Title: Clear
Chapter 13: Prince of Darkness
Pairing: Harry/Draco
Rating: R for slash themes
**WARNING**: THIS STORY CONTAINS SLASH THEMES – WHICH MEANS HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN TWO MALE CHARACTERS. YOU ARE ADVISED TO LEAVE IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS.
Disclaimer: The characters portrayed in this story do not belong to me, but to the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling. This is all FICTION; none of it is true. No profit was made from this story. I bear no responsibility for anything you may claim from this story, you have been warned.
LAST WARNING. SLASH. HOMOSEXUALITY. LEAVE IF YOU DON'T LIKE.
Plagiarism is a crime. But I'm sure you know that already.
***
Draco was dreaming.
He was in his summer estate in Switzerland, up in the beautiful mountains, all lush green fields and bright, round flowers. It was night time, so these were all hidden in shadows, merely different shades of dark blue and black. He was at the front door, welcoming guests. Did he invite his year group? It seemed like it.
"Hello, Hermione, Ron. Good of you to come." He kissed Hermione's cheek, and shook Ron's hand cordially as they entered, smiling, waving, saying pleasant things that Draco could not understand as Hermione gave him a hug, and Ron clapped his shoulder, grinning. A flood of people rushed in behind them, and Draco could not keep track of them all, and could only nod and smile, passing out hugs as easily as handing out candy (why was he smiling?! He was not a smiling person…and why was he hugging? He definitely was not a hugging person…) and wave them all into the enormous living room.
The door was shut, and the doorbell rang. He opened it, and Harry was standing there, the porch lights giving him a golden glow. He stepped in. "Draco," he said, smiling hugely.
"Harry." Draco suddenly felt timid. He knew that this dream Harry did not like physical closeness, and so only held his arms out jokingly, a stupid grin on his face. "Give me a hug."
And to the surprise of his dream-self, who had been expecting only a laugh in return, he found himself swept up in a pair of strong arms that wrapped around him tightly.
And then they were standing in the kitchen, looking through the curtains into the night sky above. The moon was round and white tonight. "Look at the moon," Harry said, smiling at Draco. "Look at the moon."
"I am."
A voice called to him. "Draco, Draco, look over here. Look, Draco, Draco…" Draco turned towards the voice. It seemed to be mocking him. Laughing at him. Mocking. Yes, mocking.
"Look at the moon," said Harry. "Look at the moon, Draco, look at the moon. Look at the moon."
"Draco, look over here. Over here, look, Draco, look."
Draco kept turning his head quickly. "I am, I am, I am," he said desperately, trying to look both ways at once.
Harry's hand was a sudden warm weight on his. Draco stopped all movement and looked straight into deep green eyes. For a minute he thought he stopped breathing. And then chapped lips brushed against his before the entire house suddenly was empty and Draco was on the second floor, east wing, walking as he trailed fingers over smooth painted walls. He could still feel Harry's lips on his, could still feel the warmth of Harry's arm around his, and he felt strangely light and tingly as the sound of his footsteps soaked into the thick carpet.
And he sat down on the in the middle of the hallway and hugged himself.
And woke up.
He needed Harry. Desperately. But what was he to do? Was he to sneak into the Gryffindor dorm and crawl into his bed? Impossible. Preposterous. And what was he to say? I had a dream about you and missed you. Stupid.
Draco was seriously contemplating it.
But then he rolled over and began humming concertos and sonatas and symphonies as the four fingers on his left hand tapped the mattress rapidly under the covers, playing out imaginary music on his imaginary violin.
He stopped, head beginning to ache, fingers aching too, but in an entirely different way. Three fifteen in the morning. He got out of bed, washed up, dressed himself, and got his violin out, casting a Silencing Charm around his room just in case the music reverberated into the corridors echoed in the stones, amplifying the notes until they woke the Snakes in the dungeon.
Music was his life essence. It kept him alive every night. It kept him alive in day, if only in anticipation of its touch at night.
***
"Draco." Crabbe and Goyle fell into step beside Draco, two huge looming figures on either side of him. Draco continued walking, glancing up at them and giving a small nod of greeting.
"Draco." Goyle tugged lightly on Draco's sleeve. "Me and Crabbe –"
"Crabbe and I," corrected Crabbe.
"Whatever. We got letters from our fathers. About your…er, Christmas-Eve birthday party."
