Warnings: This story contains slash of a somewhat explicit variety. Please do not read if this bothers you. This story is Book 7 Disregarded. Alternate Sequel to Bohemian Rhapsody. The title is taken from a song by Queen.

"Too much love will kill you, just as sure as none at all."


Prologue

As he reached the mouth of the forest, he hesitated before stepping inside. A few steps in, there were five little POPs in the air all around him, and there stood five masked Death Eaters, wands raised. They had found him, and they had come to kill him. He almost laughed.

"There you are," he drawled. "I figured you'd turn up soon. Five Death Eaters just to kill little old me… I'm flattered." They all remained quiet. Draco gave a sort of half-smile and looked around at them. "Tell my mother I don't want her to cry, okay?"

One of them pointed their wand at him, and said the words, and as a green jet of light came at him, seemingly in slow motion, the wind blew in the trees and Draco laughed. Nothing really mattered anymore.

But the jet of light flew straight past him and hit the Death Eater behind him square in the chest.

"Get down!" said a voice, and Draco threw himself on his stomach. Several spells flew above his head. Then the forest grew silent. A hand touched his shoulder gently.

"It's over, Draco," said a familiar voice. Draco sat up and looked up into the now unmasked face of Severus Snape. "We don't have much time."

"Why did you do that?" Draco suddenly felt angry, and flinched away from Snape's hand. "Why didn't you let them kill me? I was going to die, and then everything would be over!" He felt tears stinging his cheeks, but for once in his life he did not care. He looked away from his rescuer. "Why?" he whispered silently.

"I swore to your mother that I would protect you, Draco," said Snape. "An Unbreakable Vow. If I had failed to do so, I would have died. So do not assume for a second that I did it for you, you ungrateful little child!"

Draco shifted his gaze to meet Snape's, but the older man had already stood up and made his way over to one of the bodies. He knew perfectly well that the Vow no longer applied; it had only been supposed to last until Draco had failed or succeeded in his task. He said nothing, however, as Snape tore off the mask of the Death Eater he was crouched over, and Draco saw the face of his Aunt Bellatrix. Snape waved his wand over her body and transfigured her into a fox. Then he waved his wand again, and she was blasted through the forest, landing a few hundred feet away from them.

"Alright, this is the story," said Snape, turning to face Draco again. "Before I had time to say the words of the Killing Curse, Bellatrix aimed one at me. I fell to the ground and my wand was knocked out of my hand, and the curse missed. She then proceeded to kill the rest of them, before taking you by the arm and Apparating with you. Draco, you have to run away. Anywhere. Go to the continent. France. You know French, don't you? Hide, until the war is over."

"And if the Dark Lord wins?"

"Then we will both die."

Draco considered this for a while. Then he nodded curtly. "Alright, I'll run away. What if the Dark Lord doesn't believe you?"

"He will," said Snape with a grim sort of smile. "I am an excellent Occlumens. I may even be able to create a false memory for him to see. And he is paranoid. The fact that it was Bellatrix will make perfect sense to him, especially since they were so close."

Snape picked up a handful of dirt and pine needles and spread it across his cloak and robes. Then he put his mask on again.

"Should the right side win, we shall meet again, Draco," he said, before Disapparating. Draco looked around at the bodies on the forest floor, and then Disapparated as well. He hoped his mother would be all right.

"Severus, you lie!"

"I do not, my Lord," said Severus, bowing as deeply as he could. "Bellatrix took the boy. I blame myself; I should have seen it coming. She is his Aunt, my Lord."

"No, you cannot be telling the truth!" the Dark Lord raged. "Bellatrix is my most loyal servant, perhaps even more so than you have ever been. Do not presume that you can hide the truth from me, Severus! Crucio!"

Severus fell to the floor, blinded by the pain. When the pain subsided, he took a deep breath and got back on his feet. He looked up into his master's face. "I tell the truth, my Lord. Bellatrix took him. I am sorry I could do nothing to prevent it; I should have killed Draco and attempted to capture Bellatrix so you could question her yourself. I am a coward, my Lord."

"Yes, you are," said Lord Voldemort softly and gazed into his eyes. "But no, Severus, I should have realised she would betray me…" He looked away and nodded slowly. "Well, let her run for now. The Order will never believe her, should she knock upon their door. She is of no threat to me at the present time. I will personally question Narcissa about it, but Bellatrix and the boy can be dealt with after we have won the war."

"Yes, my Lord." Severus bowed again and left the room.