Lucius sighed, now sitting fully dressed on the edge of his and Harry's bed. It seemed surreal to be able to say that it was theirs. Not just his, but theirs. He remembered the near-disgust he had felt when he had understood that Narcissa would have to share his bed upon marriage. It had never been their bed; depending on the circumstance and the company, it was either his or Narcissa's. Her memory caused him to wince a little, remembering the pain she had caused him, but at least she had truly loved their son. There had been little reason for them to have kept their marriage besides Draco. And now, though Lucius hated to admit it, he felt a little bit of remorse for killing her. Sometimes, she had been his best friend, but towards the end of their marriage, she was his worst enemy.
Their desires had been entirely different towards the end of the war. She had cared about getting herself andDraco out alive; Lucius had stopped caring whether he lived or died, only about getting his son away from the clutches of the maniac they had served. When it came down to it, they were selfish in different ways. Narcissa cared most about appearances and reputation, and a few good scandals never hurt anyone. Lucius, however, cared about his own pleasure while maintaining the illusion of a clean record. He knew his illusion was shattered by Narcissa's desire to be in the spotlight, but now that she was gone, the world needn't know his personal life any longer.
"What's wrong?" Harry asked, sitting himself behind Lucius, his legs straddling Lucius from behind. He wrapped his arms around the blonde's chest, resting his chin on his shoulder.
"I was just thinking," he replied softly, placing his hands over Harry's. "Thinking of how different my relationship with you is from my relationship with Narcissa."
"It better be different!" Harry exclaimed indignantly, causing Lucius to chuckle. "I'm your soul mate!"
"Of course, Harry. I just never stopped to think about how dissimilar you are," he explained, a small smile on his face.
"I'm sorry this all resulted in Narcissa's death," Harry said softly, snuggling more firmly against Lucius.
"I don't know if I am, though. She tended to like scandal, and I feel that you and I would have just been another one to add to the books," Lucius admitted. "She was never really more than a friend to me, if even that. The only thing that kept us together was first and foremost Draco, and second, the reputation that we have been trained to uphold, she as a Black, and I as a Malfoy."
"No matter, what's done is done," Harry murmured. "We cannot change our actions, not even with magic. Sometimes it is better not to, anyways."
"Wisdom beyond your years," Lucius whispered, turning his head to catch Harry's in a sweet kiss. Harry smiled and sighed happily, feeling the heat from Lucius' body.
"Though sometimes I have the maturity and reasoning skills of a five-year-old," Harry admitted a bit sheepishly.
"There are times when I'm the same," Lucius chuckled. "Though I believe it's not often."
"I don't think anyone ever really saw me as a child, even when I acted like one. They just assumed it was the pressure making me crack. Maybe they shouldn't have relied so heavily on me," Harry grumbled.
"I always did think it was a bit unfair, forcing you to bear the burdens no man should ever have to face," Lucius murmured, stroking Harry's face.
"Constantly dwelling on it won't change anything, Lucius," Harry said with a small chuckle. "And frankly, as much as it irritated me, I just don't care anymore."
"I'm guessing that's your way of telling me to change the subject," Lucius said with a raised eyebrow. "I suppose we ought to inform Dumbledore that Hallwill will be spending the night elsewhere. After all, that's what we should have been doing." Harry sighed and nodded, realizing he was right. Reluctantly, he detached himself from Lucius, standing. The blond took his hand and they made their way to Dumbledore's office.
-X-X-X-X-X-X-
"Why the hell can't the old man have a normal password?" Lucius grumbled, having unsuccessfully tried several passwords to get past the gargoyle. The stone creature was waggling his finger disapprovingly at Lucius. Harry giggled, finally deciding to lend Lucius a hand.
"His passwords are always some kind of candy," Harry said. Lucius turned and narrowed his eyes at him.
"That would have been helpful to know a few minutes ago," he snapped, turning back to the gargoyle and listing off candies he could think of. It seemed that Wizard candies weren't what Dumbledore had a penchant for at the moment, so Harry decided to try a Muggle candy.
"Mars bars?" he asked cautiously, grinning when the gargoyle sprang aside, ignoring its snide comment.
If Dumbledore was surprised to see Harry and Lucius burst into his office, he didn't show it. He looked up at them, his quill pausing over whatever he was writing.
"Hallwill has asked that we inform you that he will be spending a night away from Hogwarts," Lucius said stiffly. "He has found both his companion and mate. He will be staying with his mate for the night in order for the two of them to become better acquainted."
"You're being vague, Lucius," Dumbledore said. "Who is it?"
"I have been requested not to reveal any information about Hallwill's mate," Lucius growled. It was clear he was irritated, from a combination of the gargoyle's snarky attitude and his clear dislike for Dumbledore.
