the first time that day that he had forgotten to wear his glasses, and yet he could still see far clearer than he ever had before, with or without the bulky lenses he'd worn since childhood. Clear skin, paler than Malfoy's, seemed to have an earthy tint, a hint of green that vanished as he tried to pin it down. His hair no longer stuck up in all directions, instead hanging down to frame his face in soft ebony curls that tickled the back of his neck. Harry reached out to trace his reflection, the tilt of his head revealing the final change.

Strands of hair fell away from where they had covered his ears, and Harry nearly stopped breathing. Nearly an inch longer than they should have been, his ears stuck up into pointed tips. "No way! This isn't happening. This isn't happening. You're dreaming, Harry. There is no possible way you could really be some sort of. . . elf-creature!" Reaching up, Harry pinched his ear.

For a moment, there was nothing but the surge of pain, and then it faded. Blinking away the spots, Harry brushed his fingertips across the edge of his ear. He shivered at the sensation, not only were his ears pointed, they were several times more sensitive than they had been before.

"Why me? Why can't I ever be normal?" Harry whispered out loud. His magic had gone, drained by his fight with Voldemort - Dumbledore had verified it right before he had sent Harry back to the Dursleys for his 'protection'. There was no way he could be a magical creature, and yet here he was, pointed ears and all!. A wave of anger overtook him - why couldn't he just be normal for once in his life! - and without thinking, he slammed his fisted right hand into the mirror, shattering his reflection..

The shock of pain that jolted down his arm brought him out of his rage, and he swore violently, staring down at his hand. It was bleeding, shards of glass sticking out, and from the bone poking through the skin, something had broken. The mirror itself was beyond repair, the elfin reflection distorted into something frightening.

"Boy! I will not have you destroying my house!"

No, no. Harry stumbled back into the wall, away from the mirror. Even if Vernon might have been planning to just lock him in his room for his freakishness, this blatant disobedience and destruction would not be taken lightly. Harry shuddered, and ran from the bathroom.

Slamming the padlocked door to his room shut, Harry grabbed Hedwig's cage, ignoring her frantic hooting as he shoved her deep into the closet full of Dudley's broken toys. "Please be quiet, Hedwig. He's going to be mad, and I won't let you get hurt." The owl quieted, though her eyes were warm. "Here's food. Don't eat it all now. I don't know if I'll be able to get more." He pulled out the crumbling toast and bacon awkwardly, shoving it through the cage bars. "No noise. I don't care what happens, I don't care what he does. You stay quiet, you hear?"

Hedwig nodded solemnly, tugging gently at a strand of his hair. "I'll be careful, Hedwig. You know I will."

Closing the closet door gently, he leaned against it, sliding down to sit on the floor, his hand still cradled to his chest. A single tear slid down his face as he felt the floor shake, Vernon was coming.

"Dad, Harry broke the mirror. It's all bloody." Harry's eyes squeezed shut, there was nothing he could do now.

The door burst open, to reveal his uncle, in all of his purple-faced anger. "You freak! I don't have time for this now, but when I get home. . . ." Harry cringed, trying to melt into the wall. Nothing more was said, as the door was slammed shut, and the bolts locked.

Harry opened his eyes, barely able to believe that he had not been beaten, and yet the anticipation of what Vernon would do with a full day of stewing in anger and hatred was almost more than he could bear. He shivered and slid down the door, until he lay on his back. His mind empty, Harry lay still on the hard floor, staring blankly at the ceiling. With the window barred, Hedwig caged, and the door padlocked shut, he had no way of escaping. No way to get word to Dumbledore, to anyone. He was alone.

X

Trowa watched in silence as Quatre's burst of energy faded less than an hour into the trip. He went from fidgeting anxiously in his chair to leaning into Heero's side, the stoic pilot encouraging it with a loose, if slightly awkward, hug.

"What's wrong with 'im?" Duo was wrapped in Wufei's embrace, his worried eyes focused on the quiet blond.

"No doubt he is once again suffering from lack of. . . contact with Potter." Wufei wasn't quite sure he believed that his friend had met the reason for his decline in the three minutes he had been unconscious, but he did know that whatever had happened had made Quatre better, if only temporarily.

"You really think he needs this kid? What the hell kind of sickness makes a guy dependant on someone he's never met before in his life? His mate." Duo spat the words out with venom, he had been so afraid that Quatre was going to die these past months. And now, to learn that it was because some kid hadn't been there. . . To learn that Quatre's fate now rested in the hands of a complete stranger. . . it made his blood boil.

