For disclaimer and summary, go to chapter one
AN: This is yet another chapter of My Guardian. Sorry for not updating for a while, I had some problems with my computer, and I still do have them, but at least I got myself a program on which I can upload chapters from, so I'm pretty content. I'll try and update a couple next chapters within 30 days, cos I wanna have something done by my birthday, and well.. yeah :P Don't mind if the chapter doesn't seem the best ; Oh, and I'm making an addition to my AN! Lookie below the dedication! 3
Thanks for the reviews too! I'm gonna beg for more at the end of the chappie ;)
Warnings: Erm.. sorry to say but.. character-death ahoy! And the usual slash warning...
:Dedication: This chapter is dedicated to the most wonderful friend anyone could ever have, Domina Malfoy. -grin-
Current Obsession: The series that my bloody computer won't let me download -- dumdumdummmm Queer as Folk! I love it! Sooo many sexeh gay men surrounding the screen...
Keys:
'Italics' - Draco/Harry mind-speech thingy (coming later on...)
Italics - thoughts
"..." – talking
Enjoy!
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Chapter VIII - A Loss And Confessions pt. 1
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The Battle Scene - Heaven, morning
Draco looked up after he had slaughtered another Demon, blood spurting from the wound and covering his face in red, watching as the Angels rushed the last of the Demons through the Gates of Heaven, joining his father and Jacques as they followed the crowd, not noticing the Demon behind them grin ferally as he flew towards Jacques, spear pointed out until it was too late. Draco and Lucius looked behind them as they heard a cry of pain and saw Jacques fall, the Demon grinning and flying away after he saw the Angels notice him and fly after, leaving Draco and Lucius gaping as they watched their dear friend fall towards the ground.
Lucius let out a grieving yell and flew after the falling body, snapping Draco out of his shock and making him follow his father. Lucius caught the fallen Angel just as he was going to hit the ground below and lowered them to the ground gently, cradling Jacques' head in his lap as he let the tears fall.
"Jacques! Please, open your eyes! Jacq! Please!" The Angel slowly opened his eyes and looked up to his friends' silver ones.
"...Lucius..."
"Jacques, it's going to be alright, you just hang on and we'll get help --"
"No! ..Lucius, please... just let me die. Think... on the bright side.. I'll see Tommy again.. and.. and maybe even... maybe I'll even see our child..." Jacques was smiling slightly, his eyes glazed and his voice weak and breathing short, "Don't worry Luc.. I'll be with you... in your heart. And I'll be within Draco's heart also... you just keep on going.. I'll be.. going to a better place..."
Draco was watching all of this with disbelieving eyes. He couldn't believe his Godfather was going to leave them. It seemed impossible to his eyes. He had believed that Jacques would never leave. But he was still somewhat happy, because he realised that this was the thing the Angel had wanted all along after his lover and unborn child had been killed by the Demons such a long time ago it seems. And now Jacques was going to join him in the Eternal Place for all Angels who died.
He watched as his father, the strongest person he had ever seen, broke down as he saw his best friends breaths even out and finally stop, and he neared his father, for the first time in his life fearing that Lucius would push him away if he got too close, but as he saw that his father didn't even notice him, he knelt on Jacques' other side and pulled the spear out of his back, carefully laying his wings around him as Lucius laid his head on the ground and moved away.
Draco looked up to his father, who brushed away the tears and turned to the Healers behind them that Draco never noticed before, "I want his body burned in a private ceremony, just my wife, my son and his mate. Understood?" The Healers nodded and cautiously neared the body, looking at me wearily.
Draco sighed and looked down at the face of his Godfather one last time before raising to his feet. He was surprised that he didn't break down just like his father, but he figured he was still in too much of a shock. He walked to his father and they looked at each other for a moment before Draco pulled him into a fierce hug, feeling his fathers body start shaking with silent sobs. He gently rocked his father as he tried to comfort the heartbroken man he was holding in his arms, just like his father had done to him when he broke down as he was little. There were no words between them as they saw Jacques' body being taken to the holding place, feeling the shock go away and the tears begin. But he had to be strong for his father, otherwise he'd never live it through.
When they finally flew up towards the palace, Lucius had calmed down somewhat and had regained most of his posture, but everyone could see the terrible grief in his silver eyes, so deep that they felt it in their own hearts along with their own grief of losing their loved ones. They all loved the Royal family, and all felt sad when they heard that Jacques, another respected Angel in Heaven, had died.
