"Lest, Frater, baby brother dearest," Marylin said brightly, in the vampiric language as the Hogsmeade council drifted away from them, back to their drinks, "If you break my arm, I'm going to do terrible things to you. Things that will make you wish for bonnets and frills."
Her brother made no notice of her threat, staring off into the crowded room, full of Hogwarts students and a few Hogsmeade residents. When she made the arrangements with Madam Rosmerta, she made sure the regulars would still have access to the tavern while also making sure the students would be safe for event. She had been a little hesitant that her suggestion for a dance during the last Hogsmeade visit before the intense studying for the O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s began would be cast down. The event she had encouraged for Valentine's Day had barely passed with approval and probably because the other staff members had most likely thought it would be a better way to supervise couples who would otherwise no doubt attempt other late night activities.
This time, she had encouraged the idea of the dance as she saw more and more students tense as the exams loomed closer. The fact that it would also provide her and Lest with the chance to interact with the wizarding world outside of Hogwarts in a prominent wizarding village was an added bonus. Thankfully, Dumbledore had thrown his support behind her and she was thrilled with the turnout, watching students of all the Houses mingling together, relaxing and enjoying a night away from studying. She was enjoying herself immensely and had been thankful that Lest had remained diplomatic with the Hogsmeade council, his arm looped with hers as he answered their questions about the negotiations.
All the while gripping her arm hard enough that she knew she would have bruises.
She reached over with her free hand and dug her nails most unmercifully into the back of his hand. She grimly smiled as he wrenched his eyes away from the crowd back to her.
Her smile faded as she saw a burning cold light in his eyes.
"Lest?" she asked hesitantly, looking into his eyes, noting how distant and distracted they seemed. She saw them focus and immediately all traces of fire disappeared behind an indifferent expression.
He glanced down at his hand and carefully untangled his arm from hers.
"There was no need to be violent," he said, a touch of irritation in his voice. She saw him glance back into the crowd and his jaw clench.
She tried to follow his gaze but all she could see was a wave of all her students, some dancing more enthusiastically than others. And then she saw a few of her older students slowly making their way over to her. She tilted her head as she saw them focused on -
'Oh no,' she thought, inwardly wincing, glancing at Lest again.
Before she could hurry her brother away, Lavendar Brown, Parvati and Padma Patil and Alicia Spinnet popped in front of them.
She felt her brother stiffen next to her and gave a giant inward sigh.
"Hello, Professor Opacre," Alicia grinned at them as the other three alternated between blushing and smiling at them, more specifically her brother. Marylin forced a smile and gave them a small wave.
"Ms. Spinnet, ladies, I hope you're all enjoying yourself," she said as cheerfully as she could, carefully taking a step between Lest and the girls. "And might I say you all look quite lovely tonight."
The group murmured their thanks and she saw Alicia glance over her shoulder, none too subtlety at Lest.
"Thanks, Professor," the Gryffindor Chaser said. Marylin couldn't help but wince as the girl straightened herself and looked boldly right at Lest. "I was wondering if maybe - "
"No," Lest bit out and Marylin sighed as he pushed past her, moving quickly through the crowd and out the door before the girls could say anything.
'Well,' she thought gloomily as the girls gaped after him, bewildered. 'At least he didn't make more of a scene.'
Outwardly, she gave the hurt Alicia a sympathetic smile.
"I'm sorry about that," she said apologetically as both Lavender and Parvati whispered their condolences to their disappointed housemate. "I suppose I should've mentioned but I really didn't think it would be issue, Lest is usually a very intimidating presence to most. I suppose I forgot all about Gryffindor bravery," she said ruefully.
"It's okay," Alicia said, giving a half-hearted smile. "I mean, I wasn't trying for anything serious, I just figured…"
Marylin patted the teenager on the shoulder. "Unfortunately, Lest is quite taken. Has been for some while. And for most vampires, it is a very serious thing."
"Oh," Alicia said, blinking, her hurt fading away in her surprise. Her eyes widened even more and she nervously glanced over at the exit Lest had left through. "Oh! I didn't offend him, did I? I mean, I didn't know, are they - "
"It's a long story," Marylin sighed. "Quite complicated too. But none of your worry!" she said cheerfully, waving her hand as if to cast away the topic. "You can still enjoy the dance!" She paused as the girls glanced at each other, looking around the room again as a thought came to mind. "Although…"
"Yes, Professor Opacre?" Padma asked curiously. Marylin grinned at them, a little sparkle fluttering around inside her.
