Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership of Harry Potter, the character, settings or plots that have been born from the magnificent mind of J.K. Rowling. For those too incompetent to understand words longer than two syllables: I do not own Harry Potter.
This is Parseltongue
Warning: Slash
Beta: angelhitomie
Harry could recall several instances where waking up had definitely not been a pleasant experience on his part.
The day after an especially violent beating at Privet Drive, where Aunt Petunia had been delayed to stop her husband from going too far when the man had lost his temper.
Coming into the world of consciousness after drinking the potion the Order forced down his throat. He always hated not being able to say whether he was back in the real world or just experiencing another vision.
This time Harry awoke feeling rather comfortable. From what his still asleep brain could register, he was in his own bed, comfortable and the body behind him provided extra heat that helped him to relax.
At this Harry halted, running over his previous thoughts until he found the one that disturbed his peace. There was someone else in his bed.
Harry's first instinct was to shove the other person out of the bed, but he found himself lying still as memories from last night floated forth.
Voldemort had been there last night after his vision about Dumbledore and him.
After Severus had been thrown out, Voldemort had then proceeded to have sex with him.
Harry felt his face heat up for various reasons.
He had given up his virginity last night, and it had certainly been different from what Harry had heard it would be like. There certainly hadn't been much love involved, if any at all. For Harry, it had been about the need to feel, desperate for assurance that he really was back among the living. He could not claim that he knew why Voldemort had done it.
But he felt worse with the knowledge that there were no Silencing charms around his room and Severus had probably been able to hear most, if not all, of the sounds they had made.
Groaning Harry buried his face in his pillow. Perhaps he could simply suffocate himself before he had to face Severus again. That would certainly be better than knowing that Severus knew about what had happened.
Somehow Harry had the feeling that Voldemort had not placed Silencing charms around the room, even if the man had had plenty of time to do so. It would be something that Voldemort would do.
"Bastard." He croaked, wincing at how sore his throat felt.
"I believe I informed you of my parents' married status last night. Perhaps you were too occupied with other matters to listen." Harry nearly jumped out of his skin when Voldemort spoke up from behind him. He had believed Voldemort to be fast asleep, and the man had given him no reason to believe otherwise. It brought up the question about how long Voldemort had been awake and what he was still doing in the bed.
But jostling around, no matter how little it might have been, proved to be a really bad idea on Harry's part. Pain shot up through his spine as though he was being speared by a sword, making Harry hiss several curse words he had heard Severus use, when an experimental potion had blown up unexpectedly.
"Such crude words. I am sure that I can find a better use of that mouth of yours." Voldemort moved to the lower part of Harry's body while other parts of him reminded him why it was that he was hurting right now.
Harry's fingers closed around the nearest thing within reach, which happened to be the pillow he had previously tried to suffocate himself with, and he yanked it out from under his head. "You bastard!" Harry didn't care that he was being uncreative with his insults. He dropped the pillow before he could hit Voldemort with it, the twisting around sending new bouts of pain up through his body, making Harry feel like he was being split in two from inside out.
Cold hands grabbed his shoulder and guided him until he was lying on his back, ignoring the sounds of discomfort that followed the forced movements. "Pull your legs up to your chest and spread them."
"Hell no." Harry blurted out, glaring until he grew cross eyed at Voldemort, who was now sitting up, the duvet concealing the lower body from Harry's view. Though after this night, there hardly was anything about the man that Harry hadn't already seen.
Voldemort raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him. "I need to see if there had been done any damage." The man said, as if stating knowledge that every child should have.
Harry merely continued his glare, starting to believe that the blush was permanently engraved into his face. "You are not getting anywhere near my – you know what. So don't even think about it!" Harry was surprised that Voldemort simply didn't get up and left or used force on him. It didn't seem to have been a problem for the man last night.
"Your rectum, you mean?" Voldemort asked, moving so Harry had to grab for the duvet unless he wanted to be completely naked in front of the other man. It was rather naive thinking after what they had done, but Harry wanted to keep at least a small part of his dignity. He yelped in pain, but kept a secure grip on the duvet.
"I can take care of it myself." Harry insisted, though he was unsure about how he was supposed to do that. All he knew was that moving hurt. He wanted to lie in bed and wait until the pain left on its own. Perhaps he would get Dobby to ward the room against intruders once Voldemort had left.
