Away From the Sun

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, I'm just a spoony Bard.

Warning! Spoilers for books 1-5. I am going to pretend that anything that happens Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince , witch comes out on July 16 (YEA!) , hasn't happened, so don't kick me if something really cool happens in the book and I make no mention of it.

Warning 2! This is gonna be yaoi, that's boys loving boys, so if you don't like the idea of Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter snogging senseless, don't read, and piss off if ya feel the need to flame me for such.

Chapter Ten

Here By Me

Harry's POV

Number twelve Grimmauld place isn't any better than it was when the Order first started using it as their base of operations. I take that back. It's a lot cleaner now. Dumbledore has Dobby come here over the summer months to help clean. Kreacher had hung himself over the summer and his head was currently on display with the rest of his family. It's weird, I know, but it's what he wanted. And I couldn't not give him what he wanted.

I hope you're doing fine out without me

'Cause I'm not doing so good without you

Snape told me Draco isn't really in Russia like Lucius said they were going to be. Voldemort's been having meetings, there's been another raid. That's two raids in one week. This time it was a muggle town. Hermione's parent's town.

They made it out ok. It took the Order two days to be absolutely positive. Two days where Hermione was doing nothing but pacing and crying in her room here at headquarters.

I'm the only one here right now. Hermione is with her parents, the Weasley's are all at the Burrow where I'll be joining them in a few days, and the rest of the Order have all been assigned to something. I sighed and went back to the book on war strategy that someone had inadvertently left behind during the least Order meeting. I've been doing some research on battle plans for the DA. I think we've come to a point where all the spells in the world won't help us if we can't keep our heads about us to cast them.

The door opened and shut with a crash. I shot to my feet, the book falling to the floor, wand out, and waited.

"Bloody hell." I heard a familiar voice curse. "Where the hell is everyone?"

I recognized the voice and set my wand back on the table next to me. "I'm in here Severus." I sat back down and retrieved my fallen book.

"Potter where is everyone? Weasley, or the mutt?" he looked around the empty room, taking in the lack of chaos around him.

"Everyone's off doing stuff, mostly stuff for the Order." I shrugged. "It's just me here." Then I glared at him. "And stop calling Remus a mutt."

Sn-Severus sneered and sat in the opposite chair. "It doesn't matter; you're the one I was looking for anyway."

"Me?" I furrowed my brow.

"Yes, you." He leaned back and sighed. "Draco says, and I quote, "Tell Harry I love him and I'm okay and I miss him."

"He's okay?" I asked, relieved.

"Yes, he's fine." Severus stood and walked to the rarely used bar in the parlor where we sat. He poured himself a rather large glass of brandy before looking back at me. "Do you want a drink Potter?" he motioned to the shelf decorated with multitudes of whiskeys, bourbons, and other hard liquors.

I blinked. Was he serious? "I'll take a whiskey, no ice." The words slipped out of my mouth before I could even think of stopping myself.

He was serious. He poured me a glass set it in front of me. "What shall we drink to?" he muttered, looking at the glass in his hands as if inspecting the quality of the liquor, who knows, maybe he was.

I thought for a moment, what to toast to? Then it hit me. "To absent friends." I told him. He shot me an unreadable look and raised his glass with me.

"To absent friends." He answered, taking a sip from his glass. I watched him as I drank, the first sip going down like fire, the second one smoothing it out but still leaving a gentle burning in my throat.

Severus didn't say anything for a long time; he sat looking at his glass.

"Is something wrong?" I set down my glass and looked at him.

"Nothing." He snapped his head up. "I was just thinking about something." He turned to me. "Potter, do you mind if I stay around here for a couple days?"

I was shocked. "Um, sure." I suddenly felt a little uneasy, and then I smelled it, and it was way too strong to have come form just the two glasses that had been poured. Snape reeked of liquor.