Draco stopped short in his tracks just as he was about to enter the Great Hall. Flashing a Look at them, he nodded once and led them to a dark corner, away from the trickles of students wandering to breakfast.
"So. You know." He looked up into their eyes, unafraid, calm and composed as always.
The two of them grunted in acknowledgement – "Uh" – and Goyle spoke again. "Draco – have you any…I don't know…ooooh cookies!" He cast an appreciative look at a passing Hufflepuff, who was holding a large plate of chocolate chip cookies she made herself. He shook his head, as did Crabbe, and the two of them focused on Draco again. "You know…like, any ideas?"
Draco sighed. "No."
"Would Potter have any ideas?"
Draco's eyes narrowed. "What?"
Crabbe coughed not quite surreptitiously. "It was. Rather. Eh. Obvious. Breakfast, you know." He waved his hand vaguely.
Goyle raised an eyebrow. "Yes. Well." He turned back to Draco. "Does he?"
Draco looked at the floor. "Does he what?"
"Have any? Ideas, that is."
"I don't know."
Crabbe spoke up again. "He must have gone to Dumbledore. I don't trust the old man."
"Neither do I."
"And neither do I," sighed Draco. "But he's the only thing we have right now. Or, rather, I have right now. You two still have some time, thank Merlin."
"My father said I had until I graduated. I guess that yours just wanted you to be the first out of us." By 'us', Goyle meant the collective children of all the Death Eaters. Crabbe nodded in agreement. He had gotten almost the same letter from his father.
"I'm not prepared to let myself get Marked and married just so I could become a minion that will breed miniature Death Eaters. I refuse to be my father all over again. Remember that pact we made all those years ago?"
"Of course," Goyle said. Crabbe nodded earnestly. How could they forget? Those solemn words they made, the three of them in a circle, swearing by their blood not to go down without a fight. All of them could still remember the exact detail of that day – how the moon was just beginning to rise, their dim lantern showing millions of dust particles floating in the room. How Crabbe had breathed so loudly with this mouth they thought he was hyperventilating or having some type of attack…How Goyle had covered his eight year old face, wanting yet unable to keep from peeking between chubby fingers. And how Draco had just looked – not stared, not gaped, just looked – looked and didn't move, didn't breathe loudly through his mouth, didn't squeeze his eyes shut, didn't look scared – just looked, and he was blank, indifferent, composed. As if it didn't matter, as if he was just looking because it was there. It made him appear arrogant and cold-hearted, but all three of them knew that it was his heart that was breaking as they all stood there one warm summery evening.
"It won't happen, Draco." Crabbe spoke quietly, in a firm, determined voice, and Draco instantly nodded, knowing he could trust his two best friends.
Goyle jabbed Crabbe in the ribs, cracking a huge grin. "Yeah. In any case, Potter's gonna save 'im, eh?"
Crabbe rolled his eyes. "I'm not even going to say how many errors you made in that sentence. But, yes. Draco – Potter may be your only hope."
Draco scowled sourly. "I don't like that. My only hope?" He shook his head. "I really don't like that. Worse than Dumbledore."
"Do be reasonable. Is there any other way…?" Goyle raised his eyebrows at Draco.
"No," Crabbe answered for him. "Dumbledore isn't going to risk anything for us. For any of us, much less you. I hate to point it out to you, but you're a Malfoy."
"I know all that!" Draco snapped. "I'm not stupid you know!"
"Duh," said Goyle. "Who whined because he got three hundred and twenty two percent on his History of Magic exam last year and wouldn't shut up about it because a certain Mudblood got three hundred and twenty three percent?"
Draco glared. "It was a bad mark."
"Three hundred and twenty two percent?"
"I got twenty two percent," offered Crabbe.
Draco rolled his eyes. "Look, we're moving away from the point here. Number one – you two know. I was wondering how to tell you anyway – saves me the trouble. Number two – I am at the point where I am going crazy. And number three, I am even willing to accept help from Dumbledore and Potter, but I won't go begging for it."
"Number four, you've started again, haven't you?" said Goyle accusingly, tone of voice changing suddenly. He blinked, and his eyes went from glazed over to sharp and beady.
"What do you mean started again?" Draco looked away.
"I mean, when you said that you were going crazy. I remember the last time you told us that, Draco, don't think I don't."
Crabbe grunted in agreement.
Draco started tapping his fingers against his robes, mimicking violin playing. "And what happened exactly, Gregory?"
