When he woke up he was lying in his own bed in his own robes. His father
and Voldemort were whispering heatedly in the next room, he could hear
their hushed and urgent voices seeping through the open door. He blinked a
few times and looked around, then he sat up looking confused, then the
voices in the other room grew louder. He saw Voldemort and his father walk
side by side into the room and both turn their heads to Draco.
"Well Draco, how are you feeling?" his father asked. Draco sat there bewildered for a moment then drew in a small but deep breath and said "Fine father, I seem to have dozed off, but oddly I can't recall when..." His father smiled broadly and said "Well yes you seemed quiet tired yesterday, tomorrow you head off to Hogwarts, you should begin to pack your things". "Yes father" Draco said and got off the bed. "Ah Draco" Voldemort hissed "Today is the day you join my ranks, we expect you in the dungeon room at midnight, be ready" he then looked smugly at Darco. "Yes My lord" Draco said and bowed and Voldemort left the room looking very smug and pleased. His father turned to him excitedly and said "Draco my boy!" and embraced him tightly. When he pulled away Darco looked suspiciously at him "What was that for?" he asked. "Oh nothing, nothing" he said quickly and then beamed at him "You have pleased our lord, be ready for tonight" and then he left Draco alone to his room.
Draco collapsed back onto the bed and stared up at the dark canopy. It hit him then, He still felt like himself, in fact he remembered talking to his mother and escaping through the tower window. He could even remember Harry. But why could he remember? He was still himself. Was it possible that the curse had gone wrong and the memory charm had done nothing? He couldn't remember anything from when he blacked out at wand point to now and he was sure at least a day and a half had passed. Now it was around five in the afternoon and he began packing his Hogwarts trunk. He tried to think of a way out of this, out of getting the dark mark, another escape, but all he could get was a great big blank. He had no ideas or plans this time around. He would have to keep pretending and he would have to put all his effort into it, he knew Voldemort could tell if you were lying, he would just have to try and hope for the best.
When dinner was sent up to him it was way past dark and he was sure it was drawing nearer to midnight. He would have to accept the dark mark. He would then go to Hogwarts and... And then what? He wasn't sure. He couldn't let the others see he was anything but his old self and he... He had no idea what to do by the time his father had come to get him. "It's time for the ceremony Draco, Ah I see you're ready, that's good, very good" he said seeming overwhelmed with happiness.
Draco stood up and walked over to stand at his father's side. "What's wrong Draco? You look a bit pale" he said, his brow furrowed. Draco gave his father a smirk and said "Just a bit nervous father, it's not every day you get to be a part of this sort of ceremony" His father nodded knowingly and smiled "Well don't worry son, I'm sure you will be a great asset to the Dark lord" he said as they headed down out of his room and down the corridor leading to the dungeon stairs. "What great asset could I possibly be father?" Draco asked innocently, his brow furrowed as if thinking hard. His father chuckled and said "Well I'm not supposed to tell you this but...Well we have some plans for Mr. Harry Potter", "Oh really" Draco said with a sly smirk. "Oh yes" his father answered, obviously pleased with Draco's reaction, he dropped his voice to a whisper and said "The Dark Lord is planning to show himself at Hogwarts, so we will need a spy of course, and we've decided that you're the best man for the job" he grinned evilly and continued "But the main part of the plan is for Potter, he won't know what hit him... but I can't tell you more, you'll be sent instructions by owl as soon as we pick the time". Draco faked a frown and a disappointed look and then said "Well alright, but I'm expecting hints in your letters". At this his father grinned broadly and they headed down the spiraling iron staircases that lead down to the dungeon.
They emerged in a cold stone chamber with grey stone brick walls and a rotting smell. There was a large group of hooded and masked figures surroundings a large empty circle, but it was so dim all Draco could see was the hundred of ivory masks shimmering in the dark. At the head of the circle was a large black throne like chair. It was the only thing that was illuminated in the whole room from a hanging cage over it high on the ceiling. It emitted just enough light to show the bare stone floor in the center of the circle.
He stared calmly at the group of death eaters melting into the pitch black of the shadows. His eyes then found their way to the head of the circle where Voldemort sat staring directly at Draco with a wicked smirk plastered across his scaly grey face. He gestured him forward. Draco stepped into the circle of light in front of him as he saw his father fall back into the group of death eaters. He began to shield his mind, masking it with thoughts of respect and hopes of glory and power and, no matter how painful, thoughts of finally conquering Harry Potter and bringing him to the Dark lord where he would be rewarded.
The creature sitting lavishly in the chair seemed to be satisfied as Draco could almost feel him combing through his thoughts. He knew he could read minds or emotions in a way, so he took all the precautions. The vile thing stood up from it's chair and walked over to Draco. It was all so fast, two death eaters came up to him and took hold of him, rolling the sleeve of his arm up and extending it to the Dark Lord. Then he felt the burning pain as he heard his own skin sizzling and watched it steam as the Dark Lord burned at his flesh with his wand tip. He didn't dare scream or grimace for fear that if he showed to much feeling he would loose control of his thoughts and his shield would be gone.
Blood ran down Draco's arm and it had turned a bright shade of red as the new mark had been burned onto it. He turned to the Dark Lord and bowed, showing no sign of pain. He cackled and there was a speech recited in that cold high voice, more laughter, it all took so long and it was all a blur to Draco, who was near fainting at one point. Finally the ceremony was over and the crowd of death eaters began to thin. His father came up to him and put an arm around his shoulder declaring "My son, I'm so proud" and Voldemort hissed out "Yesss I'm sure he will be of great importance in our coming plans" and then he stood and smirked at Draco. He was close to throwing thoughts of pure hatred at his revolting grey face but he kept his thoughts closed to burn through later when he was alone.
Draco forced a smile and said "I hope I will be my Lord". Voldemort was satisfied and had a glinting in his evil red eyes that could only mean he knew something Draco did not. His father escorted him to his room and said "Be prepared to go to Hogwarts tomorrow, your mother and I are seeing you off at the station". With that he turned and left and Draco headed into his room. When he had closed the door he collapsed against it and gripped his arm tightly. He slid down to the floor grimacing as the pain coursed through him. He pulled his blood soaked sleeve up and away from the ugly burn there.
