"Alright, Draco, that's good for today." Snape said, ending the deadlock his students were in. Draco was breathing hard and sweat was dripping from Harry's forehead; both were grateful for the promise of rest. It was probably around eight o'clock at night and Draco was looking forward to sniffing out his mate and perhaps even partaking in a late-night snack.

"Here, Draco," the potions master handed the blond a small vial filled with a red liquid. "Drink this."

"What is it?"

"It's similar to the blood replenishers that humans drink. I have added some of Hermione's blood that I took without her knowing. This potion was to be in case she did not want you to drink from her. Still, you're going to need more than she can give some days so it's better that I made this."

Draco snarled dangerously. "You took blood from my mate without her consent?"

Snape paled, but his face gave away no true expression. "I was not aware she was your mate at the time. She has type O blood—that is a universal donor and the most beneficial to a Vampire. I didn't know if you had any blood donors lined up and in the absence of a mate, this potion would have been extremely useful. When I stumbled upon the perfect blood type for it, I did not hesitate. She had an accident slicing boomslang skin in the lab. I merely saved what was left of the cleanup."

The Vampire did not appear satisfied at Snape's explanation and Harry, sensing this, decided to intervene. "I'm sure Hermione would be okay with this, Draco. She'd do anything to help you. You should drink it. It will make you feel better and give you a bit more strength."

Draco seemed to accept this and drank the potion. It was almost as good as the real thing! "How much more of this do you have?"

Snape smirked in satisfaction. "I have enough. I can give you the recipe however, and you can brew it yourself. You are quite adept at potions, after all."

The Malfoy heir nodded and carded his fingers through his trademark hair. He straightened his robes and retied his tie before deciding that he was presentable. "Have a good evening, gentlemen. I take my leave of you." He said formally.

"What the hell is going on here?" A voice sounded from the other room.

"What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here?"

"I happen to be friends with Severus Snape!"

"Yes, well I am—"

Snape burst into his quarters before his lover could finish that sentence. Draco was right on his heels and Harry was not far behind.

"Father?"

"Remus?"

"Severus!"

"Draco!"

"….Harry?"

"What are you doing here, father?" Draco asked the tall man who he assumed had just stepped out of the fireplace.

"I am here for you. What is he doing here?" Lucius pointed rudely at the Werewolf.

"He is my mate, Lucius, and you will call him Remus." Snape hissed. Remus' arms wrapped around Severus' waist comfortingly.

"Shh, take it easy," the Werewolf mumbled into his ear to make his mate relax.

"I have nothing against Werewolves, Severus, but…" Lucius stammered. "Werewolves are all…dominant," he finished with a slightly disgusted expression.

The room was deadly silent… Draco vaguely thought he might have been able to cut the tension in the air with a knife. And then Harry, disrupting the silence, exclaimed, "Oh my god!…Remus is buggering Snape?"

Remus erupted in laughter. "Always eloquent, aren't we, Harry?"

"I was shocked is all. It's not every day one hears Severus Snape admitting submission to someone." Harry said.

"Really? I hear it every night." Remus winked.

"Remus!" Snape chided.

"What?" The defendant held up his hands as if to say, "My hands are clean, I'm innocent!" Severus still cuffed him on the back of his head.

"You know I love it when you're rough with me!" Remus said impertinently.

"Hush, wolf!" Severus commanded and no one missed the slight flush in the potions master's cheeks. Even Draco was holding his sides as he cracked up laughing.

Lucius looked around at the merry faces and was filled with sorrow. His best friend was finally in love, albeit with a Werewolf—that would certainly take some getting used to. His son was happy, quite obviously so. Lucius' heart wanted to break at the sound of Draco's carefree laughter—a sound that from now on would be seldom heard.

"Father?" Draco touched his arm. "Are you alright?"

There was a long pause where Lucius' response should have been. Harry looked around and, realizing that the older man didn't have the words, spoke up. "No." Harry said, locking eyes with Lucius. "He has come with bad news..." Harry paused, as though searching for something, "and he is regretful that he must deliver it because he knows it will make everyone sad."

"What makes you so sure, Potter?" Draco wondered.

"He is an empath." Lucius answered for The-Boy-Who-Lived.

"How do you know that?"

"Because I can sense it, Draco. I can sense others' powers." Lucius explained.

"Why didn't I know of this?"

"Well it doesn't exactly spring up in conversation, does it? I don't like to speak of it anyway. I don't like having that particular ability." Lucius admitted.

"Why not?" Remus inquired softly, genuinely curious, but fully aware that Lucius did not think he belonged with his best friend and may not begrudge him that information.

"It's why Voldemort made him his right hand." Snape said in a low voice when Lucius said nothing. "Knowing who to have on your side and how to take down those who aren't is something every tyrant wants."

"I'm sorry, father." Draco said.

"Don't be. I never wanted to join that monster, but I stayed for your safety. Now I have failed in that capacity."

"What are you talking about, Lucius?" Severus asked concernedly.

"Someone informed the Dark Lord as to Draco's…condition. He is angry that I did not tell him and he is furious that I have not offered Draco to him. If I want to keep Narcissa alive, I must…Draco, oh Draco, I'm so sorry."

Draco was stunned at the raw emotion that was present on his father's face. Those haunted eyes had become glassy even though Draco swore that Malfoys don't cry. "What, father? What must you do?"

Lucius was silent; he looked away, unable to meet Draco's gaze. He looked to Harry, knowing the Gryffindor would understand and the emerald eyes softened. "You have to take the Dark Mark, Draco." Harry said. "Or something to that affect. I'm not sure, but I feel pain…intolerable pain. That's simply the most painful thing I know from my visions." Harry's voice was quiet and foreboding, his words filling everyone with a deep sense of dread.