"Then I shall not press you for it. Hallwill has much more power than even I can fathom. I do not wish to incur his wrath," the old man said tiredly, peering over his glasses at them.
"Sir? Has Hallwill always been at Hogwarts?" Harry asked, unable to keep himself from using the formality. Dumbledore sighed.
"It is complicated to explain. As a shape-shifter, he can, theoretically take the shape of any object, animate or inanimate. Size matters not. He lent his magic to the school as part of the Room of Requirement," he explained slowly, as if trying to decide how to go about his explanation. Harry looked at Lucius, his eyes wide.
"So Hallwill used to be a room?" he asked, completely bemused. Dumbledore chuckled.
"No. He imbued his power into the walls. He, oddly enough, can also become so insignificant as to not be noticed. He was always inside the room in some form. I take it that alarms you?" Both Harry and Lucius had blanched.
"So… all the students who have used that room for… personal reasons… have had a voyeur?" Lucius asked nervously.
"None were ever aware. Hallwill is rather shameless, but he was sworn to secrecy by the founders, who knew exactly how that room would be used," Dumbledore said, clearly amused.
"So that's why he had no problem walking in on me naked twice," Harry muttered. "He saw Seamus and I. At least we didn't actually do the deed. Eugh." Lucius raised his eyebrows at Harry, clearly asking for the story. "Later," Harry mouthed. Lucius nodded.
"Now that we have conducted the business we came for, we shall take our leave," Lucius said curtly, turning and walking out. Harry followed with a half-hearted wave to Dumbledore. He still wasn't quite sure what to make of the man following the war.
-X-X-X-X-X-X-
"I suppose I should be glad that I didn't like Seamus enough to ever get past hand jobs," Harry said with a laugh, having finished explaining the story of his past relationship to Lucius. He couldn't help but feel loved at the possessive expression in Lucius' eyes when he spoke of being with someone else.
"And now, I'm sure there's a story of you in that room, or you wouldn't have been so alarmed either," Harry said smugly, watching Lucius' face from his armchair. Lucius sighed.
"I'm sure you've guessed that I have never liked women. They're simply too… I don't know. I just don't like them. Well, I discovered my love for men when I was in fourth year with my best friend at the time, Sebastian Valero. His family was from Spain, on a foreigners program Hogwarts did as a trial for several years. It was abandoned when language barriers became too great, as the students were not advanced enough to use translation spells. I met him in second year, and we were quite good friends. After a while, we both realized that we had… feelings for one another, and being Spanish, his Latin blood ruled his head and, when we were fourteen, one thing led to another and we took each other's virginity," Lucius said, his cheeks slightly pink. It seemed he was struggling to say something else. "I did not realize Hallwill has seen the only time Lucius Malfoy was thoroughly debauched."
"Only you would say you were 'debauched' instead of something more blunt," Harry snorted.
"I am still a Malfoy and we have certain behavioral decencies to hold ourselves to," Lucius said haughtily. Harry raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, like bending your fiancé over a table and leaving bruises the size of dinner plates?" Harry smirked.
"What decent man doesn't?" Lucius purred. "And I wasn't aware of those bruises. Why did you not say anything to me?"
Harry blushed scarlet. "I had Hermione make them painless for me the morning after it happened," he said sheepishly.
"You didn't ask me?" Lucius asked, and Harry caught well-concealed hurt in his voice. "It is part of my duty to you to be a healer to you, especially when I cause the pain, Harry."
"You were asleep at the time and I had to leave almost immediately. I don't want you to be inconvenienced because of me," Harry said softly. "It was faster to have Hermione do it."
"Did you never think that perhaps our sex life should stay between the two of us? She may be your best friend, but that does not give you the right to tell her the intimacies we share!" Lucius hissed, his temper beginning to rise. Harry's began to flare in response.
"It's never seemed to have been a problem for you before! I know I've seen articles in the Daily Prophet about your past lovers. What, can you not bear the shame of being associated with me in front of the entire general public?" Harry spat.
Lucius stood suddenly, advancing on Harry. Harry stood as well, meeting Lucius' glare.
"You really do have the mental abilities of a child sometimes, don't you? Imagine the reaction of your 'fan club' when they discover you've been fucked by a former Death Eater! How do you think they will react to me? You may be able to do no wrong in the eyes of the public, but I can't do a single good deed without being ripped apart! You will be guilty by association! Have you never thought that I do not desire my personal life to be seen by the public eye?" Lucius hissed, standing mere inches away from Harry.
He roughly pushed the blond away from him. "All you wanted was the bragging rights to having gotten my ass, right?"
"Use your brain for once, Potter!" An old habit had slipped back into use in his anger. "Do you think that you would bear my mark if all you and I are turns out to be sex friends? You are my soul mate! You obviously cannot comprehend the magic that governs soul mates, or you would not accuse me of such things!" With that, Lucius turned sharply and left the room, leaving Harry taken aback. It was amazing how quickly he forgot things when he was angry.
