Harry was in the gardens again. He looked around hopefully and saw Draco and the twins sitting together on a bench. They looked comfortable so Harry simply waved and moved on. There were some things that he just did not want to interrupt. He smiled as he thought about how happy they were. Moving through the lighter branches, avoiding all of the shadowed paths, Harry eventually found himself standing in front of a gazebo.

The white frame stood out among all of the green. Ivy traced along the white structure and brought a sense of nature to the pristine structure. He walked up the stairs and looked around and the marble flooring. It seemed a tad outrageous for something like this, but it was pretty so Harry decided to forget about it. He stood for a moment leaning over the side and watched the birds enjoy the garden.

Two warm arms wrapped around him from behind and he relaxed back into a warm chest. He heard a soft chuckle in his ear but no words were spoken as he looked out at the plants and animals. Harry marveled at the strength of the man behind him and titled his head as a chin rested on his shoulder.

At some point Harry heard music filling the air and turned to face the man holding him. He wrapped his arms around the taller man's neck and gestured with his head towards the open space behind him. The man smiled genuinely as he pulled the green eyed raven onto the marble floor.

Slowly they moved shifting back and forth more than actually dancing. But to Harry it was wonderful. A sigh had him resting against the toned chest and pulling himself closer to the taller man. He felt the press of lips against his hair and could not help the smile against the other man's shirt.

"Harry?"

"Yes, Tom?"

"Have you ever…" He seemed to be trying to decide whether or not to speak his mind.

"Just ask Tom, please?"

"Have you ever considered-Harry?"

Harry tilted his head to look at the man. He looked as confused as Harry felt.

"Harry?" Tom's eyes widened when Harry realized it was not him.

"Tom?"

"I love you, Harry. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

"But Tom I-"

"Harry!"

"It's okay, love. I'll see you soon."

"To-"

"Excito!"

(0,0)

Harry sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes as he tried to figure out what had happened. The dream came into his mind. He looked up from the blanket and glared at Malfoy.

"You really need to work on your timing."

"Better dream this time?"

All of the sudden the man in his dreams came to mind and Harry blushed furiously.

"Not really. Just as confusing and disturbing."

Draco snorted, "Yeah, I can tell."

Harry glared but Draco cut off his words, "He's here. We're waiting for you to start the ritual. You have 45 minutes until people start to show up."

Swearing Harry jumped from the bed. "Why didn't you wake me up sooner?"

"I tried! Your stupid magic was blocking my waking spell. I called your name for at least ten minutes before I was able to break through your shields."

Harry froze as the implications set in. Why had Draco been unable to wake him?!

"Come on. Time's a wasting!"

Harry followed Draco from the room confusion still running through his mind.

(0,0)

Soon Harry found himself in what appeared to have been a spare room. Now it was empty of everything. The bare walls were dark and the floor was covered with runes and candles along with several horcruxes. Harry swallowed nervously. He knew what was probably going to happen, but that did not mean he was going to like it. Lucius nodded at him and motioned him towards the center of the room as Draco shut the door behind him.

Harry soon found himself standing in a nearly complete circle of runes. With the cup, the locket, and the remains of a journal at his feet. He felt the circle close, magic flaring around him as Lucius finished the runes and shut Harry inside. Lucius looked at him question clear and Harry gave him a determined nod. It was time to start the ritual.

Harry stood patiently as Lucius began to read out the runes so that Harry could repeat them. Every couple of runes Draco lit a candle and set it down behind wherever Lucius was standing at that moment. Lucius and Draco continued to circle around him.

Soon the last candle was lit. As Lucius' voice faded in the echoes of flickering light Harry took several deep breaths. Draco looked expectantly at the boy in the circle. Harry breathed deep one last time and began to change the memorized Latin words.

Lucius' eyes widened as he translated Harry's words. Seconds later Draco's own eyes lit up with understanding, quickly followed by concern. In his panic the younger Malfoy moved forward as if to break the circle and pull Harry free. Without hesitation Lucius caught Draco's hand and stopped him with a shake of his head.

Fear was written in Draco's eyes as the Slytherin turned to face his best friend. Harry noted it all even as the words continued to fall from his lips. Suddenly the connection he shared with Voldemort ripped open. Harry felt Voldemort's fury and Tom's pain. He felt the words morph into screams even as the Latin continued.