The things I thought you'd never know about me

Were the things I guess you always understood

"Are you drunk?" I asked incredulously. I was aware that I vaguely sounded like Mrs. Weasley the one time she caught Ron and me drinking over the summer.

Snape looked back at the glass in his hand. "A little." He admitted. "Do you know how I ended up becoming Draco's godfather?" he asked suddenly, changing the subject.

"No." I had a feeling that Severus Snape was a talkative drunk.

"Narcissa named me godfather. It was right after Voldemort killed your parents. Right after I turned spy for the Order. Narcissa caught me trafficking information. I thought I was dead right then and there. But at the next Death Eater meeting when she said she had something important to announce, instead of announcing I was a traitor, she announced that I would be Draco's godfather. Innit something?" He leaned all the way back in his chair. And looked at me.

"I never gave you the credit you deserve Harry. I'm sorry." I blinked. That's only the second time Severus has used my first name. "And I wanted to say thank you."

"For what?" I asked, confused.

"For giving Draco the love he deserves." He noticed my almost still full glass. "You're not drinking fast enough." He pointed out.

"You want me to get drunk with you?" I stared at him.

Snape sighed. "If you must know, tonight is something I usually share with Draco. But he's not here right now. He thinks you're the greatest thing to ever happen to him, so I figured that since he wasn't here, - oh never mind." Snape took another long drink from his glass, draining it. Pouring himself another he turned to me again.

"Unless of course Potter can't hold his liquor." He smirked.

I grinned and picked up my glass. "You forget, I've been drinking with the Weasley boys." And I slammed the rest of the glass in one fell swoop.

"Not bad Potter." He grabbed the bottle of bourbon for himself, the whiskey for me and sat back in the chair. "Here you are." The brown liquid swirled as Snape refilled my glass. I'm starting to see why Draco likes him so much.

Draco. I remembered Snape had brought me the message. "So you saw him? Is he okay?"

"Draco?" he asked, I nodded. "He's fine. For now at least."

So how could I have been so blind for all these years?

Guess I only see the truth through all this fear,

And living without you…

"For now?" I mentally shuddered, but had to ask, "What do you mean, for now?"

"Well it' common knowledge what Lord Moldyvort does to traitors. He kills them. But yes, for now, Draco is safe and sound."

I took a large drink of my whiskey, draining half of it. "Don't remind me." I muttered. (Did he just say Lord Moldyvort?)

"I should remind you." Severus set down his glass. "Let me tell you a story Potter. About why I began to spy for the Order."

I sat back and drained my glass again, only to have Snape refill it. "Did you know I used to have a sister?"

I blinked. "No, I didn't." I took another drink, my lips starting to go numb from the alcohol.

"Her name was Serena; she was married, and had a daughter." He stopped, took another long drink and stared into his glass. "My niece, she'd be your age now I guess."

"I- what happened to her?" I asked, taking another long drink.

"Voldemort killed them all." He drained his glass and picked up the bottle. This time rather than bothering with the glass he simply raised the bottle to his lip sand drank. "And he didn't stop there, he killed our parents too. The only reason I'm still here is because I was already his servant. He already had me."

I stared at him. He continued talking. "Do you know why he killed them Harry?" I shook my head. "He killed them because she refused to join him. The Dark Lord won't just kill you, no; he'll kill your entire family if it suits him."

"So you went to Dumbledore." I stated this rather than asking. I mean it really was the next logical step for his story.

"No, I didn't go to him, he came to me. Found me locked in my office, drunk as all hell, and forced me to tell him what happened." He looked at me with glassy eyes. "Keep drinking Potter." I obliged, draining the rest of my glass and then joining him in drinking straight from the bottle. I was mostly drunk now, and I knew if I tried to stand up I would probably fall over.

"He made me watch, Voldemort made me watch when he killed the only people I ever loved." He stared at me. "I stayed his true follower for only about two weeks after that. Then, when Dumlydork came to me, I was ready to do everything in my power to get rid of that fucking bastard." He spat the last part out with malice.

