Disclaimer : Harry Potter doesn't belong to me. However, I am in the works to buy it. Really? NO NOT REAAAALLLY!

Timeline : Harry's seventh year.

Warnings : Snogging, and slash. Don't like it? Don't read it!

Behind the Masks

Part Nine : Innocence of a Slytherin

Draco leaned against the thick body of the tree as the cool wind whipped the branches a bit above his head. His cheeks were red as teasing blue eyes peered out from under his thick black lashes. Cloak drawn tight around him Draco looked like an Autumn Angel in Harry's opinion.

"What are you grinning at Potter?" The side of Draco's mouth twitched in a grin.

"You." Harry smiled pulling Draco up against him.

Draco turned his nose up into the air leaving Harry to groan and kiss his exposed neck.

"Potter! Stop it, we are in public!"

"Since when do you care, Mr. I-snog-in-the-hallways-between-classes?" Harry laughed pulling away to look at Draco's face.

Draco rolled his eyes in a very snobbish way that made Harry grin widely. "This isn't school. I have to maintain my image."

Harry snorted.

"Shut up, Potter!" Draco swatted at him.

THUMP!

The two lifemates turned around and looked at the tree Draco had just been leaning against. Apparently Seamus' metal helmet had a lid that was slammed shut. This left him open to assault…like walking into a tree. The tree won.

"Seamus!" Harry gasped as Ron, Ginny, Luna, Dean and Neville came running up grabbing Seamus by the arms as he wobbled around from the head banging.

"Are you alright, mate!" Ron asked.

"WHAAAT?" Seamus shouted the sound echoing inside the helmet until he clasped his hands over the sides of his head in a futile attempt to stop the echoes.

"We need to get this off him." Harry told Ron who nodded. "You hold his waist, I'll try to pull it off."

Ron looked extremely nervous as he grabbed Seamus' waist and Harry pulled Seamus' head under his arm and they started to pull.

POP!

Seamus and Ron went flying to the ground as Harry was thrown forward into Draco's waiting arms who was laughing his head off.

"Not-funny." Ron wheezed as he shoved Seamus (who looked very bewildered) off of him.

Harry was now laughing too, as well as everyone else. Ron helped Seamus up as he rubbed his ringing head, eyes rolling around inside the sockets.

"Seamus, how in the world did you get the helmet stuck on your head?" Harry laughed which got a scowl from both Ron and Seamus as the others were still giggling and doing their best to pretend it wasn't the funniest damn thing they'd seen all day.

"Bloody bunch of Slytherins." Seamus crossed his arms. "Thought it would be funny."

"It was." Draco snorted.

"Draco!" Harry smacked him in the stomach. "Come on, we'll go find them."

"Hey!" The Slytherin yelled out in his house defense.

"You can just watch." Harry grinned.

Draco gave him a suggestive look. "Okay then, I like watching you do stuff."

"EEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW." Ron covered his ears started to hum loudly as he walked away.

They all crowded through the streets looking for the five male sixth-years they needed to curse on behalf of their friend.

"Where's Hermione by the way?" Harry asked once they reached the main street in Hogsmead completely swamped with people.

"We don't know we lost her about an hour ago." Ginny told him her arm inside of Neville's who was blushing.

Half an hour later still they had given up searching for the Slytherins and were cart shopping down on of the streets instead.

"Oh, aren't they beautiful?" Ginny whispered as Luna sighed dreamily as well.

"What?" Ron asked looking over their shoulders at the venders supplies.

"Binding rings." Ginny longingly sighed.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Anyone stupid enough to wear bonding rings is an idiot."

"Not at all young man!" The vender smiled ruefully at the young browsers. "Binding rings can be very amazing things. Once the pair of rings sits happily on the ring finger of two people they are instantly linked. If one is in trouble the ring immediately starts to glow red. If one is happy it glistens silver. If one is sad is turns blue."

"Oh, look I think this one is beautiful!" Ginny pointed to a pair of heart shaped rings in the corner as they all wandered around looking at the different rings.

Harry looked over to see Draco looking down at a pair with a strange expression on his face. There were something's Harry didn't know too much about in the wizarding world but he knew that it was a sign of great love when someone presented their lover with a binding ring. It probably wasn't too common among pureblood marriages though since most of them were prearranged, as Draco told him.

Harry leaned in over the blondes shoulder and looked down immediately spotting the two matching rings he was admiring.

