A/N: This chapter is too all reviewers,people who put me on those lists of theirs and readers, as well as, Carson. Something to mention is that most words like honour, saviour, etc. are spelt the Canadian way, for we are Canadian ;P
Disclaimers- These characters are not mine. I just play with them while JK Rowling isn't looking.
'Parseltongue'
Chapter Ten- Solo Time
"Albus?"
"Minerva, to what do I owe this pleasure? Lemon drop?" she declined politely and moved to sit in the chair across from the Headmasters desk.
"Headmaster, I have found several research books that I feel we should examine in order to help Harry," she held out several, very thick tomes towards the Headmaster.
"Indeed, it seems you have been working tirelessly, Minerva, but, I think it best that you take a break for a while, it has been a week since the students left, and I doubt you have slept much at all," he gave her a stern look but, the twinkle in his eyes was shinning as bright as ever.
"I will, Albus, just as soon as we discuss-" the silver haired man cut her off quickly.
"No, Minerva, go rest now, I will read through some of these while I have the time. Are there any that you deem more useful then others?"
"I know that Bellatrix was always very fond of spells in any language other then Latin, deeming the Latin ones too common for one such as her," the transfiguration teacher scoffed, "I would look through the Greek and Italian ones first off, then proceed to the Latin ones."
"All right, now go rest, I must call Severus, I will need his aid in this," Dumbledore rose and went to the fireplace as Minerva McGonagall retreated from his office to retire to her own chambers.
"Severus, come to my office please," he called into the fire then went back to sit at his desk and wait for his trusted Slytherin and former spy.
ooOoo
It was a week since they had all left Hogwarts castle, meaning only two more remained to be spent in the beautiful province of Saskatchewan. Harry was in a marvelous mood today, he was sitting with Padma, Parvati and Lavender, and the three of them were going on about how cute a couple, Theo and Blaise made. Harry was half listening, he laughed along with them, it had been a long time since he had last talked to someone other than Hermione and Ron, willingly. Draco as well, of course, but that was different, he didn't know how but, it just was.
He sat, listening to the three girls coo and awe at the two Slytherin boys who were sitting a little ways away and pointedly ignoring the giggling girls and Harry. Lavender and Parvati decided that they were in need of a snack, so the two of them went off to pick raspberries, leaving Harry and Padma alone. The two sat for several minutes in companionable silence before Padma turned to the brunet.
"Harry?"
"Yes," he sounded lazy and relaxed at the moment.
"What do you think of Draco?"
"Draco? I like him, we're friends. Why?"
"Just wondering, you were so quiet for several days there and you only seemed to be willing to talk to him, I was just curious as to how the two of you got to be so close, so fast." It was worded as a statement, but Harry could tell it was a question.
"Honestly, I don't know. You'd be amazed by how much you can learn about someone in a couple fire watches and by sleeping in the same tent as them. We just talk a lot, he knows stuff that I've never even told Ron and Hermione," Harry finished in a whisper, not because he cared all that much if he was overheard, more so because he was confused, and happy, and several other things all at once. It can get a little intimidating at times.
"Ya, I'm surprised by how much I now know on the topic of Hannah Abbot, did you know that her favorite subject is Charms? I always assumed it was Herbology, seeing as she did so well in it, but no she likes Charms because it's more of a challenge. I'm glad you found someone you feel you can confide in completely Harry, you needed that, Ron and Hermione get that there are just some things that they can't help you with, don't feel bad about them not knowing even though you knew them first."
Harry flashed a lopsided grin, "You, Ravenclaws, and your insufferable knowledge, knew just what I was worried about, didn't you?"
"Of course I did, I was how you cringed slightly when you said Draco knew stuff they didn't. Plus I know you, Harry, maybe not as well as some, but well enough to know that the first thing on your mind would be the feelings of your friends, you're just predictable like that," she said the last part teasingly and gave his shoulder a light shove. In retaliation for the jibe and the shove Harry turned and pushed her right off the log she was sitting on, she let out a squeak as she landed on the damp ground.