He looked down at the skull and snake that had been etched there. If he flexed his arm fresh draughts of blood squeezed through the slits in his skin forming the make shift tattoo and began to flood down his arm again. He had to look away, grimacing. It wasn't the pain that bothered him really, it was the mark itself. He wondered how much blood he had already lost when he began to feel dizzy. He stammered towards the bed and fell onto it, clutching his arm as the world around him spun and began to dim. He was sinking into the dark, blissful forgetfulness... He did not have to hide anything here... A high voice cackled in his head and the laughter echoed off in his ears. He recognized the high pitched coldness of the laugh as it came again one last time. He shot up on the bed, his arm slamming against his side as he did so. He cringed as he felt the fresh blood run down his arm, making the already burnt skin feel as if acid had been spilled against it.
He began to shield his thoughts again and try to cover up the momentary loss of concentration. Now Draco knew why Voldemort had been looking so smug that night, he thought underneath the stronger, concealing thoughts. Not only because he thought the memory charm had worked but because as long as Draco was in Malfoy Manor, he could read him. It had been him laughing so coldly in his head. But Draco couldn't keep up coherent thought any longer as the spinning darkness returned. It called to him to forget, that he could think whatever he wanted here. He fought against it this time; his thoughts went purposefully to quidditch as he thought of finally getting one over on Potter and grabbing the snitch from right under his nose while accidentally knocking him off his broom as well. He thought of his mother, then quickly moved on to something else, Voldemort could not know how much he cared for her or she might be put in danger. He soon drifted off to sleep thinking of Pansy Parkinson and marriage which almost made him sick, but he continued steadily until his brain had turned off.
When he woke up the next morning he found his trunk and his eagle owl in its cage all stacked up neatly to one side of his room with a new set of muggle cloths for the station laid out on it. He sat up in his bed and headed for the shower. He stripped off his robes he had fallen asleep in and stepped into the steaming shower which was already running. He watched the water hit him and run down his arm, taking all the dried blood with it. Soon all the caked blood had rolled down his arm and into the swirling silver drain and all that was left was the exposed burn which now could not be mistaken as anything but the dark mark. He stared at the hideous thing and cringed at the site that was marring his perfect unblemished skin. He had never had any scars aside from one he had never showed anyone and that one was a lovely little thin stream of silver across his pale skin, while this one was an ugly charred burn mutilating his arm.
He reached down and into his inner thigh to find the delicate line on his skin. He found it and traced its familiar zigzag pattern with his fingers. He remembered when he had put that scar there. It was so stupid. He remembered storming into his dormitory in a blinding rage and being so sick of Harry Potter and him always being the center of attention, and for what? A stupid lightening bolt scar. In his first year Potter was already a celebrity and Malfoy was in rage over this. He was supposed to get all the attention, not that stupid Harry potter, always beating him at everything. Why was he so special? Just because of that stupid scar, Draco had thought. So he had taken out his small silver and ivory pocket knife and reached into the closest part of him, his leg. He pulled the skin and stretched it tightly, then took the knife and began to carve into it, feeling no pain, just his burning anger and determination.
Soon his hands where smeared with blood and his sheets underneath him were soaked with it, but he had done it. He swept the blood away from his thigh and looked at it; there was his own lightening bolt scar, now he had one too. He stared at it for a long time, but nothing happened and he felt the same. He threw the knife across the room in his anger. There was nothing special about the stupid scar and he knew it, Potter was just making it all up! After throwing a royal fit and breaking most of the breakable things in the room he sank into his bed and feel asleep.
He woke up with his robes still on feeling a dull ache on his exposed leg. When he sat up to look at it he groaned loudly as he saw his handy work. He slapped his hand over his eyes and leaned back into his pillows. When he got as mad as he had been that day his mind got clouded with his famous Malfoy rage and he did stupid things. He remembered when he was six and his father yelled at him and tried to lock him up for breaking all the expensive vases in the study and he had been so mad because he hadn't done it, his father's owl had when Draco accidentally ripped off half his wing while playing with his mother's wand when all he had been trying to do was summon up a cookie. He got so mad at this injustice that he had set his father's long blonde hair on fire without even realizing what he was doing.
He ran his palm over the scar, remembering how much he had hated Harry Potter and how had become obsessed with beating him and being better at him in everything. He had known everything about him, things he bet his closest friends didn't even know. You know the saying, keep your friends close and your enemies closer, or was it something like know your enemy? Oh well the point was he even knew his favorite food by watching him at lunch, he knew what hand he wrote with from lessons, he knew he always put ketchup and mustard on his scrambled eggs even if everyone else thought it was disgusting, he knew Harry had a photo album full of pictures of his family, and he knew that Harry went up to the astronomy tower at night sometimes and sat alone in the dark just looking at the stars and seeming completely lost, wondering about his life and how it had gotten to be this. He knew because he went up there to and he did the same thing. When he had seen Harry he had hid in the shadows and watched him, at first planning to push him off the ledge just for the fun of watching him fall. But he didn't. He saw the look on Harry's face and recognized it to be his own too when he came up here and sat at that same window with his legs hanging over the sides. That had been in his sixth year, a long time ago.
Draco dragged himself away from his old and faded memories and brought his hand away from the scar to begin shampooing his hair. Things were different now. He was a death eater and his future was to serve the dark lord. He didn't know whether he meant this or was saying it to shield his mind. All he knew was that he had to protect Harry somehow...
He finished his shower and left the steaming bathroom to dress himself in the formal black pants and grey turtleneck that had been laid out for him. He then headed down to the dinning room where he knew breakfast was being served.
His parents dropped him off at the station where he hugged his father goodbye and headed for the platform with his mother as was their custom. When they had reached it she turned to him with tears in her eyes and said "Your father didn't want me to accompany you to the train this year...", she looked as if she was about to burst out crying, he knew she thought he wasn't himself anymore, so he hugged her and whispered into her ear "Don't worry mother, You'll always have your son, be strong", she gave a strangled gasp and he winked at her startled and shocked face, turned, and stepped through the platform feeling her smile behind him.
He rushed onto the train and into a compartment in the back where he leaned against the chair and sighed. He was away from Voldemort's powers, at least he thought so any way, and that was good enough for him. After sitting there and hearing people clamber onto the train for about fifteen minutes, he turned and looked out of the little window on his compartment's door. He could see through the window on the door of compartment across from his and then onto the compartment's windows and from there he could see platform nine and three quarters. He saw a large group of red haired people and his heart skipped a beat. There was Harry in the middle of them all. He jumped up from his seat and reached out to slam open the door when he felt a stinging pain on his arm. He paused, his hand on the door handle, and looked down at it. It was the arm with the dark mark on in.