Just as suddenly it all stopped. The final words were spoken as Harry stood swaying in the middle of the circle. The room suspended for a heartbeat as Harry breathed out the final phrase. Then a blast of air flew from the center of the room wiping away the runes, blowing out the candles, and flinging the Malfoy's against the far wall. Harry collapsed and began writhing in shared pain.

Draco recovered first. Casting the reviving spell towards his father he hurried towards Harry. Sitting next to the raven the young Malfoy adjusted Harry until he was laying with his head on the blonde's lap. The younger boy stopped squirming as Draco's soothing words broke through the pain. He blinked up into grey eyes as Lucius stumbled closer.

"Did it work?" His voice was scratchy and he reached up a hand to rub his throat.

Draco shrugged. He had no idea how it went and frankly he really did not care. He was just glad that Harry was alright. He felt the tears in his eyes and tried to force them back. He knew Harry had a bad habit of self-sacrifice, but this was simply ridiculous. He remembered the words Harry spoke and choked on his tears. He ran a hand through Harry's messy hair before giving into the tears. Still moving his fingers through black strands, he hid his face in the smaller boy's neck.

Lucius felt his body shaking. Between the adrenaline and fear that had come from understanding Harry's spell and the relief at hearing his voice his body was easily going into shock. He managed to walk over to the two young Slytherins and collapsed next to them. He sat there for a long moment. Draco was still trying to hide his show of emotion and Lucius rubbed soothing circles into his back. Harry himself was trying to ignore the pain the Draco's sobs were sending through his abused body. Seeing Harry's eyes, Lucius let out a breath of exasperation while fondly shaking his head at the teenagers.

"Potter," green eyes looked up at the Death Eater, "You do realize that Slytherin was supposed to beat that stupid martyrdom out of you, right?"

Harry let out what might have been a chuckle. His response was cut short.

"No. I don't suppose he did."

Three pairs of terrified eyes looked up at the now open door. Voldemort stood there in his snake-like glory, trembling so hard he needed to hold onto the door frame.

Red eyes locked with Harry's green, "What have you done to me?"

With that the two Malfoys watched as eyes rolled backwards and two men know lay passed out on the floor. Terrifying though it was to see Voldemort collapse, both blondes felt relieved to know that they still had a while until they were murdered.

"We should probably move them somewhere more comfortable; where they won't be seen. This would start panic among the Inner Circle."

Lucius nodded and pinched the bridge of his nose, "So we move them… somehow…" He gave the white form of his Dark Lord an apprehensive look, "And go find your mother."

"Right. Why don't we ask- Mother?" Draco blinked up at his father, "Why do we need to get Mother?"

"These two are not going to be happy when they wake up. In fact, with how much pain they were in, I am voting for miserable. The Dark Lord is sure to be a wonderful person when he wakes. And from the stories I have heard about Harry's temper…"

Draco shuddered, "Right, get them safe and find Mother. Preferably before they wake."

(0,0)

"What the hell did you do to me?!" The furious Dark Lord faced the sixteen year old wizard.

"I was trying to help you! You ungrateful son of a b-"

"Don't talk back to me! None of this would have happened if you would just die already!"

The shouts echoed down the hall when the two half-bloods woke. Draco had given up when his one entreaty for talking had been received with two glares attempting silent Avadas his direction. Stepping back with his hands raised, Draco prayed his mother would arrive soon while cursing Lucius for leaving his heir with these terrors.

Both men were currently wandless and separated by a magical barrier cast by the ever considerate Lucius. This led to them resorting to throwing non-expensive objects at the barrier and angry curses at each other. Just as Draco reached the point of silencing the Dark Lord (Damn the consequences) Narcissa opened the doors. Draco sighed in relief and collapsed against the nearest wall. Without a word she walked between the two wizards and pulled up her own seat opposite the door.

"Would anyone like some tea?"

Thrown off by the question all three wizards nodded and sat down without saying anything. Draco was thankful and joined Harry on the couch he had chosen, not quite ready to risk something like that with the Dark Lord. A house elf appeared and left a tea tray behind with a slight bow to everyone present.

Narcissa poured everyone a cup as they spoke their preferences. When everyone had their tea in hand Narcissa took a sip of her own. Everyone was slightly more relaxed as she turned towards her son.

