Ok so on to chapter two, I'm glad you guys are liking it I know there are tons of creature fics out there and admittedly not all of them are good so, thank you guys so much for hanging on with me on this one. If you have to drop off because its weird or not your cup of tea don't worry I won't be insulted unless you send me insulting emails. Every once in a while I get the urge to write a story like this that has a creature theme it doesn't mean I'm going to put a knife to your throat and make you read it! Any way mini message written, I'll post the chapter now, let me know what you think!
WARNINGS
CREATURE INHERITANCE AND FORCED CHANGE
CREATURES WILL HAVE MATES
CREATURES WILL AT TIMES HAVE MENTALITIES OF CREATURES
HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIP (BUT NOTHING TOO SEXUAL..IT JUST GETS STEAMY)
IF YOU DON'T LIKE, DON'T READ, I DON'T NEED TO HEAR ABOUT IT
FORGIVE SPELLING AND GRAMMAR ERRORS-(ITS THREE IN THE BLOODY MORNING AND I CAN'T SPELL PAST MIDNIGHT)
BLOOD AND CORE- MOSTLY JUST MATES HUNTING FOR EACH OTHER BUT A BIT OF GORE AT THE START
SEVERUS EATS ANIMAL HEARTS- LITERALLY (JUST SKIP THAT PART IF IT MAKES YOU SQUEAMISH IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME)
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Well, I hope that warns you well enough, if you have questions send me a message if not, I hope you enjoy it!
REVIEW PLEASE!
Mistress Slytheirn
Chapter 2
Draco let out a hiss as Severus tried to calm him gray eyes flashing. "That utter bastard!" Draco growled.
"Draco-"
"No Uncle Sev you don't understand Potter could have escaped! He was the one they were after! But he sent me instead I couldn't even stop him!" He growled in frustration. The worst part of it was that he didn't know if he could tell his godfather about what he'd seen.
"Draco there is-"
"He's a submissive!" Draco hissed spinning on his godfather. The dour potions master paled.
"He's what?" He growled going rigid.
"That's why he sent me- he, I don't know what happened and I promised I wouldn't tell but something changed him over the summer, he isn't human any more! He sent me because he sensed I was in danger and he got all maternal and-and I don't know it was really confusing but he sent me Uncle Sev! To keep me safe! I can't lose him!" He sobbed.
Severus Snape stared at his godson for a long moment before turning sharply.
"Stay." He ordered his eyes flashing the pupils growing long and catlike.
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Harry felt numb. There was so much blood…so much blood…he worked silently a grim line on his lips as he held his hand over a first year's arm and watched the flesh knit back together. He knew that the others were too shocked to notice that he had long since stopped using spells. He didn't know enough spells to heal all of the different injuries he was facing, but whatever creature he was he knew how to heal them by instinct, so that was what he did. He sat on the floor beside the first year that was trembling from shock his eyes wide and unseeing very much like the eyes of the poor girl who had been crushed only feet away.
They hadn't gotten to the bodies yet.
"Potter the healers are here." Someone said tiredly.
"The ministry is sending transport too." Matthews said as he stood. Harry nodded. Somehow he had become a leader again.
"Gather the first years up and have them go first, then the second years and so on. Have the sixth and seventh year students help organize everything. Prefects and head boys and girls should begin making lists of the survivors." He said blankly.
So much blood.
"Send prefects with the first years, have them get everyone settled in, check for injuries, ask Pomfrey for calming droughts and dreamless sleep." He said before reaching down and carefully lifting the trembling boy into his arms. "Get him to Hogwarts, tell the headmaster that these children need their parents, tell him if he has a problem with that I might just blow his office up again." Harry said humorlessly. Matthews nodded and carefully accepted the boy.
"Anything else?" The boy said frowing.
"He needs a blood replenisher." Harry said vaguely. "I'll keep working here." He said nodding vaguely.
"Right, be careful." Matthews said carrying the boy off. Harry sighed and looked down at his hands.
Blood…so much blood.
He spelled them clean before turning to another young girl who had a piece of splintered wood in her arm. She'd passed out from the pain long ago thankfully. He began working quietly until a healer arrived and asked him to step aside. Harry stood shakily and stepped back catching sight of the hole made by one of the explosions. He wandered closer to it and swayed, they were on a bridge, so high up, he could just fall…and keep falling…into the trees below, a valley forgotten by time…he could be forgotten…
A hand snatched the back of his robes.
