"Makai-nese" "Japanese" "English"

Draco reached out and tentatively poked Kurama. Nothing happened. Draco reached out again, moving his hand towards his friend's hair. He had almost touched the red locks when Kurama's hand flashed out and caught Draco's wrist. Draco's eyes widened, "H-harry?"

Kurama leaned forward, green eyes cold, and hissed, "What do you think you are doing? Release him!" Draco blinked at his friend, scared and confused, not having any idea what was going on, and saying as much. Kurama's other hand reached behind him and pulled out a green, sharp looking dagger. If Draco didn't know better, he would have said it was a blade of grass ...but that isn't possible ...is it? Kurama leaned forward again, pressing the grass that he had transformed against the blonde's neck, tightening his hand on Draco's wrist in a bruising grasp. "Release him!"

"Hn. The human's scared," Hiei muttered. Kurama abruptly let go of Draco, who stumbled backwards, and turned to Hiei, eyes unreadable. He asked quietly, too quietly to be heard by the frightened human,

"Then what do you suggest I do, Hiei? I can't leave that...thing in him!" Kurama laughed hysterically, and his voice shook with a panicked note that had never been there before. "I could kill him, yes, but what would that accomplish? Tell me, koi, what can I do?" Draco's eyes widened even further, scared and frightened, watched from the comforting shadows of the bed.

Hiei looked at the mortal closely, Draco wilting under the fierce stare, then Hiei turned to his lover. "It's inactive." Hiei frowned slightly, "Cleanse him," he suggested. Kurama's eyes widened,

"/Cleanse/ him? Are you insane? He's" Kurama lowered his voice again, "human! We don't know what might happen to him!" Kurama frowned, somber again, "But we have no choice." He turned to Draco, face determined, "Draco?" The blonde looked at him questioningly. "Do you trust me?"

Draco drew back, surprised. He thought about it. During the past year, he would have said yes in a heartbeat, but after the strange events that happened last night and this morning, he wasn't sure. "Why?"

"I need to do something to you, for your own good and safety as well as mine, Hiei's, and pretty much everyone in this school's. There is...something I need out of... umm...out of you. But I need you to trust me. Do, no, will you trust me?"

"... Yes."

Kurama smiled gratefully, "Thank you. I must warn you, though, it will hurt. A lot. Are you still willing?" Draco paled, but nodded. "Alright." Kurama gently propelled Draco to stand in the middle of the room, where Hiei had cleared a large circle on the floor and was currently using a torch to scorch a perfectly round circle onto the stone. In some part of his mind that wasn't quaking in terror, Draco vaguely wondered how it was possible to draw a perfect circle with a fire, but dismissed it in favor of going back to being terrified of what was going on.

He was shaken out of his thoughts by a soft "Draco." Said Malfoy looked up. "Remove your shirt and anything else you do not want blood on." Draco slipped out of his robe and removed his shirt, keeping his left arm tight by his side. Kurama raised an eyebrow, "Will your pants be ok? I really think this will stain." Draco nodded nervously. "Very well. Give me your left arm."

Draco averted his eyes, "Will my right arm work?" Kurama's eyes narrowed, and before Draco had realized it, Kurama's green eyes had flashed gold, and his arm was now in Kurama's hand, Dark Mark bared. Draco looked up and saw that Kurama's eyes were once again green, filled with pain and anger. Draco couldn't look into those expressive green eyes, and dropped his gaze. Kurama gently ran a long finger over the ugly mark.

"Is this what you didn't want me to see?" Draco flushed. "Aah. I see." He smiled softly and gently, lifting Draco's face to meet him in the eye. "It will be gone. When I am finished, it will be gone. But because of this," Kurama pressed down onto the Mark, "it will be even more painful. Will you trust me?" Draco gulped. His tolerance to pain was moderate at best. He didn't know how he had managed to refrain from yelling each time he felt the Mark burn but...he may be free of it. Draco nodded. Kurama smiled brilliantly. "Wonderful. Hiei, if you would," Hiei wordlessly held out the dagger he had removed from Kurama's trunk. Kurama took the blade and held it reverently. He glanced along the blade, and satisfied by the sharpness, turned to Draco, "Last chance to back out."