"Severus, I- I really don't know what to say. I never knew."

"Of course you didn't. It's not like I announce my past to my students." He stood suddenly, almost falling over in the process. "I need to piss." He muttered and disappeared, only to return a few minutes later.

"Let's talk about something else." He practically flopped into the chair and I laughed at him. "Think I'm funny do you?"

"I never thought I'd see the day when I got drunk with you. You know Ron, Hermione and I used to refer to you as the greasy git?"

He snorted. "You three would. But I don't want to talk about that. I want to talk about Draco."

"Draco?" I furrowed my brow in confusion.

"Yes Draco. My godson, your boyfriend. Draco." He took another long drink, then looked at the bottle. "Fuck. I'm drunk. But yes, I want to talk about Draco."

I followed suit and took a large drink from the bottle, making Severus stare at me when a few bubbles filtered through the dark brown liquor. "What?" I asked him when I was done. "I did tell you I've been drinking with the Weasley boys." We both laughed. "Now what about Draco? I mean what about Draco do you want to talk about?"

"I don't know. You pick" he drank again, his bottle now three quarters gone.

I thought for a second. "I want to know exactly what he's facing." Severus stared at me hard.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "It's not pretty."

I nodded. "I need to know. You said it earlier, I need to be reminded." I sat up straighter and blinked as the world shifted around me.

"If Draco manages to pull this off, he will have to do things that you cannot even fathom, horrible things involving pain and blood. For the slightest show of mercy he himself will be punished." Severus's voice was cold and flat. I continued to drink as he spoke. "Pain and torture will become a normal thing in his life. Both the giving and receiving end. If Draco gets caught-"he took a deep breath. "If Draco gets caught, it will be much worse. If he's lucky, they'll kill him. If he isn't-"he stopped talking and looked up at me.

"I think I got your point."

"My turn to pick something." The potions master looked thoughtful for a moment before taking another drink. "Tell me what exactly you and your little friends are doing in the Room of Requirement."

"You mean you don't know?" I was surprised. "Draco didn't tell you?"

"The way he tells it, the DA is simply assisting in the destruction of Voldemort and his followers by keeping tabs on the junior Death Eaters."

I laughed. It struck me then that Draco had been serious that he wasn't part of the Order of the Phoenix at all.

"That's not all we do. We also are currently training ourselves in combat tactics and practicing defensive and offensive spells. We are training for war in other words." I spat the last part out bitterly.

Severus looked at me somberly. "And it is a war." He quietly agreed. "Too bad the Ministry is incompetent and the Order isn't "Ministry approved", so to speak. Every action they are involved in is technically illegal."

"Fucking Voldemort." I swore. We sat silent for a while, staring into the flames of the fireplace.

"I want to help." Severus spoke suddenly, switching his gaze from the fire to me. "Let me tell your leaders what the Order of the Phoenix actually knows. It's only fair that you should know what's going on since you're the one who has to take out Voldemort in the end."

I changed the subject then. "Do you think I'd make a good Auror?" I asked.

He laughed. "Harry, I think that if you don't play professional Quittich, you will either become an Auror, with ease, or take the position of Professor of the Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts."

Things started to fade around me. "Sev, I'm pissed. Time for me to pass out." The Potions Master didn't move. I peered closely at him. He'd passed out in the chair. "Sev?" I poke his shoulder harder than I thought and sent him sprawling to the floor. Okay, I went to poke his shoulder and ended up punching him instead.

"Fuck! What in the name of Morpheus was that for?"

I laughed in repose and dragged him to his feet, both of us tripping over ourselves up the stairs. Once we'd reached the top, laughing at each other's drunken stupidity, I pointed him to one of the unused guest rooms. After falling over laughing at him trying to open the door the wrong way, I stumbled into my own room, stripped myself of my robes and fell face first into my bed, yanked the covers half over me and passed out.

