Warning: Slash (male/male) Don't like don't read.

Discalimer Notice: I own nothing you recognize.

Guide: "Talking"/ Thinking/ "Parseltongue"

Chapter 10 – One Step Forward, Three Steps Back

Voldemort had a small bout of depression plague him as he moved toward the kitchen and farther from his mate. The link they shared was becoming stronger and more fierce. If it was not completed soon…

The Dark Lord mentally shook himself. He would not allow that to happen! Harry had become the most precious thing in his life and he knew that he couldn't go on without him. He also knew, in reality, the bond was controlling his emotions, but it didn't feel that way. He didn't feel as if he was being controlled. And for the he was most grateful.

He wondered though, as he had done many times in the past since this whole thing had begun, what Harry was feeling. Voldemort had a sense that considering Harry was being more nice and timid, that his feelings were also changing. He didn't know if that was true, but he planned on entertaining the notion for as long as possible.

As Voldemort entered the kitchen he found the table set for two with the fish, gutted, and cleared of all bones, steaming on the two plates with a basket of rolls set between them.

After he had waited at the table for awhile Harry had appeared with damp hair and a sweatshirt with sweatpants.

Voldemort raised an eyebrow, "Dressing for comfort, are we?"

Harry looked down at himself then back at Voldemort's heavy robes. He obtained an aggravated expression. "I didn't know dinner between two enemies in our position was a formal affair." He then sat down and began buttering a roll.

Voldemort was quiet for a moment, then said, "You still think us enemies?"

Harry stopped mid-bite, realizing his slip, and put the roll back down. Looking Voldemort in the eyes he said, "I'm not sure anymore. We used to be, but now…we've sorta fallen into this resigned understanding. Do you understand?"

Voldemort nodded. For now, they would both just play it by ear and what happened, happened.

After dinner, the two went upstairs to go to bed. But when the time came for them to separate, Voldemort found he had a hard time accepting the notion of spending another night alone. He also knew that what he was about to ask would impose on some very strict boundaries.

Harry was about to walk into his room and close the door when he stopped him.

"Harry, can I stay with you tonight?" And at the blood draining from his mate's face he added quickly, "Just to sleep, nothing…else."

Harry gave him a long look, turned his face away, and bit his lip. Voldemort thought he would say no, but then the boy looked at him again and nodded.

They changed into night clothes in their respective rooms. Voldemort wore slacks and reluctantly threw on a black t-shirt, for Harry's sake. Harry wore much the same thing.

Voldemort knocked and was admitted entrance. Harry was standing beside the bed looking somewhat out of place. Voldemort just calmly walked around the other side, pulled back the covers, and settled himself in. Harry took some form of courage from this and slipped in on his own side. Voldemort lowered the candlelight till it was gone, and there they lay, in uncomfortable silence. Then a creak echoed around the room from the door being opened and both Harry and Voldemort sat up straight, hearts pounding as if a bolt of lightening had struck them. They felt the bed sink between them and Harry reached out a hesitant hand to touch whatever had jumped on the bed and felt…fur.

Harry sighed with relief. "It's only Gallant."

Voldemort began to curse himself for not having shut the door properly, now he wouldn't be able to hold Harry once he was asleep because that damn mutt would be in the way! He didn't want to tell Harry to get Gallant off the bed because then he was sure Harry would point out that it was his room and that he could leave if he didn't like dogs. So, Voldemort kept his silence, grudgingly.

XXX

Over the next month, things progressed as followed. Harry and Voldemort would wake up together, with or without Gallant, have breakfast, walk around in the woods a bit, have lunch, depart to do their own thing (Voldemort would set up plans for raids and gather people valuable to his cause and Harry would write letters to his friends or read), The they would have dinner and go to sleep.

Draco, Lucius, and Snape would drop in every once in awhile and talk or spend time with their respective people. And all through this the bond became worse.

The new school year was two weeks away and that depressed Harry terribly. He wanted to be back at school, see his friends again. Hell, he didn't even mind if homework and test stress came with it. He just wanted to go back to the only thing he had ever really thought of as home.

But he knew the bond had to be completed. He was fine when he was with Voldemort but to be away from him was agonizing. Like some piece of himself was being torn to shreds and he became dizzy so much more easily.

Voldemort was suffering as well. He yearned for Harry's touch, his voice, his very being. He had also noticed Harry's fever increasing. This gave him all the more incentive to hurry this along…

XXX

Voldemort paced his study, frustrated, and wondered, not for the first time, how he could have picked such morons to be his followers! His eyes traveled back to this morning's paper that lay on his desk. The title glared back: "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has Returned!" It went onto to say that one of his Death Eaters, who had just committed a raid with many others, was caught and questioned. The Death Eater, hoping for leniency, had explained that Voldemort made him do it. And that had put the entire Wizarding World on full alert. Fudge had been demoted and replaced by Arthur Weasley (Lucius had made many a scathing remark toward that new development), and the worst part about it was Harry had found out and was now currently giving him the silent treatment worthy of six first place awards. Gallant had picked up on Harry's mood toward him and had started to growl and bare his teeth at him every time he entered a room.

Voldemort sighed and sat down, his energy to be both fuming and annoyed, gone. He still didn't understand why Harry was so angry with him. He had tried asking earlier but had just gotten cold silence.

Then he began to smile as an idea formed in his head. It had worked before after all, hadn't it? When he felt as if he wasn't reaching common ground with Harry he had broken the ice. Oh, yes. And he could again.

He went to his desk and began writing a letter to the Advocate for the Dark.

XXX

Short chapter I know! But now we're getting into the good stuff!

I might be updating three chapters at once next time because I need to be able to fit the sex scene between the two. Most of you seem to be alright about the sex scene and are all for it, but for those of you who don't want to read it I'm putting a warning before the sex scene (it gets it's own chapter so you can just click for the next one and skip it) Does that sound okay? The first chapter will end with something to hint towards sex and the middle chapter will be the sex scene, all on it's own, then the chapter after that will start in the morning. (so your virgin eyes aren't tainted) So, no reporting me if it comes to that, okay? I didn't make you click on the sex scene.

Now here's a poll question: The sex scene is gonna happen but do you want me to add a few more chapters or go ahead with my orginal plan and have it be chapter 12? Tell me what you want people. The lines are open...