It can't be just a fluke that we shared my dream last night instead of his, but Snape knew more about Legillimency and Occlumency than anyone else I know. It's definitely not something that would be hidden in a book in the library, at least not outside of the restricted section. Maybe Dumbledore would know something about it… And if we have reason to worry.
Lost in thought as I was, I sensed Draco blanch next to me and suddenly remembered, oh yeah, and I need to ask him about the Dark Mark, too. He's sure to have at least some experience with magical contracts…
There were no bells on the weekends, so we ate at a leisurely pace, and I think almost intentionally slowly to stall our separation. Nevertheless, we eventually finished breakfast and left the Hall.
"So… Are you going to Hogsmeade with Ron and Hermione after all?" I asked, half-teasingly once we'd reached the courtyard.
"I… I dunno, I think they might prefer to be alone. We might be on good terms now, but I still wouldn't necessarily consider them friends."
"Then what will you do?"
Draco fidgeted nervously.
"I'll… Figure something out." I frowned suspiciously at him, but he wouldn't meet my gaze.
"Right… Well, I won't be far if you need me. If you need to, Accio the diary page and I'll Accio it back so you can send me a message."
"I'll be fine," he asserted, but beneath this false determination, I saw worry behind his eyes. Instead of spouting bullshit placitudes, I decided to pull him into my arms and squeeze.
He froze a moment before returning my embrace. Bloody hell, this is pathetic. I don't want to leave his side, but I can't ask him to face Dumbledore knowing how he feels about the whole situation. I just have to trust him that he'll be fine.
We stood like that longer than necessary before finally releasing each other. With a small smile and a chaste kiss, I left him on the stone steps.
Harry seemed just as reluctant to go as I was to let him leave, but he was headed off toward McGonagall's office. For several long moments, I wrestled with the sense that a kind of string attaching us was being pulled taut before huffing a sigh and pivoting on my heel. I have to find some way to occupy myself.
Hell NO I'm not going to Hogsmeade. I don't want to be a third wheel, and I don't want to be recognized alone. The castle is just barely safer than out in public, but there's really nothing to do.
I hadn't noticed my ears had started ringing until I was reminded of the eerie silence of the Castle from my dream. Almost on auto-pilot, I hastened to my dorm room. Once inside, a cold sweat had broken out on my forehead. I went to the bathroom to splash my face with water, and for the first time, I saw my reflection that day.
There's no fucking way.
My eyes widened as I tugged my collar away from my neck to bring a dark red bite-mark into full view.
"How the hell…?" I uttered at my astonished reflection as I prodded the skin there. Sure enough, my reflection winced as I realized it was tender.
The panic that had been building in my chest flipped on its head and seemed to pop like a bubble, which in turn floated up my throat and out of my mouth with a chuckle. My leftover adrenaline pushed this into a full laugh, and I found myself leaning with both hands over the sink as I lost myself to hysterics.
The most powerful wizard in the world, and he chooses to leave love bites through dreams. What the bloody fuck?
And how the hell did he manage to keep it a secret from me all morning? I gave myself away almost instantly when I'd laid claim to his neck…
My laughter sobered as I wiped a tear from my eye and raised my gaze back up to my reflection. This must be the face he's always talking about. I almost didn't recognize myself, so soft was my expression. The pink in my ears, the slight smile. I was pleased beyond belief to see the evidence of his claim on me, and I suddenly realized I didn't feel so lonely anymore.
Watching my expressions was bringing a humiliating flush to my cheeks, so I left the mirror and went to flop back on my bed.
Once again, I found the Headmistress's office open and waiting for me. Once ascended into the room, I realized it was empty.
"Hello?" I called anyway.
"Harry?" A familiar voice gripped my heart as I rushed toward the sound.
"Professor Dumbledore!"
He was grinning at me from his portrait, a characteristic twinkle in his eyes.
"It's good to see you, sir." My grin returned his as he appraised me.
"And you, my dear boy. You're looking well."
"And you're looking… Painted."