"Don't even think about it." Harry froze at the sound and turned slowly. His blood was suddenly rushing through him making him feel dizzy. Dark eyes were narrowed at him and he could see the faint cat like pupil beyond a glamour. Snape wasn't human.
Snape was safe.
He let out a sound of distress and Snape growled lowly before yanking him back from the edge of the cart and pulling him flush against him. Harry shuddered and tears began to pour from his eyes sobs escaping him as he hammered helplessly at the man's chest.
Why? Why? Why? Why?
Snape let out a grumbling sound and settled his hand on the back of Harry's head.
"I know." He whispered. "I know."
But Harry didn't, he didn't know why this was happening to him or why those children had been hurt, it didn't make sense and all he could smell and taste and see was blood and fear and agony. No one bothered them for a good long while and Harry was glad. He wept openly for those children who hadn't even made it to Hogwarts. He wept because he could remember the enchantment that he'd felt during his first journey to Hogwarts- Merlin they hadn't even gotten to see the castle all lit up at night or to hear Hagrid crying out 'firs years!' with his swinging lantern and fuzzy brown beard. And all of it while Harry was hiding away like a coward! He calmed slowly too exhausted for more tears and to void to muster up the emotion needed to create them. Awkwardly he pushed out of Snape's arms and turned away. It had felt too good, Snape wasn't supposed to feel that good or that safe. He cleared his throat. A part of him knew that something had changed between them, try as he might he didn't think he would ever be able to hate Snape now.
"Um Potter?" Matthews said dragging his attention to the boy who was shifting nervously.
"Did you check all the compartments?" Harry demanded. Matthews nodded sharply.
"Check again make sure you have every one, use your wand to check and make sure no one was missed because they were hiding." He said softly. "Check the loo as well, and the baggage cart." He said softly. Matthews nodded before darting off.
"Potter we should return it isn't safe here." Snape said quietly.
"Bullocks." Harry said before wincing at his tone and the slight darkening in the man's eyes. "Sorry, I just, I can't leave, not until I'm sure they're all safe." He said shaking his head. Snape's lips thinned and his eyes narrowed making something squirm inside Harry's stomach.
"You can and you will return to Hogwarts this instant." Snape said coldly. "You are under no obligation here and these children are not your children. Draco however-"
Harry turned sharply his eyes widening.
"-needs to know that you are safe." Snape said calmly. Harry wanted to argue, wanted to scream and cry and demand that he be allowed to stay. But he couldn't. The words wouldn't come out of his mouth. Instead a distressed noise escaped him. "Come Potter." Snape said with a nod. Harry found himself following without argument his hand reaching out and grasping Snape's sleeve without his understanding of why.
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Malfoy's first response was to try to punch him, unfortunately his hand stopped an inch from Harry's face and instead he curled into Harry and began crying helplessly. Harry held the blond and sank into the couch at Snape's demanding glare. "Stay here, I must attend to the others." Snape said calmly before striding out. Harry sighed and held Malfoy until the boy cried himself to sleep before fatigue claimed him as well and he drifted into a nightmare driven world.
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"You know it isn't very often that I find myself truly fearful of a threat from one of my students." Dumbledore mused breaking the silence of the infirmary. Harry had felt the man come in but up until now Dumbledore had been silent. Harry stared at Ron's pale sleeping form. There were times when he wanted to get up and slap Ron until he woke just to prove to himself that the boy was alive. Instead he contented himself with counting the steady rise and fall of Ron's chest.
"Harry?" The headmaster said softly when Harry didn't acknowledge him. "Lemon drop Harry?" He offered after another moment stretched silently between them. Harry accepted automatically and popped the candy into his mouth chewing for a moment before a thought came to mind. Candy…sweets…he turned slowly and stared up at the headmaster. Blue eyes met his gravely. "I'm so sorry that this has happened to you Harry." The headmaster said wearily. "Why ever did you keep this hidden?" He asked softly though his eyes were hard. Harry felt his eyes drop and recognized that there was perhaps another reason that people were intimidated by the headmaster's presence- he was a dominant creature.
"What am I?" Harry pleaded. The headmaster sighed sadly.
"Come with me Harry, I'm afraid this conversation is one that should be had in private." He said with a slow nod. Harry was reluctant to leave Ron but even more reluctant to ignore the headmaster. He followed the man out the doors and through the solemn silent halls. "It was a very brave thing for you to do Harry, to stare down even a formidable Auror like Kingsley and take charge of a desperate situation." The headmaster said breaking the silence between them. "Most of those children would have died if not for you." He added with a nod.
