A/N: Omigosh guys… it's finally updated. So sorry. Wow. Anyway, go ahead and read, last chapter!!
My Fire, My Love: Part Twelve
He could hear the Death Eaters massing downstairs. Wails and chants drifted up to his ears, muffled but still terrifying. Draco lay on his massive four-poster bed, in his elegant, spacious bedroom. He was wearing a dark green cloak with an ornate pin to clasp it, and silk robes beneath that. But under the layer of wealth, Draco knew that his clothes and home meant nothing. If anything, it had become a prison.
He was worried; he didn't know what to do. He knew he'd be getting a visit tonight, from none other than the Dark Lord himself. But he wasn't thinking about that. He was thinking about Harry.
A tapping on the window roused him from his musings, and he turned, expecting to see his owl. To his shock, Harry was hovering outside, framed by the morning light pouring through his window, a strange expression on his face.
Draco leapt from his bed and unlocked the window. Harry coasted into his bedroom on his gorgeous Firebolt, and then slid off. Still wearing that odd look on his face he couldn't decipher, Harry approached him.
"You. Are. So. Stupid!" he said, closing the gap between them and kissing him. Draco, still in shock, let himself fall into the kiss and be held, ah, how he had missed this—his eyes flew open and he stumbled back against his bed.
"What are you doing here?!" he hissed as Harry pressed against him. "Leave! Now!" He tried to push Harry away.
"Not unless you come with me," Harry said calmly.
"Harry Potter you listen to me, if you don't leave right now-" Draco warned, becoming agitated.
"Come with me!" Harry pleaded.
"I can't! He'll know. Harry, God, leave don't you understand who's downstairs?" he said desperately.
Harry paled. "Y-you're joking." Draco's face told the truth. Harry stood up, pulling Draco with him. "I'm not leaving without you. Let's go," he said determinedly.
The door suddenly burst open, and the two twisted in surprise and fear, and before anything could be done a voice cried "Stupefy!" and Harry sank to the floor.
"Harry!" Draco cried, dropping to his knees next to him. As black-robed Death Eaters swarmed into his room and surrounded the fallen boy, Draco felt an iron grip on his shoulder. Draco froze, forcing himself to calm down, as he watched the Death Eaters levitate Harry's limp body and leave his room. His hands were balled tightly into fists, fingernails biting into his flesh.
His one thought was that he had until tonight—when Lord Voldemort arrived—to get Harry out of here.
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Neville was worried. He had seen Harry take off last night in a rush, but he figured he should mind his own business; Harry would be back soon. But when he wasn't in his bed that morning, Neville knew it was time to speak up.
Ron pounded down the steps of the tower into the Common Room, fully expecting to see Harry already down there. But he wasn't. He frowned, and, spotting Hermione, strode towards her. However, Neville intercepted him.
"Neville! What is it, I'm kind of busy," Ron said, trying to maneuver around his classmate.
"If you're looking for Harry…" Neville said quietly.
That got Ron's attention. "D'ya know where he is?" he asked, fixing Neville with a piercing stare.
"I- I saw him leave last night. On his broom. He looked like he was in a big hurry," Neville told the now very worried redhead. Hermione joined them, casting a quizzical look at Ron.
"Harry left last night, on his broom. Three guesses as to where," he informed Hermione dryly.
"No! You don't think he'd…?"
Ron nodded solemnly. "C'mon Mione, this is Harry we're talking about. That's exactly what he'd do."
"You're right," she said, biting her lip.
"Excuse me, but, do you know where he's gone then?" Neville interrupted politely.
They both turned toward him. "Yeah," Ron said grimly. "Malfoy Manor."
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When Harry awoke he thought for a moment he had gone blind, it was so dark. He tried to sit up but realized that his hands and feet were tightly bound. He had no idea where he was; he could hear and see nothing, and as the minutes crept by he grew more and more certain that his situation was desperate. Quelling the rapidly rising feeling of panic beating in his chest, he tried to take stock of his situation. Deep breaths. The air around him felt open—a very light breeze and a slight echo of small sounds told him this. Suddenly, a light arced through a doorway above him, temporarily blinding him. Figures blocked the light, and Harry squinted to see who it was.
"This is ridiculous," Lucius Malfoy's smooth voice drifted down to him, sounding uncharacteristically flustered. Someone else's voice responded.
