Disclaimer: The characters and places and stuff belong to JKR. But for now, they are at my mercy. *evil grin* I'll return them as soon as I'm finished…maybe.

RunningWithCoyotes: Absolutely not! LoL I despise Draco/Ron. And as far as I can see, there's hardly any fluff in this story, compared to other stories. Anyway, Draco will have romance eventually. I have 29 or 30 chapters written total so far, and there will be little hints in the next few chapters as to who Draco's love will be. Any guesses?

Thanks for the great reviews, everybody!

In this chapter: Masquerade Ball, an attack, and Harry flips out

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Chapter 22

Harry's recovery went much slower than he had hoped. Poppy had to help him to instill regular sleeping patterns into life. She starting out by giving him Sleeping Potions every night, so that he could catch up on his rest and not be so exhausted. After about four days, she started taking him off the potions so that he could sleep on his own at night. Poppy also had to help Harry to gain back some weight and get his appetite back to normal.

Poppy hadn't allowed Harry to leave the infirmary at all during his stay, and she let very few visitors in to see him. As a result, nobody knew what was going on with him, and he received a great deal of attention when he was released the day before the Halloween Costume Ball.

The day of the ball, Draco went to see Harry in Remus and Sirius's quarters. He found the two teachers in costume, as they were chaperoning the dance, and Harry was curled up on the sofa with a book. When Harry heard Draco come in, he looked up and grinned.

"Well, aren't you a sexy one?" he teased.

Draco was already in costume, as well. He was dressed as Legolas Greenleaf, an elf from Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings." He wore tight tan pants and a green tunic. He even had a bow and a quiver full of arrows on his back!

"Why aren't you dressed up?" Draco wondered.

"I'm not going," Harry replied, turning back to his book.

"Why the hell not?!" Draco exclaimed. "Come on, Harry, it will be fun!"

"He claims that he doesn't feel well," Sirius explained. He and Remus were dressed as two of The Three Musketeers. "I don't buy it."

"Harry, come on," Draco pleaded. "You can be my date, and Severus will be down there because he has to chaperone, and--"

"I can't stand these dances," Harry sighed, but he gave in. "Fine, whatever. Get me some kind of a costume, and I'll go. But I can't guarantee I'll stay."

"Go put on your leather pants and a tight black shirt," Draco ordered him after a moment of thought.

By the time Draco was finished, Harry looked like a rock star. He wore all black, including boots, the pants, and the shirt. His hair was left out of its usual ponytail and hung to his shoulders. It was so shaggy that some of it fell into his face, giving him an overall sexy look.

"Oh, yeah, Sev's going to want you the moment he sees you tonight," Draco assured Harry, who rolled his eyes.

"Okay, let's just get this over and done with," Harry muttered.

The two went down to the Great Hall, where the majority of the fourth through seventh years were already gathered. Lights flashed all over the place, and both wizard and Muggle music echoed through the hall.

"Draco, I don't like this," Harry said, barely loud enough for Draco to hear. Draco just grabbed his hand and started dragging him off. "Where are we going?"

Draco didn't answer as the two passed some teachers. Albus was dressed as King Arthur, and Minerva was in a nun costume. Ceres Sprout wore a costume that reminded Harry of an old Chinese matchmaker. Filius wore the costume of Wicket, an Ewok from a Muggle film called "Return of the Jedi." Finally, Draco stopped walking and shoved Harry into the arms of Severus, who was not in costume, though he seemed to approve of Harry's.

"Do something with him," Draco snapped to his godfather. "He doesn't want to have any fun tonight."

"You're the one who made me come!" Harry shouted after Draco, who walked away and ignored him. Harry then sat next to Severus at the table. He linked his arm through Severus's.

"You didn't want to come either, eh?" Severus guessed. Harry shook his head.

"I hate these things, as you well know. He made me come as his date."

"Well, at least you can keep me company," Severus stated, intertwining his fingers with Harry's. "I must say, you look extremely delectable." Harry blushed slightly.

"Glad you approve," he replied. "Still, I don't think I'll be staying too long. I don't really like to do much on Halloween..." Severus sighed when he realized Harry's real reason for not wanting to come to the ball.

"I'm sorry, Harry, I didn't even think-- Well, if you want to leave, don't let me keep you, all right?"

"Sirius and Remus didn't even remember, or else they didn't mention it," Harry sighed. He looked up at Severus. "I think I'll go for a walk somewhere... Maybe I'll come back later."