There was no response to his question, as no one knew how to answer it. They sat in silence the rest of the trip, each vowing in their own way to do anything to keep Quatre from regressing.

X

Harry didn't know how long he had lain on the floor before Hedwig's cries had roused him. "I'm coming, Hed." He refused to admit that somewhere, deep inside him, he had been hoping for the boy from his dream to rescue him, or that the emptiness he felt was anything other than the same loneliness he'd grown used to over the years.

Pushing himself up with his good hand, he winced. His back hurt from lying on the hard floor for so long, but it was nothing he couldn't deal with.. Looking at his hand though. . . it had swollen, covered in dried blood and shards of glass. "Hedwig, give me a minute. I need to fix my hand."

The owl hooted, a sound Harry translated as 'I'll wait, but you should hurry it up. I want out of here.' or something along those lines, anyway.

He carefully pulled out all of the little pieces of glass, hissing as he pulled them too far one way or another, cutting his hand open further. Once they were all out, he ripped off the bottom of his over-sized shirt, holding it in his teeth and pulling to make strips of fabric.

There was nothing he could do about the broken bone. He had no idea how to go about setting it, so he settled for uncurling his fingers, forcing his hand flat against the floor. It was incredibly painful, but he managed, wrapping it tightly, if somewhat haphazardly, with his makeshift bandages. It was a poorly done job, he was right-handed, and one-handed bandaging was not one of his talents, but it held his hand together and kept it from throbbing quite so painfully.

His hand done, he managed to stand, his legs prickling as they woke up. Opening the closet, he grabbed the birdcage, doing his best not to shake Hedwig too much.

She cooed at him, a sort of bird-purr that was both reassuring and soothing, as she nudged his fingers with her outstretched wing. She was his only friend, the only one who had never done anything to hurt him, whether accidentally or on purpose. Realizing this, he pulled the cage in close, embracing it as he cried tears of fear, of loneliness, of sadness. He cried until there were no tears left, and then he slept, curled around the small cage as if it were his only hope.

X

The shuttle landed at the airport, only a twenty minute drive from Harry Potter's home. Quatre was a wreck as he felt his mate's despair. He couldn't tell what caused it, or how he knew it, but he could sense that his mate was just as tired and empty as he himself had been, if not more so. Heero had to help him to the car as the anxious blond tried to focus.

Trowa took the wheel, weaving in and out of traffic at a speed far past anything legal as Duo called out the directions Heero had given him. They reached Number 4 Privet Drive in seven minutes, the wheels screeching their protests as Trowa hit the brake, swerving to a clean stop neatly parked in the open driveway.

"That. . . was awesome!" Duo's mouth gaped open as he stared at Trowa in awe.

Trowa just smirked, getting out to open Heero's door for him so that the Wing pilot could help Quatre out.

Wufei was already out and at the door, knocking a quick but polite rhythm. The door was opened by a rather obese teen, the same height as Wufei, but at least three or four times wider.

"Wha'd'ya want?"

"I need to speak to Harry Potter." Wufei hid his disdain at the boy's slovenly appearance and poor manners.

"Hey, Mum! There's some people here for the freak!" The obese boy was pulled away from the door by an anorexic woman who sneered at Wufei.

"There's no such person here." She sneered before slamming the door in his face, locking him out.

Quatre had perked up enough to walk, though he held onto Heero to keep himself up. His quiet words were confident, "He is here."

"Why would she lie?" Trowa asked.

"Her son called him a 'freak'. Perhaps he is not well-liked."

Quatre screeched angrily, his eyes blazing. "He is not a freak!" Wufei backed away quickly, not wanting to cross an angry, if weakened, Quatre.

"I got it!" Duo grinned gleefully, pushing the door open. He had been fiddling with the lock as the others talked.

Trowa went first. Followed closely by Heero and Quatre while Duo took up the rear. They ignored the screeching woman's protests, silencing her with angry glares.

Wufei didn't move, "I'll wait out here, keep an eye out for trouble."

Quatre followed the pull of his mate up the stairs, to the door at the end of the hall. It was bolted shut with five different locks. The blond pilot could feel his strength returning, just as he could feel the sadness from his imprisoned mate intensify. "He's in here!"

The bolts were undone, and the door was pulled open. Quatre rushed in, his heart dropping at the sight of his mate.

