Chapter 5:
Vanished!
"Unca Gord, Unca Forge," Abbey said as she, Fred and George walked down the streets of Diagon Alley. "I miss Papa."
"Where is he?" Fred asked.
"At home," Abbey replied. "I wanna go see him."
"Well, maybe we can–" Fred started to say, but was cut off by George, who glared at him.
"Not make promises we can't keep," George said, casting his twin a meaningful look.
"What do you mean?" Fred asked curiously. "What's going on?"
"Daddy and Papa had a fight," Abbey interjected; unaware of the looks George was giving Fred.
"What happened, sweetie?" Fred asked.
"I dunno," answered Abbey. "I jus' remember Daddy calling me from playin' in my room, and we left."
"Left," Fred asked in surprise. "You mean; you and your Daddy left the Manor grounds?"
"Yep," Abbey answered, receiving shocked looks from both Fred and George.
"Okay, honey," said George as they entered Weasley Wizard Wheezes, and set the little girl on her feet. "Why don't you go along to the back and play?"
Abbey nodded and ran off to the room that her uncles had set aside for her to play in when she visited, and the twins looked at each other warily.
"Did you know about this?" Fred asked.
"No," George replied. "All I know is that mum told me Harry didn't want Malfoy taking her with him while he was away."
"Did she say where he was?"
"No," George answered in an ominous tone. "I don't think she knew."
"This isn't good," Fred murmured. "You know how Harry gets; just disappears… and isn't this the first time he's left the Manor since he defeated You-Know-Who?"
"Yeah," George answered, and headed off to the back room, Fred hot on his heels.
"Damnit!" Draco cursed as he threw another book across the room. He had gone through every book he could think of that involved the use of bonding rings, and found nothing. "How the hell did he do it? Everything was perfect! What went wrong?" Silence was his only answer.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. "What," he called, not looking up from the next book, skimming the text and growling.
The door opened, and then closed quietly.
"What are you doing?"
Draco looked up to see Blaise Zabini looking down at him.
"What are you doing here?" Draco asked angrily.
"I asked you first," answered Blaise coolly as he sat down across from the blond.
"Looking for something," Draco replied non-committedly. "Why didn't the house-elves announce you?"
"Well, for some reason, their scared to death," Blaise answered. "Now, let's see… Oh, yes. They said that you've been yelling and throwing things for nearly three hours, and something about Harry leaving. Is that true?"
Draco scowled and looked out the window.
"Itis, than, isn't it?" Blaise pushed. "Finally lost control of your play thing?"
Draco whirled around, giving the man an icy glare. They stared at each other for a long while, then Draco's shoulders sagged and he sighed heavily. "I don't understand it! How could he just up and walk out? I've looked through everything I could think of, and there's no way he could have left, he couldn't have left the grounds without me. Yet, no one has seen him or Abbey since this morning."
"I don't know, Dray," Blaise said sadly. "But he'll come back."
"I don't think so," Draco murmured. "Look."
"Is that?" Blaise asked when Draco held out his hand, a small, silver and emerald ring resting in his palm.
"Yes," Draco answered. "A bonding ring."
"The Burrow," George called, sticking his head into emerald flames after opening a Floo connection, Fred and Abbey at his side. The kitchen of the Burrow came into view, but it was empty. "Mum? Hermione?" George yelled. "Anybody?"
"Wait!" George heard Molly yell, and sighed in relief when she came bustling around the corner. "Oh, George, is everything all right?" Molly asked, wringing her hands on her apron. "Did Draco show up looking for the girl?"
"No, mum, we're fine," answered George. "We were wondering if you knew where Harry was."
"No," Molly said worry suddenly filling her voice.
"Abbey said that he and Draco had a fight this morning, but she didn't know what it was about. Did you know that he left the Manor grounds?"
"Well, yes," Molly answered. "He dropped Abbey off himself. He didn't say anything about what had happened, just not to let Draco take her."
"And you haven't heard from him at all since?"
"No. Hermione and I tried to get the details, but he brushed us off."
"This isn't good," Fred murmured, and George nodded in agreement.
"What is it, George?" Molly asked.
"Mum, you know how Harry gets, I - I think we should alert the Ministry. Something's not right."
