Thanks to my loyal reviewers.





The day after our arrival my father had announced he was urgently required to attend to some business and he would have to leave us.

Whilst I, obviously, did not tell him so, I was overjoyed.

My mother was rarely in the house, choosing instead to visit her friends or go shopping.

This would mean we would pretty much have the house to ourselves until my father's return.

For six blissful days we explored the house, the grounds and each other.

We didn't have to hide- there was nobody to hide from and the freeness caused us to open ourselves up to each other more easily.

I learned more about Harry than I'd ever known before and I knew without a doubt that I loved him and that he loved me.

Telling him about myself was a bit more difficult of course- I didn't know what this Draco had lived through and what his life had been life.

But I finally came to the decision that it was *my * life now and it could be whatever I wanted it to be.

The days stood out like stars in the blackness of the life I'd lived, being in love was a feeling like none I'd never felt before.

We were with each other every waking moment and when I slept I dreamt of him.

And everytime I looked at him I thanked God that the spell had worked and that he loved me.

Although.I wish he would let me sleep every now and again.

Harry shook me awake frantically.

'Dray wake up it's Christmas Day!' He squealed excitedly.

'Since when have you become such a horrifically early morning person?' I yawned, rubbing my eyes and trying to wake myself up.

He bounced up and down like a small child. 'Open your present, open your present!'

He unceremoniously shoved a carefully wrapped box at me.

'Ok.'

I had no objections.

Carefully I slid my thumb under one of the folds soon changing my mind about being gentle with it once Harry started chanting "Faster! Faster!"

Christmas seemed to turn him into a 5 year old.

No that I'd know Harry as a five year old but -

'Dray!' Harry squealed impatiently. 'Just open the damn box already!'

'Alright alright.' I struggled to hide a grin from him.

I lifted the lid up of the box and looked inside.

Inside a delicate silver ball lay among layers of silk.

'Do you like it? Do you like it?' Harry asked in such a hyper way that I considered monitoring his sugar intake.

He looked at me eagerly waiting for an answer.

Did I like it?

If I knew what "it" was I might know.

Oh well only one way to find out.

'What is it?' I asked curiously.

'It's a memory ball.' He informed me proudly.

I blinked. 'It's a what?'

'It's a memory ball.' He said again.

At my confused look he elaborated.

'It's a bit like a penseive. I put all my memories in it of everything we've done together since we first met. You can add your own ones of whatever you want.'

Astonished I looked at him.

'You don't like it?' He asked worriedly, misinterpreting my look.

'I love it!' I exclaimed, amazed that for once I would be able to understand this complicated thing called my life. 'I just don't like the present I got you anymore.'

Harry's ears pricked up. 'Present? For me?'

I nodded sheepishly. 'Come on don't be like that, you knew I was getting one for you.'

He nodded. 'Good point. Now gimme.'

'You're demanding.' I muttered as I bent down to pick up a small box.

I handed it to him. It was out of my hand in the blink of an eye.

He tore off the wrapping paper to see a small velvet box.

He gave me a suspicious look. 'Are you proposing to me?'

I grinned. 'No.'

'Damn.'

Gingerly he opened the box.

A ring appeared, shining in the dim light.

He removed it carefully and peered at the engravings on the side.

'Oh my God.' He whispered in awe. 'It's so beautiful.'

'It's an eternity ring.' I blurted awkwardly.

He turned to look at me curiously.

'It's to say that I'll love you forever and I'll never leave you. It's the most literal definition of giving you my heart.' I shrugged embarrassedly. 'That is if you want it.'

'Of course I want it you idiot!' He exclaimed, shoving it onto his finger rapidly.

'I just thought that you-'

'Don't think.' He ordered. 'Whenever you think you end up inevitably scaring me to death.'

'So you don't want me to think?' I asked sceptically. 'At all?'

'Only about sex.' He grinned. 'Then you can be my mindless love slave.'

'Slave?' I raised a silvery eyebrow. 'Me?'

'Anything's possible.'

'Anything except that.'

Harry rolled his eyes. 'Fine I'll be the mindless love slave- I don't really care who it is as long as we're shagging.'

'You have absolutely no delicacy whatsoever do you?'

'Nope.' He said happily. 'Do you want your other Christmas present?'

I was confused at the rapid topic change. 'Uh yeah su-'

His lips cut off any further communication.

***

'Master Draco.' A squeaky voice piped nervously.

I sat up.

'Yes?' I asked the house elf in front of me.

The house elf wrung his hands. 'Mr Malfoy is wishing to see you sir.'

I sighed, obviously my father was back, 'when?'

'Now sir.'

'Tell him I'll be there as soon as possible.'

The elf disappeared with an obedient pop.

Great.

My father.

Now there's a way to ruin a perfectly nice Christmas.

'Harry.' I shook him gently.

'Hmm?' He murmured sleepily.

'My father's back, I have to go see him.'

There was a pause. 'But what am I going to use as a pillow?'

'Uhmm, a pillow?' I suggested.

'It's not the same.' He whined.

I half-rolled my eyes. 'I'll be back in a few minutes.'

'Ok.' He pouted.

I kissed him softly. 'He's my father. I have to go.'

'I know.' His bottom lip retracted slightly.