The boy was tiny, draped in tent-cloth that billowed around him like elephant skin. In brilliant contrast to his pale skin, his soft curls were a bright ebony, with the tip of a pointed ear poking up through them. One hand was wrapped crudely with blood-stained cloth, while the other had a firm grasp on the bird cage he was curled around. He was the very picture of innocence, doll-like in his beauty, nearly stopping Quatre's heart.

The white owl in the bird cage hooted angrily at the blond as he approached. She was ignored, as Quatre spoke quietly, not wanting to alarm the fragile boy. "Harry?"

The boy woke slowly, his eyes blinking softly in the dim light. And then his eyes focused, and he bolted upright as he caught sight of Quatre, his slitted eyes wide with terror. "Who are you?"

HIs voice was quiet, full of hope and fear, and yet so painfully empty that Quatre nearly cried. "My name is Quatre Raberba Winner. I promised I'd come for you, don't you remember?"

The boys standing in the doorway watched as the fragile teen stood shakily, and took a few steps away from their blond friend. "You can't be him. It was just a dream. This is just a dream!" Tears welled up, and it was obvious that he had to forcibly keep them from falling.

"This is real, but I was in your dream. I had to leave so that I could find you here. I came as fast as I could." Quatre took a single step forward, not wanting to frighten his mate.

"It's true. As soon as he woke up, Quat here practically dragged us out of the house to get to you. Any faster and he might have broken the sound barrier." Duo grinned as the teen turned to stare at him, only just noticing them.

He tilted his head to the side curiously, "You. . . I don't know you. I'm not dreaming, am I? You're real?" Heero nodded, and Harry took a step forward, his gaze back on Quatre. "You wouldn't leave me?" It was an abrupt question, but Quatre could tell how much his answer would weigh in Harry's decision.

"No. I don't think I could if I wanted to." Harry shrank away at these words, angry and confused.

"I don't want you to stay if you don't want to. I won't let you."

Sighing, Quatre shook his head, "I didn't mean it that way. I need you - why, I don't know, but I do know that I want to be with you. I want to get to know you, to learn who you are, outside of being my mate." Harry's mouth gaped open.

"You're a creature too?"

Two pairs of confused eyes and two pairs of angry eyes turned on him, and Harry flinched away. "Quatre is a kind, loving person. You have no right to insult him like that." It was Duo who spoke, his eyes dark and angry.

"I- I didn't mean it badly. Honest! I just-"

Angry voices interrupted him, too muffled by distance to make out the words, though they were recognizable as Vernon and Wufei.

Harry visibly cringed, grabbing for Hedwig's cage. "You have to go! He doesn't like magic, you'll only make it worse." His fear was nearly tangible as he shoved her into the closet.

"Magic?" Duo's confusion was ignored as Quatre stepped forward, anxious to ease the boy's anxiety.

"Didn't I tell you that I wouldn't leave you, Harry?"

"You don't understand! He was so angry this morning. . . if he hadn't left. . . And now you're here, and he's not going to like that, and he'll. . . Just GO! I won't let you get hurt for me! I'm not worth it." Harry was visibly shaking, his breathing uneven and quick, even as he stood tall, glaring angrily up at Quatre.

"No."

"Wha-"

"I said 'no'. I won't leave you here, especially not if your only reason for me to do so, is that you are not worth it. I would not feel this way about you if you weren't worth it."

"Plus," Duo cut in, "even if ya weren't Quattie's mate" he wrinkled his nose distastefully, "we're not about to leave a kid in an abusive home." Harry opened his mouth to protest, "And don't tell me it's not abusive. The lady hates you, the fat kid calls you 'freak', and you're worried about Quat getting hurt, so you know the guy's going to hit someone. Come on, door's open, Fei's probably already taken care of the bastard, and we've got a fast car."

"You. . . you'd do that for me? Take me with you? You don't mind. . . this?" He gestured at his face, his eyes fixated on the three in the doorway.

Trowa smiled gently at the skittish teen, "Everyone's got something different about them, yours is just a bit more visible than some."

Heero "Hn"-ed in agreement.

"It's up to you, Harry. You can come, or we can stay."

"I can't leave Hedwig." Harry hedged nervously, and Quatre smiled.

"She can come with us. It's no trouble."

Still nervous, Harry nodded, peeking up through his bangs. "Thank you." He was quick to have Hedwig out of the closet, stroking her feathers through the bars gently as he whispered, "We're leaving, Hedwig. It's going to be okay."