"I couldn't just leave them." Harry said softly. His hands twitched and the memory of blood soaking them flashed before his eyes.
"Oh but you could have, you could have accepted that portkey and come to safety, no one would have blamed you, but you didn't, instead you stood up despite your fears and faced the brutal reality that is war." The headmaster said grimly. "I'm so sorry Harry that you had to face that reality." He said quietly. Harry felt a whimper pass his lips before he could stop it.
"Blood, I can see their blood." Harry whispered. "I can feel their bones, crushed under my finger tips-" He choked. Dumbledore turned then and gathered Harry into his arms.
"Oh my dear boy I'm so sorry, so sorry." He whispered quietly his arms tight. Dumbledore felt safe and warm, comforting and calming but Harry's blood didn't rush the way it did when Snape had held him. Odd. Oh well. He accepted the comfort and for a while they stayed that way before eventually the headmaster pulled away and settled an arm around his shoulders guiding him the last few steps to the gargoyle who leapt aside as they approached.
"Do you have cake?" Harry asked cautiously as they stepped onto the moving staircase.
"As much as you can eat Harry." The older man said with a wink. Harry sighed as they stepped through the door and the headmaster pulled away so that he could seat himself behind his desk. "Now-" He said clapping his hands. Harry felt his eyes grow wide as an entire tray of small dome shaped frosting covered cakes appeared along with a set of tea. "Be seated, I'm afraid this conversation will be a long one." The headmaster said grimly as he poured the tea. "Tell me everything from the beginning Harry, don't leave anything out." The man said gravely as he handed Harry his cup.
And so, armed with good strong tea and an entire platter of cakes, Harry told his story from the beginning.
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"I see." The headmaster said tiredly as Harry reached the end of his eventful summer. The headmaster looked older than Harry could ever remember him being. "This complicates things." The headmaster said softly. Harry frowned. There was something…off about the way the headmaster had said that. He shook it away; this was the headmaster after all.
"You promised not to keep me in the dark any more." Harry said shifting uneasily.
"What exactly am I?" He asked almost afraid to know.
"If I am correct in my assumptions you are many things Harry." The headmaster said gravely. "The man who changed you was a man named Theodore Ault, he was in his time one of Grindelwald's most prized alchemists. You see like Voldemort Grindelwald had visions of immortality he had men like Theodore working for him in order to achieve that goal. Men that mixed blood that aught not be mixed and played with darker magics than should ever even be contemplated." Harry was mildly annoyed at the headmaster's beating around the bush.
"He called me his demon." Harry said mildly annoyed.
"Then you must be part demon." The headmaster said grimly. "And part vela if Mister Malfoy's response to you is anything to go by, part Draken as well, you might just be a cocktail mixture of a hundred creatures, we could test your blood to find out exactly what you are but I know from experience that we will find a different result every time we run the tests, the fact is Harry that your blood has been mixed with so many things that it has become it's own race." The headmaster said gently. "Any one with creature blood will be able to sense it and will act accordingly, I'm afraid things will get interesting from here on out." He said smiling faintly. Harry frowned.
"It will?" Harry asked cocking his head to the side.
"You've seen it already haven't you? You have an effect on people; even the Weasley family has come to see you as a part of their family due to the changes in you."
"The Weasley's?" Harry said shocked.
"There isn't a pure blooded family out there that hasn't mixed somehow or in some way with creature blood Harry." The headmaster said with a nod. "Some would like to hide it, others are unaware of it, but no blood is truly pure." Harry nodded slowly.
"So you don't know?" He said softly. He appreciated the headmaster's efforts to tell him gently but it was getting annoying. The headmaster nodded gravely.
"I know that you are most likely similar to myself however, to figure out what you are would require Mister Theodore's notes and he had destroyed any evidence of the sort through a spell that was activated by his death." He said frowning deeply. Harry looked away. He could still remember that night, the tearing ache in his chest, those last moments.
I'm sorry…so sorry…
"So…why do I crave sugar?" Harry said taking another bite of his cake. "I never liked sweets as much as I do now." He said frowning.
"Your body needs a high amount of energy in order to function properly, since it wasn't made in a natural way it burns through fat, carbohydrates, and sugar at easily three times the rate of a normal human. The fastest way to getting the energy it needs is through a direct source of sugar, without it your moods will become unstable." He said his eyes twinkling. Harry winced.
"Er, yeah the crying and getting waspish…" He muttered sheepishly.