"I'll be here if you need me," Severus promised, squeezing Harry's hand. "And don't think too much, okay? It's painful, and sometimes it causes bad things to happen."

"I know," Harry assured him. He gave Severus a quick kiss on the cheek. "Love you."

"Wait a minute," Severus said before Harry could leave. He stood and removed his cloak, leaving him only in his Muggle clothes, and he wrapped the cloak around Harry. "There, now you won't be cold."

"Thanks," Harry said with a small smile. "See you later."

Harry left the hall and set off to roam about the school. His first stop was the Astronomy Tower. He stood in front of the window and leaned out slightly, glancing up at the stars.

"Hi, Mum, Dad," Harry whispered to the two stars he'd picked out for his parents in his fifth year. "Another year's gone by since I lost you. God, I miss you so much... A lot's been going on, but I'm sure you know all about it. I hope you approve of my choice. Severus is a wonderful man, and I love him with all of my heart. Dad, thanks for saving him back when you were in school. If you hadn't, then I would probably be alone now, but I have him, and I'm happy."

Harry shivered and pulled Severus's cloak more tightly around himself.

"I should probably get going. I'm quite tired and cold, so I think I'll go to bed. I love you both, and I know you're watching over me. I'll come and talk to you again soon."

Harry blew a kiss out to the stars, then turned and left the tower. He was walking towards Severus's rooms when someone suddenly grabbed him from behind and shoved him against a wall.

"Well, well, well, Potter, I'm surprised," hissed an unfamiliar voice. Harry couldn't see the person's face because it was hidden by a mask, but he could tell that the person was male. "A queer like you, out all by yourself. Not a smart decision, not at all. I was expecting you to at least be in the company of your beloved Snape, the greasy bastard."

Harry choked back a cry when his attacker suddenly punched him in the stomach, then the face. The person then grabbed him by his hair, covering his mouth with a hand, and dragged him over to a door. The guy opened the door to what happened to be a closet.

"You and the other fags need to learn that what you are is disgusting and unnatural. Perhaps a little time in here will let you think about it and help you remember it."

He tossed Harry through the door, and he landed on his back on the floor. Before Harry could run out, the door was shut and locked magically, and he was left alone in the dark closet. Harry immediately began to panic in the dark, screaming and crying as he pounded on the door.

"Help me!" he screamed, though his voice was already hoarse. "Let me out, please, let me out!"

After a moment, Harry slid to the floor, curling up in a ball as he sobbed.

