Dreaming in Reality
By Kalibrit
Disclaimer: I do not own anything other than the plot. All things HP related are the sole property of JKR and Companies. All mistakes are mine and mine alone.
Their lips broke apart finally. Their chests rose and fell in sync as they struggled to get oxygen into their starved lungs. They moved apart slowly as reality settled in.
Harry stared into Lucius' silver grey eyes as if staring into his soul. "You're here?" He whispered softly, almost groaning at the stupidly of his statement.
Lucius stared into Harry's eyes. "Yes, I am." He traced a finger along Harry's jaw line, relishing the feel of the young man.
Harry leaned into the touch as his fingers drifted along Lucius' neck, stroking the flesh underneath them.
"What the hell is going on?"
Harry came back to himself remembering that he and Lucius were standing in the middle of the Great Hall. Harry looked around and noticed that almost everyone was staring at them with undisguised horror. The Slytherins looked murderous; the Ravenclaws looked like they were trying to work out a puzzle. The Hufflepuffs looked as if they might pass out. He finally looked at the Gryffindor table. Most looked dazed. Seamus was grinning madly and collecting money from Dean and Neville. Hermione had a glazed look in her eye and a smile on her lips. Ron, well Ron looked as if he was about to explode. Harry could almost see the smoke pouring out of his ears.
'Oh…crap.' Harry thought to himself. He automatically took a step backwards, which brought him back against Lucius, who wrapped his hands around Harry's arms, steadying the young man.
"What the Hell! How long have you been a faggot!" Ron yelled, venom dripping from his voice. Everyone in the great hall gasped and fell into silence. Ron Weasley, Harry Potter's best friend, was usually friendly, unless there were Slytherins. No one had ever heard him speak in such a way though.
Especially to his best friend, and over something as ridiculous as Harry's sexual preference.
Especially since the young man hadn't hid his preference for over a year.
In matters of sexuality the wizarding world was much more accepting than the muggle world. They understood that bonds formed between souls, be they friendship, familial or love. These bonds didn't care about the physical body that the soul was housed in.
Harry stiffened and let an emotionless mask drop over his features. He'd learned how to disassociate himself the summer after fourth year. There was no way in hell he was going to let Ron know how his thoughtless anger had sliced through his heart.
Dumbledore decided that it was a good time to step in before things got any uglier. Plus he had to figure out just what was the connection between Lucius Malfoy and his boy…his honorary grandchilde. He stood and clapped his hands.
"Well students. It is time once again for the feast to end. Prefects, take the first years to the dorms." He walked towards the couple still standing in the middle of the hall. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy, please come with me." He turned and headed towards the staff exit. He caught Professors McGonagall's and Snape's eye, indicating they should follow also.
Dumbledore's Office
Harry and Lucius calmly sat in two chairs in front of the headmaster's desk. Their chairs were close enough together that they could sit comfortably with their fingers entwined.
Professor Snape stood in the back of the office blending with the shadows. Dumbledore sat at his desk, with McGonagall standing besides him, and stared at the two over his glasses. He cleared his throat.
"So, Harry, how long has this been going on?" He waved a hand flamboyantly towards their interlocked hands.
"Well, Sir, I don't think it's really any of your business who I am seeing or for how long." Harry said quietly. How was he supposed to explain that even though he hadn't seen Lucius since Voldemort's resurrection party, he felt closer to Lucius than any one.
"Now, Harry," Dumbledore tried to placate the young man.
"No headmaster, I've put up with all of your machinations in my life, creating your perfect little Gryffindor Icon, I was so bloody grateful to be rescued from the hell that was my life I would have kissed the ground you walked on. Each year, you pushed me just enough to tweak my curiosity. Year after year I went up against Voldemort and every summer you sent me back to that hellhole." Agitated, Harry got up and started to pace. "You never have given me a straight answer about why he wants to kill me. You always say later, well which is late enough, after he kills me so that I can ask my parents?" He snarled out the last bit, leaning over Dumbledore's desk.