"Not all of that is simply your need for sugar though Harry." The headmaster said gravely. "Theodore wanted to make you his mate, but you were already tied to someone else however unwittingly." He said eyeing Harry solemnly. Harry felt himself pale. "You need your mate; with out him you will steadily become more and more desolate." Harry looked away.
"What about you?" He sulked. "What about your mate?" He asked. The headmaster was silent for a long moment and Harry looked up shocked to find a tear slipping down the man's cheek.
"To be without your mate Harry, is a fate I would never wish upon anyone. There is a hallow ache in my chest that no joy can ever fill, the only reason I'm alive is my own stubborn determination and even that will wither eventually." He said his eyes falling shut.
"I'm sorry sir." Harry said alarmed.
"I know you didn't mean anything by it Harry." The headmaster said kindly. "Ahem, now, we need to discuss a few safety issues. Now that you have creature inheritance in you I'm afraid I must warn you that like mister Malfoy people will be attracted to you, drawn in by the pheromones you unwittingly release. Until you find your mate I'm afraid things may get a bit difficult for you." He said causing Harry to blush brightly. "Ronald will undoubtedly protect you as will young Ginerva, they feel a familial bond towards you rather than finding themselves drawn towards you in a romantic way. However, aside from them and most probably young mister Malfoy I'm afraid you will have little protection. I will of course alert the staff discretely, it isn't the first time we've had someone with creature blood to look after, I find that it makes the school year all the more eventful." The man said cheerily. Harry eyed the man uneasily.
"But headmaster, if Voldemort finds out…"
"That is no longer an issue you need to worry about Harry, this war is no longer your problem." He said solidly. Harry stared at him stunned.
"What?" He said softly.
"You must be guarded Harry, protected now more than ever and I would be placing you directly in the line of danger if I let you involve yourself any further." The man said shaking his head. Harry stared at him numbly.
"So…because I'm a submissive you think I can't fight?" He said becoming angry.
"No, don't misunderstand me Harry. You should have never been involved in this war in the first place; it isn't a place for children." The man said shaking his head. Harry felt his fists clench and begin to tremble.
"Headmaster, you weren't there, when the train was attacked children were the ones that stood up and fought. Children were the ones that suffered!" Dumbledore let out a low growl startling Harry into silence.
"Don't you think I know that?" The headmaster said softly the anger and pain evident in his eyes. "I regret that my students were ever brought into this! My children-" he choked and took a deep breath. Harry frowned. "I won't involve you any more Harry and that is final." He said solidly. Harry clenched his teeth and let out a growl of anger and discontent. "Harry." The man said sharply. Harry felt the growl die in his throat.
"So what now?" Harry said bitterly. "The boy who lived was a fraud from the start? Sirius died for nothing? What about Cedric? Or those first years on the train? I can't fight for them because my blood is different? Because I'm not normal any more?" He asked tears of frustration rolling down his cheeks.
"Harry even if you come to hate me for this I cannot allow it, if you want to help then you must find a better way, a safer way." The headmaster said firmly. Harry growled and struggled for a moment before giving way to his temper and letting out a snarl as he stood his magic reaching out and causing the mirror on the far wall to crack. "Control yourself Harry Potter." The headmaster said narrowing his eyes as his magic reached out around them snuffing his out with only his will. Harry felt a sob rip from him.
"This doesn't make any sense!" He howled. "I've been told to fight Voldemort ever since I was eleven! That's all I know! Fight Voldemort, kill him before he kills me is all I know!" He said weeping freely. "What the hell am I supposed to be without that?" He begged. The headmaster had no answer for him and Harry felt the silence as it weighed heavily between them. Harry bit his lip and did the only thing he could think to do- he turned and ran. The door slammed behind him in finality and Harry couldn't fight the tears that coursed down his cheeks as he stumbled from the gargoyle leaning against the stone wall for support as he panted and wept.
"Potter?" Malfoy's voice was soft and hesitant. Harry tried to wipe away the tears but couldn't stop the fresh ones from coming. "Hey…come here." Malfoy said tugging him gently but insistently until he turned and leaned into the protective embrace. "Hush now, hush…" Malfoy comforted. Harry felt his tears start up again. "What is it Harry? You smell like fear…the headmaster didn't hurt you did he?" Malfoy demanded ending in a hiss. Harry struggled to calm down and shook his head.
"He told me he doesn't want me in the war any more." Harry said trembling. Malfoy frowned.
