Thanks for the reviews so far! I too am excited that Zyren is re-entering the picture. Not sure where this will lead but time will tell...Please review...please...please...please with cherry on top? Hope you enjoy!
Chap 20: Building pressure
"Nobody works better under pressure. They just work faster."
― Brian Tracy
-FLASHBACK: SHADOW REALM-2 years in-
"What the hell is your problem?" Harry yelled his frustration and fatigue breaking what little control he had over his emotions.
"I do not have a problem" the daemon replied stiffly, his angry glare never leaving Harry's face.
Harry snorted at this, causing Zyren's eyes to narrow even more.
"And here I thought you were suppose to be the brave one" Harry taunted, not caring that he was showing blatant disrespect to his teacher.
Harry had, had enough of the daemon's demeaning, snide comments, his hateful glares, his confusing bipolar moods.
Harry might be young… far younger then the being in front of him,( considering he was changed only a week ago) but it didn't mean he would just lie down and take the abuse Zyren had been tossing his way. The daemon's dislike for him had only seemed to have increased since Leonor had turned him. Harry couldn't understand what he had done to make the daemon hate him so much
"What are you implying petit combatant?" the daemon asked, his voice low, laced heavily with warning.
"You tell me" Harry answered back, folding his arm in front of him in challenge.
Zyren snarled the sound ugly, as he took in the defiant pose of his student. Suddenly he did not care to hold back any longer. Oh, he knew that Leonor would likely cast him into the fire realm for this but at the moment; looking at the infuriatingly beautiful and stubborn immortal in front of him…he just didn't care.
The daemon wasted no time in closing the distance between them, smirking smugly when his sudden movement startled a squeak out of the teen. Taking advantage of the other's momentary surprise, the daemon was quick to fasten one hand on Harry's hip while the other latched onto the teen's long braided hair pulling it viciously back and causing the teen to expose his throat in forced submission.
"You need to hear me say it petit combatant?" Zyren asked whispering the question in the teen's ear.
Harry shuddered against him, his pupils blown with lust at the daemon's controlling touches, not trusting his voice at the moment he nodded.
"What was that Harree? I did not hear you" the daemon whispered again, rolling his hips in a circular motion increasing the friction between the two of them and relishing the small gasp he forced from the young immortal's lips.
"Y-Yes" Harry gasped out, fighting to stop himself from moaning at the delicious heat the other daemon's body was giving off. The daemon being a fire daemon was far warmer than any immortal, or even mortal for that matter.
"You…. You are my problem" the daemon stated darkly, "You distract me, confuse me…call to me, petit combatant"
Harry shuddered again at the words, so close to his own feelings for the daemon.
"Please.." Harry pleaded, hating how his tone sounded broken and desperate even to his own ears.
"Please what, Harree?" Zyren asked teasingly tracing a burning finger down Harry's bared flank.
"P-Please…I…I need you" Harry said again, closing his eyes in humiliation. He could not believe he was letting the older being do this to him. Making him so desperate, so needy…so weak.
"Open your eyes Harree, look at me" the daemon demanded.
Harry reluctantly opened his eyes and was startled at the soft expression on the daemon's face. An expression he was sure he had never seen the daemon wear before.
"Do not hide from me Harree…I will take care of you" Zyren whispered his warm breath like a soft caress , before he placed a soft, almost loving kiss on Harry's lips.
"I promise" was the last thing Harry heard the daemon whisper before he stopped thinking of anything beyond the fiery touches Zyren was giving him.
End Flashback
Harry could not stop the warm blush that rose to his cheeks as he recalled the first time he and Zyren had been together.
"-arry, Harry!" another voice was calling him. Harry shook his head and tore his gaze from the daemon sitting calmly at the staff table, to refocus on the boy sitting next to him.
"Harry are you okay?" Neville asked his voice full of concern.
"Yeah…I'm fine" Harry answered automatically. Seeing the look that Neville shot him, Harry chuckled "Really Nev…I'm fine just got caught up in a memory is all"
Neville still looked somewhat skeptical, "a memory that just so happens to have been caused by whoever that new guy is?"
Harry fought down a second blush and smiled at Neville, "Er….no?" his statement coming out as a question. Harry sighed at Neville's continued scepticism…he would have to come up with something to tell his friend.
He hated lying to the other boy, who had only ever been kind to him, but he was not ready to share his 'summer experience' with anyone…not even Neville.
"It's his eyes I guess…." Harry mumbled, not meeting Neville's eyes.
