A/N: I am hopeing to have this fic completed within the next week. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed.

The Swan Prince

Part 7

After kicking the crazy raccoons off his feet he aimed his bow one more time at the swan on the lake. He pulled back the arrow and was about to release it when he saw the water around the swan start to glow gold. He took a step back so he would be prepared for any tricks that might happen. He watched as water erupted around the swan, and before his eyes the swan's neck started to shrink.

White feathers melted into pale skin and blonde hair. Harry could only gape at the person in front of him. It had to be a trick. He brought one hand to his side and pinched himself hard, to make sure he was indeed awake. The sharp pain proved that he was indeed awake. He took a cautions step forward. "Draco?"

Draco was amused at the expression on Harry's face. The look of utter disbelief on his face caused Draco to let out a small laugh. "It's me Harry."

Harry threw his bow away and ran into the water and embraced Draco for the first time in a month. He was afraid to release him, fearing that Draco would disappear again, or that he would wake up only to find out that his finding Daco had been a dream. After a few moments, he slowly extended moved his body so that Draco was standing in front of him. He rushed forward again, this time, to place his lips upon his intended. They kissed for a few moments before Harry broke the contact and looked directly into Draco's eyes. "What happened?"

Draco bit his bottom lip. "I don't know where to begin…" He paused and looked down at George, but was only met with a shrug. He then looked at Harry. "Well, my father and I were on our way back to Slytherin when we were attacked by this wizard."

Harry gasped and interrupted Draco. "A Wizard!"

Draco nodded his head. "Yeah, he used to work for my father but my father had him exiled when he attempted a Coup d'état that failed." He looked off into the distance as he remembered the day of the attack. "We were going down the road when our carriage stopped. My dad stepped outside to find out what was going on when the person change into a beast." Draco felt tears running down his face. "He killed most of the troop and severely wounded my father. I tried to get to my father. God I tried. But the wizard grabbed me and the next thing I knew, I was a swan on this lake. He told me that my father was dead. If only I could have reached him."

Harry wiped the tears off of Draco's face. "It wasn't your fault"

Draco leaned in for a moment before continuing. "I know."

Harry wondered if Draco really believed that, but that should be dealt with late. He placed his hands on Draco's thin shoulders. "After that, what happened?"

Draco started to fidget when it came to tell the next part. He was a little worried as to how Harry will react, but he knew that he had to tell him. "When I came to, I was a swan. He told me that he had placed a spell on me. I would be a swan by day, and I would only turn back into a human when the moonlight hit the lake while I was on it. It was what he wanted that was the worst of all." He gulped before continuing. "He told me that he wanted to marry me so that he could rightfully become my father's kingdom's next ruler."

"WHAT?" Harry was beyond mad, he was enraged. How dare that wizard ask such a thing? Draco was his. Or at least he will be if Harry had anything to say about it.

Draco saw the tremendous anger in Harry's eyes. He reached forward and gave him a hug. "Please don't do anything stupid, I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you."

Harry took a couple of deep breaths trying to get his anger in check. He had to get Draco out of here. He couldn't let him stay with that wizard. He tried to think of what he could do. If what Draco said was true, that he could only change to a human while on the lake, it ruled out taking him away. Unless Draco wanted to spend the rest of his life as a swan. He only saw to options, either kill the wizard or break the curse. He gave one more hug to Draco before speaking. "Can the curse be broken?"

Draco nodded his head against Harry's shoulder. "Yes, someone has to make a vow of everlasting love to me."

Harry let out a small laugh. "Then I make one."

"If only it were that simple Harry, you have to make the vow and prove it to the whole world for the curse to be broken."

Harry pondered this for a moment. "I know, the ball!" At Draco's confused stare he continued. "My mother is throwing a ball tomorrow for, err... the reason doesn't really matter. All that matters is that there will be people from all over the world there. I will pledge and make the vow in front of everyone."

Draco felt a stirring hope shoot through him. It might work, it had to work. He was about to tell Harry when he heard his name being called from the distance. It was Voldemort. He quickly pushed Harry away. "You have to go."

Harry also heard the voice. "I am not going to leave you here Draco."

Draco kept pushing Harry away trying to get him to run. "You have to. He is too powerful."

Harry saw the panic in his love's eyes. "Fine, but promises me you will be at the ball tomorrow Draco."

"I promise just please leave. I can't loose you." Draco was near hysterics now. He could hear the wizard coming closer every second.

Harry reached forward and gave Draco a light kiss. "Until tomorrow then." He turned and ran back into the woods, forgetting that he no longer had his bow with him.

Draco watched Harry run and hurriedly turned around just as Voldemort stepped into the clearing. "Ah Draco, there you are." Voldemort looked around suspiciously for a moment.

Draco was scared that he was searching for Harry. He quickly stepped up to Voldemort and said the first thing on his mind. "I'll marry you." Draco knew that if he told the wizard this he would buy both him and Harry time. There was no way they could get married so soon. By the time Voldemort was ready, the curse would have already been broken.

Voldemort looked very happy to hear those words from Draco. "You mean that?"

Draco nodded his head, ignoring the retching noises coming from the bushes behind him. It seemed that Fred or George did not like it at all.

"Yes, I do."

Voldemort let a big grin run across his face before it turned into an angry frown. Draco took a step back in surprise when Voldemort pulled a bow from behind his back. "But what's this?"

Draco was panicked. It was Harry's bow. "It's… I…"

"So you were going to go to the ball, weren't you?" Voldemort let out a sneer. "I can't have that, can I?"

The last thing Draco saw was Voldemort's wand pointed at him and a red light coming from it. Before he closed his eyes he only muttered one word: "Harry"

TBC…

A/N: Please review. Be sure to join my mailing list to see parts before anyone else. Follow the link on my profile page.