Title: The Anointed Prince
Author: Decadence
Genre: Romance/Drama/Angst
Rating: R (for later contents)
Setting: Set in a time barely ten years before the birth of magic within humanity.
Summary: Faced with his upcoming crowning, a war, and a royal ball, Prince Draco Romulus Gabriel Malfoy is forced into finding a spouse, someone of the proper breeding and etiquette.
Disclaimer: All character belong to J.K. Rowling, unless stated other wise (i.e. Clarisse).
Warning: SLASH (DM/HP); Draco will be dominate in the relationship. Also, I forgot to mention this in the first chapter, I forgot until one of my reviewers mentioned it, thank you kind reviewer, but this fanfic will contain MPreg in later chapters.
Chapter Eight: The King and Queen's Welcoming
It was as a dream, surreal and wonderful. It was a miracle in and of itself, with its softly spoken words born of passionate emotions that raged within two bodies. The tender flesh was the catalysis. It was created to harbor the angels and demons that wrought such fervent responses to desires yet to be vocalized and accepted. Such simple actions, a gentle touch of one hand upon another, a light pressure of lips as they brushed against each other. Actions, which, in due course, would alter the very foundation of the glorious kingdom of Noir. As the ancient marble blocks would warm and welcome a new member to the royal family, the family itself would free itself of its prejudices against the lower classes. It had to happen, there could be no other ending. There were revelations about to be discovered and hopefully accepted without too much animosity.
I shall not allow my people, though I love them so, to overwhelm my chosen with their enthusiasm for his failure, Draco thought as he crossed the indoor balcony that stretched across the entrance hall.
Upon their return to the palace, the prince had sent Harry back to his room to allow him a chance to put up the gifts that Draco had demanded the lord accept. Draco had gone in the opposite direction and headed for his parents' conference room to inform them of how his outing had gone. Both now knew of his intentions, and while hesitant at first, had accepted his decision and requested updates on his advances. While most young men would have felt some reservation when informing his parents of his more intimate actions with the one person he had come to care for, Draco understood that it was such interactions with Harry that his parents wanted the details on. It was not so that they could embarrass him, on the contrary, they wished to know of the emotions such actions invoked within their son. It was a test that all youths of royalty underwent during this stage of their life. If the one they believed to be their only love did not cause the right feelings, then the heir had chosen wrongly and needed to be aware of such an error, for once married, the heir of the royal family had to immediately conceive a new heir. Once an heir was conceived the prince would be unable to annul the marriage, even if his spouse had only just shown signs of conception and the pregnancy was not yet absolute. The royal family could not allow for bastards to be born, they tended to cause far too much trouble, and often resulted in their own death, despite their royal parents' feelings toward their illegitimate child. In the end, the heir to the throne had to be absolutely certain in their choice of spouse, for if they were not, the actions of what they at first saw as passionate and loving, turned into sorrow filled pain that could not be undone.
The meeting had proceeded smoothly, though his parents had behaved oddly throughout it. Lucius had seemed tense and studied his son intently as if searching for something. Narcissa had smiled tightly at him and hugged him close the moment he walked into the room. Draco felt insecure for the first time in his parents presence. It was so out of character for his parents that at first Draco thought that someone had died, however his parents had not mentioned anything of the sort. It was all very confusing, and the longer the ball continued seemed to cause even more confusion. All around him, as he had studied his parents' faces and struggled to read their feelings, Draco had felt a subtle shift in the atmosphere of the palace. Things were changing and he was not sure as to what said things were exactly and if such changes were good or bad. Everything, the confusion and the changes, had all begun when the guests had first arrived, of that he was sure.
Now, as Draco made his way quickly to Harry's room, his thoughts wondered back to the past couple of days. The memories caused a torrent of emotions to flare to life within him, and as his body sang in delight at the treasured moments, he drifted into the memories.
He had met Harry Donavan Potter the first day of the ball, it seemed a lifetime ago. A lifetime which had passed in curious fascination with his companion who seemed so naive and innocent and yet so capable of heated responses. A lifetime in which they had aged to maturity side by side and seen more of the mysteries of the world than the couples they had passed as they strolled through the city just a couple of hours ago. They had passed the hours, the years, hand in hand as they danced between the people in a rush to complete their daily choirs, they had laughed in delight at the simple wonders which were traded and purchased within the numerous shops and stalls that lined the streets. It seemed a lifetime, though it was merely a few hours in which the pressures of being a prince and the deceptions of being a lord no longer mattered.
