Hello to everyone who is reading this.
This chapter, things begin to heat up and the necklaces come into play. I thought a general recap would help those who might have missed bits.
Okay.
*Draco and Harry have similar dreams involving each other, although Draco doesn't get the visions like Harry does.
*Ron got over his crush on Hermione and is now dating Pansy Parkinson.
*Ron is very supportive of Draco and Harry's relationship, claiming 'love is love.'
*Harry and Hermione were dating, now have broken up.
*During a vision, Harry hears voices. Familiar and Unfamiliar with meaningful statements.
*He has heard a few of these statements so far in the past few chapters.
*The Ouroborus link did not work when Hermione tried it on Harry.
*At the moment, Draco is barren and not sexually active, needing a potion to curb his sexual frustrations.
*A strange character called Vin has appeared in Harry's visions. Who is he?
*Voldemort is plotting. (What else is new?) Involving earrings!
That's it. Not saying anything else. I don't want to give it away. There are clues littered through the chapters.
And to explain what I meant about part 1 and 2, Darkness Or Light is part one. Part two is the next bit of the story. If it were books, D Or L would be book 5 and the next would be 6. Part 1 is nearly finished with a big ending.
Thanks to all that reviewed. so glad you all like this story as much as you do and I hope you continue to enjoy it.
I do not own Harry Potter. I just have an over active imagination and a thirst for twisty plot lines!
DARKNESS OR LIGHT. WHAT IS YOUR CHOICE?
Chapter 20 - The Ouroborus - The Loophole
The weeks went by and autumn turned into winter. Before he knew it, Draco found himself a few weeks before Christmas. After the success of the year before, Dumbledore had arranged for the fourth to seventh years to have another Yule Ball, much to all of the upper years excitement. Dumbledore had made up a rule this time. The girls were the ones to ask the boys to the dance.
Draco had been debating on whether he even wanted to go to the Ball. Since he and Harry had decided to still keep their relationship a secret, they couldn't actually go together. Harry told him very firmly that he had better go and so, he had said yes to a very nervous fourth year Slytherin by the name of Lasaureen Phalaren. A small, blonde haired girl with large brown eyes. She seemed nice enough and had stuttered a thank you when Draco had accepted her. He wondered why a girl like that had actually been sorted into Slytherin.
Pansy of course had asked Ron. Blaise had decided that he wasn't going to go and Harry hadn't decided on whom he was going to go with. He had gotten numerous invitations but he had turned them all down. One of those had been Cho Chang, a pretty Sixth year from Ravenclaw.
"It wouldn't have felt right." Harry had said when Draco had asked him why he turned her down. "I had a crush on her for two years. I thought I liked her then and I don't want to give her the impression that I still do."
It was a satisfactory answer Draco decided and the past tense in his words made him feel secure in their relationship, but when he walked down the corridor towards the Great Hall for dinner, he spotted the youngest Weasley in a conversation with Harry. Harry was leaning against the wall a few yards away from the doors which led into the Great Hall and she was standing very close to him, her hands clasped behind her back. Draco had known that Ginny Weasley had a crush on Harry. Had known since Second year, but she had never acted on it. Harry really cared about her. Not wanting to interrupt them, but wanting to listen all the same, Draco hid himself behind one of the Pillars, eavesdropping on their conversation.
"You seem so much happier these days."
"Do I?"
"Yes, although you do seem down at some points. I'm assuming that it's because of Hermione. Will you ever tell me what she did to you? No one knows."
"Don't tell her," Draco found himself whispering. "Please don't tell her." Only Harry, Ron, Pansy, (He had decided to start calling her by her first name.) Madam Pomfrey, Snape and Dumbledore knew exactly what had happened to him that night. He thought that maybe McGonagall knew as well, considering she was the Head of Grangers house, but he most definitely didn't want anyone else to know.
"No one will know." Harry answered Weasley's question. "I'm sorry Ginny but I'm not about to betray a trust. Just know that Hermione has hurt me, badly. Ron is very angry with her and I know he agrees with me on the subject of our friendship. I doubt we'll ever be friends again."
