Terribly sorry for the hiatus, something happened that made me reconsider writing ever again and I came dangerously close to quitting altogether...

But I'm back! Hopefully to weekly updates but that's shaky at the minute. I'll do my best.

Some misbehaving at the start of the chapter if you wanna skip those shenanigans.

-YDHP-

Harry only knew a few sure-fire ways to distract Vlad from being trapped in his own head, and the whole killing Greyback thing had knocked Vlad for six. Harry wondered what it said about him that he minded killing Karkaroff much less than Vlad seemed to mind killing a werewolf who took pleasure in killing children and turning all the people he could.

It had taken virtually no time at all to push through Vlad's whole 'I don't deserve comfort' that evening, Harry's persistence leading to Vlad accepting his embrace. He wouldn't face him, instead playing 'little spoon', but Harry didn't need him facing him for it to work.

It was an underhanded trick, or at least playing innocent was, but Harry knew how Vlad couldn't help his reaction to Harry speaking Parseltongue. And Harry still feigned no control over it even though control over all his 'quirks' had become second nature since the first time he changed.

Vlad reacted instantly to Harry hissing quietly, whimpering quietly under his breath. Harry wondered if he should feel guilty utilising the ease with which Vlad responded to him, but he wasn't doing it for himself - he was doing it to cheer his boyfriend up.

"H-Harry, you're doing it again."

He didn't miss Vlad's stammer, knew he was affecting the teen vampire.

"Doing what?"

Vlad couldn't answer; he didn't speak snake but he whimpered again, pale fingers visibly tightening in the bedcover in front of him. Vlad could sense Harry's mood shifts, including arousal. Harry could taste Vlad's arousal on the air, raw and sweet and alluring. It had been a surprise to realise at first that that's what it was, wondering why the scent would find him during class or outside when they were sat by the lake. It was only when he realised it was strongest at moments like this that Harry understood what it was.

He bit gently at the side of Vlad's neck, ensuring his sharp teeth didn't break skin but it was enough to make Vlad jerk and gasp. Vlad pressed back against him, the cool skin of his chest feeling Vlad's pyjama shirt drag against it. Harry vanished it out of the way, hearing Vlad let out a shuddering breath as fingers slid under the waistband of his bottoms.

"Ha-r-ry."

Vlad whined his name as Harry curled his hand around his erection, stroking firmly as he continued hissing to keep his boyfriend trembling in the best way possible. Vlad pressed back against him again, trapping Harry's own erection between his stomach and his boyfriends back. It was rather suggestive and Harry tried not to think too hard about it, but Vlad was writhing and moaning and bucking and it was impossible not to imagine him doing that with Harry inside him.

Harry squeezed at his cock, revelling in the way Vlad was so endlessly responsive to him, feeding Harry's own arousal and the primal rutting was still enough to have them both teetering on the edge of climax. The raw scent became stronger as Vlad's body tightened against his, pulled taut by the promise of orgasm and Harry knew the soft cry that escaped his lover meant he was coming without the liquid coating his fingers.

It took only a few more animalistic thrusts against Vlad's back for Harry to join him in satisfaction, the mess of his pyjama bottoms not mattering in the slightest as the climax took him. Vlad turned onto his back, flushed cheeks and dilated pupils speaking of the rush of happy hormones coursing through his body. His silent charms cleaned Harry's hand and both their underwear with a cool whisper of magic across skin. It tingled oddly but beat getting changed.

"Was the hissing on purpose?"

"A little."

Vlad rolled his eyes fondly, muscles lax and tension gone.

"Any particular reason?"

"You were tense. Sad. Now you're smiling."

"I should be feeling bad though. I killed someone."

Harry ran his fingers over Vlad's jaw, gently turning him to meet his eyes.

"How many people has Greyback killed? How many kids has he maimed and mauled? How many families has he ruined?"

Vlad was listening, he knew, but it was still a sore spot for the future leader of a race known for bloodlust while he wished he were human.

"I know. But-"

"No buts. You probably saved a few hundred people from the trauma he would have inflicted. You even remembered to collect his blood so we can try and help some of those he changed. You did the best thing of a bad situation... if you hadn't killed him, he could have bitten you, killed you. You're immortal but you aren't infallible. You kept your cover and stopped what was effectively a serial killer with fur and teeth."

Vlad rolled on to his stomach, resting his head sideways on his crossed arms to look over at Harry.

"Does it really not bother you I killed someone?"

Harry shook his head.

"I don't like that you're upset, but I've already killed Karkaroff. With help. We'll probably both have to take more lives to come out of this war. Which means we are going to have to find a way to live with it. Or unlive with it as you vampires say."

