WARNING: Unmitigated SAP ahead…

Possession
Chapter XLVII - Promises Made
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Harry stirred; luxuriating in the warmth he could feel now that he was only half conscious. It was a feeling you could get only when you were not quite awake and he savoured it to the fullest while he could but eventually the perfect temperature became too hot as he awoke fully. He stretched, working every muscle thoroughly before he rolled over and opened his eyes.

He couldn't help a half smile at the sight that greeted him but it was a smile that was tempered by thought. Voldemort was still asleep and the older man lay with a boneless grace. His expression in rest as expected was relaxed but what Harry had not been expecting was the sense of content he could feel and the absolute openness from the Dark Lord. When Voldemort was awake and in the presence of anyone, regardless of their power, there was always a sense of alertness, of wariness. To him, everyone was a potential threat but that sense was absent now as he slumbered easily.

"I should consider you an enemy," Harry whispered softly, reaching out to brush back a stray lock of hair. It shouldn't matter what you have done for me, what you have given me, I should consider you an enemy, the thought continued internally.

You killed them. You said it yourself and you do not regret. She hated you, you know. She gave everything she was to kill you, to protect me from you and she got that last desire. Pity she did not know that you were not the final darkness. It should have been fine... I would have fought you to the death if any other family had raised me. I know that. I should fight you now but I can't. I should hate you but I can't. It shouldn't matter what you have done for me. Or rather, at the very least what you have done for me, should be the balance of what you have done to me and I should regard you with indifference...

So why has what you have done for me outbalances what you did to me? Especially when it's your fault... If you hadn't killed them, then none of it would have happened. I should hate you. I should hate you without question.

There should be no way for me to be here... No way...

So why does nothing balance? Why can I lie here and feel that this is where I should be... Why don't I hate you? Why will I spend every ounce of power I have to protect you? Why do I know that you will kill again and I will watch on and let you? Let you kill, let you rule... Let you do anything so long as you are happy...

Why can't I remember that you killed them, and that you are indirectly responsible for everything? Why do I see what you have done and count that as more when really it is nothing more than what anyone would have done?

Why do I love you?

"I don't know," he whispered, answering his own internal question. "But I do."

That fact was undeniable and unassailable in his mind. It was a truth he held forever now. "Mother," Harry blinked, feeling the white energy of Lily Potter's final sacrifice wrapped around him. It had always been there, so much a constant in his life that he didn't know what it would be like if it was gone. But it had to go now, or else, she would never be at peace and every time the Dark Lord touched him, there would be the tiniest part of his soul reviling the gentle caress.

He reached out, feeling the shadows stirring at his movement but they provided him the power to touch the protection charm, even if it was the polar opposite of them and it caused them pain. "Mother, thank you," Harry whispered as he pulled at the charm embracing him, "but you can not protect me forever and I must make my own choice. You did everything you could, Mother and I both thank and love you for that, and what you did has become a legend. For that one moment, Mother, you surpassed us all - Dumbledore, Voldemort, me - everyone and the strength of your conviction is still present today. I love you Mother, Father, but the choices you made are now obsolete because of the bad choice of another. Thank you for everything," Harry murmured as beneath the touch of shadow the light charm began to fade. "I will always love you but this is my choice and this is how it will be."

The charm faded entirely and Harry shivered, for the first time in his life truly exposed and completely unprotected but strangely at peace.

$Master...$ There came a soft hiss from behind him and Harry turned to look into Xaos' emerald eyes, grateful for the distraction from his thoughts.

$Hm?$ He asked as the basilisk nudged gently into him in greeting.

$I want...$ Xaos began before pausing. $I would like you to do something for me, Master,$ he rephrased carefully, his voice almost inaudible.

$What do you want?$ Harry asked curiously.

$I exist to protect you, Master, but I cannot protect in my current form.$

$You cannot protect me?$ Harry queried. At the moment Xaos seemed more than capable of protecting him from anything. The basilisk was large and sleek, almost as large as the basilisk from the Chamber of Secrets but with a sense of contained power that far eclipsed that serpent.

$I can protect you here, Master, but very few will be stupid enough to offer you impertinence, and I can protect you on the battlefield. But I cannot protect you everywhere and that is what worries me. I exist to protect you, Master and I must be able to do that all the time.$

Harry frowned. $So what do you want me to do?$

$Look again at the King,$ Xaos instructed and Harry concentrated for a moment before looking back towards Voldemort.

His eyes saw magic now and Xaos and the room was alive with it. But he turned back towards his beloved, "Wha..?" He couldn't help the question.

Voldemort was alive with magic as he had expected but the magic streams weren't moving in the shape of a man, they were moving in the shape of a great serpent. Harry blinked, looking closer seeing both the man and serpent. He almost started when the serpent blinked back at him, its tongue flickering constantly, tasting the air magically and Harry realised all at once that the serpent and man were separate beings but at the same time were one.

$I want that,$ Xaos said as Harry turned back, his eye sight returning to normal. $The King will always be the Serpent Lord and you are his mate, I will grant you similar protection, if you will have me.$

$How?$

-We will help,- the Shadows murmured.

$What will happen?$ Harry asked.

$I will join with you and I will be with you always Master. When I need to protect you Master, I will come forth, much like the King's protector and then I will return to you always. I exist to protect you, Master and one way or another, I will do that.$

$But what will happen?$

$Look again,$ Xaos instructed.

Harry turned back towards Voldemort, his eyes just seeing the corporal world. He looked over the white skin and saw a flicker. There was something there but it had disappeared beneath the covers before he could be sure. He kept watching, his eyes caressing the form and slowly it emerged. There was shadow on the white skin moving over one shoulder uncovered by shirt or sheet, a patch of skin that looked like scales. It solidified and Harry blinked as a small serpent reared off the Dark Lord's form. It was rather small, but Harry was sure, it did not have to remain that way. Despite it's size it was powerful, radiating a sense of deadly purpose.