They made it to the palace and headed towards the meeting room, going to discuss the plans for reconstruction and the ceremonies for the fallen ones, among any other unfinished business.
They stayed there until midnight, and then Lucius and Draco decided to go back to their respective mates to tell the outcome of the tragic battle.
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Hogwarts, Harry and Draco's room, midnight
Harry was sitting before the fire, reading a book and waiting for any signs of Draco coming through the door. Dumbledore had said that both Lucius and Draco were to return that night with the news of the outcome of the battle.
The portrait opened and in came a very weary and tired Draco Malfoy. Looking up and seeing Harry, he smiled and walked to the couch, sitting down and laying his head on Harry's lap, feeling the slender fingers comb through his damp hair. He had taken a shower when the meeting had let out so the blood wouldn't make Harry sick.
Harry smiled down at Draco slightly, putting the book next to him and put his sole attention on Draco. "So?"
Draco opened his eyes and looked up into the emerald orbs, "Well, the good news is that we won the battle..." "Oh, that's good isn't it?" Harry's smile widened and he put a kiss on Draco's forehead before he realised that Draco wasn't smiling anymore and started worrying.
"...Draco? What happened? Is something wrong?"
Draco sat up and looked into Harry's green eyes for a moment and felt his composure collapsing, "... Jac... Jacques.." He tried motioning with his hands and looked into Harry's eyes again and finally broke down, letting the tears fall and lowering his head. He still couldn't believe his Godfather had died. It was a terrible feeling, one he never wanted to feel ever again.
Suddenly he felt two warm slender arms wrap around his shoulders and felt Harry's head in the crook of his neck, and clung to the offered comfort like a child after a nightmare.
Harry felt horrible. He had always liked the kind-hearted Angel, and he knew that Draco had had a very special relationship with him. He held onto Draco tighter and whispered sweet nothings in his delicate ear, not knowing exactly what to tell him, but knowing he had to comfort him somehow.
His efforts seemed to be working, as soon Draco's heart-wrenching sobs turned into quiet sniffles, and he pulled back, letting Harry brush his tears away, and looked at the other sheepishly, "Eh, sorry about that. I guess I just had to get it out of my system..."
Harry smiled sadly, "It's nothing, really. You lost a loved one, I don't think how I would feel if that happened.. I'm glad to be there for you. And I always will be too."
Draco smiled back and bit off a yawn, stretching. "I really think I should head to bed. You joining me?"
Harry stood and picked his book up, grabbing Draco's hand gently and leading the way up to Draco's room and ignoring the questioning look until he had turned back around and faced the Angel. "Can I sleep in your room tonight? I think it would do you good to have someone to hold while sleeping..." he blushed slightly.
Draco couldn't help but chuckle at his mates shy antics and nodded happily, "I'd love it if you could keep me company during the night." Harry nodded, satisfied and headed out to his own room to get some pajamas for himself, giving Draco a peck on the cheek when passing. Draco smiled, surprised at how affectionate Harry had got, but not being one to complain.
When Harry had returned in his pajamas, he noticed Draco sitting on the edge of his bed, lost in thought. Harry's smile disappeared and he went to sit next to his boyfriend, laying his head on Draco's shoulder and pulling him out of his thoughts. Draco looked down at Harry's shaggy head and smiled slightly, putting his arm around the slender waist and pulling him closer gently.
They needn't have any words as they fell back on Draco's bed and crawled their way up to the pillows and under the covers, cuddling together and just loosing themselves in the warmth that was each other, and fell asleep.
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Harry woke up to the feeling of fingers weaving through his hair and a warm body he was curled against, and sighed contently, cuddling closer and hearing Draco's chest rumble as he chuckled.
"Comfortable?" Harry mewled in response, cuddling impossibly closer.
Draco looked down at the small smile on his beloveds face and couldn't stop stop his own smile from appearing. He was holding the boy he loved in his arms and he had never felt more happier, even when dark thoughts lingered just below the happy shell.
"Come Harry. We must get ready for the day. I'd say a messenger would be coming for me sometime today or tomorrow to give me news on the upgoings in Heaven. You go and have a shower, I'll call some house-elves to get us something to eat and then I'll catch a shower as well. Now shoo."
He smiled when Harry sat up and rubbed his eyes of the sleepiness and got up drowsily, leaning back down to give Draco a sweet kiss and a sleepy "Mornin'" before leaving the room to gather his toiletries and head for the bathroom.