They were platinum gold that twisted the way around from two different strands and fused into one. Kind of like them. Two completely different people that had been fused into one.

"They're beautiful." Harry softly whispered kissing his neck.

Draco flushed and stiffened in his posture. "I suppose their okay. Let's go look at the Quidditch supplies." He quickly turned to escape into the near by store.

Ginny looked over at Harry who talked with her for a moment then gave her something and then turned to follow Draco inside, grinning.

His blonde lifemate was admiring a new set of Quidditch pads in which he was measuring his arm. "The seasons almost done but I think I need some new gloves." Draco replied to casually slide into a topic they both liked.

"Mhm." Harry nodded grinning at his beloved.

"What?" Draco gave him an off look.

"Nothing."

"It's obviously something, your grinning Potter." Draco pressing his nose up gave him an annoyed look.

Harry laughed. "Your such a priss, Calli."

"I am not!" He exclaimed tossing his shoulders back and storming through the store to the glass case of gold snitches.

I should give Draco the ring. Harry's inside voice whispered as he looked around the store. I love Draco. He loves me. And it's not like we aren't both constantly in trouble. The rings would be smart. That and I love Draco…very…very…much.

"Potter! What are you doing?" Draco shouted startling Harry from his thoughts.

"Uhh…new robes." Harry nervously said as he pretended to look through the garments.

"Oh, well then, I'd go for green. They match your eyes perfectly, you'd look hot in Slytherin robes really."

Harry snorted. "Did I ever tell you the Sorting Hat wanted to put me in Slytherin?"

"It did not!" Draco's jaw dropped.

He laughed. "It sure did. I begged it to put me in Gryffindor."

"Aww, to bad." Draco flashed him a daring smile. "I can make one hell of a room mate."

"Or bedmate." Harry grinned pulling Draco into his arms and kissing him.

"Now, now, Potter. I am a gentleman. Don't think you'll corrupt me before you marry me." Draco grinned and got the reaction he wanted when Harry started to choke on air.

"W-what?"

"Purebloods always save themselves for marriage. You can't have illegitimate Malfoy's running around now can you?"

"I…suppose not. What's this about marriage?" Harry asked leaving Draco to grin and walk out of the store.

"Wait! Wait Draco maybe we should…" Harry slammed into Draco's back as he abruptly stopped.

The two of them fell over in a heap in the middle of the street. "Are you okay? Why'd you stop like that?"

Harry helped Draco up though his eyes were huge and unblinking as he stared across the street. "I thought I saw…"

Harry looked across the street and then finally noticed Hermione crotched down to the pavement retrieving books from the ground. A man was crotched beside her as they stared at each other with a strange expression.

What a moment…that guy looked really familiar. It was the lips, Harry had kissed ones just like them to often not to realize who it was.

"Father." Draco whispered.

"A-are you sure?" Harry grabbed his arm.

"I'm sure. He must have taken an Age Potion I've seen one in Dark Arts books before." Draco whispered.

"We have to help Hermione!" Harry went running through the crowd.

"NO, HARRY, WAIT!" Draco shouted running after him.

"Helena…?" Lucius whispered not blinking as he stared into the soft fawn colored eyes.

Hermione seemed to be speechless for a moment. "I'm…I'm sorry you must have me mistaken for someone else." She whispered as he grabbed her arms and pulled her up the books dropping once more.

Their faces were only half a foot away now as Lucius searched her eyes. "No, no it is you."

"I…I…"

"HEY!" Harry grabbed Hermione into his arms tugging her behind him. "Get away from her!"

Lucius recoiled as if he'd been hexed in the chest. His eyes flashed confusion then anger as he watched Harry hold his lifemate.

"Harry what do you think you're doing!" Hermione shouted.

Draco came running up as Harry pulled out his wand and pointed it at Lucius.

"NO! Harry don't!" Draco begged while the moment his feet hit the sidewalk Lucius reached out grabbed Draco by the shoulders and pulled him back revealing his wand pressed into Draco's neck.

"Now, now, Potter, don't be so hasty with your wand."

"Father, no…don't do this." Draco whispered.

"Father? Oh Merlin!" Hermione's hand enclosed over her mouth. "I knew he looked like Draco but I figured it was a coincidence!"

Harry's face was turning red as he glared a hole through Lucius. "Let him go, NOW."

"Let him go? Honestly, Potter, do you think I'd harm my own son?"