$My mate,$ the serpent hissed, nodding slightly towards Harry, before it looked over at Xaos. $You may,$ it added before merging back with the slumbering Lord, fading completely.

$That is what will happen.$

Harry nodded as he looked back. $Okay,$ he said quietly. $What do I do?$

$-You, Master, do nothing. Just relax.-$ The response came from both Xaos and the Shadows as Xaos reared high and the Shadows came to life, their inky darkness surrounding the serpent to the point where even Harry had trouble telling where the boundaries were.

Xaos' crest raised and his eyes changed to ruby. Harry could feel the killing power there but he was not afraid. That power was his to command because Xaos was his and would soon be him. The Shadows swirled around the serpent, and as Harry watched Xaos became smaller, returning to his natural size, floating in mid air, supported by absolute darkness before he slithered towards his Master. Harry moved without thinking, raising one arm. Xaos spun his way around, lithely coiling himself along Harry's arm, with his tail disappearing behind the small shoulder, snaking down Harry's back. He laid the back of his head on Harry's palm and Harry suppressed a giggle at the tickle of the serpents crest against his skin.

Then suddenly there was no tickle against his skin and the light pressure that had been Xaos was gone. Harry looked to his arm and was relieved to see that Xaos was still there but now the serpent looked like a tattoo, an incredibly detailed, living tattoo that was shifting restlessly within his skin.

$Master,$ Xaos' voice whispered in his mind. $I will be with you forever now,$ he said easily as the tattoo began to fade. $When you strike with this hand, it will by my fangs that bite, my poison that kills. When you desire my eyes will be yours and death shall come at a glance. Master...$ The serpents voice faded entirely with the tattoo but Harry knew that Xaos was still there and would always be there.

He turned back towards the Dark Lord. "I really should hate you," he sighed, his thoughts returned to their circle they had been treading since he had awoken.

"You should but you don't," Voldemort said quietly as ruby eyes opened, his rich voice full of his own assurance.

The older man just lay there, looking up at Harry. He didn't move as the green eyed boy reached out to brush his hair.

Harry gulped. "So why don't I?" He asked, his voice trembling. Watching the Dark Lord sleep was far different from actually speaking with him.

Voldemort half closed his eyes as he shook his head, "I don't know, my little one, I don't know but I do not regret it. I love you. And I will protect you and that is all I need to know."

Harry nodded as he lay back down, resting his head on his arm as he looked back over at the Dark Lord. He gulped again, tears coming to his eyes, "I love you." He said the words so softly it was almost impossible to hear. "I love you," he said again, more strongly this time, as the tears escaped. "I shouldn't but I do and I will love you forever," he sighed.

Voldemort did not move as Harry's words flowed through him. He shivered. It was more than just the words; it was everything that came with those words, the feelings and emotions that flowed through their bond. It was intense and immensely powerful and it was more stimulating than the deepest rapture - torture and ecstasy combined into one emotion - and he reciprocated with everything that he was, wrapping his beloved with his feeling as Harry blanketed him.

After long moments of passion he moved, kissing his mate gently, tasting, exploring as he opened his mind, allowing Harry to feel what he felt.

Green eyes blinked at him, the crystal tears catching in long black lashes, reflecting the light like diamonds. Voldemort pulled back slightly before he licked at the tears still flowing down the boy's cheeks, savouring the salty liquid.

"I love you," the Dark Lord whispered as he moved close again, knowing his destined mate needed to hear the reassuring words and he was prepared to say them, to let Harry feel them as many times as it took to bring his equal to his side. Harry had slept with him, true but both times he had not truly known his partner and the only times Harry had ever known those he lay with, were times of pain, were times he had been forced. This time, the boy would know and would participate willingly and the Dark Lord could sense he needed the reassurance that he was loved and that this would be what they both wanted. Harry responded to his kiss, opening his mouth to taste his tears on the Dark Lord's tongue.

-I love you,- Harry responded through their link, relaxing as he reached out to embrace Voldemort and draw himself close, snuggling into the warmth that was there. -I shouldn't but I do. You saved me, you protected me, you alone have not lied to me and for that, I will give you everything,- Harry promised silently as he ran his hands up and down his beloveds back.

The Dark Lord drew back slightly. He could have said what he needed to through their bond but there was something more permanent about the spoken word as this was to important for Harry. His mate's promise to him had already come with the admission of love despite the overwhelming sense that it should not be possible. Once this was said, words would not be necessary.

"My little one," he said, red eyes burning intensely and he could feel the serpent within echoing his words. "I promised you once that I would never let them hurt you again and soon you will know the truth of that promise. You are my destined mate and the only being who will stand with me for all time. You are the only one for whom my power is gentled, the only one who can quell my rage with a glance, the only one I love and I promise you now, I will never let you go and I shall never let anyone hurt you again. You belong to me, just as the serpent belongs to the shadows. You have already given me everything because you have given me yourself and I will now partake of you, just as you will take of me. I will give you the world Harry simply because you are mine. I promise you Harry, I will protect you for all time." He leaned forward placing a chaste kiss on the tip of Harry's nose, smiling at his lover. "I love you, my precious one, I love only you and I will love only you for all time."

Emerald eyes had watched him the entire time he had been speaking, unblinking but Voldemort was satisfied. He could feel the final confusion fading from his beloved and at the slight tremor that passed through the small body at his last words all hesitation vanished and from that moment, he knew Harry was his, body and soul.

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