A memory?

Draco was stood in front of a row of mirrors but the only thing that was reflecting back at him was the absolute anguish that he was going through. This had been the longest time either of them had been without each other and he could see the separation taking its effect on him. His eyes were sunken, his skin was sallow and his hair was limp. Harry being angry at him again was the worst thing he could have imagined a month and a half ago, but now that Harry was gone and they had no way of getting him back, Draco couldn't think of anything worse.

He looked away from the mirrors and down at his hands which were currently curled tightly around the sink basin. At that moment in time, the spotless porcelain was the only thing holding him in an upright position, the more he thought about how far away his Harry was from him, the more his knees buckled under him and the tighter his grip became. His breath was coming out in short, sharp pants as he, almost physically, held himself back from the edge of crying, an edge he was sure he was going to be going over soon.

The door to the boy's bathroom opened.

And HE walked through.

Draco noticed him instantly. His short hair was dark and unruly as always and his eyes were the same exact shade of green that Draco remembered. Everything else about him seemed so different. Draco noticed that his loves skin was paler than it should be, his eyes (although the same colour) had lost their wonderful sparkle, his stride was short and accompanied by a slight limp and his gaze was completely fixed on the floor. Vritra had broken him, made him completely subservient in all manners of life. His mate's wonderful Gryffindor personality was hidden from view and what was left was this shell of his former Harry.

Harry's dull gaze met Draco's for a second, and the Slytherin could see the thoughts churning in his head, should he stay or should he go, and Draco had to ask himself, would he stay or would he go? Had Vritra broken him so much that he didn't even have the courage or the nerve to be in the same bathroom as a Slytherin?

When the Gryffindor stepped up to one of the taps a few sinks down Draco was happy to see that the monster couldn't change everything about his little love especially his stubbornness. Draco gazed at him from the corner of his eyes. This was the first time they had been alone since Harry had disappeared that night and Draco was damned if he let this opportunity, to talk to Harry, pass him by.

"Hello." Draco said, instantly sounding like a complete fool and instantly wishing he had thought of something more genuine to say to his love. Although he didn't quite think that a declaration of love and dedication would do much for the Elf's mental health.
"Erm... Hi, Malfoy." Draco's eyes closed, against his will, as Harry's voice drifted to his ears. He was suddenly so happy that he had said something, hearing Harry's voice form his name, even if it was his last name, was one of his current dreams coming true.
"How are you?" The Slytherin persisted.
"I'm okay." Harry gave him a strange look as he grabbed some hand towels to dry his hands.

Then Draco saw them. A series of five bruises around Harry's throat. Finger marks. Accompanied by a series of dark purple bites that had to have hurt, this Vritra had dared to mark HIS mate. He took the few steps needed to be closer to Harry and gently but firmly lifted his chin. Harry tried to take a step back from the obviously angry Slytherin, but the sink was already pressing into his back and there was no where else for him to go. Harry visibly flinched as Draco lifted his wand to the Gryffindor's throat. Draco noticed the flinch and immediately told himself to calm down; Harry must be scared enough every time that Bastard came towards him with a raised hand, and he would not allow his Harry to be even more afraid, especially if he wanted to gain his trust again.

"He has no fucking right." Draco mumbled under his breath as he slowly healed the bruises one by one, taking extra care to make sure that the bites were completely eradicated from Harry's perfect skin.
"He has no right to hurt you. No one has a right to hurt you, or even touch you." Harry was frozen on the spot. Draco Malfoy had just walked towards him, grabbed him by the chin and healed him all the while muttering about someone not having a right. What was going on?

Harry caught Draco's eyes with his own and he held his gaze without blinking. He knew that if he blinked he would lose it forever. That flash of feeling. That flash of recognition. This had happened before. He had been this close, to this man before. He remembered those eyes, those silvery eyes above him, accompanied by a large grin playing on those pink lips. They were soft, and he knew they were soft but how did he know? How would he know? He had never kissed Draco Malfoy before, that's something that he was sure to have remembered. But it wasn't just his eyes and his lips, it was his scent. It surrounded him and dragged every fibre of his being closer to this man. It was like the most addictive drug in the world, and once again he recognised it. It was right at the back of his mind, just playing on the edge of his memory where the dark met the light but before he could grab hold of it and force it to tell its secrets, their connection was broken.

