Killing me softly

Think this is another Harry creature fic? Bit of angst and drama, then a romantic mate and creature union? - Think again. The Dark lord is rising, his powers grow ever stronger, Harry's time is coming, but his power alone isn't enough. Can his inheritance help him? Prepare for sacrifice.

Takes place in his last year

Warnings-

SS/HP + hints of DM-HP pairing – if you don't like that pairing then this likely isn't the fic for you. Don't like it – don't read it.

Character death

Chapter 13

Snape sat at Draco's bedside; it was the third night in a row. Trembling, slender fingers, tentatively stroked older, longer ones.

"H-Hey"

Draco whispered quietly, and Snape gave a genuine smile.

"Hello Draco"

But his smile didn't last; it flickered away, as he saw again Draco's still healing injuries. He wondered just how he was going to be able to keep his Godson safe.

"They say I have years ahead of me..."

Draco casually drawled, but the words made Snape's eyes snap into his own.

"What!"

Snape's voice was laced with pain and panic, and Draco sighed tiredly, giving his Godfather an apologetic look.

"I'm going to be fine, truly... Sev, will you please tell me what's wrong?"

Draco's eyes earnestly searched the black ones of his Godfather's, the heavy weight of responsibility he saw within them made his heart ache. A sad smile crept onto the older man's face, and a tender hand swept its fingers gently through Draco's soft locks.

"Don't worry about me Dray, I know how to handle things"

Draco looked at his Godfather helplessly frustrated. Snape liked to show the rest of the Wizarding World that he was a man of stone, of means and resources but as cold as ice and untouchable... But it was only a mask... Snape cared just as much as the next man beside him, it was Snape, stubbornly holding out for him against the dark clutches of his Father and Voldermort that kept him sane.

"Let me help you"

Draco begged, Snape playfully raised an eyebrow.

"Malfoys don't beg, remember?"

Snape intoned haughtily, resembling Lucius painstakingly well, but at Draco's unamused expression, he relented.

"You want to help me? Fine – Don't become a Death eater. Don't let him brand you like he's branded me."

Draco's head drooped unhappily, and the familiar feeling of fear, that had saddled with him ever since the summer holidays, savagely began to recapture its hold.

"I-I-I can't promise that-"

Snape seized Draco's chin and yanked his face up, Draco's eyes flickered into his with surprised pain.

"Oh yes you will! No Godson of mine is going to have his life ruined like that – Because it will be you know! Ruined!"

Draco jerked his face angrily out his Godfather's grip.

"It's not that simple! You know what my Father's-"

"I'll protect you! " Snape declared passionately "I saved you from that wretch and i'll protect you from Lucius-"

"And just HOW are you going to do that?"

Draco spat, his temples pounding in pure frustration... Snape looked at him the epitome of seriousness.

"Now never let it be said I idolise the Golden Boy, but I'll say this... He's loyal. If you were to join the Order, if you were to plead your case to Dumbledore, to break away from Lucius! If you had that courage, and you do Draco, I know it! He'll protect you. We all will."

Snape felt a part of his weary heart break when he saw the small tremors that had began to pass through his Godson's weak body.

"I didn't mean to distress you Draco, truly"

Snape bent over Draco, and pressed his lips to the boy's forehead for a fatherly kiss, and with a heavy heart whispered him goodbye.

"I'll leave you to get some rest"

But before he could leave, quicker than Snape would have expected, Draco's arm shot out, and his hand closed over one of Snape's. Snape turned back, an enquiring frown etched on his forehead.

"I'll do it..." Draco whispered, "I'll talk to Dumbledore, god I'll even be civil to Scar head but only if you promise me I won't have to go back there.."

Snape felt all the warmth leave his body.

"Please Sev! I really don't- won't it be great when it's just the two of us? Away, away from Father"

Snape's hand within Draco's began to shake and Snape could feel his much depended upon control begin to fail him.

"Then I believe we have struck ourselves a deal... Goodnight Draco"

The familiar silver door gleamed strongly in darkness, and upon touching its surface, Harry felt a nervous flutter in the pit of his stomach, and the feel of those man's lips upon his own, made his body shiver. Deciding quite firmly that he would give the subject no further thought, and hastily muttering his pass to the snake he entered... He was struck by how dark it was, the dark emerald walls were usually gently lit, but the only light source seemed to come from the fireplace, which a figure clad in black was half-blocking at any rate.

"Severus?"

Harry called, rather unsurely, and yet who else could it have been? Nevertheless, Harry let out an exclamation of shock, when Snape turned from the fireplace and glistening trails gleamed down his face...

They were tears... Snape had been crying.

Snape hastily rose a hand to his face and brushed his eyes swiftly, and none too gently, with the back of his hand, before rising quickly to his feet.

"If you excuse me a moment, I'll be right with you"

Snape said gruffly, and without waiting for a reply, swept past Harry and into his bathroom, charming it shut.

Harry looked at the sofa Snape had just left, feeling utterly flummoxed. In all that he that had happened to Snape that he had witnessed, he'd never seen the man cry. Not once, not even when Draco had nearly been killed, though Harry suspected he may have been close to it, but never had he wept till now – And that scared him.

