Disclaimer:

I do not own Harry Potter and anything associated with it. Title borrowed from a song by Korn

Alone I Break

Mina found herself surprised when her father apparated the two of them, not to his home, as she had thought but to Drago's London home. She entered the grand hall and sighed. Her mother stood near Drago who was talking to his sister. Her father stomped in behind her and slammed the door. "We are here." Mina jumped a bit and moved out of her father's immediate orbit, as she did not want to find herself backhanded into a wall. Drago's eye flicked to her fathers and then slid over to her. His husky voice washed over her. "So you are." Mina shivered a bit as his eyes trailed over her. "It's been a long time Mina, you have been missed. I have arranged a room for you." His eyes left her and went to her mother. "Mira, take your daughter to her room. Mina's mother bowed to him and crossed taking her by the wrist.

Instinctively, Mina jerked her wrist out of her mother's hand. "I can follow you just fine." She did not want her cold mother tainting something that Severus did. Mira studied her and then turned abruptly leading the way up stairs. Mina glanced at her father as she followed her mother and then dropped her eyes to the ground when she neared Drago. Her father looked angry and fearful at the same time. He is afraid for himself. She realized, there was no concern for her in his heart. Mina pushed the emotion that flowed through her in response to this realization away and continued up the stairs. She followed her mother passed several doors before the woman stopped turned and looked at her. Mina studied her mother looking for some clue as to what her mother thought. Coldness was her answer. Abruptly she realized she could get the answers she wanted.

She stared deeply into her mother's eyes and flicked her wand at the older women as she whispered. "Legilimens." Abruptly Mina was rushing through her mother's mind. She saw a younger version of her mother in the arms of Drago. His fangs in her neck, drinking deeply. She saw as her mother ingest his blood. And how her father convinced her mother to do this. She dug deeper intent on finding out why her father would allow this only to meet frustration. Her mother did not know. She withdrew quickly and was shocked to find her mother on her knees much as she herself had been when Severus had taught her occlumency. "Mina." She jumped and turned looking up at her father. He looked angrier then he was before. "What are you doing?" He sounded so accusatory that Mina felt her temper flash.

Her eyes shifted to a bright gold as she smiled darkly at her father. "Looking for answers." Merikano stared at his daughter in horror as she raised her wand on him. "Legilimens." Merikano was ready when she tried to enter his mind and he threw her out easily. Before casting the spell himself. He was not prepared to find the brick wall in her mind. She was not as good at pushing him out, but she did manage to keep her mind to herself. The two battled mentally for several long minutes before she felt the soft prick of fangs on her neck. She tried to struggle against who ever was biting her, but she failed. Several minutes later the teeth left her neck and Merikano was lifted into the air and slammed against the wall across from where she stood. Mina turned quickly and darted back her hand rising to cover the bite on her neck.

Drago glared down at her. "Why have you been tasting human blood?" He seemed angry. "You should not have had blood yet." Mina glided back putting more distance between them. "They were accidental." Her voice was that sultry cadence that sent shivers down her friend's backs. "Not the Black boy, you took his blood intentionally." Mina's eyes flashed. "The first time was an accident. The second was his way to bribe me for attention." Drago moved towards her, she tried to move away but he caught her to him and held her tightly. He gripped her wrist and lifted her until her toes barely skated the ground. His gold eyes a ruby red in his fury. "Has he had your blood?" Mina blinked and wondered how this did not cause her pain. "I don't know."

Drago's temper did not cool with this but he let her feet settle on the ground before dragging her into the room he had had prepared for her. He flung her into the room before him and released her wrist. This ended with Mina sprawled on the floor. She got to her feet quicker then should have been possible and hissed at him. The red in his eyes seemed to be fading as though he suddenly derived amusement from the situation. He held her gaze as he allowed one of his nails to lengthen. He used the nail to cut his wrist and held it towards her. The scent of his blood filled the room and Mina had to fight the urge to dart towards his wrist. His eyes burned into her.

"You want this?" Mina tried to shake her head but she could not her eyes slowly turning red. "Not from you." Drago raised an eyebrow as her voice washed over him. "Why not?" He moved closer to her, heedless of the drops of his blood falling on the carpet. Mina backed away. "I don't want to become my mother." Drago paused and then glanced at the woman who had only just got to her feet. He turned his eyes back to her. "You could never become her." He shifted his wrist closer to her and her eyes latched onto it. He smiled in spite of his irritation and he pitched his voice to comfort her. "It's a gift Mina, its power." Mina shivered with awareness as his voice washed over her. "It's meant to be yours."