"Have any of you happened to see Harry yet?"
"So!"
Seamus plopped his hands down on their table, his eyes gleaming as Dean waved ruefully behind him.
"What's all this about then?" he grinned widely, looking over at Harry and the Slytherin next to him.
Harry inwardly sighed.
::I could drop him again, if you'd like?:: Qye offered, taking a brief moment to peer through his eyes. ::Maybe spill something?::
::It's okay:: Harry said wearily. ::I knew it was coming eventually.::
::Offer stands:: Qye said as he retreated back into reading another memory. ::Loud place, lots of people, things happen, you know.::
Harry fought back a grin as he looked up at the intensely interested Seamus. Draco turned to the dance floor, interrupted in the conversation they had been having about the Thestral from their project before the Gryffindors joined them. Ron sighed across the table where he had been dodging Hermione's persistent questions about his deal with Draco while also awkwardly trying to compliment her.
"Hello to you, too," Harry said dryly, placing aside his almost finished drink. "Enjoying yourself?"
"Brilliant, thrilled, having the time of life, wanting to know what's going on here," Seamus said immediately, still peering at him. His eyes moved over to Ron and he raised an eyebrow. "This wouldn't have anything to do with Ron suddenly doing a complete one-eighty on his desire to rid the world of Slytherins, specifically pointy blond gits?"
Draco turned back, an exasperated look in his eyes. Before either of them could say anything, Blaise Zabini suddenly appeared next to Seamus, his eyebrows raised in curiosity.
"I was about to ask the same thing," the Slytherin said lightly. He looked back at Draco and tilted his head. "Anything to say, Draco?"
"What is this?" Draco asked irritably, frowning at them both. "I didn't realize your lives were so utterly dull that you had to pry into ours."
"Only when your lives start to impact mine," Zabini said blandly. He wrinkled his nose slightly. "Never thought you and Weasleys would ever be so cozy."
"I hate you so much," Ron said conversationally to Draco, his arm draped over the back of Hermione's seat. "I should be granted an Order of Merlin for how much I completely and utterly hate you and am not doing anything."
"I'm sure the Minister is getting right on that," Harry said, rolling his eyes. He grinned as Hermione dug her elbow into Ron's side, making him let out a soft 'oof!', before turning her frown on their companions.
"Don't you have anything better to do then dig for gossip?" she sniffed.
"I think this is a little more than gossip," Zabini said dryly at the same time as Seamus grinned widely and answered with a cheerful, "Nope!"
"To be fair," Dean added in with his own grin, "you have to admit this is completely bizarre. I mean, it was already weird when Ron started - "
"Okay, really," Harry said, turning back to Draco, "what did you do to him to make him agree to this?"
"You don't know?" Dean asked, surprised.
"You know, I thought Granger might've strong-armed him into it to keep him focused on the O.W.L.s," Zabini said thoughtfully. "Maybe slapped Draco again."
"Excuse you," Draco said indignantly, straightening up in his seat. Harry hid his smile behind a hand as he coughed, apparently not too well judging by the frown the blond gave him.
"All I know is one minute we're keeping tradition alive and the next you're telling everyone to back off unless they wanted to feel the wrath of the Weasley twins with Malfoy wealth backing," Zabini shrugged.
"Malfoy's Galleons are just good as anyone else's," Fred said cheerfully as he popped up behind Zabini, making the Slytherin jump.
"Possibly better since we're liberating them from him," George added as he popped up on Zabini's other side. The dark-skinned boy uneasily shifted between the twins and warily kept his hands to himself.
"Oi!" Seamus interrupted, pushing himself to the front again. Dean rolled his eyes and snagged him before he jostled the table. "Still wondering here!"
"And interrupting us!" Hermione said exasperatedly. She made a little shooing gesture with her hand. "Don't you have better things to do?"
"But - " Seamus protested.