He chuckled at this.
"I believe there's something I can do for you, isn't there?"
"Yes! Actually…" I came around McGonagall's desk, shifting her chair aside to lean back and address Dumbledore's portrait. "I've… Recently become involved in a relationship with, er… Draco. Malfoy." I swallowed as he raised an eyebrow at me.
"I'm aware. What can I do for you boys?"
"W-well, you see, sir, we're trying to find a way to remove his Dark Mark. McGonagall told us it works like an Unbreakable Vow, but I was wondering if you could shed more light on the subject. There are other kinds of magical contracts, aren't there?"
"Indeed there are." A far-away look stole into Dumbledore's expression briefly. "I don't know if it will be of much use to you, Harry, but I will tell you what I know of magical contracts." I settled back to sit on the edge of the desk behind me as he sighed and seemed to steel himself. "Many, many years ago, I entered into a blood pact with one Gellert Grindelwald." A million questions flooded my shocked mind, but I decided not to interrupt him. "It's an ancient type of magic, one that I wouldn't recommend, but the essence of it is, a drop of blood from each party intermingles and a vial forms around it. Whether or not the rumors of the vial's supposed indestructible nature were true, I can't say. He never let me get close enough to try, though try I did."
"Grindelwald? What pact could you two have made?" My curiosity finally won out over my patience.
"Well… This might come as a shock to you, Harry, but I was in a much similar situation with Mr. Grindelwald then as you are now with Mr. Malfoy." He spoke matter-of-factly. If my jaw could've hit the floor, it would've. "We agreed to never fight."
My head was swimming with all the information I was trying to process, so I could only silently snap my gaping mouth shut.
"If the contract with Mr. Riddle and Mr. Malfoy is similar, there's likely a physical anchor for it, which, if found, may or may not be destroyed."
"Bloody hell, we were way off base with the antidote idea…" I uttered to myself as I clapped a palm to my forehead, willing it to stop spinning. "Wait… So you're telling me I'm not done hunting Horcruxes."
My words were dripping with such dread that Dumbledore chuckled again.
"Well, not quite a Horcrux, but yes. That might sum it up."
I groaned into my hands, but my dread was laced with hope. There might be a way.
"Oh, yeah! One more thing. Er… You're experienced with Legillimency, right?"
"I never pursued it specifically, but yes, you could say that."
"So… I've kind of been… Using Legillimency on Draco… In our sleep…" My sentence formed painfully slowly as heat rose to the surface of my cheeks.
Dumbledore's wizened brow rose in surprise.
"Impressive. He must've made quite the impression on you."
"R-right, er… But that's not… My question." I swallowed and fidgeted with my hands as I tried to put my actual query into words. "L-last night, it happened as usual, but… We were in my dream." My nightmare, I wanted to correct myself, but I didn't. "And I was just w-wondering if there was any potential… Danger from repeated Legillimency?"
"Hm," Dumbledore seemed to consider, stroking his beard. "The worst case scenarios I've learned of usually involve one or both parties losing their sense of self. Their mental stability shatters, and they lose the ability to distinguish one from the other, so I'd caution you against continued use, but what you've somehow managed to discover, seemingly by chance, is called Corrogomency."
"Corrogomency?"
"Yes, an incredibly rare magical technique that invites another's mind into the caster's. Like Legillimency and Occlumency, it can be performed unconsensually, but for it to happen so effortlessly for you, Mr. Malfoy must trust you completely."
I swallowed again as this knowledge sank into me.
It did seem to get easier and easier to Legillimens him those first few days… I guess that makes sense.
"Thank you, Professor. You've given me a lot to think about."
"Anytime, my dear boy. Also, might I say, I am unspeakably proud of the man you've become, and are becoming." He beamed at me, and my heart squeezed in my ribs.
"I appreciate it, Professor. I'm doing my best."
"And redefining the term, if I may say so myself." A knot formed in my throat, which I coughed against. "Now, you have matters to attend to, do you not?"