Stroke of Midnight
Chapter 6: Vampire, Veela, and a Hint of Royal Elf
"What did you just say Harry?" Draco asked. It was then that Harry realized that Draco had changed. He looked a little paler, his white blond hair took on an almost sliver effect when it reflected light, and he was taller than Harry now. Harry had grown a lot over the summer before the sixth year; he was about 6'1. Draco was taller, probably around 6'3. His voice was a little deeper, His ears had a bit of a point to them, and his lips were a pale red that stood out from the pale complexion of the young man.
And his eyes. His eyes used to be a blue-gray that could be kind or harsh. They used to show a wide range of emotions. Now, however, they were sapphire-silver. They showed a much wider range of emotions. Harry was lost in those eyes the first time he gazed upon them. At the moment they were full of concern, hope, and something Harry thought that he must be imagining. It almost looked like love, but it couldn't be could it?
"Harry? Harry?" Harry came back to reality.
"I asked if you wanted to go out with me this weekend."
"What about the ban? And Voldie?"
"Dumbledore lifted the ban, and who cares. Being told that you probably won't live to see your next birthday puts your life in prospective. There is one condition though."
Without hesitation, "Anything."
"You have to promise that you won't fall in love with me." Harry's eyes were full of tears. "And that when I do go that you'll find someone else."
Draco sighed. He knew that he would never be able to live by those rules. First off he was already in love with the emerald eyed raven head. Second Draco knew that because Harry was his mate that he would never be able to choose another. "Sure. But you're not going to die."
Harry sighed; there was no arguing with Draco. Once he made his mind up about something like this it was set in stone. "Come here you big lunkhead."
Draco came closer and Harry grabbed his shirt and pulled him down. Their lips were about to connect when they were interrupted. "Harry, you're-" Hermione stopped. "Oh. Was I interrupting something?"
Harry sighed and let go of Draco. He fell back on the bed. "Nothing we can't continue later. What's up Mione?"
"I came as soon as I heard that you woke up." Draco had pulled one of the chairs over and sat beside Harry. He was running his hands through Harry's hair. "Oh, Draco, you may want to stop soon as Ron's bound to be here any minute."
Both Harry and Draco grimaced. How were they going to tell Ron? Ron had just begun to be kind to Draco instead of the usual civil attitude that he usually had. He wasn't going to be happy about this. Not to say that Ron had a thing against gay people, Charlie, Ron's brother, was gay. It was the fact that it was Draco. As much as the three hated to admit it, Ron was prejudiced toward Draco.
Draco grudgingly stopped. It was then that Shaniques, Marlena, and Greg came up to Harry's bed. Shaniques came up and hugged Harry. "We were so worried! We had no idea what happened. You were in the coma for three days, and you showed no signs of recovery!"
"Uh, Kitty? You're breaking my ribs." Shaniques immediately let go. For some reason she preferred being called Kitty to Shaniques.
/She was the one who wouldn't stop pacing around. God, she's so annoying./ Marlena hissed and Harry chuckled. So did Greg.
At Harry questioning glance he explained. (I was reading Marlena's mind. And conversing with her telepathically.)
/The cat was worse though, Master. The cat followed her and paced behind her strutting./
Harry, Marlena and Greg all laughed very hard and Sylenne's comment. The two latter fell over, and Harry would have too had he not been in bed. Shaniques, Hermione, and Draco all looked confused. The hisses were very low so no one heard them. To them it seemed like they were randomly laughing.
"Guys what's going on?" Ron asked as he walked up besides Hermione. He had been in the room since Shaniques had hugged Harry, he just had walked slowly. He turned to see Harry fighting for control, while the other two just rolled on the floor.
"Just something Lena's snake said. Greg heard because he was in both me and Lena's minds." Harry had managed some control, though he was still giggling a bit.
"Fawkes tried to heal you with his tears but they didn't work. Not even when we fed them to you. What happened?" Ginny had somehow popped up behind Draco making him jump. By this time Greg and Marlena had stood back up and were calm but huge smiles were plastered on their faces.
"Oh, I dunno. Maybe conversing with the dead puts you in a coma? I really have no clue. But I'm better so can you guys help me convince Madam Pomfrey to release me?"
"Conversing with dead people? Who Harry?" Ron asked curiously.
Greg screwed up his face for a moment and nodded."He's not insane and he's telling the truth. Hmmm….. Marlena might like this." The last part was muttered under his breath.
Marlena still caught it. "Who was it Harry?"
"My parents and Sirius."
"Did he say anything about me? Oh god I hope he's alright. Does he remember me? Dos he care? Oh god!" Marlena was ranting at it took a hit off the head from Greg to calm her.
"Relax. You're fucking scary when you go into rant mode. You're worse than Kitty was over Harry." Marlena stared at him incredulously.
"I am. Wow that is scary." She shuddered and Shaniques hit her. They all laughed.
"Don't worry, Sirius told me that if he gets out of there that you two will hook up. How close did you two get?"