He let go of the door handle as if it had just burned him and he sank back into his seat. He was a death eater now and Harry could not be his friend now, they couldn't be the way they had planned to be now. He remembered that he had to be his old self, which included hating Harry and teasing him, fighting him and challenging him. He put his head into his arms and felt utterly and completely lost. He had no idea what to do and that had never happened before. He had always been in control of things or his father had, and now he was completing lost. The first thing he had to do was get the control back, and then everything would be okay.
So for the sake of knowing what to do and to try and keep himself and Harry alive, he set the rules. Things where back to the way they had been before, he would put up the front that showed nothing had changed and he was the Draco Malfoy from his fourth year. From this moment he would pretend he did not remember feeling anything but hatred and jealousy for Harry Potter.
He looked up into Harry's eyes now, choosing to tell him most of his story but leaving out a few parts and making it as little detailed as possible when it came to him. Harry's eyes went dark and he whispered "Can I see it then?" Draco nodded and pulled up his sleeve to reveal the burnt in skull and snake. Harry had no idea how he had missed it the night before and his only explanation was that it had been dark and he had taken off his glasses.
He reached out and gently stroked the mark, fingertips barley brushing it, but it still drew a sharp intake of breath from Draco. He felt a stab of pain in his heart that this had happened to Draco and it felt worse to know that he couldn't stop it or change it. Draco looked back down at the floor while Harry was examining the burn tattoo "What am I going to do?" he whispered more to himself then to Harry. "We" Harry said "Are going to get you out of this". "How?" the blonde boy asked sadly. "Dumbledore" Harry stated, "It's the only way, we shouldn't try and deal with this ourselves". Draco nodded grimly and said "What do I have to tell him?", "Just tell him about the planned attack and how you don't want to be a death eater and you want to help stop the attack...you know what I'll just come with you then" Harry said. "When?" Draco asked. "How about this Tuesday during the free break? We are going to need to get there separately , his office is in front of that statue of the gargoyle, you know the one..." Darco nodded as Harry went on thinking hard. He finally looked up at Draco remorsefully and said "I don't think we should see each other before then, just act like nothing happened and stuff..." he trailed off. Draco nodded and stood up heading for the door. Harry went after him and reached out a hand to turn him around. He pinned the blonde boy to the door and began to kiss him deeply. He pulled away and looked into the pale grey eyes and Draco whispered "I should go now", Harry nodded, gave him a last gentle kiss and opened the door, he stepped out and looked down at the common room, not a soul in sight. He waved a hand at Draco and the boy marched out of the dormitory, down the stairs and out of Gryffindor tower.
Harry stared after him and sighed. Once Draco was completely out of sight he turned to go back into his dorm room when a familiar voice made him whip around so fast he almost tripped and toppled down the stairs, "Harry Potter what is going on here and if you expect that you can get away without telling me everything and I mean everything then you've got another thing coming!!!" this was all said in one breath and the owner of the voice gave a large intake of breath after wards. He turned and saw none other then Hermione, standing with her hands on her hips behind a large arm chair which Harry suspected hid it's occupant from view at this angle. She stormed up the stairs and Harry had no choice but to let her into his dorm as she marched in. She dropped herself onto his bead and crossed her arms expectantly. "Well?!??" she asked in a shrill, suspicious voice. Harry sighed and sat himself down next to her on the bed. "I know you left out details in your story and I know there's something odd going on between you and Malfoy , Harry" he sighed and said "You're right like usual, but please don't tell Ron or anyone about this Hermione" she nodded and said "Then tell me everything and I mean everything from then to this very moment". Harry sighed once again and nodded, he began by telling her about the surprise he found on the train that day after he fled the Dursley Home.
"And then you turned up from behind that arm chair" he finished. Hermione was gaping at him for a second and it took a lot of questions and a long time for her to understand it all fully. "Okay Harry" she finally sighed "I want to help with this, if Draco is really...I mean if this is all true... well he could be really useful". "We are not using him for information Hermione I am helping him because I...well because...Because I love him okay!" Harry exclaimed. Hermione looked a little taken aback by this and said "Of course Harry, I want to help him too, espeacily since he means this much to you". "He has the dark mark" Harry whispered "And I should have been there, I should have stopped it and now I can't do anything about it!", Hermione gave him a sad glance and said "Harry there was nothing you could do or you would have done it and you know that". "Yes but it still bothers me so much, we can save him and he can join us but we can never be rid of that mark and he should be! He's mine not theirs and he shouldn't carry his mark!" Harry said angrily, he was just beginning to realize how much it really had bothered him, he didn't want to show it in front of Draco for fear of his reaction before.
Hermione sighed and sat up suddenly "I'm going to the library, it might work but it's a stretch if I can just find..." she trailed off as she hurried towards the door. "It's always either books or Dumbledore that will fix everything with you isn't it?" he asked impatiently. "Well both do always solve our problems, it's just my way and at least you're using one of them" she said, and with that she was out the door no doubt rushing to the library to look up god knows what. He sat down on his bed feeling exasperated when he felt something stir beside him. A little white snake slithered up to his ear and hissed "I told you so", Harry turned and grinned at the snake "Yes you were right viper" he hissed back to it.
Harry was left alone with viper wrapped around his wrist for the rest of the day while Hermione was off at the library and Ron was out visiting Fred and George in Hogsmead using one of their secret passages in the castle. If Harry had a sickle for every time Hermione shot up and said "I'm going to the library" he reckoned he'd be richer then the Malfoy's by now. And he couldn't get his mind off Draco. He wondered where he had gone after he left and if he had gotten to where ever he went okay. When it was time for dinner Harry headed down to the great hall. He wasn't really hungry; he just wanted to see Draco again.