Lucius stood up and wrapped his arms around the trembling young man. He whispered in Harry's ear. "Easy, Harry, don't alienate the most powerful wizard in the world." Harry relaxed; he could hear the smirk in the blonde's voice. He realized that he couldn't afford to piss off Dumbledore. He had mostly forgiven Dumbledore for but the stress of the past, worrying over Lucius' fate, everything came spewing out.
"Headmaster, I," he paused, running a shaky hand through his hair, "I apologize for my outburst. I've not been sleeping lately." Harry sighed slightly, not wanting to over do it. He dropped into his chair, resting his head in his hands.
Lucius tilted his own head forward, his loose long hair falling forward and covering his face. It seemed his little Gryffindor was finally embracing his inner Slytherin. He knew, deep down, that Harry had a lot of issues that he had to work out with the Headmaster. The young man had a lot of pent up baggage; they were going to have to work through it soon, or risk an explosion. He risked a small glance at the headmaster and noticed that damnedable twinkle was starting again. He thoroughly believed the young man was pure Gryffendor.
"Harry, why haven't you been sleeping?" Albus adopted the grandfatherly tone most commonly heard by those in the office, except for Lucius.
Harry stared at his hands. There was no way he could tell Dumbledore everything that was going on with his dreams, but he couldn't be flippant and blow him off either. The man would know if Harry was lying.
"I've been having nightmares," Harry shifted back in his seat.
"Now Harry," Albus began.
"No, not visions. I would have told you about any of those. These were more … repeats. A highlights reel playing over and over in my head."
"Why didn't you ask for any Dreamless Sleep potion?"
"Because of the addictive nature. The last time :pause, clears throat: the last time I took the potion I got addicted. It was a bitch to get that stuff out of my system. There is no way I'm going to get in that situation again. Hermione'd kill me." Harry thought back to the nights he suffered from withdrawals, sitting in the common room staring at the fire. Hermione was the only one that knew his dirty little secret, until know. However it was a small bone to throw the old man, keep off the bigger track.
Severus started slightly in the shadows he was lurking in. He hadn't had any idea the boy had fought through an addiction. He usually kept track of who was requesting what potions. He couldn't remember requests coming in for Potter. However, long as there were no overt threats against the boy, and he wasn't terrorizing the Slytherins, he couldn't be bothered with Harry. Severus figured the little hero had enough people at his beck and call. However, looking at the shocked look on Albus' face, the old man didn't have any idea either. 'Hmm.'
"Addiction? Harry, how did you get the potion often enough for addiction. Poppy keeps track of her supplies and I doubt you went to Professor Snape."
"Indeed he did not." Severus' silky voice floated out from the shadows.
Harry snorted slightly at the thought of Snape helping him with out a direct order from the headmaster. Other than saving his life when the need arises.
"I brewed my own," he said with a shrug.
Severus stepped forward. "You? You've hardly completed a potion correctly twice in a row since you started here."
"It's amazing how well potions turn out when you don't have people, who shall remain nameless, throwing odd ingredients in my cauldron."
Severus snarled at the back of the Gryffindor's head, but he couldn't dispute what was being said, especially with Albus looking at him, with that damn twinkling eye.
Gods how he hated that damn twinkle.
"Why then didn't you ask anyone for help?" Albus asked quietly.
Harry just stared at the headmaster for a moment. 'Is he serious?'
"Well, to start with, it was my own actions that got me addicted, plus if I asked anyone else for help, others would find out and it would only be a matter of time before it ended up in the bloody paper. It wouldn't look good if the Wizarding World's little hero was an addict." His voice dripped with sarcasm at the end. "Hermione found out, got me to pull my head out of my ass and get clean. We didn't even tell Ron what was going on."
Severus had to grudgingly admit that he was impressed with the boy. He wasn't bitching or moaning nor was he blaming others. 'Damn it, I may have to re-evaluate the boy.'
Severus hated admitting he was wrong. Even to himself.
"Well, the reason I asked you both here was to discuss what will be acceptable behavior while you are at Hogwarts."
Lucius narrowed his eyes, however Harry straightened up. "What do you mean?"
"You will refrain from having a physical relation…"
"Excuse me, who are you to tell me who I can or cannot have sex with."
"Harry." Lucius' low voice stopped Harry in mid-rant.