Against her will Mina licked her lips and raised her now red eyes to his gold ones. "Why are you offering this to me?" Drago studied her. "Because I can." Mina looked away from him and fought to control her desire, she knew, though she wasn't sure how, that if she took his blood he would have power over her. Abruptly her eyes shot back to his. "This would be an exchange of power. I wont fall for this trick." Drago blinked in surprise. "I see." He looked out into the hallway. "Mira, come here." Mina watched in fascination as her mother glided into the room and took the hand he held out to her. He pulled her mother to him and lowered his fangs to her neck, piercing the pale skin deeply. Mina watched as her mother shivered as though from pleasure. Drago's eyes were red again and he watched Mina observe them.

He drew his mouth from her mother's neck and forced the older women to her knees. "Would you take this blood then?" Mina's eyes dropped to his bite mark that was still bleeding profusely. Mina's eyes shifted to her mother who had her eyes closed in submission. Mina glided across the room, prompted by her own animal and set her mouth over his bite mark. Drago shifted behind Mina as she wrapped her arms around her mother's torso and head, holding the woman to her while she drank. Mina moaned and closed her eyes enjoying the decadence that was her mother's blood. Silence weighed heavily in the room as she fed from her mother. She did not stop until Drago's voice caressed her ear. "Stop now, Mina, your mother must regain what has been lost. Mina lifted drug-hazed eyes to his and he smoothed her hair behind her ear, slowly she released her mother whom swayed on her knees for several seconds.

"You will be a beautiful predator sweet, when the time comes." He placed his hand on the back of her neck and led her to the large bed. Mina followed his silent directive and crawled into the bed and lay back on the pillows. Drago sat on the edge of her bed and continued to play with her curls. "You don't even have fangs yet." Mina's eyes dropped to his mouth as he spoke. He leaned forward as she reached her finger towards his fangs. She traced them as if they were precious gold. He chuckled huskily and grabbed her palm sinking his fangs into its center. Mina shuddered her body flushing hot and then cold at the same time, the beginnings of desire. Her stomach was in knots but she could not look away from him. He lifted his mouth from her hand and licked her palm healing his bite. He leaned over her then his mouth skating across her forehead as he whispered. "Sleep and dream." His eyes were the last things she saw before sleep took her.

Summer flew by for Mina; her father avoided her every time she saw him. When she tried to enter his dreams for answers she found her way blocked. She asked Drago about this and he told her she would know when the time was right. She would have argued with this but, as he had relented in dressing her like a doll, she tried not to push so much. She completed her homework and exchanged few letters with her friends. Several more times Drago coerced her into drinking from her mother and it got to the point that she wished she had fangs of her own. She could have gotten her answers then, they were only a bite away. The time flew and before she knew it she was making her way back on to the train to Hogwarts.

She was running a bit behind schedule and so when she boarded the train she wished she had made plans to meet up with Severus or Lily ahead of time. She was making her way down the corridor glancing in each compartment when his voice caught her unprepared. "Mina, my princess, my how you have grown." Mina tried to ignore him but his hand wound its way around her wrist and she was forced to turn to face him. Sirius smiled at her like a cat that had caught the canary. Mina sighed, the truth was she had grown, more then she had expected. She had a figure now; one that would rival Lily's and she had gained two inches in height. Sirius's grey eyes flitted over her and she really fought hard not to notice how attractive he seemed to have gotten over the summer.

Sirius smirked at her as if reading her thoughts. "Did you miss me sweetness?" Mina huffed and twisted her wrist out of his grasp. "Really Black, your pick up lines have gotten worse with age." She turned from him and had to fight the gasp that wound its way to her throat as her eyes met the empty black ones of Severus. "Mina." His voice seemed dull, empty. Mina studied him and noted the shadow of a bruise on his neck. She opened her mouth to speak but Severus just grabbed her trunk and began towing it further down the corridor. Several compartments later he opened the door and slipped inside. Mina followed him quite forgetting about Sirius Black who glared passed her at the dark Slytherin. Mina entered the compartment several seconds after him and closed the door with a snap. Severus had already placed her trunk on the rack above and was turning to resume his seat when Mina reached out a hand and traced the mark on his neck.