"It would be a show of flexibility to see you check yourself for damage. Either you let me do it, or we will call for your guardian. By the way you are going on about this one would think that you have never had sexual intercourse with someone else." Voldemort commented dryly while Harry felt like he had gotten something down the wrong pipe.
Somehow the thought of letting Severus have a look was worse than letting Voldemort have his way, which wasn't a preferable option either. Instead Harry responded to the thing he hoped would buy him enough time to figure out how he could get Voldemort out of his room while still staying in the bed. "I haven't been with someone else."
Had it been another situation Harry would probably have been amused by the look Voldemort got on his face. As it was Harry just wanted to find a hole to crawl into and only come out again when the whole world had forgotten about his existence.
His gaze fell to his covered lap where both of his hands rested. Remembering the taste of blood Harry blinked, staring at the now unmarred skin on his left hand. Such quick healing could only happen with the aid of potions and magic, and as Harry hadn't done it, and he knew that Severus hadn't been there, it left only one possibility for who had done it. Now, Harry was thankful for the Sleeping charm Voldemort had cast on him when he had kept himself awake by talking. At least it meant that he had been asleep through the speeded up healing process.
Harry was startled out of his thoughts by a stab of pain when Voldemort threw the duvet aside, placed two hands on his shins, bending his legs until the thighs were touching his stomach. "Stop it!" Harry protested, blinking away the tears coming from the assault of pain. When Voldemort let go, Harry quickly held on with his own hands. It was only so he didn't have to go through the pain of lowering his legs again, really.
Voldemort stopped further protests by putting Harry under a Silencing charm. It took Harry a few moments to realise that though his mouth was moving, no sound was passing over his lips.
So now the bastard could bother to use the blasted charm.
"Reckless child!" Harry bristled at the insult, though judging by the look Voldemort sent him from between his legs, he wasn't impressed. "If you are not used to intrusion, what we did can have caused a great damage to you." By the way Voldemort spoke he almost sounded like the knowledge of Harry's lack of experience would have made a difference.
All pondering about how Voldemort would have done it then was chased away when one of Voldemort's hands went down there and Harry felt something probe against his pucker.
The seer attempted to move away, but again the pain, and also the hand Voldemort placed on his stomach, stopped Harry from going too far. "This is the last warning, lay still or I will take the choice away from you." Voldemort waited long enough to see Harry nod before disappearing into an angle where Harry could no longer keep an eye on him.
The probing returned, but this time Harry managed to keep still, a much better choice than being petrified by magic. This way it did at least give him the illusion of having a choice.
The dreaded finger circled the rim of his hole, not going any further. Harry waited with bated breath, not a muscle moving as he waited for Voldemort to get on with it.
But nothing happened.
"You need to relax. You are already red, so this will only hurt further if you keep being so tense."
Still unable to use his voice Harry shook his head. Even if he had wanted, he doubted that he would get the tenseness to leave his body. The memories were too fresh on his mind and as long as Voldemort's finger was there, Harry was unable to think of something that would distract him.
Voldemort's head came into view from behind his legs, locking eyes with him. For a while the man neither said nor did anything, merely looking at Harry in a way that only unnerved him further than he already was.
If not because he knew better, he would say that Voldemort looked hungry, the glint in his red eyes definitely didn't spell well for him. "Spread your legs."
At first Harry didn't react. It was only when Voldemort's hand moved from his stomach to one of his knees that Harry moved. He would rather do it himself and be able to stop than let Voldemort decide.
Looking back at Voldemort with gritted teeth Harry was glad to see the nod that meant that he had to move his legs no further. This position was far more uncomfortable than it had been when he had merely been holding his legs to his chest. Like this there was nothing of him hidden from view, logically Harry knew that at this point it did not really matter.
The hand Voldemort had placed on his knee travelled upwards, ghosting over his skin before the fingers closed around his penis, making Harry jump in surprise, though he was not sure if it was to get away or to get closer.
Like any other healthy teenager he had awoken with his fair share of morning woods, taking care of it in the shower so not to leave any traces behind. But it quickly became clear to him that having someone else giving him a hand job felt good in a different way than when he attempted to take care of it himself.
Voldemort stroke him to full erection with sure movements. Harry was split between praising him like Merlin's second coming, and swearing the man for not allowing him to come.
Nails scraped over the oversensitive skin, making Harry's cock twist and stand fully up. The probing at his rectum returned, but Harry hardly paid it any attention as Voldemort ran a nail over the slit of his cock.