Seemingly a lifetime, which had begun with a ball and a rural lord. The shy young lord had been among the first to arrive. Draco smiled to relive that moment again. Harry had been beyond beautiful as he gracefully descended the short flight of stairs into the ballroom. At first Draco had seen nothing beyond that slender body, creamy skin tinted gold, and that silky raven hair settled about the young man's shoulders. Harry had come down the steps with his head lowered to watch the placement of his feet carefully. Draco had assumed at first that the youth was being rude in not meeting the prince's eyes. He had been intent on stating such an intolerable crime, when the Potter heir had raised his head and met his stare directly. No words had ever been spoken that could accurately describe the overwhelming joy that had risen within Draco the moment those emerald pools had found him. No force in all the land could have caused the prince to disregard the sight that stood before him, in that moment of complete rapture, in which the very fall of Lucifer could have occurred right before him and he would not have noticed. No force, except for the etiquette of the court, for it had been bred into him the way his arrogance and commanding nature had been bred into him. As the Finnigan lord began to speak, Draco had crushed the emotions that sought to claim him and pulled forth all of the wrath and hate that he could and surrounded himself with it. His anger at himself pushed the passionate feelings away and sought to forget them. In his desperation for such feelings to be forgotten, Draco had viewed the Finnigan lord with eyes seeking some form of redeemable quality, something which could rival the vision that stood before him. He had believed himself safe from this unknown lord who so tempted his eyes to look just once more, safe because of the hand that lay chained to the Finnigan lord by the golden band. Though, perhaps, buried deep within a locked chamber of his heart, Draco had known then, though had not acknowledge it, that he would never allow the Finnigan lord to claim the Potter heir.
From that moment on, Draco had felt compelled to watch the Potter lord as he stumbled his way into the angry noose the elite members of the court had fashioned long before they had met him. As the days passed, there seemed a string, which attached the prince to the young lord, as there did not seem a place that Draco went where Harry was not already there. In some desperate bid for attention from this unique person, Draco had teased and hinted at Harry through his adulterous connotations and tempted him with his fleeting touches. Of course, of all his actions, the library confrontation had been the most beautifully executed.
(Flashback)
Harry had buried himself within the thousands of books and scrolls that the royal library boasted, and for the most part he considered himself quite safe. After his brief run in with the prince the other day as he walked through the forest, Harry had surrounded himself with his friends, even his enemies as long as their presence protected him from the passionate prince. That was how Draco had found him, the youth had just bent down to pick up a book he had dropped. Smiling in a predatory way, the prince had sauntered over silently until he stood directly behind the other lord as he bent down. Upon rising, Harry found himself pressed most indecently against a hard body. Chuckling, Draco had watched as Harry gasped and whirled around, taking a step backwards right into the towering bookshelf.
"My-my prince." Harry had cried, his hands gripping the book tightly to his chest both in surprise and in fear. It would not due for the prince to discover what he was really searching for. No doubt, the prince would not understand.
"Please, call me Draco, titles are not needed here." Draco said smoothly as he moved forward just slightly. He was highly amused to see Harry turn a faint pink at his approach.
"Whatever are you...doing here?" Harry asked in a rushed voice, strained and wide-eyed.
It seemed that there was no haven for him from this enemy, and without a doubt, this enemy was more dangerous than the raiders and thieves that assaulted his home land. No, this stalker preyed upon his emotions and his body's desire.
"Taking a stroll through my library...unless I am no longer allowed to enter my own library..." Draco said with a smile, the youth before him was so charming with his innocence so blatantly displayed.
"Of course not...I meant no offense...you...you just surprised me, that is all." Harry said. "I assumed you would be...preoccupied with the members of the court who are participating in one of the many outdoor games being offered today. If I recall correctly, Pansy invited Seamus to join her in her viewing, and Cedric-"
"Yes, well, I believed them to be suitably distracted with the game, and each other's company. As such I deemed it important for me to locate the one member of the court who was no present." The prince said, flashing a beautiful smile at his companion.
"Then it has nothing to do with the fact that one of the many guards posted throughout the castle reported my whereabouts to you?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow, swallowing some of his anxiety at the prince's presence.