"Isn't there anything else you need?"

Staring at his feet, Harry shook his head, unconsciously picking at his shirt. "Uncle Vernon took everything. . . burned it all. Only reason he didn't take Hedwig was I promised to keep her locked up and not to make a fuss if he told me to do something."

Quatre's temper flared, and the only thing that kept him from running down and killing that- man! was Harry's obvious sorrow. "You're never coming back here. I don't care if you don't stay with me," he ignored the pang in his heart that said, yes, he would mind, "but I will do everything in my power to ensure that you never see him again."

Harry blushed, hugging the bird cage tighter and hiding his face behind his hair. Just being around Quatre was nice, he was just as warm and loving as he'd felt in the dream, and it took all of Harry's willpower not to reach out and let the blond hold him close. He knew deep down that the blond was his mate, that Harry needed him just as much as he needed Harry, but he couldn't fight off the nagging fear that something would happen and he would leave just like everyone else.

"Are you coming?" Quatre was standing in the doorway, smiling patiently back at his dark-haired mate. Harry blushed even deeper, and rushed to the blond's side.

"Sorry." Harry mumbled under his breath. Quatre only smiled and pulled him close, a gesture that filled Harry with warmth. With Heero at the front and Trowa and Duo at the rear, the group made its way down the stairs.

Wufei stood at the bottom of the stairs, and he did not look happy. "You failed to mention that the man of the house was a two-ton walking whale." Dark eyes threatened to bore a hole through Heero's skull.

Heero merely shrugged, "You didn't ask." Harry struggled to hold in a snicker and failed miserably, drawing Wufei's attention to him.

"The mate?" Wufei received a nod, and looked over Harry's ragged clothes and caged owl with a disbelieving gaze that had the smaller boy shrinking into himself. Quatre was quick to jump to Harry's defense, pulling the elf behind him and glaring angrily at Wufei.

"Please don't do that, Wufei." Quatre said in a cold, too-nice voice, "Harry can't help what he looks like, and I don't need you making him feel worse."

Wufei blinked, and then nodded, his expression contrite. "I apologize. It was not my intent to belittle him. We should hurry." He sent a discrete glance down the hallway, the others following his gaze.

Quatre smiled at the apology, and stepped aside to allow Harry to return to the place at his side. Making their way out of Number Four, the pilots made sure to block Harry's view of the hallway where Vernon Dursley's unconscious body laid next to those of his son and wife. They had only been knocked out, but the pilots had no idea how the abused elf would react to seeing his abusers in such a state.

X

Harry woke the next morning, warm and comfortable in a soft bed. Sitting up, he brushed an absent-minded hand across his ear. At the tingling sensation, he knew that it had not been a dream. He really had become an elf, though. . . had Quatre been real as well?

"You must have been tired." Harry jumped, blushing as he realized that Quatre had been sitting on the edge of his bed the whole time. "You fell asleep pretty fast in the car. I hope you don't mind that I carried you in, I didn't want to wake you."

"It's fine."

There was an awkward silence, as Harry tried to work up the courage to ask what Quatre was, and Quatre wondered if it would be rude to ask Harry what he had meant the day before about creatures and magic.

"What-" "Can I-" They began speaking in unison.

"Yes?" Quatre was quick to snap back, even as Harry was still peeking up through his bangs apologetically.

"What are you?" At Quatre's confused look, he expounded, "What species of creature are you?" Quatre still did not understand, and he said as much. "You can obviously tell that I'm no longer human, at least not fully. I'm some sort of elf, not really sure how or why, but I'm not human. I sort of thought you were the same. . . you don't really look it, but when you called me your mate. . . Was I wrong?"

"I don't know. A while ago, I collapsed. When I woke up, it felt like I was alone in the world, and it only got worse as time went by. No one could explain it, or find anything physically wrong. Yesterday, when I saw you in the dream, it was like I was whole once again. You were my mate. I don't know how I knew it and I'm still not quite sure exactly what it means, but I do know that I need you."

Harry's eyes were wide, "You didn't know? About magic or creatures or anything."

"No."

His eyes tearing up, Harry leaned over and shyly wrapped his arms around Quatre. "That must have been horrible. I was scared when I changed, but to not know what was going on at all. . . I'm sorry. To go through that all on your own. . . I felt horrible enough when I was only alone for a few hours, and I'm used to that sort of thing. But you. . . because of me. . . I'm sorry!" And with that, he broke down, crying not for himself this time, but for his mate.