"Hey, that was too far!" she complained as she dusted herself of on the ground. Harry laughed, but stood to help her to her feet.
"Thanks, Padma, for the reassurances."
"No problem Harry, I'm glad to help."
"Good thing my slight dilemma came along really, wouldn't want all those Ravenclaw logic skills to get rusty while you're away from your precious books, now would we?" Harry teased.
"'Course we wouldn't, how would you ever get through your Arithmancy homework without me? Who would honestly start this class in their sixth year is beyond me."
"Oh yes, what would we all do without the shinning brilliance that is Ravenclaw house?! How would we survive?" A drawling voice sounded behind them. They turned to see the pale aristocrat face of Draco Malfoy, twisted in amusement.
"Draco! You scared me for a second! I thought the voices in my head were back. I've missed them, I wonder how it's going in there," Harry trailed off looking thoughtful.
Draco raised a pale eyebrow in question.
"Harry exaggerates," Padma paused to grin wickedly, "There was only ever one voice in his head. Well I'm off to find Hannah, bye Potter, try not to wallow in your own stupidity while I'm gone," she left with a wave over her shoulder, ignoring the jibes Harry sent after her.
"Voices in your head?"
"Yes, Damien, I've missed him, we used to have the best conversations," Harry laughed at Draco's expression.
"Well you certainly are in a good mood today, aren't you?"
"You're almost as bad as Mrs. Weasley! I'm fine today, in fact, I'm great!" To emphasize his point, he jumped up and started to run over to where Ron and Hermione were sitting, but about half way there he stopped and cocked his head as if he were listening to something.
"Hello, legged brother, what isss it you are doing?"
"Hello, I was going over to ssspeak with my friendsss there," Harry responded to the hissing voice, looking around.
"Harry? What are you doing?" Draco walked up behind him, looking confused.
"I was speaking to that voice, didn't you hear it?" Harry looked up at him.
"No. I didn't hear anything," Draco was starting to look concerned as he looked around.
"Harry, remember second year?" said Ron as he and Hermione walked up to them.
"Sssnake," Harry hissed suddenly.
"Yesss, I am a sssnake," said the voice.
"I sssee, that makesss sssenssse," Harry answered.
"What do you mean, legged brother?" came the hissing voice.
"When I wasss in my sssecond year of ssschooling there wasss a basssilssisk hiding in the pipesss, petrifying people. I wasss the only one that could hear it, your voice brought back memoriesss of then asss I could not place it at firssst. It makesss sssenssse that you reminded me of that year." Harry replied in kind.
"Harry?" Draco sounded worried now, from what he could tell the brunet was hissing into the air at nothing. Ron walked up to him and related what was happening in a quiet voice.
Harry looked up then with a huge smile on his face he pointed down at the ground, an emerald green snake came slithering out from under a bush. It was the most beautiful snake Harry had ever seen; it had jet-black diamonds all along its back and a small, barely noticeable ring of silver at the base of its head.
"You are beautiful," Harry whispered, voice filled with awe.
"Thank you, legged brother, you are very beautiful yourssself," the hissing voice now sounded pleased.
Harry tossed his head back and laughed, his friends looked at him oddly and the snake let out its own little hissing laugh, "You really think so, leglesss sssissster? Then, thank you." Harry bent down and offered his arm to the snake, which was about as wide around as Harry's forearm. The little emerald snake wound its way around his wrist until her head rested on Harry's shoulder, next to the boy's left ear.
Harry looked up to meet his friends shocked eye's; Draco spoke up, "Harry? What was that?"
"I called her beautiful and she said the same, I couldn't help, but laugh."
"I see, what's her name?"
"I didn't think to ask, what is your name, little sssissster?" Harry switched to Parseltongue halfway through the sentence, causing his friends to jump a little.
"My name isss Darishka, what isss yoursss?" said the little creature.
"My name isss Harry, thessse are my friendsss, Draco, Ron, and Hermione," Harry looked up to meet his friend's eyes, "this is Darishka."
"What a beautiful name!" Hermione gasped.
