Well I'm officially sick. Possibly strep throat. Writing is my therapy. I'M SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG BLAME MY CLASSES. Kill them please. Kill my classes with fire. Sorry if Rita is a bit out of character. As for our two boy's sex lives? Well you'll just have to wait and see. This entire thing is random. Well, not all of it. *evil grin that morphs into a pathetic coughing fit*

Scarhead chapter 19

Draco sat at the table with his family across from Rita and outright growled at the smug reporter. It had been nearly a decade since Draco last saw her and even now he still disliked her utter obnoxious techniques even though he had to give her points for ambition. A fellow Slytherin can respect her climb to the top of the propaganda ladder; it didn't mean they had to like her.

Draco did that trick where his eyes glowed and made his canines lengthen just a smidge like Damian taught him. It was intimidating and he waited until he caught the faint whiff of fear before he stopped. Rita Skeeter showed no outward emotion and grinned slyly to hide her nervous laugh. "Down Draco; be a good dog now or you won't get a treat."

"Rita," Harry warned, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. He pretended not to notice the Slytherin power play.

Having three hostile teenagers and a werewolf glare her down didn't seem to deter her the slightest. They wouldn't hurt her since Immi worked for her. She looked Draco up and down lazily. "I see my reputation precedes me. No need to look so nasty dearie. We're on the same side after all."

Riley looked at Immi and stage-whispered: "Really Immi? Her?"

Harry huffed. "We need you to cancel the Minacet and Truxen article. Hermione's already contacting the other newspapers and magazines in exchange for a press conference."

Rita looked at her nails, obviously pretending to be bored. "Then whatever do you need me for?"

Harry's grin turned rather evil. "We, ah, have more of an influence over you."

Draco's eyebrow rose as fear and anger came off of her in one wave and her eyes narrowed dangerously. Her back stiffened and suddenly she was very interested.

"What do you want?" She sounded close to strangling Harry.

"An inside scoop on the London Clan and Pack. Dig up as much dirt as you can; anything and everything."

Rita suddenly grinned like a fox and leaned back tilting her head. "You want me to use my powers for evil don't you Harry dear? Naughty boy. No wonder Immi is such a prodigy." Immi practically glowed and Seb and Riley snorted.

"Yes, but we need the truth. Possibly a bit stretched, but no wild accusations no one will believe."

"What's in it for me?" she asked coyly, already knowing Harry's answer.

"Your secret staying secret, your biggest story yet, the inside to the Pack and Clan—"

Rita waved her hand, "That's glossed over my boy, I could get that anyway. I want something big! Details no one else will have. A private press conference. With you two." She pointed at Draco and Damian.

"I will edit the final edition," Harry warned.

"Fine. Those are my conditions. You will get the info I provide with those conditions." She said finally, her earrings dangling. Immi looked like she itched to take notes. Draco inwardly groaned.

Harry looked at them. "You don't have to."

Damian shrugged. "You're doing the Universal one; we might as well do a private one." He looked to Draco. "You in?"

Draco nodded once.

Rita looked intrigued. "Does he even speak?"

Draco did his signature madman smile and didn't say anything, and enjoyed the small flicker of fear that passed through her.

Sebastian smiled dangerously and his scar stretched. "His bite is worse than his bark," and then Damian smiled like a cobra and made his eyes glow. Rita leaned back subconsciously and looked uneasy before taking her leave

She waved at Immi, her grin slightly deranged as she winked at Harry and left without muttering goodbye to the other members of their little group. Draco could still smell the waves of fear rolling off her as she left.

"Draco," Harry groaned, this time rolling his eyes. "Was that really necessary?"

"Slytherins." Riley muttered disgusted, but grudgingly impressed. "Scary as Hell."

Immi glared. "Thanks for scaring off my boss guys."

"You're quite welcome," Seb replied as Damian and Draco high-fived.

Harry ran a hand through his hair trying to be stern. "You guys need to pack. It's Sunday and you have your last week of school left."

Riley grimaced. "I was hoping you'd forget that."

"Not a chance," he smiled. "Go pack."

Seb narrowed his eyes and walked upstairs with his brother. "Did you finish that essay Peters assigned due tomorrow?"

"Hush up!" Riley whispered frantically elbowing his brother in the side and escaping Harry's exasperated glare.

