HP/DM, The Spy Who Loved The Boy Who Lived: 18/35, NC-17
Title: The Spy Who Loved The Boy Who Lived: 18/35
Author:
alisanne
Rating: NC-17
Summary: There is a plot to capture Harry Potter, and an unexpected person steps forward to save him. Can Harry really trust Draco over his friends?
Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama, Romance,
Warnings: Alternate Universe, Graphic language, Slash (Yaoi), Violence, Graphic sex (overall)
Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15, Chapter 16, Chapter 17.
Disclaimer: The characters contained herein are not mine. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.
Beta reading done by the usual suspects,knightmare_shad and sevfan. All mistakes are mine.
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
~
Ron muttered a curt goodnight to his sleepy room mates and shut his drapes. He sighed deeply and then opened his robe, reaching a hand into the pocket where he generally kept his wand.
He was holding two identical wands when he removed his hand, and he sighed. So it wasn’t a dream, then? he thought.
Balancing both of them in his hands, he looked from one to the other, wondering how the hell this had happened. Bloody hell, he thought. Where have you been?
Reassuringly enough, his wand did not answer him. It would have been the topper to a downright surreal day. He’d been sitting in the Gryffindor common room, pretending to study, when it had just appeared in his hand that evening out of the blue. Thank Merlin he’d been in a secluded corner of the room, and no one else had been nearby. A muted flash, and then his old wand had been in his hand. He’d recognized it immediately, of course.
He didn’t know what to do now, though. Hermione would probably have some ideas, or at least would want to look stuff up, research it, but something was telling him not to say anything to anyone about his old wand returning on its own.
Who would steal his wand anyway, only to return it just as mysteriously? He briefly contemplated that it might be a joke being perpetrated on him by his brothers, and then dismissed that idea. This was too convoluted, even for them. Plus, they’d had to take time out of their busy lives to take him to get him a new one, and they had bitched about it the whole time.
Well, there was nothing to do about it now. Perhaps wands did that? Worked their way back to you if you lost them? He shrugged off the rest of his clothes and lay down to go to sleep. At least he’d gotten points for showing up to ‘rescue’ Hermione earlier. Something had pulled him to that spot; he just hadn’t been sure what....
Lying down, he pulled the blankets over his head in preparation for sleep. Maybe he would say something to Hermione in the morning. Although, the way she’d been acting lately, maybe he’d watch what he said around her from now on. He wasn’t sure whom he could trust at this point.
For the first time since receiving his first wand at age eleven, he was still clutching it tightly as he fell asleep.
~
Hermione winced as Madam Pomfrey poked at the wound on her arm. “This might be difficult,” the mediwitch muttered as she waved her wand over the area.
“Difficult?” Hermione asked.
“Mmm. It was made with the intention of draining your magical energy,” she said, distracted. “Those are generally more difficult to heal, but not impossible.”
Madam Pomfrey poked at the tender flesh once more, as if deciding what to do. Walking over to her cabinet, she pulled out a couple of potions vials and came back to Hermione’s bed.
After making the young Gryffindor take both the potions, she raised her wand and muttered an incantation. A soft glow of light, and then Hermione had smooth skin on that arm again.
She flexed the arm. It was her wand arm, and so she checked carefully for any lingering pain.
“Does it feel all right?” Madam Pomfrey asked.
Hermione nodded. She glanced over at Lavender, who was lying facing the wall, in an isolated bed at the other end of the Infirmary. “Will she... will she be all right?” she asked softly.
The mediwitch sighed, and shook her head slightly. “One can never be sure, my dear,” she said. “In cases such as these, the mental damage can often be worse than the physical. She will get the help she needs, though.”
“Will she have to go to St. Mungo's?”
“I will be evaluating her here for a while, I suspect,” Madam Pomfrey said. “I’m not sure how she will do.”
As the mediwitch declared her in perfect health and free to go, Hermione spared another look at the other girl. She felt a wave of pity wash through her. She had never been close to Lavender, but she didn’t wish what had happened to her on anybody.
Sighing, she left the Infirmary, vowing to return the next day and visit her house-mate.
~
He crept down the hallway of the Slytherin dungeons, following the trio. The sound of the girl’s voice echoed around the stone walls as the small group walked around the corner.
