Title: In The Interests Of …
Author: I_nv_u50
Pairings: DracoXHarry
Disclaimer: If I were owner of either of these two marvelous worlds, would the official versions still be straight?
Chapter Rating: PG13 for Tom's evil stare… .
Author's Notes: (bawls) I'm sorry this didn't get out sooner T.T Seriously really sorry. I'd blame it on school, but that's a given, and we all know Draco and Harry are more important than school, ne? :D Honestly though, it was. I know it's a clichéd excuse and all, but it's the truth (shrugs) So I'm really sorry.
If it helps, When Times Change is well on its way to being complete, despite the fact that I think Draco and Harry have eloped to somewhere along the equator where it's actually warm…
Draco: Is she still blaming us?
Harry: (lies back) She needs someone to blame…
Draco: (relaxes) At least she can't make us work here…
Harry&Draco: (grin at each other)
(glowers at the two) I'm sure that's what they're doing. Lying on some remote beach, working on getting Draco nicely tanned without freckling, and making fun of me. Which they do anyway, but there. It's so much meaner when they're actually enjoying themselves physically at the same time. I'll end up sending Hermione after them; she's my only muse who likes working…
Ok, I'm done rambling. When Times Change should hopefully be out by Friday morning (whee!! Teacher's convention!! = 5 day weekend!!) guess who's gonna be working? XD
So, enjoy the chapter, it's a semi long one… or at least, I think it is. Next chapter should be out soon. And now for…: Tom's Reaction!
The sorceress who stepped off the aircraft first was looking around in a mixture of contented and excited curiosity, but nevertheless looked sleepy, and Tom gaped slightly
The clothes had to be the skimpiest he had ever seen, and the boy wearing them was utterly devastating in his beauty.
Tom had known, of course, about sorceress ceremonial dress rules, but he had never seen or met a sorceress to take them so literally, or use them so liberally. But then again, the only sorceress he could claim ever seeing or knowing was a five year old, and that age group had precious little to do with ceremonies. Even if Kelly did have a lot to do with rituals that involved sorceress clothing, Tom sincerely doubted she would ever get that skimpy. At least, not if he had anything to say about it.
Even now, the most formal event Kelly had probably ever been to, she was wearing a pretty green and black dress with silver trimmings that would have been a nice party gown for a young girl of a rich family.
Tom gritted his teeth and prepared himself mentally for what was probably going to prove an annoying meeting as the newcomers approached the welcoming committee.
An old man stepped forward to greet them first. A man, Draco mused, that seemed quite familiar and friendly with Seifer and Rinoa's other two knights. From what Draco could see, they trusted him naturally.
Harry also seemed to trust the old man automatically, although whether for his own instincts or simply following the other knight's lead, Draco wasn't entirely sure. He did, however, confirm Draco's suspicions with a small nod when Draco looked at him askance to be sure.
Draco mentally snorted at them all, slightly disgusted and alarmed at the full, unquestioning confidence that Harry had placed on the elderly man.
When he turned to Draco, Draco put on a blasé mask, determined that he would not trust this man so easily as the others appeared to.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Malfoy." Blue eyes twinkled knowingly, and Draco suddenly suspected the old man was not so benign as he pretended to be, that he probably knew Draco's true feelings about him.
Draco lifted his chin defiantly, a self-satisfied smirk gracing his features. "Good evening."
The man's eyes lit up with what might have been real amusement, and he inclined his head respectfully, accepting Draco's defiance for what it was.
Harry stepped closer to Draco, the whole bond reflecting a wordless warning that Draco couldn't quite hide a grin at, but by that time, the man had moved on to someone Draco didn't know, a slightly older than middle aged lady.
Draco let his grin come, grinning unabashedly at Harry, but before he could say anything, a little girl stepped in front of him, eyes shining with a sort of polite joy and muted shyness.
Draco found himself smiling almost kindly down at her; a reaction he hadn't expected but he had no problems with it.
"Hi," he said simply and knelt down to her eye level.
