Warning: Slash (male/male) Don't like, don't read

Disclaimer Notice: I own nothing you recognize.

Chapter 18 – Never Say Never

It was already half-way into November and Voldemort and Harry had yet to make up. Both were visibly irritable and they took out their anger on others. For Voldemort it was his Death Eaters. For Harry: His friends and teachers. It was to the point where no one felt safe to be in the same room with either wizard.

Voldemort, for his part, was planning something rash. He needed more followers and he didn't have enough time to train them all. That left only one course of action open to him: Azkaban.

He was going to raid the prison and get some of his top followers back. Among them the Lestranges.

The Dementors were already on his side now all he needed to do was act out the plan. Letting his followers that were free do all the dirty work, of course. He couldn't afford for the Ministry to catch him. Even worse, to see what he looked like now. His new appearance he could use to some advantage.

The plan would go as follows: The Dementors would let in his free Death Eaters to transport all of his imprisoned Death Eaters outside. Then the recently freed Death Eaters would then take up residence at his manor until they found places of their own.

Gallant would have to be locked up somewhere in case he went after the new guests intending to maul them.

Voldemort smiled wickedly, Let us see what Harry thinks of my latest act of stubbornness…

XXX

"Azkaban Emptied!"

Harry was horrified of what he read in the newspaper article. He couldn't believe that Voldemort would do something like that. But he is the Dark Lord after all. I shouldn't be too surprised.

Harry was now furious with his mate.

Ron and Hermione sat down beside him at the Gryffindor table, and seeing his face quickly asked what was wrong. Harry didn't answer, just shoved the Daily Prophet under their noses and then left.

The two put their heads together and cringed. They were going to be the brunt of Harry's anger yet again.

XXX

Harry stormed into Professor Snape's classroom.

Snape looked up from his lesson plans for the day and resisted the urge to cringe.

"Did you know about this?!" Harry all but shouted.

"Yes." Snape knew what he was angry about.

"And you told no one?" Harry was at Snape's desk now and slammed his hands down on the surface.

Snape rose from his seat, wanting to get some height advantage on the mad Gryffindor. "I told the Headmaster and he said that it would be dangerous to my position as a spy for the order members to show up."

Harry snarled, "They are running around in the streets and are quite capable of killing someone or making them go crazy!" He thought of Neville's parents as he said this last part.

Snape continued to answer the teen calmly, "They are not running around loose, they are with the Dark Lord in his Manor. Which, he gave me specific instructions that I was to tell you that if you ever wanted to return you are to tell him by owl and are to include both time and day so that none of his other followers may see you."

Harry was seething, "Oh yeah? Well, you tell him that I'd rather die than set another foot in any place where he is!" And with that said he spun around and marched out.

Harry wasn't sure where he was going but suddenly found himself on a side of the Great Lake farthest from the castle and from prying eyes.

And there he broke down in tears. He wasn't sure why he was crying. No one had died…yet. He was furious with Voldemort as he should have always been before the bond had been formed.

It was then Harry realized that he loved Voldemort. Loved him so much it hurt. Harry hated being mad at Voldemort and hated Voldemort being mad at him. But Harry was mad at Voldemort for two very good reasons. One being that he hadn't revived Cho for making a mistake and two being that he had released a couple hundred criminals that had been put away for good reason!

He wanted to forgive Voldemort but only knew that any apologies Voldemort made wouldn't be sincere.

He was so emotionally exhausted that the stress from it carried over into his body. Harry decided to take a much needed nap and he lay down where he was, going straight to sleep.

That nap went into the afternoon then into the early evening. By nine, Ron, Hermione, and Draco were panicking.

XXX

"Severus! Uncle Sev!"

Snape sighed in annoyance but opened the door to his chambers to find Draco there with Granger and Weasley.

"What is it?"

Draco spoke first, "Harry's missing! We can't find him anywhere!"

A shot of dread went through the potions Professor then, What if he did something reckless? – Wait, he's a Gryffindor, of course he's done something reckless!

Snape jumped into action, "Notify the Headmaster."

Granger and Weasley immediately left. Draco stood stock still.

"And what are you going to do?"

"Write the Dark Lord."

XXX

Because of the bond they shared it was quite easy for Voldemort to find Harry. And when he saw him lying there he had half the mind to jinx him into next week for pulling such a stunt, but then he saw that Harry was asleep with a troubled look on his face.

Voldemort knelt down beside him and saw crystallized salt tracks on his face. The boy had been crying. All of a sudden the anger and resentment toward this green-eyed boy left in a rush. It wasn't important anymore to agree or disagree with each other. All that mattered was being together.

Voldemort decided that he should compromise, even if he wasn't going to like it…

XXX

Harry woke to find something warm encircling his hand. He opened his eyes and saw that the warm something was a hand attached to a sleeping Dark Lord.

"Oh, you're awake."

Harry started, and looked around for the person who had said those words.

What he saw made him think he was still dreaming.

"Hi, Harry." Cho said.

"Cho, what are you doing awake?"

She licked her lips uncertainly before answering. "Oh Harry, I'm so terribly sorry! Once he told me that you two were bond mates…I'm so sorry!" And she did indeed look it.

"He?"

Cho looked at Voldemort and back at Harry. "Tom Riddle, your bond…mate?"

Harry almost sighed in relief, Of course he wouldn't use his real name…er…other real name…

"Yes, we are mates." It felt good to say those words.

"Again, Harry, I really am sorry."

"It's okay Cho, really. Everything's fine."

She bit her lip. "Okay…Um, I was wondering, what are you planning for Christmas?"

XXX

I'm so sorry for taking so long to post! Everything has just been piling up lately. Don't worry, I haven't dropped this nor do I intend to. But you will have to be patient. I still have quite a lot going on.

Next chap: Harry spends some time with Voldie over christmas vacation. His friends come over to the manor and he goes and visits Sirius and Remus...with Tom. Oh, what fun!