Chapter 9 – Draco's Options
Tom waited in the shadows as his kits greeted their mates before revealing himself. "How was your test?"
"It was fun and I learnt something I need to talk to Siri and Remy about. Have they woken yet?
Tom shook his head. "I wish to steal Draco from you for a bit tonight. Will you be alright with that? I am going to talk with his father and godfather. I will not keep him from you for too long."
"Before you go I think I should warn you of something," Hermione said, looking at Draco. "One of the girls in your house is planning something. I don't know what, but she had the smirk of a girl who has plans on how to break up a happy couple. She also saw me kiss Harry on the head."
Draco swore. "Did she have blonde hair, wet blue eyes and a pointed chin?"
Hermione nodded.
Draco swore again and hugged Harry to him firmly. "Think you could come with us Blaise? I'm going to need someone who can stop me from killing Pansy if she comes up to me and says anything against my mate."
Harry nuzzled into Draco's chest, purring softly. He smiled into the shirt below his cheek when the blonde relaxed. "What time will you be back? I don't want you to have a cold evening meal."
Draco closed his eyes before looking into the green orbs before him. "I will be back by dinner time. I'm going out to talk to Sev, Father and Mr Riddle about a problem I have." He took a deep breath. "We are going to be talking about the options I have so I don't harm nor scare you due to my increasing desire to claim you as mine and mate you before you are ready. If we cannot discover a better way to protect you from me, I've suggested that my heritage be bound. I know what the consequences are if I do this and before anything is chosen, I will discuss with you, Sirius, Remus, Mr Riddle, Hermione, Blaise, Sev and Father. This meeting is to discuss which options I have."
"Thank you for telling me, Draco," Harry smiled. "I trust you and don't want for you to have your heritage bound for any length of time. Can I suggest that Rinie goes with you? She's very good at keeping people on track and for finding good ways of solving problems."
Tom smiled. "I was just about to suggest that. What will you do?"
Harry grinned, revealing small sharp teeth. "I've got a wolf and god-mutt to wake!"
Draco and Blaise almost felt sorry for the two men … Almost.
againwiththelines
Remus sat in his favourite red leather chair, sipping at a fresh cup of his special tea while he waited until Harry and Sirius had finished eating the sandwiches he'd made for lunch. Harry had just told them about the meeting the others had gone to and they had both agreed to be at the meeting that evening to discuss the options. Now he was listening to Harry and Sirius discuss why Sirius hadn't told him about giving a bruise-balm to the potion's master.
"Harry?" he asked softly.
"Yes Remy?"
"Do you have any time free today?"
Harry smiled in understanding. "I have until five free, but if you don't mind being in the kitchen I have until around six free."
Sirius finished his food and stood. "I've got to head. I have a class soon and I want to make sure the room has been rigged for those who don't pay attention in the lesson." He left to soft laughter.
After he had stopped laughing, Remus looked at Harry helplessly. "I don't know what to do. I've never been to a mind healer before and I don't know what to talk about or where to start or what."
Harry started to pack up the used plates and platters, not looking at Remus. "First you need to relax and tell me if – and who – you want to talk to. Did you want to help me make tonight's dessert?"
Remus stood, nodding. "Sure, what are we having?"
Harry shrugged. "We are having steak and kidney pie for the meal, so I was thinking something sharp to cut through the rich after taste. What do you think?"
Remus frowned thoughtfully. "What about something with gooseberries or lemon and lime?"
Harry bounced happily on the balls of his feet. "Do you know how to make gooseberry fool?"
Remus chuckled. "Yes I do. Did you want me to make it?"
Harry nodded frantically. "Please. While you do that, I'll make a lemon-lime syrup polenta cake!"
"Severus is going to love you for that Kit," Remus laughed. "That's his favourite dessert and it is very rarely served here. What will you serve it with?"
Harry turned thoughtful. "What do you think of either cream or melon and lemon sorbet?"
Remus nodded. "Sounds perfect to me. Are you making one large one or individual ones?"
"Both. A large one for tonight and six individual ones: One for Professor Snape to take away with him when he leaves, one for Tom, one for you, one for Rinie and Blaise, one for me and Draco and one for quality control."
Remus laughed once more and set to work, sighing happily. They were forty-five minutes into their preparations when Remus broke the silence. "I need to talk to someone. Do you think I would be able to talk to you?"
"Of course Rem, I'm not going to be telling you to talk about anything in particular. You are free to tell me what you want and when you want. I know that most of the problems you have are due to what happened while you were undercover and I know that when you need to talk about it, you will talk about it. Until then, just relax and talk about whatever comes to your mind. I will suggest that you keep a dream diary though."
