Together

Prompt: What if Harry hadn't died in the Forbidden Forest in the Battle for Hogwarts?

Warning: LVHP, NOT TRHP. This is going to be pure serpentine goodness. Will be rated M in later chapters. The first multi-chap fic I've written in years due to writing books, so bear with me. Writing someone else's characters after writing your own for so long is strange.

I don't own any of this stuff other than the 'plot', which I am sure has been done before. All characters belong to JK Rowling. What a Goddess.

Chapter 7: A Sliver of Green

Voldemort's head snapped to the door.

"Come in."

All three Malfoy's came through the door. Lucius sat on the Dark Lord's other side, whilst Narcissa sat next to him. Draco sat next to Harry and they grinned at each other. Lucius glared at them and they stopped immediately.

"Now, Harry," Voldemort turned to him, noting how much more alive his eyes seemed since Draco had walked in, and tried to ignore the green burning into his skull.

"As a Malfoy, surely you have heard of the Death Eaters?" He asked. Harry nodded.

"Draco told me about it." He smiled, nodding towards his 'brother'. Voldemort realised Harry's devotion to Draco was going to get old really, really quickly.

"Being a Death Eater is a family honour." Lucius nodded, voice as monotone as ever. Harry stared at him, unblinking, to show he understood.

"It involves working for me. However, Harry, you'll be working with me. There's something special about you." The Dark Lord grinned. Harry frowned.

"What about Draco?"

Everyone but Harry seemed to be able to sense the tension between Voldemort and Draco at this point. Draco had played his role well, too well, and Voldemort was insistent that he was Harry's top priority. There's was an emotion Voldemort felt towards Draco Malfoy. He wasn't very knowledgeable of positive emotions, but he didn't need to be here. Harry's eyes flashed. A sliver of green.

Jealousy.

"He works under me." The Dark Lord growled. "You have a choice. You work with me as an equal, or you become an underling with dear Draco." He gritted his teeth as Harry turned to Draco, who in turn, shook his head. Harry turned back, sounding sadder than before.

"With you." He murmured. Voldemort grinned. Draco wasn't the smartest, but he had made the right choice for both their sakes. Now, if Voldemort could get that kind of devotion from Harry, Harry would look to him for answers.

Perfect.

"I will be training you personally." The Dark Lord continued, rubbing a hand around his smooth head. Harry's eyes lit up again. He seemed excited at the prospect.

Many details were discussed. Harry would have a daily lesson with Voldemort to rebuild his magical knowledge, and would attend all meetings from then on. With details discussed, the Malfoy's left the two alone once again.

"Harry," Voldemort started. "Do you remember the emotion of love?" He hoped for a no. Unfortunately, he got the opposite.

"Yes." Harry smiled. "I've forgotten major memories, obviously, but emotion is something I don't think I could forget. Especially something as powerful as that. Why do you ask?"

"Do you…love Draco?" The Dark Lord found himself asking. Harry laughed, whipping a hand through his messy black hair, and shook his head.

"As a brother, I guess, but he's a douchebag from time to time."

The jealousy suddenly subsided. Voldemort smiled.

"Very well. Can you explain love to me? It's not something I experience."

The look Harry gave him made him feel sick. It was the look Harry gave him, writhing on the floor of the Ministry of Magic in the fifth year. It was the look Harry had from peering into his past in Harry's sixth year.

Pity.

"Love is…wonderful, but also awful." Harry started. Voldemort stared, confused. He hadn't expected that. Harry stared at the opposite wall, moving his hands, trying to think of how to phrase his thoughts.

"It…it can be great. It's warm and comforting. It's a type of happiness, I guess, where you feel like you belong and that you actually mean something to someone."

"Then why did you say it was awful?" Voldemort asked, leaning forward on one hand. Harry paused for a moment.

"When love goes, or disappears, it can rip you to pieces. Don't get me wrong, I love Mother and Draco, but since I came round…it feels like it's all gone. Something's missing, or off. It's an empty feeling, a numb one, that makes you want to scream and cry. Absence of love, once you've had it, is like taking a man to paradise for a day and then saying he can't ever go back. It feels like you're broken."

"Thank you, Harry, for giving me a deeper understanding. That is all for today. I'll see you for your first lesson tomorrow morning."

Harry left quietly, and Voldemort watched him go. As soon as the door closed, he grinned.

Harry had pretty much admitted that in this state, he was broken. His devotion to Draco, someone who seemed to care, just proved how much he wanted to be fixed. Everything had worked perfectly. The weapon the Order had used on Voldemort for all those years was going to prove to be Harry's biggest weakness.

"You want love, Harry Potter?" Voldemort grinned to himself.

"I'll show you love…"

…

Thank you all so much for bearing with me! I've just gone back to college, and coursework and depression don't mix. I promise to keep updating as much as possible.

I WILL NOT REST UNTIL THIS STORY ENDS.

-Alistair