Chapter four
Bonding length:
month: 0
Week: 3
Day: 3
Stage: Mutualism
The rest of the holidays passed uneventfully. Harry sent a couple of letters to Ron and Hermione. He got several replies in return.
In fact, it was in the latest correspondence that they agreed to meet up a week before school; in an attempt to get the last of there school supplies... or in Harry's case... all of his school supplies.
So, there they were; Harry, Ron, and Hermione enjoying an ice cream on a Monday morning. Things seemed relatively normal. Things like fighting a mad man, being involved in a war that is above their age comprehension or being bonded to someone you called a rival 2 weeks ago; where far from their minds. they were not trivial things, but they were things that they would deal with tomorrow. Things that didn't matter today.
"... so, when we finish at flourish and Blotts, we need to go to Madam Malkin's - Harry here needs new robes, then we can move onto ..." Hermione began to plot
" I need new robes?" Questioned Harry.
"Harry, you haven't brought new robes since the third year. You're about to start you the sixth year!... and I do remember you complaining... quite a lot ... about the how tight your robe was" Hermione picked up her ice cream spoon, licking the excess strawberry syrup off it. "not to mention that your pants are at least 4 inches above your ankles."
So; Harry once again found himself at Madam Malkin's, a tape measure floating between various places of his body. Shoulder blades, chest, thighs, legs ...Ron got bored about 10 minutes in and went with Hermione to once again admire his brothers new shop. Harry had to remember to thank Herminoe for making him buy new robes, after spending 3 godly hours at WWW, harry was realived he wasnt forced to go there again.
"Well... look who it is" purred a voice from the opposite stool.
"Malfoy?"
"Potter-Black". Draco nodded acknowledgment.
"its Just Potter"
"...for now"
Draco was smirking at this point. It was a sad smirk. A tired smirk; that's when Harry noticed, the dark circles around Draco's eyes.
"Are you alright Malfoy? It looks like you haven't slept in weeks".
What Draco did next certainly made his bonding mate worry. Draco shrugged his shoulders. It was very unMalfoy like.
"Everything okay?"
Again Draco shrugged his shoulders
"Jesus, Malfoy. I am your bonding mate! If you can't talk to me, who can you talk too?"
"Potter, we've been bonded for what... three weeks? By my calculations, we should be hitting mutually, not teenage girl slumber party".
"Excuse me Malfoy! I was under the impression we hit mutually 3 weeks ago! when we last met up".
"That was only because we had already been tolerating each other for 5 years. The bond had no choice but to move to the next stage...it doesn't mean the rest of the bonding is going to move forward as quick".
"I see your back to your self obser... erm ... self ri... popim...bloody hell!"
"It's alright potter! I know what you're trying to say." Draco snapped, stamping off his stool. He snapped at the cashier before walked out.
"Whats up his arse?" Harry muttered.
It was 40 minutes later when Harry himself was finished. He went to pay for his new school robes, only to find that they have indeed already paid for ... as well as a new set of casual robes, silk pajamas, and dress robes.
"Malfoy..."
September first finally came, and as always Harry was early, Harry was so early in fact that the Hogwarts express hadn't even arrived yet - hence, the fact that Harry was now standing in the pouring rain. Which was causing his new leather pants to tighten and his new green buttoned top To define his rugged muscles. He looked sophisticated and breathtaking but still semi-muggle.
Chilled to the bone, Harry finally heard the faint puffing sound of the express and finally, after over an hour of standing the rain Harry was warm & safe.
From his now warmed compartment, Harry was able to see every new person that entered the platform, however, his green eyes were peeled from one certain person. eventually, his classmates arrived - They came in ones or two at first, normally first years who were eager to climb the express.
Then families would arrive, then multiple families, then so many people that Harry could hardly keep track.
At precisely 11:20 the express was off, Harry in a serious debate over quidditch techniques with Ron, while Hermione was once again engrossed in some book.
"Ach-hoo!" Sneezed Harry.
"You alright there mate? That's the second sneeze since we left" questioned Ron.
"Ach - hoo!. Yeah, I am fine Ron. Ach-hoo! I think I just need to get out of these wet clothes. Ach-hoo!"
Harry was exciting the bathroom, in his Hogwarts robes when he heard it
"What's the matter Potter? Your relatives didn't take you to get normal clothes? So desperate for cloaks that you've resorted to wearing your school robes? Like an overly eager first year?" Shrieked a voice, Harry has to spend a second longer than normal, with back turned away from the Slytherins, to wipe the smile off his face and to slow down is heart rate.
"Pansy" he turned. Heart dropping.
There was indeed Pansy, Crabb, Goyle & Zabini...
"Where's Malfoy?" His voice dropped a little.
"Oh, potter, that hurts," Pansy said, a hand on her heart, " you think I am not good enough to batter with?... Well...we will just see about that" within a second Pansy had her wand out.
