DISCLAIMER: THE BOOK BELONGS TO J. I HAVE ONLY BORROWED BOTH CHARACTERS AND PLOTLINE.
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CHAPTER 7
Voldemort looked dispassionately at the man writhing in pain at his feet. He had completely lost track of the number of times that he'd used the 'Cruciatus' curse on the whining little vermin by then.
"No more my lord, please I beg you no more" the man sobbed, curling up into a tight ball as if to ward of the cruel onslaught of his master's punishment for him.
"But you had given your word to me weeks ago" Voldemort said, wondering hungrily how much more of this torture would finally break the man "Wormtail told me that you had agreed to do it long ago but I have yet to see any results."
"It…it is difficult My Lord" the man sniveled, wiping the snot and tears off his face with his robes pathetically. "Dumbledore is watching the boy too closely for me to make a move."
"Well if you think that you can share my power without giving me what I want" the dark lord hissed, bending over so that his mouth was close to the other man's ear "Then you might as well choose death now" he whispered, enjoying the shudder of fear pass through the man.
"No…no of course not my lord, I…I need more time to arrange everything" the coward pleaded from his position on the floor blinking away the sweat from his eyes.
Straightening himself up, Voldemort looked around at his surroundings and smirked, soon all this power, all the glory he'd lost fifteen years ago would be his once again. Laughing wickedly he stepped into a ready fireplace at the Ministry of Magic and was swallowed up by the glowing with green flames in an instant.
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Harry lay on the floor of the defense hall in the Slytherin tower gazing into fiery grey eyes as Draco sank his tongue into the heat of Harry's mouth slowly exploring the hot cavern within. His breath hitched as he felt his body involuntarily arch into Draco's desperate for any contact as he lost himself in the kiss completely. Slipping his fingers under Draco's shirttails, he clung tightly on to the small of Draco's back and hummed in happiness as he grazed Draco's soft lips with his teeth gently.
Out of breath Draco moved his mouth to the angle of Harry's jaw and began pressing soft kisses over it and down the side of his neck as he fumbled with Harry's shirt buttons clumsily, trying to simultaneously suck on Harry's collar bone until he heard Harry laugh softly. Lifting his head up Draco smiled inquisitively at those beautiful green eyes which were hazy with emotion and cocked his head quizzically.
"Baby your necklace is trying to strangle me" Harry said grinning at him as he gently pushed Draco's sweaty bangs away from his forehead kissing him softly on the cheek saying "It's totally tangled up with my shirt!"
Sure enough when Draco looked down at their chests he saw Harry's half undone shirt's buttons completely entangled with his necklace. Turning pink at their slightly debauched appearances Draco bent his head and carefully tried to untangle the mess with shaking fingers.
"I like it when you call me that" he admitted in a soft voice not quite looking at Harry who was rubbing his sides gently, hiding his embarrassment when they suddenly heard a loud rap on the door.
Frantically unwinding the last loop of his necklace from Harry's shirt they stood up and tried to bring some order to their disheveled clothes and hair, stifling their laughter with some difficulty.
"Draco, are you there inside?" Pansy asked rapping impatiently on the door again.
"Give me a minute Pansy" Draco called out tucking his shirt in "I have the last few um…spells remaining, to...practice" he finished off lamely.
"I'll see you tomorrow" Harry whispered, kissing Draco on his temple and disappearing from sight with a well-placed Disillusionment spell before Draco could protest by asking him to stay instead.
Opening the door Draco let Pansy in and felt Harry brush past him as he left to go back to his own tower.
"What do you do in here?" Pansy asked him suspiciously making note of the messy hair and his slightly swollen lips.
"Why?" Draco retorted coolly remaining the very epitome of dignity and disdain. "What's it to you?"
"It's just a question" Pansy said huffily "God you're so uptight nowadays! Why do you take everything so seriously?" she said touching his arm.
"Pansy why are you here?" Draco sighed tiredly, fending off Pansy's advances easily.
"You have a letter from home" she replied angrily at being rebuffed again and thrust a thick envelope into Draco's hands before stomping away.
Breaking the seal on the flap of the envelope with some trepidation, Draco took out the letter and started to read;
Mon petit Cherie,
I wrote to thank you for your wonderful letters that are full of the support and love that your poor mother needs right now. I understand that you are worried for me my son what with your father running off to play at his ugly games once again but I assure you that I am quite fine. He hasn't sunk so low as to involve me with his play…as yet.
Unfortunately there is some bad news for the two of us however I fear. I overheard Lucius talking to one of the others last evening about making our home a base for their operations the next year. It makes me feel angry and sad that he would offer them something so precious of ours to be sullied by the filth that they carry but as you know he won't talk to me or tell me anything so I cannot even argue with him anymore.
