The Bonds That Tie
Weeks went by as the Weasley's and Albus had no clue what to make of what happened with Harry Potter, who was revealed to be a vampire by his own admission. Albus assured there was nothing to worry about, probably just a trick by dark magic and he'd get to the bottom of it. Ron didn't believe it since Harry said he'd snap his wand and be fine and the fact he was using wandless magic and flaring his energy the way he did. Several people agreed with Harry that Albus controlling Harry into an arranged marriage was wrong, but remained unsaid about keeping him in good company. Arthur did get the contract diminished with Aunt Muriel, who was head of the Weasley House; it was broken under the fact it wasn't run by her first. Harry had seemingly disappeared from everyone's radar. Draco was worried too; he hadn't seen or heard from Harry since summer began. Harry must have given into hunting random muggles to get his feeding fix, or just had immense control over it. Draco didn't know, but he wanted to find his friend and make sure he was alright. Of course, right now was the worst time to leave because Draco got dragged along to a Death Eater meeting by his parents and Voldemort's request. It was August 16th, around 2:00 pm as Draco was being taken to the formal dining room by his parents for the meeting.
"Now, Draco…When you see the dark lord, you only refer to him as My Lord," Lucius Malfoy, his father, instructed. "Sit quiet and say nothing unless addressed."
"And keep your shields up," Narcissa, his mother, added.
Draco only nodded and walked with his parents into the main room, laying eyes on some familiar faces; including his godfather, Severus Snape.
"Ah, welcome youngest Malfoy," Voldemort greeted as Draco got a tiny look at him. "We're pleased you could join us."
"It is my honor, my lord," Draco replied.
"Such a good lad. You raised him well, Lucius and you as well, Narcissa." Voldemort complimented.
"Thank you, my lord," Narcissa and Lucius bowed their heads and soon took their seats; Draco on his father's right and Narcissa to the left of Lucius.
"Now, down to business…It's come to my attention that Harry Potter is no longer within the safety of the blood wards around his muggle relatives home…" Voldemort informed. That got Draco's attention. Why wasn't Harry there? Though Harry said he'd be escaping to Sirius's place. "Severus, my trusted spy…What news do you have of this?"
"Nothing, I'm afraid, My Lord," Severus said. "I've heard nothing of Potter being moved. He's not at Hogwarts either and Dumbledore hasn't revealed anything. The wards are supposed to alert him when Potter is outside the safety of them and the Order is usually called to a meeting. I've attended nothing so far." He revealed.
"You will go back and find out what you can on the matter. If Potter has truly left the safety of those wards; we should be able to find-," Voldemort was cut off when the doors opened to reveal a house elf standing there.
"Forgive the intrusion, my lord," Narcissa said to the dark lord and then turned her attention on the house elf. "What is it, Zimmy?" She asked.
"Zimmy informs a young man here for the young master." Zimmy replied.
"Who?" Lucius pushed.
"Zimmy asked, he did not give a name, only here to see Master Draco." Zimmy answered.
Draco almost paled. Harry had come now?! Of all times? This was bad. "You've invited a friend, Draco? Wonderful. Bring him in. The more the merrier!" Voldemort stated.
And that was even worse. "Bring the guest in, Zimmy," Lucius told the elf.
"Zimmy will do as told by master." Zimmy left the room for a moment then returned with a young man wearing black pants, a blood-red shirt and black leather jacket. Draco noticed that Harry wasn't wearing his glasses and had his scar hidden.
"Welcome, young friend of-," The male looked up Voldemort spoke.
"You're far too cheery for a dark lord," The male said.
"You know of me?" Voldemort asked.
"Everyone knows about the dark wizard on a binge for power who failed to kill an infant." The male answered.
Voldemort's face dropped, seemingly angry. "You dare speak to me-," Voldemort aimed his wand at the male. "Avada Kedavra!"
The blast hit the male square in the chest and he didn't move. Voldemort smirked, but it quickly faded when the male laughed slightly, and just stood straight with a smirk of his own. "That's a tough break for you, Tom," He said. "You're gonna have to do better than that tiresome curse to get rid of me. But hey, let's see if mine work…" The male raised his arm up, hand in a fist and then before Voldemort could try and curse the boy again, the mysterious man rotated his wrist once and when his fingers were facing outward, he open his hand to reveal his palm and flick his fingers forward. A force slammed into Voldemort and sent him into the wall hard, leaving a body-sized dent and some cracks. "It would seem I remain the boy who lived…"
That was everyone's ticket to understand who was in the room now. Harry Potter. Voldemort finally managed to stand straight and stare at Harry.
"Potter?" Severus asked. "Just what the hell are you doing here."