She did a cute curtsy. "My name is Kellan, by Edea."
Draco nodded politely. "I am Draco."
"By?" came a strange voice, a male teenager maybe a little older than he and Harry, who was standing behind Kellan.
Draco looked up into the curious red eyes. "No one. It was wild."
The older boy nodded. "My name is Tom. Tom Riddle."
He didn't look very welcoming, and Draco felt Harry's hand on his bare shoulder before he realized he was scowling.
Harry smiled with simple friendliness at the other black haired boy. "I'm Harry."
Tom nodded acknowledgement and Harry waited for Draco's churning emotions to settle slightly before he knelt down by Draco's side, in front of Kellan.
"Did you know," he told her, "that my mother also has red hair and green eyes?"
"Really?" the girl sounded so excited at the unimportant news that Harry smiled.
"Really. She's not as pretty as you are, though." Harry felt compelled to leave out the fact that the magic in Kellan certainly didn't worsen her looks. He also mentally apologized to his mother, but knowing Lily, she probably would have agreed with him. She had more important things to worry about than how pretty she was.
Kellan smiled sweetly, and Harry noticed she had a dimple. "I have a pretty dress," she offered.
Harry smiled in return. "Yes, you do," he agreed, "and it brings out your eyes."
Kellan beamed at him, then suddenly shy again, turned to hug Tom's legs. Tom was looking unsure whether to be angry about the attention or pleased about the compliments.
Harry stood up again, with the ease of perfect balance, and leaned a little companionably on Draco's shoulder as he stood.
Tom and Harry stared at each other silently for a few seconds, judging each other and readjusting their first opinions of each other while Draco stared at the ground distantly, his thoughts lost somewhere Harry had no idea about. After a few minutes of silent staring, Tom snorted, picked Kellan up and walked off, almost stalking away angrily.
Draco blinked out of his private reverie and watched him go, apprehension starting to war with the previous excitement of a trip.
Harry's hand gently squeezed his shoulder. "Don't worry. It'll turn out fine in the end."
It was a few seconds before Draco could bring himself to nod meekly.
Draco yawned, too late to stifle it, staring around the courtyard in slight confusion. It was supposed to be more exciting here. But he didn't even have Harry here to entertain him. Harry was currently having a heart to heart chat with the old man, Dumbledore.
Draco swirled his finger lazily in the soil, idly drawing meaningless, shapeless pictures.
It was almost a surprise when Kellan fell on him, having misjudged the flatness of the ground where he was sitting.
Draco set her upright again, smiling vaguely, still trapped in his thoughts.
"Hi!" she said, enthusiasm oozing out of her tangibly. "We're going to the Market Square! Do you want to come with?"
Draco blinked at her for a second before looking up and meeting the peculiar red eyes of Tom, who had followed Kellan out.
"Is that all right?" Draco asked, hardly able to believe the freedom.
Tom shrugged slightly, a bare movement of his shoulders. "Why shouldn't it be? You wanna come or not?"
"Yes." Draco tried to remain detached, but he wasn't sure how well he succeeded.
Tom grinned suddenly, and he was unexpectedly handsome. "Okay then, let's go. They already know we're going, they'll probably guess you're with us as well."
Without waiting for an answer from the delighted Draco, he walked quickly to the other end of the courtyard, slowing a little to extend one of his hands to Kellan when she skipped up beside him. Draco followed discreetly, hardly daring to believe that he was finally free.
The Market Square could have rivaled Winhill's in size and content. It was surprisingly big, and held all sorts of stores and stalls. It appeared to be the place that you could buy anything.
Kellan, quickly growing bored and impatient as the two boys started looking at a weaponry shop, darted ahead to some other store to amuse herself.
Draco found himself battling a jealousy that was almost beyond belief when all Tom did was shrug when Draco asked if the young sorceress was allowed to do that.
