Chapter Fifteen:

A Dark Proposal

A/N: Please read, Review, and enjoy! Sorry, this took forever again! I've been busy, busy. So there's only about 3 more chapters (maybe even 2) left to this story! I know it's been decreasing in writing because I can admit I've lost interest, as per usual. Me and my scatter brain over here! Anyway, I encourage you all to look out for my new fiction after this one (most of it already written and needs to only be editted). I think it's going to be my best one yet! Real angsty, dark, erotic, thoughtful, fun, etc. etc. I promise it won't be like most H/D Slash FanFics out there!

Anyway, enough with my babbling! Enjoy! ^_^ *There is no song for this chapter, sorry! Next there will be...and some smutty good slash too!*

Dedicated to Kyte Pheonix.

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XXXX

Harry looked between the people who meant the most to him; his Godfather, his boyfriend, and his two best friends. It was only Draco and Sirius who smiled back, as the other couple still awaited for his explanation. The stick there was that he had no idea how he could entirely explain it, his feelings for Draco and where they came from.

"School has become so difficult. I'm not really talking about the assignments, but the students. I feel like everybody there is out to kill me, sell me to their parents whenever they can, and not even mentioning Greyback," Harry sighed, bringing a hand to rub his temple.

Draco reached forward and held his freehand gently, "And Draco's the only one there I can truly trust. Him and his Father are the reason I made it out alive," he urged gently, they needed to see come kind of point into accepting their relationship; and with Draco's attitude, Harry doubted he would ever give them one himself.

"Yes, Professor Dumbledore told us that..." Hermione trailed off and then turned with a pushed smile to the blonde, "Thank you, for that Malfoy. Er, taking care of Harry for us when we couldn't,"

A short, cold laugh was her response, "Like I was doing that as a favour to you," he hissed.

Hermione tightly pursed her lips, having her vein attempt at trying to be civil was shot down she turned to see the reaction of her boyfriend.

"I don't like him, Harry. Even if you say you can trust him...once a slimey git, always a Slytherin," he grumbled between his teeth, "But if you want to be with him, it's your funeral. I'm just not bloody well not going to be happy about it, he's a rotten bugger and you deserve better," Ron finished begrudgingly.

Draco slowly raised his eyebrow, "I agree with Weasley for once on this one," he said, much to everybody's shock as their jaws dropped. "Harry deserves the best in the world and I do not know if I am fit to give that to him, but I can promise that I will give him absolutely everything I have," he squeezed his boyfriend's hand who blushed back adoringly.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Ron cursed, jerking his head away from the two as he stubbornly crossed his arms.

Hermione frowned disappointingly at her boyfriend and then slowly turned an awkward, forced smile at the couple. "Sounds like you'll take great care of him Malfoy," she offered.

"I have not being doing so yet, seeing as he was kidnapped and illegally imprisoned as of late," Draco pouted lightly, obviously a little upset with himself for not being able to intervene the situation earlier than he and his Father did.

"I think you've been doing brilliant. I mean he's smiling which is an improvement from the summer and you can't hope to keep him safe ever...I mean, even if he wasn't Harry Potter, he's still James' son and he's the Little Prongster," Sirius winked at Harry who shook his head, laughing beneath his breath.

"He does have a knack for trouble, doesn't he? Ah well, it will keep me on my toes I suppose," the blonde smirked.

A loud voice interupted their conversation from the corridor outside of the Hospital Wing. Harry and Draco immediately recognized it and jumped in their seats, both their eyes going wide and searching one anothers with equal surprise.

"He will return at once!" the thick accent demanded.

"That is for my Mediwitch to determine, Headteacher. I would also like to investigate how such a thing could occur under your watchful eye," Albus countered calmly as ever, his voice just barely loud enough for the occupants of the Hospital Wing to hear.

"Investigate? There will be no such thing at my Instituition, Albus! This is severely disrupting my students education and I will not tolerate it! They are both returning with me this instant, and there are no further questions that will stop me!" he boomed.

Harry swallowed heavily and clenched his fingers around Draco's digits as he slung his legs off the side of his bed. "It's Karkaroff come to collect us," Harry explained quickly to Hermione, Ron and Sirius.

Igor stalked into the room, the doors swinging haphazaradly on their hinges from his violent push as Albus walked in more calmly behind him. He approached his two students and turned a weary eye on where Sirius had been in his chair, for now sat a mangy black dog.

"Good morning, Igor. What brings you here?" Draco asked calmly, that air of ignorance and superiority washing over him.