Molly nodded, and George disappeared with a pop.
Harry awoke to find himself back in the bed he had shared with Severus earlier, and was relieved to find that he could move without pain, and that he no longer felt light-headed. "Well, good morning," came Severus' honeyed baritone, and Harry sat bolt up right.
"It's morning?" Harry asked in alarm, looking around in confusion.
"No," Severus murmured, and drew him back down, kissing away his fear. "It's only three o'clock in the afternoon, why?"
Harry allowed himself to relax as the man next to him kissed and caressed his skin lightly, feeling safe and secure in his arms. "I-it's just," he muttered, trying to think clearly through the fog that was now wrapping around his mind like a comfortable blanket. "I - I've never left Abbey alone for this long. Not outside the manor at least."
"You said that she was at the Weasleys, right?" Severus murmured as he planted soft kisses along Harry's neck.
"Yeah," Harry replied, and gasped at the sensations his lover was sending through him.
"Then, I'm sure she'll be fine," he said comfortingly, and returned to his chosen task of pleasuring the young wizard.
"But," Harry protested, trying to sit up. Severus moved with him, and captured him in his arms, preventing his escape.
"Shhh," Severus crooned. "She'll be fine."
"But, Draco could," he started, but paused when he saw the man's onyx eyes flash and he released his hold, moving away. Harry looked at him in hurt confusion.
"Do you love him?" Severus asked; his voice cold and detached.
"What?" Harry asked in bewildered surprise.
"Isaid, 'Do you love him'," Severus said icily.
"No!" Harry exclaimed, outraged that the man before him would think such a thing.
"Then, why is it that you keep bringing him up?" Severus asked; his voice dangerously low.
"Well, if you'd have let me finish what I was saying," Harry said as he stood from the bed and hastily gathered his clothes, glad that the man had bought them up from the study along with his wand. "You'd know!" Harry turned, and had just reached the door when a hand closed over his shoulder, drawing him to a halt. "Let me go!" Harry yelled, and swung at him angrily, trying to dislodge the man's grasp, but the man simply drew him into his arms, holding him close.
"Harry," Severus murmured as the young man flailed in his grasp. "Harry, stop! I'm sorry. Please!" Slowly, the young wizard stopped fighting, his breath coming in shallow gasps. "I'm sorry, Harry. Please, finish what you were going to say."
Harry sighed heavily, and sagged against the man holding him. "All right," he murmured, and allowed Severus to lead him back to the bed. "It's just like I told you earlier," Harry said quietly as he sat down on the bed. "Our first year together was great; he was very understanding, and patient with me, helping me with Abbey whenever I needed it. However, over the last two and a half years, he changed. He's told me that you weren't able to come back, and today… Today was the worst of all."
"How?" Severus asked, sitting next to him.
"H-he told me that I should get on with my life; that I was still young, and we could have a family together. He said that you weren't ever going to come back," Harry cried, and felt Severus wrap his arms around him gently, drawing him closer. "He – he said you were dead!"
"Shhh," Severus crooned. "It's all right, Harry. I'm right here." Severus held Harry protectively while the young wizard cried his relief.
"I don't want him to get Abbey," Harry cried, and Severus stiffened. "H-he said that he didn't want her to be an only child, Sev. I – I told him I didn't want to have another baby."
"And do you?" Severus asked gently.
"Not with that prat!" Harry replied angrily.
Severus smiled in spite of himself.
"Harry," he said gently, and turned the young wizard to face him. "I don't want him to get a hold of Abbey either. She's our daughter, not his. Molly won't let him take her. She's like a lioness when it comes to protecting those in her care, and the same goes for any of the others. She'll be fine. But if it would make you feel any better, we can go back down to the study, and you can use the floo to check on her."
"Really?" Harry asked, not daring to hope, but suddenly uncertainty filled him. "You think that would be such a good idea. I mean everyone's been looking for you, haven't they?"
"Well, yes," Severus confirmed. "But I suppose you can go down to The Three Broomsticks and use theirs."
"No," Harry said firmly. "I'm not leaving you."
Severus looked at him in surprise, taken aback by the finality of his statement.
"W-well," he said after a moment. "I – I guess it might be possible for me to join you… under a glamour."
