Chapter 28

Forgotten Elf

Susan's head swam as she tried to sit up. Over the last two weeks she found herself becoming weaker and weaker. She tried to fool herself but she knew what was causing it. Her mate was ignoring her. No not ignoring her, he had forgotten about her. When was the last time they had spent time together? She couldn't remember. Before Pansy? It felt that way. Her bones ached and her head spun.

Yesterday was hard. It was hard to stand, to keep her head up, her eyes open and her mind on her classes. Professor sprout had sent her away from the green houses because she was swaying on her feet. She spent her afternoon classes asleep in her bed, and too her knowledge she hadn't woken until now.

If she had thought yesterday was hard, then today would be even worse. She didn't think she could make it out of bed today.

She thought of the things that her parents had written in their letters about the nuances of elven mate-ships. She knew that an unconsummated bond was far more fragile than that of a consummated one. It required more time spent with each other to keep the elf and the bond at bay. They had been pressuring her to complete the bond with Harry. But she hadn't been ready. Even after the attack by Flint, Harry, bless his soul, had offered to wait, and whilst she was now privier to other means of giving her mate pleasure she was still untouched in the ways that mattered to the bond.

Her head swam again and she closed her eyes. She was fading. She knew that without her mate, she would grow weaker and weaker until she would be forced to return to Avalon or find another to replace her mate. She didn't want either of those options, but she also wasn't sure that holding Harry's hand or having him go down on her would be enough to bring her out of her waning. Was she ready to give herself to Harry? Was she ready to take another for a Mate? Was she ready to die if she didn't do either of those things? She Groaned lightly and buried her head in the pillow.

Would Harry even remember her, here alone in her room? She willed her Mate to come to her knowing that she didn't have the strength to get up and find him herself.

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Harry Smiled at Daphne as she stretched beside him and kissed his check before sniffing at his neck.

'On you go then.' He said moving slightly to give her better access.

'Thank you.' She said against his skin before she sunk her fangs into his neck, and took her fill. He would take more potions once she had finished, knowing that last night's dose would still be in his system.

She licked the wound closed and pressed another kiss to his cheek as she snuggled back down into the covers.

'Don't you need to get up for classes?' Harry asked with an amused look.

'Free period.' She sighed her eyes closed.

Harry snorted and shook his head, getting himself ready for the day ahead. He made his way into the lounge area and smiled at Ginny putting on some make up.

'You don't need that, love.' He assured her kissing her quickly on the lips.

'I don't do it for you. I do it for me.' Ginny said sticking her tongue out at the boy as he moved to help Hermione tie her shoe.

'I'm a wale.' Hermione muttered glaring at the rather noticeable baby bump.

Harry wisely said nothing but kissed her soundly before kissing the top of her baby bump. 'I love you both.'

'You have to say that or I'll tear you to shreds.' She muttered and Harry nodded in agreement.

Pansy came out of his room holding one of his quidditch shirt and disappeared into her own room, before Harry could say anything, no doubt following her fellow Slytherin and having a lie in on a Friday.

'Where's Susan, we have Herbology first thing don't we?' Harry said looking around the room to make sure he hadn't missed his little elf. She had a habit of being curled up on the floor somewhere.

'Haven't seen her, don't think she's up yet.' Ginny offered.

'I didn't see her at all last night.' Hermione said with a small frown, thinking back to when she had last seen the girl.

Harry frowned at this. It wasn't like Susan to sleep so long, or spend so long away from the company of others, or him for that matter.

He frowned when had he last seen the little elf? Yesterday as he was rushing out of the great hall.

She had looked pale, too pale, her voice was weak when she'd said his name. Was she ill? He knew she couldn't be pregnant, since they hadn't yet had sex. His frown deepened, when was the last time he spent time with Susan? He couldn't remember. So much had happened to take his attention and she was never one to bother him when she could see he was busy.

He paled he knew that Elves needed to spend time with their mates to keep them healthy. 'Shit.' He cursed as he turned to Susan's door. 'Hermione tell the professor's I'll be absent today.' He said as he lifted his knuckles to the elven girl's door, he hoped she wasn't too angry with him.

'Harry?' Hermione said with a small frown marring her features.

'Just tell them Hermione.' He said as he knocked on the wood and pushed open the door.

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Harry looked at the miserable lump on the bed. Her silky, rain on mud coloured hair looked dull and lifeless and her skin, once flushed with the rosy colour was pale and sickly.

'Susan.' He said gently walking to the edge of the bed and sitting down. Stroking the girl's hair.

She opened her eyes and looked at him. 'Harry.' She said weakly her voice breaking under the pressure of use.

'I'm here, milady.' He said softly pressing a kiss to her temple.

'You forgot about me.' She croaked and closed her eyes in what looked to be pain.

'I….Yes….' Harry admitted, knowing that there was little use in denying the fact. 'I thought you'd come to me if you needed me.' He said shame flooding him.

'I tired.' She said gently and he closed his eyes, had she? Had he even noticed? No he thought, he was too concerned with everything else around him to notice the meek little elf trying to get her fair share of time from him.

He moved round the bed, making sure that his hand remained clasped in hers as he tucked her into him, his head on her shoulder. 'How can I help?' he asked as she slowly, and with pain turned to face him.

She placed her hand on his cheek and looked him in the eye before she placed her lips on his in a gentle, tender kiss. 'Love me.' She whispered when she pulled away.

He took a moment to understand what she meant, his eye widening. 'Susan…' he began but she cut him off shaking her head, and she continued to stroke his cheek. The skin to skin contact helping the room to stop it's infernal spinning.