Weasley still looked questioning, but didn't ask after the problem again, instead changed the subject.
"So, Harry. Are you going to the dance?"
Harry shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "I don't know. I can't go with who I want to, so have to contend with stealing a dance with them while there."
"So you haven't accepted anyone yet?"
"Not yet. I have that feeling that the person I accept will automatically think I want a relationship with them or something. I would rather go alone.
"Weasley grinned down at him. (Even she was a tiny bit taller than Harry.) Not a problem. Why don't you go with me then? I won't think that and besides, I have the same kind of problem." She ducked her face and stared at the floor. "The person I like, likes someone else."
"Oh." Harry smiled at her. "Okay then. I'll go with you."
Draco had to refrain himself from going over to the pair of them and whacking Harry's head against the wall. It was obvious that Weasley was hinting to Harry that she liked him, but Harry didn't click. He felt a little sorry for the girl but not enough to tell Harry how she felt. Harry was his!
Weasley looked up at him and smiled in delight. "Really."
"Really."
Weasley laughed delightedly, wrapped her arms around Harry's neck and kissed him at the corner of him mouth, making Draco emit a low growl.
"Harry," she stared at him, her hand on his cheek. "Just so you know, whatever makes you happy, makes me happy as well. Remember that okay." She stepped away then walked into the Great Hall. Harry just stood where he was, his fingers touching where Weasley had kissed.
"If I didn't know any better Harry, I'd say you enjoyed that." Draco made himself known and stepped out from behind the pillar. Harry started at Draco's voice, then smiled happily when Draco stepped towards him. He lifted himself from the wall and walked towards Draco slowly.
Draco wanted to grab him and kiss the breath out of him at that moment and remove any remnants of the young Weasley from Harry's skin. He noted that Harry was holding himself in check, his fists clenching his robes tightly.
"Draco." he whispered. Draco reached out a hand and touched the corner of Harry's lips.
"Don't let people do that Harry," he said in reply. "Only I get privilege to that."
The hand dropped when he heard footsteps in the corridor behind him.
"Hey Harry. We have Quidditch practice later."
"Yeah. Be ready. We have to beat Ravenclaw into the ground."
Draco recognised the voiced and inwardly winced. Fred and George Weasley. When he had begun talking to Ron, these two had pulled him aside and threatened him with bodily harm if he hurt either Ron or Harry The things they had come up with were fairly gruesome and had asked Ron if some of the things they had suggested were actually possible. Ron had laughed and had said that he doubted it. He had also told him to be careful of them. Pure pranksters and would trick anyone.
"Aha. Mister Malfoy too! Hallo dear boy." One of the two cuffed Draco across the back of the shoulders, pushing him forward into Harry, who yelped and lost his balance. Both boys fell to the floor in a heap.
"George." He heard the other twin admonish. "Why did you do that?"
Draco moved his head and stared at the twins. George looked at him then stared at his hand in feigned surprise.
"I didn't mean to. Bad hand. Bad."
Harry struggled underneath him and Draco looked back down and realised how he was positioned at that moment. He was straddling Harry's hips, his left leg curled under his. Their chest's were pressed together and their arms were around each other. It was a position that wouldn't have been at all embarrassing, if he hadn't been in a public place, outside the Great Hall where anyone could walk through and in front of two of the most renowned pranksters of Hogwarts history. He thought that he had good reason to be embarrassed.
"Draco." Harry groaned, his face bright red. "Please get off." Then in a very faint whisper. "I can't control myself."
Draco jumped up, straightening his robes. He stared at the twins who were sniggering behind their hands. He sighed and reached out a hand to the boy on the floor, who took it gratefully.
"Aww. Cuuuute!" Draco assumed it was Fred, drawled out. "Don't you think so George?"
"Yup. And it's all thanks to my automatic hand!" He wiggled his fingers at Harry and Draco, making Harry blush redder and Draco roll his eyes in exasperation.
