OceanDreams: Hey everyone

OceanDreams: Hey everyone! Hope you all liked the last chapter, thanks for all the reviews and feedback they really helped with this chapter. A lot of things are going to be explained in this chapter, so be sure to keep up! : ) Once again, I do not own Harry Potter or anything that goes with it. If I did I would be one rich student. Enjoy!

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Harry picked up the fallen silver lace, his hands trembling. King Lucius was dead. While Harry had never liked the man, life was still life, no matter how horrible a life may have been led. As a healer, Harry hated any type of death, of any person. Lucius Malfoy's death was still meaningless in Harry's eyes, no matter how horrible the man was. Harry remembered hearing the awful things Lucius had done during his reign. He remembered nights when his mother and father were up late until the night, and him sneaking around the halls after bedtime to see them pouring over documents, the Slytherin king's name constant from their lips. One particular instant stood out in Harry's mind. He had been nine, and one of the coldest winters he could remember. He was once again out after hours, and he saw the soft light from Severus' study glowing from the doorway and he heard the quite sound of crying, muffled by the thick wood. He had gently opened the door so that it wouldn't creak when it opened. Harry had never seen his mentor cry, and Severus wasn't crying now, he was weeping. His mother had her arms wrapped around him, the taller man's face buried in her robe as Harry so often did when he was hurt. On the floor lay a piece of bloodied green velvet robe and a piece of parchment abandoned on the ground next to it.

"Damn monster," he had heard his mother whisper, and he knew she meant Lucius. Harry had silently closed the door, not wanting to disturb the two, and he had never asked Severus, knowing the man liked his privacy. Harry had not seen Severus cry since then.

Harry moved fully into the doorway. His mother was rubbing his father's shoulders. James looked as if he had aged five years in the span of hours.

"Is it true?" Harry asked softly, his voice echoing throughout the room.

"Harry, dear!" his mother said startled. "What are you doing here? You should be resting. I know you haven't left the healing wing all evening."

Harry knew that when his mother tried to divert the attention away from his question, the news was worse than he thought. His mother never hid anything from himself or his brother unless she thought it was absolutely necessary.

"Is it true?" he repeated.

James sighed and gave Lily's hand a gentle pat before holding the same hand out to Harry.

"Come here, son." Harry took his father's hand and James pulled him down into his lap, holding him as he had when Harry was a little boy. "Yes, Harry. I'm afraid it is true, Lucius was murdered, almost two months ago."

"Who is ruling now?" Harry asked, his thoughts going to a young blonde that had visited when he was young. "Draco?"

"Yes," James nodded, "and as such the Slytherin kingdom is very unstable right now."

"But he's so young!" Harry protested.

"The same age as your brother," James reasoned, tucking a strand of Harry's hair behind his ear, "I'm lucky to have lived this long, especially during a war."

"Don't talk like that father!" Harry cried. James wrapped his son in his arms, shifting him into a more comfortable condition.

"It's the truth, dear one, but that's not all this is about." James halted for a moment gathering his thoughts. "Draco has asked to form an alliance to help protect his country."

"Is that bad?" Harry asked.

"Not entirely no," James responded, "depending on his motives. That is not what worries me."

"James," Lily interrupted, "That's enough."

James turned to his wife, his face determined. He gently squeezed her hand. "This involves him too, Lily, and I will not have him blindsided."

Harry's chest tightened in alarm. What would Draco want with him? He hadn't seen the boy since they had first met. His fingers gripped James's robes, the material bunching under his hand. His fathers hand gently encased his own, and pet soothingly over the soft skin of his hand.

"I'm sorry, Harry, I did not mean to frighten you. Draco has already stated in his letter that for before any talks of alliance are started, he demands the right to court you."

Harry couldn't believe what his father was saying. Draco wanted to court him. They had not seen each other since their first meeting. They knew nothing about each other.

"But how can he demand something like that?" Harry asked, "I'm not of legal age."

"No your not, and I would never force you to marry Harry, but I'm not going to lie to you, dearest. We need this alliance. I am going to give Draco permission to court you. If he proves himself a good and honorable man, and his motives pure, if you wish to, I will give him my consent to marry you."

Harry knew as the second born his duties to the kingdom would be entirely different from his brothers. Marriage for political reasons had always been a possibility for Harry, but he had hoped he would be able to marry for love, like his parents had. If Harry had to marry for the good of the kingdom he would, and try to be content, if not happy, with Draco.

