Draco shot a tight-lipped smile toward one of the women his mother had introduced him to. He had refused to dance, instead sitting beside his father at the head table and watching his guests twirl around the room. He held no interest in any of the noble mens' daughters, though it seemed they were competing for his attention. Whenever he would make eye contact with one, she'd blush and giggle to her friends. Draco didn't think he could handle another minute of this gala.

"Darling, go dance. You're being awfully rude just sitting here," his mother chided, all the while maintaining a brilliant smile for the guests.

"No, thank you," he declined. "In fact, I'm feeling quite ill—perhaps I'll retire early."

"Draco-"

"Good evening, mother."

He stood and pushed his chair in. Something felt off, but he couldn't place what it could be. It was just an odd feeling churning in the pit of his stomach. Nodding politely to one of the servants, he left the ballroom and made his way up to his bed chambers. He found himself wondering if perhaps he had eaten something funny, but concluded he just needed a drink to calm himself.

Loosening his cravat, he sighed heavily and pushed his door open, leaning against it once it was closed. Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply, then exhaled slowly.

"It was either something I ate or I must be going mental," he murmured to himself. "And look—now I'm talking to myself. Lovely."

A low chuckle echoed in his room and he instantly jolted and straightened, eyes darting madly in search of the source. He felt his blood run cold when he finally noticed the man draped across his armchair, polishing his sword. Draco drank him in, wondering if he was a delusion. Bright green eyes locked with his and he gulped.

"I'm not too pleased with you at the moment, Draco," Harry drawled.

"How did you even get in here?"

Harry gestured toward the balcony, where the French double doors were propped open, but offered no other explanation. "I believe you have something of mine."

Draco crossed his arms over his chest. "This is such an invasion of privacy. If you'd simply knocked—"

Harry stood in one swift motion. "Christ, Draco, stop avoiding the topic at hand." He strode toward him, where he was pressed flat against the door. Suddenly, his hands were skimming Draco's chest and sides, dipping in his pockets.

"Oh my god," Draco tried shoving Harry's hands away from where they were searching his person, ignoring the tingles running across his skin.

"Where is the vial, Draco?" Harry's eyes locked with his and the intensity within them caused Draco to glance away.

Draco wet his lips, then stepped away from Harry to give himself some room to think—the other man clouded his rationale. "You need me on this voyage, Harry, Luna said-"

"You're a distraction. I can't constantly be saving you."

"I've been learning how to fight! Snape's men have been teaching me-" Harry swiftly tossed Draco the sword he had been polishing, then pulled another from the other side of his belt. "Why are you carrying two swords?"

"Let's see, then." Harry ignored Draco's question and instead tapped the blade of his sword against Draco's. "Hold your own and I'll let you come with me."

"Harry, I've only been practicing for a few days and you've been fighting for your entire-"

Without listening to Draco's words, Harry surged forward, swinging his sword. Yelping, Draco just barely deflected the blow, backing up and away from the pirate. As Harry continuously and ruthlessly played the offense, he moved so swiftly and gracefully that Draco had to wonder where he'd learned to fight. Kohl-lined eyes blazing, he kept his gaze locked with Draco's.

Draco found himself basking in Harry's presence, despite the obvious fact that the other man was repeatedly bombarding him with a lethal weapon. Realizing how pathetic he seemed, he pushed any thoughts of how much he had missed Harry from his mind.

Glancing away and watching their colliding blades, Draco struggled to keep up with Harry, whom he knew wasn't putting much effort into their duel. His brow furrowed as he desperately raised his blade to block Harry's, ducking beneath the force of the other man's blow. In a move that Draco wouldn't have thought possible, Harry spun around, easily deflecting Draco's blade, before swiftly launching himself at Draco, sword raised. Draco froze, feeling the cold sting of Harry's blade on the side of his neck, panting heavily.

"Snape's men couldn't tell the blade from the hilt," Harry said in a monotone.

Clenching his jaw, Draco let Harry take his sword back and watched as the other man sheathed them. Harry hadn't even broken a sweat, whereas Draco's heart was racing.