Severus, help me... he said in his mind as he grew more and more light-headed. One...two...three...four...five...six...seven...

~~~

Severus, help me... One...two...three...four...five...six...seven...

A familiar voice in Severus's head jolted him out of his daydream. Harry's voice, and he sounded panicked. But why was he counting like that?

"Oh, God," Severus whispered as his eyes widened in realization. "A closet..."

He jumped up and ran as quickly as he could to Albus, who had been waltzing with Minerva. Both teachers saw the panic in Severus's eyes.

"Albus, this Soul Bond between me and Harry," Severus said, "can it enable us to speak telepathically?"

"It might," Albus replied, searching Severus's eyes for any hint as to what was wrong. "Some Soul Bonds do that. Is something wrong, Severus?"

Severus didn't reply. Instead, he was concentrating on sending his thoughts to Harry.

--Harry, darling, it's Severus. Are you all right?

It took a moment, but Harry finally replied.

--Severus, get me out, please, get me out of here...

--Where are you?

--Somebody locked... Closet... I don't know, get me

Harry's thoughts suddenly stopped entering Severus's mind, and a feeling of dread replaced them.

"Somebody locked him in a closet, and he's panicking!" Severus exclaimed. "I have to find him, I have to--"

"Severus, calm down," Albus said, gently, as students began to stare. He then called a house elf, who appeared with a pop! "Dobby, I need you and the other house elves to go to each of the closets in the castle and check them. Somebody has locked Harry Potter in a closet, and he is quite afraid of being confined in the dark. Check them as quickly as you can, and then come back and tell us where you find him."

"Yes, sir, Professor Dumbledore, sir!" Dobby agreed, nodding his head quickly. He disappeared, then reappeared several minutes later. "We is finding Harry Potter, sir! We is finding him in a closet in the dungeons, Professor Dumbledore, sir, near the portrait of Merlin! Harry Potter is in a bad way, Professor Dumbledore, sir, a very bad way!"

Severus was already on his way. He ran as fast as he could to the closet that Dobby had spoken of. When he arrived there, he found three house elves huddled together, crying. In front of them lay Harry. His eyes were rolled back into his head, and his body had been taken over by a fit of convulsions. There was also a large bruise on the side of his head. Severus dropped to his knees next to Harry and rested a hand on his cheek. He placed his other hand on Harry's chest once he realized that Harry was responding to his touch, and his shaking slowly ceased. Severus looked at the house elves.

"Go to the Great Hall," he instructed them. "Find Professors Black and Lupin, and Draco Malfoy. Tell them all to meet me up in the hospital wing."

Severus carefully lifted Harry into his arms and cradled him against his chest as he went up to the hospital wing. He called for Poppy, then lowered Harry to a bed.

"What could possibly have happened to him?" Poppy sighed as she came in. "He just left here yesterday!"

"Somebody locked him in a closet," Severus replied, sitting next to Harry and smoothing his hair back with one hand. "He panicked, and when the house elves found him, he was having a seizure."

"Goodness, who would do such a thing? The poor boy's had enough problems already..."

Poppy went into her storage room for some potions, while Severus sat with Harry. He took Harry's hand in his own and gently squeezed his, running his other hand through Harry's hair. After a moment, Harry's eyes slowly fluttered open, and he looked up at Severus.

"Sev..." Harry whispered, weakly.

"Yes, Harry, it's me," Severus murmured. "Are you okay? How are you feeling?"

"All right... He called me a queer and a fag... Said something about you... Said I'm disgusting...unnatural... Hit me in my stomach, my face... Locked me in..."

"Oh, God, Harry..." Severus gently brought Harry into his arms and just held him. "Do you know who he was?" Harry shook his head.

"He had a mask," he mumbled, laying his head on Severus's chest. "But I know he was a student..."

At that moment, Sirius and Remus burst through the door, followed by Draco and Albus. They stopped short when they found Severus holding Harry and whispering words of comfort to him.

"Is he okay?" Draco asked after a minute.

Severus moved Harry out of his lap and onto the bed so that Poppy could care for him, then came over to the group. He stood before them, his eyes burning with anger as he folded his arms over his torso.

"Somebody attacked him, called him a queer and a fag, said something about me, and locked him in the closet," he explained with forced calmness. He was about to say more, but he was cut off by a glare from Sirius.

"I knew you weren't good for him!" Sirius exclaimed, angrily. "I knew you would only cause him more problems! My godson was attacked tonight because he's with you!"

"No, Black, your godson was attacked tonight because he's with a man," Severus corrected him, harshly. "Don't try to pin this all on me!"

Sirius pulled his arm back, ready to punch Severus. He didn't get a chance to, however. Everyone stood still, shocked, when the lights in the room started to flicker, and the floor and walls began to tremble. They all turned to look at Harry, who had stood up and was glaring at them furiously. He took a few breaths and calmed down slightly, but not much.

"I am sick and tired of the two of you always fighting when you're in a room together," Harry said, softly, but firmly. "I don't want you in here until you can at least try to be nice to each other. Get out. Both of you." Sirius and Severus just stared at him in shock until suddenly he shouted, "Out!"

They quickly obeyed and left, and Remus rushed over to Harry, catching him just as he collapsed from exhaustion.

~~~

"Black!" Severus called after Sirius, following him as he headed for his and Remus's rooms.

Sirius ignored him, but when Severus caught up with him, he grabbed him by the arm. Sirius growled and tried to jerk out of Severus's grip, but to no avail. Finally, he gave up and just glared at Severus.

"We are not having this conversation in a hallway where anyone can hear us," Sirius hissed.

He continued towards his quarters, and Severus followed him inside. Sirius went into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of beer. As a second thought, he offered a bottle to Severus, who declined. The two sat down at the table and were silent for a moment, until Severus spoke.

"Believe it or not, Black, I love him."

"I know you do," Sirius sighed, rubbing his hand over his face. "But that doesn't change the fact that I hate you. Still...my love for Harry is greater than my hate for you. I'm willing to do just about anything to make him happy, and if that means being nice to you, then so be it."

"The same goes for me," Severus stated. "But only for Harry."

~~~

Author's Note: The next chapter will be dedicated to whoever gets the reference to the teachers' costumes.