Remus nodded as he gently combined his whipped cream and fruit puree.
Bouncybouncykitty
Hermione listened to the people around her with a disgusted look on her face. Draco – who was feeling hopeless and helpless as he had been dismissed from the conversation as soon as he had bought the problem to everyone's attention – was the only one to notice. Her resolve to remain impartial to what was going on and only record what options had been thought of dissolved when Draco's father stated that he was going to do something about it that night – even if hit meant binding his son's heritage. Seeing Draco pale and feeling the helplessness from Harry through their bond, she reacted.
"I do hope you were over exaggerating Mr Malfoy," she purred dangerously, causing all motion and sound to cease. "I really hope you are because if you are not then you should be ashamed of yourself!" Her eyes flicked to the potion's professor and her mentor. "You should all be ashamed of yourselves. This isn't some game where if you make a mistake you can just hit delete and start again. This is the lives of two very important beings – both of whom are, I might add, of the age where they can make their own contributions to their futures."
"I know what's bes…"
"I wouldn't finish that sentence if I were you Mr Malfoy," Hermione interrupted icily. "You may THINK you know what is best for you son, but I beg to differ. There is also the question of what will happen to MY boy should you get your way and bind his mate's heritage – Tom shut your mouth and listen to me."
The four men looked at the enraged fox demon before them and gulped slightly. Hermione glared at the three older men. "While you three are discussing when you are going to bind Draco's vampiric heritage, you are forgetting that said vampire is in the same room as you to get information on other options he can use since the binding was going to be the last resort!"
She took a breath and a sip of water. "You all know what will happen to Draco if he is bound, but do you know what will happen to Harry?" The four males shook their heads in the negative. "He will feel empty. Alone. He will feel as if his mate has abandoned him – even if he sees his mate every day. I refuse – REFUSE – to allow my little brother go through that amount of pain."
"Pain?" Draco asked paler than he should have been.
"When a submissive demon is blocked from their true mate they feel pain. It travels from their chests through their bodies until they can no longer handle it and they stop fighting and allow their hearts to give out," she said softly, wincing slightly at the devastated look in the younger vampire's eyes.
"Then there is no way that I am even going to think of undergoing the binding ceremony," he answered with conviction. "Not even as a last resort."
"Then what is there that we can do?" Lucius sneered. "I'm not having my son tortured day in, day out."
"And I'm not allowing Harry to be locked away for a year," Tom retorted.
"You are BOTH getting on my nerves!" Hermione spat. "Think for once! You are a vampire Mr Malfoy. When did you first get the urge to claim you mate?"
Lucius thought for a moment. "Six months after I met her."
"Why so long?"
"She wasn't ready to bond with me. She had school to finish and a family visit to live through."
"Exactly," Hermione almost cheered. "She didn't start to respond in a positive way to the mating until she was ready." She turned to Tom and glared at him. "I'm surprised it didn't hit you sooner, Tom, after all, you know that he has wanted children of his own since he has been old enough to be trusted with the orphanage children. That's been three years now and he has also passed his Healer's credentials, so he has finished studying. He is ready to mate and regardless of his age, his body is reacting to that desire."
"Lily was the exact same," Sirius spoke up from the doorway. "She had been accepted into the Department of Mysteries halfway through her sixth year, so she was only just older than Harry when she got the mothering urge. In the end she had hers and James' parents sign a contract that she and James had arranged. I think that would be the best way to deal with this. Allow a few days – or even a few weeks – for Harry and Draco to work out a contract with things that are allowable before Harry is of age, but will still be enough to convince the beasts within them that they are bonding."
The men folk blinked in surprise while Hermione beamed.
"Finally someone with half a brain!" she exclaimed. "Though I must admit to being surprised at who was responsible for it," she teased.
Tom, Severus and Lucius sighed in resignation. They had gotten carried away and had lost sight of what was truly important. They nodded their accent.
Draco looked from the men to the door and back again.
Severus laughed. "You can have today's lesson off, since it is your only class today. I expect you to be at the lab on Saturday though to work on a different project. Bring your demon with you. Miss Granger, your presence will also be required."
The two youngsters grinned and left, with Sirius close behind them. Tom, Severus and Lucius exchanged guilty looks before heading in opposite directions to each other.
lInEdAnCiNg
Draco chuckled at something Hermione had muttered under her breath about the three men in the room they had just left. He waved when Blaise joined them from the shadowed path just as a blonde-haired female appeared from around the corner. Draco and Blaise groaned while Hermione continued to rant about incompetent dominants who forgot about the submissive they were supposed to be protecting.
