TO TOPPLE THE PILLARS OF HEAVEN

AUTHOR: LORD-MHORAM

AUTHOR EMAIL: Kheldon71@cox-internet.com

CATEGORY: HARRY POTTER FANFIC: ROMANCE, ANGST, SLASH

KEYWORDS: HARRY, DRACO, SLASH

SPOILERS: ALL BOOKS

RATING: R

SUMMARY: When tragedy strikes Draco Malfoy during the happiest summer of his life, hints of the existence of a storied, lethal artifact emerge. With the Light and Dark engaged in a war to extinction, will Draco and Harry survive the Malfoy legacy?

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Honest.

A/N: Many thanks to Debby for running this one through the mill. Please note this story contains semi-graphic descriptions of adult male homosexual contact.

Chapter 1/?

"Good-bye Yellow Brick Road"

Arthur Weasley stood by the hedge as the flames rose into the sky. The mansion was burning, but the Ministry's Magic Emergency Team was bringing the conflagration under control. Mad-Eye Moody grunted noncommittally, and together they raised the charms that would protect them from toxins and heat. "Has Severus arrived?" asked Weasley as they gingerly stepped over the wreckage of the front portico, which had been hurled outward. "Yes, he's talking to some of the younger Aurors, giving them some pointers about what to stay away from. This kind of ruddy mess isn't covered in school books, for sure. Wretched business." Snape approached from the direction of the almost intact West Grounds. Wordlessly he gestured to a grimy, damaged yellow path leading to West Entrance. The three men entered the ruins.

Three hours earlier:

Alarms were ringing throughout the whole of Malfoy Manor. The Manor itself groaned under the terrible pressure trying to insinuate itself inside. The lord of the estate, Lucius Malfoy, stood whip-thin and regal before a terrified assemblage of house elves. They were stationed around a tremendous pile of what only could be called loot. "Albus Dumbledore!" he shouted. "Take this to Dumbledore! And you, present this to him yourself!" He threw a small crystal globe at a quaking elf, who caught the shiny trinket. With a loud pop the house elves and the mound of objects Apparated away. An Aconite Eagle was waiting impatiently for Lucius, who was placing another tiny crystal in a pouch. After fastening the pouch to the eagle's leg, Lucius commanded, "Take this to Draco." The eagle, flying like the north wind, circled one time around the high battlement, called an eerie cry, and shot towards the horizon.

The woman sitting on the divan in the middle of the room levered her long legs underneath her and stood by her husband. "So it's done, " Narcissa said. "Yes," he said. "I did it; it's done." She smiled wanly. "Just us, first time in years...no house elves, no treasure, nobody but us." Lucius grinned ferally.

Suddenly the Portal Keeper's voice began calling through the cavernous mansion. "Warning! The Apparation shield has failed! Multiple incursions are in progress, Entrance Hall, East Wing, and Main Dungeons. Warning!" The voice stopped abruptly as Lucius gestured with his wand. His wife drew near to his side, releasing her own wand from the folds of her cloak. Together they looked predatory, all the more so for being trapped. However, the danger of their situation only underscored their lethality. Moving together to the Grand Staircase, Lucius gave his wife a sidelong glance, and asked, "Narcissa, might I invite you to one last dance?" She laughed, a small sound amidst the terrible noises from below, and replied, "Lucius, I'd be delighted." As they began to descend the Grand Staircase, Lucius raised his wand and cried with all his might, "House! Defend! Release the Banes!"

The Manor detonated in light and darkness, but chaos reigned over all.

The warm summer night was alive with energy and possibility for the two young men holding hands in the lane. They seemed the happiest of pairs. In fact, they were, which was altogether surprising. One young man was the Boy Who Lived, born enemy of Lord Voldemort; the other, Draco Malfoy, scion to a wealthy Great House known for its sworn support of the Dark Lord. However, the war seemed far off, and of much greater immediate importance to them was the relationship they had created with one another. It had started over a year ago, as mere tolerance of one another's existence, then progressed to deeper affection, and finally love. Raging, hormonally flavored love, perhaps, but the flesh and bones of a deeper commitment were present. No one had been more surprised to make such a discovery of their bond's strength and intensity than they.

With a graceful leap the silver-haired Draco hopped on the stoop and muttered "Alohomora" to the locked door. Taking Harry's hand, he pulled him laughing into the entrance hall of their borrowed flat.

"I had no idea Snape could sing!" exclaimed Harry.

"Well, it wasn't really singing, was it now? More like an intention gone horribly awry," smirked Draco.

"Can't believe you're saying such things about your favorite professor, Draco!"

"I never said he could sing."

"Thank God he got owled before his next set."

"But who gets owled in the middle of an engagement party? He left fast enough"

"And why did you pull me away home so soon? Not that I think Ron and Hermione noticed too much. Honestly Draco! The dessert cart hadn't even come around yet."

The pale boy looked amused. "Oh, well. I brought dessert home with me."

"Huh?" said Harry.