"And that's a bad thing?" He said causing Harry to pull away furiously. Malfoy winced. "Don't get me wrong Potter I've seen you fight I know you can, I'm not doubting that you can, but this way won't you be safer? Without having to worry about saving everyone?" He said slowly. Harry bit his lip. Malfoy was right, Harry knew he was right. "What's really wrong Potter?" Malfoy said suspiciously. Harry looked away. "Potter." He said his voice hardening.
"The only reason the headmaster cared was because I was the 'chosen one' you don't see him treating other students the way he treats me do you?" Harry blurted. "The only reason anyone cared was because they thought I could save them, without that I'm nothing, nobody! They'll hate me, ignore me bully me and I'll be alone again." Harry said clenching his fists as tears filled his eyes and dripped down his cheeks. Draco was silent for a long moment.
"I'll care." He said in a small voice. "And Weasley-er, Ronald will care, and the Weaslett…people don't just stop caring Potter." Malfoy said reaching up and brushing his tears away. Harry sniffled.
"You care?" Harry said hardly daring to hope.
"No matter what." Malfoy said determined. "Come on, Uncle Sev was looking for you." Malfoy said grasping his hand gently.
"This is so fucked up." Harry mumbled sulkily. "I'm acting like a girl!" He said darkly. Malfoy snorted.
"No more than usual Potty." He fake sneered. Harry snorted and bumped Malfoy's side playfully.
"Jerk" He said smiling faintly. Malfoy smirked and led him through the hallways.
"I heard that you were pretty amazing after I left." Malfoy said idly. Harry flushed. "The whole school is talking about how you stood up to Kingsley and threatened Dumbledore." He said smirking. Harry blushed deeper.
"S' not my fault, Dumbledore sometimes forgets what it means to be human and Kingsley was going to let those first years die because he didn't want us to see how bad it was, someone had to say something." He grumped.
"Mmm but I'm proud though." Malfoy said. "You stood up to two very powerful wizards and they listened to you." He said as they arrived in front of Snape's private office. Harry's face turned beet red. "Even if it was far too dangerous for you to have stayed." Malfoy said pointedly. "And I think I'd have to curse you to hell and back if you ever thought of doing it again." He added as he knocked roughly on the door. Harry pouted.
"What was the point of saying that you were proud if you were just going to get mad at me?" Harry demanded. The door opened and Harry felt his heart stop in his throat.
"To make a point." Snape said. "Come in, there is much that needs to be discussed." He said grimly. Harry ducked his head and entered the room feeling oddly out of place. He'd been in these rooms before, had yelled at Snape, cried in front of Snape- but it was completely different now. He didn't know how or what it was but he was suddenly interested by every little facet of the room, every detail even the weird floating creatures. "Draco there is no reason for you to be here, I'm not about to hurt him." Snape said quietly. Harry turned to find Malfoy glaring at Snape. The tension made him uneasy.
"Forgive me if I don't believe that, you have a record of hurting him if you recall." The blond said dangerously. Snape sneered.
"You know why I brought him here Draco and you know I would never hurt him." Snape said warningly. Harry glanced between them and fiddled with the hem of his shirt.
"It doesn't mean anything I'll stay until I'm sure he's safe." Malfoy said with a lift of his chin. Snape growled loudly.
"You're really pushing for a punishment Draco." He growled. Harry bit his lip and his eyes darted between them. A soft whine fell past his lips before he could help it and two sets of eyes turned to him in alarm.
"Just stop this Uncle Sev. He's had a rough day already." Malfoy said reaching out and sliding his fingers through his hair. Harry leaned into the touch and a purr escaped him.
"Draco." Snape said tightly. Malfoy snorted.
"You know I'm not a threat." He said rolling his eyes. Harry blushed as he opened his eyes and watched them. He didn't know what was going on but he was getting tired of the push and pull between the two.
"Potter sit down." Snape said knocking Malfoy's hand away in annoyance before clicking his fingers. Harry perked up as a tray of sweets appeared beside him and a purr left his lips as he grabbed one and nibbled on it sitting down in the cushy chair without argument. "After all the healing you did it's no wonder that your energy levels are depleted." Snape said amused. Harry glanced up and nearly dropped the chocolate he was holding. There was a small barely noticeable smile on the man's lips, a smile that was directed at him. Narrowing his eyes he looked closer at the chocolate frowning.
"Tch, it isn't poisoned Potter." Malfoy said amused. Snape growled.
"As if I would poison my own-" He cut himself off abruptly and Harry frowned. His own what? Student? Most hated child? The son of his enemy? Yet even as he thought them none of them sounded right. He took a thoughtful bite of his chocolate and tried to think of the missing word.