The goodbye was sweet and brief and Draco went to bed early, a headache beginning in his temple. Tomorrow was the full moon after all.

…

He ran; free to roam without the confinements of human skin. He avoided the woods, running as fast as he possibly could to expel all the repressed energy that had built up like a blocked river. It burst free now, as swift as the swollen creek, blood pounding in his veins like his paws against the earth. He slowed and stopped at the literal creek now, taking long drinks from the coppery, insipid river. It was strange and uncomfortable in the forest. There were no animals to hunt. No noise or wind. The sky was black and bare, moonless and starless, a dim light letting him see. He was used to the solitary life of a lone wolf; however, now he had not even the creatures of the forest to comfort him. He lifted his muzzle and howled, yearning for a cry of a living thing, but only heard the echo of his song.

His Pack was gone. They had abandoned him for the night and he wanted to be with them as all wolves want to be there to protect what is there's with a fiery passion. He could not protect them within the awkward blond body. He was out of his element, weak, compared to the Alpha.

His excitement gone, he flopped down beneath the largest tree in the forest. The eternal silence unnerved him and it contradicted with the euphoria of freedom.

His ears perked when he heard the shuffling of feet of his human pack above the lightless sky. He had never before felt so alone.

Something in him, the human, seemed to whisper in his mind. They were one and the same. Follow the scent. Getting up, the wolf tracked his own scent, the human scent, over the fields, to a small path. There was a contraption of sorts. Stairs the whisper supplied. Like climbing up the rocks of a mountain. He picked up his paws and awkwardly climbed the steps until he got to the unforgiving wooden door. He cautiously sniffed and the sizzled of magic shocked him and he yelped, nearly tumbling down in fright. Only years of toned reflexes saved him from the fall.

Unsteadily balancing on the narrow wood, he tipped back his head and howled.

Harry raised his head as a ward pulsed. He stood up from his desk where he was editing a letter to Witch Weekly and found it was only nine at night. The ward pulsed again and Harry was off at a run, realizing where it had come from. This had never happened before. The basement door had always been still.

The kids looked up from their positions in the living room as Harry barreled past to the door. Drawing his wand he motioned the children to stay back and stay silent. Casting a spell, the door became transparent and they could see a terrifyingly beautiful silver wolf with hints of light grey, howling mournfully at the door. His front paws were on one narrow ledge and his rump half off another.

"He wants to come inside." Teddy said thinking of his own father back home. "He's lonely."

Draco abruptly stopped at the sound of his voice and whined, pulling his ears back.

"Teddy we can't" Harry hated being the bad guy. "It's too dangerous."

"Draco said he had full control of his wolf after the first hour or two. He has the Wolfsbane potion doesn't he?" Damian shot back peering through the door. "Put a magic collar on him to port-key him if he starts trouble."

Harry wavered. "That's very complicated magic—and we are not arguing this. No, go to bed."

Draco howled again. "How about we go up in our rooms," Lexie suggested eyes sparkling. "And then you let him out and if he's ok we can come down."

Harry shook his head. "It is just too dangerous. There is a reason I have wards on the door."

"You don't trust Draco?" Damian accused. Harry couldn't say anything to that. If he said he didn't trust his wolf, it would be saying that he didn't trust Damian's vampire side. And he trusted him with his life.

"Please Daddy." Niki begged. "He wants to be with his pack. His family."

On the other side of the door, Draco started forward and snapped back away from the sensitized ward and snarled in pain. Harry breathed in deeply. "Go up to bed. All of you, now." His low voice held no argument. It was final.

Turning away the children did as they were told, except for Niki. "Run with him. Take your broom and run with him." She said quickly and quietly and then she herself ran up to bed. What did she mean by that?

Harry, against his better judgment, slowly and carefully unlocked the ward and when he opened the door, wand drawn, he was knocked over by a 110 pound playful white wolf. He had this one, terrifying moment of I'm going to get bitten, when instead he was mercilessly licked.

He struggled to get up and the sliver grey wolf lay on his side in submission and then got up to run tight circles around Harry's legs.

Harry walked down the steps accioing his broom and Draco followed clumsily behind, his paws almost too big for the steps themselves.