"This..." murmured Draco, who wrapped one arm around Harry's waist while moving the other to cradle Harry's head. Draco leaned Harry gently back against the wall and brushed his lips to Harry's. Looking into the piercing viridian eyes, blazing now with need and hunger and oh yes, love, Draco deepened the kiss. Their eyes closed as they surrendered to the power of the moment, flesh liquid as mercury, each tasting the other's aching want. Harry's arms softly overlaid Draco's as they moved together, touching, stroking soft flesh.

With difficulty Draco broke the kiss to whisper huskily into Harry's ear, "Do you want more, Gryffindor-boy? I might give you something nice, if you asked properly, with some manners"

Harry pushed Draco back an inch.

"What does a Slytherin care if manners are involved, as long as someone's offering it up?"

"For me it matters," Draco said, mouth in a half moue, reminiscent of his dormant smirk.

"Oh please, My Lord Draco, ravish me," Harry deadpanned, unable to keep the up the pretense. Real desire was becoming insistent. Draco smiled and planted a small kiss on Harry's forehead. "Good enough. Come along, commoner." Draco took Harry's hand and pulled him to the bedroom. As soon as they crossed the threshold, Harry grabbed Draco's shoulders and spun him hard, falling with him on their bed. Levering his body onto Draco, Harry fastened his mouth down to his lover's, parted his lips and gained entrance to the tender sanctuary within. At the kiss's conclusion, both were agreed. Harry climbed on the bed and began kicking off his remaining clothes, while Draco stood and pulled his t-shirt off.

"Hey Drake...do you think we'll ever do it?"

"Yes Harry, I hope we do, I'm getting undressed here, all right?"

"No, not that...I mean..err, that is, if things are still good, uhm...."

"Potter! You're making me old with dramatic pauses! Spit it out!"

"Draco, do you think we'll get married?"

"Oh sure."

"No, wanker, I mean to each other."

"Yes, ok, I'll give you the ring I got Pansy two years ago."

Poor Harry's face fell down to a spot roughly under the floorboards. "I don't want anything that's touched Pansy," he said softly.

"Oh Jesus, Harry! I was joking! I'd get you a new ring."

"Still not what I meant, Malfoy," growled Harry, drawing his face into a fairly sexy pout.

Draco approached the bedside. "Potter...Harry--you are the most unexpected event of my life. All I want to do is be with you, forever. If anyone breaks my heart, I want it to be you." He paused, then carefully clasped his hands in Harry's tangled hair. Giving the raven-haired young man a look that hinted of distant ice, he whispered, "Don't break my heart. I'm a vicious bastard when wounded."

"You must stay wounded something chronic," Harry tried to intone sotto voce, only to catch a pillow to his head.

"Listen to me, Harry! You asked! Does "wedding" mean we'll get married and Sirius will give you away and the Weasel will be your best man? Is Granger going to toss flowers down the aisle? I don't know Harry! Right now I just want you and me. Not you in the middle of your friends, or me following my father off to kiss Voldemort's arse. I want inside you, Harry. Not like that! Well yes, like that, quite often. 'Till you can't walk. Oh...fuck."

"What, Drake?" Harry was leaning on his elbow, fascinated.

"Your bloody serious interrogation has made me go soft."

"Never," murmured Harry and pulled Draco down to the bed and under the soft covers. Their mouths met again and communication needing no words began. Harry's hands wandered down Draco's body and stroked the curve of his hip. Draco extended the length of his naked body down onto Harry's slim form. Entwining their legs, they began a slow rhythmic motion, rocking against one another. They often made love like that, bodies only inches apart. "Yes....ok....good...good...please....oh please," moaned Harry, as he clawed Draco's back. "Good? Or very good?" gasped Draco as he moved inside the warmth of Harry's body, his hips driving his cock fully into his lover.

"Mmh-humh," was the extent of Harry's response, as he fastened his mouth onto Draco's neck and nursed the alabaster skin. Harry felt Draco penetrate him; he bit convulsively into his lover's neck, drawing blood. Draco cried out, a sharp sound that might have been Harry's name. The thrusting increased as Harry felt his body dissolve into the will and desire of the man above him. Somewhere deep within Harry's mind a tiny voice noted dispassionately the ease with which Harry surrendered his whole body, his whole self, to a man he had once counted as his enemy. The rest of Harry's mind had harsh words for the voice, which fell, as always, silent. Draco had pushed Harry's hair back and was looking at him, even as his body tortured Harry's with pleasure. Concern, the need to please, even flickers of love could be read in Draco's face. Once these feelings had been alien to him, but now he delighted in experiencing them with the man stretched beneath him. The passion of their joining proved too much for them, and soon they were holding one another in an exhausted post-lovemaking haze.

"Mmmm"

"Wanna doze for a bit, Drake?"

"Just a bit--before next time."

Draco had begun to nuzzle Harry's neck when there came a loud, obviously magically enhanced knocking at the door. "Visare," commanded Harry. The image of Dumbledore appeared at the end of the bed. The old wizard had dispensed with his usual garb, and was wearing a smart traveller's outfit, bizarrely incongruous with his usual appearance. Grabbing his wand, Harry called out "Purafacicum Corpus", cleaning both boys. After a quick struggle into clothes, and an even quicker healing spell on Draco's love-bitten neck, Harry was at the door.