It was true, the prince knew. With so many guests in attendance at present, there was no way for him be aware of where each of them were at any given moment. That, coupled with the fast approaching war, and the king and queen had requested guards whose sole purpose would be to observe any lord or lady who was not in the presence of someone trusted by the royal family. The servants were also informed to report any oddity among the nobility. Spies, assassins, and thieves were not tolerated within the palace walls, as soon as they were discovered, they were killed.
"It had nothing to do with the fact that a servant informed me of your location, and everything to do with the fact that I was dreadfully bored and you just happened to be away from all the others and in a remote location in the library." Draco said as he reached out and plucked the book from Harry's grasp, depositing it off on one of the shelves without bothering to look at it.
"Well, pleased though I am that you would think of me...I was just..." Harry began as he reached for the book once more only to freeze when a cool hand touched his cheek.
"Is it any wonder why I seek you out now, when the rest have converted to mindless fans of some trivial game they themselves will not participate in?" Draco breathed, pulling Harry closer.
How tempting those pale lips, how soft that skin felt. It was a terrible, trying to control his actions. While he wished the company of the young lord, the prince truly sought the others' company in a more...romantic setting.
"I am very sorry...however, I must-" Harry began. He could feel the warmth within him stirring, rising toward those foreign fingers that touched him so. Desperate that the sensation should not continue, Harry sought for any form of excuse to get away. "Seamus is-"
"Of course, I would never presume to keep you from your duties." Draco whispered, pulling his hand away just before the flames flared across his fingers.
"My prince." Harry gave a slight bow and quickly walked away. Draco watched him go until he disappeared around the bookcase. He glanced down at his fingers, they were pale and free of any blemishes caused by that heat that seemed to thrive within the young Potter lord. He knew he had barely avoided another painful scorch, he could see the fire leaping for him when he had gazed into those emerald pools. It was unintentional, of course, but it was still an interesting display in magic. Even if Dumbledore refused to disclose such information, Draco still had his assumptions, and with each passing encounter they seemed to be proving correct.
With a sigh of satisfaction at having both, forced the wayward lord to rejoin his peers and at having unsettled said lord, Draco turned to the bookcase that he had set the book Harry had been looking through. Pulling it down and turning it over, he found the title to be of engraved gold, one of the more expensive finds the library offered. Magical Maladies and Oddities, it read, and Draco raised any eyebrow.
"What in the world would Potter need this for? Surely he knows of his ability..." He whispered aloud. Then he frowned. Of course Harry did not know, it was obvious. The surprised look that day in the garden when the lord had burned his hand, the fear even now when the same threatened to occur for a second time. No, Harry had no idea of his situation, however, as Draco studied the book, it appeared as if he was beginning to suspect.
(End Flashback)
Now, as Draco made his way up the short flight of stairs that led to the hallway where all of the lords and ladies were rooming, his thoughts turned to the book which had so preoccupied Harry's mind whilst he had been inside the library. Safe behind the massive doors that stood between the prince's room and the rest of the castle, the book now sat. For days since their encounter in the library, Draco had spent hours each night reading through it, searching for any sign of what Harry might have been looking for. However, nothing had proven useful, over five hundred pages of information that did not pertain to any of the symptoms that Draco had experienced while in close contact with Harry.
Perhaps, it is time to call upon Dumbledore once again, Draco thought as he rounded the corner that led to the hallway. However, all thoughts were forgotten when he found himself roughly shoved aside by an irate, though furious would have been a better word for it, Seamus Finnigan. Surprised more than harmed by the shove, Draco stumbled sideways into the wall. A guard standing nearby moved forward threateningly, but he waved him away. Seamus paused only for a moment, his eyes glaring in suspicion and anger at his prince, the man who had taken what had once belonged to him. He looked as if he wanted to say something, hesitated, and then continued on his way down the hallway.
Draco watched his go, then paled. This meant that Harry must have spoken to Seamus already, and judging by the look on Seamus' face, it had not gone well. Concerned for his soon to be intended, Draco rushed down the hallway to Harry's room. Once there he threw the door open, ignoring proper protocol that demanded he knock before entering. What was protocol to him when his love could be injured behind said door.