"So, Harry," his father said with fake enthusiasm, "are you ready for your first suitor?"

Harry smiled with the same fake luster as his father and said, "I would like to write a letter of my own to Draco, to be taken along with yours, if that's alright, Father."

"Of course, Harry. Lily if you would bring me parchment, a quill, and the royal seal."

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Draco thrust at Blaise, the other boy meeting his attack with a right-sided parry. Both swords arched to meet in the air above their hands with a resounding clash. Draco spun out to the right, placing himself to Blaise's back. A quick kick to the back of the other boy's knees brought Blaise to the ground, Draco's sword at his throat. The blonde stepped back, sheathed his sword, and with a smile helped Blaise to his feet.

"I'm going to beat you one of these days," Blaise growled, sheathing his own blade.

"You keep believing that, Blaise." Draco chuckled.

"Oh, I will," Blaise replied, running a hand through his ringlet curls, sneering when his hand caught in a tangle. "Bah! Why couldn't I have gotten my mother's hair? Nice and straight. Not this monstrosity from my father!"

"But then it wouldn't be near as much fun to tease you," Draco said as he ruffled the said curls.

Their bickering was interrupted by a soft knock on the door.

"Enter!" Draco called, his voice taking on the strict tone he used in court. Regulus appeared in the doorway.

"Your Majesty, Lord Blaise," he bowed to them both, " A messenger from Gryffindor has arrived."

"Very good. Please show them to my private study with some refreshments. I will join them shortly."

"Yes, your Majesty."

"Thank you, Regulus." The dark haired man bowed out, closing the door behind him.

When Draco turned back to Blaise, he found the other boy studying him intently.

"Do you think this is a good idea?" Blaise asked him as they left the training room and moved into the hallway.

"I knew this was a good idea when I murdered my father, Blaise." Draco responded.

"Draco! Don't say that out loud!" Blaise whispered fiercely, his dark brown eyes flittering around the hallways.

"Everyone knows Blaise! I was not going to allow that man to destroy this kingdom." Draco argued voice rising.

"I know that, and at the time I was so glad for that man to be gone, but now… murder, Draco, murder!"

A few of the hallways other occupants glanced their way, but quickly bowed and looked away.

"Don't you think I know that Blaise! I had limited options, father was gaining too much favor with Voldermort, and if I had tried to rally the forces to usurp my father, it wouldn't have worked. To many men were to afraid to move against my father for fear of Voldermort. I thought of other options, Blaise, truly I did."

Blaise placed a comforting hand on Draco's shoulder, "I know, my friend, I know."

"I didn't want to murder my father, but it was the only option left to me. I have no intention to join Voldermort."

"But why an alliance with Gryffindor?" Blaise asked changing the direction of their conversation, "We are so much stronger than they are."

"It's all about power, Blaise. The other two kingdoms look to Gryffindor for leadership. If we have Gryffindor, we have Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff as well."

"But through marriage, Draco?" Blaise asked voice unconvinced, "James is so desperate at the moment that I'm sure he would welcome an alliance with open arms. No need to propose to court a twelve year old boy."

Draco's smile was coy as he glanced to Blaise, the hallway now deserted as they approached his quarters, "That one is for a personal reason."

"But you haven't seen Harry since he was barely out of his toddler years. You don't know anything about him, how he looks, his personality."

Draco's coy smile slowly melted into one Blaise almost categorized as dreamy, "I know, but ever since then I can't get him out of my head. He made me feel guilty for the first time in my life. You and I both know what a feat that is."

Blaise laughed, mock punching his friend in the arm, "And if this boy of yours doesn't agree, what then?"

"Black mail of course," Draco said with a smirk. Blaise rolled his eyes.

"I don't think black mail is the best way to get your boy prince to fall for you, Draco."

"If it gets me Harry, then I really don't care."

"And if you end up not liking him?"

"I planned for a long courtship," Draco explained, "at least two years until he's legal age for free marriage. That way he will at least be able to enjoy the wedding night. If I find I don't like him I can always break it off."

"Seems like you have a plan for everything, Draco," Blaise said. They had reached Draco's chambers, and Blaise gave a small bow.

"I'm going back to my chambers to refresh before dinner. Fill me in then."