"They're on a date," Ron said bluntly. "For whatever reason Harry's gone mental and giving the git a chance. And I'm asking Hermione to dance because I've done my task as best friend but even I have limits. Bugger off now." He turned to Hermione, whose cheeks were turning pink. "Want to dance and get away from these idiots?"
"Alright then," she said, pink but smiling and giving Ron a pleased look. Ron apparently realized what he just did as his face was slowly turning red but he nonetheless stood up and held out a hand for her. They pushed their way past the people around the table and Harry grinned after them.
::About time!:: Qye said exasperatedly. Harry couldn't agree more.
Then he realized he was left with the crowd of people who were still giving them curious looks. Even the Weasley twins were grinning in a manner that was not at all comforting.
"I can't believe I'm saying this," Draco muttered in Harry's ear, "but should we take a cue from Weasley?"
"That's an idea," Harry murmured back.
"See?" Seamus exclaimed, pointing right at them. "That, that right there!" He looked around at the others. "I'm not the only one wondering about this here, right?"
"No, but you're the only one making a scene," Dean sighed, pulling the Irish teenager back as Harry and Draco stood up. "Sorry, I held him back as long as I could," he added. He glanced behind them, where there were other students not too subtlety looking over at them. "At least it's coming from a friendly face?"
"I'm just making sure I'm not going to suddenly find myself on the other end of a Weasley product," Zabini pointed out.
"That's up for debate if you don't hold the rest back," Draco said coolly, tilting his head over to where the rest of their Slytherin housemates lounged by the bar area, eyeing their group. Harry saw Pansy Parkinson scowling, surrounded by her friends, before the crowd moved again and blocked their view.
He tilted his head over his shoulder as he felt a faint touch on his back, seeing Draco nod over to one of the less crowded exits.
"You going to be okay there, Harry?" one of the twins asked, the easy grin on his face at contrast with the sharp look he was giving the blond. "You just say the word…"
"…and we wouldn't mind giving Malfoy here a preview of what exactly his Galleons are paying for," the other twin finished.
Harry looked at Draco again. Despite the wary look he was giving the twins, his hand never moved from resting lightly against the small of Harry's back, warm and solid and pleasant.
He looked back at the twins.
"I think we're good," he smiled slightly.
"I'd apologize about that," Harry said as they passed by the Hogsmeade Post Office and skirted the edges of the main street, "but your friends are just as bad."
They had dodged out of the Three Broomsticks, leaving a pouting Seamus with Dean who promised to let Ron and Hermione know that they were out for a walk. Zabini had just shrugged and wandered back to the Slytherins after Draco gave him a long look.
"I don't remember mine threatening you with unimaginable humiliation," Draco drawled, glancing at Harry as they started to wander into the outskirts of the village.
Harry gave him an amused look. "I don't remember mine doing that earlier."
Draco snorted. "Clearly you weren't listening to the same overprotective message I was." He shook his head. "I almost feel a little sorry for the littlest redhead if that was any indication of how they treat people who - " He stopped and cleared his throat.
He looked at the blond from the corner of his eye.
::Are…are you kidding me?:: Qye asked disbelieving. ::After all this, are you honestly telling me he stops there? Seriously?::
::Look, it's not that simple:: Harry muttered back to the other boy, absently rubbing the parts of his arms that weren't covered by the three-quarter sleeves.
::But…but…:: Qye said in a bewildered voice. ::It's so obvious, why - ::
::It's never that easy.:: He felt Qye's confusion and sighed. :: Look, just leave it.:: Qye said nothing more but he could feel the other's puzzlement.
Harry started as Draco reached for one of his arms. He started slightly as the blond slowly began to rub his hand up and down it, gently heating it.
"As much as I enjoy seeing you in something other than your typical outfits, perhaps next time something a little more practical?" Draco said, looking up at him before releasing his arm.
Harry tilted his head, hiding the thrill at the thought of next time. "What?" he said slyly, a small smirk playing at his lips. "The black robes and dragonhide gloves don't do it for you?"
"There's only so far dragonhide can appeal," Draco said dryly. Then he gave Harry a long look, something dark and heated flickering in his eyes and making Harry forget about the night chill for a moment. "Although, if you'd ever like to try it out in other ways, I'd be more than happy to give you a hand."