"I guess so. I just never wanted to be a killer. Always swore I would never bite breathers, never hurt anyone."

Harry felt bad; if he weren't bonded the way he was to Harry, Vlad wouldn't have been dragged into the fight.

"I would say you don't have to side with me for the war, but-"

"It's like saying I don't have to breathe, or telling my heart to stop months early. I can't not follow you."

The scars and brand that covered his chest and back were proof of how truly Vlad was dedicated to what they were doing, to helping Harry bring down Riddle. Feeling sleepiness begin to encroach, Vlad responded to Harry's mood and rolled over on to his back, serving as Harry's favourite pillow. His heart rate occasionally stuttered up and down but Vlad assured him that was normal, part of the transformation preparing within his genes.

Given all the strange things that has had happened to Harry as Basilisk venom rewrote his body, he supposed the year leading up to becoming a member of the living dead would be peculiar on the insides.

Vlad seemed to be in a better mood when they woke up, eating breakfast and discussing ways to wind up Umbridge with the twins. He discussed Defence Association tactics with Harry in their free period outside, neither affected in the slightest by the brisk chill of November.

"You think they can be trusted to shoot each other with hexes and jinxes?"

"They know these spells already. You're teaching them to fight and deal with them. How to aim and how to channel their magic. How to work together. I think until Christmas keep them learning this stuff, then after Christmas start matching up actual duels. Mix the pairs, uneven numbers. Death Eaters aren't going to be going all fair one on ones or waiting for a friendly face to play doubles."

Harry nodded as he bit into a chocolate frog, smelling frost on the air and wondering if they would be expecting snow soon. He liked snow.

"All good plans. You'll still come to the thing right?"

"Obviously."

Vlad smiled over at him, sending warm flutters through Harry's chest. George came running out of nowhere, trampling through the damp grass in a flurry of red, gold and curly hair. Her friends were visible several feet behind her, unable to keep up with the human hurricane that was Georgina Giles.

"George, are you alright?"

"Me? Fine! It's that evil pink teacher that's causing trouble, have you seen?"

"Seen what?"

"In the Entrance Hall?"

Vlad shook his head, looking over to Harry who was as clueless as his boyfriend. They stood up, vanishing away any mess they left on the ground and any they took away on their clothes. They followed George and her now-breathless companions back to the castle, looking up at the three picture frame-esque scrolls hanging on the wall in there. Vlad's long-sighted vision was better than Harry's - their predatory behaviours were evolved differently.

"Umbridge is High Inquisitor... that's the top middle. The left says she will be allowed to randomly observe other teachers classes and the right..." he squinted, then scowled "says any extra curricular groups are to be disbanded."

Harry and Vlad shared another look - no way that was a coincidence.

"Thanks George."

"No problem. Oh, an owl dropped this by me at breakfast by mistake. I didn't notice because it was under my mail at first."

Vlad took the parchment with his name on, thanking George politely. Harry knew it was almost certainly a letter from their mother, but they couldn't be obvious about it. He could see the smile shadowing over his boyfriends mouth though, knew Vlad was enjoying the correspondences he could exchange with Sally Giles.

"You go on to your next class or whatever trouble you're causing. We should too."

George beamed, turning to leave with her friends. Harry and Vlad headed up toward their next classes, opting to walk up through the outer clock tower stairs - in the cold weather, they were much emptier and allowed them not to fight the milling students traversing the stairways.

"Are we doing the thing anyway?"

Vlad spoke softly, almost silent with the sounds of footsteps but Harry heard them.

"Might see a dent in numbers but yep."

Nodding in response, Vlad leant against an empty stretch of wall and flipped open his letter, smiling to himself.

"Anything in particular got you grinning?"

"No, just... standard stuff. Its just amazing to be getting these."

They were pushing it to be on time to Transfiguration, making it just before McGonogall would threaten to turn them into pocket watches. Sliding into their seats with hurriedly muttered apologies, the severe professor barely launching in to the lesson plan before a chilling cough sounded from the door.

"Hem hem."

"Professor Umbridge."

"Good day Minerva. I trust you received my note informing you I would be inspecting you?"

"Clearly. Or else I would have asked why you were in my classroom."

Ruffled, Umbridge straightened up.

Then you know I am here to supervise your class."

Everyone had turned around, and the evil cows eyes ran straight to rest upon Vlad.

"Very well. Have a seat Dolores."

Everyone followed the evil cloud of pink down the classroom with their eyes, watching her perch herself at the front of the classroom. McGonogall barely acknowledged her, swishing back around to continue teaching.

"As I was saying, today we move on to Vanishments of..."

"Hem hem."