'Our bond is weak, too weak, simple touches will no longer be enough, I have no wish to find another, I want only you, I need us to complete our mating bond. Then it will not be so easy for me to weaken.' She said peppering kisses down his jaw as she pushed his hands under her vest.

'If you're not ready Susan.' Harry pressed. As the girl tentatively reached down and pushed her hand into the waistband of his trousers touching the hot skin of his cock, the cool touch of her hand making him hiss in a breath.

'The time for being ready is past, it is this or death, since finding another is not an option.' She said bluntly as she pumped her hand up and down his shaft.

Harry looked into her eyes and searched them knowing that she was speaking the truth. She would allow herself to waste away before finding another man who would take her and refill her strength.

He moved slightly and took the hem of her t-shirt in his hand, pulling it over her head, as she wiggled to remove her pyjama bottoms beneath the quilt. Harry stood and removed his tie, shirt, trousers and boxers before climbing beneath the quilt, giving her skin on skin contact that made her whimper.

He brought his hand down to her neither regions and found her dry and course.

'You may need a spell.' She said as she closed her eyes, not sure she had the strength to be aroused on her own.

Harry shook his head and pressed his lips to hers, his tongue slicking across her bottom lip, seeking entrance which she gladly gave, one hand was used to prop himself up and the other went to her breast to fondle and nip at her nipple.

Susan felt little jolt of pleasure and arched her back into his touch as their tongues battled for dominance. Harry place his knee between her thighs and pressed it to her centre and capture her delighted mewl in his mouth.

Her peppered kissed down her neck and across her collar bone, down the valley of her breast taking a nipple between his teeth and the other between her finger.

'Harry!' Susan called her hands gently gripping into his hair as he continued his decent down to her entrance, slowly, dipping his tongue in and out of her and she struggled to find somewhere to put her hands.

It had been too long Susan thought, to Long since he had been with her, touched her, and now he would make her his well and truly, no man would be able to take her from her wizard. She felt her insides tighten and she knew she was close.

'Stop, Harry, I…I want you inside me when I…. Together…' she muttered incoherently as Harry slide back up to her lips, kissing her, she could taste herself on his lips and it sent pleasure coursing through her as he nestled himself in between her legs and placed himself at her entrance.

'You're sure.' He said, searching her eyes for any hit of doubt.

Susan looked into those deep emerald eyes and melted. He was so full of compassion and concern, and guilt for having forgotten about her. How could she deny him anything? Even her virginity which he could have taken weeks ago without giving a thought for what she wanted. She truly did love this man.

'I'm sure Harry.' She said and he pushed home, inch by delicious inch, until he was seated within her, and she was letting air out of her lungs in soft short pants.

She hadn't expected it to hurt this much. But she enjoyed the feeling of being full, it was much greater than when he had put his fingers inside her. She clenched her walls around him experimentally and he groaned into her shoulder.

'Susan, if you do that….'He said with shaking breath.

She reached up and stroked his hair, looking deep into his eyes. She could feel it, the bond, his magic joining with hers, returning her strength and her connection with the earth. 'Move Harry, I want to feel you.' She whispered and he did, slowly and sensually, until she sighed her release and she milked him for everything he had, taking strength and life from his seed and their joining.

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She sat up with a speed she hadn't been able to manage in at least a week and grinned at her left hand where her small leaf mark had a small rose blooming next to it. A completed bond. Her bond. Theirs.

'You okay?' Harry asked looking at her with a frown.

She lifted her hand and showed him. 'It's complete.' She said and Harry looked down at his chest, more than slightly relieved to see that his own mark, remain just a leaf. 'Yours won't change silly, you weren't a virgin.' She said with a giggle and he blushed, pulling her too him.

'I'm sorry, I forgot about you Milady.' He said into her shoulder.

'You had bigger things to worry about.' Susan said gently though there was a small hint of annoyance flowering her tone.

'Nothing's bigger than my girls Susan, if you feel I'm not giving you time you need to grab me by the ear and scream it at me.' Harry said with a sigh. 'I'm kind of floundering a bit here.'

'You can say that again, but your children come before me, I hope that should I bare your children that they will come before me.' Susan said honestly.

Harry's shoulders sagged, he had no response to that and simple shook his head, not sure what to say.

'Next time he leaves you in a near catatonic state Elfie, just tell us, we'll grab him by the balls and hold him down whilst you ravish him.' Daphne said from the door way ad Susan squeaked and ducked beneath the covers.

'Yea congrats on losing it by the way.' Pansy said from the girls shoulder.

'How did you…?' Harry said looking at the two girls with wide eyes.

'Oh Harry my dear dear wizard.' Pansy said coming to sit on the bed. 'You are not good at keeping us girls quite.' She said with a smirk and Susan let out an undignified squeak.

'That and I could smell it, it made me hungry.' Daphne said with a shrug.

Harry rolled his eyes and frowned as Pansy put her head in Susan's lap. 'I think Sue might need me today….' He said looking at the Hufflepuff girl who still looked pale and had dark circles under her eyes.

'Can we join you, at least until classes?' Daphne asked, suddenly unsure of herself, She too had noticed the other girls pallor and was worried for her sister-Mate.

Susan peeked out from underneath the covers and nodded, holding out her hand for her pyjama top. Pansy let out a yip and scurried to get Harry's potions so that Daphne could feed, and the four spent the morning talking about classes, the differences in houses, and Pansy spent a good hour moaning about the fact the Great lake had frozen over. Susan wondered how she could ever have been worried that these girls would have begrudged her time with her beloved mate.