Full Summary: Draco Malfoy, after losing most of his family, has retreated to a cave in the middle of a dragon reserve, in the hopes of receiving the kiss of the dragon spirits. He succeeds, but when a terrorist organization takes over the reserve putting his life in danger, Harry Potter comes to his rescue. Only Draco doesn't want to go and is clearly hiding something. Matters are complicated when Draco is kissed a second time. Can Harry discover what is really going on with Draco and the dragon spiritualism that everyone in the reserve seems to believe in? Warnings: Mpreg, Parthenogenesis, Religion, Slash
Author's Note: I debated whether or not to include a warning for religion. Ultimately I decided in favor of it, since it is an element I, personally, would like to be warned about before reading a story. Therefore I would like to inform you that the religion in this story is one I made up. Also, unlike mass delusions in real life, the ones in this story turn out to be mostly true, which I fear sends the wrong message. When reading, please keep in mind that there are no morals in my stories, full stop.
Harry's POV:
Slogging through one of the more mountainous Hebrides islands, dodging rampaging dragons and dangerous dark wizards, I kept telling myself that I was doing this to rescue innocent civilians. It just so happened that one of these civilians in particular was the same Draco Malfoy I'd grown up with and almost killed during sixth year. Who he was didn't matter, so much as the fact that he was registered to be living in a cave in the middle of the war zone. He was one of the innocents caught up in the cross fire. Regardless of who was trapped, it was my job to find said cave and portkey the victim to safety, now that the anti-apparition ward was established.
Those caves weren't hooked up to the floo, because they were out in the middle of nowhere. The population density of this island was extremely low, but there was a sufficient supply of caves and there were nature yahoos to fill them. That Draco Malfoy had become one of those nature yahoos content to live off of the land in a cave underneath a dragon reserve came as a surprise to most. But that cave had belonged to the Malfoy family for almost a millennium and was likely filled with every manner of Malfoy convenience. I highly doubted there was a substantial difference in the manner of life experienced at the Malfoy Cave versus the Malfoy Manor.
Then there was the fact that that particular cave had one of the highest concentrations of natural dragon magic stored up in the ground, from thousands of years of dragons nesting on the site. Dragon magic was the mystical healing force with supernatural abilities that went beyond the realm of modern magic. The cave yahoos were always going on about it, when they came down from their caves, that was. Some of them even claimed that the dragon spirits in those caves were capable of channeling the spirits of dead witches and wizards. Maybe that was what Draco Malfoy was after.
Druella and Cygnus Black, Draco's maternal grandparents, had contracted Spattergroit in their old age and died. Their daughter, Narcissa Malfoy had contracted the disease while taking care of her parents. Due to her vitality, it was thought that she'd make a full recovery. But after the war, many people had refused to do business with the Malfoys and that included apothecaries. Narcissa was forced to obtain the necessary medicine from a substandard source, who brewed it incorrectly, resulting in her death. Meanwhile, Lucius Malfoy was serving a life sentence in Azkaban for his role in the war. Abraxas Malfoy had died years ago from Dragon Pox. And that left the aging Iona Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy's mother, as Draco Malfoy's only free living relative.
It was certainly within the realms of possibility that Draco Malfoy had gone out to his family's cave in the heart of the dragon reserve to commune with his dead family. Maybe he couldn't live without his mother and was seeking her advice, wisdom, or just her presence. Or maybe the Malfoys were of the religious persuasion that bought into the dragon mysticism and Draco was enhancing his spirituality up there in his cave.
It didn't matter to me so much why Draco Malfoy was in the cave, just that he was and that he was now stuck. Out in an island wilderness without a floo, apparition and brooms were the sole sources of transportation available. With the wizarding terrorists on the loose inside the preserve, brooms were no longer safe. And with the Ministry's anti-apparition ward, which was put in place to prevent the terrorists from escaping, everyone who lived inside the caves was stuck inside. I volunteered to get them out; all of them.
I started with the caves on the outskirts of the island, flying in with my broom and invisibility cloak, and finding the caves that were inhabited. It was hard work, especially with the dragons angry and on the rampage, which meant that a great deal of my time was spent avoiding them or running away from them. And I also had to be on the lookout for dark wizards, sometimes avoiding them, other times capturing them and taking them into Ministry custody, or just passing a report of their activity along to my fellow Aurors.
The civilians along the border were the easiest to get to. It took time to convince the cave yahoos to leave the island, but the Ministry had a shelter set up to house the evacuated civilians and I came with a portkey ready to go; sometimes even two or three, if there were multiple inhabited caves in a region. It helped that the things were preprogrammed to activate at a certain time, so that I didn't have to hang around the caves for endless periods of time while the occupants decided whether or not to go. Instead I told them when the portkey was leaving and left them the choice to come with me or not. Most of them chose to come. I'd have a day off, back in civilization on the mainland, and start the cycle again, moving to another sector on the map.
