Hello everyone! I would like to apologize for the delay in the uploading of this chapter. I had hoped to make it even longer, but I guess it just wasn't meant to be. Hopefully the next one will come faster.

Also, I have a new story in the Misc. section. It's called "The Prince's Love" It has my own original characters in it. They're strictly from my head so if there are any similarities, they are strictly coincidental. Just click my penname link to check it out. Thanks, Kisses!

Chapter Eight

Lucius looked at his son and sighed. "You really had me worried there, Drake. I thought I wouldn't get here in time." Lucius murmured to his son as he stroked his hair. Lucius sighed, and then he turned as he heard Severus' voice.

"Lucius, what on earth is going on?" Severus asked a bewildered expression on his face.

Lucius' face took on a pained expression. "I don't have time to explain everything to you now, Sev, but I want you to know that I never wanted it to come out like this and I really do love you."

"What are you talking about, Lucius? I don't understand-"Severus screamed and grabbed his head and at that very same moment, Draco woke up and started to echo him.

The king rushed to his friend's side as he sank to his knees and helped him to lie down in the couch. Almost instantaneously Draco sat bolt upright and began to moan.

Long, drawn out sounds came from his mouth and to human ears, it sounded simply like he was making a lot of noise. But Lucius' human side had left and was quickly being taken over by his Veela. Suddenly Lucius started to change. On the outside he appeared the same but beneath the surface a whole new side of Lucius was present.

"Daaaadd." Draco moaned. "Daddy."

At once Lucius was by his son's side. Draco started to whimper and groan and he doubled over in pain. His face contorted in pain and he broke into a sweat.

All of a sudden Draco's body started to glow a with a light blue, almost grey color and the king's body lit up with a much darker grey mist as if in response to his son. The elder Malfoy sat on the bed next to his son and pulled him into a hug. Then he gently started to rock him back and forth while Draco's body stiffened and relaxed under the onslaught of pain he was receiving due to his transformation and his increase in power.

"It's ok, Draco. It's alright son." Lucius whispered as he rocked him. He was silently praying that his son forgave him for keeping such a secret. But it was the only way.

Both men's voices had changed; they'd become deeper, more magical, surreal almost.

After a while Draco started to calm down and he quieted. Lucius relaxed and slowly released him. The king leaned to look at his son; a smile already on his face when suddenly Draco's face took on a look of alarm.

Then he screamed and began to claw at his back as he arched. Lucius moved quickly and swiftly flipped his son over unto his back even as Draco began to frantically tear at his pajama top as he screamed and writhed. Then almost simultaneously the mist surrounding Draco changed to a deep green.

Draco felt like was being split in two. His back was on fire and his head pounded. His throat was already sore from all the screaming but he couldn't help it because at that moment another one was torn from his throat. He could feel the sweat on his body and he was dimly aware that something was happening to his father.

Lucius was only slightly surprised that the color surrounding Draco had changed. He knew that the second color belonged to that of Draco's mate; having been taught years ago, in preparation for his own transformation, all about internal colors. What had him really afraid was that his color change too. Instead of the dark, almost black, grey, his color now changed to a bright white: Severus' color he knew. What he didn't know was why it had changed. Why now? Without thinking Lucius looked up.

"Sev," was all he could say before he lost consciousness and gently slid to the floor by the fire.

Draco was sure he'd been better off when he'd been trapped by that hippogriff last year.

He'd been holed up in a knot in a tree for two days, the temperature had been barely 16 degrees and his arm was broken. And still he thought it was better than what he was feeling right now. He could hardly move. His limbs felt like jelly and yet they were stiff. His back hurt like hell. It felt like something was trying to force its way through is skin.

Suddenly the scenery changed. He was back in that space from his dream. Only this time he could see the person's face.

"Harry!" Was the last word torn from his throat before he succumbed to the darkness.

Severus woke up with a start. He felt like he'd been hit by an angry Chimera. He slowly sat up off the couch. 'How'd I get there?' He wondered. Severus slowly got to his feet and looked around the room. The last thing he remembered was following Lucius to Draco's room. Then he'd been hit by… something. And next he woke up on the couch.

Severus got up off the couch and looked around the room. The first thought he had was that he was actually lying in his own bed and that this was all a dream.

Lucius was lying curled up on the blue carpeted floor of Draco's room. He looked to be unconscious. All at once Severus grew alarmed and dropped to his knees beside his friend. "Lucius, Lucius," he said insistently as he shook him. "What the hell is happening to you?" Realizing that he wouldn't get any response out of Lucius at the moment, Severus turned is attention to Draco, of whom he'd just become aware. He rose and left the king's side, murmuring gently that he'd be back soon and rushed to the prince's bedside.

He just barely put his hand on Draco's arm before he recoiled as if he'd touched fire. But actually, Severus' hand burned as if he'd touched ice. Yes, Draco was so cold that he burned. And yet, even as the caretaker regarded him, he could see that Draco's forehead was beaded with sweat.

