Sorry for the wait, but I'm back at school so I'll only be able to update weekly from now on. Unless I get inspired by heaps of reviews or something. This chapter is a good 1000 words longer than usual anyway so I hope that makes up for the wait. The slash is coming; it'll just take a few chapters now. And there will be a whole lot more Draco POV as the story goes on.
Oh, mentions of Ron/Hermione in this chapter, but they won't be an important feature of this story.
I'd also like to thank my lovely reviewers, Altariel Eldalote, NettieT and Immortal Memories. Your suggestions and encouragement is what has made me keep on with the story.
Chapter FourHarry looked around the room he was in and was surprised at what he saw. Well, surprised at the fact he could see, as he wasn't wearing his glasses. Just as soon as he noticed this he noticed the smell- the potions beside his bed were giving off an intense and earthy aroma, and a hint of something magical. He couldn't quite tell how he could smell magic, but he could. And then he heard brisk footsteps coming towards him, from the other side of the infirmary. It was then that Harry realised that he must have somehow received improved senses. He heard a familiar sneeze and realised that Ron was still bedridden.
The footsteps then reached the doorway to the room he was encased in, and the nurse opened up the door separating Harry from the rest of the castle. Madame Pomfrey saw him awake and gave a surprised little jump. She performed a quick little charm in his direction with a small frown on her face, and when satisfied with what she saw ran up to him and gave him a tremendous hug.
"Oh you're alright! I was so worried! But you're okay and everything is alright again! Thank-you so much, I'm so proud of you for vanquishing You Know Who! And what were you thinking, getting into trouble just as soon as you'd gotten out of the last batch!" The nurse rapidly exclaimed, not noticing the shock present on Harry's face that a) she was hugging him, b) that she sounded like she had cast sonorus on herself, and c) that she seemed to be channelling Mrs Weasley.
"Madame Pomfrey!" Harry said as soon as he heard her pause for breath. "What do you mean getting into trouble? The ministry shouldn't be causing any problems, they barely exist anymore."
Here Poppy broke away from Harry and stepped back into her usual stern demeanour. "That one is for one of the Professors to tell you, dear. You stay here and drink those potions and I'll go and get someone to explain what has happened to you."
"This doesn't happen to have anything to do with my heightened senses does it?" Harry responded, hoping to get a little bit more of an explanation before she hurried off.
"Yes, it has. Now be patient, I'll have the Professors in here in just a moment." With this she walked quickly out of the room and closed the door behind her. Harry got up out of his bed and looked around for something to change into, his skin was protesting to the discomfort of hospital linens and the dirty clothes that he was wearing during the battle. Somehow, he hadn't ended up in the hospital's horrible pyjamas. He didn't see any clothes around, however, so he searched his pockets for his wand, and once finding it, proceeded to spell his clothes clean. He'd have to wait until later to shower and wash properly. Just as he was about to get impatient and spell his way out of the room he heard McGonagall and Snape heatedly discussing something in low voices as they made their way towards where he had lain for the last few days. They stopped talking just before their words became discernable from the earlier murmur. Harry went and sat down on the bed once more, and leaned up against the headboard.
As McGonagall and Snape walked in, he saw McGonagall's lips un-purse for a second, and Snape's stride falter imperceptibly before his glare became impossibly more pronounced than it was when he walked in the door. Little did Harry know that these were signs of shock as they saw just how attractive Harry had become as a vampire. His pale skin seemed to glow with a strange light, the dark pink of his lips standing out against it. His raven hair framed his face before just skimming the top of his shoulders. But what drew the most attention were his vivid green eyes—the colour of the curse that changed his life—filled with knowledge and wisdom beyond what should be seen in the body of one who is only almost seventeen and would never age again.
Harry waited for them to sit down on the two chairs near his bed. However impatient he was, he could sense their nervousness and decided to endure the tense time before they could inform him of what was going on. Harry had his suspicions but was repressing theses ideas on the hope that there was some other less drastic reason for the changes he had undertaken. He thoroughly ignored the fact that he could sense the heartbeat of the others in the room.
Severus however didn't feel like enduring the tense silence, as he'd used up enough patience in Death Eater meetings and classes involving Longbottom to last him a lifetime. Minerva would be sure to drag it out and be tactful, but that would just piss Potter off—and he didn't want a peeved and powerful young vampire to deal with.