"Now, Draco do you mind telling me what exactly got these two so riled up?"

"Narcissa, I must tell you that I was cursed by the little demon. Of course your family assisted-"

"I was trying to help him and he blames me for everything when really it is all his fault!-"

Narcissa raised her hand and two of the most powerful men to walk the earth fell silent.

"I do not believe that I was speaking to either of you. Draco?" Her harsh tone had both men looking at the floor.

Draco swallowed some more tea and his laughter, most of it anyway, "Harry wished to know the man he was killing and not the insane man he had become. He's been researching horcruxes for almost a year now and was trying to find a way to reverse them," the Dark Lord looked furious at the raven who merely stuck his tongue out at the older man, "Very mature there. Anyway, Harry was trying to find Ravenclaw's diadem before conducting this ritual. But the plan had to be moved up because Severus had to kidnap Harry, after the Order abandoned him. He did, collapsed in agony, you came in collapsed in agony. And here we are."

Draco hurried to drink his tea. Harry gave him an amused look before turning to look at Voldemort.

Narcissa looked at Harry, "Is that what happened?"

Harry shrugged, "Basically. Although I would like to point out that the 'agony' was all Tom's I just got the backlash of it. Oh and that I now officially abandon the Order. They can throw themselves off the nearest cliff for all I care."

Narcissa turned to face the Dark Lord, "Do you have any questions my Lord?"

Voldemort had his head cocked to one side as he looked at Harry. He seemed to be running through everything in his head and apparently hit a point where it no longer made sense.

"What spell did you use along with the ritual?"

Harry looked startled, "What? No questions about your precious horcruxes? Aren't you worried about your soul? I mean your immortality is at stake here."

Voldemort frowned, "Do not try to distract me. Whatever you have done to my horcruxes is done. If all else fails I can make more. What spell did you use?"

Harry sank back into the couch and looked at the floor, mumbling his answer.

"Potter! You will tell me- What have you done?"

"I opened the connection between our minds completely." His eyes remained on the floor.

"Why?"

"I was hoping that it would give us the ability to feel each other's emotions."

"And again I ask- why?"

"I can feel remorse. I wanted to help you feel remorse."

Voldemort blinked.

"I gave you back your soul. Or at least got you started on repairing it. The ritual needed to be done by someone you've wronged. Someone who was affected by the creation of your horcruxes." Voldemort was silent, "I used your horcruxes to help me, and then I opened the connections between our minds so that you would feel remorse. It said that the closer you were the better the chance that it would work."

Voldemort and everyone remained silent, so Harry continued to babble.

"I was going to try to use all of your horcruxes, in fact I got pretty close to that. I know what all seven are but I don't know where they are. And with no way to get the Diadem it was okay, but it would have been impossible to get Nagini or the ring. And so-"

"Potter." Voldemort's voice was dangerously soft, "Two questions come to mind. Why could you not get the ring?"

"Dumbledore destroyed it. And he is dedicated to wearing it at all times."

Voldemort nodded, "Alright now tell me- What the hell makes you think I have seven horcruxes?"

Harry blinked, "Because you do."

"And what are these seven?"

"The journal, the ring, the locket, the cup, the diadem, Nagini, and…" Harry cut himself off.

"Exactly. Those six are the only ones I made. The seventh I was going to make using your death. Which sadly never came about."

Harry said nothing.

Draco fidgeted.

Narcissa took a sip of tea.

Voldemort blinked.

"How did you restore my soul anyway? I have to feel remorse. If I could feel someone else's remorse it would have been restored long ago with how many minds I have occupied."

"Your soul has to feel the remorse, not your mind." Harry's voice was quiet.

"Fine then. My soul needs to feel remorse." He sounded disgusted by the thought. "How could your remorse restore my soul?"

Silence reined and suddenly Voldemort grew impossibly paler.

"No. You're wrong."

Harry sighed, "It all fits. Trust me, I went through the whole why does the world hate me bit too. I researched until my fingers were covered in paper cuts. The connection between us, my ability to see into your mind, the visions you can send me, my ability to speak parseltongue."

"No. I was not going to make you a horcrux. I was going to use your death to make a horcrux."

"Your magic made the choice. I'm sorry you're disappointed by the results. In case you're wondering, so am I."