"Hey, Professor," Harry greeted. "Came to see Draco, didn't Zimmy inform you of that?"
Everyone just sat there, completely blown away that Harry Potter was in the room and just took the killing curse to the chest and laughed. Laughed. And then he used no wand or words to violently throw the dark lord back into the wall.
"She didn't say it was you, just someone here to see Draco…" Narcissa stated.
"Sorry about the wall," Harry waved his hand at the damage and let it return to normal.
"Have you gone mad, Harry?" Draco asked. "Seriously, I'm rather concerned for you…"
"Might have a couple weeks ago, Dray," Harry stated.
"Did Sirius's death cause a mental breakdown?" Draco eyed his friend.
"No." Harry replied. "And technically you can't break what's already broken, nor kill what's already dead."
"Then what are you doing here? Coming in, challenging the dark lord?" Draco pushed. "I knew you were crazy, but bloody hell, Potter…"
"Him? He doesn't scare me…" Harry shrugged. "And it really wasn't that much of a challenge." He added.
"I don't…I don't scare you? The person who murdered your parents, sent false visions to lure you to get a prophecy and got your godfather killed…You're not afraid of me?" Voldemort asked. "Wait a minute, did you call me Tom before?"
"I did." Harry responded. "That is your name, is it not? And why should I fear you? You've failed to kill me, multiple times. And killing the people close to me is just pissing me right off…"
"Not one I go by anymore." Voldemort remarked. "Why didn't-," He started.
"Will you sit down and shut up? Merlin above, how can your followers sit here for hours and listen to you? I can't and I've only been here for less than five minutes. We've established you can't kill me and have no power over me, Tom…So save me a headache and nip it." Harry remarked. "I am not in the mood for your nonsense today and I'm not held responsible for my actions if you continue to push your luck with me. Next time, you'll end up through the wall and dead."
Voldemort stared at the boy before him, much like everyone else was. Draco got up from his chair and walked around to Harry, who moved back. "Don't, Draco…I don't want to hurt you by mistake." Draco put his hand on Harry's shoulder and instantly found himself against the nearest wall. "Why can't you listen?"
"Draco!" Narcissa was on her feet, wand pulled.
"Mother, stand down. Anything you throw at him is not going to have an effect, so don't try." Draco told her. "I'm fine. He's in a mood…"
"He's holding you against a wall!" Lucius argued.
"Father, I know how to handle Harry. I have been for months," Draco stated.
"Think you know me, do you?" Harry growled.
"I'm stubborn and know how to get through to you." Draco sighed. "We've established this doesn't deter me, Harry…" He reminded. "Look at me." Harry brought his eyes up. "You're not going to hurt me. Drop the glamour and show me your eyes." Harry looked at Draco fully as Draco saw red. "When's the last time you ate?"
"June…" Harry mumbled.
"All this because he's hungry?" Severus asked. "Seems extreme."
"Not eating for two months?!" Narcissa screeched. "He should be dead."
"If we get him some food, will he calm down?" Voldemort asked.
"He doesn't need food," Draco muttered. "Not the kind you're thinking of anyway. You should have come long before now, Harry. We had a deal you wouldn't deny yourself anymore, remember? Why would you wait from the last time? I told you to come any time." Draco told him he raised his left arm, Harry growled at him. "Easy now…I'm trying to help." Draco slowly pulled the sleeve back as Harry's eyes traveled to the appendage.
"I was busy dealing with the old fool," Harry said. "Bloody controlling, manipulative bastard thinks he can tell-," Harry went on the mumbled some choice words about, who Draco could only assume, was Dumbledore.
Draco got a small knife from his pocket and made a thin slice over his arm to bring the blood up to the surface. "It's alright…I know what you want and need. But you have to let me go first…" Harry instantly went silent, eyeing the arm as his fangs dropped and he let go of Draco, who sat himself on the floor. "Come on now…" Draco invited as Harry lowered as well and then Draco put his bleeding arm out to Harry. And just like that, Harry held Draco's arm and sank his fangs into the flesh.
"He's eating my son! Lucius, do something!" Narcissa demanded.
"He's not eating me, Mother. He's feeding." Draco told her, sitting contently against the wall and seemingly not even caring.
"Feeding on you!" Narcissa argued.
"Just my blood, which is fine. He's been feeding from me since Easter Holiday." Draco replied. "I allow it, mom…It's fine."
Severus's eyes widened. "He's a vampire?" Draco nodded.
"Vampires suck humans dry!" Lucius informed. "He'll kill you, Draco."