"Lucius, it's necessary. The boy has already proven that he is willing to betray us."
"My son will not be imprisoned under my own roof!" Lucius protested. Harry shut his eyes and pretended that he wasn't awake yet when he saw four figures descend the stairs and come towards him. Metal grated on metal, and suddenly a warm body was nearly draped on top of his own. Instinctively Harry knew that it was Draco. "There. He can stay with his lover, and watch him die," said one of the Death Eaters with sickening satisfaction. The scraping metal sound again, and then the three men left, the one who had spoken tugging on Lucius imperiously. All was silence and darkness again.
"Draco?" Harry said softly, sitting up. Draco's head moved slightly.
"Ugh," he mumbled. "Harry?"
Harry smiled softly in the darkness. "Hi." Draco was trembling; Harry could feel it.
"Shh, hey, it's okay." he said soothingly.
"It is not. Okay." Draco said, his voice like ice. "I can't believe you came here Harry. Now you're going to—He's going to…"
Harry gulped, trying hard not to start shivering himself. "I know. The question is, what can we do about it?"
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Hermione barreled down the corridors until she reached the Transfiguration classroom, Ron hot on her heals. "Professor!" she gasped, seizing the doorframe and skidding into the room.
Professor McGonagall looked up from her desk, her brows furrowed. When she saw the looks on Hermione and Ron's faces, however, her features immediately became concerned. "What is it?" she asked tersely.
Hermione took a deep breath. "It's Harry. He's flown off to Malfoy Manor." McGonagall sighed, massaging her temples. "I had really hoped he wouldn't be that stupid," she said, rising from her seat. "I will inform Professor Dumbledore. You two," she said, fixing them with a stern glare, "stay here, out of trouble." With that, she swept out of the room, presumably to the Headmaster's office.
Ron and Hermione exchanged glances. "She doesn't know us, does she?" he asked.
Hermione shook her head. "Not one bit," she said as they jogged out of the room.
"Where to now?" Ron asked as he ran beside her.
"The kitchens," Hermione said absently.
"Oh," said Ron. "Oh right, of course."
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"First thing's first," Harry said, trying to think logically. "I've got to get out of these ropes. Can you untie them?"
Draco groped around and found Harry's bound hands. His fingers picked and pulled at the ropes. Grunting, he tore his clasp from his robes and used the edge to saw off Harry's bonds. Harry moaned softly as the blood rushed painfully back to his fingers. Draco moved to the ropes around Harry's feet, and soon had him free.
"It's still no use," Draco said. "We can't get out of this cell." He kicked at the bars in front of him. "Isn't it ironic? A Malfoy, locked in his own dungeon." He laughed bitterly.
Harry stood up and examined the bars as best he could in the dark. He shook each of them, looking for weaknesses. Then he felt around the rest of the cell. It was made of old, cold stone. Finally, Harry sat back down. "I couldn't find anything."
"I could have told you that," Draco muttered.
Harry tensed. "Well, if you have any suggestions, they would be appreciated!" he snapped.
Draco didn't respond. Harry sighed. He felt for Draco's hand and took it in his own. They remained that way for what seemed a long while.
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Meanwhile, in the Malfoy's bedroom, Narcissa Malfoy was quietly throwing a fit.
"Lucius, how could you let them lock our son up? He's our only heir, for goodness' sake. What happens if the Dark Lord decides he's expendable?" Narcissa, said, her voice climbing higher despite her efforts to remain calm.
"Does it really matter? Do you really want an heir that associates with a Potter?" Lucius spit out disgustedly.
Narcissa gazed at him levelly, and Lucius seemed to lose some of his self-righteousness. "There's nothing I can do, anyway, even if you were right," he said.
"That's true, there's nothing you can do." Narcissa held out Draco's wand. "Call one of the house elves," she suggested, and Lucius smiled the special smile he only reserved for his wife.
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Harry opened his eyes, unaware that he had fallen asleep. Draco's face was pressed against his shoulder, softly breathing. Then Harry heard a voice—a most peculiar voice.
"Mister Malfoy! Oh sir, Heajy is needing Mister Malfoy to wake up, sir!"
"Draco!" Harry whispered urgently, gently shaking him. "There's a house elf!"
"What?" Draco said, sitting up alertly.
"Mister Malfoy!" The voice said, squeaking relievedly. "Heajy has something for you, only Heajy mustn't be caught!"