"Puzibefhia" it was quick and instant... However, what pansy wasn't expecting was for the yellow pus that was now escaping Harry's nose to fling back into her face, with Harry's perfectly timed "Ach-hoo".
This caused pansy to let out a blood-curdled scream "I'll get you back for that Potter". She screeched, just before a near by chaperone spotted them.
"You guys are hopeless without Draco" Harry whispered; making his way back to his carriage.
Hogwarts smelt exactly the way Harry remembered. Old books, candle wax, wood fire and ancient Oak. Harry loved the smell of Hogwarts. Everyone did.
However, he had barely taken his seat before McGonigall placed a hand on his shoulder. "Professor Dumbledore requests your immediate presents, Mr Potter"
."Ah, Mr Potter! Come in my boy. Your timing could not have been more perfect!". Dumbledore explained with a grin. It was Draco, that Harry saw first. Poor Draco. Looking even more tried, even more anxious and even more distressed. He had a black eye and his left arm was in a sling. Burnt marks were graced over his fingers. He was leaning into snape, who appeared to have an arm around the scared child.
"Draco" Harry purred. Causing his bonding mate to leave Snape's arms and meet Harry in the eye. They were bloodshot. It appeared that not only was Draco distressed but he was crying.
"we may have run into a problem, my boy".
"Professor?"
"A good marriage starts with honestly and trust. Perhaps Draco, my boy? You would like to feel your mate in?" Dumbledore twinkled.
This just caused Draco to look at the old man as if he had grown a second head.
"You've won Potter" Draco whispered.
"Won what?"
"I never wanted this Potter."
"Well… I don't think I am that bad. I mean, I don't know if we will ever be in love… but I am sure we will have at least some happy times" Harry replied sly
This caused Draco to stare at him, his eyes with a bored expression.
"Dudder head" Replied Snape. his arms around Draco's shoulders.
"Harry, my boy. I think you have come to the wrong conclusion, Mr Malfoy knows how futile it is to try and annul a betrothal bond"
'So…?"
"Mr. Malfoy and his dad came to me about a week ago very distressed. It appears that Voldemort felt that Draco, was ready to be inducted."
"Draco, you didn't!" Harry said, his voice cracking with emotion.
"Do you really think I am that draft Potter? The dark lord is a maniac. Even my father knows that"
"Harry, my boy. Draco has requested sanctuary"
And with this, Harry's eyes lit up, embracing his mate with an unexpected hug. Draco, totally unprepared, simply retaliated with a pat on the shoulder.
"we can grant that, can we not professor?"
"well, it seems I owe Draco a life debt. Harry, my boy, did you know that when a death eater is conducted they are given an initiation order. It's once, they completed this order, that they are marked. Tom, has established it this way, to ensure complete compliance. its old magic, my boy. Very old magic. Hypothetically, once you have murdered for someone – they own a part of your soul".
"He asked you to kill Draco?"
A single tear rolled down, Draco's pale face.
"It appears, that Tom wants me to step down from the land of the living".
Harry stared back at Draco "You couldn't do it?"
"I didn't WANT to do it Potter! like I said, I never wanted it".
"So, professor. What happens now? Surely, Draco can't return to Slytherin."
"You are right Harry, Draco cannot return to his dorm. However, that is not what why we summoned you here, My boy."
"Professor?"
"In order to grant Mr. Malfoy here sanctuary, he needs to bound to another person of light"
"but professor… I am pretty sure Draco and I are already bounded"
"which is why, we need you Harry, my boy. You see, A sanctuary bound is different to a betrothal bound. A sanctuary bound is where one is bounded to another in complete submission. It was only logical that the one he is bounded too is the one he is currently betrothed too… personally, I can not be any more pleased with this choice. Harry, your sense of honourability would mean that you would be unlikely to over step boundaries or abuse the submission."
"be warned though Potter. If You do take my son for granted. I will personally dismantle you and use you remaining organs as ingredients" growled Snape.
"Submission? What do you mean?" Harry questioned.
"well. In essence. Once you give Draco an order the bond will ensure he follows it. This bound was created thousands of years ago – it, my boy, is the only way one side can insure complete compliance from a transferring recruit".
"That's cruel professor" Harry admitted
"in a sense, I suppose it is. However, my boy, Draco is not the first to switch sides and I don't imagine he will be the last." Dumbledore announced, eyes twinkling at Snape. "One long ago requested sanctuary and I bound him to myself and Harry, my boy, I can honestly say, that we could not have gotten this far in the war without him. Without his keen… skills. This bound is both necessary and required…now Harry may I please have your arm?... yours too Draco"
A silver light circled around Draco's wrist embedding deep within his skin, it moved to a golden light, circling around Harry's wrist and just like Draco's, it embedded into his skin.
"All done," Dumbledore said with a gleam and twinkle in his eye.
"Now Draco, as discussed, i have had the elves fix up your new quarters. Supper should be waiting for you there. Harry perhaps you would like to join your classmates at the welcoming feast?"
