This is just a repost of the old chapter. Nothing new. Sorry. Chapter three: Trust, however is new :)

Chapter one

Ignorance

It's strange, perhaps to note how I made friends with my first and very best friend all those years ago. He was shy, mostly. But once he got talking, there was absolutely no way of shutting him up. He was even able to stay the night sometimes as a treat for me, because at that point, I was kept away from almost everyone else. I wasn't allowed to be 'tainted' or so I was always told and it never occurred to me what they meant by that.

I guess I understand that now.

-----

Draco Malfoy coolly observed as the upper year Slytherin's held a meeting in their common room, not really caring what was going on. He'd seen enough of the meetings and been the one to lead them most of the time and now, the fifteen-soon-to-be-sixteen year-old could only watch the proceedings with growing boredom.

This time the meeting had been called for those who were to be Initiated after the end of year masquerade ball. Well, those within the Slytherin house, anyway.

Standing from his usual seat, the blonde demon moved to exit the room. He no longer felt the need to oversee the discussions. Quite sure that by now at least Pansy Parkinson should be quite capable of such on her own. Before he was able to set one foot outside of the common room, however, a small sandy haired boy came up to him timidly.

"What?" Draco prompted, uninterestedly.

"I was... That is... Tr-Tracey Winston..."

"Tell the stupid bint to bugger off," the blonde replied, still looking and sounding indifferent. "Say that she was a decent shag but I've had better and not to bother me ever again."

The small boy—probably a first year—nodded. "Yes, Master Malfoy." Then he scampered off to repeat the message and likely to bear the brunt of the recipient's anger. Not that Draco cared, of course, but he did rather like the fact that the boy had called him 'Master.'

The Slytherin prince cocked his head thoughtfully. That did have a nice ring to it. Maybe he should have it enforced that he was to be called Master Malfoy from now on?

Pressing the thought aside for later contemplation, the blonde slid silently from the room and out into the darkened dungeon halls. The air was crisp against his exposed skin and he revelled in it. Winter's chill was much preferred to the heat of summer, a reason why he enjoyed the icy dungeons compared to the rest of the ancient school.

He passed few people as he made his way around the school rather absently, but the few he did pass would start muttering about him as soon as they believed he was unable to hear them. It was generally the same things. Mostly about how he had broken so-and-sos heart or how he was now pursuing what's-her-name. Sometimes they would talk about the people he had Racked. Although there wasn't many of those. Not these days, anyway, he was far too busy trying to disperse of the idiots that thought to follow him around like love sick puppies and having all of them Racked was just a total waste of his time.

No, Draco was more inclined to publicly humiliate people then to have them disembowelled slowly... Although, sometimes he would admit that watching people being tortured brightened his day and helped dissuade the braver of the schools inhabitants from doing anything foolish against him as well as ridding Draco of the many leeches that sought power and recognition.

But he was a Malfoy. Heir to the Dark Lord Voldemort as well as the vast Malfoy fortune. He was damn gorgeous and knew it, using that knowledge to his full advantage. And despite all the bad things about him, people were still attracted to him. He figured that most of it all came down to the fact that people were scared of what Voldemort was currently up to and being Draco's eye candy ensured that they were safe until the blonde lost interest in them.

Idiots...

It was for this reason that Draco knew he could have practically anyone he wanted. That no one would turn him down. Almost anyone... He mused bitterly and discarded the thought with a scowl.

Unsure of where he was going, just knowing that he needed to be outside, Draco soon found himself in the upper parts of the school. A place he generally avoided as much as possible, due to it being the territory of the Gryffindor's and Ravenclaw's. The house of idiots that acted before they thought and the know-it-alls.

At least they aren't Hufflepukes, the Slytherin prince considered with a disgusted grimace.

Taking a left followed by another then climbing the steep stairwell, Draco wound up into Astronomy tower. While not the highest point of the castle, it served the dark heir's purpose as he swept into the shadowed chamber and immediately set about trying to locate the packet of cigarettes in one of his school blazer's pockets.

Parkinson had better not have taken them again, he mentally snarled until his hand clasped the small rectangular box. Got you...

His thoughts stilled as did his motions when he glanced up, out the chamber window and caught sight of the last person he had expected to find all alone and sitting with his long legs dangling over the battlements, looking for all the world like he was about to throw himself from the wall.

It was his cousin, Gabriel.