Draco peered through the bars and almost lost an eye as Heajy thrust an object at him. Draco studied the object in his hands with something akin to shock.
"Well, c'mon!" Harry urged.
The house elf's eyes widened, if that were possible, and what little light there was glinted off them. "Oh, no, sir, Master is saying that only Mister Malfoy may leave!"
"Screw that," Draco muttered, standing up.
"Master will disinherit you!" Heajy squeaked, distressed.
"Alohomora," Draco said, ignoring the elf, and the door swung free.
Draco and Harry scrambled out of their cell, and Harry started for the stairs. Draco grabbed his wrist. "Wait," he said, "I think there's another way out."
Heajy had already retreated, muttering, "Oh, Master will not be liking this…"
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"I hate flying," Hermione said, feeling vaguely sick as she watched the countryside flit below her. She turned her attention to Ron, who was flying a few feet in front of her, and glared. Tightening her grip on her broomstick, she repeated her mantra. Almost there, almost there.
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Draco examined the stone wall as best he could in the dim light. Harry watched as his pale hands skimmed over the surface of the rough walls and felt a sharp pang of affection. Harry slid his arms around Draco's waist suddenly, and kissed the back of his neck. Draco relaxed into his embrace, turning to kiss Harry sweetly on the mouth. Then his probing fingers found a crevice in the stone.
"Found it!" he whispered. Draco did something with his fingers; Harry couldn't see, and then with a slight snick sound, a hidden door swung open before them.
"Where…?" Harry inquired.
Draco peered into the passageway, which was even darker than the dungeon they were in, if that was possible. "Father's study, if I remember correctly," he said grimly.
"Is that bad?"
"It might be. It depends on who's in there, and if they have secrecy spells up."
"Hmm."
Draco didn't respond, but his brow creased. Grabbing Harry's hand in his own and grasping his wand tightly in the other hand, Draco ventured into the dark.
Harry felt blindly around them. They came to some steps and crept up them. A shaft of light illuminated the stairs from above. More able to navigate their way, the two wizards came to the top of the stairs. The light came from a small hole in the wall, at knee-height. Draco knelt down quietly and peered through. His eyes widened and he tore himself away from the hole almost immediately.
Harry's heart jumped into his throat.
"Shit." whispered Draco.
"What?!" Harry hissed.
"Everyone's in there—some kind of meeting—lucky for us they forgot the secrecy spells…" Draco trailed off. Harry waited for his pounding heart to stop racing—which was useless.
"So now what?" he whispered.
In the half light, his boyfriend shrugged. "We wait, I guess."
"But what if someone goes downstairs and sees that we're gone?"
Draco's face pinched. "I don't know," he whispered.
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Lucius and the other Death Eaters were gathered in his study, talking and discussing plans. They were all clothed in black robes, but their hoods were down.
"Our Lord has just told me that He will be coming sooner than expected," Macnair said, glancing at Lucius, "after He was informed of the…prize…waiting for Him downstairs," he finished delicately.
The others nodded, looking slightly apprehensive. Only the sour twist of Lucius' lips revealed his irritation with the situation. They began discussing the plans for the evening, which included a raid of a Muggle business party, (very late in the evening so as to avoid most of the Muggles,) a quiet kidnapping of a Ministry official, and of course, the entertainment Potter would provide. During the discussion, Lucius surreptitiously threw a glance at the secret paneled door. He saw movement through the small hole near the bottom. Lucius cursed inwardly at his son's stupidity. Draco should have known better than to try to leave now. He should have waited until later tonight. Lucius gritted his teeth and turned his attention back to his colleagues. There was nothing he could do for his son right now.
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Harry slumped against Draco, his previous fear turning into drained exhaustion. Draco shifted and peeked through the hole again.
"They're leaving! About time," he whispered, nudging Harry.
Harry blinked and sat up. "What do we do now? Can we sneak out?"
"Not without our brooms and your wand."
"I'm willing to call my wand a casualty," Harry said wryly. "Just Accio a broom and we'll be fine."
"We have to get out of the house, first," Draco reminded him. "That's not going to be easy."
"What's the closest exit?"
"Front door."
"Should we wait?"
Just then they heard echoes of angry shouts from below them. "No choice!" Draco cried, springing up and pushing open the hidden door. The two jumped out into the study, Draco already running. Harry was about to follow him when he noticed his wand sitting on Lucius' desk. He grabbed it and followed Draco.