Goyle glared menacingly, looming over Draco. "You know exactly what I'm talking about, Draco. You and your – "
"Perhaps we should get to breakfast?" Crabbe cut in. "I'm rather hungry." He cast them meaningful looks as a horde of Gryffindors stumbled past them into the Great Hall. In the middle of the throng was Potter, tired and haggard, but eyes alert and watchful, already darting around the Hall, searching, watching, seeing.
"We must keep up appearances, Draco. If Goyle and I received letters, the rest of Slytherin did as well. Those that are not jealous are genuinely happy about the…arrangement, and I think perhaps that is even more dangerous."
Draco nodded and lifted his chin. "Right. Breakfast." He took a step, and Goyle and Crabbe watched as their friend vanished and their leader took his place, eyes cool and calculating, looking down at everyone else present.
***
Breakfast was a stony, silent affair at the Gryffindor table. After the events of dinner last evening, plus the not quite secret argument last night, the atmosphere was more than a little chilly.
Harry sat between Hermione and Ron, picking at his breakfast. He could already feel a now-familiar pressure against his temples. Hermione was eating methodically, seemingly indifferent to the subdued people around her.
"Hermione?" said Ron quietly, so only the three of them would hear. "Hermione, come on. I just want to talk to you."
"There is nothing to talk about." She spoke in short, clipped tones, and Ron frowned at her words.
"Come on," he wheedled.
"Leave me be. Go…fuck a girl or something."
Ron bristled, and his voice rose to a shout. "Well excuse me for trying to be nice to you, Hermione. You're the one that's not trying here. I'm trying to make things right again."
Hermione continued eating her breakfast, head down. "There is nothing to make right again."
The look in Ron's eyes flickered, and Harry cast him a worried look, watching the exchange between them like a tennis spectator. Trying to compose himself, he stuttered, "Fine then. If you want it that way."
Harry's headache was blistering. This was it. He dragged them to the end of the Great Hall, away from all gossiping ears and eyes. "You two," he began crossly. "You two should just stop all this and grow up. We all said things that may have hurt each other, and I'm not about to choose between the two of you just because you guys can't be mature and talk things through and apologise for whatever hurt you may have caused. Ron – I was very disappointed in you last night. I didn't say it then, so I'll say it now. You're my best friend, and I go along with almost everything you say or do, but what you said last night to Hermione was just too much. Hermione – you're my best friend too, and I want you to try and forgive Ron, or at least allow the two of you to work through this together because by the Gods you two are scaring me, okay?"
He sighed, and rubbed his eyes. Hermione looked at him carefully. "All the stress, Harry," she said softly. "It must be getting to you. We aren't helping, are we?"
He shook his head. "You two are my best friends," he began.
Hermione held up a hand and cut him off. "That is no excuse. I know the pressure you're under right now, Harry, so yes, I am willing to work things out with Ron so you won't have to worry about us." She glared at Ron. "Right?"
He glared back. "Yeah."
Harry sighed. "Good. Now. Let's get back and you two can find a time and place to just talk things through." He said this all through gritted teeth, and Hermione could see the beginnings of a vein showing in his forehead.
Fuck, his head hurt.
So the three of them sat down again, and even though the tension between them was not entirely resolved, it was enough to start the usual chatter at Gryffindor table again.
Harry's headache amplified, but he managed a weak smile as Hermione and Ron sniped at each other, but in a much friendlier way.
And then Draco and his goons swept into the Hall, his robes swirling around him, footsteps steady and sure, arms swinging loosely by his sides. They sat down at the Slytherin table, and immediately, at least half the house began swarming around Draco excitedly, while he just sat there in the middle of it all, glaring, speaking words that made some back away, almost in tears from their cutting harshness.
Harry knew what they the Slytherins were so excited about. The morning's deluge of owls to their table had concluded one thing: the Death Eater children knew. He scowled into his plate of eggs and bacon. How could Draco manage to stay so calm through it all? How could he just sit there, pretending that it's all he's ever wanted because that's what he worked towards when it's not and when he was in Harry's arms last night worried sick that he would have to go through with it?
Unable to look away, Harry watched Draco as he played his part perfectly. Prince of Darkness. Ice Prince of Slytherin. He sat up straight in his chair, barely moving, staring unblinkingly as some tried to fawn over him. Harry watched his lips part and move gently to release sharp words that cut them down. Cut them all down. The jealous ones tried to glare at him from their seats, but were unsuccessful and had to lower their gaze when Draco's own steel-grey one met theirs. And then Harry's heart froze when Draco's eyes suddenly shifted to look directly at him. It was a hostile look, but Harry knew that if Draco let his mask slip, it would be the death of the Prince.
