Chapter Ten:

Dangerous Circumstances

A/N: A couple of years later, I vow to complete this fic as soon as possible and update as swiftly as I can. My sincere apologies for temporarily abandoning it, I promise for that not to happen ever again! This chapter may be a little bit choppy as I need to kind of take my time picking the story up where i left it, I hope to be back on track more by next chapter which should be written in a day or two! Read, Review and Enjoy my sweets.

"When love is reached through suffering ... it has a power it can never gain through innocence."

I will be there. Their testimonials which bring upon us our trials will soon lose meaning; as everything else has save ourselves and our darkness. The time is coming nearer, for you to give yourself fully into me, bleed every last piece of your essence through my eager lips. Waiting is becoming much more strenuous and I long for it to be over, I am growing weary of human games and yearn for your blood in a fixed immortality.

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"Sir, he's not well at all. Professor McGonagall, you've noticed too, haven't you?" Hermione urged her Headmaster to see the blatantly obvious, didn't Professor Dumbledore always know what was happening, especially within the walls of his own school?

The Head of Gryffindor House pursed her lips, with crossed arms she slowly nodded, her eyes were narrowed slits, "I have. The boy is simply unapproachable these days,"

"I would recommend not approaching him," Dumbledore was quick to answer, his tone wasn't as light as Hermione and Ron were used to hearing and they frowned deeply at their superior, "Mr Potter has many a great deal of things to concern himself with. He is doing exceedingly well in his extracurricular studies with myself, Professor Snape as well as Professor Lupin, he is still attending and understands their necessities to play his part against the Dark Lord. We have, of course, noticed his decline of...animation...yet, that is all to be expected," he explained to the worrisome couple, gripping hands as they sat in their parallel seats across from him.

Hermione frowned, she was more concerned than Ron was peeved, he was tapping his right foot anxiously on the ground, gritting his teeth during the entire conversation. "Hasn't Snape seen anything during Leglimancy?"

Dumbledore's eyes narrowed, his hands folded ontop of his large oak desk and he sighed, "Even if he did that information is not his to share. Severus, however, ensures me Harry's mental defenses are stronger than they have ever been and he has not been able to successfully cast Leglimancy on him in over a month," both of the student's faces fell even more at this.

"Ms Granger and Mr Weasley, if you have nothing further to discuss with Professor Dumbledore I believe he has a studious amount of-"

"We know Malfoy's a vampire," Ron blurted out, they couldn't just leave it at 'Oh, Harry's just depressed because he's got so many responsibilities...' and shrug it off. It was more than that, so much more. His very life was at risk and if anything were to happen to it, what would become of the Dark Lord? What would become of the Wizarding World as they knew it?

Professor McGonagall's mouth opened for a moment before she clamped it shut, Dumbledore was merely raising a brow at his students. "I can assure you that your safety is not in jeopardy. Mr Malfoy is receiving all of the proper Potions as brewed by Professor Snape and Slughorn themselves, rendering him of no threat to those around him," he stated, Minerva nodding in sullen agreement beside him.

"But Harry, sir," Hermione said pointedly, "If he's taking all his Potions and doesn't need to feed or isn't any threat...how come he's feeding off of Harry?"

"Ms Granger! Those are heavy accusations to make!" Professor McGonagall screeched, the muscles on her face tightening even more as they were before. Hermione blushed and looked aside, her boyfriend held her hand tighter.

"Minerva, please," Dumbledore gestured towards the door to his office, "Be quick to fetch Mr Potter, these are matters that cannot be taken lightly,"

As they waited for Professor McGonagall to return with the brooding brunette, Ron and Hermione explained Harry's change of attitude, appearance and personality over the past few weeks. His lack of appetite, distaste for sunlight, the marks the found on his neck...both Ron and Hermione were astute to leave out the particular interaction they had just had with Harry and Malfoy a mere hour prior. When Professor McGonagall returned to the large, oval office with Harry not far behind her, he was even paler than the last time they had laid eyes upon him. He was wearing such strong Glamour's Hermione could sense them the moment he stepped into the room. His hear fell just above his heavy, sunken eyes that were quick to glare at Ron and Hermione before avoiding them entirely.

"Mr Potter, you are brought here-"

"I know why I'm here," Harry darkly mumbled, cutting off his Headmaster whom raised his brow in surprise at the defiance of his interuption. His emerald eyes were cast downward, they seemed foggier than usual, his arms were crossed and he looked about to sway on his feet.

"Please, sit," Dumbledore offered him one of the free seats by his desk, Harry merely shook his head. "Your friends are concerned, Mr Potter. They have brought to our attention that they believe a particular classmate is imposing himself upon you. We are simply worried with your well-being and wish only the best for you so-"

"Bullshit," Harry muttered between his clenched jaw. Hermione gasped, she had never heard anybody talk to their Headmaster that way before, even Professor McGonagall was astounded.