"Harry," Narcissa was frowning at the raven.

"Thank you for the tea, Mrs. Malfoy. If you do not mind I am afraid that I may have to impose upon you and your hospitality a little longer. I appear to be homeless at the moment because of my regrettable death at the hands of one Tom Riddle. The Order has taken my home as their headquarters."

"Harry."

Harry stood and walked to the door before turning to face them.

"Mrs. Malfoy, Draco." He gave them each a nod before turning to look at Voldemort, "Snake-like."

"Potter!" Harry glared and walked out.

Voldemort went to stand, but was surprised by the sight of a worried Draco Malfoy.

"All of the shit he has gone through. Trying to make sure that he did what was right. Pushing against what was expected, turning away from his mentor. All of his friends abandoned him. He did all of this research to save the man who basically ruined his life. He gave up part of himself to know everything. He can forgive anyone for anything. It's terrifying and beautiful all at once."

All of the sudden Draco stopped, his mouth fell open as he looked over at his mother and then back at the Dark Lord.

"Forgive me, my Lord. I was out of line. I will not let my emotions get the best of me again."

Draco quickly followed Harry's footsteps and left the room. The Dark Lord and Narcissa sat in the room for long moments before the Dark Lord broke the silence.

"The boy did it. He restored my soul."

"How do you know, my Lord?"

"Because I have not felt like this since before I first came to Hogwarts."

He stood and began to leave the room, Narcissa stopped him.

"Felt like what my Lord?"

He sighed and placed a hand against his stomach, "Guilty, Narcissa. I feel guilty."

The Dark Lord left the room.

(0,0)

Harry was back in the 'guest' room that he had been held in the last week. It was not something that he particularly liked. But it seemed that he had nowhere else to be at the moment. He was still upset by the revelation of Dumbledore this last week. Dumbledore had lied to him.

Not that it was a particularly new occurrence. Harry had things kept secret from him for years now. Like the fact that Sirius was not the one who betrayed his parents. That one was probably the worst. The fact that he had kept Harry absolutely petrified that year of a man who really was his godfather was slightly upsetting.

Although if he was going to be honest, he had not believed Snape at first. It had seemed too ridiculous to be true. The man who was going to use him to defeat Voldemort was turning him over to be kidnapped. Really? Coming to this conclusion had caused him to once more enlist Kreacher's help. And he had regretted the result.

Once burned, twice shy. Harry had kept the fact that he was alive a secret. And for once he understood keeping secrets from people. Kreacher had relayed a conversation of Dumbledore's. Harry had been kidnapped and was probably dead. Snape had forewarned him but he had been unable to do anything about it. Harry's death was regrettable but, considering all of his actions and decisions that past year, perhaps it was better this way. And that was it.

No search was sent out for the Chosen One. No one tried to find his 'body' for a proper burial. They all accepted Dumbledore's word and that was it. Harry remembered a time when he would have done the same.

He actually really felt for Snape in his position. He really had no choice but to deliver Harry back to the Dark Lord. Harry snorted, for once both of Snape's 'masters' wanted the same thing. Must be a relief for him. Figures that the first time they would agree would be when it resulted in Harry's death.

A knock came on his door and Harry walked over to open it. On the other side stood someone who Harry quite frankly did not expect.

"May I come in?"

"Of course, Vold-Tom… What do you want me to call you?"

Voldemort chuckled, "Well I guess you should probably start calling me Tom. I know 'my Lord' will never sit well with you."

Harry grinned, "Probably not."

Harry led the way over to the bed and motioned for Tom to join him on the mattress. Tom hesitated but slowly walked over until he was sitting at the opposite of Harry. Harry rolled his eyes but did not move from his spot by the headboard. Tom spent a couple of minutes looking at his hands and fiddling with his fingers.

"Tom? Tom? Tom."

The man was trapped in his thoughts, or was ignoring the boy next to him. Either way, it had to stop. Harry reached out a hand and wrapped it around Tom's. Tom's red eyes looked at him in surprise. Harry gave him a small smile. Harry pulled one hand away from the other one and gave it a small squeeze.

Tom gave something that sounded like a laugh but was bitter. Harry tilted his head in an unspoken question. Tom sighed and looked up at the teen sitting next to him. He turned his hand over until it gripped Harry's hand back.

