A/N:  I have had one hell of a time writing and re writing this chapter, over and over and over and over ect. again.  Its been driving me up the wall, but I have to put something up so this is the final draft.  It's also the longest Chapter yet I think. 

God wow, I love all you guys who reviewed!  You are all a huge inspiration I swear I would never have gotten this far with out all your encouragement.  And thanks also to the people who have pointed out plot flaws ect. I tried to have a go at covering up for some of them here, but for any that I haven't, I'm just going to claim authors licence, cos that can pretty much excuse anything!  =)

Chapter twenty five: A Slytherins Courage

    Harry just gave Hermione a look that might as well have lit up a neon "Like that's gona happen" sign above his head and made his way up to his dorm.  He threw of Draco's cloak, locked the door and set about getting on his battle robes, which, though amazingly flexible when on, were a bloody nightmare to get on. 

    It took Harry a ridiculous amount of time to get the damn thing on, he'd eventually resorted to magic, but once he had donned the black robe he instantly felt safer, somehow better protected.  He glanced at his watch; the sun had risen by now. 

    He decided to skip breakfast, where ever the hell that was being held and made his way to a sparring room Severus had taught him in last month, he could always summon Dobby if he got hungry.  He left his dorm and was halfway down the hall before he rushed back for his CD player.  He might as well have some decent music.

    He set the CD player down, threw on a P.O.D. album and set about examining the weapons that were lined up on the wall.  Severus had equipped this room with every type of lethal instrument Harry could ever want.  The room its self was large and the floor uncluttered, there were three enchanted dummies against one wall that could fight back if you attacked them in any way, and that was about it.

    He turned the music up till he could feel it vibrating through the bamboo floor and went back to the gleaming blades.

    The first thing he spied was Godrics sword, hanging in the centre of the wall.  He tossed the sword from hand to hand for a couple of seconds bouncing from foot to foot before swinging it in an ark above his head and bringing it round in a figure of eight and launching it forward impaling the invisible foe standing before him.

    The sword might as well have been designed solely for him, it was perfectly balanced and the edge was as sharp as ever.  He buried it into a ruby encrusted sheath and moved on to a pair of daggers.  They were simple elegance, pure unadorned beauty.  Un-like the sword at his side, there were no gaudy stones donning their splendour.  They were both silver, the handles lined with gossamer threads of something Harry couldn't identify and the blades came in at about five inches each with the handles about the same.

    He strapped them to his ankles, before looking out at the expanse of empty floor.  This was it.  Soon, soon he would be out there.  He sighed, every one had known that the big all out fight would be swift, it wouldn't be very Slytherin for it to be public knowledge before hand now would it?  Harry got the feeling the fact they knew about it at least 12 hours in advance was quite miraculous.  The cold metal of the daggers in his boots comforted him somewhat.  He didn't know what he was supposed to do.  Dumbledore would no doubt be busy.  12 hours wasn't very long to raise an army, it would be surprised if they could get even half their troops in on time.

    Harry pulled out one of the daggers and examined it, there wasn't anything better to do, that unnatural calm still hung about the place and even with music blasting he felt it was too quiet.  He really couldn't do anything worthwhile in half a day.  He had to keep his mind occupied somehow, because every time it stopped, even for a split second, it became obsessed with Severus. 

    The dagger was decidedly Slytherin the Gryffindor mused, made to be concealed, not overly showy but never the less left you in no doubt that it was expensive and well crafted and to top it all of, the pair would make a lethal team.  Harry wondered why he hadn't seen them before; they seemed to fit him just as perfectly as Godric's sword did.

    The door opened, feet ghosted over the floor and settled down beside him.  The blade in Harrys right hand stopped inches away from the pale throat of the person who disturbed his musings.

    "Bravo Har!"  Draco laughed the uncomfortable situation off, yet even to Harry the sound was strained.

    "Sorry."  Harry lowered his arm, "How'd you know I was here?"  Putting down the knife and waved his wand in the general direction of the CD player silencing it.