He sat down at the Gryffindor table facing the empty Slytherin table and he began to pile food on his plate. He hadn't even noticed what he had put on his plate and ended up shoving a spoonful of mashed potatoes, carrots, and chocolate pudding into his mouth as he watched the door for a sign of Draco. When the blonde boy came in Harry's heart leaped but Draco didn't even look at him, he just headed over to the table flanked by the usual group, Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise Zabini, Millicent Bulstrode, and Pansy Parkinson. They all took their seats and began to laugh at something that must have been terribly funny. Draco became engaged in conversation with the long haired slytherin boy next to him, Blaise Zabini, and still did not even glance at Harry, he just pretended he wasn't there. A surge of dread began to fill Harry's stomach feeling worse then the carrots and chocolate pudding. Pansy began to say something that caught all of their attention and when Harry was about to look away Draco caught his eye and winked at him, then with a grin he turned to listen to Pansy. Harry's heart gave another leap and he looked back down at the table feeling he could eat now.
The next day Harry was at lunch alternating between staring down at his plate and stealing glances at Draco when Hermione sat down next to him excitedly and said "Oh Harry I found it I need to talk to you! Come on" and with that she wrenched him out of his seat and out of the great hall with Draco staring curiously after him. Once they had reached the common room she pulled out two books from her bag and stated "I found it" proudly and looking expectantly down at Harry. "Found what??" Harry asked bewildered. "Oh remember when we made that Poly juice potion and I kept the book a little longer to read and I told you and Ron about that spell to that was used to link people..." She began on one of her rants again and Harry still had no clue what she was going on about. "The point is Harry I went looking and I found the spell, this spell is very hard and old magic but its amazingly quiet simple. It can break almost any incantation on the person it is cast on and forms a sort of protection that weaves itself into their skin and blood; it's in the same category of magic as the protection that is on you from your mother."
"The spell leaves it's own mark but removes any other magical mark, Harry I think this could possible remove the Dark Mark", at this Harry looked up at her startled, "But there are consequences" she continued "This spell binds the body and the soul, it is hard to do right and has only been accomplished a few times, the failures all resulted in death for both of the spell caster and the victim", "See once they are bound they are no longer two people, but they are merged in a way, if he feels pain, you share it, if he has a nightmare you share it, if he has a wound you share it, and if he dies Harry, you die too" Harry looked at her amazed that she could find it, "How do you do it?" he asked cautiously. "You say a rather long incantation and it has to be in the hour before the moon turns full. You two would stand exactly four feet apart and you would cast the spell on him with some wand movements here in this book that I've learned, and then the tattoo is formed and you will both experience great pain until you are touching. It takes about 12 hours to finish completely and during that time if you two are not together and in physical contact you will both be in a lot of pain" she finished.
"I don't think you should do it quiet yet Harry, it's very risky and rash, you shouldn't do it unless you absolutely have too, I mean the only times it has ever been preformed was to save someone from death and it was usually cast by a relative or a lover, otherwise no one would dare use it. It's very powerful" Harry nodded and said "Your right Hermione, I won't do it, but thanks for trying". She nodded back and said "Here I made you a copy of the information" and with that she handed Harry the papers, gathered up her books and headed out the door. Harry folded up the papers and put them in his pocket, he would bet a galleon she was heading to the library.
Harry sat back against the chair and thought about the spell. He would do it right now if it wasn't so risky, if it didn't risk them both losing their lives. He wondered what that tattoo would look like and if he would get one too. He tried to picture something there instead of the ugly burn on Draco's arm but he couldn't conjure any images in his mind. Or maybe it wouldn't be on his arm, but on his smooth chest or his slim stomach. Maybe on his delicately pale thigh or lower then that...He blinked back into reality and realized his thoughts had wandered. He looked out the window and saw that sun had begun to set, staining the sky a deep scarlet color mixed with a golden orange. It was getting late so he decided to go upstairs and take a shower.
He opened up the scarlet curtains of the shower in his dorm, turned on the steaming hot water and stepped into it. The feeling of the warm water running down his body was comforting and refreshing. Soon his hair was plastered to his forehead while he stood under the steaming water letting it run over him. He ran his hand over his chest a remembered running his hand down Draco's chest. The next time he got a chance to he would show Draco just how much he loved him.
Closing his eyes he pictured himself running his hands down Draco's chest again and farther down his lithe body until his hands rested on the boy's thighs. He could feel the silky skin underneath his fingertips as he ran his hand around his own thigh as he would to Draco. He would slide his hand to Draco's inner thigh and run his hands over the soft pale skin, then he would take Draco in his hands as he was doing to himself.
He began to stroke himself and he reached out one hand to brace himself against the wall as he thought of Draco's moans and gasps and of reaching his hand in Draco's hair and breathing in its sweet scent. Now there was only him and Draco and no shower, tile, or water. He would kiss Draco's neck leaving little red marks as he went trailing kisses down his body as he reached his belly button. From there he imagined himself going lower and taking Draco into his mouth as he moaned and entangled his fingers in Harry's dark hair.
With a shuddering gasp Harry came and collapsed against the wall in front of him with his eyes screwed shut. His senses slowly came back to him and he could hear the patter of the water hitting the floor and swirling down the drain along with the result of his thoughts of Draco. He sighed, stood up again and finished cleaning himself. When he got out of the bathroom the stars where shinning overhead and Ron was sitting on his bed with a bunch of candy and joke items laid out in front of him, "Hey Harry! What have you been up to?" he asked happily, "Oh nothing" Harry answered as he sat down next to Ron to examine the sweets.
It was Tuesday and Draco was getting ready to head out to go see Dumbledore with Harry as Billy jumped around eagerly near his legs. He threw the dog a doggie treat and patted him on the head. He was excited and he was Happy as well as nervous. This could be the day that decides to save him and let him stay with Harry. He had a feeling he would stay with Harry forever if he got a chance and he was sure he would. He was heading to the door when he heard a peck at the window. His heart skipped a beat as he stared at the familiar eagle owl perched on his window sill. It was the same one that had delivered a letter a few weeks ago from his father saying "I know you're anxious" and "The attack will be soon, be ready to take quick action because when the instructions are given you won't have much time".
He opened the window and reached for the letter with a trembling hand, it couldn't be time already, it just couldn't. He broke the Malfoy seal and tapped the letter with his wand. All it said was:
Draco, The time has come, we will be making ourselves known at the great hall when lunch is being serve, STAY OUT OF THE GREAT HALL AT THAT TIME. If Potter is not in Gryffindor tower get him in the potions classroom, it is crucial that he is there, I don't care how you do it but get it done, that won't matter once we are there. Hurry,
Your Father
No, this was happening to fast! It couldn't happen now! Draco gulped and took in a deep breath. He had fifteen minutes until lunch. He threw the letter behind him and ran towards the hall where he knew that stone gargoyle sat.
