Title: Throw It All Away

Author: Sacharissa Donerail

Rating: M

Content: adult language, m/m, implied abuse/incest, death, torture

Pairing: DM/HP, implied LM/SS, implied LM/DM

Disclaimer: None of these characters, places, etc. belong to me. I claim no ownership to the characters. No profit is being made off this story.

Summary: AU // Harry, a member of an ancient society charged with protecting humans from vampires. To avenge the murder of his parents and to punish the one responsible, Harry must join forces with the only son of his enemy. Will he lose himself in the process?

Author's Notes: This story was started almost six years ago. I have extensive files on the creation of every character, as well as explanations of the various vampire "clans" found in my story, available upon request. I drew inspiration from every possible source of vampire fiction, most specifically "Vampire: The Masquerade" and "Blade, but NOT "Twilight". "Twilight" didn't even exist when I started this story. Please remember that. :D

Author's Note 2: The title of the story comes from the song "You Make Me Breathe" by The Mission U.K. It is the theme song for the entire thing, and if you manage to stick with it (it's LOOOOOONG), I hope you'll come to understand why that song inspired this story.

Chapter 2

"Does it feel so bad

When you're takin' a dragon

When you're looking at the world

Through dying eyes?"

"Greed"--Godsmack

The sunlight streaming in through the window of his flat awoke Harry the next afternoon. As the events of the previous evening came back to him, he was surprised he'd escaped without so much as a scratch. He had no idea how he had gotten back to his place, but he was still dressed and bite free, so he supposed it didn't matter.

Harry sat up and rubbed his eyes under his glasses and stretched the stiffness out of his muscles, then nearly leaped out of bed as he remembered that his call was due to the Arcanamala at 9 o'clock that morning, and it was well past that.

"We were just about to send a search party, Mr. Potter," Albus' amused voice said as he joined the teleconference. "Up late last night?"

"Lucius Malfoy has a son," Harry answered.

There was a stunned silence on the other end of the phone. "Are you certain? There is no mention of a son in our files."

"I know," Harry answered into the intercom as he paced around his living room. "That's who I was taken to meet last night. His name is Draco. He's just under six feet tall, almost a perfect replica of Lucius. He looks to be about my age, but I'm positive he's much older. His accent is very thick, sounds very Northern."

He paused as he heard them all scribbling notes. "And Lucius?" Albus asked after a moment.

"He told me Lucius was out of town, but unless my vampire sense is out of whack or Draco is an incredibly powerful vampire, he's lying," Harry replied. "The presence I felt was too strong for just one vamp."

"Are you meeting him again tonight?" Minerva spoke up for the first time.

"I'm supposed to," Harry replied, rolling a football under his foot. "I'm sure he'll contact me at sunset and tell me where."

The conference lasted a few more minutes, and they closed with Albus' usual "Always on your guard, Harry" before they said goodbye. Harry went back into his bedroom to grab a change of clothes so he could shower, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw the envelope on his nightstand, his name written on the outside in flowing, elegant script. He tore open the letter, glad he didn't have to wait until sunset for the evening's agenda and sat on the edge of the bed to read.

Harry,

While I must say you and an expert at what you do, anyone who knows anything about the Arcanamala knows about Lily and James Potter, and you look remarkably like your father. Except your eyes--those are your mother's. There isn't anything to worry about, dearest Harry, because while you may not realize it now, you and I are on the same side. We have much to discuss this evening. I have been instructed to meet you at the familiar club again, but there are too many eyes and ears there. Meet me on the bridge up the street from your flat just after the sun goes down. No need to worry. No one will bother you. They'll smell my scent on you a mile away, and they will leave you alone. The bridge at sunset. All will be explained to you.

Until then,

Draco Malfoy

Harry stared at the letter in his hands, his eyes wide and his chest incredibly tight. He took a few deep breaths and set the letter down, putting his hands on his knees until the sudden wave of nausea passed.

Draco knew who he was. Did he know him on sight or was Lucius there and told him? There was no report of Draco being in on the attack that had killed his parents, so he would not have known what his father looked like. Lucius Malfoy had been in the room, and he knew Harry's identity.

What was more confusing and unsettling was the content of Draco's letter. "You may not realize it now, you and I are on the same side."

"What the bloody hell does that mean?!? Harry yelled aloud.

Things had suddenly become very confusing and very dangerous. His instincts told him to call Albus and let him know what was going on, but something else told him to wait until after he had spoken to Draco. It might be a set-up, he thought, but I'll risk it. They know who I am. What else have I got to lose?

Harry tucked the letter into his nightstand drawer and then rummaged in his closet for something to wear before running for the shower. Sunset couldn't come fast enough.

~*~*~*~*~*

The bridge and the surrounding park that was just around the corner from Harry's flat was teeming with people when Harry arrived just after the sun went down. Seeing so many people put him at ease. If it were a set-up, Draco would have to move him somewhere else. Not even a Malfoy would risk exposing himself.

He spotted Draco's lean form sitting on a bench near the small pond in the center of the park. Dressed all in black and wearing sunglasses as the last of the sun slipped beneath the horizon, he looked slightly out of place, but no one else seemed to notice him. Harry hurried toward him, keeping eyes open for anything out of the ordinary.

"I still miss the sun," Draco whispered softly before Harry had even sat down beside him. "Father said I'd learn to forget about it, but…" His voice trailed off, and he shook his head.