    "Well, looked every where else almost, you know you have a lot of favourite places in this castle, its very confusing, why can't you just be predictable."  The light teasing served only to take the edge of the creeping feeling in Harry.

    "Oh, ever so sorry, your highness, I will from now on never leave the Gryffindor commonroom."

    "Quite so."  They sat in silence for what felt like an eternity before Draco hesitantly started to speak.  "My, my father contacted me."

    Harry tensed a fraction but forced himself to relax for Draco's sake.

    "What did he say?"

    "That I should get out of here.  He sent me a Portkey and all."  Draco held up a necklace, a tiny Vipertooth dragon hung on the end of the silver chain. 

    "It's nice."  Was all Harry could think to say.  He knew Draco, he loved Draco like a brother, he wouldn't leave, but the growing fear that he could lose another person so important to him was making him visibly shake.   He gripped white knuckled at one of the daggers to calm himself.

    "Yeah," Draco sounded wistful, "There the fastest Dragon, they could out fly anything I bet.  I had one you know."  Draco turned to look at Harry with shining eyes.

    "No, you've never told me."

    "Oh.  I got him when I was four, and I even helped rear him. They are really vicious in the wild, but Sagitta looked after me.  He was like my best friend growing up, but when I got to Hogwarts I was never aloud to see him again, my Dad thought it was too much of a risk.  That's why I was so jealous of Hagrids dragon."  Draco looked pained for a few minutes before shaking it off.  "Any way, he told me about Severus too."  Harry immediately perked up.

    "What about him?"

    "Well, not much, but apparently Voldemort never really believed that he'd gone back to their side properly, and so he is going to lock Severus up making some really complicated potion whilst every one is fighting because he needs a good potions master and do you have any idea how few of those there are?"

    "But how the hell is that supposed to work?"  Harry howled.

    "Severus was not supposed to know anything about the big show down, he is just going to think it's a normal Voldemort Hissy fit and stay there and finish the potion.  But that time most likely one side will have won.  If it's the 'dark' side then Voldemorts banking on Severus seeing the error of his ways and staying with him, if it's the light side then the Professor will be left in there to die of, well, starvation I suppose."  Draco shifted uncomfortably, "But my father gave him the key to his cell door so he'll be fine."

    The statement didn't easy Harry's nerves; in fact they made him feel down right sick.  How what Severus supposed to get out of the dark Lords head quarters when he was being suspected of being a traitor?

    "Here Harry, take this."  Draco handed over the tiny Dragon.  "It takes you to a little café bar type thing in Hogsmeade, all you have to do is stroke its back to activate it.  If things get, well, you know, you'll have a way out at least." 

    "Hey, bro, you should do what your father said, it's not going to be pretty here.  I'll be ok."

    "No way Harry, you guys are going to need all the help you can get, and besides that, my boy is here, I not going to leave him, or you so you're stuck with me and I would feel better knowing that you had a fail safe.  I know you've got to play the hero, but, well It cant hurt to have a way out." Harry looked at the little flapping beast before fastening it round his neck.

    "Thank you."  His voice was quiet and liable to break at any moment.  Draco was putting on a happy smile as if it would stop what was to come.  He got up and dusted himself down and Harry did the same.

    "I'm going down to the dungeons to see him." 

    "Aren't you ever going to tell me who he is?"  Harry stole one of Draco's pouts.

    "I'll tell you tomorrow."  Draco said with confidence.  "You'll just have to tell Voldemort to bog off because your so curious as to who I'm Buggering!"  Draco grinned, and enveloped Harry in a fierce hug, clinging to the other like a lifeline he eventually pulled back and kissed Harry gently, just ever so slightly brushing their lips together, there was nothing behind it, he just wanted Harry to know he was still loved.  Draco tried to swallow the creeping feeling that this might be the last day they ever saw each other again. 

    "Fine, but you had better tell me and not just doge the question like you usually do."  Harry managed a weak smile and Draco nodded. 

    Slytherins pale Prince turned and left, the silken material of his robes swished and lightly caressed the floor as he walked light-footed and graceful.

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~