Sacrifice
Blessed
Part one : Sacrifice
Disclaimer : These characters belong to J.K. Rowling. This is a little thing that came into my mind while I was working out this morning. Anyway, here it goes . . .

Harry looks up from the picture album he's holding as an owl flies in through the open window. Harry takes the letter and gives the owl a bit of food before it flies off again. Harry's small fingers open the letter, and his sparkling green eyes scan the page.

Harry,

We must go to Hogwarts tonight. Dumbledore has called an emergency meeting of the teachers, and we're invited. I'll be home by four. Be ready.

Love,

Draco
Harry puts the letter down and disentangles his legs from the blanket. He gets off the couch and makes his way into the bedroom, his mind racing. What could Dumbledore have to say that is so urgent?

Harry is pulled out of his revelry by arms that wrap around his waist. Harry sighs and leans back into his loves embrace.

"Hey, did you get my letter?" Draco asks without letting Harry go.

"Um hmm," Harry nods.

"You ready to go?" Draco asks.

Harry takes a deep breath. "Did Dumbledore say what he wanted with this meeting?"

Draco shakes his head. "No."

Harry wiggles out of Draco's embrace. "Okay, I'm ready."

Draco takes Harry's hand and pulls him close. Draco leans down and captures Harry's lips, savoring the taste. Harry opens immediately, and Draco's tongue enters its domain. Harry's hands start to roam and Draco groans under his touch. Finally, Draco pulls away.

"Harry, not now, we have to go," Draco tells him, his breath coming in short gasps.

Harry puts on his poutty face. "But Draco . . ."

"No buts," Draco replies as he grabs Harry's hand and drags him out the door. He releases Harry's hand and takes out his wand. He looks over and sees that Harry's done the same.

"First, I have something to tell you," Harry tells him.

Draco shakes his head in mock exasperation. "What?"

Harry steps close. "I love you," he tells him softly.

Draco captures his lips in a gentle kiss, then says just as softly, "I love you, too."

Harry pulls back. "Good. Now, I'm ready."

Draco chuckles as he and Harry apparate together to a hidden forest right outside of Hogsmeade. Draco takes Harry's hand as they begin to walk through the forest, heading for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"I hate having to hide like this. I haven't seen Hogsmeade in ages," Harry says with a sigh.

"Four months, and that's the price we pay for being heroes. Plus, now we get to spend more time together doing . . . um . . . err," Draco tells him, a slight tint of red appearing on his cheeks.

"Oh, really? Would you like to tell me about it?" Harry asks, his eyebrows raised.

Draco hits him playfully on the arm. "I seem to remember that it involves a lot of you. I'd think you'd remember things that make you scream and whimper like that."

It's Harry's turn to blush as they exit the forest and make their way up the hill to Hogwarts big front doors. When they reach them, Harry stops, pulling Draco back.

"Draco, would you behave yourself in there?" Harry asks, a gleam in his eyes.

Draco gives Harry an innocent look. "Me, behave? I'd never think of doing anything else."

Harry leans in and kisses him quickly. "Ready?"

"Yep," Draco replies as he takes the handle and opens the big doors.

The two men step into the hallway, floods of memories flowing over them. Harry takes Draco's hand and gives it a squeeze.

"Where's the meeting?"

"Teacher's lounge," Draco replies as he leads through the familiar corridors and up the stone steps. They reach the lounge and Harry lets go of Draco's hand in order to push the heavy wooden door open.

Draco follows Harry into the room, nervously looking around at the sea of familiar faces. Basically, everyone that worked against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and survived,.

Dumbledore smiles as they enter. He motions to one of the couches. "I'm glad you two could make it. Please, sit down."

Dumbledore watches them sit down, realizing their nervousness. He decides to set them at ease. "We were all just reminiscing."

Harry chuckles. "We seem to do a lot of that."

Dumbledore nods gravely. "That's what I've gathered all of you her for. We need to think about moving on. I now it's hard, and I know none of us will ever get over the losses that we have suffered, but we must start sometime."

The professors all nod their agreement. McGonagall adds. "Plus, there are some things that we just keep putting on hold that we can't put on hold forever."

Dumbledore nods. "Thank you, Minerva. That was exactly my point. Yesterday, I received grave news. The death eaters that hid after Voldemort's death have begun to immerge. They are after some specific people," he looks at Draco and Harry when he says these words.

Draco nods. "We've been discussing our options."

Snape looks at him with a new softness in his eyes. "Draco, you've better do some acting and less discussing."

Harry helps Draco. "We're just not ready to do anything drastic yet."

"Maybe it's time for you two to follow Weasley and Black's lead," Snape replies.

McGonagall nods. "Harry, Draco, you can't live in the outskirts of Hogsmeade forever. The death eaters are too strong. New urgency has been added with this new news of their coming out of hiding."

Harry looks at his lap. "I don't want to run. I want to have a normal life, for once in my life."

Dumbledore looks at him sympathetically. "Harry, you've never been normal, and you never will. It's the price we pay for doing what's right."

Draco takes Harry's hand in his and holds it tightly. He turns his eyes to Dumbledore, begging. "Isn't there some other way than to run?"

"You could always keep hiding, hoping not to get caught," Sprout pipes in.

"Draco . . ." Harry starts, new determination in his eyes. But, Draco cuts him off.

"Shh, we'll talk about this later," Draco tells him softly, then he turns his face to Dumbledore. "We promise to decide something soon. We understand the new urgency."

Dumbledore nods. "I'll take that, along as you're willing to stay here at Hogwarts while you choose a different path to take."

Draco nods. "Yes, sir."

Dumbledore clears his throat. "There is someone else who is in as much danger as Draco and Harry."

Sprout's head snaps up in surprise. "Who, Albus? Sirius and Ron are on the run. Draco and Harry are here. Everyone else is . . . gone. Who else was there that day?"

"Tom," McGonagall replies softly.

Snape nods. "The baby's in more danger than anyone else."

"Severus, Minerva, and I are working on keeping young Tom safe. But, if anyone else has any suggestion, than we'd be delighted to hear them," Dumbledore tells the assembled group.

Harry's mind is whirling. It has never crossed his mind that the Remus and Hermione's son would be in danger? But now that he thinks about, it all becomes clear. The final battle was at the Lupins' house, and it had been over the baby. Voldemort had believed that little Tom was a great danger, and so his downfall had come about, by Harry Potter, finally.

Harry looks at Dumbledore questioningly. "What can be done? His parents were killed, and his godfather, Sirius, is on the run. Anyone that could take the boy is on the run."

Dumbledore sighs. "I know. We are in the same predicament we were in with you, Harry."

Harry nods as the room falls into a deep silence. Each and every person is thinking of the problems ahead as old memories float back.

Dumbledore clears his throat. "We'll adjourn now for the day. Draco, Harry, please follow me to your room."

Harry stands up and he and Draco follow Dumbledore out of eh room, hand in hand.

This will probably be a three or four part story. Please, I know it's a little strange, but please review. Thanks, Mara