Harry clenched his eyes shut, feeling a high burn of heat pooling in his stomach. But Voldemort wasn't letting him come, not giving Harry the relief he so desperately needed. It almost seemed like Voldemort was doing it on purpose, knowing that each time he drove Harry to the brink of completion, and then denied him it, the seer felt like he was one push closer to losing his grip on his sanity.
A new pleasure shot through him as Voldemort's fingers, since when had he managed to get two in there, brushed against his prostate. "Bastard!" Yelling that word quickly seemed to become a part of a weird ritual but at least it meant that his voice was back.
"You are getting predictable." Voldemort mock crooned, the fingers bending and only brushing against the bundle of nerves inside him this time.
"Fuck you."
"I believe that it happened the other way around seeing as I penetrated you."
Whatever retort Harry had planned, which would definitely involve something with how big a bastard Voldemort was, was cut off when Voldemort lead him to orgasm by touching his prostate and twisting the hand around his cock at the same time.
The pleasure overrode the pain when Harry's hips arched from the mattress, his eyes rolling backwards.
When he got his breath back and opened his eyes, Voldemort had moved to sit at the edge of the bed, looking at him with a thoughtful expression in his eyes.
Harry blinked drowsily, wondering if he was supposed to say something or what not. He really didn't want to destroy the peace they had at the moment. In fact, it would be perfect if Voldemort would just lie down so he could go back to sleep.
Should he tell Voldemort that he equalled a child's teddy bear to Harry?
Nah, better not do that. Even Harry doubted that Voldemort would take it well to hear something like that, even if it was meant to be a compliment. He realised that Voldemort was speaking and had probably been so for some time, but Harry only caught the end of the monologue that included something about no tearing.
Well, wasn't he lucky? But that didn't help the fact that he was in pain when he moved and he had no plans about leaving his bed today.
Earth could go under, trolls could enter the castle or Dumbledore could come dancing and offer lemon drops to the students, it wouldn't change the fact that Harry wasn't moving.
"Stay in bed today. It wouldn't do if you suffered unnecessary damage." Harry was not sure if it was his imagination or not, but Voldemort actually sounded concerned. Something must have shown on his face as Voldemort decided to speak again. "I take care of what is mine and from now on you belong to me."
Harry managed to sit up, his legs dropping into a more comfortable position instead of being held to his chest and he whacked Voldemort on top of the head with his pillow. "I'm not an object and don't you think that you can put a claim on me!" The previous good mood was gone as Harry scowled darkly at Voldemort. He couldn't believe what was coming out of Voldemort's mouth. Speaking of him like he was an object Voldemort had claimed ownership of.
Voldemort seemed completely unconcerned by the pillow he had just been hit with. Of course it wasn't a weapon that dealt a deadly blow. And now where the pillow had fallen to the floor, Harry was wondering why he had done it. Slapping Voldemort would have been much more effective, but probably also something that Voldemort would not have overlooked.
The pillow had definitely been a better choice.
"Of course not, an item I would be able to put on a display cabinet, and show it off should I desire to do so. You would most likely break the whole thing and get yourself caught by Dumbledore's people but it does not change the fact that you are mine, and what I have, I keep for an eternity. Now get some rest, and, if you are a good boy, I will consider using Silencing charms the next time to spare your guardian's hearing."
Voldemort was up and out of the room, leaving Harry to stare at the spot the man had been sitting only seconds before, beet-red from the blood rushing to his face.
He had completely forgotten about Severus after the other had left the room last night. And as much as he regretted being able to, he was able to recall some of the sounds he had made and most of them had been far from quiet. So, Severus most likely had a good idea of what had happened, and, unless the Potions master had left the quarters or used magic, there had been nothing to spare him from the noise.
Voldemort knew this and yet he had offered to help Harry with Severus.
Exactly how was he supposed to break the news to Severus that he had just had sex with the Dark lord?
Dropping back on the mattress and placing an arm over his eyes, Harry realised several things that he should have thought of before now.
There was Voldemort's mate to take into consideration. Why had Voldemort had sex with him, when he was supposed to have his eyes on someone else? It didn't make any sense unless Voldemort had done it because he had gotten tired of waiting. But why had Voldemort decided to go for him when there were plenty of other people willing to jump into bed with him at a moment's notice.