"Mr Potter, you seem once more to have caused disorder and trouble without doing anything but existing. Once you shot the Dark Lord in the head, a vampire decided to take a little journey to your jugular and then turned you into one of their kind. It may have been one of the Dark Lord's nefarious plots to screw you over, or your infamous luck may have simply run out. A ritual was performed before you rose which ensured you would not be strutting arrogantly killing people whilst you lacked your soul. It has been returned to you so now you must take control of your actions and instincts to prevent yourself from wallowing in guilt and self-pity." Severus stopped is diatribe at this point, having fully expected Potter to interrupt him by this point. Minerva glared at him as though saying 'really!' but he could tell she was glad she didn't have to deliver the news herself.
Harry sat on the bed silently, uncomfortable that his assertions were true. He was glad that he had somehow been granted his soul so that he'd be able to at have at least some moral control over his actions. It also explained the strange hunger that had almost overtaken him since people had entered the room. One of the things that stopped him from feeding was the fact that he didn't think himself capable of sticking fangs into either strict professor's necks. It kinda disturbed him that he was less repulsed by the thought of Snape's neck than his head of houses.
He could sense the rooms other occupants becoming nervous at his lack of response, so he nodded and looked at Snape, indicating he wanted him to continue.
"I will be able to provide a potion for you that with suppress your need for blood for a longer time than usual. It works to keep the nutrients from the blood regenerate themselves for a short amount of time. Unlike muggles that have been sired, you will be unable to substitute human blood with animal blood, as you need human blood to keep up your magical stores. The potion will last for up to five days if you feed from a witch or wizard. It is advisable that you feed of someone magical because they can drink a blood replenishing draught so that the blood loss will affect them much less than a muggle."
Harry took all this information on board and wondered why where he would find a muggle to feed off anyway when McGonagall interrupted his train of thought.
"I suggest that you find a willing donor for this as it would make things a great deal easier. You will be given your own room in the dungeons, as you are now extremely sensitive to sunlight. Until we give you further indication you will not be able to venture outdoors on clear days. If the day is very overcast you will be able to journey outside but you must be very careful. I would not recommend it." She said.
Severus then handed Harry the potion, informing him it would only last two days because he had yet to feed. Harry downed the potion and grimaced at the taste, wishing that particular sense were not also improved. Poppy walked in soon after and nodded her head in approval at the empty vial in his hand.
"Good, good he knows now so you had best be off. Its time for Harry to get some rest!" Poppy admonished as she tried to shuffle the visitors out of the room.
"Wait," Harry interjected, "I wouldn't mind knowing how everyone else is. The cruciatus didn't get to Dumbledore did it? Isn't he usually the one to show up in the hospital wing after one of my near-death experiences?"
McGonagall gave Harry a reassuring smile, and said "No, he'll be alright, he's just resting up in St Mungo's. There has however been a fatality," she paused for a moment to collect herself, wondering how many times she would have to deliver this news. "Charlie Weasley was killed in the battle. Everyone else you know is relatively uninjured, nothing a few days of rest won't fix."
Harry rested his head against his hand and allowed himself to feel the pain of grief for a moment before wrapping it up and sending it to sit with a pile of similar emotions that he had packed away during the course of his life. He looked up again to see the three elder Order members looking down at him. "What about Ron? How is he recovering?"
"Oh he's doing as well as can be expected, and he woke up yesterday afternoon. He should be out of bed in a few days, and then I'll keep him here for a few days to get used to his prosthetic leg. Minerva has transfigured one for him that will do just perfectly."
"Can I go see him now?" Harry queried, wanting to see how his best friend was going.
"I'm sorry dear, but it's light out in the main ward and he can't come in here so you'll have to wait until tonight." Poppy replied. "Now you rest up for a while so the Professors can get your new room sorted out."
With that, the three walked out of the room and shut the door behind them. Harry wondered if he would ever lead a normal life. What, with the growing up in a cupboard and the parselmouth abilities and the evil megalomaniac overlords setting out to kill him he contemplated what it was that made him irrevocably different from everyone else he knew. Maybe he just didn't know enough freaks. With nothing else to do in the starkly white room, Harry decided to take Madame Pomfrey's advice and get some sleep.
ooooo
After Poppy returned to the hospital wing proper, she walked over to the bed that the youngest Malfoy was currently reclining in. Poppy had never seen anyone else able to recline when confined to a hospital bed but that was exactly what he was doing. She then decided that if he was able to loll about looking as though he was just about to have barely clothed servants come bearing grapes that it was high time he left her care.