::And with that, I…think I'm just going to stay as far in here as I can:: Qye said hurriedly. ::There are limits on things even I want to know. I think.::
Harry jolted, having forgotten about the other boy for a brief moment, and looked away with a blush on his cheeks. ::Yeah:: he said unsteadily as Qye buried himself further back, immediately pulling up another memory. ::That…that would probably be good.::
::Have fun:: Qye said, then paused. ::Just…you know…:: There a was a mutual silence. ::Okay, I'm going to stop now, there's no delicate way to do this.::
::Please:: was all Harry sighed.
They reached the part of the village where the paved streets slowly transformed into a worn path, the houses growing further and further apart as the trees grew larger. Without giving it a second thought, his feet automatically began walking a familiar path to the Shrieking Shack. It took him a moment to realize Draco wasn't with him and he stopped to turn around.
Draco stood back warily, eyeing the path and Harry.
"Any chance I could convince you to go back and dance instead?" Draco asked carefully.
He stared at him. "I'm sorry, you saw me at the Yuletide Ball last year, right?" he finally said, raising his eyebrows.
"Somehow, I very much doubt there's going to be much formal dancing back there," Draco replied, rolling his eyes.
Harry thought about the way he saw the others dancing, bodies pressed close or throwing themselves to the beat, moving in ways in that he was not yet comfortable doing in front of so many people. And then he thought about the way people stared at him and Draco as soon as they walked in and the way they kept glancing over at them, the gazes and whispers following them as they left.
"Yeah, I'm still going to say no," Harry said, wrinkling his nose.
"Scared, Potter?" Draco smirked, raising an eyebrow.
He snorted. "You know you're being painfully obvious, right?"
"I'm sorry, I rather thought a night like this typically doesn't include going to places considered to be fuel for nightmares," Draco grumbled, resuming his walk and joining the black-haired teenager.
"A night like this, huh?" Harry hummed, keeping leisurely pace with the blond. He watched the Shrieking Shack appear in the distance, dark and looming. It was offset by the clear sky with its almost full moon, the stars accompanying its light to shine down. He couldn't help but smile slightly as he felt Draco press closer, mumbling under his breath about dilapidated conditions.
It was pleasant and quiet. It made it all more jarring when Harry finally couldn't hold it in any longer and abruptly asked, "What is this exactly?"
Draco glanced over at him, raising an eyebrow. "It's the Shrieking Shack," he said dryly. A very wry look came upon his face. "Possibly the same place I miraculously saw your head floating about a couple of years ago."
"Seeing my face anywhere you go, huh?" he grinned momentarily before shaking his head. "No, come on," he said, walking past Draco to stand in front of the fence surrounding the property. "Are we just…not going to talk about this?"
Draco joined him and looked thoughtfully at the shack. He glanced at Harry. "I thought I was pretty clear earlier."
"I just…" Harry sighed and gazed at that the shack and the barren land surrounding it, mindful of the careful manner the blond was holding himself. "I guess I'm just surprised by how easy this is going. It almost feels too easy." He toyed with one of the loose panels of the fence. "You can't tell me you don't feel the same way."
"I suppose I just don't want to question it too much," Draco shrugged, dropping one of his hands on the post. "And I wouldn't exactly say it's been easy."
"Really?" Harry said, a little disbelieving as he looked at the blond. "Four years of what can at best be called rivalry and now we're…" He made a small gesture with his hand, brows furrowing as he frowned slightly. "What are we doing?"
"It's a date, Potter," Draco said, giving him a sidelong look. "Thought it was pretty obvious."
Harry snorted and kicked at the thin grass at their feet. "Right. And since when does the great Draco Malfoy want a date with me?" He gave the blond a look of his own. "And don't dodge this, I'm actually asking."
"I don't know," Draco shrugged again, taking a step back and dropping his gaze, leaving Harry feeling colder without his nearby warmth. "But this summer put a lot of things in perspective for me. Made me think about the person I wanted to be, what I wanted to do." He looked back up at Harry, his eyes shadowed and careful. "Some things change people, as you should know after last year."
Harry flinched and backed off from the fence, folding his arms.
"That wasn't a stab at you," Draco quickly added, taking a step back towards him. "I just…" He sighed and raked his hand through his hair. "You're calling this easy?" he muttered.