When they got to the base they seemed to analyze each other. Draco's wolf side was just as lean as his human side. His limbs were long and lean, the fur long and perfect for harsh conditions. His eyes were the same liquid mercury and unpredictable. He looked as regal and mysterious as one could in that form and Harry wasn't quite sure what to do with this.

Stepping forward Draco gently took his pant leg in his mouth and tugged, before running a few paces, stopping and running back his entire body close to the ground.

"You want me too… follow you?" The wolf ran faster and then came back.

Harry rubbed his eyes. This was a bad idea. "What?"

Run with him. Harry frowned and mounted his broom and stayed close to the ground, hesitantly flying in a direction. The wolf barked his tail held high and took off. Harry blinked, laughed at the entire situation and followed catching up with the white wolf.

They did that for over an hour, running, exploring the entire forest Harry had created, racing, resting and eventually Draco fell into the grass in exhaustion.

Harry landed, about ten feet away, still knowing the dangers of the werewolf and rested his back against a tree. Draco inched forward, stopped. Inched forward again, his belly to the ground and stopped. Harry watched him as he did this repeatedly until his muzzle with all the razor sharp teeth was resting on Harry's leg. Harry didn't dare reach out, cursing himself for not reading up on wolf body language, which might help me not get my hand bit off, and his utter stupidity in coming down here in the first place. He stayed still and listened as the wolf passed out into a deep sleep.

He shifted slightly, trying to get more comfortable since it seemed he would be staying here for the night. Now that he could think about it he wondered, just how did Niki know what Draco wanted? And now that he thought about it Niki, just always seemed to know these things and no one questioned it because she was always right.

There had always been mysteries about Niki Sciren, much like there were mysteries about Draco, but while Harry knew most of them, Niki remained a lovable, sweet, secret. Her family had been a small branch of blood-traitors. They weren't rich or famous and very secretive. The Sciren's had gone into hiding after the birth of their daughter, much to the shock of their friends. Four years later there was a terrible fire and Aurors arrived in time to rescue Niki and her mother, her mother dying of smoke inhalation two hours later. She had been with Harry ever since. She hadn't spoken until Draco came along too. He had found her voice, and she had earned it back.

Draco had caused a cold war between the Werewolves, Vampires and the Boy-Who-Lived. He made Harry's job that much harder, made the Weasley's question their sanity and keep secrets from each other and caused the press to go after them.

He also gave Niki the confidence to speak, gave Damian a comrade who understood him and gave Ciel, the courage to make friends. He made Lucius remember how to be a father, and made a tired, grumpy old potions master very, very happy. He melted the forbidden iced over parts of Harry's heart with his smiled, his quiet laugh, regal posture yet submissive attitude. He fascinated Harry like a moth to flame, and hasn't burned him yet. It was strange how he blended into their lives like he'd always been there yet affected them so drastically. Grimmauld Place will never be the same again when the time comes for Draco to start his life in society again. Harry ignored the thought. He didn't want to think about it, no matter how much he knew he should, especially when he was starting a relationship of sorts with the bloke.

He slept instead.

And woke up thinking that his life sucked. And he really shouldn't use the word suck in his vocabulary when the very human and very naked Draco was asleep half on his numb legs with his head in Harry's lap. Back when he was a foolish, naïve young man, Harry once thought that the worst thing in his life was having no family and a killer after him. But he was twenty three now and much wiser considering how tormented his body was when the sleeping werewolf's face was right next to his morning wood that was straining up like a dog begging to be pet.

"I'm a Gryffindor," Harry chanted as he adjusted his body to carry the blonde on his broom upstairs. "I'm an noble, honest, I-don't-take-advantage-of-hot-unconscious-werewolves-I'd-like-to-shag, type of Gryffindor." He hesitantly opened the basement door and darted to the bathroom as fast as he could holding a grown man. A handsome grown man. A handsome naked-"Fuck," He cursed as he kicked the door shut and wandlessly filled the tub with warm water. Damn his hormones to hell. "The full moon can go to hell too for all I care,"

"Agreed," Draco mumbled as he was lowered into the warm water of the tub. "Ow,"

"Hey, Don't go back to sleep on me." Harry said taking a mild energy potion and wrapping Draco's limp fingers around the bottle and watching him tip it down his throat. Draco blinked and sat up stiffly, grunting as feeling came back to his limbs. Harry stripped down to his boxers and inspected the bruises that came with the transformation on Draco's arms. It was better than peeking down. He had some self-control. He'd decided that getting into the tub with him was way more awkward now than it was the first time he'd done it and settled for getting Draco awake enough to wash himself. Harry was honestly, only there to make sure he didn't pass out again and drown. Draco never remembered anything when he woke up hours later anyway. Though Harry really wanted a bath now for his back. Tree bark hurt.