The boy's midnight coloured tresses fell about his face in waves and was being tugged at almost playfully by the evening breeze, obscuring any glance that Draco might capture of the other's stunning face. The large charcoal jersey the Gryffindor wore did nothing to hide the boy's lightly built frame, reminding Draco of how fragile the other looked. But the Slytherin knew the the boy's appearance was deceptive. His magic rivalled Draco's own in strength.

Quietly, Draco edged across the room, navigating around the furniture until he came to the door that opened out to where his cousin sat serenely, bathed in the pallid light of the moon as tiny white snow flakes fell from the heavens.

Draco found it peculiar that the other was unaccompanied for once. Usually the boy was surrounded heavily by his pack of Gryffindors or his two best friends, Diggory and Wood. How Draco loathed those two boys, but he understood the necessity of having them around. They protected Gabriel, or Harry as the boy was so fond of being called—something that Draco didn't quite understand.

One of many things, actually.

Harry was such a... mediocre name, at best and while Gabriel wasn't like Draco's rather unique name, it was still far better. He had heard once that the reason Harry hated being called Gabriel was because it sounded too feminine. While Draco conceded the boy was somewhat right, he still thought the name suited his cousin. Especially since Harry seemed to have an affinity with the elements. Water and air especially.

It was with these thoughts that the air around Harry picked up, swirling around him in a tiny tornado of wind and fresh snow flakes. It also brought Draco's attention to the fact that his cousin was just a push away from being out of his life for good. Just one push, either by Draco's hand or a strong enough gust conjured by him to get rid of Harry once and for all and the blonde doubted that even Harry's skill with air would save him from his fate.

"You do realise how dangerous it is to sit there don't you, Gabriel?" The Slytherin drawled apathetically, lighting up a cigarette and taking a deep drag as he did so. "Anyone could come along and push you off."

It was beside the point that if anyone harmed Harry in anyway they were practically signing their own death sentence. Wood and Diggory would hunt down the perpetrator and tear the offending person or persons apart.

Not that they'd be able to lift a finger against Draco if he chose to kill Harry. They could try, but Draco doubted they'd get very far.

The Gryffindor turned, allowing Draco to catch the other's bright emerald eyes. "I'm not too worried about having someone attempting to push me. As it is, I have you to watch my back for me, don't I cousin?"

Draco gazed back at the other evenly, exhaling a steady stream of smoke. "What makes you so sure that you're safe with me?" He asked.

"Because I'd be dead already," Harry replied, his eyes weighing Draco carefully and he tilted his head quizzically. Because I know you'd never do anything to upset your mother, Harry thought but instead said; "I'd have been killed years ago if that wasn't so. Statutes and Obligations be damned. You aren't one to play by the rules."

"You sound so sure of yourself," Draco smirked in amusement as he brought his cigarette back to his lips for another drag and lent casually against the doorframe into the castle. He studied the other boy closely, noticing that the other didn't seem frightened at all. Usually all it took was a glare from Draco and people would wet themselves, but here he was, essentially threatening the other, and Harry wasn't afraid in the least.

He never was.

"You may hate me," Harry continued completely unperturbed, "but I know you would never kill me."

"And what makes you so certain?" Draco inquired, eying the other with a cold and calculating glance.

"How was Yule break?" Harry asked instead, totally flipping off Draco's question. Something that the blonde absolutely hated and he had a feeling Harry was all too aware of that, as well. The Gryffindor tilted his head to the opposite side and carefully pulled his legs back over the battlements so that he sat facing Draco instead. "Is Aunt Cissy well? Did she like what I got her?"

"Mother would like anything that you gave for her," the blonde voiced bitterly, as a slight sneer made it's way onto his face. She'd adore anything from her dead twin brother's son.

The Gryffindor smiled brightly but it was instantly wiped from his face by the next words that spilt from the blonde's mouth. "I suppose she would have like that gift, too," the Slytherin intoned, almost pleasantly. Then he settled sharp grey eyes on his companion, "had I given it to her," he finished.

For long minutes, the green-eyed boy peered at his cousin in total disbelief. The blonde stared back with a burning intensity that would cause most other people to run and hide. Harry sighed and shook his tousled locks. The closest thing I may possibly ever have had as a brother, he mused sadly and with a frown, and he had to be Draco bloody Malfoy. Bastard extraordinaire. "You're such a wanker," Harry muttered, aloud in resignation.