"Mate." Draco supplied crisply. Harry nodded Mate…yes that sounded about right-
The chocolate fell from his fingers and the blood rushed from his face. Cautiously he turned to look at Malfoy.
"That was a joke right?" He said weakly.
"See Uncle Sev?" Malfoy said quirking an eyebrow. "Hard to believe that the man that hated you is your mate hmm?" He said turning to Harry. Harry blinked slowly trying to put logic to the words Malfoy was saying. There was the potions vial, the electric charge he'd gotten the instant he touched it…and the way he'd been seeking out the man since arriving at Hogwarts…and how safe he felt.
"Shit, fuck oh bitch…" Harry said numbly. Malfoy sniggered and Snape looked stunned.
"Well." Snape said clearing his throat. "Suffice to say I don't hate you." The man said wincing at how lame that had sounded.
"You can't be." Harry whispered. "Nononononononononoooooo, you hate me you like to make my life hell you purposefully seek to make every moment in your presence as embarrassing and mentally or emotionally scarring as you can!" He felt like he was choking, like he couldn't breath-
He had to leave. Now.
"Well that went well." Draco said as Potter fled from the room. His godfather's lips were pulled into a thin line and his eyes were dark and angry.
"Get. Out." His godfather ground out. Draco tisked and stood. "Wait." Draco halted a frown on his lips when dark eyes turned towards him narrowed. "You did that on purpose." Snape accused knowingly. "Why?" He demanded. Draco looked away and lifted his chin.
"I have no clue-" But then his godfather's hand was settling on the back of his neck squeezing lightly. Draco struggled for a few seconds but it was a useless battle, his father had been away from him for too long, he felt unsafe, exposed.
"Come here my child." Severus said quietly the anger gone from his voice. Draco cursed the low keen that left him as he sank gratefully into his godfather's arms. "You've had a rough summer haven't you Draco?" He soothed. Draco began to shake, Snape didn't know the half of it, he didn't know about the beating he'd gotten in Diagon ally, he didn't know about the Slytherins on the train. "Draco? Draco!" He was crying, the stress and the shame and the fear of it all finally breaking him down.
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Harry stopped running half way through the school his hands twitching and his eyes flickering from side to side in paranoia. Snape? No it couldn't be…Snape hated him…
"Harry?" Dumbledore's voice reached through the haze of panic and he sank down his entire body trembling.
"Did you know?" he asked in a small voice.
"Did I know what little one?" The headmaster said frowning deeply as he crouched down beside Harry.
"That Snape is my mate?" He whispered eyes wide with fear.
"Ah, no I did not." The headmaster said. Harry looked up at him with incredulous disbelief. The headmaster smiled slightly. "I'm not omniscient Harry." He said chidingly. Harry scowled.
"Whatever." He said burying his face in his arms.
"Harry I know that it may be hard to accept right now, but if Severus is your mate then I must say I can't help but feel relieved. Severus has his faults but he is a good man." The headmaster assured. Harry stared at the man in horror.
"He hates me." Harry said quietly. "My mate hates me." He hissed a distressed keen leaving him.
"Did Severus say that he hates you?" The headmaster said looking at him over the rim of his glasses. Harry snorted.
"He's kinda made it clear." Harry groused.
"Before he knew that you were his mate?" The headmaster said.
"Before I was turned into more of a freak than I already was!" Harry snapped.
"Harry James Potter you are not a freak!" The headmaster said with a slight growl. Harry shrank into himself and began to shake.
"It's too much, too much!" He whispered gripping the sides of his head. "I don't even know who I am any more!" He sobbed.
"You are Harry." The headmaster said softly. "Just Harry, and all that that implies." He said settling a calming hand on Harry's head. "I'm afraid I was too sharp with you earlier Harry, however if I may make myself clear to you, I see you the way you see young mister Malfoy- as a child under my care and protection. Unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you look at it I can no longer watch you walk into danger. Do you understand that?" He said softly. Harry looked up at the headmaster and felt something warm in his chest pushing away some of the stress.
"You aren't going to replace me?" He asked softly. The headmaster smiled faintly.
"I could never replace you my dear boy, you are truly one of a kind." He said gently. Harry frowned.
"Is that your way of saying I'm weird?" He said dryly. The headmaster chuckled.
"My dear Harry tell me has anything remotely normal ever happened to you?" He asked tilting his head to the side. Harry winced.
"Point taken." He said pouting slightly.