He could feel Lucius' anger throbbing in his shoulder, the mark's pain much deeper than he'd ever felt. It felt as though someone had thrust a shard of white-hot metal into his skin and allowed it to sink deep. He sat on the floor, too unsure of himself to walk the few paces to the chair behind him, pulling his knees to his chest. He rested his forehead on his knees, hugging his legs.
"God, I'm an idiot sometimes," Harry murmured to no one.
-X-X-X-X-X-X-
"Sit down, take a deep breath, and speak coherently," Severus ordered the angry blond. Lucius grudgingly did so, crossing his arms. Severus thought he looked remarkably like a child told he had to eat his vegetables.
"Harry and I had a fight. I don't really want to talk about the details, but we were rather insulting," Lucius said, calmed by the presence of his best friend, and by the tea Severus handed him, having poured a generous measure of brandy into it.
"The fates could not have put two people more likely to kill each other together," the Potions Master sighed, turning his eyes upwards. "I may not be an expert on the subject, but fights are an average part of relationships."
"But we're soul mates," Lucius said weakly.
"That doesn't make your relationship perfect, stupid," Severus snapped. "You will push the wrong buttons sometimes, and you have to deal with what happens! You may not have learned this, but you have to take responsibility for your own temper." Severus' tone was cutting, causing Lucius to wince. "Just because yours was overshadowed for years by Narcissa's the Dark Lord's does not mean it is formidable and will not cause harm to those around you. Have you never noticed Draco's reluctance to tell you anything? He is afraid of your temper." He sighed, as though pained. "Your temper reminds me far too much of my father's. Do not allow it to control you. Though you may believe you understand the magic governing soul mates, you do not understand the realities of a relationship. No amount of magic will prevent a couple from fighting. I don't care who was in the wrong in this fight; I assume you both are, since you are both stubborn and often belligerent. You must apologize to Potter, Lucius. Even if you don't think it's your fault, you are much older than Potter, and you are the one who should be displaying maturity." Severus sank into his own chair, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Severus, you're my best friend and near brother for a reason. I don't know where I'd be without you," Lucius said, flooded with affection for the ill-tempered man.
"Sleeping on the couch, if you're even that lucky," Severus replied, trying to hide a small smile. "I hope you realize that not many wizards ever find their soul mates. You're very lucky to have someone so loyal, you know. Even if I do think he's a brat."
"It's rare for you to speak so kindly of him. I remember for years, you said the only reason you hadn't killed him is because he has Lily's eyes," Lucius remarked, the corners of his mouth twisting into a smirk. It faded when he saw the pain in his friend's eyes.
"I have told myself that I must forget her. I have Luna, and though I do not yet love her, as she is aware, she is far more company than I have had and realized I wanted. She is happy to leave our relationship at a mental level, rather than a physical one," he said softly. Lucius smiled and walked over to Severus, pulling him into an embrace.
"You deserve happiness, after all you have been through," Lucius said, releasing him. Severus couldn't help but smile at the blond and pat his hand.
"I believe you have some apologizing to do," Severus prompted, raising an eyebrow. Lucius smiled sheepishly.
"I do. Thank you, Severus," he said, taking his leave. As soon as the blond had gone, Severus sank into his chair, his brow furrowed. When had he acquired the slight fondness for Potter? Perhaps it was the way Luna spoke about him that made him understand the boy simply stood firm in his beliefs, even when others' differed. The illusion he had created of a second version of James had been shattered so completely in the final battle that perhaps he'd grow to tolerate the boy.
-X-X-X-X-X-X-
"Have you spoken with Aberforth?" Hallwill asked, sitting on the bed beside the redhead. Charlie nodded with a smile, unable to keep from staring at Hallwill's bare chest. He had not put his shirt back on after his transformation. Hallwill, ever observant, noticed Charlie's gaze and smirked.
"I prefer to not be held by confines of unnecessary articles of clothing. Harry, however, convinced me to be entirely dressed to meet you," Hallwill commented nonchalantly, grooming his fingernails.
"I think that's probably a good thing," Charlie murmured, unable to resist running his calloused hand over Hallwill's smooth skin, tracing the shifting patterns. Hallwill's breath caught in his throat. He leaned in to Charlie's touch, biting his lower lip when he felt the rough hand dangerously low on his abdomen. With a slight groan, he pushed Charlie's hand away.
"We cannot. Not until we know you and I can stay together. It will be physically painful for us to be apart for so long once we have bonded. I do not have human control over myself. Once you start, I cannot stop you. It is the downfall of many shape-shifters. We are creatures of completeness. Once something has begun, we cannot stop it until it has been completed. Had we gone on, the bonding process would have begun and I would have been unable to halt it until we had both finished," Hallwill explained. He smiled wryly. "For all the benefits wizards see in the possibility of being a shape-shifter, they do not understand that we have limits. Such as this image of perfection equaling completion." Charlie's eyebrows were in danger of disappearing into his hair.