"Easier than it could've been," Harry said carefully, looking away from the blond and back at the Shrieking Shack. "If you recall, the last time you talked about this I left you oozing on the train."
"I remember," Draco said. Harry looked back at him but he saw no trace of anger or irritation in the gray eyes studying him. "The point I'm trying to make is that I'm not the same person you hexed last year."
"Is that why you've been so civil?" Harry asked quietly.
Draco shrugged, hooking one of his thumbs in his pocket as he looked down the pathway. "I didn't plan this," he said, studying the path as Harry studied him. "If you recall, we started out the year very similar to the others." He looked back at Harry. "You kind of crept on me," Draco said simply, his gaze straight and unflinching. "By the time I realized what I wanted, I didn't see any reason to fight it. So if it feels easy to you it might be because for me, it's been a long time coming."
Harry shifted under his stare, still unused to the upfront manner from the Slytherin. "What happened to you this summer?" Harry murmured, hardly expecting an answer.
He certainly didn't expect Draco's eyes to darken and his jaw clench.
"You've seen part of it," Draco said lowly. "Professor Opacre being here and all.
Harry blinked.
In the back of his head, he felt Qye's attention slowly rise up.
"What does she have to do with anything?" Harry said, mystified.
Draco tilted his head at him as he leaned carefully against one of the old fence posts. "You willing to hear me this time? You didn't seem too open to it last time when I warned you about Opacre."
Harry exhaled and ignored Qye's flicker of frustration. "Kind of hard to take you seriously when it seems all either of you want to do is beat each other bloody." He moved to stand next the blond against the fence. "Didn't think you'd act that way with anyone other than me or Ron."
Draco snorted as he folded his arms. "Jealous?"
Harry knocked his shoulder into him and gave him a look. "What's the story behind you and them?"
"It's pretty long," Draco said, tilting his head.
Harry didn't look away. "I'm not going anywhere." Draco's gray eyes stayed with his for a long while, searching and unfathomable. Finally, he took a deep breath and looked away at one of the tall trees around them.
"I'm sure you know full well of my father's intention for power, whatever the means," Draco said, absently toying with his silk tie. "When his last gambit for it failed, he took to other avenues, the Ministry, the school board. But the ties to You Know Who followed him and he needed something a little more.
"He had heard that the heir of the current reigning family of vampires needed someone, someone who would gain all the connections and power that come with such a position. So I was introduced to Opacre." He grimaced. "Well, that didn't go well at all. He was arrogant, demanding, thought he knew better than anyone else, and - " The blond stopped and gave Harry an annoyed glower as the other teenager coughed, raising a hand to cover his smile. "Do you want to hear this or not?" he asked sourly, his shoulders hunching up.
Harry wiped away all traces of his smile and nudged the sulking blond's shoulder with his own. "Sorry, continue."
Draco eyed him before sniffing. "Yes, well, like I said, that didn't go well at all. I remember people having to separate us even then." He scowled briefly before shaking his head and continuing on. "Still, my father wanted to exhaust all options. My mother didn't approve of it but my father kept saying it would help. When I was ten, I went to the ceremony where Opacre was to pick the person he wanted. Fortunately it wasn't me. But my father didn't want to give up, not yet. I found out about the vampire war early on because…" His jaw clenched. "Well, the Opacres didn't want me. But there were the others."
"The Dazains," Harry said, blinking as he remembered the name.
Draco nodded, gaze darkening. "Yes. They're the other side of this. My father made advances towards them not long after that ceremony and that's when we found out about the war that started. My mother put her foot down as soon as she realized what was going on. She made my father have me more involved with the Venators instead of a world that was split in half."
"The what?" Harry asked confusedly.
Draco glanced at him. "Venators," he said. He rolled his shoulders and looked back over at the Shrieking Shack. "They're an association of…well. For legal and practical reasons, hunters aren't exactly sanctioned by any government vampires reside in. The wizarding world and vampires long ago made an unspoken agreement to stay out of each other's way. It was basically understood that if they were ever to enter a conflict, the damage would be devastating. So Venators are the ones outside of the law to call should a vampire ever turn rogue. For obvious reasons, the vampires don't take too kindly of others interfering with what they perceive to be their own affairs but…" He shrugged. "If they can't handle it, the Venators are there to make sure no one else gets hurt."