"Good evening Professor!" Harry exclaimed.

"Hello, Harry, I trust your evening went well?"

"Yes....ahh, yes, it was a great party," stumbled Harry, praying the old Headmaster didn't see the blush spreading across his face.

"Your pardon, young Harry, I will need to speak to you in a few moments, but may I have a few words with Mr. Malfoy?"

"Of course sir, he's in the sitting room." The Headmaster went in; Harry caught a few quiet pleasantries between Draco and Dumbledore before the door shut. Harry sat down at the kitchen table, and thumbed over the latest issue of "Vampire Vegetables" that Neville Longbottom had sent him. A feeling of unease grew in his chest. This was no ordinary visit by the Headmaster, not that any visit ever tended to the commonplace. It was just so remarkable to see the Headmaster away from Hogwarts.

A tension was growing, becoming palpable. The long minutes filled the room with their refusal to pass. Suddenly a strangled shout echoed through the house. Draco exploded through the sitting room door and pushed past Harry. The door to the garden slammed shut. Harry stood up, only to have Dumbledore's hand fall gently on his shoulder. Harry turned and peered into the kindly old man's face.

"I am afraid this has been a very odd evening, with sad consequences for Draco. In a Death Eater assault on Malfoy Mansion this evening, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy were killed." Harry's expression went blank at Dumbledore's words. Lucius? Killed by presumed fellow Death Eaters? It defied reason. "Harry, there is much that has to be done. Our Enemy is moving now. Open warfare may be upon us. You and Draco are safe here, for the moment. There is a full Apparation Shield in place and Aurors outside the walls. Do not leave the grounds for any reason. Professor McGonagall will join you here as soon as she can. As to Mr. Malfoy's situation...I'll leave it to him to discuss it with you."

"Draco--" started Harry, but Dumbledore raised his hand and stilled Harry's questions. "We will convene at Hogwarts, Harry, and all that we have gathered by then, will be shared with you. You figure in this...incident....though, alas, I am not certain entirely how. I have other stops this evening, and must be away. Right now the most important instructions I can impart are these: stay inside the grounds, take care of Draco, and do take good care of yourself, dear Harry." Dumbledore walked down the hall, through the door, and was gone, leaving Harry standing in the foyer, mouth agape.

An explosion suddenly rocked the house. Harry ran to the garden to find several large holes in the rock fence surrounding the lawn. Aurors were streaming through the breaches, wands drawn and battle armor spells shining. Harry waved them off and continued on to the still form sitting on one of the yard benches. Occasionally the silent person would wave a hand and destroy large sections of the thick granite wall.

"Wandless magic, Draco? I thought you had given that up," said Harry, slightly awed by the amount of damage his lover had done to the area.

"Don't lecture me now. Just don't....and don't look at me that way, Harry," said Draco, his voice tight, barely controlled.

"What way, Drake?" queried Harry.

"Pitying. I can't bear this and your damned pity," he hissed.

"Not pity, Draco. I'm just sad this happened."

Bitter laughter escaped Draco. "You and me."

Harry drew closer to the wounded young man. "Draco, we can face-"

"Don't say it, Potter! We can't face this together. I can't face it myself."

Harry paused. "I won't fight with you tonight, Drake. Maybe tomorrow we can bring down one of the walls, like we did your on last birthday, but not tonight."

Distant lightning threatened the horizon, casting pitiless shadow on Draco's angular face. "Do you know what's fucking funny Potter? I had just been thinking about how happy I was, and how I didn't deserve to be this happy, and look! I didn't deserve it. I was even thinking---thinking--that you were the only family I needed." Draco's voice broke, but no tears fell. The imperious mask of patrician nobility had fallen over his features. He got rigidly to his feet, only to trip and fall over the bench leg. Harry knelt down to Draco's side, trying to keep his shock hidden. He had never seen the former Seeker stumble so casually before. Draco was cursing intently, softly, as Harry helped him to his feet.

Harry put an arm around Draco's shoulders as lightning cracked more closely this time. The wind began to kick hard through the leaves. Draco allowed Harry to bring him into the house and wordlessly accepted assistance with undressing before climbing into bed. Harry got in the wide four-poster and watched as Draco's eyes closed. Draco pulled in on himself and turned away from Harry. After hovering watchfully for perhaps a half-hour, Harry heard a weary voice say his name. "Harry? Please...I need...I can't...be afraid," murmured Draco, almost to himself. Scooting in closer to his boyfriend, Harry laid his hand softly on Draco's shoulder. With speed born of Seeker's muscles and reflexes, Draco turned and buried himself in Harry's chest.

The lightning flared again and again while the wind clawed at the windows. Draco's body trembled as he wept the tears it had taken Harry years to weep, tears that even now traced down Harry's cheeks. Harry embraced Draco, knowing he would fight Hell itself for him. He knew the fight was coming.

End Chapter One