"Come on Harry. Let's leave the two idiots and go get some food." Draco turned and walked into the Great Hall, Harry trailing behind him.
~~
(three weeks later)
Hermione stared out the window, watching the scenery go by without any interest. Six weeks she had been away from Hogwarts and for six weeks she had not been allowed to do any magic. Her wand had been confiscated by Dumbledore himself, who had given her a rather disappointed look and she had left all of her school supplies in her dorm room.
When her father had pulled up onto the drive in their car, he had mumbled a quiet "Dinner is in the fridge," and walked into the house without a backward glance. He was upset with her, Hermione knew this and had sat in the car for a little bit before pulling herself into the house. Her mother had gone to visit her sister, then gone on a break, or so she could make out from her dad's mumbling.
The history books and books on general information and charms that she had left at home before term were still in her room so even though she couldn't perform any magic, she could still read and revise. Her dad left her pretty much alone.
For the entire six weeks, she had angsted over Harry. The fact that he was no longer on speaking terms with her, hurt badly. It wasn't Harry who had gone to Professor Dumbledore and told him what had happened. It had been Ron and Parkinson.. She was angry, but not in the smashing things and yelling curses kind of way, more like the sit silently and plot kind of way. Somehow or another, she had to get Harry back. She had to make him see just what Malfoy could do.
Reaching into her bag, she grabbed her tub of vitamins for stress and popped two of them into her mouth, washing them down with a mouthful of water from her bottle. Her doctor had told her that she needed to calm down and had advised the natural herbs as a remedy. Her dad had gone out to buy them for her, one of the only things he had done for since she had been home. She sighed and rubbed her forehead with her fingertips. She was now on her way back to school. Could finally do magic again and could get her wand back. That was just the start of what she planned to do!
~~
Harry sat on his bed, fumbling with a blue box. A piece of blue ribbon lay on the bed beside him along with a half circle snake necklace. He had been debating with himself on whether or not to give it to Draco. The idea of testing it, to see if they were supposed to be together scared him slightly, but he did want to know.
"Harry. Are you in here?" Ron's voice was heard from outside the dorm room, then the red head himself entered with a grin. "Oi. Where were you. Pansy has been grating in my ear that you didn't show up today."
"I'm sorting out Draco's Christmas present," Harry replied, "besides, I don't need to do that any more. It's practically perfect." "The 'that' Harry was referring to was a dance routine, created by Pansy, to be danced at the Yule Ball. As Ron had two left feet and Pansy needed a partner that knew Muggle music, Harry had been chosen. Ron didn't actually know what they were doing and had given up asking. Both Harry and Pansy kept telling him that it was a secret.
"That's not what Pansy says." Ron walked over to him and sat down on his bed,, opposite Harry. "So, what are you giving Draco?"
"Well, I was considering giving him the other half of the necklace you gave me..." Here, Harry stopped and gripped his bed sheet tightly, but I don't know. What if nothing happens? What if they don't click together? That will mean that we wont work and I'll have serious doubts about us."
"Harry." Ron got off his bed and sat down next to him. "Relax and listen a minute."
Harry looked up at Ron and nodded. Ron smiled at him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You don't have to test the necklaces. You don't even need to tell him that they link together. Just tell him that you got him a matching necklace to the one you own. He probably hasn't seen anything like this." Here, Ron picked up the necklace and placed it into Harry's hands. "Personally, I think he is the one Harry. I felt what he was feeling and he really cares for you."
"He loves me," Harry stared at the necklace.
"Yes. I believe he does," Ron replied.
"No, I mean," Harry smiled. "He told me that he loved me."
The sentence was met with silence and Harry looked up to see Ron looking down at him with a gentle smile.
"Are you happy Harry?"
The frequently asked question cropped up again and Harry answered it without hesitation.
"Yes. I am. I may be a little upset about Hermione but with Draco, I am."
Ron squeezed his shoulder, then stood up. "Well, Im going to meet Pansy. I'll see you in a bit."