He had his instructions; they had been quite clear. He had forgotten until now, until he’d seen the girl walk away from the table.
Capture him when you can, had been his instructions, and so he followed, looking for his chance. When they were deep in the dungeons, nowhere near the crowded dining hall, he struck.
“Templis Ignes Inferre!” and the fireball went careening towards them, missing them all by mere inches.
He backed away and hid in the shadows, watching as the other two came running, and the adult lovers came out to investigate.
He felt eyes on him, and turned, but there was no one there. Shrugging, he walked away, muffling his steps. Next time he would capture him, or kill him, he didn’t care which.
Ron woke up in the dark of night, sweating, the wisps of the memory fading. He blinked. That was weird. That had been an attack on Harry, Hermione and Draco. Maybe he’d actually been in the mind of the person who had perpetrated it.
Excited, Ron wondered if he was sensing the thoughts of the person who had stolen his wand. Maybe it’ll be like Harry’s bond with Voldemort! he thought excitedly. It would be good to be useful for a change....
Hermione would know what to do, although, he wondered if he shouldn’t find out whose mind he was accessing before he said anything. He nodded. Yes, that was a good plan. And his friends would finally be forced to pay attention to him. Punching his pillow and grinning, he settled back down to sleep.
~
Harry yawned and stretched, his body sliding against Draco’s. The scent of his lover assaulted him, taking him from half hard to fully hard in an instant. He nuzzled Draco’s neck, sleepily sucking soft kisses into the fragrant skin as he rocked steadily against him.
Draco mewled, his body turning instinctively towards Harry’s, his mouth seeking the brunet’s. His morning erection brushed against Harry’s leg as he turned to face him, and soon they were rutting together.
Soft moans turned deeper until finally, they both orgasmed, Draco letting out the low scream that Harry loved, while Harry came quietly, his face buried in Draco’s neck as his body bowed with intense pleasure.
“Good morning,” Harry whispered into tangled blond hair.
“Mmmm... is now,” Draco agreed, still out of breath from their recently completed exertions.
Harry cracked one eye open to see light streaming in through the high window. “Damn, what time is it?” he moaned, rolling off Draco to rub his eyes.
Draco beat him to it. “Tempus,” he muttered, and the bright numbers lit up clearly over their heads.
“Shite!” Harry yelped. “It’s nine!”
He was halfway out of the bed, when Draco reached up and dragged him back down. “...Saturday,” he murmured, still a bit groggy.
Harry froze, then relaxed as he realized Draco was right. He slipped back under the covers and sighed as Draco curled around him. Soon, the blond was once again asleep. Harry gazed down at his angelic face. They had a lesson with Remus in a couple of hours, but they probably needed the extra sleep. Shifting down in the bed, Harry closed his eyes and drifted off.
~
Everyone had a lazy start to the day. By the time people started drifting into the Great Hall for breakfast, it was midmorning and closer to lunch. Hermione had been up early, worried about Lavender. She was bound and determined that her house-mate would have plenty of visitors so that she wouldn’t be able to brood too much.
When Ron finally emerged from his room, Hermione was waiting in the common room, and was actually friendly, chatting with him on the way to breakfast.
Ron was relieved. He really did care about her, and it hurt when she’d not been speaking to him. There was still a bit of strain in their interactions, but he thought he knew what to do about that.
The Gryffindor table was buzzing with rumors about Lavender, which Hermione quickly put a stop to. She explained, in as vague terms as possible, the circumstances around Lavender’s Infirmary stay, and then she set about organizing them into shifts of people who would go and visit their recovering house-mate.
While Hermione had been busy at the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables, Pansy Parkinson had evidently been doing the same at Slytherin, and soon the two girls had everything organized.
The redhead smiled as he watched Hermione and Pansy drawing up a schedule and making assignments. Things had almost seemed to be back to normal between himself and Hermione, and he didn’t even mind being around the Slytherins that much, although he still didn’t trust Malfoy. He definitely was not going to say anything more about that, however.
Ron recognized that he needed to make amends with Harry though, and he didn’t even need Hermione’s not so subtle nudges to know that. Harry had been quiet during the meal, smiling at the occasional joke, but remaining solidly in the background most of the time.