"Well Draco, how are you feeling?" his father asked. Draco sat there bewildered for a moment then drew in a small but deep breath and said "Fine father, I seem to have dozed off, but oddly I can't recall when..." His father smiled broadly and said "Well yes you seemed quiet tired yesterday, tomorrow you head off to Hogwarts, you should begin to pack your things". "Yes father" Draco said and got off the bed. "Ah Draco" Voldemort hissed "Today is the day you join my ranks, we expect you in the dungeon room at midnight, be ready" he then looked smugly at Darco. "Yes My lord" Draco said and bowed and Voldemort left the room looking very smug and pleased. His father turned to him excitedly and said "Draco my boy!" and embraced him tightly. When he pulled away Darco looked suspiciously at him "What was that for?" he asked. "Oh nothing, nothing" he said quickly and then beamed at him "You have pleased our lord, be ready for tonight" and then he left Draco alone to his room.
Draco collapsed back onto the bed and stared up at the dark canopy. It hit him then, He still felt like himself, in fact he remembered talking to his mother and escaping through the tower window. He could even remember Harry. But why could he remember? He was still himself. Was it possible that the curse had gone wrong and the memory charm had done nothing? He couldn't remember anything from when he blacked out at wand point to now and he was sure at least a day and a half had passed. Now it was around five in the afternoon and he began packing his Hogwarts trunk. He tried to think of a way out of this, out of getting the dark mark, another escape, but all he could get was a great big blank. He had no ideas or plans this time around. He would have to keep pretending and he would have to put all his effort into it, he knew Voldemort could tell if you were lying, he would just have to try and hope for the best.
When dinner was sent up to him it was way past dark and he was sure it was drawing nearer to midnight. He would have to accept the dark mark. He would then go to Hogwarts and... And then what? He wasn't sure. He couldn't let the others see he was anything but his old self and he... He had no idea what to do by the time his father had come to get him. "It's time for the ceremony Draco, Ah I see you're ready, that's good, very good" he said seeming overwhelmed with happiness.
Draco stood up and walked over to stand at his father's side. "What's wrong Draco? You look a bit pale" he said, his brow furrowed. Draco gave his father a smirk and said "Just a bit nervous father, it's not every day you get to be a part of this sort of ceremony" His father nodded knowingly and smiled "Well don't worry son, I'm sure you will be a great asset to the Dark lord" he said as they headed down out of his room and down the corridor leading to the dungeon stairs. "What great asset could I possibly be father?" Draco asked innocently, his brow furrowed as if thinking hard. His father chuckled and said "Well I'm not supposed to tell you this but...Well we have some plans for Mr. Harry Potter", "Oh really" Draco said with a sly smirk. "Oh yes" his father answered, obviously pleased with Draco's reaction, he dropped his voice to a whisper and said "The Dark Lord is planning to show himself at Hogwarts, so we will need a spy of course, and we've decided that you're the best man for the job" he grinned evilly and continued "But the main part of the plan is for Potter, he won't know what hit him... but I can't tell you more, you'll be sent instructions by owl as soon as we pick the time". Draco faked a frown and a disappointed look and then said "Well alright, but I'm expecting hints in your letters". At this his father grinned broadly and they headed down the spiraling iron staircases that lead down to the dungeon.
They emerged in a cold stone chamber with grey stone brick walls and a rotting smell. There was a large group of hooded and masked figures surroundings a large empty circle, but it was so dim all Draco could see was the hundred of ivory masks shimmering in the dark. At the head of the circle was a large black throne like chair. It was the only thing that was illuminated in the whole room from a hanging cage over it high on the ceiling. It emitted just enough light to show the bare stone floor in the center of the circle.
He stared calmly at the group of death eaters melting into the pitch black of the shadows. His eyes then found their way to the head of the circle where Voldemort sat staring directly at Draco with a wicked smirk plastered across his scaly grey face. He gestured him forward. Draco stepped into the circle of light in front of him as he saw his father fall back into the group of death eaters. He began to shield his mind, masking it with thoughts of respect and hopes of glory and power and, no matter how painful, thoughts of finally conquering Harry Potter and bringing him to the Dark lord where he would be rewarded.
The creature sitting lavishly in the chair seemed to be satisfied as Draco could almost feel him combing through his thoughts. He knew he could read minds or emotions in a way, so he took all the precautions. The vile thing stood up from it's chair and walked over to Draco. It was all so fast, two death eaters came up to him and took hold of him, rolling the sleeve of his arm up and extending it to the Dark Lord. Then he felt the burning pain as he heard his own skin sizzling and watched it steam as the Dark Lord burned at his flesh with his wand tip. He didn't dare scream or grimace for fear that if he showed to much feeling he would loose control of his thoughts and his shield would be gone.
Blood ran down Draco's arm and it had turned a bright shade of red as the new mark had been burned onto it. He turned to the Dark Lord and bowed, showing no sign of pain. He cackled and there was a speech recited in that cold high voice, more laughter, it all took so long and it was all a blur to Draco, who was near fainting at one point. Finally the ceremony was over and the crowd of death eaters began to thin. His father came up to him and put an arm around his shoulder declaring "My son, I'm so proud" and Voldemort hissed out "Yesss I'm sure he will be of great importance in our coming plans" and then he stood and smirked at Draco. He was close to throwing thoughts of pure hatred at his revolting grey face but he kept his thoughts closed to burn through later when he was alone.
Draco forced a smile and said "I hope I will be my Lord". Voldemort was satisfied and had a glinting in his evil red eyes that could only mean he knew something Draco did not. His father escorted him to his room and said "Be prepared to go to Hogwarts tomorrow, your mother and I are seeing you off at the station". With that he turned and left and Draco headed into his room. When he had closed the door he collapsed against it and gripped his arm tightly. He slid down to the floor grimacing as the pain coursed through him. He pulled his blood soaked sleeve up and away from the ugly burn there.