"Admit it, I've gotten better."

Harry turned away and sat on the edge of Draco's bed, looking as if he owned the place, as if Draco was the intruder rather than himself. "You'd be able to hold your own in a fight against Creevey," was all he said.

"I held my own against you," Draco argued.

"Really? I almost killed you once or twice there," Harry smirked and ran his fingers through his hair.

"You wish," Draco sneered, crossing his arms over his chest. They were silent for a few moments. Draco watched the fire turn Harry's absinthe eyes gold and cast dark shadows across his face. Stubble lined the other man's strong jaw and Harry had neglected to wear his bandanna. He was stunning.

"I'm coming with you whether you like it or not," Draco said quietly.

Harry let out a long sigh and ran his fingers through his hair. "You don't understand the dangers. You've not experienced anything to make you understand just how savage the seas can be. Nor her inhabitants."

"I don't care," Draco proclaimed. "I refuse to sit in this manor and attend balls and speak with politically corrupt men. Not when I've had a taste of freedom."

Harry had a small smile on his face by the time Draco had quieted. He stood and advanced upon Draco, a smirk growing on his face when Draco didn't back away. He removed Draco's cravat entirely, his calloused fingers nimbly making work of the already loosened knot, tossing it carelessly to the side.

"I wonder," he mused, running his thumb across the rich velvet of Draco's coat, "if you're addicted to the sea," his eyes met Draco's, gleaming with mirth and mischief, "or to me." Draco gulped, but didn't respond, too busy soaking in Harry, finally allowing himself to guiltlessly remember their nights aboard the Siren. "Because if it was the sea you missed, I know you would have found your way aboard a ship somehow." Harry stepped impossibly closer so his heat was rolling off him and onto Draco. "But instead you waited for me. You knew I'd come for the vial."

"I didn't expect it to take two fortnights." Draco involuntarily closed his heavy-lidded eyes as Harry's fingers ran along his jaw, his thumb smoothing Draco's bottom lip. He felt Harry's hand duck beneath his coat to curl around his waist. Draco felt a shiver run down his spine and he must have shuddered because Harry was smirking again.

"There was something I needed to attend to." His hot breath ghosted over Draco's lips, which had suddenly gone dry. He watched Harry's eyes drop to his mouth as he wet them.

Just realizing his hands hanging limp by his sides, Draco raised them to Harry's chest, clenching them in the thin fabric of his billowing shirt and tracing the hard muscle beneath. He had missed this so much his heart hurt with the pain of it.

"Admit it," Draco breathed, ducking his fingers beneath Harry's shirt to trace his defined torso, "you missed me."

Rather than make such a confession, Harry leaned forward and pressed his mouth against Draco's, using the hand on Draco's waist to pull their bodies flush together. Draco's breath caught, then he was kissing Harry back with all the passion he could muster. He raised a hand to tangle in Harry's untamed hair, keeping the other man from pulling away, though by the feel of it, Harry had no intention of doing so.

Using his tongue to part Draco's lips, Harry deepened the kiss, causing Draco to let out a soft groan. He had missed Harry's metallic taste, missed the controlled dominance with which Harry kissed. His breeches tightened when Harry nipped at his bottom lip and he tugged at Harry's shirt, making his intentions clear.

"The crew is waiting," Harry breathed, pressing kisses along Draco's jaw, then sucking on a soft spot beneath Draco's ear.

"I haven't seen you in two fortnights," Draco panted, "they can wait."

Harry chuckled, then nipped at Draco's earlobe before pulling back and swiftly removing his shirt, letting it drop to the floor beside Draco's cravat. Draco took a moment to admire the other man's body, letting his eyes roam across chiseled biceps and pectorals, down Harry's washboard abdomen, then to the trail of dark hair that disappeared beneath Harry's breeches. His fingers traced Harry's hipbones almost reverently.

"I've always wanted to have you in your perfect little manor with the governor and the Commodore just downstairs," Harry growled in his ear.

Draco's eyes widened and he dragged Harry in for another kiss.

"Christ, how far away did you make port?" Draco scowled as he felt sand in his shoes.

