A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Lucilla Darkate and my roommate Laura for their help with my writers block glitches. Also, just another warning for the violence in this chapter. I realize it's not much to squick over, but still.

Again with the mass apologies for extreme lateness. I know… I said twice a week and it's one in what? Two weeks? I fail at life…

Chapter Twelve.

Harry wasn't sure how long he'd let himself wallow in misery, but by the time he snapped out of it, he was sure Draco was long gone. He reminded himself that he was stuck in the Death Eater camp with no hope of rescue unless he did something to save his own arse. He took a deep breath and stood up.

As far as he could remember from the little light that they'd had the night before, the cell was fairly small with four stone walls and a heavy oak door, probably warded beyond measure.

He began trailing his hands along the walls, his fingers tripping lightly against the cold stone. Every once and a while, his fingers would brush the painful chill of a chain or a set of manacles, sending their faint tinkling sound ringing through the small cavern. He reached the door and allowed his hands to memorize the flat planes of wood, checking blindly for any trace of weakened magic or keyhole.

Unsurprisingly, there was none. He was headed back around to the other end of the cell when his foot brushed up against something on the floor. Crouching low, he ran his hands near his feet and felt the unmistakable brush of silky fabric.

The Invisibility Cloak.

Harry couldn't believe his luck. He snatched at the material and shook it out, coughing when the dust from the floor was suddenly afloat in the air once more. He smiled briefly, flinging the material over his shoulders and crouching in the corner by the door. The only thing left to do was wait.

Draco fidgeted nervously as he stood next to his aunt. He was sure to be killed for his treachery. A very slow and painful death at that. He vaguely wondered if Harry was alright and chided himself firmly. He had enough to worry about right now without Potter entering his thoughts.

The magical binds were digging into his wrists, but he knew better than to move. Right now, the focus wasn't on him and if he caught their attention, he'd be in even worse trouble than he already was. His only hope was that he'd be forgotten—for the moment at least.

"You should have seen him, baby," Bellatrix crooned in a falsely sweet voice, fairly dripping with poisoned honey. "He was kissing Harry Potter!"

Rodolphus Lestrange was eating his supper moodily, listening to his wife's sickeningly sweet tones, but upon registering her words, he choked on his meat.

"He was what?" Rodolphus' eyes positively sparkled with malicious glee.

"Yes, you heard me. Kissing Harry Potter."

Rodolphus flicked a glance at Draco for the first time that evening. It was like he was seeing him for the first time altogether. Draco paled, but lifted his head defiantly. He was still a Malfoy after all and Malfoys were not cowards.

Rodolphus was about to make some kind of cheeky comment when the door swung open. Draco stood stock-still, his heart pounding a mile a minute. He'd recognize that aristocratic walk anywhere.

"Father…"

Lucius Malfoy lowered his mask and glared openly at his son. Draco was sure his father could hear his heart pounding off the stone walls, but he kept his gaze firmly level with Lucius' own grey eyes. He felt a chill crawl up his spine.

"Draco," Lucius spat. Draco could almost feel the sting from his father's burning hatred and he knew he'd failed. This hurt more than any punishment the Dark Lord would give him.

Bellatrix recovered the quickest. "Come on, baby," she smirked, shooting a gleefully wicked grin towards Draco, "I'm sure Lucius wants to spend some quality time with his son."

Draco watched them go with a fleeting thought that he wished they wouldn't. As bad as his aunt was, he knew she'd never touch him—just curse him to oblivion. He couldn't say the same of his father.

Lucius' eyes were cold as ice when they finally rested back on Draco. Draco, to his credit, didn't crumble under the chill that his father's glare was sending. He flinched slightly when Lucius' wand swept through the air, but blinked in complete shock when the bonds fell away from his arms. He relaxed minutely.

"Stand up straight, you ungrateful little slut!" Lucius barked. His eyes were wild with ice-cold fire and he glared with open hatred at his one and only heir. Draco swallowed, but straightened and clenched his jaw.

"What is this I hear about you failing the Dark Lord?" Lucius' voice was calmer now, deceptively covering the cold fury that poured out of his soul.

Draco's muscles tensed when his father started pacing around the room, his languid strides deceivingly calm. Draco was afraid to move for fear of his father's wand, which was still dangling precariously between his long white fingers.

Before he even knew what happened, there was a loud crack and Draco's head was snapped to the side by the stinging blow to his cheek. Lucius' handprint would be there for days, but Draco knew it wouldn't stop there. He clenched his jaw again and slowly turned his gaze back to his father.