The little snake hissed in pleasure, "Sssay thank you for me, brother."
"You can underssstand the language of humansss?"
"Yesss, I am a magical sssnake, we can all ssspeak your languagesss, it isss rare though, to find one that can ssspeak oursss. You have quite the gift."
"She says thank you, Hermione," the girl looked surprised.
"She is magic then?" said Draco.
"Yes, how did you know?" Harry looked to his blonde friend not at all surprised by his answer.
"I am a Slytherin and a-" he paused and continued more firmly, "and a Malfoy, I know all there is to know about snakes."
"I'm sssure that isss not true privileged friend of a sssnake ssspeaker," the snake hissed into Harry's ear causing him to laugh again. Draco looked at him, affronted.
"I didn't say it, Darishka did, and it's true you know, I'm sure they keep many secrets, rather like you Slytherins. Or perhaps it is you, that are like them," Harry said in an amused voice.
"I'm quite certain that it isss them who isss like usss, not the other way around."
"I'm sssure I agree, sssissster, but we mussst let him keep hisss pride."
"It is true we are like them, that is why we are the house of the serpent," said Draco.Ron and Hermione laughed as did the snake on Harry's shoulder, but it was only him that could tell. Draco looked mock-affronted and stalked off.
The Gryffindors laughed as Draco walked off.
"Alright, let's go talk to the poor serpent boy; we wouldn't want him to get too depressed would we?" With that said, Harry walked after the blonde, his newly acquired snake friend still coiled around his arm.
Harry found Draco by himself, Ron and Hermione having wandered off; the blonde had been roped into watching lunch by Remus. He sat down next to his friend and nudged him playfully.
"Watch it Harry, don't spill the food," the blonde boy cautioned.
"Ya ya, I won't, what do you think Remus and Sirius would say about Darishka here?" Harry said, indicating the snake curled around his arm.
"Do you think she wants to stay with you? If so then I don't think they would mind," Draco asked.
"Well sssissster, would you like to ssstay with me?"
"I would love to brother; it would be an honour to stay with you, Harry Potter."
"How did you know that wasss my lassst name?" Harry asked.
"Only one isss known to have a ssscar like yoursss, Harry Potter."
"I sssee, pleassse jussst call me Harry."
"Very well, Harry, I would like to go find myssself sssome food if you do not mind."
"Not at all, go and feassst." With that Harry lowered his arm to the ground and Darishka slithered off. Draco looked at him questioningly.
"She would like to stay with me, but went to find herself some food," Harry answered.
"You should ask Remus and Sirius, just in case."
"Ask us what, pray tell?" came Sirius' voice from behind them.
"Ask you if you would mind if I were to bring a snake along for the rest of the journey?"
"Not at all, Harry," said Remus, Sirius just nodded.
"Thank you! Her name is Darishka, and she is a magical snake."
"That is wonderful, Harry; they are very rare you know. Do you know if she's poisonous?" Remus said cautiously.
"I think she is yes, she won't hurt anyone! I'm sure of it!" Harry's eyes were wide and anxious as he turned them to Draco for support of his claim. His friend stood and went to his side, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"I'm quite certain that Darishka is harmless to us. She seems to be very taken with Harry, and I doubt that she would do anything to hurt him, and by extension, his friends," the blonde looked down into his friend's relieved eyes. Harry seemed so childish at times, it made Draco want to protect him with every thing he had.
"Thanks, Dray," Harry whispered so no one could hear him, but the blonde.
"Not a problem, Harry," he whispered back.
"Draco, I'll take over this," Sirius indicated the food, "if you boy's go wash up these used dishes."
"Alright, Sirius! Come on, Draco!" Harry's eyes went from somber to excited in seconds.
Draco laughed as they grabbed the dirtied pots and raced down to the lake. They knelt down and began to scrub at the stuck on food.
As they were finishing the last of the dishes Draco dropped the pot he was holding which resulted in Harry getting quite wet. The brunet cried out in surprise, but quickly regained his footing; he stooped down and grabbed a handful of wet, sticky sand. He spun around and flung it at his laughing friend.