"Hi Draco," the blonde fluttered her lashes coyly at the disgusted blonde male.
"Not interested," he said coolly.
"But Draco, I know that green-eyed … thing can't be your mat," she pouted. "He is just playing with you."
Draco raised an eyebrow. "And I assume you have proof of this?"
"She kissed him in front of my potion's class. Is that proof enough?"
Draco, Blaise and Hermione jumped when Sirius' laughter sounded close to them. "Of course she kissed him," he said, "she's been his protector for a long time and they have a very strong relationship. Nothing will tear them apart." He smiled wistfully. "I wish my relationship with my younger brother was half as strong as theirs."
Pansy paled drastically. "B-brother?"
Draco smirked. "Yes Pansy. Hermione and Harry are brother and sister, so I don't mind if Mione kisses him." He walked past her with a slight swagger, Hermione and Blaise following him.
"Don't try getting between the two of them, Miss Parkinson," Sirius said as he passed her. "The response will be devastating … for you." He caught a glimpse of a shame-faced potions professor. "Don't forget that you are eating with us tonight Sev!" he called cheerfully before turning a chilly smile on the young lady before him. "Have a wonderful day."
Pansy watched the DADA professor as he calmly walked away, feeling as if a life time of dreams had been shattered in a million tiny pieces by the man's words.
dAnCiNgQuEeN
Remus collapsed on the seat, fighting to breathe through his laughter. He had just finished telling Harry about his first bout of accidental magic – an incident that involved a copper band, a steel fork and his uncles left ear – and he couldn't help but laugh. Not even the reason the man had been targeted was enough to dampen his spirits. Sirius had been correct – talking about things did lighten the burden. He had explained the entire confrontation to his nephew-turned-councillor and he had been rewarded by the barest glint of anger in his Kit's eyes before he had been encouraged to continue while decorating the gooseberry fool with whatever he and Harry had been able to find – rose petals, elder flowers, nasturtiums, grapes – it didn't matter. With the younger male working beside him, he had revealed the memory for the first time since it had occurred and, also for the first time, he had seen it for what it was – The magical outburst of an over-stressed child.
He beamed at the younger male beside him and drew him into a hug. "Thank you."
redredline
Sirius opened the door to Remus' rooms for the three youngsters and stopped at a sound he hadn't heard for a very long time. "It can't be … It just can't be …" He ran towards the sound before the teens could react. He skidded into the kitchen, wide-eyed. The three teens and Tom – who had appeared only just seconds before the small group – followed his astounded gaze and looked upon chaos.
White sugar covered every flat surface, cream coated the ceiling and the walls and flower petals were scattered everywhere. Curled up amongst the mess was a softly sobbing Remus being comforted by a crooning Harry. He looked up at those in the doorway with eyes the colour of smoke. Without looking away from the pain-filled ice-blue eyes of his godfather, he placed a hand at the base of Remus' skull and whispered a word, knocking the sandy-haired man out.
Sirius walked quietly to his best friend and nephew. Without a word, he picked the amber-eyed man up.
"He's going to be alright Sirius," Harry told him quietly. "We got through to him. He's not going anywhere."
Sirius fell to his knees, still cradling the unconscious man to his chest, tears flowing from his eyes. "Thank you. You have no idea what that means to me."
Flames filled the room, burning the mess surrounding and covering the three in the room as Hermione stepped into the room. She locked eyes with her kitten.
"Yes, we do."
The black-haired man closed his eyes, ignoring the tears rolling down his cheeks. "Yes, I dare say you do. But still … Thank you."
He rose and walked out of the kitchen with Remus safely in his arms.
Harry smiled sadly and pulled his now cooked cakes from the oven. He placed all bar one onto the bench. Carrying the other to the table, he doused it with syrup and headed everyone a spoon. "Help yourselves," he put two scoops into a bowl and walked out of the room, following the two men. It was a subdued group that ate the treat before them.
linelinebaby
Hermione opened the door to Remus' room and smiled. Sirius had fallen asleep with his arms wrapped protectively around Remus' waist, his nose buried in the sandy hair. Remus had his back to Sirius with his arms wrapped around Harry as if the cat-demon was a teddy bear. Harry was fast asleep with a smile on his face and purring his head off. As quietly as she could, she snapped a photo and walked to the bed.
"Sirius, Harry, time to wake up," she whispered.
None of them moved.
"Come on, wakey wakey," she tried again, not noticing that two sets of eyes had opened a smidgeon, nor that the soft muttering coming from the dark-haired man wasn't the result of an interrupted sleep.