Umbridge attempted to interrupt and the tension in the room was painfully clear - nobody interrupted Professor McGonogall.

"I wonder, professor, how you expect to gain a view of my usual teaching methods if you continue to interrupt me? You see, I don't normally allow anyone to talk out of turn in my class."

Harry listened to Vlad stifle laughter in his hands, burying his head behind his textbook and shaking with suppressed mirth. If he wasn't mistaken, their teachers mouth twitched a smile in that direction. Umbridge sat looking scandalised, but she fell silent and made a note on her clipboard. Her quill was audibly sharpened to scrape against the parchment, which Harry suspected was to throw off the teacher being observed.

It was unlikely to bother the deputy headmistress though, more irritating to Vlad and Harry with their above average hearing.

"Today we move on to..."

Their lesson went on without incident other than the constant grating, except Harry and Vlad were asked to stay behind. Everyone, including them, suspected it was about them almost being late. The evil pink creature was the last to leave, and Vlad silenced the door with a lazy hand gesture the second it closed behind Umbridge. McGonogall trusted his magic, waited for Vlad to nod and say they had privacy.

"I actually only need to speak to Mr Potter, but I felt it less inconspicuous to ask both near-latecomers to stay behind."

"Me?"

"Yes. Professor Dumbledore asked me to pass this along to you. I don't know what it says-"

"It's been charmed only to open for the recipient... sorry professor."

Vlad ducked his head after interrupting, looking suitably cowed.

"Good eye. Correct."

She held out the rolled up parchment, which had no visible opening until it was touching only Harry's hand. He unfurled it, scanning the looping lettering and letting Vlad peer over to look.

There is much to be done and little time to do it.

Please come to my office at 8pm tonight. Alone.

Albus Dumbledore.

Vlad visibly sulked at the 'alone' part, because they both knew it was aimed specifically at him.

"Whatever he tells me you'll probably find out anyway. Or already know."

That brought a smile to his boyfriends face as Harry tucked the note inside his robes, forgetting they weren't alone as he reached out and squeezed Vlad's hand. McGonogall pointedly looked away, ignoring the flush staining both boys cheeks.

"Yes, well. On to your next classes. Away with you!"

As they got to the door, Vlad turned back.

"Its kind of a secret."

"It is not my business, so I'll not discuss it."

They both nodded, Vlad dropping his silencing charm as they left and almost tripped over a blatantly-attempting-to-eavesdrop Umbridge. She looked exceptionally unhappy to be caught, straightening her fluffy abomination of a cardigan and storming off. Vlad unsuccessfully suppressed his sniggering, but composed himself quickly as they slid into a scarcely-used hallway.

"What do I say as explanation for having to disappear tonight?"

"Go for a quick trip to the Library."

"Mhmm. I have Quidditch in the morning, this had better not run late."

"You'll be fine. Once you get up on the broom you're running on adrenaline."

The hallway brought them out by one of the side staircases that took them up one floor, where they would part ways - Harry had Healing and Vlad had Arithmancy.

"What do you think he wants?"

"Presumably to pass on information. I can't think of anything else pressing that needs to go to you and you alone."

"True. See you at dinner?"

"Yep."

They separated for class, Harry heading down to the Hospital Wing and finding Draco waiting outside there.

"You see the new decorations?"

"High Inquisitor?"

"Yes. We still doing it?"

"Yeah."

They fell silent as Madam Pomfrey bustled out, calling them in in confusion - everyone else was already in class but she didn't think they would have both been missing from class.

"Today will be a mix of study and practical - recognising and treating poisoning. Some of what you learn in Potions class will apply, but remember that a Healer wants to save a life not analyse the composition of the ingested toxin. Remember that, should any of you choose to make a career of Healing, you may need to account for varying species. Can anyone offer me an example of that?"

Harry's hand went up before he even realised. The nurse nodded, pointing to him.

"Vampires are allergic to the standard blood-based potions we use on humans. And werewolves are allergic to any medication containing silver or Wolfsbane with the exception of the Wolfsbane potion."

"Excellent! Five points to Gryffindor! Now, steering back toward poisons and antidotes, turn your textbooks to page seventy six."

Harry hadn't mentioned his own reaction to spider venom after the Yule Ball. That would be very hard to explain. As difficult as that time he felt like his brain might melt from being too close to a chicken coop. He could still eat chicken, but it wasn't as good as mammalian meat and didn't sate him fully.

Realising he was losing track of class, Harry turned his focus back to the text book. They read in relative silence for ten or so minutes while Madam Pomfrey tended to the two students currently in the Hospital Wing - the class was held in a purpose-expanded side room, the groups small but studious. When she came back, they had a loose question-and-answers on the book before they were given three list of symptoms on the board, six potential antidotes and assigned the task of working out what the poisons were, and selecting an antidote.