"Harry!" Draco cried, shoving the door closed behind him. "Are you all right? I just saw Seamus in the-"
The prince halted upon hearing and seeing a stranger within the guest room. He had not realized that Harry was accepting visitors, but if that was the case, then why had the lord not informed him of it.
"Hello." Hermione said, quickly standing from where she had been sitting next to Harry. Both had jumped when the door had opened for the second time that night. Sensing her friends' discomfort with the newcomer's arrival, Hermione intercepted the blond youth as he moved across the room toward them. "I am Hermione Granger, one of Harry's friends from home. You must be one of the lords in attendance at the princes' ball."
Draco paused, momentarily distracted by this outspoken girl with bushy hair that was tied back in a bun which, in all honesty was not doing its job that well. Warm honey colored eyes smiled at him in a friendly manner, though beneath their warmth there was sadness and fear, as she held out her hand to shake his. Hesitating only a moment, Draco accepted her hand and, instead of shaking it, pressed a kiss to her knuckles for a brief moment before releasing her hand.
"The pleasure is all mine, Hermione. I am Draco." Draco said as he smiled back, then quickly moved around her slight form to approach Harry, who sat on the bed still, facing away from him.
"Harry, are you-"
"Hermione, this is Draco Malfoy, the prince of Noir." Harry said without turning around. He did not want Draco to see his bruise.
"Prince!" Hermione cried. "Harry, why did you not say something-oh gods-please forgive me, Prince Draco, had I known who you were, I would have-" Hermione stuttered as she wrung her hands together.
"Never mind, Hermione." Draco smiled at her. "I gave you permission to call me Draco when I introduced myself, pay no mind to Harry."
"I am sorry, 'Mione, I merely wished to inform you of Draco's true lineage before you discovered it yourself and became angry with me." Harry said.
"Never, Harry. I could never stay angry with you for long, you are my friend." Hermione said as she side-stepped Draco and sat down beside Harry. Reaching out she lightly touched his battered cheek, he flinched just slightly. The next thing Hermione knew, a pale hand clamped down on her wrist, jerking it away from his face. Startled she tried to pull away only to find the flesh that held her was, not only as cold as stone, but just as strong.
"Ah! Draco, what-" Hermione cried. However, Draco never heard her pleas as he was too busy questioning Harry.
"Harry, what is wrong? Are you hurt?" Draco asked, his voice rising as his concern went unnoticed. It was obvious that something was amiss with the young lord, as he refused to look at him, that and he had winced when Hermione had touched him, though the movement was slight. "Tell me what is wrong. Why are you hiding from me? Have I truly become so ugly?" Draco asked softly, jesting in the hopes of making Harry laugh or at least look at him.
"You must promise me you will not be upset or react irrationally." Harry's soft voice whispered. The gentle tone wavered only slightly as the sentence reached its end.
"Harry, if something is the matter-" Draco finally released Hermione's wrist. Immediately upon her release, she stepped back out of reach of the prince, but within the distance it would take to cause him severe harm should he attempt to hurt her friend.
"I require your promise, Draco, or we shall proceed no further." Harry said, and though his voice was still soft it did contain some hidden strength to it. It seemed an under current of molten steel that encased the prince and molded him into submission.
It was apparent that Harry would not discuss whatever it was that was bothering him until he had secured Draco's promise. As such, Draco decided that he would give his word, however, if whatever it was seemed beyond the sphere of what it should have been, then he could always order someone else to take care of whatever the problem was.
"Very well, Harry, I swear not to become upset or to react irrationally despite whatever it is that you have to tell me." Draco said solemnly as he reached down and picked up Harry's limp hand that lay on his lap.
For a moment, Draco was sure that Harry would forever stay facing away from him. Even if he never saw Harry's face again, Draco knew that he would never be the same. No, he would remain beside his companion and continue to hold his small hand and speak softly to him until he finally found the strength to move once more. Of course, such inability to move, would no doubt provide the Noir kingdom with an interesting royal wedding, one where the two being married were unable to look at each other. Draco almost smiled to think of the sight the pair of them would make. When asked to speak their vows, to promise their mind, body, heart, and soul to the other, would he, the prince of the kingdom, be speaking to that head of silky ebony strands. Speaking as if in askance for some form of response that might include some shifting of the other's posture to a point when he might once again be able to drink his fill of that perfect face.