::I never knew that:: Qye said quietly. Harry started, having forgotten about the other boy. Before he could say anything, Draco continued.
"My mother's side of the family has long been a part of the Venator association," Draco said. "You'll actually find most wizarding families have had someone in the family or known someone who was."
"I thought wizards and vampires agreed not to fight each other?" Harry said, brows furrowing.
Draco nodded. "And as I said, the Venators are not officially sanctioned by any government. They're not even all wizards. Yet they've existed for almost as long as vampires have." He glanced over at Harry. "You could maybe see why Professor Opacre has been spending so much time this year attempting to educate students about vampires, trying to bypass generations of careful separation and mistrust."
Harry's mind was whirling with the influx of new information, barely mindful of Qye silently listening in. A thought struck him and he frowned at Draco. "Wait…if wizards and vampires have really had this animosity all this time, why did your father try to tie you in?"
Draco's jaw clenched again. "My…father sees power. To him, the vampires are just a little above those without magic because of the talents they possess. Talents that no wizard has ever gained. Again, you have to remember that there's been an unspoken agreement between us and them to stay apart. Hardly anyone has ever actually had contact with them, outside of those with Venators inside the family. And even then, remember the association has to remain outside of the law, or at least enough that the vampires in power can pretend that no official declaration of war has been made." Draco caught sight of Harry's overwhelmed expression and gave him a crooked smile. "I told you it was a long story."
"Merlin," Harry muttered, rubbing his temple slightly. He frowned again as another thought hit him and he gave Draco a slightly suspicious look. "Why haven't I heard anything about this from any of the others?"
Draco drummed his fingers on the fence lightly. "Goes back to the fact that the wizarding world hardly has contact with them. Rogue vampires, maybe, once in a while, who quickly get taken care by Venators if not their own while wizards and witches look the other way." He scowled lightly as he gripped the fence. "I imagine most students had some notions about vampires but were most likely more curious than anything. Coupled with the fact that they sent the most disarming vampire they could…" He shrugged stiffly.
Harry looked at his stiff posture, his dark expression, and quietly said, "You really don't like them, do you?" He was silent and then continued, "You don't like him. And not just because you think he's a jerk, is it?"
"No," Draco replied, voice tight and almost snarling.
Harry waited.
"I had a cousin who died as a result of him," Draco said lowly, his gaze far-off and dark. "He had participated more in the Muggle world, thought there were some things the wizarding community could use from them. My mother made sure never to speak of him while my father was around. I think I've only met him a few times in my life and never at the manor, never where my father could see him." He was quiet for a moment. "I remember him always trying to make me laugh with these terrible jokes and he would grin when I called them stupid. He never took offense. Those few times I saw him with family, he always wanted to make sure everyone was comfortable. He could get into a conversation with anyone. Despite thinking he was a fool for wanting to spend time with Muggles, I liked him.
"My aunt told us what happened. One of his Muggle friends got caught up with their world, had been in midst of becoming a Carus to one of the vampires on the other side of the war. And my cousin went, without knowing anything about what was going on or why the ceremony was put together so quickly. Opacre ordered a hit during the middle of the commitment. There were families there, friends like my cousin who didn't know better, and he knowingly ordered the hit."
Qye stayed silent, stunned and disbelieving. Harry swallowed his own reaction.
"The Venators scoured the scene after the fact," Draco growled. "Traced the fire to an arsonist instead of the faulty wiring claimed in the report. Interrogated the arsonist who told them she had been paid to cover the blood. To hide the traces of another Opacre kill, in the name of winning a war."
"And I'm not even saying that I don't understand," Draco continued, his fingers flexing on the fence, knuckles turning white each time he squeezed. "I've heard stories of the Dazains. They're well known for having the most rogues and consequently, the Venators have a large record on them. Brutal and cruel with talent to make them dangerous. But the Opacres aren't any more innocent. My cousin had been an innocent. The people, the families there, had been innocent in their stupid war. And he didn't care. When the Venators sent a follow up message, he told them to stay out of it." The wood creaked as Draco clenched his hands on it. "He didn't even apologize."