Quatre returned the embrace, ignoring the tears dampening his shoulder.. "It's not your fault, little one. You couldn't have known." He rocked back and forth, whispering calming words of love and trust to the sobbing elf in his arms.

After a while, Harry had calmed, though his head still rested next to Quatre's neck. "Will your friends mind? They didn't look very happy with me yesterday."

"They didn't understand, and they're scared for me. We've been through a lot together, and they gave up their lives to take care of me. All five of us have a hard time trusting outsiders, and the thought that I needed you to stay healthy was a frightening one. I'm sure once they get to know you, they'll love you."

Harry smiled softly. "That would be nice."

A knock at the door broke the peaceful silence, and caused Harry to pull himself from Quatre's embrace, his eyes wary and frightened. Quatre growled, but stood to answer it. He opened the door gently, an icy smile in his eyes. "Yes?"

"Hey, Quat! Really sorry about barging in on you like this, but Heero wants to know what your plans are - how long we're staying, who we tell, what do we do with your boy-toy there, and all that jazz."

"Boy-toy?"

For all his obliviousness, Duo knew when he was pushing it, and the eerie look in Quatre's eyes was a clear sign that this was one of those times. He chuckled nervously, "Sorry 'bout that. You know what I mean. Anyway, Ro wanted me to ask you if it would be too much for the kid to tell us what he knows, 'cause it seems like he's the only one who knows anything about. . . you know." He waved his hand vaguely. "Course he was more like, 'tell Quatre we need to talk to Potter and find out what this is all about', but I figured it should be up to the kid."

Quatre could feel Harry's amusement at the braided boy's antics, and so he moved aside, "Why don't you ask him?"

"Hey, kiddo." Duo bounced over to the bed, where Harry was hiding behind a pillow, his eyes alight with laughter.

"Not a kid."

"Of course not! You mind if we all come in and bug you? Hee-chan says he's worried you're a security threat, but I'm pretty sure he just wants to make sure you're not gonna hurt our Kit-Quat. Tro-man's just curious - I think it's the eyes," Duo whispered conspiratorily, "and Fei . . . well, he's Fei. He's still having trouble believing any of this is real. He'll probably be all cold and such, but don't take him too seriously."

Harry giggled, ducking his head to hide it. "What's your name?"

"Duo Maxwell. I run, I hide, but I never tell a lie." Harry stopped laughing, blinking owl-eyed at the braided boy as he stuck out a hand to shake.

". . . Harry Potter." Harry reached out to take the outstretched hand to surprised gasps from both Duo and Quatre. "What? Oh." He followed their gazes to the tattered rags that were barely holding his hand together. "Sorry." Harry made to pull his hand back in, only to have his wrist captured in a firm, but gentle grasp.

"Doesn't that hurt?" Duo began unwinding the makeshift bandages, fixing Harry with a firm glare when he tried to pull away.

"Allah." Quatre breathed out heavily as the wound was revealed. The knuckles were red and swollen with signs of infection setting in. One of the fingers had bone sticking out in such a way that, left untreated, it would heal badly. The blond flexed his own hand unconsciously, unable to imagine how much pain his mate must be in. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Harry shrugged and mumbled, "Didn't think you'd care."

Both pilots stared at him incredulously. "Are you an idiot?" Duo asked bluntly, ducking as Quatre tried to swat him. Harry just looked away, he wasn't used to people looking out for him, and it honestly made him more than a little bit uncomfortable.

"What my mentally challenged friend is trying to say is, why? What have we done - what have I done to make you think we didn't care?"

"Nothing." Harry admitted reluctantly. "I'm just used to taking care of myself though, you know."

"This is not a very good sign of that, kid. A few more days, and that hand'd be too far gone to fix."

"Duo! Stop scaring him and go get the first-aid kit. And you," Quatre turned to Harry as Duo walked away, "I know it's only been a few hours, but do you really think that little of me?"

"No!" Harry flinched away as if he'd been struck. "I just. . . I don't. . . I've never had anyone care before. Not really. They might say they do, but no one ever really does."

Quatre closed his eyes, suppressing his anger. The urge to destroy everyone who had ruined his little mate's life was strong, urged on by the violent whispers from the remains of the ZERO system.