Draco looked up at the matron and dreaded that he would have to leave. He dreaded it not due to some insane and fierce love for the disinfectant scent of the hospital wing or the horrendously scratchy sheets—he abhorred those things. He dreaded leaving because he had no place to go. Ever since—no, he didn't want to go into that. The point of the matter was that he had been disowned and really needed a place to stay for the rest of the summer holidays, as they were only about halfway through. He did not want to think about the state of accommodations that he would be facing if he had to live off what little savings he hadn't frittered away on useless crap, but you don't tend to save money all that much when your family is rolling in the galleons.
Severus looked up at the potion he was quickly making in Poppy's office for one of her patients and seemed to sense Draco's predicament. He walked up to where Poppy was about to dismiss his young godson and Slytherin successor and decided to make his presence known.
"Madame Pomfrey, I have finished making the potion you require, something a third year could have done. Now, will you excuse us as I must talk to my godson. I ensure you he will be out of your care in a few moments." He said in the biting manner he usually saved for imbecilic Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. Poppy huffed, but ceded to Severus, as he seemed to be suffering the effects of a hangover in combination with a recent encounter with Potter. It was best to let him have his sense of authority so she could deal with her other tasks in peace.
"Draco, I am aware of the fact that you have been disowned and have arranged for you to stay at Hogwarts over the holidays. You will be staying in your new room, as you know, for the seventh year Slytherins get their own rooms. You will also have the bathroom to yourself until term gets in and then I am afraid that your must once again share it with your dorm mates. Do try to stay out of trouble, and make sure you can find the kitchens, as dinner is not served in the Great Hall during the summer holidays. I'm sure the attention of the schools many house elf's will be a mutually beneficial experience. They tend to get quite bored on the holidays, and I'm sure you shall revel in their undivided attention." Here Severus paused and applied one of his most evil and sexy smirks at the look on Draco's face. He seemed to be torn between being disgusted and pleased at the little things attentions, and insulted that Severus would think he'd enjoy their inferior company.
"Why Severus, I didn't think you cared." Draco then replied dryly. "I suppose I am to go to my rooms now?"
"Indeed, Mr Malfoy. Good Day." Severus then swept out of the room and Draco scowled after him. Why couldn't he get his robes to billow just so? Draco then quickly got up and got dressed, glad to have been fully recovered from his injuries. He gave a jaunty wave to Madame Pomfrey just because he knew it would piss her off, and then strode out of the hospital wing and to his new single room as though he didn't have a care in the world.
ooooo
Molly and Bill Weasley flew exhaustedly from Grimmaud Place to the Burrow, the only way they could now get to their home. They found Ginny curled into a miserable little ball at the base of the couch that sat in front of the family clock and figured she didn't have to be told the bad news. She looked up at the whoosh of the floo and found her mother and eldest brother looking at her with deep sorrow in their eyes. Bill walked over and collapsed onto the couch and pulled his sister into his arms. Both Bill and Charlie had had a great sibling relationship with their sister despite the age and logistical gaps. Ginny just clung to him like a lifeline for a while before she looked up to see her mother just standing still, staring at the clock blankly. It was a disturbing sight as Molly never seemed to stop moving or talking. She then turned and looked at the eldest and youngest of her little clan and tears started streaming down her face. She ran to them and pulled them into the famous hug of hers and wished that nothing would ever touch their family like this again. Too fast had it all happened, and Molly didn't think she'd be able to cope.
They stayed like that for a while, just sharing their grief until Molly decided that enough was enough and she went to fetch a cup of tea for them all to salve their weary souls. Ginny then turned to Bill to ask what she had been wondering the whole time since hearing the news and seeing the clock.
"Was there anyone else? Is Harry all right? Is Tonks okay?" She questioned uncharacteristically nervously, fearing the answer. If they were dead she didn't know what she'd do. Bill breathed a mingled breath of relief and apprehension.
"Tonks is totally fine, nothing but a few cuts and bruises. Harry is...okay. I 'spose. At the end of the final battle he was kinda bitten by a vampire, but..."
"WHAT! WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'KINDA BITTEN BY A VAMPIRE'!" Ginny exclaimed.
"Ow, Ginny watch the ear, no need to go all hell demon on me, I'm just the messenger! He is as okay as he can be, we did some wacky ancient spell and got his soul back so he'll pretty much be Normal Harry just with a few super dooper new senses and the need to drink blood a few times a week. Oh, and the whole sun thing, but I think I know a way to get around all that."
"Oh great," Ginny said sarcastically. "So he just needs to drink someone's blood a few times a week. Nobody will think he's the new dark lord or anything. Why do these things always happen to him? Like he didn't have enough shit to deal with."