"Just around this bend. We didn't actually make port—we anchored it in case we needed to make a quick departure." Harry turned to shoot Draco a wicked grin. "I hope you don't mind swimming a bit."

Draco's jaw dropped. "You know I can't swim."

"This is my revenge for you taking the vial."

"You're despicable," Draco spat.

"How many times have you informed me of this? It must be at least the tenth."

Draco glared at the figure ahead of him, irritation coursing through his veins. "God forsaken pirates," he muttered, kicking sand in Harry's direction.

"Cheer up a bit," Harry called back to him. "I did just give you the best orgasm of your life."

"Don't be cocky," Draco scowled.

At that Harry turned, mirth evident in his eyes. "It's not me being cocky. You told me it was the best of your life right afterward."

Draco cursed himself beneath his breath, causing Harry to let out a low chuckle. They walked around a monstrous rock jutting out from the mountainside, Draco taking care not to get his shoes damp, then he couldn't help the warmth that flooded his body at the sight of the black flags, the familiar skull and crossbones with the green lightning bolt.

The ship was only about a two minute swim from the dock, according to Harry. Looking down into the dark water below, Draco gulped. Harry had assured him that he'd help him toward the ship, but he still wasn't pleased at the prospect of being completely submerged. His mother had never let him swim in the ocean as a child and had always warned him against doing so.

"Harry, can't they lower a longboat or something-"

"It's barely even a swim." Harry turned to him when they reached the end of the dock. Draco could see Timber Toe and Tommo lowering a couple of ropes to pull them aboard. "Don't worry—I won't let anything happen to you."

Gulping, Draco nodded, trusting Harry. He hadn't put his coat back on, as Harry told him it would weigh him down.

"Don't think about how deep it is. Just hold onto me, all right?"

"Okay."

Harry dived in gracefully, emerging a moment later, pushing his hair back. Draco could see his feet treading water beneath the surface and he gulped, pushing down his misgivings. The ocean seemed to be calling to him, urging him to jump in with Harry. Ignoring the unease that accompanied those feelings, he took a deep breath, then jumped in. Once his head was submerged, he felt a burning tingle spread throughout his entire body.

He emerged, gasping for air, but felt something thrumming through his veins, could feel his skin tightening and morphing. He was barely aware of Luna leaning over the side of the ship, screaming at Harry to get out of the water.

His head ducked beneath the surface again and he let out a gurgling scream as his legs were immersed with a searing pain. It felt as if knives were piercing his legs and hips and he drew in a heavy breath before realizing he was breathing underwater. He didn't register the sound of his breeches and shoes ripping.

All of a sudden, a deadly calm settled over him and he felt something in the back of his mind emerge, taking control of his conscious. He gracefully emerged from the water, aware that he was nude. Harry's eyes were wide and he was gaping at Draco, still treading water. Draco was only barely aware of Harry's crew staring at him, of Luna still shouting at Harry to get out of the water.

"Come to me," he commanded Harry, though he was aware that it wasn't in English. His voice sounded like a string of musical notes, a soft baritone. It seemed to harmonize with the sounds of the ocean and the wind.

Harry didn't move, still staring at Draco in unconcealed shock. Luna was chanting something, her eyes closed and platinum hair blowing in the wind. Draco was flooded with confusion, but that calm conscious seemed to take over again.

"Come to me," he heard himself say, or rather sing.

He was slowly moving toward Harry, gracefully and smoothly gliding through the water. The waves lapped at his shoulders. When he was right in front of Harry, he pulled the other man toward him, pressing their chests together. Harry still seemed to be in shock.

Suddenly, when Harry was only a breath away, he felt a deadly hunger overcome him, morphed from the calm. He opened his mouth and bared his teeth, though through Harry's mirrored eyes he could see that they had elongated slightly and his canines were sharp fangs. He let out a sound, but instead of the singing being soft and sweet like before, it came out as more of a hissing cry.

He lunged for Harry's throat, dragging the other man beneath the surface. Harry fought him, shoving him away, then everything went black.