A/N: Soooo... –toes ground nervously- I realize I haven't updated in awhile. My excuse is as follows; school, work, computer crashing and loosing the hardrive (and half a chapter), not getting a new computer for awhile because of financial crisis, me being lazy. There you go. Sorry!! This chapter introduces the beginning of the end in my mind. Don't worry, there are still many a chapter to come, but this is the conflict that catalyses the whole thing.

On another, decidedly more cheerful note, I wrote another one shot (I now have two, and there will be more to come) that's less fluffy than the other, but still sweet enough to make you smile. Go read and review!

OOOoooOOO

Harry sat down in Potions first thing Tuesday, and looked over at Draco's empty seat. They hadn't seen each other since he had gone back to Gryffindor Sunday afternoon and Harry was worried. Of the Slytherins, only Pansy and Blaise seemed concerned, but Harry felt he didn't know them well enough as of yet, to ask about Draco.

Harry shifted anxiously in his seat.

Yesterday his absence could have been written off as illness, but the fact that he was missing today as well made Harry wonder. Perhaps he was regretting what had happened? No, he wouldn't skip school because he felt awkward.

Right?

Ron nudged him from his left.

"Harry mate, pay attention. Snape's already got it in for us." Harry tried to snap out of it, but his worry for Draco was more intense than he would have imagined.

"Mister Potter!" Snape growled, "Please repeat to me the preparations for the Essence of Murtlap."

"I don't know Sir." Harry sighed, only half caring. Snape was bound to zero in on him anyway, might as well not make a fuss about it.

"Just as I thought. You weren't paying attention, were you? Day dreaming about your fans, no doubt? Ten points from Gryffindor. Now, was anyone else listening, or shall I continue to deduct points?"

Five Slytherin hands shot up. Only Hermione's from the Gryffindor side did. "Mister Thomas. Would you care to venture a guess?"

Dean paled and wisely – or not, depending on how you looked at it – stayed silent.

"No?" Snape frowned, pretending to be disappointed. "Well I guess that would be another ten points off your poor house. Mister Weasley – "

He was cut off by Harry who had been wondering why Snape was in such a foul mood. "Perhaps you should choose someone whose hand is up Professor?"

The whole class turned to look at him, most of them in horror, though some bemused.

"Potter you will kindly not tell me how to run my own class. That's another fifteen off of Gryffindor for not knowing your place."

"Professor," Harry continued as though he was having an out of body experience. He must be to be continuing this conversation. "It's obvious that you need help with the class, since only five people here actually know the answer."

The protruding vein in Snape's forehead gave a pulse. "Congratulations Potter, you have just earned yourself a detention with Filch. Eight o'clock tonight. It would be with myself, however I'm not sure I could bring myself to be in your presence longer than required. On that strain of thought," he glanced around the room, "Miss Parkinson, kindly escort Mister Potter to the Headmasters office. I'm sure he would like to have a word with him concerning his behaviour in my class today."

"Yes Sir." Pansy stood up, well aware that Snape probably thought they despised each other.

She followed Harry out the door and, as soon as they were out of hearing range, she hissed, "What the bloody hell was that about? Provoking him like that. You are such an idiot, I don't know how Draco stands you."

"Shut up Pansy, I don't know what came over me. And don't call me an idiot, I think I'm just worried for Draco. Do you know where he is?"

Pansy faltered in her steps. "Yes I do." She stopped, not sure she should continue.

"Well?" Harry urged.

"He's with the Headmaster."

"Why?" It seemed an odd place to be if nothing was wrong. Surely something must be. And Harry was torn between wanting to know, and wanting to remain blissfully ignorant. Except, he reminded himself, this ignorance was not bliss. He was worried.

"Pansy, just tell me why, please. I'll find out sooner or later anyway."

"Then I'll leave it 'til later. I don't want to say something I'm not supposed to."

Harry growled in frustration, aware that they were still half a castle away from his mate and the Headmaster. In other words, the answer to his question.

"You know, you really don't have to walk with me, I know where I'm going. Snape was just being a bastard."

Pansy fell silent.

Harry, who was on a roll of nerves and adrenaline, continued his fight with, what might as well have been himself. "What, you're not even going to try to defend him? I thought it was in the Slytherin code or something."

Pansy stopped walking altogether and turned on him. "You know, you're being a real arsehole. Aren't Gryffindors supposed to be noble?" She asked, turning the House insult back on him.