"Now, I want you to think of something before you make any more judgments upon Severus' character." He said hushing Harry's protests with a look. "Now, how many times has Severus saved your life since you've known him?" He said tilting his head to the side pointedly. Harry screwed his face up. He hated thinking like that; it made it so much harder to hate Snape.
"A few times I guess." He said scowling.
"So, could you say that you could trust him with your safety?" The headmaster said slyly. Harry looked away scowling.
"I guess." He groused.
"And how does it feel to think that your mate hates you?" The headmaster prodded. Harry shrank into himself and tried to keep the tears at bay.
"Not good." He said gritting his teeth.
"Then how do you think he feels right now?" The headmaster said causing Harry's head to snap up his eyes wide. Could Snape be hurt? He frowned deeply. It bothered him, it really bothered him and he didn't know why but all he could think of was when he'd been in that compartment and Snape had pulled him away. Snape could have let him jump, it wouldn't have been his fault if Harry had killed himself, but Snape wouldn't let him. Snape didn't want to see him hurt, he'd even held Harry through the storm of despair he'd felt. Harry shuddered as he remembered how complete he'd felt then. Like nothing could get to him, as though he never had to worry about anything again.
"Go to him Harry; don't make the same mistake that I made, you can't ignore him, the pull will bring you to him eventually." Harry was already standing his fists clenched at his sides.
"I'm scared." Harry admitted finally. "And I'm so tired of being scared." He said tears falling before he could stop them.
"I am so sorry Harry." The headmaster said brokenly. Harry nodded his head and took a deep breath before biting his bottom lip and walking back towards Snape's quarters. He felt nervous and his head was spinning with all that he was being forced to deal with. It was too much. Malfoy was right; he wanted nothing more than to escape from this war. His breath caught in his throat as he halted before the door to Snape's office, he lifted his hand to knock but hesitated feeling ridiculous for trying to knock on the door given the circumstances. Swallowing thickly he pushed the door open silently and was struck by what he saw. Malfoy was curled up in Snape's lap fast asleep as the man idly stroked his hair staring into the fireplace with a pained expression clearly etched into the lines of his face. Harry took a step forward and watched Snape's nostrils flare his entire body shifting suddenly towards Harry as though he was a ghost he didn't believe was there.
"I just…" He looked away and fidgeted with his hands. "There is so much going on Snape and…" Great he was trembling. "I don't hate you!" He said desperately, "But I don't know what to think of you yet, I keep feeling like-like if I accept this that everything will be great, but I don't know Snape I really don't know because you've done and said some really hateful things to me!" He bit his lip and looked away unable to keep staring at those dark eyes. Snape stared at him for a moment longer.
"You are mine Potter." The man said softly. "I will give you a week to gather your thoughts not because I want to hurt you but because I need you here safe with me. I won't force anything between us, you must understand Potter- no Harry, that things are different now. Whatever resentment I felt towards your father through you holds no weight any longer, not when all that I want to do is hold you safe within my arms. This is new to both of us Harry, but I will do everything in my power to help you adjust." He swore seriously. Harry could hardly breathe, he wanted to cry, he wanted to scream, he wanted to run up and down the hallways laughing out loud for joy, and he wanted to curl up somewhere and hide for the rest of his life.
He settled for nodding a small sound escaping his throat.
Snape's face softened impossibly and Harry wasn't sure whether he should have run or not. He wasn't used to that Snape it was disconcerting.
"Good now sit down and tell me why Draco is in such a state of distress." Snape said his lips pulled into a thin line. Harry frowned and turned his attention to Draco who was shuddering slightly where he lay sleeping.
"I don't know if I should.." Snape growled and he winced. Harry nodded slowly and watched as Malfoy's eyes cracked open his expression torn.
"Potter…I-can you?" Harry was across the space in an instant sliding in next to Snape and allowing Malfoy to settle across their legs. Harry's breath caught in his throat when Snape's arm came around him and settled across his shoulders a firm protective weight. It felt too good to be true, it was almost painful to have something he wanted so much so close without being able to trust it.
"P-Harry can you tell me what happened?" Snape said firmly. Harry frowned and nodded before telling their story from the beginning. By the end of it Malfoy was trembling and Harry was rocking him letting out small keening sounds. Snape's arm tightened around him and his hand settled on the back of Malfoy's neck causing him to relax. "You did well my little mate." Snape growled. Harry flushed and glanced up noticing that Snape's eyes were dark and slit like a cats a small grim line on his lips. The man was tense as though wanting to jump up and destroy something.
"He was brilliant until he got all heroic." Malfoy said scowling slightly at Harry who sniffed.