"Ron," Harry called out. "Did you ever give your other half to Pansy?"
Ron paused in his stride, then turned around to meet Harry's questioning gaze.
"No. I didn't. I don't want to know. Maybe if we got into a really bad fight, I might make her try it then, but other than that, I'm perfectly happy as it is. Those necklaces tell the truth and you cant tamper with them. Hermione tried that remember? It tossed her away from you."
Harry hesitated with his next question, but blurted it out all the same. "Ron."
"Yes?"
"Is it okay if I invite Draco here tonight? I want to give him the necklace, but not to tell him about how it works."
"Sure. I'll invite Pansy and we'll make an evening out of it okay?"
"Sure."
Ron nodded then left the dorm room. Determinedly, Harry placed the necklace into the box and tied the ribbon around it. Then placed it into his trunk. He would give it to Draco later.
~~
That evening, Draco had an interesting and quite enjoyable time. He usually spent Christmas Eve either at home with his parents, eating dinner in silence, or in his dorm, avoiding the idiots in the common room. This year, after dinner, he, along with Pansy had been invited to he Gryffindor common room for a pre-Christmas party. The Weasley twins had provided them with Butterbeer and lots of different sweets from Honeydukes. Somehow, Blaise had wormed his way into the common room as well and had spent a lot of the time outrageously flirting with Harry. Draco had glared at him each time he did but wasn't going to start a fight in the middle of the surrounded Gryffindors. Ron kept him occupied with chatter and jokes, but even that was put under strain when Blaise pulled out a sprig of mistletoe and held it over Harry's head.
"Yeah, do it." Patil yelled out in excitement, jostling people out of the way until she was standing directly in front of them. "But lets make it interesting. "Blaise will pass the sprig to Harry after and he will kiss whomever he wants, then pass them the sprig."
She looked pleased with herself and Draco rolled his eyes. He watched as Harry blushed and closed his eyes. He growled audibly when Blaise leaned down to kiss him and then Ron was suddenly in his line of sight.
"Ron," he growled. "What are you doing?"
"Stopping you from making a fool of yourself, that's what." Ron looked over his shoulder. "Right. Done."
Draco huffed and folded his arms over his chest, deciding to kill Blaise when he got back to their common room. Garrotting him had worked well last time.
"Draco?"
Harry's hesitant voice interrupted his homicide plan and looked down into emerald eyes. Harry smiled at him and held the mistletoe up as high as he could. Draco was surprised, but not going to say no to a public and innocent kiss. He placed his hands behind his back to stop any suspicious grabbing and gently kissed Harry on the lips. He felt them form a smile under his and when he pulled away, Harry was grinning at him.
"Your turn." Harry handed him the mistletoe. "And choose wisely."
Draco nodded and tore his eyes away from Harry's, stopping on Lavender Brown who squeaked and blushed. He strode towards her and held the mistletoe above her head.
"Merry Christmas," he said quietly, then pecked her on the lips. When he pulled away, she was blushing vividly. "Your turn." He handed her the mistletoe, then turned back to face Harry. Harry had a smirk on his face and winked at him. Draco rolled his eyes again with amusement.
The mistletoe game ended when it reached Ron, who kissed Pansy with such enthusiasm, most of the house felt hot and bothered when they had finished.
It was during the cooling down period that Granger pushed open the portrait and entered the common room, a small bag in her hand. All activity stopped for the length of time it took her to walk up the stairs and enter the girls dorms staircase. Scattered conversations started as soon as the door closed and nearly all stared at Harry and Ron at the same time. Harry ignored the looks he was getting and pulled Draco, Ron and Pansy to a corner of the room and silently started a card game.
The rest of the evening went by quickly after that and Granger never came back down from her dorm room. At about eleven o'clock, Pansy pleaded tiredness and Ron offered to walk her back to her common room. Draco would have done it himself but Harry grasped his arm and asked him to stay a little longer. When Ron and Pansy had left, Harry excused himself and ran upstairs, leaving Draco alone for a little while. At this time, there was only him in the common room, everyone else had gone up to bed. Harry ran back down a few minutes later and flopped into his chair next to Draco, a large smile on his face.