'But if I'm not back in ten minutes send out a search party.' I said, only half joking.

'Will do.'

He drifted back into sleep again.

'Well,' I told myself, 'time to go face the music.'

I walked briskly down the stairs and knocked gently on the door to my father's study, hoping desperately that something sudden and important had come up (again) and he wasn't there.

'Come in.' A voice drawled.

Damn.

I opened the door reluctantly and took a step in, wishing he'd stayed away for just one more day.

'You wanted to speak to me father?' I asked coolly, standing in front of his desk.

He nodded. 'I wanted to discuss your Christmas present with you.'

I frowned. 'My Christmas present?'

'Yes. I wanted to give it to you and to check it met with your approval.'

His voice as usual betrayed nothing of what he was thinking. or feeling.

Truthfully I didn't even know if he was capable of feeling.

I said nothing in reply, unsure of what he wanted to hear.

He gestured to a door in his study wall. 'Please. Feel free.'

I hesitated.

Had that door always been there?

His cold questioning glare bored into my back and I took a step towards the door.

I licked my lips nervously.

'Draco it's a door.' My father stated, tired of my prolonging. 'I trust you know how to open it.'

Oh fuck it. I hated being patronised.

I twisted the knob violently and threw the door open, waiting for something to jump out and attack me or (wishfully thinking) for my breath to be taken away by something rare and expensive.

I was disappointed when nothing happened.

Cautiously, I stepped into the room.

Ok there was nothing here.

I opened my mouth to tell my father that when I heard a voice that chilled me to the bone.

'Hello Draco.'

Nausea filled me and the beat of my heart became an ominous death march in my head.

Lord Voldemort.

I tried to run but before I could move a millimetre he raised his hand and then I could not run no matter how much I wished to.

The cold eyes stared into my own, freezing the very depths of my soul.

It felt like my brain was being ripped apart and Voldemort was carefully inspecting every thought and emotion in me.

Which, I reflected, he probably was.

I wanted to look away but his eyes were hypnotic and I was far too stubborn to lose what was rapidly becoming a battle of wills.

Eventually he broke away with a sardonic smile. 'He is strong.' His tone was approving. 'But is he strong enough to go through with my plan?'

He? Who was he?

With a start I realised he was talking about me- to my father.

'I am certain of it my Lord.' My father murmured respectfully.

I threw a wave of hate at him.

Bastard.

I knew he'd sell me out sooner or later.

I was just kind of hoping it was later rather than sooner.

'Are you ready to receive your present now Draco?' My father asked.

Oh.

My present.

That'd be the Dark Mark then.

'Well no actually.' I said frankly. 'But I don't think that's going to make a damn bit of difference to you father, is it?'

We glared at each other intensely.

'I hat e to interrupt this father son moment.' Voldemort intoned. 'But if you could just sit down Draco.'

'Fuck you.' I spat.

Voldemort sighed. 'Oh well I suppose we'll just have to do this the hard way.'

Something extremely solid collided with my head and the world went black.

***

I opened my eyes groggily, wincing as my head began to throb.

Where was I?

The world swam in and out of focus and I tried to lift my arms to rub my heavy eyes. I couldn't move.

I shook my head slightly, clearing my vision and looking down.

Why the fuck was I strapped to a chair?

And where the fuck was Harry?

'Ah good.' A voice remarked.

I froze as a flood of memories surged back.

'He's awake. I do hate it when people miss the fun.'

The menace in his voice made me about 99% certain he didn't like the phrase "fuck you"- especially when directed at him.

'I would like to thank you for bringing Mr Potter here. None of this would have been possible without your help. I thought it only right to give you a vital role in the proceedings.'

Panic and anger rushed through me simultaneously- I could come to terms with anything they did to me but if they so much as touched Harry.

I watched in horror as my sleeve was slowly rolled up, exposing my bare forearm.

'Now his love for you was something I must admit I was not expecting. But,' he looked at me cruelly, 'I always find a use for everything.'

I had to get out of there before something happened that I could never take back.

Voldemort's wand appeared in his hand and, my heart sinking, I realised it was too late.

'Inscriptio.'

I gasped as a pain stabbed through my arm like a knife.

It slowly spread up my arm, spilling over the rest of my body and bathing me in fire.

The world slipped away slightly and I became a spectator of what was happening to me, unaware of any pain or any feeling.

An outline began to form on my skin of the Dark Mark and I watched in sick fascination as my forearm began to smoke.

All I could think about was Harry.

Harry and how I'd doomed him by loving him.

And as if someone had flicked a switch, the agony flooded back into my body amidst the smell of charred flesh - my flesh.

I almost retched at the smell.

My whole arm visibly throbbed and I swallowed a sob.

It was too much. I couldn't cope with the pain. The room was darkening through a haze of pain and my eyes stung with held-back tears.

Voldemort smirked, satisfied.

'Merry Christmas Mr Malfoy.'

The world exploded.





Uhmm.ok I think I might need a beta-reader.

Or I might not I don't know.

Ok so there's only going to be another 2 chapters methinks.

Please nobody hurt me for doing this to Draco. I don't really have an excuse just don't hurt me.

Remember- keyword - SEQUEL!!!