Harry sat down gingerly, unsure if he was supposed to respond. It sounded like a personal confession, not something Harry wanted to run in and destroy.

"I expect you're very confused right now," Draco continued, pulling off his sunglasses. Harry noticed his pupils were very small, and the gray in his irises was more startling than ever. "But you're here, and I take that as a good sign."

"Just what the hell is going on?" Harry snapped suddenly, unsettled by the way Draco seemed to stare right through him.

Draco reached over suddenly, moving so quickly Harry barely registered it, and moved Harry's hair out of the way so that his scar was visible. "Voldemort used to brain about giving you that scar, how it was such a triumph that he had marked James Potter's son forever, and how you would always remember what he had done when you looked in the mirror."

Harry jerked away from Draco's touch. "Voldemort paid for his crimes. Now it's your father's turn."

Draco's hand dropped back to his lap, and he looked away with a nod. "Yes, Harry, it is, but he's committed far worse crimes than betraying the Arcanamala and your parents."

"That's enough for me," Harry hissed.

"I'd imagine it is," Draco responded. He lapsed into silence, and Harry found that it made him very uneasy. Draco turned back to look at him, his head tilted to the side. "Why are you so tense around me?"

Harry blinked. "Can you read my mind?"

Draco chuckled, that same warm sound that sent shivers up Harry's spine. "I possess some empathic abilities, but I am not telepathic, except with my father. Sire/childe privilege."

"The Arcanamala has no record of you," Harry told him suddenly, not sure he why he was revealing the little information the Arcanes had. "How long have you been…you know…"

Draco sighed deeply. "Just over 200 years. I was a baby when my father was Embraced. He waited until I was old enough to take care of myself. I was 21 when he turned me."

Harry frowned. "What about your mother?"

Something flashed behind Draco's steel eyes, something Harry couldn't identify. "Don't ask about my mother."

Harry's cheeks flushed. "Sorry." He waited a moment before continuing. "So, you were 21. Why don't we have a record of you?"

"Father decided it was in his best interests if the Arcanamala didn't know about me," Draco answered. "He sent me to France, and I lived there until about a year ago."

"Why did he suddenly call you back?" Harry leaned back against the bench, one arm resting on the back of it.

Draco looked at him seriously, his voice low and cold. "To destroy the Arcanamala, but more specifically, to kill you."

Harry didn't respond as the words hit the air with a terrible finality. Draco's cool had suddenly touched the back of Harry's neck, and his skin rose in gooseflesh.

"I'm not going to kill you, Harry," he whispered gently. "That is the one thing I can promise you."

They held each other's gaze until Harry nodded slightly. "I don't know why, but I believe you."

The cool pressure of Draco's hand was gone from his neck. "Good," Draco responded.

Silence fell between them again, and Harry fidgeted on the bench. "So, what are your father's plans?"

Draco seemed lost in thought for a moment. "The news that you were looking to become familiar was almost too good to be true. We knew it was a trap from the start."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I guess the Arcanamala needs some work on its covert tactics."

Draco smiled. "Had I not known better, I would have been completely fooled." Harry smiled a little at that. "Anyway, Father planned to let you believe that your mission was succeeding so he could feel out the Arcanamala's weaknesses and destroy them. You have to understand something, Harry. My father doesn't like rules, of any kind, and the Arcanamala is all about rules. My father doesn't like being reminded that he has to answer to someone, least of all humans. But I understand why he Arcanamala has to exist. My father doesn't see that it is the key to our survival. I understand that. But in the meantime, he's going to continue breaking every rule the Arcanamala can throw at him."

Draco's eyes bored into Harry's with an intensity that made Harry's breath catch in his throat. "He will never stop killing, Harry. Never."

Harry held Draco's gaze. "Do you kill, Draco?"

"I won't lie to you," Draco answered, his voice dry and hollow. "And I intend to stand trial in front of the Arcanamala and be punished for my crimes, but not before I watch my father pay for his."

Harry nodded. "Then we go forward as planned. I'll keep up the guise of a potential familiar like nothing has changed. I'll just need to be more careful."

"Extremely careful, Harry," Draco replied. "My father doesn't want to lose this opportunity, but that doesn't mean he won't kill you if he thinks something is suspicious." Draco's head snapped up suddenly, and he stood from the bench. "I think it's a good idea if we say goodbye now."

"Why? What's wrong?" Harry whispered, looking in every direction.

"Something wicked this way comes," Draco answered softly, "and we don't need this something overhearing us." He looked down at Harry. "Tomorrow night. I'll contact you just after sunset"

Harry nodded. "The Arcanamala will want to interview you and take a statement."

"Not yet," Draco answered. "My father will be suspicious if I leave the house when I'm not coming to see you. But the Arcanamala will have its chance to interview me in due time."

"I'll see you tomorrow, then," Harry replied with a small smile.

Draco nodded and turned to leave, only taking a few steps before Harry called, "Draco…"

Draco turned halfway around, one brow lifted. Harry's smile broadened. "Thank you."

Draco returned the smile with a shake of his head. "You're giving me the chance to make things right, Harry. Thank you."

Harry wasn't sure exactly what that meant, but before he had time to consider it, Draco was gone, seemingly walking into the darkness.

Harry shivered.