"That's kind of scary, actually. Not to have my mind on one thing, but any time things get heated, we have to go all the way, or we can't stop?" Charlie asked, a little nervous. Hallwill laughed.
"Not necessarily. If we decide completion is after oral sex, we will be able to stop after that," he said. "If you or I desire more, however, we cannot stop. Strange laws govern my magic. I won't pretend I understand them, and I'm growing tired from trying to comprehend them." Charlie snorted.
"If you can't understand it, I definitely won't. I've never made it a secret that I'm not the most brilliant wizard to ever live. I am, however, rather accomplished in what I do," he said proudly. Hallwill saw the unadulterated joy in Charlie's smile, and couldn't help it when his heart swelled with love.
"Tell me, how would I enjoy Romania?" Hallwill asked softly, tilting his head.
"Are you saying you'd come live with me?" Charlie asked, his eyes lighting up. "You'd love it. Where I am is full of forests and quaint magical villages, where the people help us train the dragons. I feel like your magic would be right at home there."
"I cannot leave Hogwarts until Harry and Lucius do. Luckily, Harry is in his final year, and my protection will not extend beyond that time. Now that I've found you, I do not want to go another several months without being able to see you," Hallwill said, his eyes locked on Charlie's.
"I can come on Hogsmead weekends, and we can see each other then," Charlie whispered, leaning in to brush his lips against Hallwill's. "I know the feeling, even though several hours ago, I'd never even thought I loved someone. Yet, with you, I'm so suddenly sure I love you. It's all a little disconcerting, actually. But Hallwill, I love you."
Hallwill hugged Charlie tightly. "Those words are ones I've waited my entire existence to hear you say. I know that I love you, Charlie, though I hardly know you."
They spent the rest of the night together, simply learning about each other, full of certainty that this was where they belonged.
-X-X-X-X-X-X-
"Harry?" Lucius asked cautiously when he saw him curled up on the floor. He received no response. "Please don't have drunk yourself into a stupor again." He rushed to Harry's side and tilted his head back. He sighed in relief. It seemed Harry had simply fallen asleep. Tenderly, he lifted his lover and carried him to their bed. He gently put him down, kissing his forehead.
"Mmm, Lucius?" Harry asked, waking up slowly. He sat up and looked at Lucius, rubbing his eyes.
"Harry, I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I shouldn't have said things I did, and I should not have assumed to understand the magic that governs our relationship. I had a good talking-to from Severus, and he made me see that though we are fated to be together, it does not make us immune to the fights that every couple must have. I have a terrible temper, and I'm afraid I lost it on you tonight. Please, forgive me, love," Lucius said softly, holding both of Harry's hands.
"Of course I forgive you. I said some horribly nasty things, too, Lucius, and I'm sorry about what I said. I'd prefer these fights not be often, though," Harry said, pressing his lips to Lucius'. "I really love you, you know."
"I know. And I love you, Harry, even though I may be terrible at showing you now," Lucius murmured, pushing Harry down to his back and hovering over him, leaning down to kiss him fiercely. Perhaps the fights wouldn't be so bad, if this were to come afterwards, he thought.
-X-X-X-X-X-X-
When Harry appeared at breakfast, he was positively glowing. Hermione raised an eyebrow at him, apparently over her cold.
"I discovered the wonders of make-up sex," he whispered so only she would hear. She snorted.
"I don't think I want to know about your sex life, Harry," she said pointedly. "Just because you both are insanely sexy together doesn't mean I want to know how things go every time it happens." She couldn't help smiling just slightly.
"Well, at least I'm happy. How are you and Ron doing, by the way?" Harry asked with a frown. "I feel like I never see you anymore."
"We're doing fine, but I feel like he wants our relationship to be more physical than emotional, and it's a bit irritating," she admitted.
"Well, you could talk to Luna about her relationship. It's almost exclusively emotional and mental," Harry suggested, purposely not mentioning who she was with.
"She's in a relationship? That's wonderful!" Hermione said happily, turning to look at the Ravenclaw. "Who with?"
"I don't think I can tell anyone," Harry said with an apologetic look.
"Oh, alright then," Hermione said, visibly disappointed.
A/N: Good Lord. That took me way too long to write, and I'm sorry. D: I just feel like I have nowhere to go with this story. It feels kind of mundane, so if anyone has any plot ideas for me, they're more than welcome. Anyways, hopefully this was okay. I wanted to put some smut, but if I did, it would never get finished. I'll probably have more in the next chapter. Thanks for reading! ^.^ Please review!
~Amy Ehren