"I don't need to wank," Draco pointed out, exhaling lazy circles of smoke. "I have people flocking to share my bed. I really have no need of it," he eyed his cousin intensely, looking him up and down. "You on the other hand—"

"Don't find it necessary seeking pleasure from various partners," Harry interrupted, looking vaguely disturbed. "I'm happy as I am."

"Right," the blonde muttered, doubtfully then cocked his head to the side. "I'll wager that you're still as innocent as the day you were born. You do realise that once Wood and Diggory leave that won't last long," he said, knowingly and let out a small trail of puffs. "You should be rid of that now while you still have a choice in who you lose it to."

The smaller boy gazed evenly back at the blonde, a tiny odd smile tugging at his full pink lips even as a rosy flush crested his cheeks. "I'm touched that you're so concerned about my state of virtue," he said, his voice thick with amusement.

"Pfft," the blonde smirked. "It's not you I'm concerned about but the fact that you're dragging our name through the mud. Disgracing one of the most feared demonic families to walk this side of the human plain."

"Don't you mean, I'm dragging my name through the mud?" Harry tossed back, narrowing his emerald-eyes dangerously, the smile wiped from his face. "I bear the name Black and you carry the title of Malfoy." That's right Draco, show me exactly how little you think of me, the Gryffindor thought dejectedly.

Draco, too narrowed his eyes slightly. "But you forget, cousin," he hissed, "that we are almost close enough in blood to call each other by half-brother and that your dishonour is reflected on me, as well as it is on mother and aunt Bella.

"You're the young Lord Black now that uncle Sirius has vanished and is as good as dead to the world. You're the one who's meant to uphold and honour the old customs of the Ancient and most noble house of Black. To make our forefather's proud. And yet, here you are allowing our great ancestors name to fall to ruins because you're too weak to protect yourself from those who should fear you."

"You may consider me pathetic, Draco," the sable-haired boy drawled out, in perfect Malfoy fashion and somehow managing to hide how hurt he really was, "and say that I'm ruining our family name, but I'm not the self proclaimed whore of the school."

"You will be next year," the Slytherin drawled, harshly. His face had gone completely blank and his eyes had chilled to an icy silver. "But it won't be because you want the title."

A strange expression flittered across Harry's gorgeous face. "We'll see," he murmured.

"Yes we shall," Draco smirked darkly, though his eyes remained cold still. "I'll give you a week at most before you come to me for protection. It'll only get worse after that," he promised softly. It'll probably be two days, tops, Draco reflected in complete disgust.

"You and your power trips," Harry muttered in revulsion, a curious tilt to his head.

The blonde shrugged, indifferently. "How are your Advanced lessons with Severus progressing?" He questioned, nonchalantly and watched with great interest as the smaller boy tensed, slightly. It was always interesting, these bizarre half-conversations, half arguments he shared with Harry. More so when the Gryffindor betrayed his thoughts by his actions.

"As well as they can be," Harry supplied. Not sounding as certain as he had originally. Inwardly, Draco grinned. "As I've heard you mention once or twice, he is a brilliant potions master. Quite possibly the best, yes?"

"Hmm," came Draco's noncommittal reply. He absently flicked the ash from his cigarette.

Harry rose from his seat with a sigh. "Is there anything else that you were wanting, Draco?" He enquired, politely. Slowly strolling over to his older and taller cousin. "Curfew is soon and I unlike you, don't have a pass to wander the school until the early hours of the morning."

More like you don't scare the shit out of all the faculty, like I do, Draco thought in dark amusement. Except Dumbledore and Severus...

Again, the Slytherin shrugged casually, fighting off what he really wanted to say.

Harry inclined his head slightly. "Goodnight, Draco. And next time you write home, send Aunt Cissy my love."

Said Slytherin prince didn't verbally respond, instead he quietly watched with narrowed eyes as his younger cousin walked away from him yet again, slowly bleeding into the darkened, barely lit halls of the room beyond.

Why? Draco thought resentfully, he took one last pull from his cigarette before he dropped it into the slightly snow covered ground a few feet away and glanced up at the lonely crescent moon that hung low in the sky.

It's pale light reflected off the fine linked chain that hung from Draco's neck, instantly drawing his attention to the tiny, frosted-crystal Narcissus that hung from it's platinum coils. Roughly, the demon heir drew the cool, silvery links to his mouth and pressed his lips to the small charm.

A gift that was meant for his mother, but should have been rightfully his.