"Well I lived at Grimmauld Place for a while and Sirius and I became friends. Right before he left for the Department of Mysteries we realized that we both had feelings for each other. We were going to have dinner the night afterwards." She sighed and closed her eyes remembering. When she opened her eyes she gave him a piercing look. "And don't you dare blame yourself, Harry James Potter! His death was not your fault! It never was and it never will be!"
"You're right." They all looked at Draco. " It was my aunt's fault. And for hurting both you and Harry and countless others, she will rot in the fiery depths of Hell." Draco said quietly.
Harry took the blonde's hand and squeezed it before Madam Pomfrey dispersed all of the visitors, claiming that Harry needed rest.
Harry was cooped up in the Hospital wing for the rest of the day. Blaise and Pansy stopped by as did Draco. They all talked for a while. Harry and Draco, when everyone else was gone, decided that they wouldn't ell anyone that they were dating. Ron would blow up, and Voldemort would target Draco. They would tell Hermione because she had seen them about to kiss, and she could cover for them occasionally.
Harry managed to convince Madam Pomfrey into letting him go after dinner. He was in the library doing some of the homework he had missed when Greg appeared. He sat next to Harry. "God, I had to get away from her. Do you mind if I sit with you?"
"Kitty driving you insane, huh? She's obsessed with me. Let me guess she wanted to know if you knew if I liked her?" Harry asked resigned.
"Ya. She won't believe me when I say that I don't sort through people's thoughts while they sleep."
"Do you?"
Greg grinned. "Of course. I need blackmail for backup." His smile softened. "But really, I just sort through quickly. I get ideas of who the person is, what created them that way, if they could endanger others. I never really stop and look at their thoughts."
Harry gave him a knowing smile. He put his books away while Greg continued. "Except with you. I looked at what made you you. I needed to know what could cripple you, what would strengthen you, who Voldemort would attack. I'm sorry if you are angry at me for doing that but I needed to know how to help you."
Harry stopped smiling. He sighed. "I should be angry with you but I can't. I know why you did it. Come on; let's go to the common room." They both headed toward the common room and talked of mindless things on the way.
When they came in Fawkes flew to Harry and landed on his shoulder. Greg's hawk followed suit. Harry laughed at Fawkes' eagerness to be with him again, yet wondered why the hawk was in the Tower. Fawkes by nature wouldn't stay away from his owner, especially since he was the heir to Gryffindor.
"Greg, why does your hawk stay in the Tower?"
"Well like a phoenix he won't stay away. Erwin here," Greg gestured to the hawk on his forearm. "is a red-eyed hawk." Harry saw the knowing red eyes of Erwin. They weren't evil looking like Voldemort's but rather soft yet warning at the same time.
"So he isn't a regular hawk?"
"No. He's one of the most loyal magical creatures there are. They look like perfectly normal hawks except their eyes. They can sense if someone is threatening, or dangerous. They will always know when their master needs them. As his master I can look into his eyes and see what he has seen. We also share a slight telepathic bond. We can tell how the other feels and such.
"The only problem is that they're dying out. They used to be hunted though they are now protected. I'm actually going to breed some as a side job, when I get settled down."
Harry just looked at the bird when suddenly he saw flashes of what Erwin had seen. He jerked away and almost fell over. "Greg?" He asked when he had regained balance. "Why could I see what Erwin had seen?"
Greg looked shocked for a second then began to laugh. "I guess I should have known. Anyone who has the potential to become a red-eyed hawk master can see flashes in any red-eyed hawk's eyes." He began to chuckle. "After I start breeding them I'll give you one. You can start a bird collection. Red-eyed hawks, phoenixes, and owls. You'll have a pretty good start."
Harry laughed and agreed. He liked the idea of owning a red-eyed hawk. They were beautiful. "Maybe not a bird collection though. I've got Buckbeak, a hippogriff, and I was thinking of getting a snake…."
"Jeeze Harry what are you trying to do? Start a zoo?" They both laughed and went to bed. That night Harry had the same nightmare that had haunted him for months. He dreamt of the Department of Mysteries. However when he saw Sirius the dream began to change and Harry knew he was reaching out to Sirius' soul. Just then he heard a cry.
"Harry, stop!" Harry turned to see Greg.
"What are you doing here? Can't I have even a dream to myself?" Harry was furious. 'How dare he invade my dreams. I know why he looked through my mind, but-'
"Harry, stop! I have to be here now for this exact reason. You've found that you have a slight psychic connection to those that you love and now you're trying to contact the dead! Harry why do you think you were in a coma for three days? The conversations only lasted the one night. It takes too much energy to contact the dead. Last time they contacted you to give you information you needed. If you contact them now you could go into a coma for the rest of you're life!"
Greg was screaming over the wind that had surrounded them. Fire, water, earth and lightening had all surrounded them too, all five elements circling them and going wild. Harry knew they were in a place that no one had ever been before. It was where life was made, before it came to their world. It was not, however, the world of the dead. It was a place in-between. Harry knew that they could go back to their bodies, but if they were murdered they would be trapped here forever. It was then that the pain hit. It was like all of the elements were torturing him.