"Quatre? I'm sorry. I didn't mean-" Harry's voice was little more than a whisper, and Quatre opened his eyes to see that he was trembling. It hurt, a pain deeper than any physical wound he'd received in the war, and he leaned forward to embrace the smaller teen, careful to avoid the wounded hand.

"I know you didn't, Harry. I just wish I could make you see that I do care for you."

". . .I'm sorry. You deserve someone better, someone who can trust, someone who can love. I can't. I never had a chance to learn how. I'm sorry." With that, Harry pulled out of Quatre's grasp, and scrabbled backwards until he was out of reach, wrapping his arms around his knees as he hid behind his hair once again.

Quatre couldn't move, barely aware of the silent tears streaking down his cheeks. "There is no one better." Harry didn't move, and Quatre's heart ached, for the pain his mate felt, for his own pain at not knowing what to say to ease the pain, for the emptiness that grew at the thought that, whatever the cause, his mate was rejecting him.

"Please. . . " He pleaded softly, "Please don't leave me. I don't care if it takes years to get you to trust me, to let me care for you. There is no one else. I need you, please."

"I got-" Duo froze in the doorway, "-it," he finished weakly. "Quat?"

Quatre ignored him, tears flowing nonstop down his face as he begged Harry to stay with him. The dark-haired boy remained still on the far side of the bed, curled into himself as if he could not hear the heart-wrenching words.

Duo swore, and ducked out, returning moments later with a bleary eyed Trowa - the green-eyed teen had been making up for hours of missed sleep. As soon as he took in the scene, though, Trowa snapped into alertness to help his friend.

"Tro, take him into your room, see if he'll tell you what's wrong. I'll get it out of the kid." Duo whispered, "and whatever you do, don't let Ro or Fei know. At least not yet. 'kay?" Trowa nodded, without knowing why both of the mates were acting this way, it was highly likely that the others would only make it worse.

There was no reaction as Trowa helped Quatre stand, practically carrying him out of the room and across the hall. Duo watched with shadowed eyes until the door closed behind them, and then he jumped onto the bed, and folded his legs into a sitting position inches away from Harry's curled up form.

"Ya know, I actually thought you were a decent kid. I mean, sure, you're a bit of an idiot, but anyone Quat likes is bound to be a good guy. But no! You prove me wrong. You're just lucky I'm giving you a chance to explain before I sic Heero on you. Honestly, making Quat cry like that? What in Death's name did you do?"

". . . I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt him. I just. . . " Harry's voice trailed off into silence.

"Just what? Didn't want the nicest guy in the galaxy hanging around you? Wanted to see him cry like a baby?"

"No!" Harry's back straightened, his hair falling back to reveal a tear-stained face and brilliant emerald eyes that were glaring into Duo hard enough to kill. "I can tell that he's a wonderful person, and I would never hurt him, but he deserves better than me! He deserves someone who can love him, not a freak like me."

"Well aren't you Mr. Self-Pity." Duo sneered, "Did you tell him that? Is that why he's sobbing like the world's ended?" Harry flinched away as if he'd been struck, "Personally, I think this whole situation sucks, but Quat needs you. I don't know why, and I'd feel a whole lot better about it if you weren't under the impression that leaving him was for the best! Sure, he could probably do a whole lot better than you - for one, someone who doesn't go around punching walls - but he can't. He is stuck with you, and you are going to make it work. I will not have my best friend killing himself with grief because you hate yourself. Ya hear me?"

Wide-eyed, Harry nodded, speechless. "Good." Like the flip of a switch, Duo's eyes softened, as he reached for Harry's hand, "Now, let's get that hand of yours fixed so that you can apologize properly." Numbly, Harry let the brunet take his hand, barely feeling the sting as an antibiotic cream was rubbed in. Not even the pain when Duo forced his bones back together, holding them straight against a small splint and wrapping the hand tightly with clean bandages, could bring him out of his thoughts. Would it really kill Quatre if he didn't accept the blond? There were creatures like that, veela for one, but Quatre was a boy, and looked nothing like Fleur or any of the veela who had performed at the World Cup. In fact, except for the brilliance of his eyes and the slight glow in his skin, Quatre looked little more than human. But the way he had cried, those pleading sobs. . .

"I really hurt him, didn't I." Harry whispered, his face downcast. "I didn't meant to. I just. . . we were talking, and he looked so disappointed. . . I had to push him away before he did it to me."

