I'm so sorry! I am horridly ashamed of myself! I can't believe it's been so long since I've updated, but things have just gotten away with me with school and my daughter being sick. :D I'm back, and hoping to stay back for sometime. I might lag a bit in the beginning with my new classes, but I promise to try to update more. I hope you all enjoy this, thanks for supporting my work with your wonderful comments!
Warnings: general plot, foreshadowing, humor
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or its characters; nor do I make profit from writing this. All rights go to the respected creators.
Un'betad, all mistakes are my own.
Draco was in a firecall with his mother, his face scrunched up in frustration.
"Mother, you know how I feel about Father. I do not trust him and he has not proved that's he's learned anything from this."
"I understand Draco, but your Father is miserable. I believe he has learned his lesson and he wants back in with Our Lord. If anything, doing this could put him back under Our Lord's radar. If he thinks he's welcomed back, he'll slip up at some point. This works for everyone, Dragon." Draco sighed, but knew his Mother had a point. From what he found out from Voldemort was nothing. He hasn't heard anything about what his Father had been up too.
"Alright Mother, I'll speak with Our Lord about it this evening."
"Thank you Draco. Now tell me how your date went with Harry." He flushed darkly, clearing his throat.
"I…It went fine Mother." Narcissa grinned, leaning closer.
"Did he like his gift?" Draco couldn't stop the soft smile from forming on his face.
"Yes Mother, he liked it very much. Thank you for the idea."
"No problem at all, I was hoping he would. I have a lunch date with my sister this afternoon, go on and do whatever it is you do every day. I'm sure your Father just got back home. I'll talk with you soon."
"Goodbye Mother, love you." He cut the call off, rising to his feet and making sure his robes were neat. Heading out of the bedroom, he'd wait for Harry to finish his daily talk with Voldemort before going to speak to him about giving Lucius his voice back and possibly allowing him back in the manor. If having Lucius in the same house as Harry at times meant keeping him safe, he'd do it.
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Bill and Charlie had cleaned themselves up after another round in the shower, dressed and headed for the twin's apartment.
"Do you think Fred will have told George what he saw?" Bill asked, slightly nervous about how his brother's would act. Charlie grinned boyishly, elbowing Bill playfully.
"I bet you 5 Galleons that he did." Bill looked off to the side blushing, glaring at Charlie when he began to laugh.
"Oh don't be so uptight. The twins won't care, I'm sure they get up to dirty stuff when we aren't around." Bill blushed in embarrassment growling.
"Shut it, I don't want to think about my little brother's like that!" Charlie sent him a cheeky grin.
"You thought about one of your little brother's like that." The groan he got in reply sent Charlie into a fit of laughter as they finally arrived at the apartment. George opened the door with a wide grin.
"Hello dear brothers, I see you finally found your way out of Charlie's bed to come see us." Bill looked away and Charlie grinned.
"Good to see you too, George. Glad to see you were able to find a way to get your cock out of Fred's ass to come answer the door."
"You told them?!" Fred hissed from the kitchen, appearing in the living room. Charlie grinned darkly, and Fred paled.
"…You hadn't told them, had you?" George shook his head with a sigh, trying not to laugh.
"No idiot, you just did." Fred made his way back to the kitchen without saying anything.
"He'll be fine, after he gets over the embarrassment." Charlie pat George roughly on the back, Bill shut the door behind him.
"Charlie!" Colin ran in to the room, jumping on Charlie who held him easily.
"Hey there!" Bill wouldn't admit that he felt really jealous about Charlie touching someone other than him.
"I'm so glad you're ok! I was so worried about you! You're alright?" Charlie ruffled his hair, kissing at Colin's tear covered cheeks.
"'Course I am, I'm a lot tougher than old Bill over there." Bill glared at him, cautiously moving closer to the petite boy in Charlie's hold.
"Colin, I wanted to apologize about the other day. I never meant for that to happen. I hope you can forgive me." Colin looked deep into Bill's eyes before nodding softly.
"I know you didn't mean it, you're too nice to do something like that." Bill smiled at Colin, ruffling his hair like Charlie had before moving to sit on the couch.
"Come with me, little guy. We need to talk." Colin nodded excited, smiling as Charlie carried him in to the bedroom to talk in private. George looked over to Bill when the door had shut.
"So are you gonna tell me about what happened or am I left to my own devices to figure it out?" Bill fidgeted for a moment, before leaning his elbows on his legs.
"I was poisoned with something. Lucius, or whoever he's working with, scattered the forest with something that awoke the wolf in me. All I remember is having this craving, and then I saw Colin and everything went black. Next thing I know I'm looking at Charlie on the floor; covered in blood and cuts. I felt so sick, but he told me it wasn't my fault. Said he didn't fight me, 'cause he knew it would be worse. I just…I don't know what happened after that." Bill blushed darkly, clearing his throat and not looking at his brother.