The arm fell from his face, a frown dominating it. Gritting his teeth he got back up in a sitting position, getting his legs over the edge of the bed. No matter how much he wanted to stay in bed, he needed to go to the library.
)00(
"So, this is where you have been hiding." A heavy bag was dropped at the table he sat at, making one of the stacks of books he had stabled starting to tilt. Harry was half out of his seat, a hand out to stabilize the books and journals before he realised how bad an idea that had been when his muscles protested at the movement.
"Wingardium Leviosa." The books stopped falling, due to Draco's quick spell casting. Waving his wand Draco directed the book back into a stack, never taking his eyes off of Harry. "Mind telling me why you are on a Pain Reliever?"
Harry winced at the question, having hoped that Draco wouldn't notice it. Sometimes his fair coloured friend paid too much attention to his surroundings. Perhaps it was time to see if he could divert Draco's attention from the subject. "Shouldn't you still be in class? Don't tell me that the great Draco Malfoy has started skipping lessons." He added a scandalised tone to his voice. With how Draco always went on about Malfoys setting an example for other people, it seemed so out of character for Draco to do something like that.
"The lessons are over for today." Draco deadpanned, while Harry blinked his bleary eyes, the only sign of his surprise. Was it already so late? It didn't feel like he had been in the library for most of the day.
"Ehm." Harry said, trying to think of how long he had been there. He had snuck out not long after Voldemort had left, managing to snatch a Pain Reliever and getting out of the quarters without running into Severus or someone else he knew. And since it was Wednesday, it was a full day of lessons for Draco, so they were closer to dinner than lunch.
Draco walked around the table and bent down so he was on eyelevel with the now sitting Harry. "Your pupils are extended, your reaction time is severely lengthened, and you didn't even notice me arriving, which means that you are less than perfectly aware of your surroundings. Furthermore, you move carefully, as if expecting pain, and yet you do not behave like you are hurt? So, mind explaining to me why you are under the influence of a Pain Reliever?"
He really shouldn't have been surprised by Draco's observation skills. Really, his friend had been under Severus' tutelage far longer than Harry had been. Severus would have been dismayed if Draco hadn't been able to pick up the signs of the use of such a common potion. It would truly have been a disgrace.
But right now, Harry would have been happy if Draco had been a little less attentive.
As Harry apparently took too long to come up with an answer for Draco's liking, the blond carried on speaking. "You didn't return yesterday as you were supposed to, and this morning the Daily Prophet was filled with articles about demands to heighten the security in public areas since it can't be possible that known rebels are able to walk among normal people." The scorn in Draco's words left little doubt about what rebel he was speaking of, and Harry couldn't find it in himself to be surprised that it had been reported in the newspaper.
With the Daily Prophet having its headquarters in Diagon Alley, it was rather likely that someone had passed while Harry had been cornered by Lupin.
Merlin, he hoped that he wasn't being mentioned in the articles.
He considered denying having anything to do with the incident in Diagon Alley, it would bring Draco peace and allow Harry a bit more time. But when Draco found out the truth, and Harry held no doubt that his friend eventually would, Draco would throw a fit, probably in worry of what could have happened.
"Yeah, I lost sight of the Lestranges, met Lupin, escaped from him and accidentally ended in the Muggle world." He wasn't about to mention his encounter with Dudley. For his cousin's own sake it was best that he spoke about Dudley as little as possible.
"Is he annoying you, little speaker?" Diablo appeared from under the table between the two teenagers, making Draco rear back in shock over the big reptile that had suddenly appeared.
Harry felt one eye twist at the title the snake had bestowed him with. "No, he is my nest mate." He said, figuring that it was the best way to explain Diablo that Draco was off game without confusing the snake too much. It had been hard enough to explain to Diablo why he was living with Severus when they were not even related.
For a snake that had been around humans his whole life, Diablo showed little understanding of how the world worked. It could also be because Harry was used to conversing with Nagini, who had been with a Parselmouth for years.
"Your mate would be mad if I let someone bite you." Diablo hissed before disappearing back under the table, probably to return napping as he had previously been doing.
Groaning Harry let his head fall to the table, resting his forehead against the book he had been reading. While it annoyed him hearing Voldemort being called his mate, mostly because he knew that Voldemort had his eyes on someone else, at least Diablo had stopped pestering him with questions about whether or not the mating had been a success, a slight improvement in Harry's opinion.