"How could you do this to me? Do you know how disgraceful you are?" Lucius was spitting rage now, his face inches from Draco's. Years of discipline taught Draco to keep his stance and he stared back at his father, not letting a drip of emotion into his cold grey eyes.

Lucius seemed to swell with fury for a moment before his hand came crashing across Draco's face again with enough force to knock him down. Draco felt his lip split and tasted the warm metallic blood as it filled his mouth with an almost comforting familiarity. He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand, noting the deep contrast between the dark crimson liquid and his pale white skin. He stood slowly, locking eyes with his father and daring him to do it again.

Draco felt a little reckless at the moment, but he honestly couldn't care less. In some ways he supposed he deserved this. Who would ever have guessed that the son of Voldemort's former favorite Death Eater would not only fail in his mission, but fall hopelessly in love with Harry Potter?

His father sneered and grabbed Draco's chin, bringing their faces uncomfortably close. "How could you?" Lucius snarled through gritted teeth.

Draco took a deep breath, his anger flaring to match his father, but Lucius cut him off by bringing his knee up forcefully into Draco's stomach and knocking the wind out of him. Draco fell forwards, coughing and spluttering, into his father's arms. Lucius stepped back and let his son fall to the ground, clutching his stomach and trying desperately not to retch.

"You're a disgrace to the name of Malfoy!" This time, Lucius actually did spit on the cowering vision of his son lying on the ground at his feet, completely disgusted with what had become of his family. To his credit, Draco only flinched slightly before stretching himself up and standing, once more, before his enraged father.

"Father," Draco began, holding his ground, "I am sorry I failed you."

"Damn right you failed me. Just what—"

There was a knock on the door before it creaked open tentatively. Bellatrix strolled in, her smirk mirroring the one Draco used to wear constantly.

"The Dark Lord requests your son, Lucius."

Lucius Malfoy's eyes never left Draco's before they narrowed, his whole face hardening. "I have no son."

He swept out of the room, leaving a stunned Draco frozen and bleeding in the middle of the room with his aunt Bella cackling at the door. She watched him go before flicking the bonds back into place around Draco's wrists and dragging him along behind her.

Draco was practically shaking from the effort to stand combined with the fear of what was in store. His father's reaction was expected and it certainly wasn't the first time Draco had been beaten without mercy at Lucius' hand. He'd never seen his father this angry, though.

Draco swallowed down a new batch of bile as it rose in his throat. He wondered vaguely where Harry was now, if he was getting the same hospitality as Draco was afforded. A sardonic smile spread over his lips making him wince when his muscles twitched.

He was being led down the same corridor he recognized now that would lead him straight to Voldemort. He had been stripped of his shirt to make the whipping Bella had given him have more of an impact. He could feel the welts rising even now as he stood there waiting, their painful heat flooding through his skin.

Draco's hands were still bound as Harry's had been, with lengths of magical rope. His father had returned to collect him from Bellatrix's hold, claiming the Dark Lord had sent him. Lucius' grip was relentless as it closed on the back of Draco's neck. Lucius pushed his son down the hall and waited until the double doors opened, admitting himself and Draco to the Dark Lord's presence.

Lord Voldemort looked surprisingly pleased.

"Ah yes. Draco Malfoy." Voldemort leered openly at the young blonde before him. "Cut him loose."

Draco was actually more alarmed at this new command than he'd been before now. Loosening his bonds meant the Dark Lord wanted to watch him squirm…

Remembering his education and upbringing, Draco stood proudly with Malfoy honor practically dripping off his tense body. Voldemort's smile widened sickeningly. Draco braced himself for the impact that was sure to come and silently prayed that wherever Harry was, he was safe—at least for now.

Harry crouched low under the Invisibility Cloak. He didn't even know how long he'd been waiting there by the door, nor did he want to. His legs had become cramped and he could no longer feel his feet, but he didn't stir. He felt an overwhelming sense of guilt for Draco's fate. If the stupid git hadn't fallen for Harry, he would never have gotten caught by the Death Eaters. Harry berated himself for his selfishness with the blonde enigma. He still wasn't sure how this whole mess started. All he knew was that Draco had claimed he loved Harry.

