DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter and all other characters and locations belong to J. K. Rowling.
Chapter Eighteen - Herald of the Night
Despite the fact his toes were slowly going numb within his boots, Harry continued to pace back and forth across the heavy block of stone that formed the front stoop of the hunting lodge. Like everything within the glorified cabin, the trio of dark granite steps were oversize and overly elaborate given the location of the lodge. As it was, the snow covered path that led away from the cascading stairs dead ended at a thick stand of nude elm trees. Exhaling loudly, he turned and scuffed back across the dark stone, ignoring the light smattering of snow that had settled on his shoulders and melted in his dark locks. The fingers of his right hand were buried in his pocket and absently smoothing over the handle of his wand, the familiar length of wood comforting. Giving a throaty growl, he whipped around and ambled back the way he'd come, the feeling that there was something he should be doing becoming nearly overwhelming.
With the sun slinking down behind the trees, night was a promise in the ever darkening sky. And with its arrival would come the moon, and the wolf's excited rambling at its appearance. Grimacing, he halted and plopped down on the cold stone, dropping his elbows onto his knees and cradling his chin in his hand. The wolf moon was tomorrow night, mere hours in the wolf's excited mind. It would be the first moon he and Draco spent alone together . . . the first moon without Fenrir Greyback . . . the first moon Jaime Greyback would spend by himself. Perhaps that was the reason for his sense of apprehension. Considering the thought, he idly slipped his index finger into his mouth and nibbled on his nail, listening to the chatter of the birds flitting about in the trees. Still, his sense of unease grew, the feeling driving him back to his feet and set him to once again pacing the length of granite.
He needed something to do, something to keep his mind busy. Again he turned, this time halting and placing a hand on the curving handle of one of the large doors. He removed his hand as quickly as he'd placed it there, resuming his furious prowling with a whining snarl. The wolf happily murmured a solution to his conundrum, the suggestion causing Harry to flush a delicate shade of pink. It was a viable offering from the beast, one which he'd happily act on, if it weren't for the House Elf that insisted on popping in at the most inconvenient of times. Every time the Elf spontaneously appeared within the room, he and Draco would start and snarl. It was growing tiresome to the point that he'd been driven outside into the cold.
They didn't belong here. He'd come into the realization when he was standing in the dining room next to the remains of a delicate rosewood table and the doubtlessly priceless heirlooms that had decorated it. In his defense, the destruction had been an accident brought on by the unexpected appearance of the House Elf. It was an incident that would most likely reoccur given the propensity of the Elf to be industrious and helpful. The hunting lodge was one giant museum of Malfoy artifacts that he and Draco would systematically destroy over the course of their residence. Here, there was no room for roughhousing and brawling, and some of the things they broke couldn't be fixed or replaced. They needed a new Glen. A new farmhouse that had already been broken in.
He heaved another sigh and returned to the edge of the stairs, seating himself on the granite as he lifted his eyes to the sky. The moon was there, a sliver away from being full. Harry stared, transfixed. In the distance, a wolf pack played herald to its appearance, their sweet song bringing silence to the trees and all that lived within them. His quiet regard was interrupted by the stealthy tread of boots on the floor behind the closed doors, the almost inaudible sound bringing a small smile to his lips. He straightened when one of the heavy doors groaned open, glancing over his shoulder with lifted brows.
"And where are we off to?" He purred smoothly, watching the emotions flit over Draco's fine features with an unhealthy degree of glee. The disappointed huff the blond released sent a misty cloud streaming toward the heavens, the look and sound combined causing Harry to chuckle softly. With a slow roll of his shoulders, he stood, shaking snow from the folds of his cloak and turning to face the other male.
"Harry," Draco began, only to be interrupted by the appearance of one of Harry's palms before his face. The blond snarled and grabbed the wrist of the dark-haired male, forcing it back down to his side. "Lucius has been attempting to capture you for as long as you've bee alive. I'm not about to simply lead you into Malfoy Manor and his waiting arms."