Then, that moment happened, the waves of midnight broke and gave way for that creamy skin of tinted gold and...purple-blue. A bruise the size of a man's hand marred that weary face. Pale lips trembled slightly as they struggled to form a smile of reassurance and love, it caused an emotion that could only be described as pain to blossom within Draco's chest. Raising a steady hand that belied his emotion, he thought that should he give way to own trembling that he might cause more pain than comfort, he caressed Harry's face.
"Who did this?" Draco asked softly, again containing the anger that threatened to overwhelm him for fear of upsetting Harry beyond what he already was.
"No one that truly meant harm." Harry said as he brushed aside Draco's hand and cover the large bruise with his own.
"No harm, of course they meant-Who did this?" Draco asked once more, pulling Harry's hand away from the blemish as he called out to Hermione. "Go and fetch me a cloth from the bathroom and wet it with cool water. Then send for some ice."
Hesitating only for a moment to glance at her friend, Hermione quickly rushed off into the bathroom. As soon as she had returned and gone again, Draco nudged Harry's face over to look at him. As emerald pools gazed into mercury depths, Draco pressed the cloth tenderly against the bruise and wiped at the tear tracks.
"Harry, please, please, tell me who did this. Whether they meant you harm or not makes no difference, however, if I do not know who did it then there will not doubt be rumors that I did it and then the court will come to the wrong conclusions about our being together." Draco whispered as he wiped Harry's face.
The fear of telling who was behind the attack began to diminish as Harry gazed at the man he knew he would be wed to. It was no matter anymore that there would never be children, for while the thought of babies bearing both of their appearances seemed beautiful beyond words, the love that radiated from his companion's eyes was more than enough. Those eyes would smile at him in friendship and love until the moment they closed forever.
"Seamus..." Harry whispered, the words slipping free before he could even register them. Then they were gone and the truth had been laid bare.
Seamus, of course, Draco thought as he allowed his anger to take shape, that would explain why he was in such a rush earlier in the hall. As he continued to tend to his intended, he allowed his mind to conceive of the harshest punishment that could be supplied to the Finnigan lord.
"He meant no harm, he simply forgot himself in that moment. It was my fault, anyway, I simply-"
"No! No, Harry, it was not your fault. It is not your fault that Seamus is only a friend and will always remain a friend but nothing more. Do not blame yourself for another man's loss of control." Draco said as he gripped Harry's chin to force him to look him in the eye.
"I still-"
"No." Draco whispered as he pressed a soft kiss to Harry's lips. Gently stroking, soothing as their lips met in perfect harmony, and for a brief spell, they were simply content to linger like that. Lost within the moment where nothing else could possibly hold any meaning beyond the movement of the other's lips.
"It was still my fault." Harry whispered when they finally parted. Draco emitted a most unbecoming growl, one that the court would have found uncultured and crude, but Harry found attractive, before he attacked Harry's lips again.
Bruise and argument were forgotten as Draco claimed what was his once more, and when hands began to drift to places beyond other hands, they both decided that there was no point in arguing any more. Harry had just fallen into the consuming warmth that was Draco's embrace and everything seemed to be on overload, when the door opened and they both perceived a yelped.
"Hermione-" Harry began.
"Oh merciful gods and goddesses...Harry!" Hermione cried, her hands twisting themselves into painful positions as she stared at her usually shy and reserved friend. "That is the prince! Of Noir!"
"Yes, however, if I have anything to say about it, there shall be two princes of Noir." Draco asked as he stood up and calmly straightened his clothes.
"Two-you-he-Harry...I expect an explanation." Hermione said, shock set aside as her hands settled upon her hips. Harry sat up, a hand brushing aside the strands of hair that fell into his face with his movement.
"Did you bring ice?" Draco asked when Harry winced as he touched his cheek on accident.
"Yes, but do not presume to distract me."
"I would never dream of such an offense. It is clear to see that you have nothing but Harry's well being in mind, and for that I am eternally grateful." Draco said as Hermione passed him a bowl of ice she had received from one of the servants that stood at the end of the hall.