Harry smiled and shook his head. Severus arched a curious brow, and watched as Harry reached into the pocket of one of the garments he still held. Letting them fall to the floor, Harry stood and shook out the material, revealing an Invisibility Cloak.
"Harry," Severus said in awe. "Where did you get this?"
"Dumbledore gave it to me on my first Christmas at Hogwarts. It was my father's."
"Harry, I can't."
"Yes, you can, Sev," Harry said as he pressed the material into the man's hand. "I'm not leaving without you, and I know that after nearly four years trapped behind that glamour, you aren't too keen on wearing one again so soon. I would rather not floo Molly from here; I don't want to alert anyone to your presence just yet."
Severus nodded and reluctantly took the cloak the young wizard had pushed into his hands. "When do you want to go? Now?"
Harry turned and noticed a Muggle clock on the dresser: 3.30. Looking back to Severus, he shook his head. "I think we can give it an hour or so," he said with a mischievous smile, and moved closer to him. "Now, where were we?"
Severus looked down at the young wizard before him, and watched intently as the bright emerald gems took on the smoky quality of desire. Following Harry's lead, he reached up and caressed the man's cheek, watching as his eyes slowly drifted shut and his lips parted, his breath coming in shallow gasps. "I think," Severus murmured, withdrawing his hand slightly, and tracing his fingers over Harry's succulent lips before caressing his cheek once more. "That we were right – about – here." Severus lowered his head, and claimed Harry's mouth in a hungry kiss.
Harry moaned softly and wrapped his arms around Severus, pulling him with him as he lay down on the bed, opening his mouth eagerly to the man's questing tongue. The heat of passion and desire long unrequited filled him, and he arched his hips into the man.
"Harry!" Severus breathed desperately, his own desire filling him. "If we are to do this, we do it on my terms. I will not hurt you again. Agreed?" Harry murmured incoherently in reply, too busy touching and tasting the only man he had ever wanted, and been parted from for so long. Severus pulled back, drawing the young wizard's attention, and smiled at his pout. "Are we agreed?"
"Sev," Harry whined.
"Are we agreed?"
"Yes!" Harry cried in exasperation. "Now, come here, I want you!"
"Good," Severus murmured breathlessly as he allowed the young wizard to pull him back. "Because I want you, too." He claimed Harry's lips in a passionate kiss, and thrust his hips to meet each of the young man's.
Harry groaned, and then gasped when he felt the man's hand caressing the skin of his buttocks. "Oh, God! Sev, I need you inside me!" Harry cried, near to tears, his need to feel complete was so overwhelming.
"Shhh," Severus crooned, and leaned in close to Harry's ear as he slid his fingers over the young man's opening. "I know, Harry. I know," he murmured, and kissed and sucked on the tender flesh of his neck, eliciting a moan of pleasure as he slipped his finger inside.
Harry moaned and arched his hips as Severus moved his finger within him. "Oh, Merlin!" Harry cried out breathlessly, squeezing his eyes shut and biting his lip.
Severus paused and gazed down at Harry in concern. "I'm not hurting you, am I?"
"No," Harry answered, opening his eyes to meet the man's onyx stare.
"You aren't lying, are you? Keeping something from me?"
"No, Sev," Harry answered softly. "It doesn't hurt, honest. It feels so good, please – don't stop."
Severus watched him for a moment, and seeing no change in the young wizard's gaze that would give him away, he nodded and resumed his self-appointed task. "God, Harry," Severus breathed, feeling the young man's muscles tighten around his slender digit. "You feel so good."
"Mmmhmm," Harry murmured, and began thrusting his hips in time to the movements of Severus' finger. "Oh, Gods!" Harry breathed, closing his eyes. "More, please – it feels so good!"
Severus retracted his finger just enough to ease a second inside the young body beneath him. He closed his eyes and relished the sweet, musical moan of pleasure he elicited upon the intrusion, and took up the slow rhythm of sheathing and re-sheathing them with the addition of a slow, scissoring motion as Harry continued to thrust against his slender digits.
After a few minutes, he gazed down at the younger man beneath him, and was startled to see tears trickling down his cheeks. "Damnit, Harry!" Severus scolded, causing the young man's eyes to snap open. "Itold you to let me know if I hurt you!"