"Oh.." Neville's tone was suddenly full of understanding. Harry winced, guilt rising once more. He knew Neville thought he was referring to how Voldemort's eyes were a similar colour and that was what he had been thinking of, not that Harry had actually been remembering just how those ruby eyes resembled burning flames during some of their…well, more intimate activities.
Neville sensing his discomfort with the topic was quick to change it to a safer area… bringing up how he had managed to convince his grandma to let him go and watch the Harpies vs. Thunderbirds last quiditch match. Harry sighed in relief.
He was without a doubt thrilled to see Zyren again, but at the same time he was a little confused. Why was the daemon here? Was it to see him? Or was there something larger going on? And what did it mean for them?
As much as he enjoyed Zyren's company and vice versa, Harry was pretty sure that they did not love each other…at least not in that way. They both found relief in each other's bodies and comfort in their easy companionship…but something told Harry that they did not actually belong to one another. That they both had someone else waiting for them.
He sighed again, pushing the wilted looking green beans on his plate around banishing these thoughts for the moment. He did not know why Zyren was back but for now he would just enjoy the other's company.
They could figure everything else out later.
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Draco's hands shook as he refolded the creased piece of parchment he had been staring at for the past ten minutes, the noise of the great hall around him went unnoticed to the shaken teen.
"Drakey! What is it? Did you receive a letter from home?" Pansy asked her voice as hackle raising as ever, "…do you have some news about…him?" she asked the second part of her question with a low eager tone.
Draco shook his shoulder to dislodge her taloned claws from its previous grip, "No, it is simply mother wanting to know how the term is going" he answered in a surprisingly steady voice, his tone was as cold and imperious as usual.
"Oh…" Pansy sighed disappointed before turning back to her syrup drowned breakfast.
Draco buried his reflexive shudder and stood up abruptly.
"Where are you going?" Blaise finally spoke up having successfully finished his first cup of attention sharpening brew (otherwise known as coffee).
"I forgot to pack my defense text, I am going to go get it before class" Draco stated coldly, quickly leaving before either of his 'friends' could answer. He was once again thankful that Crabbe and Goyle had chosen to distance themselves from him after Draco's father was arrested.
While at the time he had been hurt by the actions of those he had considered friends, now he could only feel relieved. While they were extraordinarily dense most of the time, he did not want to risk them having one of their rare moments of insight….not now.
He had lied to Pansy…while the letter was indeed from his mother and did make mentions of his schooling; it was the message that was there between the lines that shook Draco. Shook him to his very core.
His mother did not come out and say it but Draco was able to interpret her meaning well enough. The Dark Lord was becoming impatient…and his mother was paying the price.
He tried to smother his traitorous thoughts…the ones that wondered if his mother was truly in danger or if she was simply hinting at such things because it would help the Dark Lord's cause. As much as it hurt him to think such things about his family, he knew that there was a strong possibility these suspicions were true.
He shook his head; it did not matter if what his mother said was the truth or not, she was still family and if there was even a hint of danger to his family he would do all he could to eliminate it. And at the moment the only way for him to eliminate such a threat was to please the Dark Lord.
He would have to go forward with his given task….no matter how much he did not want to. His thoughts flickered to Harry's offer again. Maybe there was another way? It was possible…
Draco banished the small feelings of hope that the other boy's offer had brought him; no…he would not pull yet another person into his mess. He would do this alone.
He had to.
He would succeed….or die trying.
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A few miles away, Kathleen hummed softly to herself, unaware of the rapidly building tensions of both sides of the coming war.
At the moment she was simply focused on her task, Aunt Rosmerta had told her that all of the tables needed to be wiped manually and the garbage taken out.
While she hated being ordered around by her Aunt, this was the only job she could get at the moment. It was stupid. It's not like she could have known that sleeping with your boss's son was frowned upon. And now thanks to that little rat, she could not convince anyone but her Aunt to hire her.
She glared at the overflowing garbage bin in front of her, as if it were to blame for her plight. Sighing she stooped down to pick up the tied bag to toss it into the larger wheelie bin when something made her freeze.
She stopped… the smell coming from the bin was unimaginable…even when one took into consideration that it was a garbage bin. She knew she shouldn't go closer to have a look, but morbid curiosity made her ignore her first instincts.
When he got close enough to see what was causing the smell, she stumbled back in horror and let out an ear piercing scream.
Horace Slughorn's body had been found. And it was not in one piece.