CHAPTER ONE
Disclaimer: Neither the characters or locations are mine; they belong to J. K. Rowling and various affiliated companies. No plagiarism or copyright infringement is intended. All characters will be returned safe and sound with smiles on their faces and food in their bellies. :D
A/N: Ok, so I managed to get this done sooner than expected…I blame the weather…it was 35°C in my room last night and I couldn't sleep (and, given the temperature is forecast in the 40s for the remainder of the week, you may just get more of this, if in a slightly garbled format). Forgiveness is requested for spelling and/or grammar… I just need some sleep; I think it's ok though.
Harry sighed softly, gazing out over the choppy ocean. A storm appeared to be brewing, gathering overhead were clouds the grey of… Harry tried not to think of Draco but he was never far from his thoughts, despite the fact that it had been several years since he had been seen. Harry's hand strayed to a jeans pocket, grasping the fragment of a Slytherin scarf…the only remaining evidence of his lover. He always hoped Draco was alive somewhere and happy, but doubted it. He liked to think that Draco wouldn't be happy unless it was with him. He flipped his straggly hair from his eyes – he had taken to wearing contacts after finishing up at Hogwarts – and headed toward his house; Hermione and Ron would be here soon and it wouldn't do for them to see him so mopey.
--
Finally, after several years of hard work, there had been success. They had awoken the subject and he had no independent thoughts in his head. Finally. The subjects grey eyes were glassy and stared straight ahead.
'What would you have me do?' he asked in a flat monotone.
Evil laughter rang out. Success.
'Draco Malfoy, you are to find and kill Harry Potter.' Lucius said, stepping into view.
He liked what had been done to his son; maybe he should do it to his wife as well, the insolent bitch.
'Very well Father.'
Lucius grinned; Voldemort had never gotten it right. The fool had deserved death. But with Potter out of the picture a new reign of terror could begin at Lucius' feet. The hollow shell that had once been Draco mover stiffly from the wall, its subconscious screaming at the horror of what it was supposed to do. Lucius grinned nastily. He knew the part of his son that had loved Potter was in there somewhere, you couldn't totally remove a soul from their body after all, and he hoped it was suffering, the traitor.
--
Hermione hugged Harry tightly, frowning at the extent to which his bones jutted out. She released him and looked into his eyes.
'How are things, Harry?' she asked.
'Everything's fine. How are you guys?'
'Great, mate.' Ron said, clapping Harry on the back, slightly uncomfortable.
Ron had adjusted to the fact that Harry was gay, and although their friendship had returned it wasn't the same. Harry motioned for his friends to sit whilst he made coffee.
'You're so isolated here, Harry. Aren't there plenty of populated beaches for you to live on?' Hermione asked.
'Mm, I s'pose…but it wouldn't be the same. I like it here.' Harry smiled.
'Mum sends her love. And Ginny said to tell you that she wishes you'd rejoin civilization.' Ron said.
Harry laughed softly, but it sounded hollow, missing the vital component of laughter: happiness.
'Have you…been seeing anyone lately?' Hermione asked.
'Uh, no…I…'
'Harry, you have to let him go.'
'I can't, 'Mione…I…'
Hermione touched his arm and smiled.
'Ok Harry, ok. I just worry, you know?'
Harry smiled too, and the three friends talked well into the night. Harry showed Ron and Hermione to the guest bedroom when they tired. He cleaned the kitchen and then left the house, walking barefoot in the sand. He sighed, reaching the waters edge. The water was frigid as it washed over his feet, soaking his cuffs. He stared out to the horizon, wondering, not for the first time, if he should just swim out until he was too exhausted to swim back and therefore end it all. He idly scratched the ragged scars on his wrists and thought about how far he had come. After Draco's disappearance he had gone a little mad, slashing his wrists and praying for death. Instead he had ended up in St. Mungo's for a few months so he wouldn't harm himself. The 'or others' was left unsaid. He had come so far…he still yearned for death so he could be with Draco, but he was learning to control things. He sat down there at the waters edge, tears welling in his eyes.
'Why'd you leave me?' he whispered into the wind.
--
Harry awoke to water flooding his mouth; the tide had turned. He sat up, coughing and spluttering. Brushing salty water from his eyes he propelled himself backward before pushing himself to his feet. He walked inside, sopping wet and shivering. Ron was sitting at the kitchen table and raised his eyebrows.
'Shit Harry…what happened?'
'I fell asleep on the beach…the tide came in. I'm going to shower.'
'Lucky you didn't drown.' Ron called as Harry left the room.
He knew Ron suspected that's what he had been trying to do, but didn't care. Let him think what he wants. Harry stepped under the scalding water of the shower, wincing as it struck his skin. His shivering ceased as he stood there, trying to clear his thoughts. He began to cry, the tears hidden in the spray from the shower.
'How can you do this to me Draco…after all this time? Why can't I forget you?' he whispered, turning the water off.
--
Hermione and Ron had returned home even more concerned about Harry than before. He shouldn't still be acting like that…but they didn't know what to do. A sharp rap on their door caused them to look up in surprise.
'Who could that be?' Hermione asked, moving to open the door.
On the other side was a ghost: Draco Malfoy. Hermione squealed a little, wrapping her arms around him.
'Oh my God, Draco! We thought you were dead.'
'Not quite.' He replied, a smirk twisting a corner of his mouth upward.
Ron came up behind Hermione, placing a protective hand on her back.
'Hey look…it's the incredible vanishing man.' He said wryly.
Hermione elbowed Ron in the stomach.
'Would you like to come in Draco?'
'Oh…no. I think I should find Harry…'
'Of course, of course. But… I don't know how he will react. He, he thinks you're dead. And…you should know that after you…disappeared…he tried to kill himself.'
The small part of Draco that loved Harry screamed in agony when he heard that. Ron suddenly grabbed Draco by the front of his shirt, lifting him off the ground.
'Why on earth should we let you know where to find Harry? You abandoned him for all these years and then reappear, expecting him to fall into your arms? What is wrong with you Malfoy?'
'Ron, put him down right now! I am sure there were…extenuating circumstances that prevented Draco from seeing Harry, right?' Hermione asked, trusting as always.
'Er, yes. It was becoming too dangerous for me to be around Harry. I didn't want him to be hurt.'
'See. Now put him down.'
Ron reluctantly released Draco as Hermione went inside. She quickly returned, waving a scrap of paper triumphantly.
'Here's his address; he's tucked himself away in his own little corner of the world. Please, Draco, be gentle with him…he's slightly unstable…'
Draco's lips twitched slightly.
'I would never harm him.' He said, walking away.
'Like he hasn't hurt Harry enough already. I don't think you should've given him Harry's address…something just doesn't seem right.' Ron said.
Hermione sighed exasperatedly, but she too felt nervous about what she had done. Something had seemed off…
--
Draco stood before the weather-beaten shack that was apparently Harry's home. He was so close to completing his goal. He looked around at the isolation of the place. This served his means well. He saw an achingly thin person coming out of the water.
'Potter…' he hissed, his hand itching to grab his wand.
A/N: Reviews would be nice :) Lemme know how you think it works in relation to the first one.