When a sheepish looking Ron had turned to him and apologized, Harry had readily accepted it, and had simply told him that who he really needed to apologize to was Draco. That had caused Ron to turn an interesting shade of purple.
He’d agreed to do it, however, and so Harry and Hermione had watched approvingly as Ron quietly gave Draco his apology. They’d even shaken hands on it, watched suspiciously by Pansy and Blaise.
Since it was a Saturday and they had no classes, Hermione had their day all planned. First, she had them penciled in to visit Lavender early, and then she had a fairly strict study schedule outlined, including Potions, much to Ron’s chagrin.
“Well, you don’t have to study it since you’re not taking it, Ron,” she’d said. “But perhaps you could do your Transfiguration homework?”
It was a beautiful day, and so they sat under a tree outside to study, away from the prying eyes of the rest of the school. Ron even managed a civilized nod at Malfoy, when he and Harry arrived a couple hours later and settled together across the clearing from them. The blond hesitated, and then coolly smiled and inclined his head. And so, an uneasy truce was formed.
~
Crucio!
He convulsed, screaming as the unbelievable pain ripped through him. After what seemed like an eternity, the pain stopped, and he lay there panting, tears leaking from his eyes.
“Are you ready?” the masked figure asked.
He moaned, twitching as they dragged him to his feet.
“Yes. You are ready to do his will,” the other said.
Ron woke screaming, his heart pounding. He realized immediately where he was, and let out a deep breath. His sheets were all twisted and lay at the foot of the bed.
He sighed and sat up, still clutching his wand. That was the third such nightmare that he’d had in as many evenings. And they were getting clearer. Usually, he couldn’t even remember what his dreams were about. Someone had been torturing him.... Did the Cruciatus really hurt that badly?
Yes, he imagined it did. At least Harry said it did, and now he had this experience to share with his friend. Despite the fact that it hadn’t happened to him exactly. The bond with the unknown Death Eater was getting stronger.
He looked down at the wand and then placed it on the bed. Slowly, the memory faded, flying away on the wisps of a dream.
It really must be the wand, Ron thought. It has to be why I’m having these dreams. Maybe I do need to let someone know about this....
Then he thought about how proud Hermione would be if he could play a special part in the upcoming conflict. No, he’d wait to say anything. He’d at least figure out whom he was channeling.
Grinning, he sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed in preparation for getting ready. He so couldn’t wait to see his friends’ faces when he turned out to be a hero just like Harry.
~
Lavender giggled as Pansy regaled her with stories about the study hall she’d just left. The thought of Snape pulling up his sleeves and pushing Seamus and Dean’s faces into their books was very amusing.
The Gryffindor was feeling better. She was now able to go several hours without thinking about what Zacharias had done to her, and her magical stores were almost completely replenished after the two days in the Infirmary.
The treatment had consisted of rest and a complete vacation from all magic. She wasn’t allowed to even touch her wand until she was stronger. Madam Pomfrey had said that she could perhaps get her wand back that evening.
The visit from her parents had also made her feel better. Her mother had fussed, and her father had simply hugged her and told her he was happy she was all right, and that he was proud of her for standing up to a Death Eater. The whole story had been recovered from her mind by Legilimency, and now they all knew her loyalties to the side of Light.
The two girls chatted most of the morning, joined later by Ginny, who handed Lavender a box of Chocolate Frogs. The three girls pigged out and gossiped the afternoon away.
Despite the carefree day, it was a pensive Ginny who left the Infirmary that evening. She’d been careful in her questioning of Lavender, and it didn’t appear that anyone had noticed the tenor of her questions.
Ginny was worried. Over the past few days, Ron had seemed a bit off to her, and when she’d mentioned it to Hermione, she’d gotten a distracted nod and pat on the head.
At dinner the night before, Ron’s odd behavior struck Ginny. Ron, who was usually rather clumsy and not at all good in social situations, had actually been charming. He’d flirted with Hermione, making the Head Girl blush under his attentions.
Then, Seamus had brought up the Canons, Quidditch-obsessed Ron’s favorite team, and he had all but dismissed him, continuing to pander to Hermione. The final straw had been when dessert had come. Ron, who usually clambered over people to get to the treacle tart, very calmly levitated it over and offered it to a smiling Hermione before taking some himself.