"You're not, Sev," Harry replied in an urgent whisper, looking up into the obsidian eyes he loved so much, never pausing in his thrusts. "I swear."
"Then, why are you crying?" Severus asked; his voice softer now, seeing the clouded emerald eyes of the young wizard staring up at him, filled with love and desperation.
"Merlin, Sev!" Harry exclaimed. "Do you have to ask? Did it never occur to you that it was because I missed this; missed you?" Severus was stunned to silence, and just stared at him. "Please, Sev," Harry whispered breathlessly. "I want more! I'm so close! I want you inside me, please!"
"You're not ready, Harry," Severus murmured, though his cock twitched at the thought of once more filling the younger man's body.
"Sev," Harry whimpered. "Please – give me more."
Severus swallowed dryly, and nodded before slipping another finger within him.
Harry gasped at the sensation of his body being stretched, and arched his back, forcing his hips down, and Severus' fingers to slip deeper within him. "Oh, Gods!" Harry cried, and resumed his rhythm as he caught his breath. "Mmm. Merlin, Sev. That feels so good! I'm so close!"
Severus looked down and noticed that the young wizard's tears had increased and his breath was coming more rapidly than before. Still, it was too soon. He leaned down, taking the younger man in his free arm, and moved in close to his ear. His shift in position applied pressure to the fingers within Harry, and the young wizard gasped, arching up as Severus' fingers firmly grazed his prostate.
"Come for me, Harry," Severus murmured seductively in his ear.
Harry bit his lip and squeezed his eyes shut tight as he shook his head. "No, Sev. Not like this… Please," he gasped. "I want you inside me."
Severus gazed up at the clock on his bedside table and his heart fell, knowing that he wouldn't be able to give him what he wanted – not this time, at least. "You're not ready yet, Harry," murmured Severus, returning his attention to the younger man. "We haven't the time. I don't want to hurt you again, and if I take you now, I surely will. This I can give you, Harry." Severus felt the effects his voice had on the young man when Harry's body started to tremble. Severus bent low to his ear, gently biting and sucking on the lobe.
Harry moaned deep in his throat. "Please,Sev," he pleaded, his body shuddering beyond his control as the man relentlessly teased him, both with the never ceasing movement of his fingers, and now the undeniable torture of the body part weakest – at the moment – to pleasure in his mouth. "I'm so close!"
"Are you sure Harry?" Severus asked, looking at him in concern.
"Yes!" Harry breathed. "Please!" Severus slipped his fingers from the young wizard's body, and he mewled in protest. "Please,Sev."
"All right, Harry," murmured Severus, and rising slightly, he aligned himself with the wonton young man beneath him, taking a moment to slick his penis with some lubrication, and thrust into him gently.
Harry gasped at the intrusion, and gritting his teeth, attempted to prevent his release, at least a little longer. He silently cursed the man for making it so hard on him, but soon all thought left his mind as the older man continued his gentle rhythm. Harry moaned softly and closed his eyes as he wrapped his legs around Severus' slender waist, drawing him deeper. His eyes flew open once more though when he heard a curse escape the man's lips.
"Damned bloody bird!" Severus said angrily, and Harry looked down to see a tawny owl hopping out of the way when he took a swing at it, only to close in and nip at his side. "Can't you see I'm busy? You'll have to wait; I'm not stopping for anything now."
Harry moaned and allowed his eyes to drift closed once more at these words. It didn't matter that they were spoke in anger at a creature separate from him; he relished them anyway. His breath came fast as he met Severus thrust for thrust.
"Gods, Harry," Severus panted. "You so tight!"
"Oh, Sev!" Harry replied. "You feel so good!"
"I can't believe you're so tight, and married to that prat! It just isn't possible. What the hell is wrong with him?" Severus murmured between grunts as he pumped into Harry. "If you were my husband, you'd be on you back all the time."
Harry moaned at the thought and closed his eyes; relishing the mental image Severus had just given him. "You can't really blame him," Harry answered breathlessly.
"And why the hell not?" Severus asked, gazing down at the man beneath him.
"Mmm," Harry moaned and closed his eyes a moment before staring back into the obsidian gems above him. "Because I never let him touch me," Harry admitted.