Draco rubbed soap into his hair and then sunk down into the water. Harry leaned down and Draco popped back up and leaned forward to clumsily kiss Harry's nose. "Thank you." He mumbled with circles under his eyes and pink tinting his cheeks.

Harry practically skipped down to breakfast after. He'd left Draco on his bed with Hero curled up sharing his pillow. How the little cat had gotten up there Harry could only guess.

"You didn't get mauled." Damian pointed out not bothering to hide his smugness. Niki just smiled and swung her legs, rocking her head to a song no one else could hear as she ate her cereal.

"What happened?" Lexie asked.

"I opened the door and he tackled me to lick my face." Harry smiled at their badly hid snickers. He then frowned. "Where's Teddy?" Then he poked at the wards and started in sheer terror. "He's not in the house!"

"His grandma came over last night while you were playing fetch." Damian said. Lexie rolled her eyes. "We told her where you were and she asked if she could take him home since you seemed to be a bit busy."

Harry relaxed slightly. The Wards were highly sensitized and he'd probably didn't feel it in the magical basement. Only people that Harry knew and were programed to the wards could get in without Harry's permission. Just to get himself to relax, he went to call Andromeda and didn't fully relax until he was sure all was safe.

But then again, no one was truly safe in that House. Not really.

Niki fought every day. She fought to keep the Dark thing away from her family. She didn't know what it was. It was not something you could hear or see. But she could feel it. She felt it growing in them when Damian wanted a drink. When Lexie needed her medicine and Draco got scared and Harry got angry. She felt it in her own mind too, when she had her dreams. It was there when she slipped into that world that was her's alone, that was special, where she could see others. The Dark thing hovered but never touched her.

Lexie fought the Dark thing. She had it close to her when she thought about her parents. It buzzed over her like a cloud of flies in her anger and indignation. She had the overwhelming urge to hurt and then panic over every little thing. She couldn't handle the stress and the cloud would get closer until Harry chased those fears away and they backed into the corner of her mind, forever there never silent.

Damian fights the Dark thing when he brushes his teeth and almost cuts his fingers on his fangs. When he drank lukewarm blood and was dissatisfied and then ashamed of that emotion. He felt it creep closer, like a growing shadow. A shadow that had always been there, where he could never see it and then suddenly unlocked when he first grew his fangs. He felt the violence in him, calling for the veins under flesh and the sheer power of control.

Draco fought the Dark thing every day. He felt it the first moment he pulled away from sleep. He could feel the tug at his mind like whispers in his ears of something wild and primal, and remember when he would wake in the trees and go hunting for the day and feel the life drain out of the animals and onto his fingers. He would remember what he'd seen and what had been done to him after The Burning. The humiliation of being a pet to be tortured and chased when the moon rose. He'd survived. He'd killed. It was a part of him, vengeful, wild, and evil. It oozed through his veins like a poisonous sludge: slowly spreading, with Draco trying to desperately stop it from taking what little humanity he had back and was gaining. He fought it off with civilization. He fought it with manners and morals and friends. It was harder when the moon grew wide and round.

Harry fought the Dark thing too. He fought it off of everyone else. He fought it when it crawled out of the hole in his heart and brought on nightmares of fire and destruction and bodies of children devoured by werewolves. Just because there were little to no Wizarding deaths, doesn't mean the muggles weren't affected. Greyback and Voldemort left scars in muggle world, wizards scrambling to hide their identity, muggles desperately trying to explain the senseless death. There were the nameless families Harry buried and the funerals he watched from afar. He wore death like a cloak, heavy and smothering. He'd long ago accepted its assistance, for it had always been there as long as he could remember.

As long as he wore the Cloak, no one else would have to bear its weight. But the Dark thing wasn't death. It wasn't a cloud, or a shadow. It wasn't a poison or a cloak or a whisper in your ear. It was something all its own. And it was always there.