Ginny almost choked when that happened. Ron Weasley was being polite about food? This was completely out of character. And since when was he so good at levitating spells?
When Lavender had mentioned the things that had been off in Zacharias’ behavior, Ginny had listened carefully. Acting differently, his personality having undergone a slow but noticeable change, loss of interest in things had had been important to him before: all of these things sounded like the way Ron was acting now.
She sighed. But what could she do? It wasn’t as though her brother were doing anything bad. He was simply being more deferential than she’d ever seen him in his life. He was nicer. Could she complain about that? Maybe he was just growing up.
As she watched him in the common room, joking with Dean, she wondered if she just wasn’t a bit too suspicious.
~
“Oh for.... Get up!”
Severus snorted as Harry and Draco, in Animagus forms, tumbled over each other and went down heavily. The forms shimmered and then they were back to human, limbs tangled as they struggled to sit up.
“Sorry, sir,” Harry said sheepishly.
Severus rolled his eyes. “The idea, Harry, is to work together in your Animagus forms as a team, not for you to trip over Draco’s leopard form every time you attempt to do so.”
Harry sighed and ran an agitated hand through his hair. “Yes, sir,” he said. “I know, but it’s hard to hold the animal form and do wandless magic.”
Severus smirked. “Actually, Harry,” he said silkily, “you are not doing wandless magic in the strictest sense. You have a very large wand on your forehead. If you master this, you should never be defenseless.”
“You have a huge wand elsewhere, too,” Draco murmured under his breath, making Harry blush.
“The other thing is, you have to stop stepping in front of him.”
At Harry’s blank look, Severus shook his head and turned away. “Perhaps you can explain,” he said to Remus, who’d been watching from the corner. “I have a class to conduct.”
With a swirl of robes, he was gone.
The werewolf shook his head and walked over to them. “I think I know what the problem is,” he said.
At Draco’s inquiring look he said, “You are each trying to protect the other, rather than just trusting that your partner will do his job.”
He smiled gently as the boys avoided looking at each other. “There is no shame in wanting to protect the one you love, but if it puts him or others in even more danger, then perhaps you have to relax and know that you will each do your own part.”
Turning to Harry, he said, “You are stepping in front of Draco, trying to shield him from danger. Admirable, but suicidal when you’re in battle.”
When Harry nodded, Remus looked at Draco. “Your cat form is very powerful as well, Draco. And I understand your wanting to stay close to Harry, but you are hindering his unicorn form. He simply isn’t as maneuverable with you directly underfoot.”
He stepped back and allowed them to regain their feet. “Now, how about we try that again. This time, try to stay out from each other’s paths, all right?”
They nodded and shimmered back into Animagus forms. As they repositioned themselves, Remus hid in a different part of the clearing and prepared to ambush them again.
None of them noticed the stone-faced figure, hidden behind the bushes, who had been watching for some time.
~
They were exhausted when they got back to their room that evening, but at least the rest of practice had gone well, Remus praising their collaborative abilities in the end.
“We shall meet again for more practice in two days,” he said as he escorted them back to their quarters. The werewolf was particularly careful, casting a Notice Me Not spell on himself, as well as making sure to stick to deserted corridors as they walked.
When he left, Draco dragged Harry to the couch for a quick snuggle.
“Hermione’s meeting us to go to dinner, remember?” Harry said, sighing as Draco licked his neck.
“Mmm, yeah. And?” Draco nipped Harry’s earlobe, making his eyes close with pleasure.
“We can’t do this now. Not with her on the way here,” Harry gasped.
Draco chuckled, his warm breath tickling Harry’s neck. “Sure we can, lover,” he whispered. “Just a quick hand job will take care of us until later.”
Nimble fingers undid Harry’s trousers and then their already slick cocks were sliding together. Harry’s head hit the back of the couch with a thud as Draco continued to stroke them and whisper hot, sweet things in his ear.
“You look incredible,” Draco moaned. “So beautiful. So fucking hot...”
Neither lasted long, gasping as they pulsed and came, their essences mingling as they spurted in tandem over Draco’s hand.