They skidded into the hall, its vaulted ceiling glowing with the light of several lit chandeliers.
"It's just around the bend," Draco panted, and together they swept around the corner, only stumble to a halt. A cold, mocking laugh met their ears.
"Good evening, Potter. And welcome, young Malfoy. You may place your wands on the ground; you won't be needing them." At the sound of Voldemort's high, cruel voice, Harry felt his knees tremble, and suddenly a burst of pain seared his scar. He cried out and fell to his knees, clutching his forehead. Voldemort cackled, and another flash of agony ripped across his forehead.
"Stop it!" Draco yelled, his pale face flushed with a sort of anger that he'd never really known before. He raised his wand, and without thinking, screamed out "Alohomora!" A series of clicks surrounded them as all the locks in Malfoy Manor unlatched and the doors creaked open. For a second, both Harry and the Dark Lord stared at him. If Harry hadn't been in so much pain, he would have burst out laughing. Then Draco again sprang into action. "Expelliarmus!"
"Protego!" shouted Voldemort in reply. Draco's wand tore itself loose from his hand as the spell rebounded.
"Silly boy," chided Voldemort as he picked up the wand and tucked it into his robes. "Now, step away from Potter. You are going to watch me kill him once and for all. Step away and I shall forgive you for this… disobedience. Or else you, and your family, will suffer grievously."
Draco's legs trembled very badly as he stepped in front of Harry's prone form. "No," he said, shakily.
Voldemort's eyes narrowed viciously. "Very well," he said. "You shall reap the consequences of your actions." He raised his wand once again, and spoke the spell softly, almost whispered it. It did not matter. The effects were the same. "Crucio."
Draco screamed and doubled over, barely able to keep from collapsing. Behind him, Harry tried to think through the haze of pain. He still had his wand. There was still a chance.
"See what good your noble sacrifice is?" Voldemort asked, his eyes glittering ruby. "You are in pain, and your beloved Potter is too ensnared by his own pain to help you. What is the point of it all? Crucio." He added, almost offhandedly. Harry flinched as Draco let out another agonizing scream. He clutched his wand under his robes as Voldemort's gaze fell onto him. "Ah, we cannot forget you, can we, Potter? Crucio!"
Harry writhed as the excruciating, almost familiar pain gripped him. When Voldemort turned his attention back to Draco, Harry knew this was his last chance. Ignoring his pain, he whipped out his wand, and screamed, "Expelliarmus!" His voice cracked but it didn't prevent the spell from working. A stunned Voldemort didn't have time to react before Harry was gripping the Dark Lord's wand. Without pausing for breath Harry shouted, "Petrificus Totalus!" Harry's power, fueled by his panic, was amplified, and Voldemort's limbs immediately locked to his sides and he was propelled backward, where he hit a wall.
Suddenly black robed Death Eaters poured up the stairs from the dungeon. Spotting the two of them, a great shout went up and they ran towards them, wands raised.
"Oh my god," Draco moaned, clutching Harry.
"Go! We have to get out, come on!" He pulled himself up and almost collapsed again—his legs felt like jelly. They stumbled to the already open door and down the steps. Halfway down Harry almost ran into Hermione.
"Harry!" she exclaimed.
"Do something!" he gasped.
"What?!" she said, catching his panic.
"ANYTHING!" he cried, dragging Draco down the steps with him. Behind him, he heard Hermione mutter some words and all of a sudden an explosion shattered the air. Harry fell to the ground, but Draco dragged him back up. They turned around and breathed identical gasps. Half of the mansion was in flames.
Half-supporting, half-dragging him, Harry led the way from the smoke and chaos until they were a good thirty yards away, the green lawn sprawling around them, rather like being in the sea and watching a ship sink.
Frozen in this shattered moment.
Hermione staggered toward them, and Harry noticed that Ron was supporting her. They reached Harry and Draco and Harry rose up, dragging Draco with him, and flung himself at his friends. They all four of them embraced tightly, Ron and Draco clutching one another in equal abandon. Harry didn't even realize he was sobbing.
Hermione straightened after a few moments. "Accio broom!" she said thickly, and Harry and Ron repeated her. Three brooms zoomed towards them from different directions. They mounted the brooms, Draco sharing Harry's, and kicked off the ground, flying away without a backward glance.