He looked down at the skull and snake that had been etched there. If he flexed his arm fresh draughts of blood squeezed through the slits in his skin forming the make shift tattoo and began to flood down his arm again. He had to look away, grimacing. It wasn't the pain that bothered him really, it was the mark itself. He wondered how much blood he had already lost when he began to feel dizzy. He stammered towards the bed and fell onto it, clutching his arm as the world around him spun and began to dim. He was sinking into the dark, blissful forgetfulness... He did not have to hide anything here... A high voice cackled in his head and the laughter echoed off in his ears. He recognized the high pitched coldness of the laugh as it came again one last time. He shot up on the bed, his arm slamming against his side as he did so. He cringed as he felt the fresh blood run down his arm, making the already burnt skin feel as if acid had been spilled against it.
He began to shield his thoughts again and try to cover up the momentary loss of concentration. Now Draco knew why Voldemort had been looking so smug that night, he thought underneath the stronger, concealing thoughts. Not only because he thought the memory charm had worked but because as long as Draco was in Malfoy Manor, he could read him. It had been him laughing so coldly in his head. But Draco couldn't keep up coherent thought any longer as the spinning darkness returned. It called to him to forget, that he could think whatever he wanted here. He fought against it this time; his thoughts went purposefully to quidditch as he thought of finally getting one over on Potter and grabbing the snitch from right under his nose while accidentally knocking him off his broom as well. He thought of his mother, then quickly moved on to something else, Voldemort could not know how much he cared for her or she might be put in danger. He soon drifted off to sleep thinking of Pansy Parkinson and marriage which almost made him sick, but he continued steadily until his brain had turned off.
When he woke up the next morning he found his trunk and his eagle owl in its cage all stacked up neatly to one side of his room with a new set of muggle cloths for the station laid out on it. He sat up in his bed and headed for the shower. He stripped off his robes he had fallen asleep in and stepped into the steaming shower which was already running. He watched the water hit him and run down his arm, taking all the dried blood with it. Soon all the caked blood had rolled down his arm and into the swirling silver drain and all that was left was the exposed burn which now could not be mistaken as anything but the dark mark. He stared at the hideous thing and cringed at the site that was marring his perfect unblemished skin. He had never had any scars aside from one he had never showed anyone and that one was a lovely little thin stream of silver across his pale skin, while this one was an ugly charred burn mutilating his arm.
He reached down and into his inner thigh to find the delicate line on his skin. He found it and traced its familiar zigzag pattern with his fingers. He remembered when he had put that scar there. It was so stupid. He remembered storming into his dormitory in a blinding rage and being so sick of Harry Potter and him always being the center of attention, and for what? A stupid lightening bolt scar. In his first year Potter was already a celebrity and Malfoy was in rage over this. He was supposed to get all the attention, not that stupid Harry potter, always beating him at everything. Why was he so special? Just because of that stupid scar, Draco had thought. So he had taken out his small silver and ivory pocket knife and reached into the closest part of him, his leg. He pulled the skin and stretched it tightly, then took the knife and began to carve into it, feeling no pain, just his burning anger and determination.
Soon his hands where smeared with blood and his sheets underneath him were soaked with it, but he had done it. He swept the blood away from his thigh and looked at it; there was his own lightening bolt scar, now he had one too. He stared at it for a long time, but nothing happened and he felt the same. He threw the knife across the room in his anger. There was nothing special about the stupid scar and he knew it, Potter was just making it all up! After throwing a royal fit and breaking most of the breakable things in the room he sank into his bed and feel asleep.
He woke up with his robes still on feeling a dull ache on his exposed leg. When he sat up to look at it he groaned loudly as he saw his handy work. He slapped his hand over his eyes and leaned back into his pillows. When he got as mad as he had been that day his mind got clouded with his famous Malfoy rage and he did stupid things. He remembered when he was six and his father yelled at him and tried to lock him up for breaking all the expensive vases in the study and he had been so mad because he hadn't done it, his father's owl had when Draco accidentally ripped off half his wing while playing with his mother's wand when all he had been trying to do was summon up a cookie. He got so mad at this injustice that he had set his father's long blonde hair on fire without even realizing what he was doing.
He ran his palm over the scar, remembering how much he had hated Harry Potter and how had become obsessed with beating him and being better at him in everything. He had known everything about him, things he bet his closest friends didn't even know. You know the saying, keep your friends close and your enemies closer, or was it something like know your enemy? Oh well the point was he even knew his favorite food by watching him at lunch, he knew what hand he wrote with from lessons, he knew he always put ketchup and mustard on his scrambled eggs even if everyone else thought it was disgusting, he knew Harry had a photo album full of pictures of his family, and he knew that Harry went up to the astronomy tower at night sometimes and sat alone in the dark just looking at the stars and seeming completely lost, wondering about his life and how it had gotten to be this. He knew because he went up there to and he did the same thing. When he had seen Harry he had hid in the shadows and watched him, at first planning to push him off the ledge just for the fun of watching him fall. But he didn't. He saw the look on Harry's face and recognized it to be his own too when he came up here and sat at that same window with his legs hanging over the sides. That had been in his sixth year, a long time ago.
Draco dragged himself away from his old and faded memories and brought his hand away from the scar to begin shampooing his hair. Things were different now. He was a death eater and his future was to serve the dark lord. He didn't know whether he meant this or was saying it to shield his mind. All he knew was that he had to protect Harry somehow...
He finished his shower and left the steaming bathroom to dress himself in the formal black pants and grey turtleneck that had been laid out for him. He then headed down to the dinning room where he knew breakfast was being served.
His parents dropped him off at the station where he hugged his father goodbye and headed for the platform with his mother as was their custom. When they had reached it she turned to him with tears in her eyes and said "Your father didn't want me to accompany you to the train this year...", she looked as if she was about to burst out crying, he knew she thought he wasn't himself anymore, so he hugged her and whispered into her ear "Don't worry mother, You'll always have your son, be strong", she gave a strangled gasp and he winked at her startled and shocked face, turned, and stepped through the platform feeling her smile behind him.
He rushed onto the train and into a compartment in the back where he leaned against the chair and sighed. He was away from Voldemort's powers, at least he thought so any way, and that was good enough for him. After sitting there and hearing people clamber onto the train for about fifteen minutes, he turned and looked out of the little window on his compartment's door. He could see through the window on the door of compartment across from his and then onto the compartment's windows and from there he could see platform nine and three quarters. He saw a large group of red haired people and his heart skipped a beat. There was Harry in the middle of them all. He jumped up from his seat and reached out to slam open the door when he felt a stinging pain on his arm. He paused, his hand on the door handle, and looked down at it. It was the arm with the dark mark on in.