"He wanted me to put a healing ointment on his more…tender injuries and next thing I know, I'm in bed with him again." George was silent for a moment, letting Bill gather himself.
"Did you want it?" Bill finally looked up, blinking at him.
"What?"
"Did you want it? Did you want Charlie?" Bill flushed a bit, but nodded.
"I don't know why, but I do." George reached over, placing his hand over Bill's.
"Then be with him. No one is stopping you but you. We love you no matter what either of you choose." Bill looked at his brother and was reminded again how much they'd grown and changed since the war. He gripped his brother's hand back.
"Thank you."
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The knock at the door had Voldemort calling out permission for entrance while trying desperately not to laugh. He knew Draco would find the scene amusing, which is why he hadn't called a stop to it yet.
"You're such a pain! I think Tom should skin you and nail your flesh to the wall!" Harry hissed out in parseltongue, the huge constrictor wrapped around his body as they wrestled on the floor.
"My Master would never do such a thing! No need to take out your sexual frustrations in such a violent way on me because I broke up your mating ritual!"
"It wasn't a mating ritual! Draco isn't my mate!" Harry's cheeks were flushed dark red as they worked at one another, and Draco couldn't help but smile at the scene before him in the doorway. This wasn't the first time he had seen the two argue; he found it as amusing as Voldemort did.
"That is enough, Nagini. Harry. We have a guest." The two broke apart silent at the words hissed calmly from across the room; the underlying enjoyment unmistakable. Harry flushed even darker, if possible, when he realized it was Draco that was standing in the doorway. His chest felt funny from the obvious look on joy on the other man's face while watching him. Nagini snickered as she slid back over to Voldemort.
"Little snakeling is in denial about mating, Master."
"Nagini!" Harry hissed back, trying to calm his cheeks and heart as he got to his feet. Voldemort grinned, stroking over the large snakes scales.
"There, there. He didn't mean to hurt your feelings." He cooed, eyes lit with mirth as he faced Harry's glare head on.
"Did I forgot something?" Harry asked in Draco's direction, too relaxed around Tom to care about if his actions were punishable. Draco still had a smile on his face.
"No, I only came to see if you wanted to have some lunch with me before we spent the rest of the day together. There were a few things I needed to speak to Our Lord about." Using the referece about Voldemort was an acknowledgement that Draco needed to speak to him about business. Also, that he wasn't to be around when they spoke.
"Understandable. I will go shower before our meal, I need to get the stench of reptile off me anyway."
"I can understand you snakeling, don't think I won't curl myself around you and teach you another lesson!" Harry childishly stuck his tongue out at Nagini before heading towards the door. Draco's hand on his wrist stopped him and he looked up at the blonde man, blinking in surprise.
"Yes…?" Harry's lost yet curious look had Draco's heart pounding faster. He leaned in, brushing his lips over the corner of Harry's mouth; causing said man to blush.
"Incase I didn't tell you earlier, you look wonderful today." Feeling heavily flattered and confused, Harry gave a quick nod before leaving; shutting the door behind him. The grin Voldemort was sending Draco made him flush slightly, but he fought it off as he made his way forward.
"You needed to speak to me?"
"Yes, it's come to my attention that no news has yet to be gathered about my Father's whereabouts. I believe I have a solution." Voldemort immediately sat up straight, the concern for Harry's safety in the back of his mind moving forward.
"I'm listening."
"I spoke with my Mother today. She says Father still leaves randomly but seems to be increasingly more frustrated everytime he arrives home. Whatever he's doing, she believes is failing. She brought to my attention that I should allow him the use of his voice, and speak with you about allowing him back in your home." Voldemort's face took on a firm glare, tapping his fingers along the desk.
"Why do you believe this will be beneifical to finding out what your Father is up too?"
"He prides himself on being the best. Not being without your ranks makes him an outsider in our tight knit community. He would be willing to do anything, but apologize for his actions, to win back that leverage. Once he does so, he's more than willing to slip up. If he does so here, we can track him." Voldemort quickly analyzed everything Draco said, filing it away.
"You have a point, but there is still a high risk. If you believe this will bring us results, we'll do it. Call you Father tomorrow afternoon for a meeting with the both of us in here. I will speak with the Weasley's beforehand to see if they have gathered any information that will be of use to us. Thank you for your ideas." Draco gave a deep bow before heading to the door.
"Oh, and Draco?" He turned to face Voldemort.
"Yes, My Lord?"
"Good job with Harry." The grin that spread across Draco's face was enough to make Voldemort gag, if it wasn't for the fact he knew he wore the same look when it came to Severus.
"Thank you, My Lord."
There it is! :) Hope you enjoyed it after such a long wait. Next chapter:
-The Weasley's make another appearance in Voldemort's manor
-Lucius becomes apart of the inner circle again
-Harry's birthday plans are coming to fruition
:) -R.F.