A few moments later, Albus Dumbledore and a team of highly trained Ministry officials apparated in front of the smoking mansion and gazed at in shock.
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The next day, Harry, Draco, Ron and Hermione were seated in Dumbledore's office at Hogwarts. Surprisingly, the Gryffindors were not in trouble for flying off to Malfoy Mansion. The Headmaster simply explained to them what he and the Ministry officials had found.
"There were some serious injuries sustained by the Death Eaters that we were able to catch, which was a sizeable amount. The Malfoys seem to have fled into hiding; we are unsure as to what is their condition or allegiance. Of Voldemort, and his wand, there seems to be no trace."
Slowly, Harry placed the wand he had taken from Voldemort onto the Headmaster's desk.
"Harry, once again you astound me. How was it that you got away?"
"I used the Petrificus Totalus spell, Headmaster."
Dumbledore laughed. "After all of the precautions Voldemort took against high-powered spells, and you felled him with Petrificus Totalus. In fact, I believe that's why you succeeded. He was not prepared for such a rudimentary, non-deadly attack."
Harry and the others nodded silently.
Dumbledore sighed and turned his attention to Draco. "Mr. Malfoy, your situation is somewhat uncertain. If you are still in need of a place to return to during the summer holidays, something can be arranged. I am truly sorry about your family's disappearance."
"It's alright, Headmaster," he said, his grip on Harry's hand tightening. "I sort of… have a family." Harry smiled at him, and so did Ron and Hermione. Draco suddenly felt very warm and fuzzy.
The Headmaster nodded, his eyes twinkling. "Very well."
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Back in their old abandoned room, Harry and Draco watched the sunset. They were snuggled together on the sofa, their clothes scattered about.
Draco yawned. "I wonder where I'll end up this summer," he murmured.
"With me, of course."
Draco raised an eyebrow. "With you. And your hideous Muggles?" He flung a hand dramatically over his forehead. "I wouldn't survive."
Harry grinned. "It's either that, or the Burrow with the Weasley's."
"You know, I think I'd rather take the Muggles," Draco said quickly.
Harry laughed. "Yeah, that's what I thought."
Draco sulked. "You think you know me so well."
Now it was Harry's turn to raise an eyebrow. "You think I don't?"
"Well…" Draco pressed his forehead against Harry's and they brushed noses. Their lips meant, once, twice, in soft kisses. The kisses deepened, became more passionate, and it was half an hour before either of them spoke coherently again.
Harry pillowed himself against Draco's chest and his thoughts wandered again to the summer. He allowed himself a small grin.
"I wonder what the Dursleys will say."
"We'll see, I guess."
Harry smiled again, for no reason. "Yeah."
THE END
So… yes. It's over. I feel kind of weird. Sorry I took sooooo incredibly long to update. As you may have noticed, I left it open to a possible sequel. As it is, I have to finish up my two other fics plus my new one before I start on the sequels for this and "Sleeping with the Enemy (!!)"
Shameless Plug: I'm writing a new fic… a Hannah/Pansy fic actually. If you like what I write, check it out
Thank you all so much for dealing with me and my sporadic updates. Much thanks go to Holly, my Muse, without whom this fic would never have been finished, and to my dearest Grey, who helped write some of it :P
Thank you to:
Bicuits (I think "Sleeping with the Enemy" is better, too) Dark Guardian24, Shadow-Demon14, Claire Sayers, Andrea, Blaze-HPDM, Illucia, gaggle, Dream-Siren, firefoot (diggin' the name), Koibito-satoshi, Liadyn Malfoy, Catch Me 04, A Panda From CTY (P-chan! sorry I made you wait soso long), tati1, Sae Matsumoto, cRazy-Girl-3000, Loony Lovegood, Aliss, Shania Maxwell, caz-felton-malfoy, Katy2, Myndacho (I 3 you, mindeh), HironiKoshinha, Lady Blaney Greenleaf, Alyssa, Anna (hiya, you should write again), Willowstar (It takes me forever to update since college- I go to Claremont McKenna which is in LA county, and I applied to Occidental ), GetaCyKurInu, Jstalker, Helga of Wurm, Rings of Saturn, and Scarlet Winged Seraph.
We've been together for so many years… /tears up/ ah… well, one last time, my friends? Review?
Yours always,
Rainshadow