"The portkey could only take one, there's no way I was going to leave my child behind." He said growling slightly.
"Leave him be Draco he was following his instincts." Snape said quietly. Draco scowled at the lack of support.
"Say that when you see the way he reacts to the Weasel." Draco said darkly. Dark eyes cracked open from where they had slipped shut.
"Oh?" He purred. Harry frowned.
"Malfoy shut it; Ron took the cruciatus curse for me he's my best friend!" Harry defended.
"I had to pin you to the floor to keep you from running after those death eaters!" Malfoy hissed in annoyance.
"He was hurt!" Harry growled. "He took care of me after the change even when it meant fighting with Hermione!" He said looking away. It still hurt to think of Hermione, she was currently refusing to talk to him at all; apparently she blamed Ron's state on Harry.
"Enough both of you." Snape said with a note of finality in his voice that silenced them immediately. "I'll need to speak to mister Weasley; I can't have him challenging my claim." He said darkly.
"Your claim?" Harry said frowning. Dark eyes turned towards him.
"You are a very powerful and attractive wizard Harry even if I lay claim to you as your mate there will be those who will try to take you away from me." He said with a slight growl. Harry blushed brightly stared at Snape in stunned silence. "What?" The man snapped. Harry blushed and ducked his head.
"What Potter is trying to say is that you've never said a kind word in his direction before uncle Sev, it's going to take him some getting used to." Malfoy said smirking slightly at Harry's expense. Snape blinked and then blinked again before letting out a sigh.
"Potter what I'm about to do may alarm you." He said dryly. Harry's eyes widened as Snape suddenly leaned forward and nuzzled his neck. Harry felt a whimper fall past his lips as he tilted his head to the side allowing his mate more access. Snape purred in contentment before licking his pulse point laving it gently before pressing his lips to the spot and suckling lightly. "Mine, my mate." The man growled. "Beautiful mate." The man whispered. "Mine." He hissed nipping on the sensitive skin. Harry gasped and another embarrassing sound escaped him. It felt so right. His earlier doubts were washed away and he hummed lightly nuzzling his mate's cheek and inhaling his scent. His mate let out a content grumble before pulling back. Harry was startled by the difference. Snape looked younger his face smooth and pale his eyes glittering.
"Wha?"
"Your glamour fell uncle Sev" Malfoy supplied looking for all the world as though nothing unusual had happened. Snape pulled away reluctantly and Harry stared at him for a long moment.
"You…you…" Harry sputtered a flush spreading across his cheeks. Snape's lips twitched and curled at the corners.
"Mine." He stated smugly. Harry continued to stare at him.
"I think you broke him." Malfoy said sniggering. Harry shook his head slowly, his mind was on overdrive and his heart was pounding, those brief touches, it was as though Snape had control over him completely. The man could calm him in an instant if he so chose-
-the man could break him and he wouldn't be able to stop it from happening.
Harry was suddenly struck by how insane it was.
"No, no don't fear me Harry." His mate said suddenly in alarm. Malfoy reached out and wound his arms around him making him swallow thickly.
"He won't hurt you Potter, I should have never challenged him like I did earlier I was just- I couldn't lose him too or you, I just can't!" He said tensely. Harry felt a growl leave him as he felt his child's fear and he pulled Malfoy closer letting out small whimpering sounds. What was all this? His child his mate? And it felt right, horrifyingly right and dangerous and safe all at the same time. His head was spinning until a warm hand settled on the back of his neck and a wave of calm poured over him. It made him want to cry, it was too much all of it and he was all too aware that it could destroy him. The Dursley's hadn't destroyed him, Voldemort hadn't destroyed him, but this…not being human, watching children die, knowing his best friend had been tortured, being forced from his place in the war and Malfoy being hurt…
Snape was suddenly grasping him around the waist and lifting him settling him on his lap. Harry made a protesting keen but then Snape's arms wrapped around him tightly and Harry knew he was in the safest place in the world.
"I will take care of you my mate, please don't despair." Snape said nuzzling his cheek. Harry felt his body shake and burrowed closer his face pressing into the thick robes despite his fears. Couldn't he just…just take what comfort he could? Couldn't he just let it be for once? If he was going to be hurt it would happen even if he fought it right? Gradually he felt himself relaxing his body giving in to Snape's calming aura and falling lax like melted butter. His eye lids grew heavy and a quiet purr fell past his lips. "Sleep my mate, I will protect you." Snape said gently.
And the worst part was that Harry actually believed him.