"Aren't you tired yet?" Draco asked, pulling Harry to him so he was draped over his lap.
"No. I want to give you your Christmas present now." Harry pulled a blue box from the pocket of his robes and handed it to him.
Draco stared at it, realising that he should have brought Harry's gift with him. He was about to mutter a thank you, when Ron came back through the entrance, stared at the two of them, grinned and then bade them both a goodnight. They watched as he skipped up the stairs to the dorm rooms and heard the door slam shut. Harry chuckled.
"Well, he seems to be in good spirits." He gestured to the box. "Well, aren't you going to open it?"
"What is it?" Draco looked at the box curiously. Harry just smiled and gestured at it again. Understanding that Harry was not going to say anything until it was open, Draco pulled on the blue ribbon, then lifted the box lid.
Sitting on a cushion of a purple silky material was a necklace. Draco recognised it straight away. He had seen it on numerous occasions while kissing Harry's neck. It was a snake, curved in a half circle attached to a silver chain and the width was slightly smaller than his palm. Unlike the green snake with gold eyes that Harry wore, this one was red with silver eyes. Draco's hand began to shake as he pulled it from the box. The silver eye glinted in the firelight as he held it up.
"Oh Harry," Draco gasped. "It's .... Oh. Thank you." He loved it. He absolutely loved it. As soon as he had fastened it around his neck, he pulled Harry towards him again and buried his face into his shoulder.
"I take it that you liked it then," Harry said, holding onto Draco tightly. Draco mumbled and nodded his head, then began to kiss the neck under his lips.
"You'll have to wait until tomorrow for your present Harry." Draco lifted his head and stared into the green eyes that he loved. He stroked the cheek with his fingers gently, making Harry's eyes close slowly. He leaned forward and pressed his lips onto the ones in front of him with a sigh of satisfaction. Harry opened his mouth and Draco felt his tongue against his own, gently exploring with casual slowness. Harry was tired, he could tell, but couldn't resist Draco. Draco himself was taunt like a string. Having to control his hormones was very hard and the trips to see Madam Pomfrey had increased over the last few weeks. The potions she gave him were the only way he had to relieve his pain and frustration. It was very embarrassing but very necessary.
Harry pulled his lips and snuggled down into Draco's arms with a sigh, closing his eyes. Draco lay were he was for a few minutes, stroking his fingers through Harry's silky hair, then decided he had better go back to his own house.
"Harry. I'd better go," Draco said gently. Harry mumbled something and snuggled tighter into Draco. "Harry."
"I love you Draco," Harry muttered, then lay still, breathing deeply.
Draco froze in his seat at Harry's words. He was in shock. Harry had just said that he loved him. Admittedly, he was still asleep and had no idea that he had said it, but still, he had said it. Harry loved him. Draco resisted the urge to scream like a girl in exaltation and gripped the boy in his arms in a bone crushing hug. He felt tears well up in his eyes and pressed them against Harry's shoulder. He was so happy at that moment.
Draco was sure that he sat in the Gryffindor common room for at least an hour, stroking Harry's hair away from his face, gently petting him while he was asleep, before rousing himself enough to decide to go to bed himself. But first he had to tend to Harry.
He managed to disentangle himself from the boy who was laying on him and slipped off he sofa without awakening him. He then grasped Harry below the knees and around the shoulders and lifted him into his arms. Harry leaned his head against his chest, muttering to himself and one hand clasped the front of Draco's robes.
"Gods Harry. You're too light," Draco mumbled to himself. He turned from the sofa and headed up the stairs to the dorms, stumbling occasionally. The dorm rooms were pitch black with only a tiny bit of light coming in through a crack in the curtains covering the window. Using this small bit of light, Draco made his way over to the only unoccupied bed in the room and placed Harry onto it.