"Dad, I've done this three days a week from April 5th to June 20th. Trust me, I'm fine. Harry won't drink enough to make me dizzy or weak; he knows when to stop." Draco informed.
"How did this happen?" Voldemort asked.
"It's Harry's tale to tell if he wants to. I will only reveal that I found that out in April when I caught him on the verge of going onto blood rage. I forget what it's referred to as, but it means he'd lose his humanity for a bit and go find the first human he could to feed." Draco explained. "He didn't force me to do this for him. I offered it when I realized what he was and I've been his source of food since. I know how it looks and how it sounds, but it's better than the alternative."
"He told you all this?" Severus inquired.
"No, I figured it out on my own between the pale skin, red eyes, and fangs." Draco said. "After he fed once from me, he asked me what I wanted in exchange for my silence to not tell anyone at school. I only asked he tell me how it happened so I could help him. We made a deal that if he stopped denying himself the need for human blood; he could feed from me and I'd keep his secret. Harry is a particular brand of vampire that animal blood doesn't quiet satisfy the hunger. It works as a quick fix, but won't do the trick like human blood will." Draco informed. "You'll see how much calmer he is after he's done."
On cue, Harry withdrew his fangs and licked Draco's arm to heal the cut. Harry's eyes flashed red once then went back to green as he laid his head against the wall, which ended up on Draco's shoulder. "Thank you, Dray,"
"Any time, Harry. But so help me Merlin if you wait until you're on the verge of blood-depravity again…I will hex you until I find that one works! You understand me, Potter? I swear we'll go back to scheduled feedings if you can't remember in your anger of Dumbledore to feed yourself." Draco sighed. "I think you gave the dark lord a scare at the state you were in." Draco warned him firmly.
"I-I was not scared." Voldemort remarked.
"It doesn't look good on you to lie, Tom…You know I can tell that you are, right? I smelled your fear." Harry commented, eyes closed and still resting against Draco's shoulder.
"Tired?" Draco asked.
"Always after feeding…" Harry told him.
"Want to go rest in my room?" Draco inquired.
"Nah, I'm fine…" Harry said. "Maybe it's all the new smells in the room…I'm still hungry."
"You want more, you know I don't mind." Draco said.
"Any more from you and you're going to knock out, Dray and I promised to never kill or turn you in this arrangement." Harry told him. "Think your dad would let me have at him?" Lucius Malfoy's face went pale as a ghost when he heard Harry ask Draco if he could feed from him.
"You could ask," Draco chuckled.
"Absolutely not!" Lucius said quickly. "Enjoy Bellatrix."
"Ew, no. She smells like garlic," He stuck his tongue out. "I'd never taint my fangs with her,"
"Hey!" Bellatrix remarked.
"But she killed my godfather, so I might drain her in revenge…" His eyes flashed. Bellatrix gulped and lowered herself into her chair.
"How about Voldemort, then?" Narcissa suggested.
"You dare offer me as a snack to him?!" Voldemort glared.
"I think we've established who has more power right now," Narcissa stated. "What do you say, Harry?"
"Ehh…" Harry said, unsure if to take the offer or not.
"Oh, thank Merlin…" Voldemort sighed in relief.
"But there is another…Wonderful scent in the room that stands out from the others…" Harry's eyes zeroed in on Severus.
"Why is he looking at me like that?" Severus asked.
"The sweetest blood belongs to him…" Harry went to get up.
"I thought my blood was sweet?" Draco inquired.
"But his is…Untainted by anything. Completely pure…" Harry stated.
Draco looked at Severus now. "Weird question, Uncle Sev…Are you a virgin?"
Severus glared at him. "I will not answer that to you! And why does it matter?"
"Legend says that the purest blood from a human for a vampire to drink is that of a virgin. Someone completely untouched. Harry said your blood is pure, and the sweetest; he can smell it that's why he's locked on you." Draco informed. "Your blood is calling to him."
"Don't get any ideas, Potter," Severus said quickly. "I'm not letting you feed from me. Enjoy Draco's. Or Lucius's."
"Don't you send him on me, Severus!" Lucius glared.
"Wait just a minute…If Severus's blood is purer then Draco's," Narcissa paused, then gasped. "Are you telling me you're not a virgin young man!?"
"Busted…" Harry smirked.
"Shut up, Harry!" Draco snapped.
"You kind'a gave yourself away, Dray." Harry snorted with a laugh.
"I suppose I gave myself away in all that," Draco sighed. "No, Mother…I am not. I lost mine end of fifth year to Pansy. Bet between friends if we're both still virgins by the time we're sixteen then we'll give it each other." He shrugged. "One-time thing, of course."