Severus was stunned, so stunned in fact, that he halted all movement. "Never?"
"Never," Harry confirmed. "I loved you, Severus, and only you. No one else has laid a hand upon me, I wouldn't allow it."
Harry moaned aloud as Severus thrust into him with renewed vigour, spurred back into action by his admission. "I'm yours, Harry," Severus panted in his ear, wrapping his arms around him tightly. "I'm all yours."
Harry tightened his legs around the man, drawing him still closer as he arched his back. "Merlin, Sev!" Harry rasped hoarsely, his throat gone dry. "Oh God," he cried, reaching the precipice of his release. "Come with me, Sev!"
Severus groaned as he felt Harry's body shudder violently, and thrust deep within him as his tight channel clamped down around him, drawing out his own orgasm. Severus lay down atop him, panting for breath and ignoring the wet, sticky cum coating his lover's torso as he felt the younger man's arms envelop him. The owl hooted impatiently, and Severus groaned as he pushed himself up. "Bloody bird."
Harry chuckled tiredly and released him so that he could take the roll of parchment from its leg. "What is it?" Harry asked when Severus moved from the bed and rummaged through the dresser, pulling out a small pouch, and dumping its contents into his hand.
"The evening Prophet," Severus replied, sitting back down and slipping a bronze Knut into the smaller pouch tied to the owl's leg after removing its burden. It hooted once more and flew off out the window. Severus lay back on the bed, and Harry cuddled to him as he opened up the paper.
"You know," Harry murmured before gently taking the man's nipple between his teeth and lapping at it with his tongue, eliciting a groan. "You really should close the windows."
"Well," replied Severus, wrapping his arm around Harry so that he cupped his chin, gently pulling him away. "It's a good thing I didn't."
"Hey, Sev?" Harry asked distractedly. "What happened to your Mark?"
"What?" Severus asked, not sure that he had heard Harry correctly.
"Your mark?" Harry reiterated. "It was on the left arm, wasn't it?"
"What are you talking about?" Severus asked in confusion, and cast the paper aside. "Of course it is!"
"No, Sev," Harry said quietly, looking up into his lover's obsidian eyes. "It's not."
Severus looked at him in surprise and jerked his arm away for a better look. There he found, just as Harry said, no scar or mark of any kind marring his smooth, pale skin. "I-I don't know," Severus murmured, still looking at his arm and gliding his fingers over the skin in disbelief. "The only thing I can think of is… when you healed yourself through me…"
"By transferring my powers to you," Harry muttered, and Severus nodded, dumbfounded. Harry sighed and leaned back against the man, kissing him softly and then closed his eyes, a smile on his face. "Sev?" Harry asked a few moments later. "What was it you were saying?"
"Huh?" Severus asked, drawn from his stupor. "What? Oh. Well, you said something about closing the window."
"Yeah," Harry murmured.
"Well," Severus said and picked up the paper again. Occasionally, glancing to his left forearm to be sure that he was seeing correctly, and the Mark really was gone. "I said that it was a good thing I didn't."
"Why's that?" Harry asked, bringing his hand to his mouth to stifle a yawn as he cuddled closer.
"Well Harry," Severus said with a smirk. "It seems that your adventure today now has the Ministry searching for you."
"What!" Harry cried, sitting up, suddenly feeling wide-awake.
"You made the front page, look!" Severus said, pointing to the article.
It was true; there on the front page was a photograph of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley with Hermione and a bunch of wizards from the Ministry, all looking distraught. Harry looked at the headline and read:
Harry Potter – Vanished!
Harry rolled his eyes and read on:
Harry Potter startled members of the Weasley family this morning when he arrived unannounced, and without a word, left his daughter in their care and departed.
"We're always glad to see Harry," said Molly Weasley, wife of Ministry employee, Arthur Weasley. "We have kept in contact over the years, by owl and Floo, but he had been enjoying his private life and has not, to my knowledge, left the grounds of Malfoy Manor since he married Draco Malfoy over three years ago."
When asked why they thought Harry had shown up and left his daughter with them, Ms. Granger had this to say:
"It's been no secret, at least to those who know him, that Harry and Draco haven't had the best marriage, especially in the past two years. They have had a lot of fights, but none so bad that Harry actually left the grounds."