Harry blinked. He hadn't realised that they had been staring at each other so long that his eyes hurt.
Draco didn't blink.
***
"Right-o then." Headmaster Dumbledore clapped his hands together delightedly. "It's all decided then. Severus, Minerva, I trust you remember your assigned tasks, no need to go over them again. We'll have another meeting tomorrow evening to discuss the events of today's agenda again." He checked the time. "Ooh, lucky us, twenty minutes left of breakfast. I hope that there are still pancakes left. I do love pancakes, you know."
Snape sniffed, while Professor McGonagall merely raised an eyebrow before rising out of her chair. "If you'll excuse me, Albus. I still have some work to do before class starts."
After she left, Dumbledore turned to Snape, twinkling merrily. "Severus! Do join me for breakfast. Come along now." He stood up and began dragging an unwilling Snape out of his office in a manner most unbecoming of a Hogwarts professor, much less the Headmaster.
***
Narcissa Malfoy hummed as she applied her makeup on just so. She hummed as she pinned on her earrings and slipped on her bracelets and rings. She hummed as she draped chains of diamond and gold around her neck, and she hummed as she went down to breakfast.
Narcissa Malfoy was an optimist.
Unlike her pessimistic Capricorn son, she was an overly optimistic Sagittarian.
She could not see the silver lining in this motherfucker of a cloud, but she was determined to persevere and make the best out of it for her son. She frowned. Her son? Lucius' son. The Malfoy son, perhaps? Her son? No.
She shrugged her shoulders and went to breakfast, sharing a large table with Lucius, each of them at one end, barely able to make out the other's features, never mind talking.
But then, Malfoys never were big on mealtime conversations.
Narcissa Malfoy was happy. Because she knew that if she let herself know she was so unhappy, she would lose her sanity. And her son, especially her son.
Narcissa Malfoy loved her son. Draco. The dear, sweet angel that used to come to Mommy for hugs, but stopped when Lucius slapped the four year old and told him to "be a man". Narcissa remembered crying on the other side of the door as her four year old Draco-angel scratched and wailed and screamed, wanting out of the "big dark" and wanting the safety of Mommy's arms.
Narcissa Malfoy adored her husband. Hated him, but adored him.
If she hadn't married Lucius, she wouldn't have had Draco.
Narcissa Malfoy was an optimist.
And she loved her son very, very much.
Narcissa Malfoy never remembered fighting with Lucius. She was smart enough to know that she would die for such insubordinate behaviour. So she nodded and agreed to join the Death Eaters with him, agreed to go on Muggle-killings and tortures with him, agreed to inch closer into the Dark Lord's Inner Circle with him until the Malfoys became the most trusted Death Eaters.
Like how she agreed to conduct marriage arrangements for Draco when Lucius told her to.
Narcissa Malfoy knew why the Dark Lord preferred couples. She knew it was because they work so much better as partners – and wizards scarcely ever divorce because their magic has to match for them to match as well.
Wizarding marriages have a 0.001% divorce rate all over the world.
Narcissa Malfoy also knew that the Dark Lord preferred couples because it meant that baby Death Eaters would be born and trained early on and be able to fight early on and would be better because they started everything earlier on. Because by teaching their babies about their Lord, it means that their babies will have it hardwired into them to obey and be obedient.
Narcissa Malfoy knows that this will mean that the number of security leaks will decrease, and the Dark Lord's force will become all the more stronger.
Narcissa Malfoy knew this seventeen years ago. And seventeen years later, now, she knows that the Death Eater babies are all grown up and itching to join the ranks of their parents.
Narcissa Malfoy loves Draco more for his stubbornness. She doesn't know why, but she loves him even more for it. She couldn't tell him, of course, because Lucius would say that she was making Draco soft and vulnerable, so she doesn't.
Narcissa Malfoy loves her son.
To Be Continued!!!