"Hey! Mine was an accident! You arse!" Draco cried as the sand hit him in the side of the head, he wiped it away angrily. Then he bent quickly, grabbed some mud and whipped it at Harry, all in one smooth movement. It hit the smaller boy right in the middle of his chest.
Harry was about to scoop up some more mud when Remus called them back to the fire for lunch. Draco and him laughed and made their way over, Draco scrapping the sand from his blonde locks as Harry tried to wipe it off his shirt. Harry gave up halfway to the fire and instead went to get on a new, non-wet shirt.
Harry ducked into the tent and stripped off his soiled shirt; he glanced down at his chest and was startled. Right there in the center of his chest was the scar he tried his hardest to hide, the one he covered with his strongest glamours.
Harry started again as he heard his blonde friend yell from the fireside. He quickly pulled on a new shirt, pushing the dark thoughts to the back of his mind; he sucked in a deep breath and looked back down at his now covered chest. His scar was still faint, the glamour was still there, and it simply flickered now. He breathed a sigh of relief and decided he'd deal with it when the glamour disappeared completely. Little did he know he would not be the one to notice this when it happened.
ooOoo
"Everyone come over to the fire please! We have to tell you all something!" Sirius' voice called out as everyone was just finishing their dinners.
The seventh years all wandered over to their guides by the fire. Hermione, Ron, Harry, Draco and Blaise had all been eating together (Pansy had wandered off to find Millicent) and were now joking around. Darishka had slithered back to Harry halfway through dinner and was now wrapped tightly around his wrist.
"Alright, chillin's," the seventh years all gave Sirius a weirded out look at that, but let it slide without comment.
"You all know that we only have two weeks left of our wonderful trip. One of these glorious weeks will be spent on solos. Now to forestall all of your impatient questions, solos will be spent in your groups and on your own separate little island. You will have your packs, sleeping bags, tents, a week supplies of food, and several packets of matches. Is that it, Moony?"
"You will also get rope to make a bear hang; I'll explain what that is in a second, a map and a compass. Now a bear hang is when you put all your food, toiletries and other smelly items in a bag, and hang it from a tree so bears can't get at it. That way you don't have to do a fire watch, as there is only two of you they would be very long watches," Remus looked around and noticed most of the faces were excited, though a couple were confused, and one or two looked frightened.
The lycanthrope let out a sigh as he asked, "Any questions?"
Hermione raised her hand and asked her question before Remus even pointed to her, "Is it safe to have us all canoeing around alone? I mean even if we all have maps how many people here can read one very accurately? How many here can work a compass properly?"
"First of all we are not just going to set you all loose in canoes and expect you to find your way! We will all start canoeing together and we will drop you off group by group as we pass your islands. Second, the islands are all rather small and the maps relatively easy to read, lastly we did a crash course on compasses back at school and I know for a fact that at least one member of each group has adequate talent with one. Anything else?" Remus looked around and pointed to Neville who had raised his hand.
"What about at the end of the week? You said you would be dropping us off, will you come back and pick us up or what?" He was one of the ones who looked slightly nervous, but he was faring better then some.
"No, we won't come back to pick you up, on the last day of the week you will all canoe to the far end of Amisk lake and we will meet on the main beach of the town there, Denare Beach is what it is called. We will all go over the maps now and show you each, which island is to be yours and what the fastest rout from it to Denare Beach is. Is everyone okay with this?" Remus scanned the group of seventh years and noticed that some were looking a bit apprehensive of him and were subtly backing away. The only ones that seemed undaunted were Harry, Hermione, Ron and surprisingly Draco, the four of them just looked concerned for him.
Sirius, who also knew what the testiness was about, went to dismiss all the students but Remus placed a hand in his arm to stop him and said, "I'm sorry about my behaviour at the moment, but as you all know, I am a werewolf and the full moon is approaching, this is one of the main reasons that we have to separate and do these solos. Sirius is the only one that can be near me when I transform, all of you lot would be in danger. The lack of the Wolfsbane potion is making me a tad moody right now."