Silence fell as Hermione moved off to the side as Draco sat down beside Harry and proceeded to press the towel wrapped around a few pieces of ice against the offending wound. How odd, it seemed to see the prince act so kind toward a lesser noble. It was rumored that the prince was cruel beyond imagining, malicious in his command of the kingdom, and horribly intelligent in his reign. However, such words of indecent behavior seemed far fetched and even a wide spread expanse of lies now that she stood before him. His face seemed free of any form of mask of cruelty, and instead seemed molded from the softest of clays by the kindest of hands. It seemed that royalty could not be described properly by those who did not know them personally. As she watched her best friend, whom she trusted with every fiber of her being, yield to the tender touches of the prince, she felt for the first time that her friend was where he belonged.
In all the years she had known him, Harry had seemed comfortable with the everyday chores and the tending to the crops and the aiding of the citizens of the small village. He had appeared comfortable, but not at peace. It was as if he was searching for something, or longing for something. Of course, it was obvious after only a short time of being in his presence that whatever he sought could not be found within the small confines of their home land. No, it was clear, long before now, that Harry was destined for far greater things than farming.
"It is time for you to meet my parents." Draco said, pulling Hermione from her thoughts.
"What?" Harry asked, viridian eyes gazed at Draco in confusion.
"I believe it is time to formally announce my decision to the court and my parents." Draco said with a soft smile. "Of course, before that can occur you must be introduced to my parents. They have been most anxious to meet you, I have spoken of you to them quite often."
"You...you have?" Harry whispered. He was both pleased and frightened that this moment had come. On the one hand it showed that Draco truly meant to pursue their relationship, and on the other it meant that he, a humble common lord would have to actually hold intelligent conversation with the king and queen.
"Of course, I could not simply surprise them with my sudden decision, now could I?" Draco asked as his thumb brushed against Harry's lips. "Will you come?"
"Of course, I will..." Harry smiled. He paused, emerald eyes darting to Hermione's still form. Hermione come with us? She is one of my most loyal friends, she will not cause any harm."
"Hermione may come, however, she must not interfere unless absolutely necessary." The prince said. Harry nodded, he noted that Hermione did as well, even if the prince could not see him. "I am afraid there are going to be questions about this bruise, however, we shall deal with them in due course."
"I shall tell them that you have not struck me," Harry said softly as Draco stood and offered him his hand. Slipping his smaller hand into the larger one, Harry stood as well.
"Come then, the hour grows late, and the other lords and ladies have no doubt gone to their beds by this time. Mother and father are probably still up talking about some matter." Draco said as he motioned Hermione to join them as they exited the room and proceeded down the hallway.
Hermione grasped Harry's other hand as she noted her friend's suddenly lost look. Harry gave her a small smile as he squeezed her hand in thanks for her support. He had always assumed that when he found someone to whom he could love and be wed to, he had always pictured his parents to be by his side. No doubt the king and queen would demand a contract signed, and of course, he had no idea what he should sign and what he should not. In this moment, as he was gripped by dreadful fear and beautiful joy, he thought of his parents. He hoped that they were well, that they might still love him when they learned of his sudden engagement.
"We can wait no longer, Narcissa. You know this." Lucius said in a weary tone as he watched his wife gaze into the flames. Severus stood off to the side watching them both as he spoke quietly to Dumbledore.
"What if this Potter lord is not the correct match for him, what if the youth falls ill...male pregnancy is not to be taken lightly, Lucius, you know this." Narcissa said as she turned to her husband.
"I realize this, but he shall have the best care, and Draco shall love him. If you must doubt anything, do not doubt your son's love. I have seen it in his eyes as he speaks of this lord. No, Harry Potter is the correct match for him. Besides, you have heard what Albus has to say." Lucius replied as he continued scanning the pill of parchment that made up the marriage contract that would have to be presented to Draco's chosen soon rather than later.
"I still think we should give him more time...until the end of the ball at least, then perhaps he can-" Narcissa was cut off by a knock at the door. All conversations came to a stop within the room.
"Come." Lucius called. The door opened and a young man entered, perhaps a few years older than Draco.
"The prince requests an audience with those gathered here." The young man said.
"Send him in." Lucius said.
"Sire, he does not come alone. He has Lord Harry Potter and...one, Hermione Granger."
"A lady?" Narcissa asked. She did not recall a member of the court by that name.
"No, milady, she is one of the citizens of the Potter's homeland." The youth said before he bowed and quickly left. A moment later, Draco came, entering in all of his arrogant glory. He smiled brightly at his parents, going so far as to kiss Narcissa's cheek.