The sound of pages being turned made Harry lift his head enough to be able to look at Draco. The blond had taken one of the tomes Harry had already read through and was skimming through the pages with a sceptical look on his face. "I thought you said that the books about the ancient oracles didn't do you much good." Draco said, looking up as if he had felt Harry's gaze on him.
Harry let his head fall back onto the book. Why was it that he had come here in the first place? Oh yeah, he had remembered reading a paragraph about what happened when oracles back then had sex with others, as Granger had reminded him a few weeks ago, though it seemed much longer now where he thought back.
"What did you say?" It was only when Draco spoke that Harry realised that he was mumbling to himself. And judging from Draco's tone of voice, it had been loud enough for Draco to hear the words.
Perhaps if he simply ignored Draco, the blond would get bored and go away? But that budding hope was gruesomely crushed when a chair was dragged out and Draco sat down next to him. Luck just wasn't on his side today. "Spill the beans, Scarhead." Normally Draco's nickname for him would merely bring a small smile to his lips. Most of all because he knew Draco would use it as a weapon against him if he showed that it annoyed him. But right now Harry didn't feel like he had the patience to deal with Draco and his antics.
The open book he had been resting his head on, was yanked out from under him, making Harry's head connect with the table, hard. Harry lifted his head once more to glare at Draco, who was too busy to pay him any attention, Huffing Harry laid his head back down. Perhaps he should try and catch up on some sleep? It wasn't like he had gotten much last night.
Now where he thought about it, it actually seemed like a brilliant idea.
"So, how was it?" Draco's words brought Harry's attention back to the here and now. "You wouldn't have been able to do it in Diagon Alley, and please tell me that you didn't do the deed among the Muggles, who knows what kind of sicknesses' they carry around?" When Harry didn't answer Draco carried on, deciding to answer his own question. "I don't think so; you wouldn't let your first time be somewhere disgusting." Harry didn't dare to lift his head, well aware that the blush from this morning was back on full force.
Why was it that Draco found his sex life so bloody interesting?
Unfortunately Draco didn't employ the ability to use Legilimency the moment Harry desperately wished that Draco would simply shut his mouth, despite the fact that the other wouldn't get into his mind anyway. "And he did something to piss you off."
Harry couldn't help the laughter that spilled from his lips, catching the attention of those sitting close enough to hear it. By the confused looks on their faces when he looked up, Harry knew that they hadn't heard the reason of his laugh. Harry shook his head, stopping the laughter and stared sternly at Draco. "Drop it, I won't tell." Even if Draco started guessing possible identities, Harry doubted that Voldemort would come up as a possibility in the blond's mind.
"You mean the Dark lord?" Right now Harry was quite sure that some higher power had it out for him. While Draco's causal words seemed to be just that, causal, they were too unlikely to even be used in a joke.
Getting up, Harry grabbed Draco's sleeve and dragged the wizard after him out of the library, uncaring of the protests Draco came up with.
He showed Draco into the first unused classroom they came across. Judging from the thick layer of dust everywhere, it was a long time since anyone had been in there. And with no portraits or ghosts there to spy on them, there was a bigger chance of this talk staying private.
After ensuring that the door was closed Harry turned around and came face to face with Draco. "Explain, Scarhead, why are you acting so paranoid? All I did was talking about you and the Dark lord." Draco trailed off, a smirk growing. "You actually did it with him? Damn, that means that I owe Blaise money."
"You made a bet?" Harry knew that it wasn't what he should be focussing on, but right now it seemed easier to deal with. "You are absolutely unbelievable. How could you bet about something like that?" Clenching his fist Harry pondered on the pros and cons of hitting Draco right now. It certainly was tempting to do.
Draco nodded. "I know, but it didn't seem likely that the two of you would get together this early. Personally, I had placed my money on the summer vacation, where there would be less people around to distract you. Of course, Pansy, being a big romantic, was the first one out. She thought that you would see sense only two weeks after the claim on you had been made."
"Wait what!?" The words snapped Harry out of the daze he'd fallen into as Draco had started talking about the bet his friends had made behind his back. "What claim?" He asked, having a feeling that he would not like what he was about to hear. Seriously, what was it with Voldemort and claiming ownership of him? The next thing he knew would probably be that Voldemort had indeed found a display cabinet to put him in.