Looks of comprehension dawned on the students' faces and they all accepted their former professor's apology with smiles. Remus smiled to them in thanks as he took out the maps and compasses, he and Sirius handed one of each to every group.
After several hours spent looking over the maps, reviewing compass work, breaking down camp and packing canoes, they were ready to go to their respective solo islands.
They pushed their canoes away form the beach and made their way from the Sturgeon Weir River and onto Amisk Lake. They canoed across the lake and dropped groups as they made their way, Harry and Draco were one of the first ones dropped off. Remus and Sirius decided that the better canoers and map compass readers would be left further from the destination, under the impression that the worse ones would be better off canoeing closer while they were still with the guides.
Harry and Draco's island was small, they could walk across it in five minutes were it cleared of underbrush, ten to fifteen as it was. Harry found a flat spot to set up the tent as Draco collected large rocks to make a fire pit. When they had finished setting up their camp, putting away their packs and pulling up the canoe onto the beach the two walked over to the newly made fire pit and sat down. They stared into to it for five minutes before Draco spoke up,
"Well, this is incredibly dull."
"Yep."
"Let's start making food then, we have nothing better to do so we might as well do something."
"Ya, what do we have for dinners?"
"There's six dinners, we can have pasta with mushroom sauce, it's at the top of the bag, that okay by you?"
"Ya, that's fine," Harry paused as a hiss came from his wrist.
"What are we doing on thisss isssland brother?" came Darishka's small voice.
"Draco and I are doing our sssolo, why so you ask little sssissster?"
Harry looked down to see the ruby red tongue flick out quickly, "The air here. It tassstesss odd."
"Odd, how?"
There was a long hiss and then he got his reply, "tainted."
Harry looked around suspiciously at the peaceful scenery. Every thing seemed calm, but he didn't have the senses of a magical snake.
"Draco," he called out, the blonde looked around from where he was digging in the packs looking for the pot.
"What is it?"
"Darishka says that the air here tastes tainted," Draco paused and looked around, "Tainted, how?" he asked.
"Dark magic," the snake replied.
"Dark magic," Harry looked up and caught his friends eyes, "Draco, I'm going to do something now that will let me find out what the origin of the dark magic is and how long ago it was here."
Draco looked at him and nodded, "What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to pull down the walls of my magic."
"What?! You can't do that! No one knows what could happen if you did that! Not to mention it would take a great deal of power, more then any seventh year could possibly posses!" Draco paused and whispered as he looked into Harry's eyes, "it could kill you, Harry."
"It's not going to kill me, and before you ask, I'll tell you later. It's a long story and we need to know how long ago the source of this magic was here," he held up his hand to stop Draco's argument, "I promise you, I'll be fine, please trust me."
Draco looked into his eyes for several minutes before nodding his head.
"Thank you, I want you to take Darishka and go to the other side of the island. I don't know what will happen to other magical beings that are near me when I do this, and I don't want either of you hurt because of me." Draco nodded again, took Darishka onto his own wrist and turned to go. He paused and spun back around, he hurried back and pulled the small brunet into a fierce hug, he whispered in his ear, "Be careful," before placing a kiss on his forehead and walked quickly away.
Harry waited until he was out of sight before sinking to his knees and tracing a circle on the ground around him with his wand. The circle was there to keep outside forces from disturbing him.
He sat back, crossed his legs and began to regulate his breathing. For ten minutes he sat like that and sank further and further into himself, until he could no longer tell what was happening in the outside world. He found the walls of his magic and began tearing them down. It was like trying to claw down a hard glass wall, it was so hard to find a purchase of his magic walls.
For another good half hour he clawed tooth and nail, figuratively, at the walls that contained and regulated his magic; he felt it begin to weaken. After a couple more minutes it was down and he could feel his magic begin to flow out of him.