Instead of wasting time trying to rouse either of them, Severus wisely and quickly left the room and went in search of the MediWitch Madame Pomfrey. Severus' padded feet made no sound on the marble floors of the palace. Either way, Severus could hear nothing because the blood pounding in his blocked out any and all other sounds. Finally he arrived at the small cottage in one of the gardens of the palace grounds. Severus couldn't get there fast enough. "Poppy!" He yelled, frantically pounding on the door of the cottage. "Poppy it's an emergency!" After what seemed like an eternity, though it was only a few seconds, the MediWitch opened to reveal her figure clad in a cap, a hastily thrown on outdoor coat and shoes. "Who is it Severus? What's happened to them?" The MediWitch asked immediately even as she reached for her medical bag and shut the door behind her. She knew something was terribly wrong for the caretaker to rouse her at this time of night without just cause. It had to be serious or else he would've taken of it himself. Her expertise was only required if the situation was dire. Besides that fact, the caretaker was a very calm and collected person. It took quite a lot to rattle him. And was he ever rattled.

"It's the king," he said frantically. "And Prince Draco. I don't know what happened. We'd just gotten to Draco's room. He was sleeping. Then all of a sudden I blacked out. When I woke up, Lucius was lying on the floor unconscious and Draco he… he's so cold. Lucius wasn't responding and I didn't know what to do. I just… I didn't-"

"It's ok Severus. Just calm down. Take a deep breath now. That's it. There, that's better now." Madame Pomfrey smiled but on the inside she was disturbed. She'd never seen the caretaker like this. And she'd been here almost as long as he was. She watched him raise these seven children and not once did she ever see his calm demeanor so precarious.

By now they'd reached the dark blue door. Madame Pomfrey glanced over at Severus. She gave him a look to reassure him then she turned to knob and they stepped inside.

The first she noticed was that the room was cold. A quick look at the fireplace held the reason. The fire was simply a few flickers of flame now. 'That's strange'. She thought. The fire was supposed to be magically maintained to last the whole night. Without missing a beat she closed to door after Severus and clapped her together twice. Immediately the room became illuminated by the incandescent orbs floating around the room near the ceiling.

Then she strode up to the king and knelt beside him. She checked his vital signs to see that everything was fine. Then she reached into her bag and pulled out a small bottle of smelling salts. Uncorking it, she waved it slowly in front of the king's nose. Within seconds Lucius started to come to and his eyelids fluttered open. The nurse moved the bottle and Lucius took a deep breath. Then Severus sighed in relief and knelt beside him.

"Had me worried Malfoy. Better not get sick on me again."

Lucius smiled but then he grew concerned. "What about Draco?"

"He's fine, your Majesty. It appears that his body had a slight drop in temperature due to the fire going out. He'll be fine soon enough."

Neither of them had realized it, but the nurse had left Lucius to go tend to the young prince. On hearing her voice, Lucius had turned to face her, when he saw the look on her face. 'We need to talk' It said. Slowly, and with Severus' help, the king got up. Then he sat on the couch. "Severus," the king began, "It's late. You should get to bed." The look Severus fixed on him was so cold, it made the king shiver. "What are you talking about Lucius?" Severus said haltingly, with barely controlled anger. "You can't be serious."

"Really Severus, it's nothing to worry about. You need to rest. Now go to bed."

Severus was just about to unleash a torrent of scathing words and remarks when Madame Pomfrey stepped in. "He'll be fine Severus. They both will be. I'm just going to keep him a few minutes longer to make sure. I insist that you get to bed. It seems to me that you've had scarier experience than these two." She smiled reassuringly. "Go on." she said.

Severus closed his mouth. He looked from the king to the nurse then to the king again. With one last look at his face, Severus took a step back then turned and walked through the door, closing it softly behind him and was gone without another word.

Draco was in a sea of thoughts and none of them his. He couldn't make out any of them. They were swirling, dispersing and converging around him in a violent array of confusion. He could hear a voice; A soft, low voice. It was moaning, calling out to him with its song of misery. It was a beautiful, lilting voice but the sing was so horrible it made him want to claw at his ears in agony. But he couldn't move his hands, or his feet for that matter. He couldn't even feel them. All he was aware of was this song. It had no lyrics; no rhythm just a haunting melody that played over and over and rose and fell like waves splashing on the sand: steady and constant.

But then the singing started to fade and a cacophony of noises filled the void instead. He heard a rumbling, so loud he felt the vibrations through his body. He tried to open his eyes but all he saw was blue. Everything in his vision was blue. Not that he could see much; everything was blurry and out of focus. His body felt numb. Yet it tingled all over.

He heard his name being shouted and he jumped; turning his head to face the direction of the noise. But almost as soon as he did, he regretted it. A wave of dizziness hit him and he moaned. He had a splitting headache now and spots danced before his eyes.

Just when he thought he was going to pass out from all the pounding noises, he heard a different sound. This one wasn't loud and overbearing. Sure, it could've been softer but at least it didn't hurt to listen to it. Grasping unto the last vestiges of his strength, Draco concentrated on the sound and allowed it to guide him out this sea of agony. When he came out and he took stock of his surroundings, he realized that he was back in his room… Or was it that he'd never left? Draco didn't care. All that mattered right now was finding out what the hell happened to him.

"Father," he rasped his voice hoarse. He'd just remembered that his father was with him before his involuntary lapse in consciousness. "Dad!" Draco tried again louder. The king came rushing into the room with the nurse close behind.

A.N. And there you have it. Chapter Eight all finished. Again I'm sorry it took so long. But I hope you all appreciate the effort I've put into making this chapter as (hopefully) wonderful as it is. You can show how appreciative you are by dropping me a review ok? (Seriously please guys?) And you all are beautiful baby!