They walked somewhat sociably together for a while, Draco looking around at his surroundings with eager, almost childlike eyes. He had not been a market square since almost before he could remember, his parents rarely taking him out to central Winhill, mainly because he had standards as a noble. He hadn't minded then, and he wouldn't have minded now, except what the SeeDs had done to him was far worse than what his parents had done. At least his parents had taken him out of Winhill regularly.
Tom, observing the interest Draco displayed, decided impulsively that Draco might not be so bad after all.
They walked in silence, stopping at every store and waiting patiently whenever one or the other found something he thought interesting.
After about half an hour, an excited squeal alerted them and they both looked up from a peculiar device to see the child sorceress approaching them at a speedy rate. Draco watched the little girl run closer to the two of them ecstatically, carrying something to show them, her eyes shining with obvious happiness, even from this distance.
"You really love her, don't you?" Draco returned his gaze to Tom's face, whose guards and masks, apparently used as often as Draco's, were down completely, Tom's expression tender and alight with an echo of Kellan's delight.
"More than anything or anyone in this world," Tom replied softly, and his face-hardened again when he looked back at Draco. "If she dies because of this mess, I will kill you both for dragging her into it."
Draco stared at him, faintly surprised, before he nodded, a small nod that carried a lot more than acknowledgement of the promise.
Kellan stopped suddenly a few stores away, almost tripping over her feet as she slowed, attracted by the glint of something in the sun, and Draco sighed softly, mildly envying her for her unknown gift of freedom. She didn't understand yet what it meant to be free; he hadn't either, until it had been taken from him. That was when he had understood that freedom was probably the most important thing to have.
He glanced around the shop again; disappointed that he hadn't found anything yet.
"What are you looking for?" Tom's voice was lightly curious and politely friendly, not forcing an answer.
Draco shook his head in bewilderment. "I don't really know, actually. Something for Harry."
Tom paused for a second, a thoughtful look on his face. "I've got an idea."
"What's on your mind, Mr. Beaumont?"
Harry started out of his self-imposed daydream and turned to watch the old man approach him. He had been more than slightly surprised at himself for how quickly he had trusted the elderly caretaker of the young sorceress. It wasn't entirely uncharacteristic of him to do it, but it was completely the wrong approach for a SeeD knight about to enter a sorceress war, a regretful mistake for a SeeD that had everything to lose.
The thought sobered him up again, and Harry turned back to where he had been staring out the window. It dawned on him that Dumbledore might have been expecting a reply, and he disregarded his first impulse to say "Nothing" and just sighed instead.
Dumbledore paused beside him. "May I sit?"
Harry moved over to make room. "Go ahead."
Dumbledore sat down, and Harry, eventually feeling the unwavering blue gaze fixed on him, turned slightly to stare back somewhat defensively. "What?"
"Do you want to talk about it?"
The bland voice with which the question was delivered was the only thing that kept Harry from walking away. The unquestioning trust, no matter how much it was wrong, was beginning to coax him to tell Dumbledore everything.
And Harry, who had never been one to successfully hide his more fervent emotions, gave in to it. "It's Draco."
Dumbledore nodded slightly, his stare moving past Harry to stare into the distance in front of them. "I see. What is it about Mr. Malfoy?"
"I don't know," Harry replied quite honestly, running his hand through his hair in frustration. "It's just everything. It's just getting harder to ignore now."
Dumbledore looked at him quietly, waiting patiently for him to continue.
Harry pulled his glasses off and put his face in his hands, unwilling to let anyone see at just how bothered he was about the whole situation.
"And what, may I ask, is the 'whole situation'?" The quiet voice broke through Harry's mental scolding, and Harry looked up, green eyes surprised.
"Did I say that aloud?"
Dumbledore looked faintly amused. "No, but it's fairly obvious what's bothering you. You worry about how close you are to the sorceress?"
Harry nodded despondently. "And about how much closer I want to be…" he murmured, flushing slightly at the blatant confession.
Dumbledore wisely pretended not to notice the blush, and looked into the distance again, his eyes narrowed as if he was looking for something that wasn't quite there. "I have never been a knight of course, Mr. Beaumont, but it is my understanding that it is an honorable experience."