Woke up with my head pounding. I groaned and rolled over. The pounding continued. I could swear I heard someone saying my name as well.

"Harry wake up!" The shrill voice pierced through me as the door opened. I couldn't discern who it was other than it was a girl with my head still pounding, not as loudly now that the mystery woman had opened my door.

"Go away." I muttered.

"Harry get up." This time I understood who was talking to me.

"Hermione? I thought you were with your parents." I sat up, holding my head in my hands. "I think I drank too much." I muttered.

"You're hung over? Harry!" she scolded, hands on her hips.

"Miss Granger, though I am sure your friend appreciates you being here, I doubt that in his current state he wishes for you to speak." Severus's voice quietly interjected. He held a small vial out to me. "Drink this, you'll feel better."

I took the potion he offered and downed it. I couldn't really taste it considering I had that nasty cat shit in my mouth taste after waking up with a hangover, but seconds later I was feeling marginally better. "Thanks Severus."

He half smiled at me from behind Hermione and left the room. I could smell breakfast downstairs. "'Mione? What are you doing here? I thought you were with your parents?" I repeated.

"I was with my parents. Dumbledore came last night and said that they could stay here until things were normal again. That way Voldemort can't find them. And the Weasleys are here too. Molly's making breakfast." She looked around my room and handed me my robes from the floor. "But I think you might want to go dresses and not in your birthday suit."

I looked down and realized that I was butt naked and my covers were almost completely off. "Well I'm not going to get dressed with you standing over me." I shot at her, feeling slightly embarrassed.

She rolled her eyes at me and left the room. I yanked my robes on and headed out the door where she was still waiting for me. "If the Weasleys are here, where's Ron?" I asked, rubbing the lat of the sleep out of my eyes.

"Eating breakfast. I told him to stay down there because he was about to go nuts because Snape's here. Why is he here Harry?"

I chuckled. "Snape and I have come to an understanding." I told her as we descended the stairs.

"There you are mate! Maybe you can tell me what the hell is going on! OW!"

"Language Ronald." His mother scolded my best friend.

"Sorry Mum." He turned back to me, face full of curiosity. "So what's Snape doing here?"

"He needed a place to crash." Was all I said but I gave him the look that clearly meant 'I'll tell you later'.

As if on cue Severus entered the kitchen. "It smells good in here." He absently commented. As he sat down Mrs. Weasley put a plate in front of him piled high with pancakes, eggs, bacon, and toast.

"Well don't just stare at it! Eat up!" She smiled as her family, Hermione's family and Severus dug into breakfast. I joined them at the table and Mrs. Weasley plunked a plate in front of me, commanding me to eat.

And everything I had in this world

And all that I'll ever be

It could all fall down around me.

Just as long as I have you,

Right here by me.

During breakfast, Lupin showed up, followed by a few other members from the Order sowed up. I ate in silence while my makeshift family made merry and even included Severus in the jokes and conversation.

After we had all eaten, Ron, Hermione and I headed upstairs so the adults could talk 'Order Business'. Ron held Hermione's hand and the two of them followed me into my room.

"Are you going to tell us what's going on?" Hermione dropped Ron's hand, placed both hands on her hips and assumed her 'bossy stance'. "You were dinking all night, Snape is nice to you, your silent all during breakfast end even looked like you were about to cry! What in the name of Merlin is going on Harry!"

"Let's just say that Snape and I have come to an understanding between us. Ron, you should see hat man drink, he could put Fred and George under the table."

Hermione's jaw dropped and Ron stared at me like I'd grown another head. "You sat up drinking with Snape?" Ron gaped.

I nodded. "I also realized something last night. If we all don't stop bickering among each other over stupid petty differences, we're not going to get anywhere."

Hermione frowned. "I thought we couldn't trust Snape."

Shrugging I answered "Things change, and now that I know the whole story, I trust him as much as Dumbledore does. Look, you guys are my family, all of you are my family and I'd give everything I have to make sure all of us come out of this safe."