Harry gave a sharp snarl of his own, latching onto the sleeve of Draco's robe and stepping forcefully into him. "You're taking me with you, or you're not going anywhere." He rumbled, lifting his lips in a brief flash of teeth. His fingers tightened in the cloth of the blond's robes, giving him a short but rough shake. In the distance, the wolves continued their yodeling welcome to the moon, the sound causing both males to pause and listen before resuming their heated discussion.
"I don't recall putting you in charge of me," Draco rasped in reply to the threat. His growled response was followed by an advancing step, the change in position putting him and Harry chest to chest. Narrowed gazes locked and held and the duo once again began to growl at each other. "Besides, if I don't question Lucius, how do you propose we find Jaime?"
The wolf rippled to life inside Harry with a shiver that raised goosebumps along his arms, the beast's sense of confidence buoying his own, assuring him that they were indeed strong enough to take on the other male. "It's not the method I'm questioning," he bit out, "but your idiotic notion that I'd allow you to go alone." His soft growl became a rough rumble and he shifted closer to Draco in a subtle move, placing himself almost cheek to cheek with the blond, the teeth he'd bared now dangerously close to the pale length of the other male's throat. Of course, the change in position left his own throat equally exposed, his jugular within a hair's-breadth of Draco's teeth.
The tussle that ensued was brief, and perhaps more bloody than either of them had expected. As the blond twisted liquidly, his teeth raking almost gently over the flesh of Harry's throat, and the dark-haired male jerked backwards, swinging a hand with wickedly curved fingers at Draco's enraged features, they both connected more forcefully then they had perhaps meant to. Draco's nose broke with the sickening crunch of cartilage and bone, leaving blood running across his lips and chin in a ruby smear. The skin of Harry's throat fared no better, marked roughly by the scrape and drag of teeth bent on pinning him into submission. Gaping at each other, the pair probed at their wounds, both of them glaring down at fingers stained with blood.
"This is ridiculous," Draco hissed, pulling a worn handkerchief from a pocket and pressing it carefully to his nose. Silver orbs blazing, he glared over the scrap of cotton at the dark-haired male, noting with no small amount of satisfaction the dribble of blood curving down Harry's throat to stain the collar of his exposed shirt. "What were you thinking? To challenge me?"
Digging through his own pockets in search of something to press against his torn skin, Harry spared Draco a frown, his expression darkening when he found nothing but lint in the pockets of the robes he wore. "I wasn't challenging your strength," he bit out, curving his palm over the scrapes. "I was testing your sanity." Shooting the blond a wounded look, he stormed into the lodge, vaguely aware of Draco following closely at his heels. Internally berating the wolf for its overconfidence, Harry strode into the kitchen and snatched a towel off the counter, applying it to the side of his neck.
"Harry," Draco began in a quiet voice, "taking you to Malfoy Manor goes against every instinct I have." With a soft huff at the angry emerald orbs that turned in his direction, he yanked the small towel from the dark-haired male's grasp and tugged aside the collar of Harry's robes, wiping away the trail of blood before pressing the cloth to the still weeping wounds. Though his own nose stung, and was doubtlessly still dripping, he carefully tended the marks he'd dealt the other male, knowing it was highly likely they would scar. "You need to understand, it's my job to keep you safe."
Harry stood completely still under Draco's ministering hands, gazing into the determined silver eyes. He reached up slowly and caught the blond's hand in one of his, bringing the graceful digits to his lips. The simplicity of the gesture caused Draco to sigh whisper soft and bring his other hand to gently cup Harry's cheek. "Just as it's my job to protect you," the dark-haired male breathed. Placing his free hand atop the one the blond had curved around his cheek, he allowed the first hint of a grin to curl his lips. "We go together, always."
The blond closed his eyes and bowed his head, seemingly giving in. "Fine, but you stay as close as possible." Draco allowed, thumb smoothing across the delicate skin of Harry's cheek.. He started at the appearance of the wand within the other male's hand, but allowed Harry to carefully spell his nose back to its proper position.