Harry still didn't know how he felt. He loved Ginny, but she was so far from him in every way right now that he didn't know what to think. He'd compartmentalized her away long ago and to drag her out now would only cause more pain than it was worth. He thought… although now with Draco around, he wasn't so sure anymore. He loved Ron as the brother he never had and he loved Hermione like a sister and dear friend. Draco was different. He wasn't sickeningly sweet or fluffy romance like Ginny had been. He was hard and hot and rough and sexy as hell.

Harry mentally smacked himself. The Boy-Who-Lived was not allowed to love.

But Voldemort had done it again. He'd taken another person Harry cared for—albeit unwillingly—and was no doubt prepared to use Draco for all he was worth. Then, if Draco was lucky, he'd kill him.

Harry ground his teeth in anger and frustration. Just as he moved to take some weight off his aching feet, the door swung open. Bellatrix strode purposely into the room and glanced around expectantly.

Harry could feel his pulse quicken through his body, he was so nervous. His veins felt like they were on fire with the heat and tension of potential discovery. With practiced care born of many nights sneaking around the echoing halls of Hogwarts, Harry silently crept behind Bellatrix and out of the room. He could hear her shouting behind him as he swiftly darted through the corridors. He knew where he needed to go, even if he wasn't quite aware how. His scar was throbbing lightly, but it grew stronger as he moved towards Draco.

Although Harry was still not exactly sure how he knew it was Draco he was drawn to and not Voldemort, he followed his instincts and ran towards the double doors he'd been dragged out of mere days before. He could tell he was getting closer. He flattened himself against the wall and waited for Bellatrix to come open the door.

The door banged open, causing most of the room to jump and stare at Bellatrix as she tore into the room. Her eyes were rolling wildly in her head like a mad mere.

"He's gone, my Lord!" she shouted, throwing herself prostrate at Voldemort's feet.

"Gone? Who?" Voldemort asked, genuine curiosity etching his snake-like features.

Bella was quaking now. "Harry Potter, my Lord."

Voldemort visibly stiffened.

Draco caught himself right before he let out a sigh or relief. At least Harry hat gotten out. Draco knew he was done for, but at least there was still hope for the wizarding world at large. Draco was spread eagle on the floor after collapsing from the vicious Cruciatus. He'd never had the "honor" of being Voldemort's victim, but he was paying for it now. Lucius stepped forward and dragged Draco to his feet.

Draco retreated into himself, just as he'd seen Harry do so many times before. He let his expression fade to neutral and allowed his mind to wander.

Then he felt it. The unmistakable rush of magic enveloped him for an instant, making the fine hairs at the back of his neck stand up. Harry had to be there somewhere. Careful to keep his expression blank, Draco quickly assessed the room. He couldn't see Harry anywhere, but of course, he'd left the Invisibility Cloak in the dungeon with the Gryffindor.

Draco felt his pulse quicken. He concentrated on finding out where exactly Harry was in the room. He felt the subtle change in the air somewhere to his left, which meant that Harry had crept his way around the room and had placed himself between Draco and Voldemort. Draco kept his expression schooled, but he was sure his clear grey eyes had widened marginally.

"We have to find him," Lucius supplied in a deadly calm voice. His hand was still closed painfully around the back of his son's neck, but he used his force now to push Draco to the floor at his feet, as if he only just realized he'd touched something so disgraceful.

Draco's knees crashed to the floor, making him wince at the pain. Harry's energy stirred and it felt as though the atmosphere had gotten a couple degrees warmer. No doubt Harry was livid. With his head still bent, Draco allowed a wry grin to cross his lips. Voldemort and the Death Eaters were in deep conversation when Draco finally raised his head. Harry hadn't moved. From his calculations, Draco could feel him in the middle of the ring with the blonde.

Draco's grey eyes flashed up, feeling as though someone, other than Harry of course, was staring at him. His eyes locked with the cold black irises of Severus Snape, the only Death Eater who seemed to remember his presence. There was a silent question burning in those inky black eyes and for a moment, Draco was lost. He still wasn't sure he could trust his ex-professor, but he realized he didn't really have another choice. He stared hard at Snape, quirked an aristocratic eyebrow and glanced pointedly towards where Harry was located.

Snape's gaze darted over to the empty space. A look of confusion crossed his features which he transferred back to Draco. The blonde blinked once and inclined his head in the smallest increment possible. Snape still looked skeptical, but returned his attention to where Harry was supposedly hiding.