Draco nodded to his friend and bid him good-bye. He stepped into his rooms and saw the bed had been made and the fire stoked back into a full blaze from the embers it had been this morning. These were the quarters that had once belonged to his father and mother. As was tradition, Draco had moved into these rooms after his coronation. His mother had taken residence in a smaller set of rooms not far down the hallway from his own. As a child he had never really liked his parents rooms, with his father's insistence on darker colors to dominate the room. When he had moved in Draco had everything that his mother hadn't wanted taken away, except for the large four poster bed. The room itself was rather drab, but Draco had tapestries brought in to hang on the walls for decoration. Many of them depicted the early times of the county of Hogwarts when Gryffindor and Slytherin had been one kingdom, and the legends of Godric and Salazar. The floor was covered by warm fur rugs, many of the furs from thick-skinned bears. The fire place was directly in front of the bed, a couch between the two with a dark brown afghan laid over the back. Two other doors led to his room, one of which was the bathroom, and the other to a short passageway that led to his private study, which had another entrance from the outside corridor. Draco had changed the colors of the room entirely and the windows sported dove gray velvet curtains that kept both light and warmth in. The rich covers of the bed were the slate blue of Draco's winter bedding, the top comforter filled with down. It was awkward sleeping in such a large bed by himself, but Draco hoped that in a few years time he would have a warm body to share it with.

Draco quickly changed from his sweaty tunic and leggings, the garments thrown aside to be taken care of later. A quick rinse from his washbasin relieved his face of most of the grime. He donned a dark green tunic and silver vest with black trousers and boots. The outfit was one of his less formal attires, perfect for meeting with the messenger. He had no desire to come across as flashy.

Draco quickly made his way down the hallway and entered his study, the fire blazing there too. He would have to remember to thank Regulus. A man, who Draco could only assume was the Gryffindor messenger, was warming himself in front of the fire, his hair almost as blazing as the fire. The man turned and bowed low at the hips and introduced himself, "Your Majesty. Charlie Weasley, first messenger of King James Potter of Gryffindor."

The man reminded Draco of the boy who had guided himself and his family during their stay in Gryffindor. Draco took a seat in one of the arm chairs across from the fireplace.

"Please, sit," Draco said," I hope the refreshments were to your liking?"

The red head sat smoothing his lightweight long coat as he did so. "Yes, thank you, your Majesty. I am quite rested."

He reached into his coat and pulled out a scroll sealed with what was obviously the seal of Gryffindor and a smaller personal envelope. He handed both to Draco and he immediately opened the scroll. It was James' formal reply to his alliance, agreeing to Draco's terms, granting him permission to court his youngest son. James had also suggested that the meetings start at the beginning of next summer, as winter would have the mountains of Slytherin closed off fairly soon. Draco agreed, this would give himself time to prepare and make sure the kingdom was fully stabilized before he left it. The messenger was watching him carefully.

"Everything seems to be in order," Draco stated, picking up the smaller envelope. His name was printed on the front in a neat flowing script, and the small seal was one he had never seen before. The seal was a deep red, and portrayed a lion standing in front a flower Draco didn't know. He looked at the messenger questioningly.

"From Prince Harry, your Majesty," he provided.

Draco broke the seal, his fingers shaking slightly. He had never considered the thought that Harry might also send his own letter with his father. For a moment, Draco was hesitant to read it, fearful of what it might say. He unfolded it anyway, and found a short but warm toned letter.

"Dear King Draco,

I know it has been many years since we have seen each other, but I wanted to tell you personally how honored I am that you choose me to place your affections in. I hope that you stay safe until I can meet you once again.

Yours,

Prince Harry of Gryffindor

p.s. Thank you for a certain gift those many years ago, he has been a dear friend to me."

Draco blinked in surprise, he never thought that Harry would actually keep Dragon. He feared his treasured toy had been lost and was glad to know that he had found a loving home with Harry.

Charlie was waiting for him to finish and Draco set the letter on his lap.

"I know you must be tired," Draco said to Charlie, "I will have someone show you to your room. You may leave whenever you wish tomorrow."

"Regulus!" Draco called, knowing the man would be near by. A second later the dark haired man appeared in the room. "Please show our guest to his room."

"Of course, you Majesty." Regulus replied turning to Charlie who had risen from his seat, "Please follow me."

Draco watched the two men leave then read over the Harry's letter once again, a small smile on his face.

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OceanDreams: Yay! Another chapter finished. I purposely left a few things vague, so if anyone one is confused don't worry it will be explained. Hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think.