--xXx--

For as long as Harry could remember, all he had ever wanted in life was a family. A warm, loving family. A mother to send him letters when he was away attending Hightres. A father to show interest in his hobbies and a brother or sister with which to share his secrets. Instead, Harry had been graced with a cold and powerful lord.

Not that Harry wasn't extremely grateful to the man who had taken him in and raise him in the stead of his deceased parents. Things could have been far worse for him, Harry knew. He could have been placed in an orphanage and then where would he be now?

For a while there he had been angry that his guardian had failed to mention the important fact that the young Black heir actually had a family out there. Why the man decided to keep that a secret was a mystery to Harry. Though he supposed, in hindsight that the other had done so to protect him.

Even if his steward was extremely cold most of the time, there were the times when he showed Harry that he could love him. His icy persona would melt away to reveal the type of person the Gryffindor would have been happy to accept as his father instead of just 'care-taker.' But those moments were somewhat seldom and generally passed as quickly as they came, leaving Harry alone with a strange sort of emptiness and longing for something he knew he'd never have.

Until he met Draco and discovered they were first cousins. That the blonde's mother, Narcissa was the older twin sister of Harry's own father, Regulus, and by default of the bond shared by all demonic twins, that he could also be considered Draco's half brother. Granting Harry his deepest desire.

The prospect of an actual family.

The dream was short lived, however and based solely on the wishes and dreams of an innocent child.

Harry sighed softly. It seemed he was meant to be alone. Sure he had wonderful friends. Cedric and Oliver but how long would they stay with him, really? Draco had been correct in saying the that older boys would be leaving Harry at the end of the year and the Gryffindor, while not on unfriendly terms with his house mates, couldn't exactly call any of them friends. Except perhaps the quietly loyal Neville.

Sure Harry enjoyed the company of Hermione, the resident bookworm and possible genius. Ron, too had been a potential friend but that had gone horribly wrong after the 'Charlie incident' and so things had gotten a little strained between them, since then. As for Seamus, well Harry was rather certain the boy's interests in him were far from platonic in nature and he really wasn't wanting a relationship with him.

There was perhaps only one person beside his steward that had been a constant in Harry's short life. His mentor and wet nurse as a child; Severus Snape.

"Sevy!" Harry called loudly as he burst into his alchemy teacher's room. The class was empty, so the boy made his way around the desks to the very front of the class and up the tiny stair well to the side that led to the man's private chambers. "Sev–"

"You will cease immediately," threatened a dark figure, coldly. "How many times must I tell you that you are forbidden to to call me by that ridiculous name. Endearment or not."

"Nice to see you, too," Harry muttered and flopped onto the scowling man's bed.

Severus' fingers were instantly at the bridge of his nose, as he tried to calm himself down. Harry was certain it wasn't working out too well and grinned mischievously. "Get off my bed this instant, insolent child!" The brooding man barked.

Harry snickered, but did as was ordered. "You weren't saying that the other day," the Gryffindor boy murmured, lowly and batted his thick inky lashes coyly. He watched in a perverted pleasure as the potions master twitched on the spot. His already pallid features losing yet more colour.

How Harry loved to goad the older man.

"You aren't to joke about those sorts of things," the head of Slytherin house stated, softly. Causing Harry to inwardly grin at his success. "You don't know who might hear you."

"But Sir," the boy started, and moved towards his companion with a seductive gait. "Who's going to hear us?" Trying to see how far the other would allow him to proceed, Harry reached out to the other and ran a hand down Severus' chest. Only to be pushed quite firmly and stubbornly away.

"No, Gabriel."

"Harry," the boy hissed out in frustration and took a step back. He glared up into deep obsidian pools. "I hate being called Gabriel! And why not?"

"You're acting like a child," Severus voiced, disapprovingly.

Harry blinked.

"Damn it Severus!" He ignored the man's arched brow and flung himself back on the large, black velvet covered bed. Burying himself in the generous mound of pillows that littered the top. Yes, he may have been whinging like a spoilt brat but he really hadn't cared. Even if Severus' words stung, he could take them. The man was full of scathing remarks, that he used to hurt, but Harry was willing to admit that they generally came no where near as Draco's potent barbs.

His last were still on Harry's mind.

It was a coincidence or perhaps a mere testament to how well the pair knew each other, that it seemed almost like Severus had read his mind and voiced his thoughts not a moment later.

"You ran in to Draco," he stated.