Harry thought about that for a second. "It is, in a way."
"What about it is honorable?"
Harry tried to find a way to put it into words. "I don't know. The fact that you're bound to and connected with an extraordinary human being, and that that human being is depending on you to protect him, to keep him safe and sane. The fact that you're needed by him above all others, that you can do things for him that nobody else will ever be able to do or attempt to try."
"I see," Dumbledore nodded peacefully. "Are there any disadvantages to being a knight?"
"Of course there are! You're bound to him for the rest of your life, and your life depends on his, so when he dies, you die."
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that is a necessity. If knights did not have a motivation, if the sorceresses aren't able to persuade their knights to trust them, then the knight needs to protect the sorceress for his own life, if not the sorceresses."
Harry thought about that for a second. "I suppose you're right. It makes sense anyway. Another thing that's bad is that you can't hide anything from them, ever. Not even if it's for their own good that they don't know. And they might be rude and selfish and insufferable and you nevertheless find yourself starting to…" Harry stopped, his flush growing further.
Dumbledore once again pretended not to notice this. "What are the good things then? What makes little boys long to be knights, what makes it all worth it?"
Harry sighed softly, and rested his chin in his hand. "There are lots of good reasons as well. One thing is that your power level rises almost beyond recognition. Another is that you get a longer life, aided by magic. Another is that you don't have to worry about the real hard missions and dying in them, because you're sorceress will probably not allow you to go."
"What about the personal benefits?" Dumbledore prompted gently.
"Well, I suppose the fact that you always know what the other is feeling is a good thing, because then you know when to be careful and tread lightly."
"What about the bond? What's good about that?"
Harry sighed again, but this sigh was slightly blissful, as his eyes grew dreamy. "You know for certain about what the other feels. There's no hiding it, and it's impossible to be sad when someone knows exactly the right way to go about cheering you up." He smiled softly here, lost in a memory that Albus could only guess at. "And you know that you're the only one able and willing to pull him out of trouble, not because you have to, but because you want to, because you need to. And you can't help but be worried about him when he's in trouble, or be amused at him when he's being an insufferable idiot, or forgive him when he's being an utter bastard. And the fact that you'll never ever be alone," Harry paused, his eyes going wide with wonder, "again… The fact that despite it all you want to be closer, and that's scary, but so tempting at the same time…"
Harry trailed off, and Dumbledore stood up, laying an understanding hand on Harry's shoulder. "I hope you feel better now, my boy. It's a marvelous thing, the bond between sorceress and knight. Treasure it."
Harry was left staring blankly at his hands as Dumbledore walked away, satisfied with the knight. Albus had a feeling everything was going to be fine.
Draco found Harry in much the same place Harry had been in when he had left. Harry was staring distantly at his hands, for reasons unknown to Draco, but the he didn't always understand his knight, however much Draco enjoyed his company.
Harry looked up and smiled when Draco sat down beside him, unaccountably nervous. Harry's smile faltered as he aptly read the emotions through the bond.
"Are you all right?"
"I'm fine…" Draco sat up straighter. He was tense, and Harry was surprised. Draco was never tense. Or at least, he wasn't supposed to be.
"What's wrong, Draco?"
Draco scowled at him, and Harry smirked. That was more like it.
"Nothing. I'm just fine."
"Uh huh…" Harry drawled, suddenly high spirited. He was almost coming to terms with his private confession, and it made him feel quite giddy.
Draco blinked at him, then smirked. "I could ask the same of you. You seem almost abnormally frisky. What happened?"
Harry shrugged noncommittally. "Just had a talk with Dumbledore."
"You know," remarked Draco, "I was talking to Tom, and apparently Dumbledore isn't as bad as I first thought."
Harry's grin faded slightly. "What were you doing talking to Tom?"
Draco eyed him gleefully. "Jealous?"
"No," Harry denied hotly, "not at all. I just don't trust him."