Smugness almost oozing of him Draco stepped back and leaned against one of the desks in the front row. Harry followed Draco's line of sight to his arm. Numbly Harry lifted his arm so his sleeve fell back; revealing the bracelet Voldemort had put on him during their visit at Gringotts. "This?" He simply asked, feeling split between laughing and dragging Draco to the Hospital wing, so they could see what jinx he had been hit with to make him think of so crazy things. "Draco, as much as I love you, you need to get your eyesight, and possible also your head, checked. This thing," He shook his arm so the bracelet glinted in the light from the windows. "It isn't whatever you seem to think it is. Voldemort found this in my family vault. It's one of those bracelets that people use to keep an eye on their child, though he modified it a little before putting it on, so I understand why you are confused."
The small warm feeling that had appeared at Draco's words, was put to an abrupt end. He couldn't afford to believe in that kind of thinking.
Draco was starting to look noticeably uncomfortable, shifting his weight from one foot to another and then back again while avoiding meeting Harry's gaze. "I sometimes forget that you didn't have the same upbringing as I. Then again, it is something only the old families practise, so I suppose that it isn't exactly something everybody knows."
"Exactly what are you talking about?" Harry snapped, quickly growing tired of listening to Draco's musings without getting an answer to his questions.
The blond blinked and looked at him, like he only now remembered Harry's presence in the room. "I believe that I know what you think it is, but that bracelet is a bonding jewellery, practically announcing to the whole world that you have accepted the courting offer the giver made. I gave Astoria one once our engagement was made official. Yours doesn't look like the kind normally used, but all the required runes are there, so it is the real deal."
Suddenly feeling lightheaded Harry leaned against the door behind him, not sure whether his legs would be able to carry his weight right now. "You're kidding, right? Are you sure that you are not mistaking it for something else? I mean, you did say that it doesn't look like the usual thing, so maybe-"
Draco had moved forward, placing a hand over his mouth and effectively cutting off Harry's stream of words. The blond looked serious, which caught Harry's attention even before Draco started speaking again. "This isn't a joking matter, Harry." The lack of Draco's usual nickname for him told Harry that much. "Anyone worth something will be able to recognise the bracelet for what it is. Sev wouldn't have told you, because he isn't a pureblood, and has probably not been taught it. Or maybe our lord swore him to silence so he had no way of telling you, I don't know. I didn't think that I had to tell you, since the Dark lord told you everything you needed to know before you accepted the bonding bracelet, so I do not need to go into details."
At Harry's shake of head, Draco swore colourfully, removing his hand from Harry's face and using his wand to transform a table into a two-seater sofa, green of course. "I thought it was something else he put around my wrist." Harry informed Draco as they sat down on the couch. This certainly wasn't a turn Harry had expected when he had dragged Draco along.
Harry stared down at the jewellery that sat innocently around his wrist. He had long since grown used to its weight, so it would probably feel weird should he get it off. But it didn't change the fact that Voldemort had engaged himself with him, without Harry knowing it.
Though, he supposed it explained why Voldemort seemed to believe that he owned him.
"Draco, is there a way to be unfaithful with this one here?" He knew that purebloods were very into staying true to the one you were supposed to be with, so it wouldn't really surprise him if there was a curse to turn you inside out in case one stepped out of line.
"Is this the day where you don't use your brain, Scarhead? This is a part of the Old Ways, of course one has to be faithful. Unless you are forced into it, but magic would be able to recognise that so you shouldn't be punished, thought there was an incident back in 1601, so better not do that. The only one you can have sexual intercourse with is the one you are bonded with, which is why there usually is a chaperone in the same room when two bonded are together, to avoid certain consequences." It explained why there was always someone else there when Draco went to meet with Astoria. He and Voldemort had spent plenty of time together without anything happening, but Harry suspected that it had been because he had been unaware of the meaning of the bracelet.
"It basically means that you and the Dark lord are bonded, either until you decide to break it off, or to take the next step. Until then you are together, a pair, an item, some would even go as far as saying that the bracelet makes you soul mates, but personally I disagree. There is no way that a bonding jewellery can manipulate one's emotions. There already has to be an attraction of some kind before the jewellery can be put on. I guess that is why so many in arranged marriages don't dare to use them. They would rather go around in their happy little world, than live with the knowledge that their intended doesn't have the slightest interest in them."
Harry closed his eyes, trying to gain the resemblance of control over his thoughts.
He still hadn't found an answer to the question that had leaded him to the library in the first place.