"Okay, you seem like a nice kid. I'm willing to bet you'll get along just fine if you remember one thing - you know nothing about Quat. Before you go jumping to conclusions, get to know him. You don't have to love him, you don't even have to trust him, just give him a chance before you throw him to the dogs." Harry nodded "Well, your hand is good for now. Wouldn't hurt to have a doctor look at it, but we can do that later. Why don't you wait here while I go see if Quat's ready to come back."

"Thank you." Harry smiled shyly up at Duo as the braided boy stood to leave.

"I'm not doing this for you. If Quatre didn't need you, you'd've been gone faster than you could blink for making him cry. Do it again, and you'll wish you were dead." With that, Duo walked out, leaving a stricken Harry blinking in astonishment.

X

Across the hall, Trowa helped Quatre to the closest bed, pulling him close. The blond pressed into the comfort of his friend's body, his body shaking with silent sobs. Trowa said nothing, waiting for Quatre to speak. It wasn't long before the tears stopped, and Quatre looked up with reddened eyes.

"Why, Trowa? Why can't he see how special he is?"

"What happened?"

"I wanted to know why he hadn't told us about his broken hand. He didn't think we'd care! You should have heard him, so matter-of-fact, as if he was used to being ignored. I told him I wanted him to learn that I did care for him, that I always would, and he pulled away. Said I deserved someone better. He truly believed it, Trowa. He wanted to leave me because of it. I stopped thinking - didn't even try to talk sense into him. All I could think was 'he's going to leave me'."

"Another aspect of your. . . condition?"

"Most likely. It's easier to think clearly now, but it still hurts." Quatre pressed his hand to his heart, rubbing it slowly as he spoke, "This isn't going to be easy. He's been hurt, and he all but admitted that no one has ever shown him kindness or love without wanting something in return."

"If anyone can help him, it's you." Trowa reassured.

"You really think so?" Quatre pulled at his sleeve anxiously, searching Trowa's eyes for a lie. Trowa nodded, lips upturned. Quatre smiled back, "You should help. Not with the whole mate thing, but he could use a friend."

"And you think I should be it?" Trowa asked, one eyebrow raised skeptically. He had never been one for making friends. Sure, he could fake it well enough if he had to - it came with being an infiltrator - but to actually try to befriend someone? The pilots were his friends, but that was a bond born in mutual respect and shared hardships. He really had no idea how to genuinely befriend a civilian, especially one as skittish as Harry Potter.

"Why not? It's really not that hard. Just be yourself - the self you are around us." Quatre added. Trowa frowned with apprehension, "It'll work out fine. Just give him a chance."

Trowa groaned inwardly, unable to look away from Quatre's wide, begging eyes. Resigning himself, he agreed, "I will try. No promises though."

Quatre smiled, "Thanks, Trowa."

X

Duo knocked at the door, hoping Quatre had recovered enough to talk to Harry. He felt a little bad for having scolded Harry so harshly, not that the kid didn't deserve it, but he was so fragile. The look in the elf's eyes had been almost like watching a puppy, punished for something it didn't know was wrong.

"Duo?" Quatre had opened the door, his blue eyes wide with worry, "is something wrong?"

"Nope." Quatre visibly relaxed and Duo continued, "Harry just wants to talk to Quat. He's a bit shaken up - didn't expect you to react so strongly to his pushing you away. Not to mention, he's got the self-esteem of a dead rat - figured you'd give up on him eventually, so he just decided to make it on his terms. I talked to him though, and he'll get to know you better before assuming you're like everyone else he's ever known."

"Oh. . . " Quatre was speechless for a moment, and then he pounced on Duo, enveloping the brunette in a tight embrace. "Thank you!"

Duo barely had time to blink before Quatre was off again, the door drifting lazily shut behind him. "He's sure excited."

"This can't be healthy." Duo's head tilted in question, and Trowa elaborated, "it's as if his entire being is wrapped up in that boy and he couldn't care less. Maybe he doesn't even realize he ever was anything else. What could do that to a person?"

"Wasn't the kid saying something about magic last night? And he called Quat a creature. I'd say it was something he did, 'cept he wasn't expecting Quat to show up last night. Plus, he was really worked up - saying how wonderful a person Quat was, and how he deserved someone better than him. Barely crossed his mind that they've only known each other for less than a day." Duo frowned, one hand reaching instinctively for his braid in discomfort, "Whatever this thing is, it's two-way."

Trowa nodded thoughtfully, "If that's the case, our best option is to wait, see what happens. They might even make it work - I assume you made sure Harry will think twice before pushing Quatre away again?"