Now this was the hard part, as his magic flowed out of him he had to mould it to do his bidding. If he failed now he may as well die. His magic was especially volatile and if he tried to push it too far, it would lash out, and would most likely end up killing him. He gently coaxed it as it passed through him, doing who knew what to the environment around his unresponsive body. All of the sudden he could feel the dark magic and he knew what caused it.
With that revelation he fell forward in a dead faint.
ooOoo
Severus Snape was at his desk in the dungeons reading through a large text on Greek spells, it was just past one in the morning. He had been looking at the text for over five hours when he paused and looked back over the spell he had just read.
Ακραίες αλλαγές της ιδιοσυγκρασίας.
He read the description:
An incredibly dark spell, it causes the victim to waver between reckless levels of happiness and dangerous levels of depression. Every few days it would retreat back far enough to allow the victim a day of 'recovery', or rather a day that would be of recovery were the victim not exhausted from their body trying to fight off the curse. This spell does not kill the victim outright, but rather leaves them incredibly easy to kill.
The victim either ends up killing themselves, being to distracted by their giddiness they would make an easy target or they would be exhausted and unable to defend themselves. There is only one direct way to remove the curse, which is to have the caster remove it.
Severus leaned back, rubbing the bridge of his nose and sighed, the direct way to remove the curse would be impossible. Bellatrix Lestrange had been given the dementor's kiss after she was apprehended.
The only other way for the curse to be removed is if the victim finds their soul mate and falls in love, but the curse itself makes this almost impossible. Any relationship that has not already been formed before hand is practically impossible to form after it is cast. The victim of the curse appears very frail and this would make the soul mate unsure how to approach them. If the two had a pre-established relationship then it would be possible to overcome the curse and cure it, but if they have no relationship then the soul mate of the victim is usually too uncomfortable in the victim's presence for them to establish a relationship.
In a case when the soul mate is found and a relationship is formed the soul mate of the victim must prove that they can help the victim in all three 'moods' of the curse. They must prove to the depressed side that they are loved and needed. They must prove to the exhausted side that there is someone there to protect them. They must act as a calming and leveling presence to the overly happy and excited side. Only when all three of the different 'moods' have been calmed and are at their healthiest, does the curse disappear.
This curse is practically impossible to remove even if the caster is found, as you must convince them to cast it. The removal of the curse will not work properly if the caster is forced by magic to remove it, it could possibly cause more damage if this is done.
Severus sighed again and went to fire call the Headmaster.
ooOoo
Draco did not know how long ago he had walked away from Harry before he began to feel the magical currents in the air. At first he thought he was imagining it, but it continued to grow more powerful until it seemed like there was a fierce wind whipping around him. It was Harry's newly freed magic. Draco had to force himself to stay still and wait out the magical storm; all he wanted to do was run back and see if Harry was okay. He stopped himself with the thought that Harry might be hurt if he rushed back and tried to pull him back from his magic induced trance.
So, he sat and fought off the magic that was attacking him. For what seemed like an eternity he sat there and shielded the little snake that was wrapped around his wrist. Finally it began to die down, but Draco could still feel strong magic in the air around him. He was so busy debating with himself if it would be a good idea for him to go back yet that he did not notice the magic receding until Darishka nudged him and pointed with her head back in the direction they had come from.
Draco needed no more prompting then that before he was sprinting back to Harry's side. He cried out when he saw the boy face down on the ground. He ran up and pulled Harry onto his lap. Darishka slithered off his wrist and wrapped herself around Harry's neck and shoulders and flicked her tongue out over his face.
"Harry? Harry, please be okay, Harry! I knew I shouldn't have let you do that! Please, Harry, come back to me, you can't leave me alone here! Pl-please," Draco started to sob as Harry remained unresponsive.
Draco curled his body around the unconscious boy and cried.
ooOoo
Everything was dark around Harry. He looked around himself; there was a light in the distance, and slowly he made his way towards it.
Harry walked for what seemed a year out of his life before he reached the light; it was like a beam of light from the heavens. He walked into the middle of it and all of the sudden he could hear Draco sobbing and begging him to come back. He ran forwards again, desperate to comfort his friend.
He hit an invisible wall.