Draco Malfoy had moved his head and broken his gaze. Suddenly Harry couldn't remember what he had been thinking about. He needed to move Malfoy away from him, Veles was sure to come find him if he was taking too long and finding him so close to another man would surely spark his anger and his jealous streak.

"What are you doing?" Harry's hands pushed at his shoulders but his effort achieved nothing.
"You don't deserve this Harry." Draco paused and slipped his wand into his pocket, "Why don't you remember? What has he done to you?" The blonde tucked a lock of the brunette's hair behind his ear before pulling away and taking a step back.
"Malfoy, what are you talking about?" Harry was genuinely confused.
"There are bits missing Harry, aren't there? And there are bits that you can't place, you remember them, but you can't place them." Draco brushed the back of his knuckles against Harry's soft cheek.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"I can help you fit everything together. Just come and find me if you need me."

The Slytherin pressed a gentle kiss to Harry's forehead and took Harry's hand in his own. He placed something small in the middle of Harry's palm, before he tucked that same lock of hair behind the brunette's ear and walked away with his head down and his hands deep in his pockets.

As soon as the Slytherin was out of the bathroom Harry looked at the item in his hand. It was a tiny ring, just a circle of diamonds really. Harry picked it up between two fingers and brought it up to his face, the gems sparkled in the light with an almost impossible clarity. It was dainty and impeccable, but why had Malfoy given it to him?

"It's so beautiful." Harry murmured to himself, as he spun it around and around between his fingers. A memory, so clear and so vivid shot through his mind, a large hand holding his own as this ring was slid onto his finger. His wedding finger. He couldn't help it; he lifted the ring to his fourth finger on his left hand, and then slid it all the way down the digit. Harry was even more confused by this ring as he was by Malfoy's strange behaviour. It fit so perfectly and his hand already felt accustomed to the weight on his finger, it was almost as though it had been there for a lot longer than a few moments. Almost as though it was completely familiar.

'You will always be with me just as I will always be with you.' The words chased themselves around and around his head. Veles had always said that Harry would always be his, but he had said nothing about a return sentiment. Whose was the voice? It was a man, that much was obvious, but there were no other details available, just that one line, said by a devoted and loving voice.

"Harry? Are you in here?" Came Veles' voice from the door which was now being pushed open. Harry hid his hands behind his back and quickly pulled off the ring. He didn't know what would happen if Veles saw another mans ring on his wedding finger but he could be sure that his reaction wouldn't be very nice. He just managed to drop the delicate ring into the bottom of his bag at the same time as he rounded the corner and spotted him.

"Take your time Pet. Dinner is being served and you will be late."
"I'm coming." Harry smiled up at Veles, which soon turned into a small wince as the mans hand clamped onto his waist and held him a little too tightly.

Nothing like Draco's hands.

A/N - It's short, I know ... But LOOK! I UPDATED!

So, to my loyal readers I am so sorry it's taken me so so so long to update, I felt so horrid leaving you all like that. But I've made a couple of decisions regarding this story :)

Firstly, I can't give it up, no matter how long it takes me to update it I will still be thinking about it and writing drafts for it :)

Secondly, I'm going to be going through ALL the chapters and re-writing them. A lot of the early chapters I wrote when I was 13 or 14 and in 4 or 5 years a lot can change, I've looked at some of the scenes in the earlier chapters and thought to myself 'oh my god, I can't believe I wrote that.' The content will mostly be the same just some details here and there will change. I'll try to keep writing new stuff though so hopefully you won't have to wait as long for my next update but 'm sure I said that last time so don't hold me to that.

Pleease add me on Twitter if you have it, my name is emeraldvssilver (same as this account). I only have a pitiful 93 followers so far :(

So another heartfelt thank you to my readers who have put up with me for this long.
x.E.V.S.x