"I might have mentioned how much we would hate it if he made Quat cry again. . . " Duo hedged, his eyes dark. "I doubt I'd be able to carry through though, unless he intentionally hurt our blondie. He's just so. . . he's like a puppy! All cute and vulnerable. He'd probably have Quat wrapped around his finger even without this whole weird attraction 'mate' thing."

"A puppy?" Trowa lifted an eyebrow in amusement.

"What? It's not like I'm gonna tell him that. . . "Duo looked thoughtful, "or maybe I will. I bet I could get a decent reaction out of him."

"You approve of him then?"

Duo shrugged, "He's nice enough - a bit too 'doom'n'gloomy', but that can be fixed. He's had a hard life, so he'll be able to relate to Quat somewhat. It's not like my not approving'll change anything, and he is cute."

"Any ideas on how to go about befriending him?" Duo stared at Trowa, his mouth agape. Doubling over, he burst into laughter, his braid twitching violently. Once he recovered, several long minutes later, Trowa continued, his face blank. "Quatre wants us to make Harry comfortable, and he thinks the best way to do that is to befriend him."

Stifling a few remaining chuckles, Duo grinned, "Right. Gave you the wide-eyed innocent look, didn't he?"

Trowa nodded, a bit sheepishly.

"Well, it's not a bad idea. If three of us like him, we have a better chance of convincing the others that he's not out to hurt Quat. Oh!" Duo's eyes widened, "Shit! I gotta go tell Heero the interrogation's off."

Trowa opened his mouth, but Duo was out the door before he could speak. Blinking, he followed the braided teen, though at a much slower pace.

X

Harry sat cross-legged on the bed, anxiously watching the door as he waited for Quatre. He absently traced the lines of the bandages across his hand, trying to keep from assuming the worst. What if Quatre could not bring himself to forgive Harry? What if Quatre decided to let Harry go? Not even the memory of Duo's words about Quatre dying without Harry could assuage the elf's fear.

And then the door swung open, hitting the wall with a bang. Harry flinched away from the noise, only to miss his mate's entrance. Quatre crossed the room and was wrapped around Harry before the elf recovered.

". . . Quatre?" Harry asked, barely audible in his nervousness.

"You're not worthless, you're not a mistake, you are mine. I don't care if you can't return my feelings yet, I don't care how long it takes me to drive it into your skull - I cannot live without you. I. . . I might even love you." Blue eyes widened as it hit Quatre like a mallet. He truly did love the delicate little elf, with every fiber of his being. He nuzzled the top of Harry's head, whispering the words once again, "I do love you, Harry. With all my heart."

"L-love?" Harry could hardly believe his ears, twisting out of Quatre's embrace so that he could see the blond's face. Sure, the blond needed him, but. . . love? Was it possible that someone could love him? "Y-you can't! You don't even know me!"

"I know what I feel, and I know that I love you, Harry Potter." He met Harry's disbelieving eyes with a gentle smile. "And I will say it as much as I have to until you believe it. You deserve to be happy and you deserve to be loved, regardless of what others might have told you. And if you need to leave to be happy, I- I won't stand in your way."

Harry stared in shock, Quatre's sincerity ringing true in his words. Never before had Harry been told that he mattered - before Hogwarts he had been the freak, good for nothing but working for his keep, and after he turned eleven he had been the Boy-Who-Lived, the scapegoat/hero of the wizarding world. Never once had anyone cared for 'just Harry'. And yet this boy, introduced to magic in the worst possible way, claimed to love him. To want Harry's happiness over his own, even if it meant giving him up.

Overwhelmed, Harry burst into tears, wrapping his arms around the blond like an anchor. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you! I don't want to leave!" He ignored the nagging voice in the back of his mind that continued to warn him away from getting attached. This was his mate, a teen who had been nothing but gentle and understanding since they had met, who had professed to love Harry even after he had hurt him. Perhaps one day the blond would leave, but until then, Harry would make the most of it. Maybe he could even learn to love him.

Quatre smiled sadly, holding his mate closely. He could tell that Harry didn't - couldn't - love him yet, that the boy still believed Quatre would grow tired of him eventually despite his claims. One day, Quatre promised himself, he would change that. He would make Harry realize how much he truly cared. For now though, it was enough to bask in the warmth of his mate's acceptance - he had not been rejected.

Well, I kind of like how this turned out.

What do you think?