"As a shadow," Harry returned, ignoring the disgusted grunt Draco released at his reply. Slowly, they began to disentangle, until the blond suddenly tightened his grip and dragged the dark-haired male closer. The meeting of their lips was rough and forceful, the kiss unexpected yet welcome. Unable to contain a light moan, Harry tangled his fingers in the pale locks and attempted to pull the blond closer, though there was already no space between them. It was a loud pop that separated them. Baring teeth and snarling wildly, the pair whipped around and growled at the poor House Elf, their reaction causing the creature to collapse to the floor and cover its head with spindly arms.
"This is getting ridiculous," Draco growled, snapping teeth at the elf. Casting one final glare at the trembling creature, he escorted Harry from the kitchen, brushing the dried blood from under his nose with a swipe of his thumb. "Let's just get this done." Side by side, they walked the main hall of the lodge, arriving at the doors and pushing through them. When they hit the top step, Draco slid his hand from Harry's arm and offered his fingers to the raven-haired male, an almost feral smile coming to his face when cool digits met and locked with his own. Exchanging a questioning glance, and receiving a nod of readiness, the blond dipped his chin and apparated them away.
XxXxX
Draco's hand slid free of Harry's grasp, the tips of their fingers lingering before falling away. Standing shoulder to shoulder, the pair studied Malfoy Manor with its glowing windows and shimmering wards, a combination of anticipation and anxiety making them shift in the snow where they stood. Silence reigned within the cover of the cedar trees they sheltered in, the sweeping branches shielding them from the cool wind and moon's unforgiving light. Harry allowed his gaze to slide from the massive stone house to Draco's face, studying the set expression plastered upon the blond's features. It would be the first time in months, and most likely the last, that the other male would set foot in his ancestral home. A small price to pay for any information they might possibly obtain from this . . . meeting.
Harry inhaled deeply, the crisp air stinging his nostrils as he once again shifted his weight, the fidgeting earning him a whisper quiet growl from Draco. He forced himself to stillness, focusing his attention back on the Manor, scanning the countless windows and artfully placed balconies with their elegant and oh-so-breakable glass doors. It was a masterpiece, to be sure, unfortunately it was a masterpiece seriously lacking in ground cover. And high in the sky above their heads, the moon was nothing less than a spotlight illuminating the length of snow-covered lawn separating them from their destination.
Hunt, the wolf purred in a silky smooth whisper. The beast was all eagerness. Its proximity to the surface a warning in itself. The moon that hung above them was like a lure, tauntingly teasing the animal ever closer to the surface, causing its soft rumbles to vibrate Harry's chest. Run, the wolf whimpered pleadingly.
The dark-haired male had to grit his teeth to refrain from echoing the wolf's almost desperate demand. As it was, he had to take a steadying breath to resist the urge to grab Draco and run, to flee this place and what it represented. But this was the easiest path for them to travel - the one most likely to end in success. His eyes slid from the distant tree line he'd been scanning when the blond shifted forward, beginning a ghostly glide toward the large stone manor. Harry followed, unerringly placing his boots within the tracks left by the blond's passage. The wards were easily fooled by a quick linking of fingers, and then the duo were up and across a wide terrace and entering silently through a glass door that had been left unlocked; their uninvited appearance inside the large house going unnoticed. The study they had entered was suffocatingly dark, the door closed tightly and the heavy curtains pulled. But this was Draco's home, he'd been raised inside these walls, could doubtlessly walk blindfolded through its tangle of halls.
Padding quietly across the chamber, his boots falling silently on the carpet that stretched the length of the room, Draco led the way to the door that opened into the corridor beyond. "At this time of the night, Lucius is usually in the library," the blond breathed, placing a hand on the doorknob and listening intently. The house was like a tomb, only the faintest of sounds reaching the sensitive ears of the prowling werewolves. With a nod of readiness at the raven-haired male, Draco turned the knob and opened the door on well oiled hinges.
Stealthily, they slipped through the shadowed hallways, passing the odd room lit from within but otherwise lifeless. Harry followed in Draco's shadow, barely able to resist the urge to stop and gawk at some of the more elaborate sculptures and artwork spread liberally through the Manor. His gaze was captured by one such tapestry when the blond stopped abruptly, his unexpected halt nearly causing the dark-haired male to walk into his back. Nose twitching, Harry jerked his eyes forward, and found himself starring into the equally horrified orbs of a House Elf.