Draco bit back the reply that came to mind and instead said, "Let's just get this over with, all right?" Kurama grinned. Hiei had drawn the curtains when Kurama first stormed into the dorm, so the tower was dark, no rays peeking past the heavy velvet drapes. Kurama reached a hand into his hair and drew out a blossom. Crushing the plant, he spread the paste that had formed into a pentagram, leaving just barely enough space for Draco and him to stand in the middle. Both demons started chanting in their native tongue and try as he might, Draco couldn't catch the words. Kurama started to glow a soft silver that grew brighter and brighter, till Draco had to squint his eyes in order to see, then dropped back to a pale glow.

When the point of the ceremonial blade was placed onto the Dark Mark, he bit his lip hard enough to drop blood to prevent himself from screaming. He was a Malfoy! But it burned! Oh, how it burned! Kurama had his eyes closed and slowly pushed on the point, breaking the skin. He let six drops of blood well out before sealing the cut. Hiei stopped chanting. Kurama took a deep breath, he was on his own now, and raised the blade. He made three ritual slashes in the air above Draco's head and moved the dagger back to the blonde's arm. The tip was pressed against the soft skin of his elbow's juncture and Kurama started cutting runes down his arm. The light cuts left bloody marks, but didn't drip enough to mar the magical symbols. Draco screamed. The pain was excruciating, dignity and name be dammed.

Downstairs, Ron was fuming because Draco hadn't come downstairs yet. "Why does that bloody gitget to stay upstairs and we don't? Who does that shrimp think he is?" Pace pace pace, spin, pace pace pace. Greg watchedhim amusedly and Vince just ignored the two. Hermione sighed,

Hermione snapped, "Ron, will you please stop tha-" She was cut off by a loud scream that came from upstairs.

"That was Draco!" In a flash the two Slytherins were out of their seats and up the stairs, followed closely by the Gryphindors. They stopped short, horrified at the sight in front of them. Draco was standing in the middle of the room, electricity crackling up his arm to the rest of his body, of which the top half was uncovered. The blonde was screaming like he was under Cruciatus. Kurama's face was pale, but determined, as he held a knife over the wrist's pulse point, and he was /glowing/ silver. The four observers could effectively make out lines of blood all the way down the arm from the elbow to the wrist . Ron and Hermione gasped at the sight of the Dark Mark, whereas Vince and Greg grew increasingly mad at the blood dripping down Draco's arm.

They had seen enough. Vince and Greg bellowed aloud and charged at the two. Kurama raised calm eyes, having sensed them when they had come in and all four of them gasped. Kurama's eyes were green, yes, but they had distinct gold veins that had not been there before. The multi-colored irises startled Crabbe and Goyle, but they resumed their charge. When they got to about three feet away, they found themselves thrown back. Hiei scowled at them. "This is his, "he jerked his head towards Draco, "own choice. If you interrupt, youmay kill both of them," he growled. Greg and Vince glared, but backed down nonetheless.

Kurama lowered the knife so the point was resting directly on the pulse and slowly pressed, breaking the skin, before making a 180 degree turn, the nonstop chanting echoing throughout the room. Draco screamed again, before dropping unconscious. Kurama caught the limp youth and gently lowered him onto the floor. He raised a hand, andthe two Snakesstarted forwards, but were stopped by Hiei. "What more do you want from him? He's already unconscious!" Vince cried, Greg backed that up by nodding furiously and they moved forwards to take him again. Hiei leveled a harsh glare at all four of them, daring them to come closer. They paled, and didn't. Kurama quickly spread another paste over the cuts, making them glow a bright blue. When they could see Draco's arm again, the cuts had all healed completely, leaving no trace that they had ever been there. The Dark Mark had vanished. Kurama had stopped glowing and had a cup overturned on the floor, trapping something inside it. They glanced at the cup that had started to slide across the floor, curious, before Hiei stepped on it, effectively preventing anymore movement.