Ron continued to stare at me. "You're starting to sound like Dumbledore." He shook his head at me. I chuckled in response.

Draco's POV

Lucius had said we were going to Russia. Instead I found myself rampaging the countryside clad in thick, black robes and faceless white masks. I knew the one town we had destroyed, a muggle town, was the town that Hermione's parents lived in. I jus hope that they made it out ok. I really have no way to contact anybody on the outside. I managed to send Severus with a message to Harry, but I can't guarantee it'll get there. Especially with what time of the year it is.

There's been a lot of activity around the Death Eater camps. I think Voldemort's planning something huge, but I don't know what. The only thing I can think of is that he's starting his plans for the attack on Hogwarts.

I can't take another day without you

'Cause baby, I could never make it on my own

I've been waiting so long, just to hold you

And be back in your arms where I belong

I'm not sure how much more of this I can take. All the death and destruction that follow in the wake of the Death Eaters is sickening. If I hadn't doubted Voldemort and his plans being right in the first place, I would for sure now. I've watched him torture some of his most loyal followers for no other reason than things weren't going exactly how he wanted.

It seems like forever now since I departed from Hogwarts. Forever since the last time I saw Harry, kissed him, held him, anything. What I wouldn't give to back with him right now instead of in the snake pit forcing myself to laugh as they mutilate the dead bodies of a muggle family.

Sorry I can't always find the words to say

But everything I've ever know gets swept away

Inside of your love…

I wish I'd known sooner what I know now. Then maybe I could've stayed away form this whole mess… but I didn't know, and now here I am. Ever since I began to realize what Harry meant to me, I've been a little lost. Playing both sides of the field isn't exactly fun and I don't know when or if I might be found out.

I sighed as the 'party' ended, pulled my mask from my face and turned around to leave. As I did, I ran directly into the last person, let me rephrase, thing I ever wanted to see.

"Lord Voldemort." I bowed in greeting.

"Ah, young Malfoy, I hope you are enjoying yourself." He sent a twisted smile in my direction.

"I am My Lord." I answered dutifully.

"I have something perhaps you could help me with." He placed a hand on my shoulder, guiding me away from the rest of the group. I heard my aunt, Bellatrix loudly whispering something about how lucky I was to have the Dark Lord's attention.

Once we were a decent distance form the rest of the camp, Voldemort turned to me. "You my son have been more loyal than I expected. Because of this you have earned a special privilege." I raised my eyebrows but didn't say anything. He continued speaking, "I want you to join the meeting of the inner circle tonight. Being my junior leader I wish for you to know of the upcoming events, so that you may ready your charges."

I bowed deeply. "This is an unexpected honor my lord."

Voldemort patted my head as if I was some pet that had preformed a trick. "You are dismissed."

As I walked away I scowled and headed for my mother's tent. At least there I know I can get some peace to think things over.

My mother greeted me with a kiss on the cheek. "Is everything well?" Her voice was laced in concern that only I could distinguish.

"Fine." I snapped. "I've just been invited into the inner circle." I threw my mask across the tent and tore off the thick black robes. "He teats me like I'm his fucking pet."

"Watch your language!" Mother snapped at me. "Besides, you do now what this means?"

"It means that I'm in even deeper than I thought." I sighed and flopped onto her bed, taking in the comforting smell.

"Better he think of you as a pet than a traitor." She snapped. "Severus is expecting a report from you." She left the tent, giving me the privacy to write my godfather.

And everything I had in this world

And all that I'll ever be

It could all fall down around me.

Just as long as I have you,

Right here by me.

Sev-

I've been invited to join the inner circle. I think it's come to the time for Hogwarts. Nothing is for certain yet. I will know more tomorrow. Tell Harry that when I return we need to meet… all of us. Until then, I remain entrapped.