"What, Luc."
"Let the headmaster have his say. You know he is looking out for your best interest." Lucius stared at Harry.
Harry stared into Lucius' smokey grey eyes. He took a deep breath and settled back in his seat, placing his clasped hands over his stomach and looked at the headmaster.
Severus shook his head and hid a smirk. The Potter brat controlling himself, it had to be Lucius' influence.
Albus watched the interaction between everyone in the room and he was NOT a happy wizard. Was Harry under some kind of influence? He was one for second chances, but the elder Malfoy had never shown any indication that he was anything other an ardent supporter of Voldemort. He would have to keep an eye on the situation. He hoped for the best for Harry's sake, but needed to prepare for the worst.
"Harry, all I'm asking is that you continue to focus on your studies. You have NEWTS coming up. I just don't want you to forget about your commitments."
His commitments, what a wonderful euphemism. He was serious about the lack of sleep. He let out a yawn and rubbed his eyes behind his glasses.
"I'm sorry professor; I understand that my studies are important. I'm just uncomfortable with the public discussion of my private life."
"if that was true why did you … assault Lucius in the Great Hall." Severus sneered at the young man. 'Not wanting the publicity, right.' To his amazement a vivid red blush crawled up Potter's neck and encompassed his face.
Lucius chuckled knowingly. He knew how shy Harry was. How much he hated the spotlight.
"Well Mr. Potter." Severus was now interested in the answer.
Harry fought down the blush he could feel. Trying not to sneer at his potions professor (the man was the expert of sneering after all), "I hadn't heard from Lucius in three weeks, I thought maybe the ol' snake bastard had found him out and killed him. When I saw him standing there, I didn't really give a flying fu..uh care where we were. I was just happy to see him alive."
Harry's explanation shut even Severus up for a few moments.
Then Dumbledore spoke up.
"Well, now that your worries over the welfare of Mr. Malfoy have been calmed, you will be able to get some much needed rest and be able to pay attention in class tomorrow."
Harry wasn't too tired to hear the dismissal in that statement. "Yes professor," he stood up and made his way to the door. Lucius stood also and walked behind Harry.
"Mr. Malfoy."
"I'll be just a minute." Lucius tone brooked no arguments. He was going to have a moment alone with Harry. He followed Harry out the door making sure to close it. He caught up to the younger man at the bottom of the stairs.
Harry leaned against the wall as he watched Lucius stalk towards him.
"Hey," Harry said, then fell quiet. He was extremely nervous.
Lucius smiled slightly as he noticed Harry's fidgeting. As he stood in front of the younger man, he was slightly surprised that Harry was almost the same height as himself. He pulled Harry towards him and Harry wrapped his arms around Lucius' waist and rested his chin on the blondes shoulder. Lucius inhaled deeply, breathing in Harry's scent. It was one of the drawbacks of the dreams, as real as they were, there wasn't any smells.
"I'm glad you're all right." Harry said quietly.
"I'm glad that you are as well." Lucius had been worried. The last time they'd shared a dream Harry had found out that it was he, Lucius, that had become his confidant. "We have a lot to talk about, but I figure we have less than a minute before Severus pokes his head out at Dumbledore's request."
Harry snorted. He could picture the snarl on the professor's lip. He pulled backwards, "We'll talk tomorrow after my last class, I'll meet you in the front hall, Okay?"
"Okay," Lucius agreed and tilted his head forward. He gently pressed his lips to Harry's. Harry moved one arm from Lucius' waist and caressed Lucius' head, pulling him closer. Lucius moaned as Harry's tongue caressed his lips. He nibbled on the Gryffindor's lips and then took a step back. Harry looked at him with slightly glazed eyes.
"We have to stop now."
Harry blinked quickly and then nodded. He ran a quick shaky hand through his hair. "Right, night then." He removed his hands from Lucius' body reluctantly and left the stairwell quickly.
And ran straight into Professor McGonagall.
"Professor?"
"Come along, Potter. Let's get you to your dorm."
They walked in silence along the corridor. Neither of them commented on the shadows that disappeared upon seeing the professor with Potter.
End Chapter 1
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