In a moment they had returned to their bodies and Harry let out a blood curdling scream. The pain was still on him. Or inside of him, he couldn't tell. The pain wasn't stopping or receding. It was as if the elements were killing his soul.
Draco woke up in pain. He let out a blood curdling scream. It was as if he was on fire, being frozen, being electrocuted, and so much more. All at the same time. He continued to scream, as the pain wasn't stopping. He couldn't tell if the pain was outside his body or inside.
"What happened?" Madam Pomfrey asked quickly. Harry Potter was lying in a hospital bed, still screaming. None of the silencing charms had worked so Greg had cast the spell Harry had created.
Greg sent her the knowledge that he held of what had happened less than ten minutes before, instead of explaining. She gasped and Greg ended the spell. She quickly sent an owl to Dumbledore while she paced.
Just then Blaise and Pansy came running in with Draco between them. He was in the same state as Harry She shot a look at Greg who shrugged. They placed him in the bed next to Harry, a few feet away. Hermione and Ginny came running in. "Madam Pomfrey we heard Harry scream and-" Hermione stopped because she saw Draco. "Oh, god." She said, but it was lost as the two were thrashing and still screaming.
Dumbledore came in and stopped at the door. He saw the two teens and slowly continued forward. Greg sent everyone the knowledge of what had happened and they all looked shocked. "But then why is Draco reacting to it?"
Before anyone could say anything the beds tipped over and Harry and Draco, both unconscious but still in agony, began to roll toward each other. As they got closer they both began to scream louder and thrash harder. Hermione looked at them and smiled. Before anyone could tell her not to, she walked up to them. She took one of their hands in each of her's. She put them together despite the thrashing and screaming.
As soon as their hands touched they both stopped and Hermione was thrown back as were all the others. Everyone looked up to see a golden glow surround them. The glow changed and became every color under the rainbow. Then it stopped and become emerald, sapphire, and silver. It then ended. And the two the glow had surrounded were in each other's arms sleeping quietly.
Harry awoke in Draco's arms. They were in Draco's room so he snuggled up to his boyfriend. Draco awoke when Harry began to snuggle and his arms tightened around the raven haired young man. "Mmm, Draco, why are we in your room?"
"I dunno. The last thing I remember is being in a lot of pain, but I'm glad that you're here." Harry was startled. He scrambled out of bed, and Draco's arms. Draco looked concerned. "Harry, what's the matter?"
"Did the pain feel like it was both on your skin yet inside it too?"
"Yes why?"
"I did something terrible." Harry sunk back onto the bed. He was silently crying. Draco gathered him up in his arms.
"Shhh, what did you do?"
Harry was sobbing now. "I was so angry. I was trying to contact Sirius again when Greg showed up. He told me to stop, that I could hurt myself really bad." Harry told him of what had happened the night before.
"How is this terrible? You made a mistake. It's not like-"
"Don't you see Draco? Somehow the pain I inflicted on myself got transferred to you too!" Harry couldn't talk anymore and he just sobbed against Draco chest. Draco rocked him and assured him that they were both okay.
Harry drifted off to sleep and Draco just laid him on the bed. He was going to leave when a hand held onto Draco. "Don't leave me too." He heard Harry mutter.
'God, he thinks I'm going to leave him!' Draco lay down beside Harry and once again held him. He too drifted off to sleep before long.
"Miss Granger, What did you think you were doing?" Hermione was in Dumbledore's office. It was Saturday morning. He had allowed her to return to her dorm for a couple hours sleep.
"Well sir I knew-"
"You knew! What did you know Miss Granger that neither I nor your headmaster, nor any of the other professors knew? What the fuck did you know!"
Snape was enraged. He, Remus, and McGonagall had been allowed to join the meeting this morning. She turned to him sharply.
"Would you like to know or accuse me?"
"When your actions not only endanger my godson, but a young man I have come to love like a son, then I would like to know as soon as possible what the fuck was running through your head!" Everyone gasped at this. Snape love Harry like a son? It was almost impossible.
"Sir, Professors, I think you should read this." She handed them a very old book that she had bought when visiting France for a week the previous summer. It was very old, made of leather, and the pages were yellowing. In gold letters that were fading on the cover all that could be made out was True, another word impossible to make out, and finally half of the last word: Bo
Draco was rushing all throughout the school. 'Fuck I really screwed up this time. I gotta find him now. Before he does something we'll both regret.'
When he reached his destination he opened the door, and ran inside. What he saw made him fall to the ground crying. He saw Harry with his wrists slashed open, blood pooled around him. There was no mistaking it. Harry was dead.
Draco quickly shot up. He was panting. He quickly looked to find his emerald-eyed love sleeping soundly next to him. 'It was all a dream. All just a fucked up, realistic dream.'
He kissed the Gryffindor's forehead and held him for a long time, listening to Harry's heart.