"Mother, father, Severus, Dumbledore...may I present, my fiancé, Harry Potter and his loyal companion, Hermione Granger." Draco said as Harry and Hermione walked in.
The silence that greeted that statement was unbearable, in Harry's mind. Even when he had walked among the members of the court and greeted their hostility with bemused smiles that belied his anguish he had not felt this awkward. The eyes of the queen burned through him, analyzing his every breath. The king bore right through him, seeking some quality that he was sure he did not possess. The Potion's Master gazed at him with what could only be absolute loathing, there was nothing he could do or say that might possibly redeem him in the eyes of this man. However, worse of them all was the twinkling blue eyes that saw through him and seemed to laugh at some hidden joke that only the old man could see. The old one knew something, something about the mysterious plague of heat that seemed to consume his very soul with every breath he drew.
"At last, my son has brought a worthy match to us, it is truly a great joy to see him so happy, and if you are the one responsible for such happiness, then I gladly embrace you as my own." Narcissa said as she crossed the room and enfolded Harry's slender form against her own in a movement that shocked everyone except for Draco and Dumbledore.
Lucius watched as his wife embraced the young lord who appeared far to weak to rule properly, let alone bear children. However, he sighed. His son saw something in this tiny scrap of a youth, obviously there was something there he was not seeing. Not to mention, his wife seemed to have changed her opinion of their son's intended rather quickly, and the youth had not even spoken yet. Narcissa was a much better judge of character than he was, he would trust her judgement on this matter as he had on many others throughout the past.
"Thank you, milady, you honor me with such kind words and such a splendid welcome. I know that I am not what you would have chosen for your son, and I can only hope that I can uphold your family's honor." Harry said as he returned the embrace.
"Our family's honor, Harry, and please, call me mother." Narcissa smiled. "Now, who is this young lady you have brought with you?"
"This is my dear friend, Hermione." Harry said with a smile, he motioned Hermione to his side. She smiled and initiated a bow to the queen and king. "She had been my loyal companion for many years, there are no secrets between us, and she has never betrayed me."
"That we were all so fortunate in our friends," Lucius said as he came around his desk to embrace Harry as well before standing beside his wife. He smiled as Draco returned to Harry's side and wrapped an arm around him.
From the corner in which he stood, Albus Dumbledore smiled to watch the newest member of the family begin the first of many tests. The king and queen took turns questioning the lord and hearing his responses. It was obvious that both were impressed by his compassion for his fellow men and his courage with which he face obstacles and enemies. Of course, they could not see the undercurrent of fire that graced this youth's flesh. However, he could. He saw the angry flames licking and teasing at the boy, always present just there, beneath his thoughts, waiting to be acknowledged. This was the boy that the prophesy spoke of, and he held a magnificent power within him, though he did not know it. Of course, Dumbledore knew that of the three other elemental wizards that lived, none of them had known that they possessed such a power until meeting him. Books spoke of wizards and witches of ancient times who were consumed by their element that they did not even know existed. Harry did not know he could control fire, and the longer he remained untrained, the greater his chance of being consumed by that same fire.
AN: Late? Yes, yes...very late, and for that I am sorry. However, I do have a decent excuse, so please hear me out before lynching me. Last week I fell ill and was in no state to update, then we went out of town for a couple of days, then, though I am loath to admit it, I ran into writer's block, and then school started back up. Thus, I had no time to either write or update, so I will hope that you can forgive me.
Now, because school has started up again, I do not have as much time to work on this fanfic. As such, I shall only be updating once every week, I shall try to update more than one chapter, but we shall see how that works out as we go. My Beta Reader has returned at last, so next time I update, I shall be re-posting the earlier chapters with corrections and what not. Anyway, thank you all so much, for your patience and your kindness.
I understand that I did not put everything I had spoken of into this chapter that I mentioned at the end of the last one, I apologize once again for my lack of keeping my word. I shall strive to get everything into the next chapter.
Due to the rush to get this chapter posted, I shall not be responding to any reviews for this chapter, however, with my next update I shall respond to reviews from this chapter and the next one. Thank you all very much, your words of encouragement and praise are appreciated beyond mere words. You make the magic possible...if you call writing this fanfic magic...anyway, thank you very, very much.