"Draco is too young to endure initiation." Snape said firmly. "He's not yet seventeen, there's no way Voldemort can be so evil."

"How young were we, Severus?" I was just a day over fifteen and if I recall…you were even a bit younger."

"We were volunteering, we didn't know what we were getting ourselves into. It was join or die, we didn't want to, but we would rather join him than die," parried Snape.

"And how is Draco's case different?"

"There is hope! Draco will be safe at Hogwarts!"

"Were we safe?" Lucius' eyes were dull and disparaged. "And could I keep my Narcissa any other way? If there was anything else I could do, don't you think I would have thought of it already? We only had ourselves to think of, I have Narcissa now! I don't know what I would do if…" his voice trailed off.

Lucius turned when he felt a cold hand on his shoulder. Draco's eyes were a cold, steel grey. "It's alright, father. I know this isn't what you wanted. I will take the Mark."

"I'm so sorry, my son."

"I know." Father and son embraced then in what could have made a portrait beautiful enough to make a master cry.

"We must go now, Draco. The Dark Lord will not wait."

"Then let's get it over with." Draco said simply.

"Draco," Severus spoke up. "This will be the most painful and degrading experience of your life. It is meant to break you, in every possible way, and it will."

"Tell Hermione I'm sorry." Draco said before he stepped back into the green flames and disappeared with his father.

...

"Lucius," Voldemort hissed. "How good to see you, I see you have brought me a present."

"Indeed milord, I have considered my well deserved punishment and decided to attempt to make up for it by offering you what is dearest to me. I have brought you my son, Draco…the Vampire."

"Ah yes…Thank you, Lucius, for that. I should have had him earlier though, don't you agree?"

"Yes, milord."

"Then you agree, I must punish you."

"Yes milord." Lucius steeled himself for the Cruciatus that was inevitable in coming. Draco wanted desperately to do something, anything, but he knew he could not. He was helpless and resigned to kneel where he was with his head bowed, watching his father endure the Cruciatus without making a sound. The only tell tale sign that Lucius was at all in pain was the single tear that made it past his closed eyes to slip down to his clenched jaw.

Finally, Voldemort lifted his wand and Draco heard his father breathe in sharply. "I am satisfied, Lucius. You may stand now, you have redeemed yourself."

Draco heard the rustle of his father's robes as he stood next to his son's kneeling form. Voldemort's presence was chilling and having that mingled with the anxiety of knowing what was to come was driving Draco insane.

"Draco, raise your head please, I would like to have a look at you." Voldemort requested, though it was more of a command. Draco lifted his chin and kept his eyes respectfully on the floor.

"Ah yes, you and Narcissa have made a fine young man, Lucius."

"Thank you, milord."

"Tell me, Draco, why have you come here tonight?"

Draco gulped nervously. "To offer myself to the Dark Lord and to pledge my allegiance to him by taking the Dark Mark."

"Oh? That is interesting. And why would you want to pledge allegiance to me?"

"Because, milord," Draco paused. "I support your cause. I believe that service to you is the only way for me to live honorably." The blond could have heaved with the lies he was telling, but he knew that this was not even the beginning.

Voldemort rose from his large, obsidian throne and moved to Draco's side. His footsteps echoed off the high, barren walls of the large, dark room. His breath was warm and foul near Draco's ear as he bent down to speak to the inductee.

"And are you truly a Vampire, young Malfoy?"

"I was bitten over the summer; I am a hybrid." Draco lied.

"That's very interesting." Voldemort ran his fingers through the trademark blond hair that marked a Malfoy. He leaned down and inhaled the scent that lingered on the platinum locks. "I believe you will make a stunning addition to my ranks."

"Thank you, milord." Draco murmured.

"This will be a momentous occasion. I believe all of my inner circle should be here to witness this initiation." Draco heard the sharp intake of breath that Voldemort's suggestion elicited from his father. "Have you something to say, Lucius?"

"Only that I think that is a wonderful idea." Lucius lied smoothly.

"Excellent. Give me your arm." Lucius offered forth his left forearm and allowed the tip of an ivory wand to be pressed to the black brand that marred his skin. Pain radiated up his arm, throughout his body, but Lucius endured. The mark burned on his skin, turning a furious crimson, but Lucius gave no hint of pain.

At last the inner circle was all accounted for and Lucius was given back possession of his arm. Voldemort stepped forward to address his cloaked minions as they knelt before him in respect. Draco was still kneeling, concentrating on the floor in front of him, but he knew he was surrounded by dark wizards who were there to witness his humiliation. The entire inner circle… that meant that the parents of his friends—people he saw nearly every day some summers, were there to see his dignity stripped.

Crabbe and Goyle would be there—though they fathered some real goons, good for little more than a rousing game of quidditch, they were like uncles to Draco. Lucan and Isabella Zabini would be there—the loving parents of his best friend, Blaise. What would they say? He knew that they would be imagining what it would be like if it was Blaise going through it all instead of him. Rabastan and Rudolphus would be there-unwilling brother and husband to his sick aunt. They had always been more like brothers to Draco…they would be there to see him fall.

"Tonight we gather to witness an auspicious event. An initiation is to take place—the initiation of the son of Lucius Malfoy. Our little Draconis has elected to join us." Voldemort looked down on the blond kneeling gracefully before him. He was the picture of perfection—even better than his father. He was even subservient, but the Dark Lord could feel a spirit in him…but that could be crushed. Everyone could be crushed. And in the end, Draco would be his to play with forever. With that thought, the maniacal wizard's eyes darkened with delight and through thin lips, he grinned.