"Ah, Draconis. How I still hold respect for you despite your certain allegiance's is beyond my comprehension. Leaving the school grounds unattended by-"

"My Father saw it rather fit that I appear here to collect Harry myself. He was just finishing his goodbye's now, as it was before you arrived. I apologize that I gave you no warning, but I wanted to return as soon as possible," he said fluently, his intense silver eyes never leaving his Headteacher's.

Pursing his lips, Igor turned to Harry with a scowl, "Finish your goodbye's, we are due at our Portkey outside of the wards in ten minutes," he snapped before turning on his heel and stalking towards the door. Before exitting he called back, "And one month of detention for you Mr Potter, for leaving school grounds unattended!" Before one could argue, he was gone.

"Hurry now Harry, I doubt you would like to keep our friend Igor waiting," Dumbledore winked, a small twinkling smile climbing onto his face.

Harry nodded and turned to hug Hermione and a reluctant Ron. "Take care of yourselves, both of you," Hermione said softly.

"Always do," Harry returned, "You take care, too. Bye Padfoot, I'll miss you," he said, bending down to pat the large black dog on the head who looked up with rounded eyes.

"Goodbye Granger, Weasley, Cousin," Draco directed at Padfoot. The two then grabbed one anothers hands and walked over to Dumbledore who began to lead them out of the Hospital Wing.

"Cya at the trial!" Harry called after his friends.

XXXX

Harry was oddly glad to return to the now familiar halls of Durmstrang Institution. Of course they would never replace the spot reserved for Hogwarts in his heart, but at least it was a place that he now understand and felt slightly comfortable in, despite always being on edge due to the status of those around him.

His first day back to classes was strange in itself. He had expected people to ask about where he had been, what had happened, but the only ones that did were Chester, Migel and Quinton. Of course he didn't relay the exact events, still not positive on their parents standings and involvement in the coming War, he instead lied and said he had taken a leave to visit his friends at Hogwarts. Not a completely false statement at least.

Draco was by his side every second of the day and after the first week back, things were beginning to turn to normal. Except the fact that he could be found in the library nearly constantly. Harry didn't want to spend anymore time in the Dormitory than he needed. Not that he didn't like his dorm mates, he was just skeptical of his fellow Aequor housemates.

Feeling the need to be distracted from the events of Halloween, Harry poured himself full-heartedly into his homework, assignments and studying. There was such a vast abundance of information that was being made available to him at this school that he knew he should take rightful advantage of, considering that it could prove a great aid in the future of this War and the position he was playing in it.

He reminded himself from time-to-time that he was up against the Darkest most experienced Wizard of all time. Better than any of his Professor's or classmates. That gave him the motivation to begin studying what he was not supposed to in class. Harry found himself straying off into the darker sections of the Durmstrang library, taking extensive notes from books banned at Hogwarts and others that Hermione would scoff at and throw away.

Draco observed the sudden changes in Harry's attitude towards studying and stayed by his side as he did it. He helped by retrieving books and explaining things he learned from his early youth days at the Malfoy Manor from his Father that would be useful to Harry as well. He understood where he was going with all his research, and one day he made the suggestion that he should take it further.

"Harry, I think it's great you are researching all of these counterspells and curses, but do you honestly think it will do you that much good?" Draco asked softly from across the small oak table, littered with parchments and books.

Harry slowly looked up from what he was currently reading with a befuddled expression, "I hope it will. What more can I do to prepare myself for whatever's coming?"

"Perhaps you should consider wielding the darkest of magick, with and without your wand," Draco whispered so no other students studying quietly around them could hear.

"I-I thought that's what I have been doing...just not practicing them physically yet," he said slowly.

Draco slowly shook his head and smirked, "Harry love, there are much darker forms of magick than what you are reading. There are curses that will forever damage the mind of a person with one flick of the wrist. There are spells I can teach you, just as my Father did me, that will give you the power to strike fear even into the eyes of the most notorious Death Eaters. I offer to teach you this, and everything I know. It will be hard, painful and illegal but it will be worthwhile," he finished with a devilish grin.

Harry stared across at his boyfriend determindedly. He knew his past was plauged with darkness so he needn't ask why Draco knew such things, and he didn't really want to know those reasons in the first place. It was an opportunity he could not miss out on, for it sounded to Harry like the weapon he needed to at least survive to see the last days of this spiteful War.

"It will also protect you, above all else, from harm. Which is most important to me," Draco finished, cutting off Harry's thoughts as his smirk desolved into a loving smile.

Determindedly, Harry spoke, "Then teach me, Draco,"