A whispered Cleaning Spell, and then they settled together, wrapped around each other, for a quick nap.
~
Ron ignored everyone on his way back to his room. He was too gobsmacked to talk to anyone. When Ginny had reminded him about Quidditch practice that evening, he shook his head at her and mumbled something about being too tired.
Now safely ensconced in his bed with the curtains drawn, he thought about all that he had just seen.
Not only was Remus Lupin back, a fact which Ron had discerned for himself, but he was training Harry and Draco, who had become Animagi! And no one had told him any of it. He was betting that Hermione knew everything.
He growled. No one trusted him! And here he was, willing to endure a mental connection with a Death Eater to help Harry. Well, forget that. Harry wasn’t the only one who could save the world. Ron could do it, too. All he needed was a way to prove it.
Ron lay back, idly waving his wand in the air above his head. “I wish I knew a way to show the world that I’m as big a hero as Harry Potter is,” he said aloud.
A faint green mist formed and surrounded him. He gasped as a face formed in the smoke. The eyes were a burning red. Ron scrambled to the top of his bed, eyes darting around looking for escape.
“Weasssley,” a disembodied voice whispered.
“Who are you? What... what do you want?” Ron said, his voice cracking.
The hissing voice laughed. “It isss time to show your true colors, Weasssley. You are ready to remember. Commemissi!”
And all of his conditioning that had occurred when he’d been captured by Voldemort returned. Ron’s eyes widened, and he cried out, his wand glowing white hot and burning his hand. He lost consciousness for a few moments.
~
Dean’s head snapped up at the loud shriek that came from Ron’s bed. He jumped up from his own bed, where he’d been reading, and ran over, pulling back the curtain.
Ron lay there panting, clutching his wand.
“You all right there, Ron?” he asked.
Ron’s eyes slowly opened and then he slowly smiled at his house-mate. “I’m fine, Dean. Just a bad dream. Say, d’you know where Harry is?”
~TBC in Chapter 19
Author:
alisanneRating: NC-17
Summary: There is a plot to capture Harry Potter, and an unexpected person steps forward to save him. Can Harry really trust Draco over his friends?
Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama, Romance,
Warnings: Alternate Universe, Graphic language, Slash (Yaoi), Violence, Graphic sex (overall)
Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15, Chapter 16, Chapter 17.
Disclaimer: The characters contained herein are not mine. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.
Beta reading done by the usual suspects,
knightmare_shad and sevfan. All mistakes are mine. Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
~
Ron muttered a curt goodnight to his sleepy room mates and shut his drapes. He sighed deeply and then opened his robe, reaching a hand into the pocket where he generally kept his wand.
He was holding two identical wands when he removed his hand, and he sighed. So it wasn’t a dream, then? he thought.
Balancing both of them in his hands, he looked from one to the other, wondering how the hell this had happened. Bloody hell, he thought. Where have you been?
Reassuringly enough, his wand did not answer him. It would have been the topper to a downright surreal day. He’d been sitting in the Gryffindor common room, pretending to study, when it had just appeared in his hand that evening out of the blue. Thank Merlin he’d been in a secluded corner of the room, and no one else had been nearby. A muted flash, and then his old wand had been in his hand. He’d recognized it immediately, of course.
He didn’t know what to do now, though. Hermione would probably have some ideas, or at least would want to look stuff up, research it, but something was telling him not to say anything to anyone about his old wand returning on its own.
Who would steal his wand anyway, only to return it just as mysteriously? He briefly contemplated that it might be a joke being perpetrated on him by his brothers, and then dismissed that idea. This was too convoluted, even for them. Plus, they’d had to take time out of their busy lives to take him to get him a new one, and they had bitched about it the whole time.
Well, there was nothing to do about it now. Perhaps wands did that? Worked their way back to you if you lost them? He shrugged off the rest of his clothes and lay down to go to sleep. At least he’d gotten points for showing up to ‘rescue’ Hermione earlier. Something had pulled him to that spot; he just hadn’t been sure what....
Lying down, he pulled the blankets over his head in preparation for sleep. Maybe he would say something to Hermione in the morning. Although, the way she’d been acting lately, maybe he’d watch what he said around her from now on. He wasn’t sure whom he could trust at this point.