Kurama looked wearily at the audience, though no one would know it, and inwardly sighed. He smiled gaily at Greg and Vince, who were looking at him furiously, hiding his tiredness inside. He spoke softly, "Gomen nasai, Draco wa daijoubu desu." The two looked confused. Kurama furrowed his brow and said again, carefully, "I'm sorry, Draco is fine. He'll be his normal self as soon as he wakes up." Draco stirred and groaned. Kurama exclaimed brightly, much like his Harry self, "Speak of the devil! C'mon Draco! How long you gonna sleep?"

Draco groggily sat up, holding his head, "Stop being so damn cheerful, Potter!" Kurama grinned. Draco stood, and then wobbled slightly, causing Greg and Vine to rush over.

"You may want to be careful, Draco. You've just gone through pain that cannearly rival the Cruciatus," Kurama said, smile still on his face, and then muttered darkly, "If that bastard had been active. . ."

"What?"

"Nandemonai! Nothing at all!" He smiled brightly and said, "I'm sure you must be feeling hungry, Draco! Its time for lunch! Crabbe, Goyle," the two looked at Kurama, "Take Draco to get something to eat, willya?" and without waiting for a reply, he answered his own question, "Great!" He beamed, and Draco shot him a glare. Suddenly, Hermione gasped. Everyone turned to her questioningly, "What's up, 'Mione?"

"We missed all our morning classes!" Hermione cried, agahast. They rolled their eyes.

"C'mon, lets go to lunch." All seven of them left the dorm room, Kurama smiling teasingly. Out of the corner of his eye, Kurama noticed Hiei's movement- the fire demon had left his side, picked up the cup, sealed it with youki, and reappeared next to Kurama, no one else noticing that he had ever moved. Kurama said quietly, too quietly for human ears, "Thank you." No response from Hiei. When the first rays of sun hit Kurama, everyone gasped.

"Harry! Your hair! It's red!" Hermione exclaimed, reaching out to feel his hair. Kurama dodged her hand, feeling slightly panicked. He had forgotten! He quickly stepped back into the shadows, preventing his asian face from being seen clearly. His fingers curled around the warm wood of his wand, and he felt the shaft hum with power, relaxing him. He smiled disarmingly,

"It is, isn't it? Do you like it? It's a nifty little charm I found. No one would be able to tell that I'm," here his voice turned slightly sarcastic, "The-Boy-Who- Bloody- Lived would they?" He took out his wand and pointed it at his head, while reaching out with his youki, "Finite Incantatum." His hair was once again black. Hiei flinched slightly at the burst of youki that flared from the already youki-deprived demon as he struggled to keep up his happy façade, the inner weariness not showing up on his face. "Now, Draco, go get something to eat, yes?" With that, Kurama made shooing motions at the pale boy.

With dubious glances at each other, the three Slytherins left the Common room, Crabbe and Goyle anxiously bombarding Draco with questions as soon as they stepped outside. Ron, Hermione, and Kurama followed them out, Hiei having disappeared when no one was watching. Kurama could feel his lover's youki nearby, and drew strength from that. "Ron, Hermione, I'll see you two in the Great Hall or Transfiguration, whichever comes first, ok?" They agreed, somewhat reluctantly, and left in the direction of the Great Hall, shooting Kurama worried looks from over their shoulders as they walked.

Kurama grinned and waved at them cheerfully, until they were out of sight, then let the smile drop from his lips. He walked out towards the gardens, certain that no one would be there at this time, and sank down under a large tree. The oak, sensing his weariness, rearranged his branches to allow sunlight to stream through and to provide adequate shade. Kurama gratefully leaned into the tree, letting himself relax his body slowly, slwoly replenished his youki. It would take a while, but he should be fine in a few days. Hiei appeared next to him, and Kurama smiled gently at the diminutive demon. Comfortable silence reigned, before Hiei put in his two cents,

"Stupid fox, you're going to be exhausted for days."

Kurama laughed, and said teasingly, ruffling Hiei's hair, "Why, Hiei! Are you showing concern? You're slipping!"

"Hn."

The two sat in silence against the trunk of the tree, watching clouds drift across the sky. As sounds from the Hall floated across the grounds, Kurama leaned down and captured Hiei's lips in a kiss.

owari