"With all the charms you put on yourself to numb your feelings I wouldn't put it past you. I'm not even sure you can feel anything but hatred and you can only feel that because hatred is a chemical reaction from adrenalin." Harry sneered.

Draco cried out as Lucius' wand dug into his ribs. "Well, well, Potter, so clever. But I must insist I take my son with me. He is mine after all…I created him."

"He's not yours…HE'S MINE!" Harry lashed out grabbing Draco from Lucius and they both called out a disarming spell that clashed with the other and did no harm.

People started to yell and run for cover as Draco grabbed Hermione to stay standing.

"Just leave LUCIUS!" Harry said his wand pointed straight at him. "You can't have him!"

Lucius sneered. "I'll have them, Potter. Mark my words." Then he Apparated.

Harry took a deep breathe and then ran to Draco who was trembling.

"That bastard...I'll kill him, Calli, baby are you okay? Baby?" He kissed Draco's face tenderly as he trembled viciously in his arms.

"He would have done it Harry…he would have."

"Sush…come on let's go get something to drink. Come on." He kissed his forehead while he stroked Draco's hair. "Hermione you too, come on." He took her elbow which was limp like the rest of her and lead them into the Three Broomsticks.

After they all had a warm Butterbeer Hermione was looking off into the distance.

"What happened, Mione?" Harry asked softly.

"I just…ran into him. He felt familiar but I just thought it was from…"

"From?"

"It's nothing." She shook her head. "Nevermind."

"Harry. I don't feel so well. Can we go back to the castle?" Draco asked meekly.

"Of course we can. Come on." Harry told his lifemate who was pale and miserable looking. "Mione you coming?"

"Oh. Yeah I think I've had enough too." Her laid books forgotten on the street for her mind was on over load as she followed the group into the streets where they met up with the other Gryffindor's.

Harry quickly explained what happened and they agreed to walk back to the castle together.

Half way back to Hogwarts, Hermione was walking very slow and falling behind in the group who was walking briskly while they chattering about the festival.

Draco looked over at Harry who was holding his hand protectively with all the passion of a man in love. Leaning over Draco kissed Harry softly on the check and then gestured back to Hermione who was walking very slowly.

Harry sighed and nodded and let Draco drop back to their friend.

"Are you alright?" Draco asked softly.

Hermione nodded yes after snapping out of her daydream. "I'm fine."

"Want to talk about it?"

She nodded no. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me. You'd be surprised." Draco's blue eyes gave her a sparkle of life that was there just for Harry.

Hermione was silent for a while then spoke. "I've been having dreams for a while now. Years maybe. I dream I'm dying in a man's arms and Merlin, are his arms strong and just so… protective. He's crying to me, telling me he loves me."

"And?"

"As I'm dying I tell him I'm not a witch but his magic is inside of me. I tell him I'll come back to him. Then…I die." Hermione hugged herself tight as the wind started to pick up.

Draco grimaced. "Not a very cheerful dream."

"No, it's not." She frowned. "I always thought it was just a dream but…today…your father…"

Draco looked from Harry back to her in confusion. "At first I just thought he looked like you but no he felt familiar for a different reason."

"I'm not following." Draco's brows drew together as Hermione stopped walking.

She looked at them but mainly at Draco. "Parts of the dreams are scratchy like they are only parts of what happened long ago."

"What are you saying?"

"Who's Helena?"

Draco's face drained off all color completely as Harry threw on the brakes. "Where did you hear that name?"

"Your father…he called me Helena. Who is she?"

Draco's jaw seemed to be hanging loosely for a moment before it slammed shut. He grabbed Hermione's hand. "We have to find Dumbledore! It's important this isn't good…it's not good at all!" Turning towards Harry who suddenly seemed to have the same urgency nodded and turned towards the castle in a run.

CRACK!

Harry knew that sound and he was to in love not to jump on top of Draco to protect him. He even managed to grab his wand as he pulled Draco down to the dirt road holding it up towards the sound the Apparition had come from.

Hermione didn't even managed to scream as someone popped out of no where outside the Hogwarts gates throwing his arms around Hermione.

"NOOOO!" Draco shouted causing everyone in the group to spin around.

"HERMIONE!" Harry shouted as Lucius Malfoy Apparated leaving nothing but dust where they had just stood.

(dramatic pause) Stay tuned for the next installment OF….(dramatic music) …Behind the Masks!

Wow, I'm weird, I should get like an award for my weirdness.

Keyvie; Queen of the Weirdo's