He jumped his eyes flying to hers as he batted her hand away. In doing so the sleeve of his robes fell away revealing newer and darker bruises. Mina gasped and Severus noted the direction of her eyes. Hurriedly, he dropped his arm, the material falling to cover the bruises. Mina's eyes jumped to his. "What happened Severus? Did those marauders' do this? " She turned to leave, her mission to hunt down Black and his pack of bullies when his arms slipped around her waist and pulled her back into the compartment. He held her close, her back to his chest. He lowered his head until his mouth just ghosted over her ear. "It was not any of the children on this train." Mina fought not to shiver, and she turned in his arms looking into his black empty eyes, her own full of emotions.

"Tell me what happened." She whispered. Severus held her gaze for several long minutes before placing his forehead against hers. Immediately Mina felt the mental brush and she did not hesitate to open her mind to his. 'My mother died over the summer.' Mina felt horror rise in her chest and before she could convey her condolences or ask what happened he continued. 'My father beat her to death. My father did this to me when I attempted to defend her.' His mental voice was stern and she understood this was to be a secret. 'There is nothing else to say about this and do not tell Lily.' Before she could say anything his mind closed to her. As his fore head left hers she opened her eyes. At some point her hands had found their way to his waist and she jerked back from him her face turning a bright red.

She dropped her eyes from his and turned before sitting across from him. She cleared her throat "Where's Lily?" Severus stood watching her with hooded but empty eyes and Mina felt nervousness rise in her chest. Severus resumed his seat across from her. "She's a Prefect this year." Mina nodded and opened her satchel pulling out a book to read. Mina chanced a glance at Severus and found that he was still watching her. She licked her lips. "What?" Severus was silent for so long she was sure he wasn't going to answer. "There's something different about you." Mina felt her stomach tighten but she pushed the feeling away and dropped her eyes to her book. "I don't know what you mean Severus, I am the same this year as I was last year." Mina felt a flair of irritation that was quickly stifled. She looked back up at her friend but he had dropped his eyes back to his own book. The ride to Hogwarts consisted of turning pages and silence.

The sorting was the same as it had always been. Mina sat with Severus and the two watched the sorting in detached silence. The feast passed in the normal way and Mina found that the food she ate was blander then she remembered. She pushed the thought away and tried to make do with her meal. The whole time she ate she felt eyes on her but she refused to turn to meet them. She was not sure which would be worse, to find out it was Sirius or to discover that Remus saw the changes in her. As the feast ended she rose and moved with the crowd out of the great hall. She was following behind the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors leaving as much distance as she could from them. She reached her common room unmolested and slipped up to her dorm with little issue.

The next day Mina rose early and proceeded to get ready for her day in silence. She left the dorm and made her way to the great hall earlier then most and was surprised to find that Lily and Severus were arguing after less the 24 hours of being in school. As she approached her friends, she listened. "How could you not tell me what happened Severus? I am supposed to be your best friend. You could have spent the summer with me instead of staying with your father." She continued to lay into him and Mina caught the gist of it. Lily had apparently found his bruises. Mina glided closer on silent feet. Severus must have seen or felt her approach because his eyes flicked to her. She did not need legilimancy to know that he needed her help. When she reached them she placed her hand on Lily's shoulder.

Lily turned to yell at her assuming she was Potter but her mouth closed when she saw that it was Mina. Her mouth did not stay closed for long however as she demanded. "Tell me you didn't know about this." She jerked up the sleeve of Severus' robe and Mina shifted to block his profile from the rest of the area. Lily's temper was drawing a lot of attention. "Lily, you need to clam down. You are making a scene." Mina held the red heads gaze steadily. Lily released her grip on his sleeve. "That's right, lets not make a scene we wouldn't want the world to know that Severus was-." She did not get to finish her statement as Mina flicked her wand casting the silencing charm on her friend. Mina steered both her friends into a side room and locked the door behind her before casting muffilato. When Mina turned back to her friends she was not surprised that Lily was glaring at her in anger.