This reminded him that he had left Diablo in the library on his own.
Harry was out of the room and running before he could further ponder on what all this new knowledge could lead to.
He had a disaster to prevent.
)00(
Magic was the cause of many wonders, big as well as small ones, every day. Since coming to Hogwarts Harry liked to think that he had seen his fair share of it. From people being tortured to insanity with a flick of a wand to whatever was the product whenever a student decided to practise a new spell without the proper guidance and supervision.
"What has happened here?" In the time he had been gone it seemed like a tornado had went through the library. There were no people in there, and by the signs of it they had left in a hurry. Chairs had been overturned, and someone's homework was spread out over the floor, most of the words unreadable because the ink had been smeared out.
However, Harry's attention was focused on the two he knew had to be the reason for this mess.
Perhaps it was stupid of him, but he had hoped that he would be able to put off the meeting between Nagini and Diablo, prefering that it never happened, but that plan had to be abandoned seeing as it was already too late for that.
The two big reptiles were facing each other, and Harry, who had wondered which one of them was the biggest, found that they were matching in size, with Diablo slightly longer and thicker than the female. If it turned into a fight, he wasn't sure who would win. On one hand, Diablo was a constrictor, but then again, Nagini was poisonous and could kill a full grown man with her bites.
But, no matter how interesting it would be to see which one of them would win if it came to a fight, Harry decided that it was best to butt in before something was destroyed.
Stepping inside Harry cleared his throat loudly, making both snakes pause in their fighting, looking at him.
"Little speaker!"
"Hatchling."
They unwound from each other and moved towards him with a speed that belied their sizes. Harry took a step backwards, contemplating if it was in his own best interest to run from the predator duo heading straight for him. He didn't get any further as the two snakes reached him and started climbing him as if he was a tree.
Soon Harry's whole body was wrapped by Nagini and Diablo. Feeling that he might break a rib if he breathed too deeply, he stood still at the spot. "So, you have met." He said, lacking better words to say but still feeling the need to break the silence that had come with him announcing his arrival.
Harry had to draw his head back in an uncomfortable angle to keep both reptiles within sight. The way they stared at him from each of his shoulders, where their heads were resting, was slightly disturbing.
"Little hatchling, what's that thing doing here? He says he knows you, is he lying? I will be happy to bite him for you." Nagini hissed, throwing a look at Diablo all the while that told Harry that she was entirely serious in her offer.
Looking from one snake to the other, Harry wondered why it was always him who ended in this kind of messes. He wanted to pinch his nose or at least give some other sign of his annoyance, but as long as he was kept in place like this, it wasn't a possibility. "Nagini, this is Diablo, I found him yesterday, and he is my friend. Diablo, this is Nagini, Voldemort's familiar, and until now she has been the only snake here at Hogwarts." Once in a while a first year would bring a pet snake with them to school, only to have it disappear within days, probably chased off by the territorial female.
Personally, Harry believed that Nagini ate them, but it had yet to be proved.
The tension in the room wasn't lessening and Harry was serious starting to regret interrupting. He believed that neither snake would want him harm, but accidents were known to happen, and currently he was between two dangerous snakes that were none too happy with each other.
Nagini butted her head against his chin, making Harry look at her. "Voldemort won't be happy, he doesn't like other snakes but me." She insisted, making the tips of his lips twist, though he managed to keep it down.
Before Harry could calm her with saying that Voldemort would not mind seeing as Diablo was a temporary guest, Diablo spoke up from his left side. "You mean the little speaker's mate? Humans are strange, did you know that they mate but make no hatchlings?" If not because Harry was positive that the two reptiles did not like each other, he would say that they had planned this. Furthermore, he found the sound Nagini made at hearing this rather worrying. It almost sounded like a squeal, and Harry was thankful when she ended the noise, fearing what would have happened to his eardrum had she not.
"He must be so happy to have his mate accept him." Nagini said cheerfully, her body squeezing his to the point where Harry feared that something actually might break.
While Harry easily enough understood who Nagini meant, it was the other person she spoke about that caught Harry's attention. "Nagini, who is Voldemort's mate?" He yelped when a tail whacked him in the back of his head before he could dwell too much on what this could possible mean.
"Stupid little hatchling. Of course you are the mate, no one but a speaker is worthy of my speaker. Have you hit your head?" She sounded sincerely worried.
