Warning, Disclaimer Notice, and Guide: Refer to previous chapters

Chapter 20 – The Dominant Partner

Voldemort was in his study drinking some scotch in front of the fireplace, watching the flames curl and glow. He had just spent most of the evening at the Malfoys' Annual Christmas-Eve Party. It usually went well into the evening, but Voldemort had come home early to brood. He missed Harry. It pained him that he couldn't wake up every morning and go to bed every evening with his mate. He was so far away…

The creak of his door opening made him become more alert. He looked over at the door and found Bellatrix standing there with a lopsided grin on her face.

"Bella…" He said her name warily.

Her smile grew and she half stumbled toward him. Oh, Merlin. She's drunk. Bellatrix slid herself into his lap and he immediately stiffened. His suspicions about her were correct. He could smell the alcohol.

She placed her arms around his neck and snuggled into his chest. "You were all I ever wanted, you know?" Voldemort kept his body still and his face unreadable. She looked up at him, trying to read his emotions, "Why don't you ever hold me, my lord? Why don't you ever kiss me?" She reached up and brushed her fingers along his lips. "You could have me whenever, my lord. I would give myself to you, my soul, my life for you." The Dark Lord sat motionless. A glint of anger appeared, "Fine, I'll prove my devotion!" And in one swift motion she laid her lips on his.

The next thing happened so fast. Bellatrix was on her knees, screaming as her figure caught fire. Voldemort watched with an anger induced numbness as her skin melted away like wax.

Voldemort heard a shout from the doorway and turned his cold, dead, ruby eyes on Rudolphus Lestrange running toward his wife. Before he reached her, he too, burst into flames. After a few minutes the couple had burned away to nothing but ash and charred bone.

The Dark Lord smiled, manically, until a smell he recognized, caught his nose and led him down the stairs to the Entrance Hall.

XXX

Severus Snape had seen his master leave early and had had an argument with himself over whether or not he should give the man some company. It was obvious that he missed Potter.

The Potions Master was standing in the Entrance Hall trying to figure out where he should start his search, when Voldemort appeared at the top of the stairs.

Snape opened his mouth to say something and then closed it once he realized that his words would fall on deaf ears. Voldemort's eyes were dead and empty. No shred of humanity left in him.

The now crazed Dark Lord began to take one step after the other, descending the stairs and kept his emotionless eyes trained on Severus all the while. Soon, he was right in front of the Professor, who fought the urge to turn and run. Snape's eyes widened when his master buried his face in his robes, sniffing him.

My robes must smell like Potter, Severus thought. That would seem most likely because, before Snape had left his chambers to attend the party, he had placed his outer robes on "Potter's Chair." It made sense that Potter's scent had attached to them.

What if I hadn't put my robes there, would I be dead now? Severus mentally shook himself. Now was not the time to be brooding, he had to figure a way out of this.

At that moment Lucius Malfoy arrived at the top of the stairs. Severus thought that he might have used the study's fireplace instead of the Entrance Hall's, like himself.

Snape suddenly realized that something was amiss. You could only tell one Malfoy Mask from another if you knew them well and the mask Lucius now wore was one that he used to cover up the emotion of fear. There was something in the Study that should not be there…

Using legimancy, Voldemort's right-hand man asked Severus what he should do.

"Go find Potter."

"Where is he?" Lucius' brow furrowed.

"Black, Lupin, and Potter are staying with the Weasleys' for Christmas."

Malfoy Sr. nodded and, with a sweep of his robes, was gone.

Snape looked down at his master still trying to get as much of the scent into him as possible.

Hurry, Lucius.

XXX

Harry was awakened by someone shaking his shoulder very vigorously.

"Hmm?" Harry mumbled turning over on the living room floor to look at his attacker. It was Bill.

"Lucius Malfoy is here to see you."

"What?!"

"Come on, into the kitchen so we don't wake the others."

Harry looked around him at the other sleeping forms. Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Fred, and George. He got up and walked into the kitchen. Charlie, Bill, Remus, Sirius, Malfoy Sr., and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley stood there.

"What is it?" Harry asked, yawning.

"Mr. Malfoy here says that there is an emergency at You-Know-Who's Manor." Mr. Weasley said with a scowl.

Lucius glared at him, then turned to Harry. "Potter, you must come now. The Dark Lord and Severus are in danger."

Harry's eyes widened, but he said, "let's go."

Before he could take another step a dark form was in front of him.

"It could be a trap." Sirius said with bared teeth.

Harry glared at Sirius, "I trust him. He has no reason to lead me to danger. Now let me pass."

But Sirius held his shoulders. "Let me come with you, just in case."

Harry was about to say something but was interrupted by Lucius, "That, Black, would prove most hazardous to your health."

Sirius spun around to confront him, "Is that a threat?"

Lucius met his eyes calmly, but he looked more pale them usual. "No," He whispered, "It's a promise." Then, he too, spun around and left out the back door. Harry had finally gotten his shoes on and ran after him.

"What's going on?" Harry panted as they walked toward the apparation point.

"Something is wrong with the Dark Lord. Do you feel anything?"

Harry tried to focus on the bond, it came up empty, like there was no Tom on the other end.

"No, I can't."

Lucius grabbed Harry's arm and they apparated to Voldemort's manor and trudged through the snow to the steps.

When he entered into the Entrance Hall he saw a sight that stopped him in his tracks. Tom was smelling his Potions Professor!

He was confused for a moment until Voldemort looked up and those empty eyes met his.

"Tom?" He asked, it nearly came out in a whimper.

Voldemort stepped away from Snape and strode towards him. Harry fought the urge to take a step back, to put as much space as possible between him and this…possessed man and himself. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Snape and Lucius slip out the door. Cowards. But he let Voldemort kiss him in an aggressive manner while one arm held him close to the other man's body and the other hand cradled his head. He felt a sudden rush of warmth through the bond and the emotions of lust and love hit him simultaneously. Tom was back. A soon as Harry realized this he moaned and heard an answering growl in return.

Tom pulled away and Harry looked into smiling eyes, warmer eyes.

"Oh, how I have missed you." He whispered.

Harry shivered and replied, "Missed you more."

Tom laughed and picked him up. "Come, we shall spend this night together."

Harry smiled, whatever had happened to his Tom was gone now, they could talk about it later.

They went up to their room for a long over-due night of passion.

XXX

Now, go back and read the end part of chapter sixteen. If you forgot...