"I'll be amazed if anyone gets all of this correct, it's not a proper test. No panicking, I'm not giving out Calming Draughts in class just because they are conveniently close by."

A few chuckles broke out, then everyone was setting in to their work. Harry found it remarkably easy in all honesty - he had been taught poisons by Bertrand and Severus for years outside of class. He recognised one list as the symptoms of snake venom - Runespoor venom to be specific - immediately, and the obvious antidote for that was the most potent antivenin.

The second was Ricin poisoning, which was incurable in Muggle medicine but if treated quickly enough, a potent antidote including ground bezoar and unicorn hair known as the "Purifier of Poisons" did the trick. Of course, that particular antidote wouldn't agree with a vampire.

The third took him a few minutes, finally clocking it was caused by improperly brewing any appearance-altering potion containing animal livers. Either the Antidote to Common or Uncommon Poisons would cure that. He put down his quill and his book, getting surprised and confused looks from his classmates. When Madam Pomfrey came bustling back into the room, she too looked surprised.

"Done Harry?"

She was on first name terms with all the students in Healing class - force of habit treating children it seemed. Harry handed his parchment over, watching as her eyebrows rose in opposition to eyes going down the page.

"Perfect. I'm very impressed. Take another five points."

Harry smiled, taking his work back.

"How did you know all of that?"

"Extra reading. I don't have much else to fill the time over summer so..."

Draco was next to be done, and he'd paired up antidotes to symptoms based on interactions between their ingredients and the symptoms even if he didn't get the cause of ricin poisoning. Harry mused that he wouldn't know ricin as easily - it wasn't prevalent amongst magic folk. A very Muggle poison.

"Well done Draco. You've paired symptomology and ingredient interaction perfectly. This is what we'll cover next lesson - if you don't have the name, symptoms might be the only information you have. Make notes on these three antidotes here, and homework is to study the chapter on identifying poisonous plants in 1001 Herbs and Fungi."

As they left, Harry felt bouyed by the lesson. It was nice to occasionally stand out for something he actually did himself, not something done accidentally as an infant.

"Harry here was teachers pet in Healing."

Vlad looked up at Draco from his steak - it was done, but Vlad had been a well done type before. He wondered if he was reading too much in to it.

"I was not!"

"If you say so."

The Evening Prophet arrived - not a frequent delivery to Hogwarts but when they saw Umbridge splashed across the front page it was clear why. The announcement of her 'promotion' was front page news - the werewolf incident was already sliding backwards to the pages not everyone read.

"Anyone mind if this accidentally gets tossed on the fire?"

Draco shook his head - it was his paper. They read it first, ensuring they checked for any little slips of information nuggeted away in the article beneath a huge moving imagine of the evil witch beaming creepily next to the Minister.

True to his word, Vlad threw the paper in the fire when they got to Gryffindor tower. Harry kept an eye on the time as they studied in the dorm, making his library excuse at ten to eight.

"I left a book in there earlier I need."

Vlad helped make it realistic.

"Want me to come? I'm itching to fight with more aurors."

Harry chuckled, shaking his head.

"I appreciate the offer but no. I shouldn't be long unless Madam Pince decides to kill me for breathing on her books too loud."

As he left - Cloak in pocket and wits about him - Harry began to wonder more intently about what Dumbledore wanted.

"Oi! What are you doing wandering about?"

Curling his fingers around his wand, Harry faced the auror.

"It's not curfew yet, I can wander all I like but if you must know, I'm off to see the Headmaster."

"I don't believe you."

"That's not my problem is it?"

Loathe as he was to turn his back to the man, Harry made it around a corner and behind a false wall before the Auror could give chase.

"Potter!"

Rolling his eyes, Harry got on with his trip to the Head Office. The gargoyle let him up without a password, which meant when the door opened before he knocked, Harry wasn't surprised. He was expected after all.

"Ah Harry my boy, come in."

He stepped into the cavernous office, spying Fawkes who trilled in welcoming. He didn't get Vlad's tactile welcome though - they weren't similar species the way Vlad and Fawkes were.

"Good evening professor. Your note was a little... serious."

"Time is becoming a very limited resource Harry. Have a seat would you?"

He was reminded of Vlad as a chair seemed to materialise out of thin air, clearly intended for Harry to sit on.

"Now, as I have less time than I had once hoped to have for this, I must burden you with this knowledge Harry. I'm going to teach you about Tom Riddle."

-YD-

Yeah. No promises about weekly updates just yet but I'm gonna try. This probably didn't make up for the hiatus either, so... Sorryyyy.