Prologue

Harry ran.

The sounds of spells rebounding off of the walls and floor of the dimly-lit warehouse resounded throughout the vast space. But the dark-haired wizard couldn't be concerned with the perils that threatened him. All that he knew, his only goal was to make it to the door on the other side of the warehouse. Dodging, ducking, throwing errant spells – all his actions were aimed at getting to that door.

"Potter!" Shouts of several men came from behind me. Harry threw a look over his shoulder to see several men in dark cloaks clamoring over each other to get a piece of the Chosen One. They knew the reward would be great, the notoriety would be infamy. But the sheer concentration by Harry to get to the other side of the long warehouse was enough to give them trouble.

Harry heard screams of pain as his erratic spells made their marks. He never made a sound, the spells emitted nonverbally. The cloaked men began to falter at that realization. The rumors of Lord Potter-Black's magic were true. Perhaps the others would be better equipped to deal with the wizard's strength. It wouldn't matter either way - Harry's hand closed around the knob of the door. He wrenched it open and slammed it behind him. The room was dark, save a bright spotlight in the middle of the room. Sitting in a chair was a dark-skinned woman, her soft dark curls hid her eyes from Harry's sight. Gabrielle Peters' head rested on her chest, with her arms tied behind her back.

"Gabby," the first word Harry spoke in what felt like a lifetime. He slowly approached the spotlight, calling the woman's name. She did not stir. Still Harry inched closer, still softly calling her."Gabby…Gabby." When his hand finally broke into the light, the spotlight immediately closed shut, taking Gabby with it. Harry waved his arms before him. Nothing but air. "No," he said hoarsely. "Gabby!"

"Come now, Potter. Did you really think it would be this easy?" A cold but familiar laugh shot through Harry's spine. The spotlight returned but several feet away from Harry, now showing Gabby standing with her head still down. "Before you come any closer to your beloved, don't you want to know where I am?" A quiet shuffling noise came from the other side of the dark room. With his wand ready, Harry's eyes darted back and forth in vain – nothing could be seen. But the shuffling became louder, each second making Harry more anxious. Finally the shuffling became loud enough to let Harry know, whatever it was, it was close. It then appeared. A twenty-inch snake came into view, wrapping itself around Gabby's feet. It slithered up around her torso to rest its head on her shoulder. Harry raised his wand, trying to figure out the best way to destroy the snake without harming Gabby.

"No, Potter," the voice said. "I'm not the snake. Though not a bad choice. I'm much closer than you think. Shall I show you?" Another cold laugh shot through the room, agitating Harry even more. "Show yourself, you bastard!"

"As you wish, Chosen One."

Gabby began to move for the first time since Harry first saw her. Her head remained down, but she began to unbutton her button down shirt from the bottom.

"What are you doing, Gabby?" Harry whispered. She didn't respond. She simply continued to unbutton her shirt until she reached the bottom of her breasts. She pulled the flaps of her shirt up where Harry found her stomach protruding outwardly. Odd contours and dents formed a familiar face on her stomach. Slanted eyes, slits for nostrils, red malicious eyes and a wide grin stretched Gabby's skin. Voldemort laughed, his voice now booming after being freed from the shirt's restraint. "This is only the beginning, Potter!" The last thing Harry remembered other than the horror of seeing a supposedly dead man inside of his fiancée was his fiancée raising her head and showing the same red malicious eyes.

"Harry! Baby, wake up!"

Harry bolted out of bed, scrambling out of the tangled sheet, clutching his head. The sweat poured down his face, his t-shirt sticking to his body. With the sheer amount of adrenaline running through his body, Harry felt close to passing out. He took a hold of the bed post and inhaled deeply. The images of the dream began to fade quickly from his memory, a blessing Harry was all too grateful for. As his breathing returned to normal and the adrenaline dissipated from his blood, he took stock at what was in front of him.

He was in his London flat. In his bedroom. With his fiancé sitting at the edge of the bed, looking at him and holding a glass of water. With a whispered, "Thanks," Harry gulped the water down with appreciation. He handed the glass back to Gabby who took it back to the kitchen. As Harry watched her back retreat to the other room, he remembered the many times he woke up in a cold sweat alone without any comfort around him. It was amazing the difference a year and a half could bring to him.

Gabby wordlessly reentered the bedroom and motioned for Harry to get back into bed. He obliged and got under the sheets with his back to her. Gabby draped her arm around his side, curling behind him. The couple remained silent for several minutes. Gabby understood that her fiancé couldn't be pressured to speak until he was ready. It was fine. She could wait.

"I don't remember all of it." Harry finally said. "What I do remember is that you were in danger and Voldemort had something to do with it." The image of Voldemort stretching Gabby's skin unfortunately wouldn't go away that easy. Gabby held tight to Harry's waist. "Babe, I'm here. I'm fine and safe…With you. It was all a dream."

Harry nodded robotically. The image was too much for him and brought up the vivid memories of the last attack on Gabby. If he had been late or if things hadn't worked out the way it did, she would be… Unfortunately, Harry's chain of thought was not new and Gabby was certain his silence was an indication of his morose thoughts. She rolled her eyes, having enough of the "moody Harry" phase. She pushed him unto his back and climbed on top of his torso. "Hey. Harry. I'm right here." She took a hold of his hands into her own. "I'm fine. Nothing is harming me. See me holding your hands? That is real. Everything is fine."

Harry nodded but still didn't say a word. She palmed his cheek bringing his attention to her eyes. "We are real and together. Nothing is going to get in-between us, you silly man." She smiled softly. "Besides, you think I'm going to let anything or anyone get to me? Heck no! I'm getting married in three weeks to a hunk of man. I'd come back from the dead to get down the aisle."

A ghost of a smile appeared on Harry's face. "Come back from the dead, huh?"

"Yup."

"It's that serious?"

"Have you seen the man I'm marrying? I'd wait lifetimes for this man."

Harry's smile grew as he pulled Gabby closer to him, meeting her lips for a kiss. A kiss that brought him as much comfort that her touch and words could bring. Gabby slowly pulled away, bringing her hands up, caressing his chest. "I love you, you ridiculous wizard."

"And I love you, you crazy Muggle."

"I'm not crazy. I'm just exuberant and excited."

"Yes, about this wedding."

"And the man. Don't forget about my future husband."

"How could anyone forget about him?"

"Are we jealous that such a man gets someone as wonderful as me?" With a squeal, Gabby found herself pinned to the bed. Harry pulled her legs and wrapped around his hips. With a smirk, he leaned in and whispered seductively, "Now would I be jealous when I am that man?" Relieved that the hunted look was gone, Gabby giggled, running her fingers through his hair. "Show you me the money, baby." The couple retook the night that had been taken from by Harry's dream. As much as Gabby was relieved that Harry began to return to normal, she couldn't help but notice that he took an odd amount of time at her stomach, simply staring at it.