"Neither did I at first…" Draco mused, ignoring the flush on Harry's face. "But now I've seen him with Kelly, he seems quite nice."
"Sure," Harry replied. "And I'm Laguna Loire. Come on Draco, he doesn't like either of us, and there's something in him that's dangerous!"
Draco blinked up at Harry, who had stood up with the force of his words, the importance of getting Draco to understand foremost in Harry's mind.
"Well, yea, I know that," Draco replied softly. "But he really loves Kellan. I don't think he'll hurt us unless we hurt her first."
Harry blinked, surprised at the conviction in Draco's voice. "You really that sure?"
"Yea," Draco frowned thoughtfully, "but I'm not sure what will happen if Kelly dies. That could be a problem."
Harry shrugged, suddenly at ease again, soothed by his sorceress' words and feelings. "We'll worry about that when we get that far."
Draco sighed and stood up. "I suppose you're right…" The tenseness was back, and Harry stared in uncertainty when Draco extended his hand to Harry.
"Give me your hand," Draco coaxed, "I want to give you something. Trust me."
Harry looked up at that, his smile almost blinding Draco with its brilliance, and Draco felt his heart skip a beat, certain Harry could feel it as well.
"Of course I trust you, Draco," Harry said simply. "How could I not?"
Draco chose to ignore this statement as it made him somewhat uncomfortable, regardless how happy he was to hear it. "Close your eyes," was all he said.
Harry did so, and all Draco could feel through the bond was a sincere anticipation.
Draco slid something on Harry's ring finger, and felt Harry's heart begin to beat doubly fast and the bond suddenly got slammed shut before Draco could know what Harry was feeling.
Harry's eyes opened slowly and he stared at the hand his ring was on. It was a pretty ring, thick and solid silver, the same colour as Draco's eyes, with sparkling inset emeralds the colour of Harry's eyes.
Draco took a chance and stepped closer carefully, ever aware that Harry was prone to being very nervous at these sorts of moments, but Harry was gazing at the ring, a dazed, uncertain look on his face. He looked up with dark green eyes as Draco's knuckles slowly trailed their way down Harry's cheek.
Draco took another half step forward and, encouraged when Harry didn't move away, slid his other hand around to tangle his fingers in the black hair and hold the head still before he softly pressed his lips to Harry's.
Harry stayed unresponsive for a minute, then tentatively kissed back, his left hand slipping around to caress the back of Draco's neck.
Draco could feel the ring, heavy and cool on Harry's finger, and his lips curled upwards in a genuine smile as he moved back, pretending not to hear Harry's small sound of protest but rejoicing in it anyway.
Harry's eyes, when he slowly opened them, were glazed over and dreamy.
Draco stared at the dazed SeeD and on impulse stepped closer again, resting his hands lightly on Harry's hips and looking him in the eye.
"Harry?" he spoke softly, and Harry stared at him blankly for a few seconds before shaking his head to clear it. It didn't appear to work, but Harry was willing to take whatever he could get.
"Yea?" Harry's voice was a little husky and breathless, and Draco noted with delight that he hadn't stepped away yet.
"How do you feel?"
Harry gave him a bland look, well carried off despite the fact that Harry still looked a little distant. "Don't you know already?"
Draco quirked an eyebrow at him. "I can feel you shutting the bond, blocking me out emotionally, Harry. Why?"
Harry sighed, and his voice was tired and almost sad when he answered. "I don't want to fall in love with you, Draco."
"I know," Draco whispered, gazing into the deep green eyes, searching frantically for something he wasn't sure he was ready for either. "How close are you?"
Harry sighed heavily again and unknowingly pressed his forehead against Draco's. "Awfully close."
Draco moved slightly and pressed his lips against Harry's again, a sweet, chaste kiss. "Too close?" he murmured against Harry's mouth.
Harry nodded silently, unable to speak, still stubbornly keeping the bond closed, despite how hard it was protesting.
Draco smiled carefully. "Me too," he whispered and he turned around and swiftly walked away, refusing to let Harry see the almost scared look on his face.