As for me, I have decided go to live in France for as long as I can but you know very well as do I, your father will find me and bring me back regardless of my wishes. Still, I want to see you happy and unfettered by your father's latest mid-life crisis this once so I will see that you join me for the holidays at least as I don't want to see you near that man for a while.
I am sorry to have to burden your young shoulders with my problems son. But I find myself cut off from the rest of the world who will have nothing to do with me or my family anymore. Not even your aunt Andromeda will deign to speak with me and as for Bella, she frightens me with her level of devotion to the Dark Lord and I no longer see common ground for us anymore.
On that note I urge you take care of yourself and stay safely in school. I feel comfortable knowing that you stay under Albus's and Severus's protection as I know that they would never see any harm come to you. Continue writing to me love, your owl will know where to find me. I promise to see you during your holidays. Until we meet…
Love
Narcissa Malfoy.
P.S: Do not forget to destroy this letter.
Draco crushed the letter in his hands and sat down on the floor feeling miserable and angry. What was his father doing to their family? He knew how much Narcissa loved him and how much she had trusted him. Was the thirst for power so compelling he couldn't see beyond it anymore?
Wrapping his arms around his knees Draco stayed that way for a long time hoping that his father would give it up before it was too late them and for any reconciliation between them.
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Having discarded the disillusionment charm after he'd put plenty of distance between him and the Slytherin tower, Harry walked the empty corridors contemplating the three and a half months that had gone by so quickly.
He and Draco had started off with Animagus training only a few weeks ago since they had been unable to cope with their hectic schedule and had found it to be difficult and frustrating sitting hour after hour in one position lost in their own minds as they tried to call forth their beast from within.
Fortunately, only three days ago they had both finally felt a wisp of the creature's mind hidden in shadow which was so alien to them and had felt triumphant at their moderate success. Occlumency with Snape had proven to be the best thing to hasten their progress and they had felt overwhelmingly grateful to him for it.
DADA however was fast becoming laborious and boring for Harry and Draco since they were already so far advanced from the others that they simply felt like doing their homework during that time instead. Control had become a major issue and even though Harry was patient with Neville he sometimes felt the tiny urge to just simply throw in the towel and walk away. Draco who had had Ginny as a partner was better challenged but even he had skipped training on some days when he was too tired saying that he came for the pure entertainment factor anyway!
"They should rename the group" he'd once said during training while he and Harry were taking a break.
"To what? Dumbledore's army is ideal" Harry said sarcastically wondering what he was doing there for the nth time, knowing that the only reason he'd stayed was because Darren had been so happy to see his 'progress'.
"It should be called The dating agency!" Draco smirked, watching Darren openly moon after Ginny while Hermione and George flirted like crazy during their sparring as Ron looked on at them through squinty eyes.
He and Harry had continued their own private training which usually ended in heavy make out sessions like today, which both he and Draco looked forward to all week. He never would have guessed how easy it all could be for them in the past. So natural for him to hold Draco and kiss him and so equally normal for Draco to respond in kind.
The only times they'd face difficulties during that time was when Harry would sink to the floor exhausted after calling forth 'Falatheil' or when he would suddenly stop fighting and clutch his head in despair. "It's like a dam inside of me Dray. I...I can feel so much power behind it but I can't touch it. It's so bloody frustrating!"
Returning back to the present, Harry shook his head and laughed at him-self a little; what with training, DA classes, Animagus exercises, owls and quidditch he was surprised he had had time to breathe.
"Maybe I should quit DA" Harry muttered and kept walking when he heard a muffled sob coming from behind the corner of corridor. Running to see who it was, Harry saw tiny Hannah Abbot sitting on the floor next to a knight's armor and crying to herself.
"Um….you alright there Abbott?" Harry asked her cringing at his stupid question.
Hannah looked at him in surprise with eyes swimming with tears and shook her head "Sh…she hi…hit me" the little girl hiccupped and bent her head low.
"Who?" Harry asked shocked.
"Umbridge!"
"What! Why?" Harry said looking baffled.
"I bumped in to her in the corridor and accidently stepped on her foot" Hannah said laughing and crying at the same time listening to the absurdity of her own claim.
Harry just stared at her in silence not knowing what to say or how to console her "Did you tell anyone?"
"No, no please don't" Hannah said looking pleadingly at him "I don't want that kind of attention"
"But…"
"Please Harry?"
Harry nodded still feeling stunned pulling up the girl to stand before him "You'll tell me if she does it again okay? You promise?"
Hannah sniffled but nodded and walked sadly away refusing any further help from Harry wanting to be alone in her humiliation.
"Cripes! Luna was right! The woman is a nasty witch" Harry said aloud, leaning against the wall wondering whom to tell about this new revelation or who would believe him anyway if he told them.
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