Destroy, the wolf suggested in its most persuasive voice. It snapped its jaws ineffectually within Harry's skull, practically whimpering with its desire to annihilate the innocent House Elf. Its seen us, the beast reasoned, will give away our presence within the house. An extremely accurate concern, Harry thought, but unlikely. Still, he gave Draco a light nudge in the back, knowing the blond was probably having the same internal debate as he was. He took a retreating step when the other male turned his head sharply and snarled savagely in warning, the flash of teeth causing him to lift his brows but drop his gaze accordingly.
"Return to the kitchen. Tell no one you saw us," Draco rasped finally. The urge to seize the elf by the neck and throttle it mercilessly was obvious in his posture, his fingers clenching and unclenching into fists at his sides with every breath he dragged into his lungs. He exhaled heavily when the creature squeaked a reply and yanked its ears over its eyes, vanishing with a resounding pop. "It's only a little further," he murmured over his shoulder after a long pause, silver eyes flickering in the faint light cast by a nearby candelabra.
Harry dipped his chin in silent understanding, the first hints of worry plaguing his thoughts. Perhaps this little foray was more dangerous then they had anticipated. Originally, it had been assumed that only Lucius would be present within the Manor, as a terse note had been delivered to Narcissa earlier in the day suggesting her absence from the house later that evening. But there were to many variables involved, only one of those being the gaggle of House Elves the Malfoy's kept. In the back of his mind, the wolf began to happily manufacture all those scenarios. Lips firming, the raven-haired male followed the blond's example and tested the air with a cautious sniff, struggling to identify anything out of place within the otherwise strange location.
Slowly, they resumed their course, slinking down brightly lit corridors and darkened hallways, gliding across marble floors and expensive Persian rugs. The first echoing mumbles reached their ears, Lucius's voice rising and falling dramatically. From this distance, it was impossible to hear the entire conversation, but a second tenor could be heard rumbling a response. Exchanging frowns, the pair crept as close as they dared before stilling, listening with great interest to the argument occurring beyond the door several feet away. At this proximity, it was easy to identify the second voice as Severus Snape, and the boys flashed teeth in response to the words they overheard.
Unconsciously, Harry slid his hand against Draco's, linking their fingers as the Death Eaters in the room beyond discussed the Dark Lord and the werewolf puppy he was attempting to housebreak. With every aggravated murmur that fell upon their ears, the blond and raven-haired male grew more and more tense, their wolves lifting hackles and flashing fangs deep within their minds. The reminder that Jaime was in the hands of Voldemort nearly sent Harry to the edge, and he would have sprang through the door and slaughtered the duo if it weren't for the bone crushing grip Draco had on his hand. All of this waiting was growing tiresome, and the raven-haired male was practically gnawing on his fingernails by the time the Death Eater duo concluded their conversation and Snape departed with a whoosh of the floo. Suppressing the urge to sigh in relief, Harry glanced at Draco and lifted a brow in query.
Draco, in turn, gave the hand he was still holding a light squeeze before releasing it and moving toward the loosely closed door. With little fanfare, he entered the room, swinging the door open wide enough to garner Lucius's immediate attention. He allowed the older male to gape at him before sliding aside, freeing the space he'd occupied for Harry. The emotions that crossed Lucius Malfoy's face were amusing, to say the least. And the excitement that remained after the dark-haired male's initial appearance faded was extremely telling.
"You've got him? You've actually captured Harry Potter?" Lucius questioned in an excited voice. The older blond looked like he was about to squeal in delight and bounce up and down with unconstrained joy. Grey eyes impossibly wide, the Death Eater actually spun in a circle mumbling to himself before once again focusing on Draco and Harry. "We must contact our Lord at once-"
"No," Draco announced calmly, lifting his wand and directing the tip at his father. "Harry Potter is mine." Simply stated, the words contained a wealth of meaning. And the emphasis the pale werewolf placed on that 'mine' didn't exactly go unnoticed.