She sighed and lifted the charm. "Now, Lily, screaming from the top of the rafters will not change anything about Severus' situation. We are hundreds of miles away and Severus will be here for most of the year." She looked at Severus who seemed to be studying her intently. She shivered a bit and turned her gaze back to Lily and continued. "Severus has requested that we say nothing, can you not respect that?" Lily glared at her before fuming and turning to Severus. "You can't possibly be serious about not saying anything." Severus' gaze left Mina and studied Lily. Mina was confused by his behavior but she ignored it; or she meant to until he answered his loves question. "Actually Lily I am very serious and Mina is right. I do not want this to get around the school." Lily's mouth shut with a snap and Mina found her mind pulled in several directions at once. Lily huffed and stormed out of the room angrily. Mina turned to follow when a hand on her wrist drew her back into the room.

Mina's breathe seized as she turned back to Severus. She raised an eyebrow in an effort not to give anything she felt away. His onyx gaze held her gold one. "Thank you." Mina lightly twisted her wrist from his grasp and raised her hand to smooth his hair behind his ear. She froze as she realized what she was about to do and allowed her hand to drop, the action incomplete. She nodded instead and turned from him leaving the room. She felt his eyes burning into her all the way into the Great Hall. The rest of breakfast was uneventful and Mina and Severus got their schedules and then made their way to classes. They partnered together in potions and divination as they had done before and the school year progressed as normally as a school of magic's year could.

Halloween had nothing special occur and it was the same for the winter break. Most fifth years stayed in school as there was so much to do. While in third and fourth year things had seemed harder, nothing had prepared them for their OWL year. Several of the fifth year students found themselves in the hospital wing seeking calming and restorative droughts. Mina was not among them but Marlene, whom had seemed to forget her, did find her way there. It was just after the beginning of the second term that Sirius cornered her. She had just left lunch and was making her way to Arithmancy when he pulled her into a closet and turned forcing her against the wall.

"You are ignoring me again." Mina blinked her eyes searching his. "It's our fifth year Sirius, I've been trying to maintain my grades." Sirius snorted. "Typical Ravenclaw. Have you given anymore thought to my proposition from last year?" Mina rolled her eyes. "You really want to do this… now of all times?" Sirius held her gaze steadily and Mina huffed pushing him back from her. "Fine, Black, your answer is no." This had, obviously, not figured as an option to him and he blinked as she slipped out of the closet and made her way to class. She was several minutes late and she lied saying that she had gotten caught on a trip stair. She glided to her seat and started her work.

Several days later Mina found herself in the library with Remus whom seemed to find her every move fascinating. After several minutes of being watched passed Mina looked up with a raised eyebrow. "Something on your mind Remus?" Remus blinked and leaned forward. "Several things actually." Mina nodded and held his gaze, after several minutes he glanced around the library. Finding them alone he relaxed. "You seem steadier this year." Mina nodded and he continued. "Sirius is angry you refused him." Mina shrugged and turned her attention back to her essay. "He's most disappointed that you don't want his blood. Why is that?" Mina froze and then looked up at him.

"I never wanted his blood in the first place, the whole situation was an accident." Remus held her gaze for several long moments. "I see." He lifted a finger of his own and traced it over the edge of a piece of his parchment much as Sirius had done the year before. Against her will, Mina's eyes fell to his finger. Remus watched her eyes shift in color from gold to a pale red. "So you don't want this?" Mina narrowed her eyes and forced herself to look away. "Why are you doing this?" Remus lowered his hand and wrapped it in his robe. "You reek of vampire blood this year, I was seeing what you would do." Mina felt annoyance rise in her chest. "So you are testing me then. Are you disappointed that I'm not trying to bite into your jugular?" Mina stood and packed her things away in anger before she glared at him. He watched her with only a hint of remorse. She turned to leave and as she did she muttered a spell. Remus cursed when he recognized what she had done. Before him a miniature moon drifted lightly onto the table where she had been seated.

Several days later found Mina out on the Astronomy tower. Severus was sitting beside her and the two were marking their astronomy charts. The two were talking about the job possibilities that they could pursue. "I think I might try to do something in divination, or I could start a business in dream crafting." Severus studied her. "You don't think that perhaps that might cause you more trouble then it is worth?" Mina glanced at him. "What do you mean?" He raised an eyebrow. "Your dream crafting is a unique talent Mina, they will find ways to harness it and regulate it. I think you would be better served keeping that particular gift to yourself." Mina considered his words and nodded. "You have a point, perhaps I should consider doing something else." Silence fell between them as they continued working on their charts and it wasn't long before they finished their work. Both students turned in their charts and gathered their things before leaving the tower.