"You just did it?" Feeling a warmth fill his chest at the news, Harry was unable to keep a chirpy tone out of his voice.
He might have been hit again if not because they were interrupted at that moment. "When I heard that my familiar and another snake were terrorizing the library, this was not what I expected to walk in on." At the unexpected voice Harry's head whipped around so fast that he feared that he might get whiplash. "Though I must admit that I do not mind the sight." Red eyes were slowly wandering over him, taking in the sight Harry made while being flushed and covered by two dangerous snakes.
How long had Voldemort been there? Had he just arrived, or had he simply masked his presence so they could not notice him? And how much of their talk had he overheard?
The eyes did not leave him as Voldemort abandoned the spot in the doorway, walking casually over to the trio. "I do remember that I told you to stay in bed for today, do I have to bind you to make you follow my orders?" Voldemort halted once he was in front of Harry, reaching out and letting a finger run over the smaller male's cheek.
Harry licked his lips, his mouth suddenly feeling abnormally dry. "Am I your mate?" The words were out before Harry had a chance to second guess how smart it would be to voice the question.
"And where, exactly, did you hear that?" Harry was on guard immediately. There was nothing off about how Voldemort had said this and yet Harry could not shake off the feeling that they had moved onto dangerous ground.
He shrugged the best he could with his body being constricted as it was. "The basilisk informed me that you had chosen one, Nagini seems to believe it is me, and I just found out that this thing is not just there to ensure my safety." The whole thing was said offhanded, though his heart seemed to beat slightly faster as he waited for Voldemort's answer.
He managed to sneak his left hand out between the snakes' bodies, the sleeve pulled back enough to reveal the bracelet, making sure that Voldemort could see it.
"I told you, that you are mine. This bracelet proves it." Fingers encircled his wrist, turning the limb slowly as he took in the details of the jewellery. Harry couldn't help but look as well, despite knowing every detail by now. "It is still around your wrist, meaning that you haven't rejected me despite your new knowledge. But who of your friends told you about its meaning?"
Again, Harry shrugged. He held no wish about getting Draco into trouble for this. The blond had helped him, how long would it have taken him to find out the bracelet's meaning if Draco had actually kept his mouth shut?
Of course, there had to be other ways to get the bracelet off that didn't include rejecting Voldemort, but Harry lacked the desire to find them. He had learned to like the security the bracelet around his wrist brought him. "I don't like being tricked." He informed, but didn't attempt to move his hand from Voldemort's.
He nearly snapped when Voldemort placed his other hand on top of his head, actually petting him. "The bracelet was only meant to ensure that no one would dare to touch you. It was a way to inform people that you belong to me. But I hadn't expected things to take a turn like this." The hand on his head moved and Harry's eyes fell closed as fingers carted through his hair. "You are mine, and I intend to keep it that way. I do not share and I will keep you by my side."
Some kind of command had to have been given as Harry was suddenly free from the two snakes that had kept him in place.
Before he could enjoy his newfound freedom, Harry was scooped off his feet and into Voldemort's arms, one under his knees while the other was supporting his shoulders. Surprised Harry latched onto the nearest thing, which happened to be Voldemort's neck, to keep his balance. "What do you think you are doing?" Demanded Harry, struggling to be let down, but Voldemort's grip did not slack.
Voldemort turned around and strode out of the library with Harry in his arms. Looking over the man's shoulder Harry saw that the two snakes were following along, not attacking each other as they slid side by side. "I ordered bedrest for a reason. Taking a Pain reliever does not change that fact. And how do you intend to make it back to your room on your own? Unless you enjoy having people looking at you as you limp?" Harry decided against answering, letting go of Voldemort so he could cross his arms over his chest.
He briefly touched the bracelet, careful not to look at it in case that he drew Voldemort's attention to it.
His happiness over discovering that he was Voldemort's mate didn't get to last for long.
Harry wondered whether he should tell Voldemort about his concerns, but decided to wait, at least for a little while. If nothing happened, he would speak up.
But perhaps if he waited for a little while, everything would turn out to be okay.
Still, Harry could not get rid of the worry that had driven him to the library in the first place.
He supposed he would just have to wait and see if he would get a vision again, or if no longer being a virgin meant that he had lost his only link to magic.
*Points at male person in the shadows* Next chapter you will die, everything be dammed.
Illusions of Grandeur by Kanathia is worth reading.
Until next time