Eyes blazing, Lucius Malfoy reached for his own wand. "You won't insult me by implying any such thing. And that abomination belongs to the Dark Lord!" Wrenching his wand from the pocket of his robe, the blond Death Eater aimed it at Harry and then shifted it quickly to Draco when the pair began to prowl away from each other. Appearing more and more nervous, as if just remembering his son was a werewolf, Lucius chose to keep his wand on the young blond while trying to keep an eye on Potter.
Harry silently applauded Lucius Malfoy, but the Death Eater's efforts were in vain. He and Draco had played this game before, and mastered it. Listening to the wolf's encouraging mutters within his head, he wandered around the perimeter of the room, keeping even with Draco who meandered lazily along the opposite wall, a small smile playing across his lips the entire time. He could see the dark wizard's anxiety increasing, could detect the first whiff of fear in the air. When the tip of Lucius's wand began to dance back and forth between the two of them, Harry knew they had won. All it took was him turning to face the Death Eater head-on to give his partner the opening he needed. And without a second thought, he stopped his prowling path and pirouetted gracefully on the toe of one boot, swinging to face Lucius Malfoy with a chilling baring of teeth.
There was no hesitation on Draco's part; as Lucius spun to face Harry, the blond werewolf smiled grimly and lifted his wand smoothly. "Petrificus Totalus," he intoned with a lazy wave of his wand. He didn't bother to watch his father collapse as stiff as a board to the floor, just turned and walked back to the doorway they had entered through and quietly closed the door. He flicked the bolt into place after a moment of careful thought, uncertain whether or not Lucius might be expecting any more visitors given the late hour. "I'm curious as to why you would assume I'd bring Harry to you . . . when I could simply deliver him to Voldemort myself and earn all that glory and garbage and such for myself. Of course, first I'd need to know where the Dark Lord is currently residing - and that's where you come in." He turned slowly and stared at his father's prone body, steely eyes glittering coldly.
Harry's heart pounded loudly in his ears as he closed the distance between himself and Lucius. A glance at the older male's face told him the dark wizard was fuming, pale orbs blazing with hatred. "I don't believe he's buying it," the dark-haired male mused, bending down to pry the wand from the Death Eater's stiff fingers. He straightened fluidly and twirled the wand between his fingers experimentally, watching as Lucius's face began to turn a brilliant shade of scarlet.
Strolling from where he stood by the door, Draco joined Harry, once again standing shoulder to shoulder with the other male. "I do believe you're right, Harry," he drawled, sliding his father's wand from the dark wolf's hand and jamming it carelessly into the pocket of his cloak. He gave a small lift of his chin and bent over, grabbing one of his father's shoulders while Harry grasped the opposite. Effortlessly, the duo carted Lucius Malfoy to a nearby chair and propped him up in it, stepping back to study their work. with furrowed brows. "Good enough," the blond muttered with a pleased smile before turning and heading in the direction of Lucius's desk. He hadn't a single qualm about rifling through its contents, pausing to peruse the odd legal document while setting anything of value aside.
Harry, uncertain of his role in this segment of the drama, followed Draco's example and began to examine the myriad books and photos arranged decoratively on the mantle. However, he soon became bored with reciting the titles of ancient Dark Arts books and moved on, locating a side table loaded with expensive looking liquor bottles. He paused in the midst of delicately sniffling one of the amber liquids when a muffled sound reached his ears. Brow furrowed, he swung his head slowly until his orbs landed on Lucius, watching as the Death Eater attempted to speak through frozen lips. His gaze flicked across the room to Draco, finding the blond's attention quite firmly focused on the contents of a silk pouch he was holding. The dark-haired male gave a shrug of his shoulders and tugged his wand from his sleeve, giving it a flick in the senior Malfoy's direction. He nearly winced at the resulting bellow his action garnered.