She put her hand onto Sirius' shoulder and shook it gently. Without warning, Sirius spun around, grabbed Hermione and pulled her into the middle of the bed just as Remus rolled over with Harry in his arms.
"Ready, Sirius?" Remus asked a mischievous smirk on his face.
"Ready, Remus. On three?"
Remus nodded. "One."
Sirius smirked. "Two."
Both men turned sparkling eyes onto the wide-eyed teens between them. "Three!" They pounced.
Harry and Hermione shrieked with laughter as two pairs of nimble fingers found their way to their ribs and danced around them. Soon, all four of them were laughing too hard to breathe properly.
"Wh-what is it that you wanted, Mione?" Remus yawned, once more holding Harry as if he were a teddy bear.
"It's almost time for dinner. I was waking up Harry and Sirius so they could get ready. I know you haven't been sleeping lately, so I was going to let you sleep a little longer since you take less time than Sirius to get ready …"
Sirius' indignant exclamation of 'hey' was lost in the chorus of chuckles coming from the entrance.
"We were wondering what was taking you so long when we heard the shrieking. Do they do that often?"
Hermione grinned. "Not since Harry's sixth birthday."
"Come on, time to get up," Harry stretched, absent-mindedly digging his claws into Remus' chest. "I'll go put dinner on then get ready." He carefully extracted his claws and pecked Remus on the cheek before crawling out of the messy bed.
Sirius and Hermione followed his example, but Remus sank back into his pillows. "If you don't mind, I think I'll stay here for a little longer. Harry will come get me."
Hermione smiled knowingly and pushed the remaining men from the room. Remus grinned and nuzzled into the pillow beneath his head, inhaling deeply. He could feel Mooney sitting just under the surface of his skin and he felt giddy due to the tea he had been drinking – almost as though his wolf had reverted back to puppy-hood. He closed his eyes and inhaled the scent of his pack again.
The next thing he knew was the smell of rich, sweet chocolate and a small, gentle hand running though his hair.
"Kit?" he asked sleepily.
"Yeah, it's me Remy. You have ten minutes to get ready for tonight's meal. I bought you a chocolate hit. I'll leave you to get ready."
Remus nodded the best he could with a mug at his mouth. "See you in six," he gasped, returning his empty mug to the amused teen beside him.
Harry smiled and walked out.
IstilllineAustraliahome
Severus walked into the room, smiling at the sight that met his eyes. Draco was seated on a single chair with a book on his lap, a quill in his hand and a thoughtful frown on his face. Tom was seated on the chair across from the blonde, watching him with intense concentration. Hermione and Blaise were lying on their stomachs, looking though a photo album. Sirius was just closing the door with a relaxed air about him. It was so different from his reaction from that morning that Severus couldn't help staring at him.
The sound of a softly closing door caused the potions master to spin around and his jaw to drop.
Coming from what was obviously the bedroom was a neatly dressed, newly groomed Remus Lupin with a new bounce to his step and glowing gold/amber eyes.
Sirius chuckled. "It's amazing what a decent sleep and a couple of Kit's teas can do, isn't it?"
Remus smiled and strode towards the two black-haired men with a long-forgotten confidence. "Hey Sev," he stretched until his tendons snapped. "Glad you could make it. Did you, Tom, Lucius and Draco sort out the problem?"
Severus blushed. "No." He coughed in embarrassment. "Me and Lucius seemed to have had lost track of what was important. Miss Granger and Sirius bought our attention back to what we should be doing and offered an option that we agreed on was the best for both of them."
Remus chuckled. "I'm glad of that," he tilted his head to the left with a smile. "He's ready for us."
Severus blinked as all the people who were seated rose and headed for the kitchen. He allowed himself to be herded with them.
Harry looked up from where he was serving the rich casserole over mountains of creamy mashed potato. "Good to see you again Professor," she smiled softly at him before allowing his gaze to fall on the group's werewolf. "Wonderful to see you again Mooney, how do you feel?"
"Like a cub, Kit."
The deeper, rougher voice that came from Remus' mouth made the three Slytherins stare in shock.
"I'm happy for you. It means Remy isn't fighting this time," Harry smiled. "We should have the two of you joined by this time next year."
Remus shrugged his shoulders. "We've waited this long, what's another year?" Remus' voice smoothed out and gentled, leaving the shy, polite man in the wake of the confident, powerful being. "And I think I speak for both of us when I say that we can't wait. I'll do anything to feel whole once more."
Harry placed a plate before Severus and one before Remus. "Good boy," he said, kissing the top of Remus' head. "We will go through your schedule on the weekend. Let's eat – I'm hungry!"