"Mr Potter, 10 points from Gryffindor for-" Harry didn't let McGonagall finish her sentence, he turned to her with an icy glare so cold it cut her words in half.

"You don't wish the best for me. You just hope I can make it till you have the opportunity to use me to murder him. That's all they see, too," he accusingly jabbed his finger in his late friend's direction, "They see me as something I'm not but something they, like you, are trying to build me into. If you cared about me at all you'd see that this is best for me, I've never been this honest in my entire life," everybody could feel the anger rolling off each word. Every day brought a new level of detest to his hatred towards his old friends and most especially his Headmaster.

"Who gives a shit about honesty, Harry?" Ron swore, he was standing now, equally as upset as Harry was, his fists balled and turning white at the knuckles as he stood before his housemate. "You're letting a vampire feed on you. Not just any vampire but Malfoy. He's just going to kill you, Harry, that's what they do...they kill!" he yelled at his face, as if raising his voice would get the point across stronger.

Harry scowled deeply at him, 'Who does Ron think he is? He doesn't know Draco like I do. How didn't I see sooner just how judgemental these two are?'

"If you're implying that I can't take care of myself, you're fucking wrong. I've taken care of me for the past sixteen years and I've been the one keeping myself alive, I think I can bloody manage-" Harry stiffened, shivers racked down his spine, jolting out nervous electricity to every cell of his body. He knew that presence, his blood knew that presence that slowly creaked open the door to the Headmaster's office.

"You would think," Draco began to drawl, he was leaning on the door frame, having pushed the door ajar, and seemed to be nonchalantly picking at his nails, "Being Gryffindor's and all, none of you would find it very becoming to speak ill of a person without them being in their company, I thought I could bring a...light, shall we say, to the situation," he smirked devilishly up at his classmates now, all three of them, as he choose his words carefully.

Hermione was frowning at him, Ron scowling in such a rage he looked about to explode. Harry, however, was relieved at his presence as he bit his lip, his eyes raking over Draco's stiff and upright form. "How the bloody hell did you know we were talking about you?" Ron swore, turning his attentions away from Harry which the brunette was grateful for.

Draco raised an artful eyebrow, pushing off of the door frame and sauntering into the room and slowly coming towards Harry, "He may be a master at Occulmency and keeping his thoughts from Snape, however, he can never keep them from me. Isn't that right, Harry?" he breathed his name into his ear, he was behind him now, not touching him but doing anything but. Ron was becoming more irritated by the second, especially at seeing Harry's reaction to his presence, he was standing straighter than before, more alert and tense yet somehow at the sametime less ill looking.

"Mr Malfoy, please," Dumbledore cut in gently, "Especially in light of our conversation this such behaviour is not appropriate,"

Draco took a step back from Harry and sneered at his Headmaster, he took the remaining seat that Harry had earlier been offered and with a simple quick glance he had told Harry to move to him, Harry obliged as he always did. The entire room, save Dumbledore, was in awe as to how obediant Harry was being who stood at Draco's side, looking down at his shoes and stealing sidelong glances, looking much like a trained puppy dog.

"Given what is being displayed, Mr Malfoy, you should be well aware of how dangerous the accusations being made against you are," Dumbledore began to explain and before Draco could cut in he continued, causing the blonde to close his mouth with a snarl, "When you returned to Hogwarts it was under agreement you were not to feed off of any living thing-"

"Unwilling living thing," Draco added pointedly.

"These matters call for a great delecacy. I would implore for you to be questioned under Veritaserum to ensure Mr Potter's and other's safety, though I understand its ineffectiveness upon you. Which is why I must turn to Mr Potter," Dumbledore turned to Harry who looked slowly up at him, he was glowering as he knew where this was headed and he didn't like it. "In the presence of your obliging Head of House and myself, I would like to ask only a few necessary questions, Harry. The answers of which will remain confidential. I would not ask this otherwise but in matters as such it is what must be done if we are to avoid involving the Ministry,"

Reluctantly, Harry slowly nodded in agreement. Draco slowly rose from his seat, his cold, strong fingers found a grip around Harry's wrist and held it tightly, his silver eyes rimmed with crimson narrowed at his Headmaster, "I will be staying, too," he demanded.

Dumbledore raised a brow, especially at the dominant contact Draco was having with Harry who seemed to lean into the touch yet shiver against it all at once. "I am afraid Veritaserum is not a guaranteed art. Your direct influence can make the questioning be considered faulty in some ways," he explained, his eyes never once leaving the two boys before him as he himself contemplated the odd and powerful relationship he could see so plainly written in their faces.

Draco shared a look with Harry and then he did something that surprised both Hermione and Ron, he leaned in and whispered something to him inaudiably which made him blush and nod, before giving him a genuine and encouraging smile. The three students excluding Harry were excused from the office and sent down the hall, silencing charms were placed on the door so eavesdropping was rendered impossible. Though Draco could eavesdrop mentally whenever he wished it, he found the thought of teasing the two lowly Gryffindor's he had to share company with for the time being much more appealing.