"She was still fifteen until November, Draco Malfoy!" Narcissa scolded. "And you only just turned sixteen at the start of June!"
"So it was a couple months ahead, either way…If we'd waited; it'd still have been done in November." Draco told her.
"That's why your blood changed…" Harry chuckled.
"You could tell?" Draco asked.
"Still great, but lost some of the sweetness." Harry told him.
"Now…Perhaps we can get down to why you are here, Mr. Potter?" Severus asked.
"I already explained that, Uncle Severus…I told Harry at the end of fifth year that he could find me here any time he needed to feed." Draco said.
"Yes, that was established…But may I inquire as to why you waited so long to feed? You said you were busy with the old fool, and Draco confirmed that you are referring to Dumbledore, so what has occurred?" Lucius questioned.
"Damn fool thinks he can control me because Sirius is gone. He claimed himself my magical guardian and tried to set up an arranged marriage with Ginerva Weasley." Harry stated. "So I got angry and left after telling him he was nothing to me but my headmaster. Ginny attempted to tell me that we'd be fine and she could accept me like this, but I told her I could smell and feel her fear as she spoke, also that I was gay and only saw her as sister-figure. She seemed to understand and step back."
"So you're contracted to marry the Weaslette?" Draco inquired.
"Apparently…I'm working on getting out of it. I don't trust the senile coot not to try anything else to get me to obey him, though. He already tried a compulsion charm; he says he didn't and wouldn't…But my heightened senses told me I was in danger. I may have also blasted him back and told him he can't control me anymore and if he didn't stop; I'd back out of the fight, snap my wand to remove the trace on me, and leave them to deal with Voldemort on their own. See how they fair without their savior's help…"
"Awfully dark threat, Harry Potter," Voldemort chuckled. "Would you actually see it through?"
"Considering all the people I was going to fight for have turned on me…Yes, I absolutely would." Harry commented. "Funny how fast the people said they would always be there turn just because you're a vampire and didn't have a choice in it. It's not like it can be changed, just like Lycanthropy. I live with it or I die."
"Hey, I didn't abandon you…" Draco told him.
"And that has shown me you're a true friend, Draco. You saw me at my worst and helped me. I know I can trust you…But the others, as it's been several weeks since I asked them if they'd remain in my life or not; I'm not holding hope that upon returning to school in September that I'll have any more friends than you." Harry stated.
"My friends would adore you." Draco smiled.
"Yeah, well going back I'll still be in that blasted tower. Sunlight won't kill me, but it can burn my skin and rather uncomfortable," Harry said.
"I'm sure it can be arranged you moved to the dungeons." Severus said. "If not into Slytherin for the fact you're a Gryffindor, but there are some open rooms down there only being used for storage. One could be converted into a basic bedroom for you. I'll speak to Minerva. We'll leave Dumbledore out of it. We can't change your house, but if Minerva agrees, we can change where you sleep." He informed.
"Pending she doesn't turn on me like everyone else. As soon as it went around the Burrow I was a vampire and gay, Ron turned on me first told me he didn't know who I was. To which I responded he never did. When we met on the train in first year, he latched himself to me as soon as he knew I was Harry Potter. But as soon as my fame as the boy who lived rears its head; he would get jealous and petty. Like in fourth year over the stupid tri-wizard tournament. Or second year when I could speak snake. Both times made him back off." Harry muttered.
"You've nothing to worry, my bo-," Voldemort started.
"Do not call me my boy…I belong to no one and I am not anybody's anything." Harry warned coldly.
"Forgive me, Harry." Voldemort said. "You've nothing to worry about with us. I promise no harm will come to you further from me or my followers…" He assured. "It would seem you have refused the protection of the blood wards; they've fallen on Privet Drive. Where are you staying now?"
"Nowhere. Leaky Cauldron a couple times, Black Home…I never stay anywhere long enough for Dumbledore to find me." Harry informed.
"Then you'll stay here from now on." Draco said. "Is that okay, Mother? Father?"
"As long as he doesn't attack anybody." Lucius stated.
"I am here to feed Harry if he needs to eat. He won't get to the point of earlier, will you, Harry?" Draco asked. Harry shook his head.
"Then it's settled. Harry will remain here and we'll work to fix this world as planned." Voldemort said. "Should we get back to the meeting?"
"You can…Dray, I think I'll take you up on that offer to rest now," Harry told his friend.
"Come on, I'll take you to my room. For now, at least. Before dinner, a room for you will be arranged." Draco got up with Harry and guided him away.
"A fortuitous turn of events." Voldemort smirked. "Oh, Albus…Will you ever learn the error of your manipulative ways? But I owe you thanks; you just gave us all we needed to destroy you."