"Harry? You might stand a chance with improving my sanity. Earlier Draco said something and it made me- well… I guess I just wanted to say that I am… sorry."

The word sounded forced and strained but Harry was more interested in the word itself. He blinked for a few times and then tried to pull back his hand away from Tom's. Tom gripped him tighter and tried to look at Harry's expression. Eventually Harry laughed. A full laugh that startled the unshakeable Dark Lord.

When the laugh settled down he turned to look at the man in front of him. He still had a smile when he glanced up at his face. He gave another small chuckle and squeezed the hand in his once more before pulling his hand away.

"Why are you laughing?"

Harry looked down at his hands in his lap, "I never thought that I would hear you say that."

"I do mean it. In my defense I never wanted you to grow up like this. I did want you dead after all."

Harry smirked and shook his head, "The point is that: I already forgave you."

Tom blinked, "What? How?"

"I forgave you. You were not in your right mind, obviously, and you were trying to protect yourself. I don't necessarily agree with your methods." He cast a teasing grin over at the Dark Lord, "But I understand, and that let me forgive."

Tom stared at the man in front of him and for the first time he actually understood what Draco meant. Harry could forgive him for killing his parents. Was there anything that he would not forgive?

"Draco has a very high opinion of me." Tom looked up at Harry in surprise, apparently he spoke out loud, "There are things that I can't forgive, and I have no intention of even trying to do so."

"Like what?"

"Bellatrix. She killed my godfather. He was the only family I had left, a connection to the parents I lost, and he had asked me to live with him. But because of your vision about him I led him to his death. Bellatrix threw the curse though, and I can't forgive her for that."

"That's it?"

"It used to be. But now with Dumbledore turning against me." Harry wrapped his arms around his center and looked at the other wall, "I started disagreeing with what he wanted. I started thinking on my own. I knew that he would not approve but he did more than that. He threw me away. If I wasn't his 'Golden Boy' I was not good enough."

Without thinking about it Tom lifted his arm as though to rest it on Harry's shoulders. When he realized what he was doing. He was trying to comfort the Boy-Who-Lived-To-Make-His-Life-Miserable. He stood from the bed.

"You should probably get some sleep."

Harry nodded, not noticing anything strange. He let his head fall onto the pillow. Tom went to leave without a word but was stopped by Harry's whisper.

"Tom? I just wanted to say thank you. For listening to me whine, but mostly for saying sorry. It means a lot to me."

Tom walked out of the door. And Harry went to sleep.

(0,0)

Voldemort had a meeting with his Inner Circle. He was already late but what were any of them going to say about it. They were all mingling among each other when he finally walked into the room. He frowned when he realized that he did not care.

They all were pale and silent as he moved to sit in his throne. For good reason. An hour ago Voldemort would have put half of them under the torture curse within seconds of walking in and seeing them being so 'disrespectful' to him. Now though, he found it reasonable. After all- he had been late.

Shaking it off, he settled with a glare that was extremely effective with his red eyes as he settled into his seat. His stupid renewed soul was going to prove problematic in the near future. As he looked at each member individually he was met with eyes of people who had been with him for years. Some of them had chosen to follow him before his 'defeat' in Godric's Hollow. Some of them were following family tradition to follow him.

He called for reports from everyone and was gratified that everyone gave him only the essential and useful information for once. Severus admitted to the complication with the Order and confirmed what Harry had said earlier about the Order abandoning their Savior. He was about to dismiss everyone, reminding them that their failures would be punished and that no one else was supposed to attack Potter in anyway while he was in Malfoy Manor, when he felt a fire explode inside his skull.

He buried his face in his hands and was confused. He told everyone to leave without moving from his position. When the last crack of apparition faded away Voldemort raised his head and conjured a mirror. His mouth fell open as he stared at his reflection. Still ghastly white, bright red eyes, and no hair. But now he had something.

He reached his hand towards his face and sure enough. There was his nose.

HeeHee! Voldie with a nose! I hope you are all enjoying this and I am sad to see that I am losing a lot of readers :( I love all of you though! Any complaints are welcome! And can I just say that I stick my tongue out at all of the Order members? Let me know what you think of Tom's actions with a soul! I'm trying to keep it somewhat sensible! Please review, they make me feel like people care about the story, even the critical ones. Thank you!