"Next time," Draco pulled the covers over Harry's form and then leaned down and kissed him on the cheek, "when I take you to bed, it will be under totally different circumstances." He ran his fingers down the cheek that he kissed, down his neck and over his collarbone, shifting the loose robes as he went. His fingers stopped as he encountered a slightly warm metal object and he pulled it out from under Harry's robes.
It was the half circle, green necklace of the snake with a golden eye. As he stared at it, he was sure that the eye flashed at him and he unconsciously reached for his own necklace. Holding Harry's necklace in his left hand and his own in his right, he suddenly had the urge to see if they clicked together. Gulping but not knowing why, he pushed the two necklaces together.
They repelled each other, just like when someone tried to put two magnets together!
Draco stared down at his hands in frustration. The strange compulsion to click the necklaces together was still there. The golden eye flashed again and so did the silver eye and suddenly, Draco had an idea. Letting go of his necklace, he lifted Harry's hand and placed it in his left hand in such a way, that it was surrounding and touching the green snake. He then lifted his own necklace again and once again tried to click them together.
Each snake's mouth clamped down on the other with an audible click and formed a perfect circle, which began to pulse with a white light. Draco began to feel incredibly warm and very dizzy. He leaned on the bed over Harry, trying to regain his balance and inadvertently grasped onto Harry's arms.
Draco suddenly felt like he was being dragged downwards. The dorm room suddenly disappeared and so did Harry. He was falling down a dark hole, heading for a glowing light at the end.
"How do you like him Albus? After everything you tried to do, he awoke in the end!"
"Wha?" Draco twisted in the air, trying to see where the voice came from.
"I am Vin, and if you don't mind terribly, I would like it if you left. Now!"
"Vin? Who?" Draco's descent began to slow down.
"It's time you choose boy! Decide your fate! Darkness or Light. What is your choice?"
Pain. Draco couldn't breathe. The words were not being spoken to him but they still cut him deeply. The choice would affect him somehow. That, he knew. Finally, he landed softly on the top of a hill. The view would have been gorgeous, if it didn't look upon a burning town. A town with a Dark Mark above it. Draco got to his feet and ran down the hill towards the village. He didn't have his wand and he could tell that he wasn't really there but he couldn't just stand there, watching.
As he reached the village, a young woman ran past him, a little girl in her arms. She was sobbing hard and her clothes had been burned. in several places. While he watched, a person in a hooded garb which Draco immediately recognised as a Death Eater uniform, ran in the same direction as the woman and had his wand outstretched. Without thinking, Draco gasped, turned and made to grab at the hooded person. As he did, his arms fell right through their body and Draco fell to the ground in a heap. He kept his head down as he heard the firmly pronounced curse words.
"Avada Kedavra."
He heard a thump as a body crumpled to the ground and he felt tears begin to gather in his eyes. He couldn't do anything. Not a thing. Why was he seeing this? Why?
"Hahahaha. Oh this is just perfect!"
Draco looked up from the ground to see a pair of legs in front of him. Legs covered in tight fitting black trousers and bare feet. Lifting his head, he moved his gaze over a short black cloak and waist length black hair which was loosely blowing around his shoulders in the gentle wind. When his eyes reached the face, he gasped. Set in a perfect pale and clear face were eyes the colour of onyx. They had no pupil at all. They were totally black apart from the fact that every now and then, a fleck of white would flow through them. They were totally expressionless, even though a slight smile graced his flawless features. The boy was not looking at him, but past him, as if he wasn't seen.
"Maybe Vin, but It's time we left."
"Right."
As the boy in front of him turned around, his image faded until there was nothing. The village faded. Everything faded until Draco found himself back in the Gryffindor boy's dorm room again, his head resting on Harry's chest.
~~
End Chapter 20.
Christmas Day and Yule Ball next. I'm going to try for a mushy chapter, although I am really no good at it. If done right, rating will be an R for mature scenes (Oh God I sound like the certification at the beginning of a movie!)
Anyway, please review.
Love Rie
xx