Quicker than Harry would have anticipated, but unsurprisingly considering it was Snape, the bathroom door opened and the room was filled with its usual light glow. Snape somewhat stiffly approached him.

"I apologise for the delay, Harry-"

"You don't have to apologise Severus, really its fine."

Snape gave him a tight nod, and his rather brighter eyes flickered to his wooden cabinet.

"Fancy a drink Harry? I rather find myself requiring something of substance"

Harry nodded with a laid back attitude he didn't quite feel.

"Yeah sure"

Upon his answer, Snape proceeded immediately to the cabinet, perhaps a little too eagerly for Harry's liking.

"Will some French red wine do you?"

Snape's fingers were already curled around, what looked like an impressively old bottle.

"Yeah, that'll be... Nice"

Snape snorted quietly under his breath, as he retrieved and uncorked the bottle.

"Nice... It'll be bloody marvellous that's what it'll be"

He muttered quietly under his breath, and generously filling Harry's glass, he handed it to him, and then filling his almost to the brim, still holding the bottle, he and Harry settled down on the two sofas.

Harry had never drunk French red wine before, and he peered down into his glass. He was surprised by how intense and deep its ruby colour was, and cautiously sniffing it, he inhaled intricate aromas of blackcurrant, plum and smoky oak, it reminded him of Snape...

"That is far too expensive and utterly divine to be poison Harry,"

Snape laughed mildly, after watching Harry's tentative examinations. Looking somewhat embarrassed, Harry took a small sip, and was pleasantly surprised by how dense and supple the flavour of the oak and minerals within the wine were and yet how sweet the fruits came through. Its silky texture slid happily down his throat.

"Adequate was it?"

Snape asked, with only a hint of sarcasm, the alcohol already seemed to be relaxing his voice and form.

"It's... um-"

Harry quite found he didn't have the words for it. It was unlike anything he had ever tasted before. Snape nodded understandingly.

"It doesn't quite capture the sheer power of 96', but regardless it's quite wonderful, isn't it"

Harry took another, larger sip, before enquiring on what it was called.

"This is Chateau Margaux 1995, Harry. Exceedingly expensive but worth every penny, I find the Chateau Margaux to be the most graceful wines of all the Bordeaux First Growths, I've had this particular bottle for twenty years...Its matured quite nicely."

Harry listened; it was unusually pleasant to hear Snape dictate in rich, velvety tones, as supposed to a voice full of scorn and irritation. And hinted again was a part of the man he knew nothing about... But as he saw Snape fill his glass again in the time it had taken him to take a couple of sips from his first, reminded him Snape had been extremely troubled when he had first come in.

"Severus-"

"We've come quite far Harry; I have to confess I'm mildly impressed by how... maturely you have finally taken this arrangement"

That was high praise from Snape indeed, it took Harry speechless. It made Snape smirk.

"Nice to know I haven't lost my touch..."

At the word 'touch; memories loosened by the rich wine glass he had finally finished, brought half images of burning eyes, and fiery touches...

"You've thought of it too"

Snape whispered, in a low voice.

Harry's eyes flickered to Snape's, his fifth and it would be his final, glass was almost finished, and those eyes seemed to burn at him all the more intensely for it.

"Severus-"

"I was told this may happen eventually, Albus reminded me quite firmly that we are after all... Soul mates"

Snape's seductive whisper showed no signs of abating, and as light-headed as Harry felt, he knew he didn't want to use him.

"You're upset Severus, and dr-"

"I will thank you not to make such grave assumptions, it takes a lot more to take me into a drunken stupor, I can assure you of that..."

He took a final swig from his glass, and rose to his feet, his eyes were full of dark intent, as he stalked over, stopping right before him.

"And as for any upset, I think we can do something about that-"

"Sev-"

Harry tried to protest, but long fingers latched onto the inside rim of his t-shirt and yanked him forwards, all protest died, as Snape bent down to hungrily capture his lips. The sweet aftertaste of the wine was intoxicating in Snape's mouth, and Harry felt raw need surge undeniably within him. Placing his hands on Snape's shoulders, to steady himself, he shot up to his own feet, his hands sliding down Snape's shoulders, until the taller man bent down again, and Harry wrapped his arms around the slender neck, and his hands emerged themselves into black silk.

Lips pressed firmly against each other, tongues coaxed each other in, until both were forced to break away for air. Harry stared at Snape, caught in a daze of alcohol and heightened passions; Snape was looking at him, oddly, with slight uncertainty. Harry could not have been surer.

"I want you,"

He whispered, staring into shimmering eyes with a desperate earnestness... A long fingered hand lightly caressed his cheek, its thumb resting tentatively on the corner of his lips... Harry kissed the thumb lightly, before Snape seized him again, his arms closed around Harry like a possessive cocoon, and Harry felt he was lost in the middle of a most glorious inferno, and after mild stumbling and guidance he felt himself hit the soft bed, only to be swiftly claimed by the ravenous blaze...

Thanks for reading this, and to everyone who reviews, or alerts this story, it means a lot, eager as ever to hear your views...

Regards

Lisi the slayer