"They come here with good intentions, they say, but I see them talking with Dumbledore, studying us, learning about us. Centuries of separation and it is no coincidence that they've come to us as soon as the Dazains ally with the Dark Lord," Draco growled. "The students see Professor Opacre teaching and I see her training us for a war."
"She wouldn't do that," Harry protested, straightening up.
::She would never do that:: Qye mumbled, near silently. ::They'd never…::
"She takes orders from her brother, Harry," Draco said, looking at him. "Has been for years now. Say what you will but they aren't just here for good relations. Not just for that."
Harry tried to reconcile the vampire professor who had a smile for everyone, patted his head and teased him, helped him with his outfit with a strange joy with the war-motivated picture Draco was giving him and couldn't grasp it.
He looked at Draco and asked the question he'd been holding back. "Are they any worse than Voldemort?"
Draco flinched.
"Not pulling any punches tonight, are you?" he muttered.
"I think this is something we really need to talk about," Harry replied, as steadily as he could. "If I'm going to listen to you, believe anything you say about the vampires I need to know you understand those types of actions are reprehensible across the board."
Draco was silent for a moment. "My father…with the Dark Lord's rise came back the thought of entertaining relations with vampires. Nothing my mother said would dissuade him. She made me go to the Venators almost as soon as I got back home, tried to keep me away. And I wasn't even really thinking about it while I trained with them. It was just my mother being overprotective as usual, I thought. Yes, the vampires were annoying but they hardly mattered. They were never going to be a part of our world. Surely the Dark Lord, with his value on blood purity, would never enter into such a deal."
"All my life, my father told me about the glory that awaited us should he ever return. I never thought about exactly what he would do," Draco whispered, a touch of bewilderment in his voice. "My father kept saying things would be better, that purebloods would take the place they needed. That trusting Muggles and the world outside of magic would bring nothing but ruin to our people. And what does he do instead?"
He was silent for a long while.
"There was a family," Draco said distantly, a far away look in his eyes. "My parents had gone to school with the father, knew him as one of those who could've been in Slytherin if he just wanted a bit more. They had a young girl, three or four." He swallowed. "I heard my father talking with the Dark Lord. The Dazains had gone at them. A test, they said. What remained…they couldn't even determine who was who. He ordered it covered up, to keep it quiet so that the others wouldn't falter with the alliance with the Dazains."
Draco swallowed. "And then they laughed," he said hoarsely. "They laughed because they said it was a good start. They were just another family who got mixed up with vampires and an example of how it would work for their benefit." He was silent. "They were a family and they died and my father laughed."
Qye trembled, horrified.
"I don't want to live like that," Draco said quietly. "I don't want to be like that."
Harry hesitantly took hold of one of Draco's hands.
Draco stopped. "You've done that a lot this year," he said quietly, gray eyes giving him an indescribable look.
Harry looked down at their hands, Draco's pale hands warm and familiar in his own. He thought about Draco in their first year, holding out his hand to Harry, who barely knew anything about the wizarding world. He thought about how he didn't even have to think about rejecting the offer from a boy who reminded him too much of things he didn't want. Then he thought about this year, how he hardly thought about it when he reached out every single time for this pale hand and found it waiting for him.
"I'm sorry," Draco said. Harry looked up at his silver eyes, soft and aching. "I can't apologize for my ambition because I do want things, will always want things. But I'm sorry it took something horrible to happen for me to realize that there are ways I won't go to achieve it, that it is not the kind of person I want to be. And I'm sorry it happened to you."
"I'm sorry it happened to you, too" Harry said softly. He gathered up his courage and let go of Draco's hand. He heard the blond slowly exhale and then still as Harry moved his hands to his chest.
Harry could hear his own heartbeat beating rapidly, matching the beating of Draco's own beneath his fingers, echoing in his ears as he searched Draco's eyes. The silence rested heavily between them.
Harry took a breath. "Now what?"
Draco's arm curved around him. "Should we take this a step at a time?" he murmured.
Harry tilted his head back. "Yeah," he breathed and took that next step.
Their lips pressed together gently, warm and inviting.
Leaning against one of the drooping trees, hidden by the shadows cast by its long branches, Lest's eyes burned.
Next chapter: "The Kiss" – Where the spiral to the end begins.
(*calmly sips tea and relaxes as everything begins to hit the fan*)