"Yeah," Ronald Weasley, Arthur's youngest son added. "We all worried about him in school, especially after 6th year. I mean, it's not like we weren't worried about him before, with You-Know-Who always after him, but after sixth year, it was like he'd lost the will to live, that was until he found out that he was going to have a baby."
When asked what he meant by his comments, Mrs. Weasley answered, "We've always worried about Harry when he gets so upset. He has a tendency to just wander off without so much as a hello or how do you do; sometimes he's disappeared for days at a time."
On Molly Weasley's testimony, the Ministry has begun the search for Harry Potter. We do not want to alarm the public, but even though Harry has defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, the Dark Lord still has plenty of Death Eaters out there seeking revenge for their fallen Lord.
"Oh,Shit!" Harry said. "Oh, fuck! I gotta go." He threw the paper aside, and started to hurl himself off the bed, but Severus grabbed him, pulling him close, and kissing him.
"It's all right, Harry," Severus murmured, wrapping his arms around the former Gryffindor. "Please," Severus said softly, and placed a kiss to the young man's temple. "I'll go with you, just like you wanted, but please… wait a while. You've been through a lot today, just rest for a bit."
"Sev," Harry whined, trying to pull from the man's grasp. "They'relooking for me."
"Harry," Severus murmured. "I know, I read it. I don't want to see you get hurt. You haven't had the best of days though; you've gone through a lot in a short time. Please, just rest for a few minutes… a half hour at least, and then I'll go with you. I know you want to let them know that you're all right, and you should, but I know you're exhausted, just a minute ago; you were falling asleep in my arms. I think it would be all right to make them wait a little longer."
Harry sighed heavily in defeat.
"All right," he said grumpily. "A half hour." He lay back against Severus' chest, and the man kissed his brow softly as Harry intertwined the fingers of both their hands.
"Harry?" Severus asked curiously, as he watched the young man link their fingers. "Where's your ring?"
"What?" Harry asked. "Oh, I gave it to Draco," he said as he craned his neck to look up at Severus. He blushed and chuckled. "Well,technically, I guess you could say I threw it at him. You should have seen the look on his face. He was so surprised; I honestly don't know why. I mean, as if I would stay with him after he told me that you weren't coming back because you were dead. He knew how I felt about you, he said so himself."
"Tell me something," said Severus, a puzzled expression on his face.
"Sure. What?"
"Well, I got the article about it, but could you tell me what the ring looked like? It didn't show up too well in the picture."
"Um," Harry said. "Yeah, sure. It had one gold and one silver snake intertwined, both had emeralds for eyes, and there were silver Narcissi interspersed around them, as if they were slithering through a bed of them. Why do you ask?"
"Did Draco ever say how long he'd had it?"
"E-yeah," Harry said, wondering where this was going. "He said it was a family heirloom."
"He said it was a family heirloom! Tell me, was his identical?"
"Well… yeah," Harry said shrugging his shoulders. "So what?"
"So what? Harry," Severus said, sitting up and Harry turned to face him. "If those are the rings I think they are, then Draco wasn't looking at you like that because he was shocked you were leaving, not in the sense you're thinking, anyway."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, looking at him in confusion.
Severus sighed and looked into Harry's emerald eyes as he cradled the younger man's face in his hands. "Harry, those are bonding rings. Did you agree to bond with him?"
"What?" Harry cried, pulling from the man's grasp, his eyes flashing dangerously. "No! Don't tell me we're back to this again."
Severus sighed once more and shook his head. "Of course not, Harry," he said softly and ran his fingers through the young wizard's soft fringe. "Fortunately, young Mister Malfoy didn't do his homework, but still, something about this is strange."
"I – I don't understand," Harry said, shifting closer to the man next to him.
Severus wrapped his arms around him and drew him down with him as he lay back against the headboard, nestling Harry's head beneath his chin. "Well, it seems that Mister Malfoy has performed an illegal bonding."
"But, we didn't bond!" Harry cried. "He asked me, but I said no."
"Hence the term, illegal."
"No," Harry said and scowled. "How could we have been bonded, we didn't have a bonding ceremony! We had a traditional Muggle ceremony!"