Harry watched the exchange between his lover and his ex-professor with mild unease. When Snape's black eyes flicked over to where he was hidden under the Cloak, he nearly panicked. But of course, Draco knew where he was. He could feel Snape's eyes searching for something to focus on. Harry didn't dare reveal himself among all the Death Eaters, so instead, he concentrated all his energy and focused on the greasy black-haired man.

Draco felt the blast of magic pass beside him and watched Snape carefully. The former professor's eyes widened slightly before they narrowed in concentration.

"Severus!" Voldemort's voice broke through the charged silence. Snape started, but recovered at once.

"Yes, my lord?" he answered smoothly with a bow of his head.

"Kindly escort Draco to the dungeons. The special treatment," Voldemort sneered. A flash of panic crossed through Draco's eyes, but he held his head high and allowed Snape to drag him to his feet.

Harry started to get restless. He watched as Snape practically lifted Draco from the floor and prepared to lead him out. Thinking quickly and a little recklessly, Harry sent a spark of fire into the far corner of the room, igniting the edge of the tapestry that hung against the thick stone wall.

Someone shrieked. The Death Eaters were surprisingly chaotic when it came to the fire from nowhere and began to lose control rather quickly. Voldemort glared around the room, ordering for calm, but he was raking the chamber over for a sign of what caused the fire. Harry began to sweat, but he held his ground.

Miraculously, Snape had been the only one to see where the flame had originated, as he was still searching the empty space that Harry occupied. Harry locked his invisible gaze with Severus' and willed the other man to steady himself. To his astonishment, Snape's eyes held firm.

Harry could feel the delicate pull of magic around his brain and suddenly he remembered. Legilimency. He'd completely forgotten about it. Of course Snape could do it easily, as he'd taught Harry back in school. He could feel Snape's gaze burning into his skull and he knew immediately what he was meant to do.

Harry had never used the spell in the reverse, but that didn't matter right now. All he cared about was Draco's bruised and broken body in Snape's firm hold and the overwhelming need to get out as fast as possible.

Soundlessly and without his wand, Harry concentrated all of his energy towards his former professor, willing his mind to reach out and grasp any knowledge offered. Severus kept his guard purposefully down for the first time in years. He willingly brought forth knowledge of the base camp they were in, silently telling Harry how to get out to safety.

Harry's gaze hardened with the new information and he stepped forward, tugging off the Invisibility Cloak. There was a collective gasp as all the Death Eaters scrambled for their wands. Before any of them could succeed, however, Harry held up his hands and channeled all his energy into the largest Blasting Spell he could muster.

Time stood still for a moment as an enormous bright light blinded all the Death Eaters, filling the darkness with energy and bringing down everyone in the room. If Hermione had been there, she would have said it looked remarkably like an atomic bomb. The bodies lay unconscious from the sheer force of the blast that issued right from Harry.

He watched as Snape fell backward among the other Death Eaters. It wasn't until he looked down at his feet that he regretted his rash decision. Draco lay completely still, a strand of white-blonde hair lying delicately across his forehead.

Harry dropped to his knees immediately, completely drained. He dragged Draco's body towards him, placing his blonde head in his lap and softly smoothing his fingers through the silky strands.

"I'm so sorry…" he choked out softly. He placed his hands on Draco's exposed pale chest and whispered "Ennervate," pulling at the very last reserves of his energy.

Draco stirred and coughed. His silver-grey eyes blinked open and dilated into focus, looking on the vivid emerald eyes before him that were brimming with unshed tears. He barely had time to marvel at the depth of emotion that suddenly flooded his own chest when he was knocked backwards.

"Oh gods…" Harry whispered before he threw himself into Draco's arms. Draco fell backwards at the force, but held Harry firmly as he broke down and shattered in his embrace. Draco looked around over Harry's shoulders at all the temporarily unconscious Death Eaters and realized in awe what had happened.

"Shh… Harry," Draco started, stroking slowly over his tanned shoulders. "Hey, it's ok. We've got to get out of here, love."

Harry shifted pathetically, but nodded and wiped the tears away from his cheeks. Draco smiled and cupped Harry's damp face, running his thumb over the skin and staring into those brilliant green irises. He leaned forward and brushed his lips over Harry's briefly before pulling him up to stand.

Draco's legs were shaky and he wondered for one terrified moment if they'd hold him up. Harry laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder to steady him and let his fingers slide down Draco's arm to interlock their fingers.

"Come on," he muttered and tugged slightly on Draco's hand, glancing dispassionately at the fallen Death Eaters. "It's time we left all this behind."