My magic, he thought.
It seemed like he was now on the other side of his magical walls. He was about to begin tearing at them again when re realized that Draco was right next to him, he might be hurt if Harry let his magic free again, especially when he was too exhausted to tame it again.
He paused and thought the whole thing over, he needed to pass through the wall, but he couldn't break the whole thing or Draco would be harmed. He needed to pass through them, but leave them intact behind him.
He didn't know if he would be able to do it, but he had to try, if he couldn't get through the walls without them collapsing then he would just remain where he was, he refused to allow Draco to be harmed because of him.
Harry stood and placed a hand on the wall. He set about trying to force his way through it.
ooOoo
Draco was still curled around Harry, his face wet with tears when he felt his friend begin to stir. He whipped his head up and stared down at his friend's face which, moments ago, had been deathly white, but was now regaining some of its colour. He cried out in joy when he saw the boy's eyelids flutter.
Harry opened his eyes and smiled shakily up at his friend.
"Oh, sweet, Merlin! Harry, I thought you were gone for good!" Draco gripped him in another hug.
"Draco," Harry croaked, "I know what the dark magic is from."
"You do?" Draco pulled back to look at him.
"Ya."
"Well? What is it from?"
"It's coming from me Draco; I'm the source of it." Harry sounded weak, from the exhausting task of breaking down his magical walls as well as from haunting thoughts.
"What are you talking about Harry? How could it be coming from you? Wouldn't Darishka have noticed before if it were you?" Draco sounded defiant.
"She was swamped by all the smells and tastes of magic around her, she had never experienced so many at once before. It is coming from me, Draco, I'm under some sort of a spell, a really dark one too," Harry sounded worried and like he was about to cry.
"Shhh, it's all right Harry. If you're under a spell then we'll find a way to remove it from you," Draco pulled him back into a hug.
"What if we can't? What if it kills me? What if-?" Harry's third question choked off in a sob as he buried his face in Draco's chest.
"Hush, Harry, we'll find away to make it better. I promise."
Harry cried until he had no tears left, and then he sat hugging Draco until the sun lowered behind the horizon.
"Harry?"
"Ya?"
Draco looked into the brunets tear filled eyes and said, "I promise to you, that I will do every thing I can to get that spell off of you! No matter what it is, I will do it!"
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Thank you Draco, thank you so much!" Harry buried his face once more in the blonde's chest.
"No problem Harry, now let's make that food, I'm starved."
"Ya... ya me too."
ooOoo
Later that night after the two boys had eaten, they lounged around the fire. Harry was half asleep and leaning on Draco's shoulder as the blonde examined the stars above them. Draco had always been fond of stars; they were so beautiful, shinning in the midst of their infinite abyss.
They had been sitting like this for over an hour now and Draco was just noticing that his friend was dozing off. He shook the boy gently by the shoulder and said quietly, "Harry? Why don't you go off to sleep, you look exhausted."Harry nodded sleepily and went to walk away, but paused and turned to ask, "Are you going to come?"
"I'll be there in a while, I'm gonna watch the stars for a while, kay?" Draco asked quietly.
Harry nodded sleepily, stood and walked over to their tent. He waved over his shoulder to his friend and ducked under the flap.
Draco had been sitting by the fire alone for ten minutes or so, before the other boy returned. He looked up at his friend with a question in his eyes.
"It's too cold in there without you, so I decided I can either wait out here with you, then we can go in, or we can sleep out here?"
"I like the idea of sleeping under the stars," he paused a moment, "it isn't to cold out tonight, if we unzip that sleeping bag it should be enough for both of us."
"Alright," Was the only answer he got.
They unzipped the sleeping bag and spread it over themselves. Draco was still looking up at the stars in quiet wonder; Harry had his head pillowed on his friends shoulder. Harry drifted off quickly, but Draco stayed up to watch the stars and the sleeping brunet for several hours later. When he did finally drift in to the land of dreams his head was filled with infinite galaxies and sparkling emeralds.
End Chapter Ten
Karone-Sakura for the new title!