"I don't know what you think you're doing, Draco Malfoy," Lucius yelled imperiously, "but you need to release me immediately! All will be forgiven if you let me go and agree to hand Potter over to Lord Voldemort. You may even move back in - your old room is exactly like you left it." His tone had drifted from demanding to soft and lilting, his effort at manipulation increased by the gentle smile he'd forced to his mouth. "Your mother will be so very happy to see you."
A surprised chuckle spilled from Draco's mouth and was echoed by Harry. With an amused glance, the pair abandoned their self-appointed tasks and met in the middle of the large dragon-hide carpet placed before the chairs arranged next to the hearth. "I don't think he's caught on quite yet, Harry," Draco murmured softly. Shooting Lucius a smirk, he grabbed the raven-haired male by the nape of the neck and dragged him closer, eyes falling to half-mast as Harry mumbled a half-hearted protest. Needing no further encouragement, the blond dropped his lips atop Harry's, nearly gasping when they obligingly parted and allowed him entrance. Growling softly, the pair kissed deeply, tongues lapping and teeth nipping gently. They parted on a whimpering moan from Harry, gazing at each other with glazed eyes while greedily panting for breath.
Draco took a small step back and turned to face his father, smiling at the shock on the older male's face. "Caught up yet, Dad? No, perhaps another demonstration is needed." Apparently bored with this conversation, and with new and more pressing needs demanding his attention, Draco circled around behind Harry and undid the clasp of the raven-haired male's cloak with a touch of his fingers. The word he whispered in his companion's ear was almost nothing more than a soft exhalation, but it still caused a smile to jump to Harry's bruised lips.
Draco was playing with fire, Harry thought, shooting the blond a sharp look. Still, it seemed the fastest path to getting the answers they sought. Grinning widely, he began to slip the buttons of the light blue shirt free, allowing the garment to slide down his arms and join the cloak on the floor at his feet. Despite the blaze roaring in the fireplace, goosebumps raced along his bared skin. Suppressing the desire to shiver, he stripped calmly while reaching deep inside his mind and bidding the wolf to rise, feeling its grudging acceptance at the invitation. A fine tremor shook his fingers as he slid the zipper down on his trousers, feeling the wolf merrily begin to wrest control of his faculties from him. With a look of warning at Draco, he surrendered completely, folding himself into the wolf's spot within his skull while the beast tore its way free of his human skin.
Locked inside the mental cage the wolf normally resided in, Harry could only feel the vibrations of his throat when the beast lifted its muzzle and howled at the arching ceiling, the sound damn near deafening them. He could only watch, awed by the beast's fierce demeanor, as Lucius Malfoy pissed himself and began to plead with Draco to release him at the wolf's prowling approach. And when Draco repeated his question one final time, and with the wolf's head practically resting on his knee Lucius gave them the information they had asked for, only then did the wolf actually snap canines dripping with saliva millimeters away from the Death Eater's nose. It was that act of savagery that caused the dark wizard's eyes to roll back in his head and his body to go completely limp.
From where he stood behind his father's unconscious body, Draco released a light laugh, the sound shattering the silence. "Allowing you to bite him is extremely tempting," the blond murmured thoughtfully. He eyed the shaggy black wolf with pursed lips, studying the almost soulless shimmer in the emerald orbs locked on him. With a sigh that could be considered disappointed, Draco gave a rueful shake of his head. "Perhaps next time." His brows lifted when the wolf that was Harry gave a low growl and bared wickedly sharp teeth, dropping its angular skull and beginning a slinking advance toward him.
Noting the beast's distraction, Harry made his own move, slipping between the mental bars of the cage and shoving the wolf back within it, groaning at the stretch of muscle and snap of bone as his body remolded itself into its true shape. When he lay gasping upon the cold marble of the floor, staring up into the concerned face of Draco, he smiled grimly. "Would you really like to spend the rest of your life listening to Lucius Malfoy whinge about his tainted blood?"
This time Draco allowed himself a bark of wild laughter, the sound layered with relief and no small measure of satisfaction. He extended a hand to the raven-haired male, his expression shifting from one of amusement to one of barely veiled lust. "You should put your clothes back on," he said in a distracted rasp, though it wasn't by any means a heartfelt suggestion. Running a hand across his lower jaw, he watched Harry pace to his pile of discarded garments and bend over, his mouth going dry. Whirling around, he drew a deep breath before returning to his father's desk and pocketing several of the items he'd dug from within the clutter.