Draco

I tied the letter to Archimedes' leg and sent him on his way. I sighed and flopped back on the bed. What the fuck have I gotten myself into? The only thing I'm absolutely sure of right now is that I would do this all over again. Even if everything blows up in my face, I know I'm doing the right thing.

Harry's POV

Christmas day brought Number 12 Grimmauld place a mess of people in the house. The entire Weasley clan, minus Percy was there, and the entire Order as well. Severus was still around and I must say I'm a little surprised at his level of involvement in what the rest of the Order has been referring to as 'a Weasley Christmas'. I heard Lupin call it that once to Severus.

Things are better the last few days. I've actually even seen Severus smile at a few people I'd never thought he'd smile at. Though time lately seems to be passing at a crawl. Everyday seems longer, and every night I wonder if Draco has made it through another day of his charade.

As the days grow long I see

That time is standing still for me

When you're not here

Tomorrow is Christmas. I only wonder what the day will have in store for Draco. With where he's at and what's been going on, it can be nothing good.

"Harry! Dinner!" Mrs. Weasley called me from downstairs. "Hurry up!"

I headed down, Thoughts still racing trough my head about the DA, the Order, and the Death Eaters. Things are starting o come to a peak. The level of stress around here could be cut with a knife. It'll all happen soon. I know it. Even though the Occlumency has helped me shut out all the false visions of what is yet to come, I still occasionally feel him through my scar.

The thing that bothers me most is that people I love might not make it out of this alive. Ron and Hermione for example, my best friend and my brother, they've finally realized what I've known for three years, they belong together. They deserve to make it, deserve a chance to love each other, get married, and have a whole passel of redheaded children. Lupin, who has already lost his three best friends in the world to this war, he deserves to find someone to love. He'd make a great dad. Severus too, he deserves happiness and peace after all he's been through.

When I entered the dining room Hermione frowned at me. "Is something on your mind Harry?"

Sorry I can't always find the words to say

Everything I've ever known gets swept away

Inside of your love

I wanted to tell her yes, I wanted to tell her how unfair I thought this entire war was to everyone. Instead I told her "Not really, just thinking."

"Well you really shouldn't let you bring yourself down you know. Mrs. Weasley has invited the entire Order for dinner tonight. Fred and George tell us that Lupin has been flirting with Tonks an awful lot lately. Ron's made a bet with them that he can get them stuck under the mistletoe tonight." She grinned at me. I'm betting right along with him."

"How much are you betting?" I asked my redheaded comrade, my negative thoughts temporarily banished.

"Three knuts." He answered contemplating his next chess move. He'd found a new and rather challenging partner in Severus.

"Count me in." I told them. I watched the game continue until Mrs. Weasley came over and told them to put it away and eat dinner.

The table was full. There were quite a few people I didn't recognize and even more that I did. The entire Weasley family was there, minus Percy of course, Lupin and Tonks, Severus sitting next to Madame Pomfrey, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Flitwick, Sprout, and some people I knew by name only. It was a loud festivous occasion. Lupin did end up kissing Tonks, winning Ron, Hermione and I three Knuts each. But what surprised me most was when Severus kissed Madame Pomfrey when the clock struck midnight. It was officially Christmas; the only person I was missing was Draco. However, tonight I knew that everything would be all right. Because no mater how hard Voldemort tries to squash it, there is still love in this world.

And everything I had in this world

And all that I'll ever be

It could all fall down around me.

Just as long as I have you,

Right here by me.

A/N I am so very very very sorry this took me sooooooooo fucking long to finish. I'd explain but you all prolly'd just think I was making excuses… So anyway. Her is the Chapter. Since I only had two people make suggestions about who Snape should get with I decided that he was going to have Madame Pomfrey, If you think about it, the books never said howold she was, I mean granted yeah she's older that Snape but still… older women know somethings younger women don't… lol please leave me a review, even if it is just to yell at me for my lack of updates. And BTW… I decided only to do the one chapter for the holiday break.