He himself stretched languidly on the bed, relishing the last of the warmth from their shared bodywarmth before getting up to do what he had promised, gathering a thin silver robe around himself before leaving the room and heading for the living room.
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When Harry got downstaires, he was much more awake and with damp hair. Draco looked up from the Daily Prophet he had been reading and placed his cup of coffee down on the coffee table, smiling up at Harry when he came and sat next to him, laying his head on the Angel's shoulder and closing his eyes, feeling Draco wave his hand and a hot cup of coffee was in his hands, the smell seducing him to awareness.
Harry moaned when he tasted the first sip, and smiled up at Draco shyly, his bangs falling into his eyes. Draco smiled at the innocence of the actions and couldnt't help feel even more protective of his mate as he realised just how important the naïve and innocent boy was to him.
Harry looked at the coffee table and started eating what was on the table, feeling content and never wanting to leave the rooms and possibly leave the privacy given to them.
After many moments of silence while Draco picked up the Prophet again and began reading when there was a polite knock on the portrait. Harry stood and went to the door, opening it.
Harry and the person on the other side of the door blinked at each other before Harry slowly let the stranger in and closing the door after him.
"My lord Draco. I bring news from your father, the King. He wishes you, and your Intended to come to the funeral ceremony of one Jacques Mercure. This is the invitation. I am to be given a straight answer my lord. Your father insisted upon it."
Draco looked at the invitation in his hands before looking into the messenges's eyes, "Tell my father that I will come. Harry?" Harry nodded, dazed. "And tell him that my Intended shall be accompaning me."
The messenger nodded, bowed to both Draco and Harry, and vanished to leave for Heaven.
Draco dropped down onto the couch again and buried his face in his hands, feeling Harry sitting next to him before an arm draped around his shoulders.
"...Draco?"
The angel sighed and grabbed the hand around his shoulders and brought it to his lips, "I'm alright Harry. It just came as a surprise that the funeral ceremony came so soon..."
"Why are you calling it a funeral ceremony instead of funeral?"
Draco smiled, looking into Harry's eyes, "Well, our funeral is a bit of a different one from the humans'. There are three stages - the prayer that all Angels that are on the ceremony must attend to, then the closest peope say farewell to the one fallen, and finally the burning of the body, which must be done so the soul may be reborn in the human world. And I can finally keep my promise of showing you the prayer too."
Harry smiled too, "When are we expected?"
Draco glanced down at the invitation. "It says here that we are to leave for Heaven tomorrow evening, and that the ceremony shall begin next week friday. So I guess they want you to get acquainted with Heaven and the customs of us Angels." Draco chuckled, "Typical father. Always thinking of our customs and traditions."
Harry was surprised. He hadn't believed he could get so lucky to get to see Heaven so soon. Not to mention for so long either. But he didn't mind, he couldn't wait until he got there and couldn't wait till he got to see the City. If he could find the time and if someone - preferably Draco - showed him around.
Draco smiled at the eager look in Harry's eyes, and promised himself that he'd take Harry for a tour of Heaven. It would be one day that Harry would never forget. He would make sure of it.
They finished with their breakfast and Draco pulled Harry up to Dumbledore's office to ask for permission to leave for a few days.
Up in the office, Dumbledore's twinkling eyes were sharp as he warned them, "Be careful boys. I heard from Lucius that there has been a sighting of a rebellion in Heaven as well, so Draco, I want you to take care of both yourself and Harry. I want you both back safely. If anything goes out of control, come back immediately. I trust you can handle this boys?"
Both boys nodded, relieved that they had been allowed. And Draco also made a note to himself to go and talk to his father as soon as possible.
"You both have the day free to pack some clothes, and also make the final touches to leaving. I shall also call a Transporter for you as well. Be here tomorrow at six then. Everything should be ready and waiting by that time."
They nodded and left the office and headed towards their rooms and started packing.
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AN: Ugh, i was supposed to put this up yesterday, cos it was my birthday and I had to plan for a party, but I didn't find the time. I completely forgot about it too! Sorry everyone. Anyways, my party went splendedly, and it was one that I will never forget. Really :D And if anyone wonders, I got 17 XD I'm sooooooo happy about that! One more year and I'm of age ;)
I'll write as soon as I get the chance. It's all pretty hectic right now here, so I'm not in a very good mood to write. If it weren't for my mind not leaving me alone I would never have updated this :D So thank my mind if you like this.
Next Chapter: Leaving for Heaven, the tour to the Golden City, and the funeral ceremony.