Severus took her wrist as was his habit and lead her towards her common room. He paused when they reached an old classroom not far from the entrance to Ravenclaw tower and he looked around. Seeing no one he opened the door and tugged her in after him. When the door closed he turned her to face him and he stared intently at her in the pale moonlight pouring through the window. "What about the Dark Lord Mina?" Mina studied his dark eyes. "He hasn't attempted to contact me since Lucius' party in third year." Severus nodded. "Yes I know, he wants potentials to finish school with out distraction." Mina studied his eyes. "Potentials for what?" Severus' mouth twitched. "I wish I could say." Mina narrowed her eyes.

"You can't drop a hint to me like that and then not complete it. That's not even remotely fair." Severus' gaze dropped to her lips and Mina attempted to move back from him. His grip on her shoulders tightened marginally. Mina tried to read his mind and found herself blocked as his eyes lifted to hers again. "What are you doing Severus?" confusion and desire danced in her eyes and Severus seemed to consider his answer for a long time. Without warning he lowered his mouth to hers. A blush bloomed across her cheeks and her eyes brightened. He studied her for several seconds before his lips just barely brushed hers. Mina's eyes closed and she sighed, she could not hide the longing that rose with in her, or hide the yearning that seemed to dance on her face. She felt his breath on her lips again and just as his mouth met hers the classroom door opened slamming against the wall loudly.

Mina and Severus both jumped apart their eyes flying to the door where in stood Sirius Black. His face was flushed as if he had been running and his eyes were dark in anger as he glared at Severus and then looked at her. Mina could not help the growl that escaped her mouth and she felt Severus' attention shift to her fleetingly. "I can't believe this." Sirius' voice carried harshly over them. "Mina how could you?" Mina blinked and immediately felt rage flow through her. "How could I?" She hissed. She moved to slap him when Severus wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her back to him. His voice when he spoke was cold. "Is there a problem Black?"

Sirius glared. "Damn right there is, get your hands off my woman." Mina tired to remain calm. "Your woman. Are you daft?" Sirius' eyes dropped to hers "I am no ones woman." She slipped out of Severus' arms and crossed the room towards her fiery counterpart. "I have never belonged to you Black." Sirius smirked and raised a finger to her scar. She glided out of his reach. "I would never be your woman even if I did belong to someone. Your woman changes with the wind's direction." This seemed to take the wind out of sails and he stared at her. "You wont be mine only because you are waiting for Snivelly to notice you. I bet if you had never met him you would have no issue with the idea of me and you." Mina scoffed. "What ever you have to tell yourself to sleep at night." She glanced fleetingly at Severus. "I'll see you in class tomorrow." Severus nodded and she glided from the room knocking Sirius back out of her way.

It wasn't until much later, when she was in her bed that she realized that Severus had kissed her, almost twice. She could not help the smile that jumped onto her face. As kisses went it barely counted. But for her, anything from Severus was like a shooting star. Rare and beautiful at the same time; Mina's heart beat heavily in her chest and she could not help crafting a dream just for herself; one where she and Severus had not been interrupted by the ever-irritating Sirius Black. Mina had not had such a peaceful sleep in a long time. The next day Mina could not help the anticipation that rose as she approached the entrance to the Great hall. Said anticipation died when she found Severus and Lily making amends after their fight.

Mina let out a disappointed sigh when she noticed the light had returned to her friend's eyes. Her steps lost their bounce and her eyes dropped to the ground in an effort to hide the welling resentment and pain that rose in her chest. Two steps later and she felt long fingers graze the back of her neck. With out looking she knew it was Black. Her intuition was rewarded as she heard his voice close to her ear. "It hurts doesn't it, Mina." Mina did not answer but she did not move from the shadows of the entrance to the Great hall as she watched the one she loved trying to win his hearts desire. He continued behind her, his hand coasting lightly tangling in the curls at the nape of her neck "I would never do that to you." His breath coasted over the long healed but extremely sensitive bite mark she had gotten from Drago and she shivered. Sirius chuckled softly and whispered. "Think about it Princess." Lightly he bit the bite mark and Mina could not hide the shudder that went through her. Sirius said nothing else and entered the great hall.