I'm so sorry this took so long! I had so many exams and tests and it was all just so crazy! Plus, I had an extra strange case of writer's block – I am writing bits of the future chapters but nothing for the current ones. Future as in the second part of this fic future. As in after all the stuff happens future. As in…you know. Future? Strange. Anyhow, thank you very very much for reading, and for your patience as well! :)
Notes: Much thanks to the reviewers!!!! Thank you just so, so, SO much! I appreciate it so much! Much thanks to May, the very evil bunny, ClarKeRaVen, alistar, Evil Laughter, efa, Summer, Anne Phoenix – I'm glad you liked "The Boy Who Lived For You"…it's one of my favourites as well!, Lady Malfoy II, someone who's too lazy to login, Heavens_beyond, GlacierFlame, bondagechic, IncubusSuccubus, in-a-crushd-tin-box, Patchfire, Marionette, Gwendolyn Malfoy, Lunadeath, mellony melody, Sera Luanma, J (BleedingEros), Moonblade, Sienna of Lothlorien, Zany, pottergirl, Mistic, random reviewer, ILLk, Hoshiko-Malfoy, Little Bunny Fu Fu, scythefire, Kiren, vanityfair, AshFarley, phoenixwhitebirch, Sineadluv, K.C., Marian of the Faeries, Aurora, Tanya Maxwell, Reveuse, Avalon Princess, yiota, chrisseee67 – I'm really happy that you liked the chapter! This story will be in two parts, and the first part will probably be at least 20 chapters, perhaps? I'm not sure whether or not to but the two parts together or separate into story and sequel…we'll see!, Rosetta, deadredsocks, JadeDragon – I'm so so so happy you liked the last chapter! Your comments were beautiful, thank you!, Chiaki Dark, Jade_Jewel, Chireel, Scap, TanisaFyre – Hi! Thank you for your review! As for your curse…well, I guess by this point we can safely say that Lucius might be subjected to it?, Jinsei, The Intellectual Dirtbag, Ghaleonsama, Baby Ty Ty, AmZ – I hope you liked this chapter, even though it is decidedly less sexy than the last, mistykasumi, Morien Alexander, Jubilee – Sorry I couldn't update any soon! School is *really* bad right now…and thank YOU for your review! Made my day :) (p.s. go Hermione!), amethyst, Portuguese-Girl, IamtheLizardQueen, Green-and-Silver, Bizzle, Anna, jay, Tsuyuno – I tend to 'lose' fics as well, since ff.net is so big! Thank you for your review!, nightwing, Shades, Bubblie Bunnie – I'm really glad to find out that the sad parts really are sad and not lame attempts at trying to *be* sad! GO SLYTHERIN!!!! YAY!!!!, FatalDreams-Seducer of Fantasy – Thank you for reading! I hope you like this chapter as much as the other ones!, Aurenne – Thank you for reading! I'm glad that at least some people read the beginning quotes…but no quote this time cause I didn't really find a suitable one…, ruz – Your review was very sweet, thank you!, Silmarien – Thank you for your review, and I hope you keep on reading this not-so-little fic!, Anita Blake – Thank you for reviewing! I'll see what I can do about Snape and Dumbie…and I'm *definitely* going to consider your comment about Hermione and her fist in Ron's face…interesting!, Rings of Saturn – Let's all keep our fingers crossed and hope that Draco doesn't get Marked…cause I sure am!, Black Night – I'm afraid it's taken a month again…or has it been longer? eeee! don't explode!!!, ljp – Thank YOU for reading and reviewing! It really means a lot to me, thank you!, Kitori – Thank you for all those wonderful comments about the characters! I guess I needed Draco to have someone besides Harry to talk to, you know? I made up an OC because, like you said, he's usually engaged to Pansy…, crimson nightmare – Thank you for your beautiful comment! Voldemort's sick desires are rather…perverted in nature…*shifty eyes*…I hope this chapter answered why V likes couples, in the very least! And…I don't write very good summaries, so…yes., But Siriusly – Oh my, I love your name! I'm sorry I don't have a chapter/mailing list thing but perhaps I will set one up soon? Thank you for reading!, Natalie – Thank you very much for reading and reviewing! Hope you enjoy this chapter just as much., Silent Angel – To be honest, I'd feel the same if Harry was paired with anyone but Draco…heeheehee…thank you very much for reading!, Cathy – Er…sorry??? I *would* write sooner, but I really *do* have a lot of schoolwork. It'll lighten up soon, I hope…because I'm itching to write as well! Hope you continue to read my little story!, Shikala – Okie :) I guess it would also help if I know what's going to happen…but thank you for reading and reviewing!