"Harry, the bond is made by the rings, not by the type of ceremony you have," Severus explained gently.
"You're kidding, right?" Harry asked. "Then that means…"
"No, Harry," Severus said. "Unfortunately, I'm not; but as I said, Mister Malfoy didn't do his homework. You cannot bond with someone who doesn't agree to it, not anymore. That was done away with because as times changed, so did the laws, and that one was as well, because no one was allowed to keep human slaves."
"S-so what does that mean?"
"It means that we're lucky that Mister Malfoy didn't do his homework. Because the bonding was illegal, the binding magic wasn't as strong as it would have been under a normal bonding."
"Well, that's good then," muttered Harry. "But you said there was something strange about it, what do you mean?"
"Yes, there is something strange about it," Severus said. "I have never seen it happen before… even though the magic of the bond wasn't as strong as it should have been, you still shouldn't have been able to turn his advances away."
"What are you talking about?"
"Well, I mean that if he wanted you, he could have taken you at any time. I doubt very seriously that he could stand to politely bide his time with you for long; Malfoy's aren't known for their patience. That's the strange part. Did you feel different after the ceremony, any different at all? Perhaps maybe, that you were under some kind of spell?"
Harry wrinkled his brow and shook his head as he thought back. "No, well, at first I did, when he put the ring on my finger, but then it just… went away."
"And you haven't felt that feeling again, not even when you turned him away?"
"No, why?"
"I think we should both be grateful of that, Harry. I don't know exactly how but it seems like you nullified the bonding magic that would have been present, even in an illegal bond. Did you have any trouble removing it?"
"Yeah, just a little."
"Hmmm," Severus mumbled and nodded slowly. "This is strange indeed."
"How so?" Harry asked.
"Well, I'm not sure, but it sounds like you somehow managed, however unconsciously, to bind the magic left from the illegal bond to the ring itself. Honestly," Severus said quietly. "That's unheard of. I don't think Draco looked at you in surprise that you were leaving, but that you were able to leave at all, let alone remove the ring. Even in an illegal bond, the bonded party can't travel over great distance without the other. Most times, couples choose this option because of the added close connection with the one they love, and the reason that the Ministry changed the law to prevent bonds in which both parties didn't agree. In essence, the secondary in the bond would have been enslaved."
"So, I'm a slave?" Harry cried, sitting up again. "That bastard!"
"No, Harry," Severus said, sitting up beside him and rubbing his back gently, trying to calm him. "That's what I'm trying to tell you and what I can't figure out… You should be, but you're not. Apparently, you've been free from the bond since Draco attempted it. It's just another unknown… like this," Severus said and held out his arm.
"I – I didn't even think it was even possible. I thought I would bare the scar of the Mors mordre for the rest of my life. I – I don't know exactly how you did it, Harry," Severus said quietly. "But thank you."
"Y-you're welcome, Sev," Harry murmured, not knowing what to really say. "Honestly, I don't know how I did it either," he trailed off as a thought occurred to him. He swallowed hard before whispering, "All I know is… that I loved you." Harry snuggled closer, wrapping his arms tightly around the man beneath him. "I-I don't know if I read it somewhere or if someone told me, but I remember something I heard," Harry trailed off a moment, wondering if what he was about to tell the man was true. "Magic holds no power over the human heart."
Pulling Harry more tightly to him, Severus shifted the younger man's legs so that he sat across his lap, and lay back against the headboard once more. "That's true, Harry," he murmured and kissed his temple. "Even if you hadn't been able to bind the magic to the ring, if you didn't love Draco, you wouldn't love him, the binding wouldn't change that. The only thing the spell would have done was give him access to you physically, for you wouldn't have been able to deny him."
Harry was silent, but Severus felt him stiffen, and ran his fingers through his hair and kissed him once more, trying to calm him. "Before the Ministry changed the bonding laws, wizards could enslave their enemies by bonding with them. This was often against the other's will, but no matter the anger felt toward their new 'master', they could not harm them. That part of the bond has never changed. No matter how angry you would have been, or are now, if the bond had worked, even illegally, you wouldn't have been able to avenge yourself if it involved hurting him."