"GINNY WEASLEY! I DON"T CARE WHAT REASONS YOU HAVE BUT YOU WILL NOT SWEAR UNDER THIS ROOF!" Molly shouted from the kitchen, getting out a bit of her anger at, well, everything really. "AND DON"T SPEAK TO YOUR BROTHER LIKE THAT!" Bill and Ginny just rolled their eyes and laughed at the somehow calming normality of their mother yelling at her children. Calming yelling indeed.
"Well, I have to go see him. Cheer him up and all that. Besides, a bit of Weasley blood will make him an official member of the Weasley clan." Ginny stated, ignoring the disbelieving stare of her elder brother. "What, it's not like I've got a crush on him anymore or anything, he's like a brother—he's family. I'd do it for you so I'll do it for him. And no, I don't care what mum says either." Bill's shocked look turned to one of resignation and defeat as he noticed Ginny's extra stubborn streak setting in.
"You should tell mum. She'll probably be okay with it anyway as it is for Harry. But she'll have a breakdown if she doesn't know where you've gone. Isn't the whole vampiric feeding thing a little sexual for a brother-sister relationship though?" Bill questioned, wondering what was going through his sister's mind.
"Don't worry about that brother dearest, men don't do anything for me anyway." Ginny was kinda nervous as to what Bill's reaction would be, but thought that it was about time she came out to someone in the family.
"Really? I never knew you had it in you. Didn't you have a few boyfriends though?" Bill answered, trying to cover his shock.
"Yeah, they just proved what I didn't want. And don't tell mum about it, I think she still wants me to marry Harry—not that that can happen anymore anyway." Ginny reasoned. She then turned her head towards the kitchen as her mother came out carrying a tray with the tea things perched upon it. Ginny gave Bill a silencing look and moved over so her mum would fit on the couch. They sat and drank their tea in peace before Ginny decided to broach the subject of volunteering her neck to Harry's fangs.
"Mum, I know you're probably not going to like the sound of this, but nothing you can do or say will stop me. I'm going to Hogwarts to let Harry feed from me until he finds someone more permanent."
Molly Weasley wasn't acting the way her children thought she would. She just looked down into her teacup and sat in silence. Ginny and Bill exchanged worried looks and waited for some kind of response. Their mother just nodded her head and looked at Ginny with a fierce and painful love and pride—the last response she had been expecting.
"You're doing the right thing, dear. I know you think I must be mad to be going on like this but Harry is like a son to me and I've lost enough of them as it is, I won't lose Harry too. I'll go owl Tonks and get her to take you there, she's had a chance to rest up now and I'm sure you'd be glad to see her. Bill... I'll need you here to help me prepare Charlie's funeral." Molly squeezed her eyes shut and tried to ignore the pain that was laced in her being where her husband and her son used to be. She then got up from the couch and went to send Errol off to the young metamorphagus.
Ginny and Bill just sat there together, sharing their grief and their pain, and fell asleep on each other's shoulders like they used to when they were little. Both wondered if their family would ever get over their loss.
ooooo
Hermione got off the train at Hogsmeade station and looked determinedly at the castle on the hill nearby. She strode determinedly towards the front gates of Hogwarts. As she made her way towards the entrance doors she wished she could levitate her heavy trunk and charm it to follow her. She set said trunk down when she got to the doors and somehow pushed them open. It was strange not seeing students milling around the entrance hall on the way to meals, classes and various other private rendezvous.
Hermione's reverie was broken when she saw McGonagall walking towards her. "Miss Granger? May enquire as to your presence, I was under the impression that it was still summer break?" Hermione smiled at her favourite professor and told her of the circumstances that had brought her here. Minerva looked down at her young protégée and decided she must inform her at once as to the current situation.
"I am most sorry Miss Granger but you have missed out on all the action. Despite the Ministry falling during an attack, Voldemort was defeated two days ago by your friend Mr Potter. Young Ron Weasley is currently in the infirmary under Madam Pomfrey's expert care, as is Mr Potter. If you wish to see Mr Weasley I may take you up there now, but I am afraid you will have to wait to see Mr Potter. If you would follow me?"
Hermione followed the Transfiguration teacher in a state of shock. Harry killed Voldemort? The ministry had been ruined? Both of her best friends were in the hospital wing? McGonagall opened the door in front of them and led Hermione over to Ron's bed at a nod from Madame Pomfrey. Hermione looked down at her boyfriend and had to contain a gasp as she saw from the shape of the blankets one of his legs was missing from halfway up his thigh. Ron looked up at his girlfriend and gave a strained smile.
"Hey Hermione. Care to fetch me a leg?"
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