The distressed boy gave a brief nod of assent, even though it wasn't needed and snuggled further down into the soft duvet. The eldest male sighed and seated himself gingerly next to the boy invading his bed. "And what did my darling Godson say this time?" He asked.

"Just that I'm a disgrace to our ancestors," Harry muttered. "And that his predictions for next year include me somehow managing to..."

"Rob him of his title for... most desired?" Severus finished, diplomatically.

Harry's lip quirked upward knowingly as he peered out from his pillows. "Well that's one way of putting it. Although I'm sure you know the words we both exchanged."

"Of course," the dark-haired man acknowledged.

"Draco even went so far as to suggest I rid myself of my virginity now while I still had a choice in my partners," Harry added, lightly. His slight humour from earlier returning to him once more. Albeit, darkly.

Severus gave him an odd, almost concerned look. "Was he offering?"

The Black peer up at the other, his countenance betraying how disturbed he felt by that thought. "No!" he cried aghast, his face flushed. "Draco is many things but I don't think even he's quite that depraved, yet."

The potions professor said nothing, although he looked terribly doubtful of that statement.

"How'd you know what I was going to say?" Harry asked, not wanting to think about the possibility that Draco may have been offering to 'deflower' him. "Before, that is?"

He knew the other would understand him perfectly. Severus usually always did, even if he pretended not to.

"I know my Slytherins," Severus drawled, sneering slightly at the Gryffindor. "And I've heard rumours and caught Draco in the act of defending the honour of his family more than once," the man said more soberly. He gave Harry a pointed look.

"I don't understand him," the Gryffindor groaned. "And I doubt I ever will. He hates me and yet warns me about things to make sure I'm not harmed. I know he only does it so Aunt Cissy isn't hurt, I mean I am the last link she has with Father... but that time with Nott? That wasn't necessary."

He shuddered as he recalled all the blood that had poured from Nott's body and his shrill screams as Draco, quite literally had him torn apart. Piece by piece. The entirely worse thing being that the Dark heir had ensured the tortured boy lived through it all and only allowed Nott the mercy of death once he was satisfied that there was nothing else he could perform on the weedy looking Slytherin to inflict more pain.

"Draco has a rather unique way of dealing with things," Severus conceded, slowly. "Usually in a destructive manner. It's all he knows. All he's been brought up to know But that is not for us to speak about," he cleared his throat abruptly.

"You should also congratulate Wood on his foresight into Draco not handing over your Yule gift to Narcissa," the alchemy professor murmured, successfully drawing the green-eyed boy's attention to other thoughts. "I gave her the music box like you requested. She was quite taken with it."

"And Draco didn't see?" Harry asked softly, his eyes drifted to half-mast as Severus' fingers found themselves into his messy hair and began petting him.

"I made sure Draco wasn't present," the man confirmed. "That boy's jealousy and temper combined are a thing to be feared."

That seemed an odd statement to say, but Harry wasn't too focused on his tutors words any longer, as the man's touch soothed the Gryffindor, until he was nearly falling asleep where he lay.

It didn't stay that way for much longer.

"Your presence has been requested at the Initiation."

Harry was instantly up. His body tense as he searched his mentor's dark eyes. "You said I wasn't going," the boy murmured, weakly. "You said He wouldn't want me there. That it would be too dangerous."

He couldn't believe that his steward would be so foolish to request his presence at a place that would have so many high ranking and powerful demons running loose. The six shadow generals would be in attendance. Harry knew he wasn't a killer, but he would be surrounded by them and he knew that he'd be forced to watch what they did best.

The Gryffindor didn't want to endure that again. Once was more than enough.

"Nor was it wise of him having you placed here," Severus pointed out, blandly but his eyes had warmed. "I'm sure you've at least realised by this point, Black, that he has been known to make bad choices. But you needn't worry. When you're not with him, I'll make sure that you are always with me."

"Does he really hate me so much?" Harry asked, grimly. Not really needing an answer or wanting one.

"I don't believe so," Severus assured his upset protégé.

Then he reached forward and into the loose collar of Harry's jersey to stroke the small, pink crystal that dangled around the Gryffindor's slender neck. "You are to make sure you do not removed your charm," the stoic man ordered, sternly. All softness melting away into the person that everyone else had come to know. "I will enforce the protection spells woven into it but it will protect nothing if it's lost."

"Thank-you."

"Don't thank me yet," the other muttered.

--xXx--