She sighed, cutting off her rant. "Look, I think he's in a bad mood because he's worried too. Throw you and him together when you're stressed and... Well I think we all just saw the outcome. But listen, stop yelling at me, because I haven't done anything."

Harry looked away embarrassed. "You're right, sorry." He ran his hand through his hair, a gesture that would have reminded anyone who had known him of James.

"I just... I'm really worried. You say he's with Dumbledore? So I should see him when I get to his office?"

"He should be there." She agreed. "But you were right earlier; I really don't need to accompany you there. I'll see you later? And... give Draco my best, yes?"

Harry turned to leave, but turned at the last minute, hearing Pansy call his name. "Yes?"

Pansy blushed. "I know you wouldn't, I mean why would you? But don't tell Snape I didn't walk you all the way. I'm not going back to class."

Harry looked at her oddly. Why would he tell Snape that, and why did it even matter? All the same, he nodded and watched her leave. Funny girl, her.

With his mind back on task, he left and continued to the gargoyle, this time at a soft jog.

It took a few guesses to get the password but then he ran up the spiral staircase, and banged on the door to his office.

After a short silence, he heard Dumbledore call "Come in!"

His first glance inside the room was distressing. The Headmaster who was rarely worried had a crease in his forehead from a slight frown. Draco was next to his father, who both looked more dishevelled than Harry had ever seen them. Which was saying something, as he had woken up next to one of them very recently.

"Ah Harry," Dumbledore said, "What can I do for you?"

Harry replied without ever taking his eyes off Draco, "Snape sent me here because I was being annoying. What's happened?"

"Well it is an unfortunate circumstance that you have walked in on. Perhaps one of the Mister Malfoys would like to fill you in?" He looked over at them expectantly.

Draco sighed weakly, as though he had no energy left in his body to do more, and said "Mum's been captured by the Death Eaters. There are Aurors out looking for her." He walked over and placed his head on Harry's shoulder. Harry could practically feel the despair rolling off of him.

He turned to the Headmaster, not wanting to make his exhausted mate say more than he needed to.

"How long have they been looking?"

"They have been gone in rotations for around forty hours now. They have made some progress; they believe they know where she is being kept, although there is still the obstacle of getting to her to overcome."

"So wait," He said, once again addressing Draco. "Have you been up for forty hours?"

"Longer. The Aurors were only dispatched a few hours after she disappeared because the Ministry felt it was," here he put on a false voice and imitated a deranged female, "not an extenuating circumstance. Fuckers."

Harry frowned. It had been a good long time since he had been happy with any aspect of the Ministry that did not involve the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts – the division Arthur Weasley headed.

He rubbed Draco's shoulder. "I think you should get some rest. Do you want to go somewhere to sleep for awhile? You'll probably feel better afterwards. Everything will be in perspective."

"No! I don't want to sleep and miss something. I've been up this long, I can stay up longer."

"Draco, realistically, what will you miss? This seems like it won't be something that's over so soon and you can't possibly stay up until it is, if that is the case. You'll die."

Wincing at his choice in words, Harry looked to see if anyone else had caught his little slip. No one had, as Draco argued with his father who evidently thought it would be best to do as Harry had said, and sleep. Probably the first and last time Lucius would ever agree with him, and Harry decided to build on it.

"We're right Draco, stop fighting. You need sleep. Come one, we can go to my room, it's closer than yours, and just as quiet. Let's go."

Draco let himself be dragged out of the office and down the halls.

"Draco, are you okay?" Harry asked hesitantly after a couple minutes of silence from the blonde. Draco nodded tiredly in response, though anyone could clearly tell he was lying. Although, Harry supposed, who would be okay when their mother was kidnapped by Death Eaters.

"Here," said Harry as they entered his room. He motioned to the bed and, as Draco sat down, he removed his shoes and cloak for him. Harry tapped his arms, implying he wanted them up, and removed the jumper he was wearing, along with the t-shirt. Pushing him to lay down, he undid the button of the expensive trousers and pulled them off, careful to leave the boxers underneath on.

As he pulled the blanket up around his suffering mate, he pecked his cheek and whispered, "She'll be alright," before he watched him fall into a fast sleep.

It was obvious he'd been exhausted, as he fell so quickly into sleep. Normally, he would be more cautious about who was around him and where he was. Though, Harry reflected, who could he be safer around than his mate, and where could he be safer than in his mate's room.