I had left Draco Malfoy until last. This was for mostly practical reasons, because his cave was one of the center-most caves and therefor one of the hardest to get to. The other reason I had I left unspoken; it was personal, because we had a history. It was a complicated history and I didn't know whether that would help me in this endeavor or not. On the one hand, he knows me and I saved his life multiple times, so maybe he will trust me. On the other, we never got on and there was a chance I might blow my cool. If I say the wrong thing, he might choose to stay and risk his life. But maybe the fact that I'd already successfully evacuated eighty-seven percent of this reserve would convince him that it was time to go, even if it was with me.
It was a particularly hard slog up the mountain this time, complicated by the fact that I didn't know exactly which cave was his. Many caves were distinctly delimitated on the map, while others just demarcated an area and the families who lived within. In the Malfoy case, they owned an entire valley and the exact location of their cave was a well-kept secret. It wasn't much of a valley, just a shallow slash between the three highest peaks on the island, with the mountain rising steeply on three sides, meaning that there was only one path in or out, even on a broom.
I had to duck into each and every cave in that valley, see if there was a residence inside, before moving on to the next. Some of the caves contained wildlife, such as the one higher up the side of the mountain which contained a female dragon and her nest. I barely escaped that cave with my life and was covered in soot to prove it. This valley was one of the most densely populated areas in terms of dragons on the island, so after that mistake, I learned to steer clear of dragon caves. The dragons tended to occupy the higher caves, which let out onto the side of the mountain, while humans tended to occupy lower caves, which could be reached on foot. Thus I decided to start with the lower level and work my way up.
Then there were the humans; the very first ground level cave I tried at the entrance to the valley was a food supply bunker for the terrorists. Another cave had a pair of dragon poachers, who were there to steal dragon eggs and were on neither side of the war. Poachers were bad news for dragons, but they only hid from me, before going on their way. Then there was the terrorist, who was constantly on patrol, on the lookout for Aurors. He was a real threat, but with the right timing, my cloak, and my broom, I managed to avoid him.
Worst of all was the weather, which I swear was conspiring against me. It rained almost the entire time and when it wasn't rain, it was sleet or hale. At night it was hard to sleep, because of the roaring of thunder, the crackling of lightning striking the ground, and the bellowing of the dragons. During the day, it was dangerous to fly at times and always unpleasant. When I was forced to walk, the mud caught me in its damp wet hold and latched onto my boots, making each step an ordeal. And to make matters worse, I slipped and fell on the slick stone floor of the cave that proved to be right next to Draco's. It used to remind me of Quidditch back in the day, but over the course of this mission I have grown to hate fall in the north.
I knew that this cave was a wizarding residence the moment I stepped into the structure, although there was no door, window, or obvious entrance. The back of the cave was unusually flat, drawing to mind a wall, rather than a natural rock formation. The cave itself seemed far shallower than it should be and what was more, it was warm and dry. The area seemed to scream magic, over and above the background dragon magic, which happened to be particularly high in the immediate vicinity. A wizard lived here and given that I was in Malfoy Valley, that wizard must be Draco Malfoy.
By the time I arrived at the entrance of Draco Malfoy's cave, I wanted nothing more than to take a hot bath, enjoy a warm, filling meal, and sleep in a soft warm bed. Was that so much to ask after being out in the elements for eight long days in order to get here? Most of the cave yahoos offered me their various amenities. Draco didn't. He let me wait on his porch for an hour, without so much as acknowledging my presence. When he finally did appear, it was a disembodied hologram projection of his head.
"What are you doing here, Potter?" Draco asked.
"Rescuing you, Malfoy," I replied.
"I don't require rescuing. You may go."
I might have taken him up on that, if he hadn't been the sole resident in this valley. It was simply too far to reach the next inhabited cave before my portkey was set to activate, so there was no point in leaving.
"Are you not aware of the danger which has surrounded you? The Hrypa terrorist organization has claimed this island as their headquarters. They've murdered the rangers of the dragon reserve and have set the most dangerous dragons free." The females, youngsters, and less troublesome males were always free to roam the island. The more dangerously aggressive full grown males, some of which had even broken free and rampaged neighboring muggle islands, were traditionally kept locked up so that they couldn't cause any additional trouble. Those were the dragons the terrorists had set free in order to keep the Aurors out. The other more docile dragons had been riled up, stirring up even more danger. "This entire island has become a war zone and evacuation has been ordered. I have a portkey to transport you to safety and there is a shelter already in operation on the mainland."
"I am not interested. Kindly see yourself out," Malfoy's voice rang out, as the image of his face began to flicker and disappear.
"Malfoy! Wait! This is serious! You have to leave," I called after him, hoping it was not too late and that he could still hear me.
I stayed there in that cave and waited. What choice did I have? My portkey wasn't set to activate for another three days and the entrance provided me shelter from the elements. It was dryer and warmer than the other caves, due to several rather convenient charms. I had my knapsack on my back and from it I pulled my tent and my dinner. I'd been camping on and off for months and I'd camp three days more if I had to. I had enough food to last me for another month and even the filth from my earlier fall could be washed away with the right spells.