"You're done for now, Malfoy," Ron spat at him once McGonagall disappeared into the Headmaster's Office, "Harry's gonna tell them everything and you'll be sent to Azkaban for sure!" he hissed venomously.

Finding this rather amusing, Draco grinned and sauntered towards the two of them, coming a mere inch away from Ron's face which he breathed his cold air down onto. "You talk like you know him. It is quite sad, really. It took me two months to understand him more than you could in six years, Weasley," he smirked, reaching out a finger to prod into the center of Ron's chest, the redhead was now understanding the compromising position he was in, his heart just beneath the cold touch of a vampire with a devilish grin. "It would do you good to remeber to keep your accusations away from my Harry,"

Swallowing, Ron took his Gryffindor courage to speak again though Draco's finger still lay on him emanating a fear swelling from the touch all over his skin, "Your Harry? He's a person not an object, Malfoy,"

"He's mine and that is all that should concern you, Weasel," Draco hissed, his tone coarse and demanded there be no argument in the matter. Ron seemed to get the idea and slowly, reluctantly, clamped his mouth shut as he glared at the evarvescent blonde before him. Draco finally lifted his finger from the redhead and turned towards the bushy-haired girl who had remained for the most part silent, her brows furrowed in thought and a tint of pink on her cheeks.

'...one moment he was so angry and the next Malfoy comes in and he just shuts right up. Doesn't speak a word, just obeys what Malfoy tells him to do and is content. That can't be right, he must be abusing him...'

"Mudblood," Draco spat, both Gryffindor's eyes went wide, "Your thoughts are not only ill conceived but entirely wrong in themselves. Please, try to keep thinking down to a minimum from now on,"

Hermione's mouth opened and closed again, she narrowed her eyes at the Slytherin before she actually found herself slowly nodding in agreeance. Draco smirked triumphantly. It was just too easy to get people to do what he wished them to these days, even without using his charms or even really trying to, it was all too simple.

It was not long before Harry was released from the office, Professor McGonagall regarded Draco with a curt nod, excusing him, before calling both Hermione and Ron back into the office. Harry was free to leave, thankfully, and as his housemates were being escorted back into the office he turned to Draco with a sheepish, weary look. "I am sorry for that, Draco," he immediately apologized, he knew he was still angry about what had happened earlier regarding Harry's demanding of information about his previous Master, he didn't want to upset him even further.

"The only thing you need to be sorry for, dear, is that I cannot feed off of you tonight again..." his sigh trailed off though he couldn't help smirk at Harry's obvious frown, "Your blood is tainted. Veritaserum tastes like vinegar and masks most other tastes and smells, it is too wretched and dirty for me to drink. Unless, of course, you think I deserve dirty blood, hrm?" Draco's inflection seriously changed, he closed the distance between his own and Harry's body, pressing his hard frame up against his and looking down at him. Harry was quick to shake his head.

"Of course not, never. But, er," Harry cast his eyes timidly away from the blonde, this was unfamiliar territory for him still and all he yearned was to feel hopeless again in the strong arms of Draco, "Uhm, what can we do?"

Draco raised a brow, he could read Harry's thoughts and he couldn't say how pleased he was to hear how they were all consumed with him, enrapturing him and taking in his essence, draining him. He damned Weasley and Granger for thwarting his feed for the evening, especially with such desperate thoughts Harry was reaching out to him with. He gripped the brunette strongly on either sides of his triceps, so hard it was bruising and Harry winced at the pressure, "Haven't you ever heard of snogging, Harry?"

Pale, pink lips met dry eager ones, crashing together desperately. Harry felt absolutely consumed in Draco's cold touch, the feeling of his glass-like fingernails scraping down the skin of his arms, he was shivering all over and yearning for more. Then he felt the quick release of fangs, it stung against his tongue nearly breaking the fleshy muscle, Harry jumped in surprise. Draco smiled into the feeling of Harry's tongue exploring his fangs, he felt elated at the moan his ministrations were causing to emerge from Harry's throat.

"Un-fucking-believable," Ron's voice was heard upon the sight, quickly shielding his eyes from it. Harry tempted to spring apart from Draco but he was held firmly close to him, the blonde growled at the break of their kiss and looked coolly down at Harry.

"Come. I want to have you tonight," Draco stated, though to Ron and Hermione it sounded like an order. Harry froze for a moment, not knowing exactly what Draco meant by that but then realizing that he didn't really care what he meant by that. He allowed himself to be led away, ignoring the incredulous and disgusted looks that followed them until they left sight around the bend of the corridor.

'Soon, Harry, soon. I will take your body tonight, your blood another eve and your soul soon after,'

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