As Draco's dreams plagued him, no doubt with thoughts of his mother, he curled into Harry, who embraced him. Harry was well aware of how real and frightening dreams could be and was not about to leave him here to be subject to them alone. He settled in for a long morning.

OOOoooOOO

Hermione and Ron were walking to their next class, and were silently expecting Harry to join them. Ten minutes into Transfiguration, it became blatantly obvious that he wasn't coming.

"Where do you think he went after Dumbledore's?" Ron hissed in Hermione's ear as she tried to take notes. Already a little distracted by the very same question rushing through her head, she shushed him, trying in vain to concentrate on the lesson.

"But Hermione, he wouldn't just not come back. I mean, he was pretty pissed at Snape, but why wouldn't he come to Transfiguration?"

"I don't know Ron, now shush, I'm trying to listen."

Ron sat back and glared ahead, needing to know what had happened. Harry had already seemed distracted that morning, he didn't need anything to add to it.

OOOoooOOO

Harry woke up next to Draco confused. He didn't remember falling asleep. Thankfully, Draco's dreams seemed to have calmed down and now he even sported a small grin, in place of the worried frown. This last made Harry smile himself. At least he would have more rest when he woke up.

"Tempus." Harry said to the air, and the time came flashing up in front of him.

3:14 p.m.

He sat abruptly.

He hadn't meant to fall asleep, no less for six hours. Oh well, he shrugged it off, that meant that at least Draco was catching up on his sleep as well.

He got out of bed gently, so as not to wake up Draco and looked around his room. It was too late to go to classes and not be properly chastised, as they only had about half of one left now, and he didn't have any homework, having finished it all over the weekend. He sighed. The only thing of any real interest in here was Draco.

Having realized that, Harry sat down in the chair next to the bed, almost automatically, watched him breathe and sleep. Everything was so simple when he was asleep, nothing like when he was awake.

Harry rubbed his forehead, trying to clear his thoughts. He loved Draco, he really did despite everything. It had come on quickly and it was intense. Hell, he wasn't even sure if Draco reciprocated the feelings. But they were stuck together in a way. They needed to feed and they needed their mate.

That in itself was the only simple thing about this relationship. They needed each other, whether they wanted to admit it or not.

Things had been going well, Harry decided as he watched Draco shift in his sleep, and snuggle into the comfortable pillow and duvet. They had developed a sexual relationship, something Harry had never had before, and they were friends. That much had been evident on Sunday when they spent the better part of the day flirting and teasing each other, between getting to know one another.

And now Draco would need him. Harry had a feeling Narcissa Malfoy would not come out of this experience unharmed, if at all, though he wasn't about to express these thoughts to Draco.

Harry wondered at the fact that he hadn't rushed in and volunteered to help save her. Based on past experience, it seemed like something he would have done for the mother of the boy he loved. He guessed Draco had triggered something in him, with his vulnerability. Taking care of Draco had seemed like a much more important factor than rescuing a woman.

Besides, there was a whole team of Aurors on the case.

Even as Harry thought this, he felt sceptical. The Aurors hadn't been much help in the past and he doubted they really wanted to save her – the wife of a self proclaimed, though reformed, Death Eater.

Harry couldn't help but feel a little cynical as these thoughts flew through his head.

OOOoooOOO

This was the sight Draco awoke to; Harry staring at him, though not truly seeing him, a pained expression on his face.

"Harry?" He asked, obviously startling him out of his trance.

"Yes, sorry. How are you feeling? Better?"

Draco nodded. He felt loads better. His pounding headache had receded, his eyes were no longer blurry, and Harry had been right, everything was put into perspective.

His mother was kidnapped. He couldn't do anything to help but everything that could be done was being done. Everything seemed a lot less dire now.

The Dark Lord wouldn't kill her, she was his bait. That the Aurors had fallen for. Lucius and Draco both knew that, being familiar with the ways of the Dark Lord, and he was willing to bet anything that Dumbledore knew as well. Draco could only be glad Harry hadn't forced himself to be included in the scheme to get her back. That was undoubtedly what they wanted.

He felt somewhat smug knowing they wouldn't get what they wanted.

For now he could only hope they didn't do too much harm to his mother.

OOOoooOOO

Remember, review! And go read my other fic, The Merit of Body Language!!