A day passed before Draco Malfoy graced me with his pseudo presence once more. The image of his head crackled to life in my tent, right in front of my face and asked, "What are you still doing here, Potter?"
"I'm trying to rescue you, Malfoy."
"I'm not in need of rescuing. I came here of my own free will. I have enough provisions to last me for years."
"I could help you get your stuff together. I've already evacuated most everyone else from the island. It's dangerous to stay; the Minister is considering drastic measures that would wipe out the dragon reserve."
"My cave offers me sufficient protection from these pestilent wizards that have been trespassing on my land. My house is sufficiently fortified to protect me even from a blast that would wipe out the surface layer of the mountain. If the Ministry sees fit to blow up my yard over a small band of outlaws making trouble, then I'll sue. The Malfoy caves have been in my family for nine hundred thirty-seven years. I will leave when I am good and ready and not before then. When are you leaving?"
"Not for another two days; portkey, you see. It's the safest way out of these mountains. Why don't you let me inside and I can update you on the situation topside?"
"No. You don't have my permission to camp out on my porch, so if you'd kindly relocate, I would appreciate it. I own all the land in this valley, but you'll find a nice dry cave two miles to the north."
"It's customary for Ministry personnel to be invited inside."
"Do you have a warrant, Potter?"
"No, but," I started to say, but was cut off.
"But no. I don't have to let you in and I won't. Please leave."
"I won't leave. You don't have to let me in, but I have every right to stay here on your porch. It falls under the reasonable protection from an imminent threat ordinance. I'm keeping an eye on the area and making sure of your safety, all from your porch."
Draco scowled, flickered, and proclaimed, "I don't want you here, Potter." Then he was gone.
I tried yelling and pounding on the rear wall of the cave, hoping to draw his attention. I wasn't done speaking to him, even if he was. But it was to no avail, because Draco's image didn't return until the next day.
"Why have you been making such a racket up here, Potter? You're bothering the house elves."
"Sorry, but I really need to talk to you. My portkey is leaving tomorrow and you need to go with me. This is your only chance to get out of here. I know you don't want me to come in, but could you come out and talk to me?" I asked.
"No. There is nothing left to talk about. The heroic thing to do in this case is to leave me alone."
"The heroic thing is to drag you to safety."
"That would constitute kidnapping and you'd lose your job."
"Okay, so I won't kidnap you, I was only kidding. But if you'd so kindly come out here and have a simple chat with me, then I'll leave tomorrow without you."
"This is sufficient for me. What do you want to say that you haven't already said, Potter?"
"Why won't you come out? Are you hiding something, Malfoy?"
"No, but as you so studiously pointed out, it's not safe up there. Plus it's a long walk; I'm hundreds of feet underground."
"Well then I'll just have to tell you like this. You need to know what's going on above you."
"Go ahead Potter, I'm listening."
And so I told Draco all about what the Hrypa terrorists had done; the bombings, against both muggle and magical targets, the deaths, of witches, wizards, mermaids, and muggles, releasing the dragons, and the propaganda. The Hrypa organization was founded by a bunch of victims of the war with Voldemort; witches and wizards who'd lost their parents, spouses, children, brothers, and or sisters to Death Eaters in the name of blood purity. Their side had won the war, but never gotten what they deemed proper reparations. They were demanding them now.
Then there was the egregiously violent and gory takeover of the dragon reserve three months ago, resulting in the almost complete decimation of the pureblooded MacFusty clan. The MacFustys had taken care of this preserve for centuries, but now the few remaining survivors had been evacuated to safety. That atrocity was topped only by the one committed against the merpeople who once lived in the system of rivers and lakes on the island. The merpeople were gone now, the bodies left behind the only record of the horror. Of course with merpeople, untold numbers of corpses were surely eaten by the local dragons or lost to the sea, so it was impossible to know precisely how many were slaughtered. That was what the Hrypa did when innocent magical beings stand up against terror; they wiped them out.
Draco was clearly horrified by what he was hearing. The fact that the terrorist organization on his property was advocating genocide against purebloods was a concern. He promised to help however he could from the safety of his cave, which wasn't much. Although, he did have monitoring charms all over the valley and provided me with valuable information regarding whereabouts of insurgents and locations of cashes of food and weapons. He even knew which dragons had been coerced to obey the terrorists and which had not. The location of Merpeople Communication Crystals and directions on how to activate said crystals was priceless and promised to give us new insight into exactly what had happened. My superiors would be very pleased with this intelligence report.
When the facts ran out, Draco said that he had to go. I begged him to leave with me tomorrow, but again he refused. It seemed I would be going home alone this time.
Author's Note: This story is going to have more adventure and action than my typical story, although I won't be focusing on the war, because that's just backstory. Any guesses what Draco is hiding? Here's a hint: it has to do with his dragon spiritualism religion.
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