"I can't believe he pissed himself," Harry muttered a loud as he pulled his trousers on. He inhaled sharply at the tug of recently abused muscles, the air he dragged into his lungs flavored with Draco's desire. The pants he'd just put on became uncomfortably tight, and he didn't bother to slide the button through its hole. He turned as he was sliding into the long sleeved shirt, haphazardly pushing the buttons home. "Do we assemble the Packs?" He asked, sweeping the dark cloak from the floor and swinging it over his shoulders.
Draco flowed silently across the floor, brushing Harry's fingers away from the clasp of the cloak only so he could carefully fasten it himself. He smoothed his hands up and over the dark-haired werewolf's shoulders, fingers absently massaging as he met the calm gaze leveled on him. "No," he murmured, eyes flicking toward his father's still form. "You'll be tired after that . . . and what's one more day in the scheme of things?" Leaning in slowly, he placed a soft kiss full of promise on Harry's lips and then turned away, crossing back to his father and drawing the wand he'd taken from Harry's fingers earlier from his pocket. There was no hesitation in his voice when he cast the obliviate charm on Lucius Malfoy, carelessly dropping the wand on the floor at his father's feet.
Harry saw no reason to argue with Draco, as the blond's reasoning was sound. Instead, he traipsed the short distance to the door and slid the lock free, swinging the door open and taking a small step into the corridor. He sampled the air with several deep inhalations, turning his head sharply at a distant clatter. A growl rumbled his chest, the sound bringing Draco to his side almost immediately. They hovered in the doorway, listening for anything worrisome, and hearing the distant tap of boots on stone. With a quick glance at each other, the duo slid from the library and into the darkened hallway, retreating away from the approaching individual on silent feet. The raven-haired male followed the blond through the maze of shadowed hallways, his sweeping gaze searching for danger in every doorway. A hushed reminder to keep close had him lengthening his stride until he was practically trotting after Draco, turning a corner and finding a massive set of double doors looming before them. "Wow," Harry whispered, awed at the sight that met his eyes when the blond pushed one of the heavy panels open. Snow white marble traced in gold stretched as far as the eye could see, the entire room aglow with the moonlight pouring through the glass panes marching along the curving wall. He couldn't help but stop in the center of the large ballroom, his wide orbs trying to take the massive chamber in as he slowly turned on the heel of his boot.
"This was my favourite room once," Draco said in a hiss. The blond stood with one hand on a door handle of a set of french doors, his other extended toward Harry. He beckoned with a quick flick of fingers, pale orbs studying the raven-haired male and the expression of wonderment he wore. "It's time we left this place." With a light shoulder to the door, he allowed the winter's chill to spill in, a low sigh of wind stirring the cloak around Harry's ankles.
Harry dropped his gaze and peered at Draco, his breath catching in the back of his throat. The blond was the picture of perfection, at least to Harry. He caught himself wondering how he'd ever doubted this attraction, doubted the path he'd been set on by a hazel-eyed brat and his moon-mad sire. A smile curved his lips and he stalked to Draco's side without a second thought, fingers twining and tightening with the blond's in a silent pledge.
Mate, the wolf murmured.
Harry's smile grew at the quizzical expression on Draco's face, the wolf's one worded mutter echoing within his mind, and he couldn't help but give a soft laugh as he tugged the other male through the portal and across the dusting of snow decorating the terrace. Hands locked together, they hurtled through the wards and across the surrounding field before apparating away, becoming nothing more than two sets of slowly disappearing boot prints upon a blanket of white.
XxXxX
A/n: I have often been asked about the massacre at Hogwarts, and why I wrote it as such. Why not just kill Ron? Because would the wolf really allow anyone who had threatened its existence to continue to live? No, at least not in my opinion. The wolf would eliminate everything and every person who posed a threat to it. Besides, I generously allowed Collin to live . . .