He let go of the door handle as if it had just burned him and he sank back into his seat. He was a death eater now and Harry could not be his friend now, they couldn't be the way they had planned to be now. He remembered that he had to be his old self, which included hating Harry and teasing him, fighting him and challenging him. He put his head into his arms and felt utterly and completely lost. He had no idea what to do and that had never happened before. He had always been in control of things or his father had, and now he was completing lost. The first thing he had to do was get the control back, and then everything would be okay.
So for the sake of knowing what to do and to try and keep himself and Harry alive, he set the rules. Things where back to the way they had been before, he would put up the front that showed nothing had changed and he was the Draco Malfoy from his fourth year. From this moment he would pretend he did not remember feeling anything but hatred and jealousy for Harry Potter.
He looked up into Harry's eyes now, choosing to tell him most of his story but leaving out a few parts and making it as little detailed as possible when it came to him. Harry's eyes went dark and he whispered "Can I see it then?" Draco nodded and pulled up his sleeve to reveal the burnt in skull and snake. Harry had no idea how he had missed it the night before and his only explanation was that it had been dark and he had taken off his glasses.
He reached out and gently stroked the mark, fingertips barley brushing it, but it still drew a sharp intake of breath from Draco. He felt a stab of pain in his heart that this had happened to Draco and it felt worse to know that he couldn't stop it or change it. Draco looked back down at the floor while Harry was examining the burn tattoo "What am I going to do?" he whispered more to himself then to Harry. "We" Harry said "Are going to get you out of this". "How?" the blonde boy asked sadly. "Dumbledore" Harry stated, "It's the only way, we shouldn't try and deal with this ourselves". Draco nodded grimly and said "What do I have to tell him?", "Just tell him about the planned attack and how you don't want to be a death eater and you want to help stop the attack...you know what I'll just come with you then" Harry said. "When?" Draco asked. "How about this Tuesday during the free break? We are going to need to get there separately , his office is in front of that statue of the gargoyle, you know the one..." Darco nodded as Harry went on thinking hard. He finally looked up at Draco remorsefully and said "I don't think we should see each other before then, just act like nothing happened and stuff..." he trailed off. Draco nodded and stood up heading for the door. Harry went after him and reached out a hand to turn him around. He pinned the blonde boy to the door and began to kiss him deeply. He pulled away and looked into the pale grey eyes and Draco whispered "I should go now", Harry nodded, gave him a last gentle kiss and opened the door, he stepped out and looked down at the common room, not a soul in sight. He waved a hand at Draco and the boy marched out of the dormitory, down the stairs and out of Gryffindor tower.
Harry stared after him and sighed. Once Draco was completely out of sight he turned to go back into his dorm room when a familiar voice made him whip around so fast he almost tripped and toppled down the stairs, "Harry Potter what is going on here and if you expect that you can get away without telling me everything and I mean everything then you've got another thing coming!!!" this was all said in one breath and the owner of the voice gave a large intake of breath after wards. He turned and saw none other then Hermione, standing with her hands on her hips behind a large arm chair which Harry suspected hid it's occupant from view at this angle. She stormed up the stairs and Harry had no choice but to let her into his dorm as she marched in. She dropped herself onto his bead and crossed her arms expectantly. "Well?!??" she asked in a shrill, suspicious voice. Harry sighed and sat himself down next to her on the bed. "I know you left out details in your story and I know there's something odd going on between you and Malfoy , Harry" he sighed and said "You're right like usual, but please don't tell Ron or anyone about this Hermione" she nodded and said "Then tell me everything and I mean everything from then to this very moment". Harry sighed once again and nodded, he began by telling her about the surprise he found on the train that day after he fled the Dursley Home.
"And then you turned up from behind that arm chair" he finished. Hermione was gaping at him for a second and it took a lot of questions and a long time for her to understand it all fully. "Okay Harry" she finally sighed "I want to help with this, if Draco is really...I mean if this is all true... well he could be really useful". "We are not using him for information Hermione I am helping him because I...well because...Because I love him okay!" Harry exclaimed. Hermione looked a little taken aback by this and said "Of course Harry, I want to help him too, espeacily since he means this much to you". "He has the dark mark" Harry whispered "And I should have been there, I should have stopped it and now I can't do anything about it!", Hermione gave him a sad glance and said "Harry there was nothing you could do or you would have done it and you know that". "Yes but it still bothers me so much, we can save him and he can join us but we can never be rid of that mark and he should be! He's mine not theirs and he shouldn't carry his mark!" Harry said angrily, he was just beginning to realize how much it really had bothered him, he didn't want to show it in front of Draco for fear of his reaction before.
Hermione sighed and sat up suddenly "I'm going to the library, it might work but it's a stretch if I can just find..." she trailed off as she hurried towards the door. "It's always either books or Dumbledore that will fix everything with you isn't it?" he asked impatiently. "Well both do always solve our problems, it's just my way and at least you're using one of them" she said, and with that she was out the door no doubt rushing to the library to look up god knows what. He sat down on his bed feeling exasperated when he felt something stir beside him. A little white snake slithered up to his ear and hissed "I told you so", Harry turned and grinned at the snake "Yes you were right viper" he hissed back to it.
Harry was left alone with viper wrapped around his wrist for the rest of the day while Hermione was off at the library and Ron was out visiting Fred and George in Hogsmead using one of their secret passages in the castle. If Harry had a sickle for every time Hermione shot up and said "I'm going to the library" he reckoned he'd be richer then the Malfoy's by now. And he couldn't get his mind off Draco. He wondered where he had gone after he left and if he had gotten to where ever he went okay. When it was time for dinner Harry headed down to the great hall. He wasn't really hungry; he just wanted to see Draco again.
He sat down at the Gryffindor table facing the empty Slytherin table and he began to pile food on his plate. He hadn't even noticed what he had put on his plate and ended up shoving a spoonful of mashed potatoes, carrots, and chocolate pudding into his mouth as he watched the door for a sign of Draco. When the blonde boy came in Harry's heart leaped but Draco didn't even look at him, he just headed over to the table flanked by the usual group, Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise Zabini, Millicent Bulstrode, and Pansy Parkinson. They all took their seats and began to laugh at something that must have been terribly funny. Draco became engaged in conversation with the long haired slytherin boy next to him, Blaise Zabini, and still did not even glance at Harry, he just pretended he wasn't there. A surge of dread began to fill Harry's stomach feeling worse then the carrots and chocolate pudding. Pansy began to say something that caught all of their attention and when Harry was about to look away Draco caught his eye and winked at him, then with a grin he turned to listen to Pansy. Harry's heart gave another leap and he looked back down at the table feeling he could eat now.
The next day Harry was at lunch alternating between staring down at his plate and stealing glances at Draco when Hermione sat down next to him excitedly and said "Oh Harry I found it I need to talk to you! Come on" and with that she wrenched him out of his seat and out of the great hall with Draco staring curiously after him. Once they had reached the common room she pulled out two books from her bag and stated "I found it" proudly and looking expectantly down at Harry. "Found what??" Harry asked bewildered. "Oh remember when we made that Poly juice potion and I kept the book a little longer to read and I told you and Ron about that spell to that was used to link people..." She began on one of her rants again and Harry still had no clue what she was going on about. "The point is Harry I went looking and I found the spell, this spell is very hard and old magic but its amazingly quiet simple. It can break almost any incantation on the person it is cast on and forms a sort of protection that weaves itself into their skin and blood; it's in the same category of magic as the protection that is on you from your mother."
"The spell leaves it's own mark but removes any other magical mark, Harry I think this could possible remove the Dark Mark", at this Harry looked up at her startled, "But there are consequences" she continued "This spell binds the body and the soul, it is hard to do right and has only been accomplished a few times, the failures all resulted in death for both of the spell caster and the victim", "See once they are bound they are no longer two people, but they are merged in a way, if he feels pain, you share it, if he has a nightmare you share it, if he has a wound you share it, and if he dies Harry, you die too" Harry looked at her amazed that she could find it, "How do you do it?" he asked cautiously. "You say a rather long incantation and it has to be in the hour before the moon turns full. You two would stand exactly four feet apart and you would cast the spell on him with some wand movements here in this book that I've learned, and then the tattoo is formed and you will both experience great pain until you are touching. It takes about 12 hours to finish completely and during that time if you two are not together and in physical contact you will both be in a lot of pain" she finished.
"I don't think you should do it quiet yet Harry, it's very risky and rash, you shouldn't do it unless you absolutely have too, I mean the only times it has ever been preformed was to save someone from death and it was usually cast by a relative or a lover, otherwise no one would dare use it. It's very powerful" Harry nodded and said "Your right Hermione, I won't do it, but thanks for trying". She nodded back and said "Here I made you a copy of the information" and with that she handed Harry the papers, gathered up her books and headed out the door. Harry folded up the papers and put them in his pocket, he would bet a galleon she was heading to the library.
Harry sat back against the chair and thought about the spell. He would do it right now if it wasn't so risky, if it didn't risk them both losing their lives. He wondered what that tattoo would look like and if he would get one too. He tried to picture something there instead of the ugly burn on Draco's arm but he couldn't conjure any images in his mind. Or maybe it wouldn't be on his arm, but on his smooth chest or his slim stomach. Maybe on his delicately pale thigh or lower then that...He blinked back into reality and realized his thoughts had wandered. He looked out the window and saw that sun had begun to set, staining the sky a deep scarlet color mixed with a golden orange. It was getting late so he decided to go upstairs and take a shower.
He opened up the scarlet curtains of the shower in his dorm, turned on the steaming hot water and stepped into it. The feeling of the warm water running down his body was comforting and refreshing. Soon his hair was plastered to his forehead while he stood under the steaming water letting it run over him. He ran his hand over his chest a remembered running his hand down Draco's chest. The next time he got a chance to he would show Draco just how much he loved him.
Closing his eyes he pictured himself running his hands down Draco's chest again and farther down his lithe body until his hands rested on the boy's thighs. He could feel the silky skin underneath his fingertips as he ran his hand around his own thigh as he would to Draco. He would slide his hand to Draco's inner thigh and run his hands over the soft pale skin, then he would take Draco in his hands as he was doing to himself.
He began to stroke himself and he reached out one hand to brace himself against the wall as he thought of Draco's moans and gasps and of reaching his hand in Draco's hair and breathing in its sweet scent. Now there was only him and Draco and no shower, tile, or water. He would kiss Draco's neck leaving little red marks as he went trailing kisses down his body as he reached his belly button. From there he imagined himself going lower and taking Draco into his mouth as he moaned and entangled his fingers in Harry's dark hair.
With a shuddering gasp Harry came and collapsed against the wall in front of him with his eyes screwed shut. His senses slowly came back to him and he could hear the patter of the water hitting the floor and swirling down the drain along with the result of his thoughts of Draco. He sighed, stood up again and finished cleaning himself. When he got out of the bathroom the stars where shinning overhead and Ron was sitting on his bed with a bunch of candy and joke items laid out in front of him, "Hey Harry! What have you been up to?" he asked happily, "Oh nothing" Harry answered as he sat down next to Ron to examine the sweets.
It was Tuesday and Draco was getting ready to head out to go see Dumbledore with Harry as Billy jumped around eagerly near his legs. He threw the dog a doggie treat and patted him on the head. He was excited and he was Happy as well as nervous. This could be the day that decides to save him and let him stay with Harry. He had a feeling he would stay with Harry forever if he got a chance and he was sure he would. He was heading to the door when he heard a peck at the window. His heart skipped a beat as he stared at the familiar eagle owl perched on his window sill. It was the same one that had delivered a letter a few weeks ago from his father saying "I know you're anxious" and "The attack will be soon, be ready to take quick action because when the instructions are given you won't have much time".
He opened the window and reached for the letter with a trembling hand, it couldn't be time already, it just couldn't. He broke the Malfoy seal and tapped the letter with his wand. All it said was:
Draco, The time has come, we will be making ourselves known at the great hall when lunch is being serve, STAY OUT OF THE GREAT HALL AT THAT TIME. If Potter is not in Gryffindor tower get him in the potions classroom, it is crucial that he is there, I don't care how you do it but get it done, that won't matter once we are there. Hurry,
Your Father
No, this was happening to fast! It couldn't happen now! Draco gulped and took in a deep breath. He had fifteen minutes until lunch. He threw the letter behind him and ran towards the hall where he knew that stone gargoyle sat.