For the first time since receiving his first wand at age eleven, he was still clutching it tightly as he fell asleep.
~
Hermione winced as Madam Pomfrey poked at the wound on her arm. “This might be difficult,” the mediwitch muttered as she waved her wand over the area.
“Difficult?” Hermione asked.
“Mmm. It was made with the intention of draining your magical energy,” she said, distracted. “Those are generally more difficult to heal, but not impossible.”
Madam Pomfrey poked at the tender flesh once more, as if deciding what to do. Walking over to her cabinet, she pulled out a couple of potions vials and came back to Hermione’s bed.
After making the young Gryffindor take both the potions, she raised her wand and muttered an incantation. A soft glow of light, and then Hermione had smooth skin on that arm again.
She flexed the arm. It was her wand arm, and so she checked carefully for any lingering pain.
“Does it feel all right?” Madam Pomfrey asked.
Hermione nodded. She glanced over at Lavender, who was lying facing the wall, in an isolated bed at the other end of the Infirmary. “Will she... will she be all right?” she asked softly.
The mediwitch sighed, and shook her head slightly. “One can never be sure, my dear,” she said. “In cases such as these, the mental damage can often be worse than the physical. She will get the help she needs, though.”
“Will she have to go to St. Mungo's?”
“I will be evaluating her here for a while, I suspect,” Madam Pomfrey said. “I’m not sure how she will do.”
As the mediwitch declared her in perfect health and free to go, Hermione spared another look at the other girl. She felt a wave of pity wash through her. She had never been close to Lavender, but she didn’t wish what had happened to her on anybody.
Sighing, she left the Infirmary, vowing to return the next day and visit her house-mate.
~
He crept down the hallway of the Slytherin dungeons, following the trio. The sound of the girl’s voice echoed around the stone walls as the small group walked around the corner.
He had his instructions; they had been quite clear. He had forgotten until now, until he’d seen the girl walk away from the table.
Capture him when you can, had been his instructions, and so he followed, looking for his chance. When they were deep in the dungeons, nowhere near the crowded dining hall, he struck.
“Templis Ignes Inferre!” and the fireball went careening towards them, missing them all by mere inches.
He backed away and hid in the shadows, watching as the other two came running, and the adult lovers came out to investigate.
He felt eyes on him, and turned, but there was no one there. Shrugging, he walked away, muffling his steps. Next time he would capture him, or kill him, he didn’t care which.
Ron woke up in the dark of night, sweating, the wisps of the memory fading. He blinked. That was weird. That had been an attack on Harry, Hermione and Draco. Maybe he’d actually been in the mind of the person who had perpetrated it.
Excited, Ron wondered if he was sensing the thoughts of the person who had stolen his wand. Maybe it’ll be like Harry’s bond with Voldemort! he thought excitedly. It would be good to be useful for a change....
Hermione would know what to do, although, he wondered if he shouldn’t find out whose mind he was accessing before he said anything. He nodded. Yes, that was a good plan. And his friends would finally be forced to pay attention to him. Punching his pillow and grinning, he settled back down to sleep.
~
Harry yawned and stretched, his body sliding against Draco’s. The scent of his lover assaulted him, taking him from half hard to fully hard in an instant. He nuzzled Draco’s neck, sleepily sucking soft kisses into the fragrant skin as he rocked steadily against him.
Draco mewled, his body turning instinctively towards Harry’s, his mouth seeking the brunet’s. His morning erection brushed against Harry’s leg as he turned to face him, and soon they were rutting together.
Soft moans turned deeper until finally, they both orgasmed, Draco letting out the low scream that Harry loved, while Harry came quietly, his face buried in Draco’s neck as his body bowed with intense pleasure.
“Good morning,” Harry whispered into tangled blond hair.
“Mmmm... is now,” Draco agreed, still out of breath from their recently completed exertions.
Harry cracked one eye open to see light streaming in through the high window. “Damn, what time is it?” he moaned, rolling off Draco to rub his eyes.
Draco beat him to it. “Tempus,” he muttered, and the bright numbers lit up clearly over their heads.
“Shite!” Harry yelped. “It’s nine!”
He was halfway out of the bed, when Draco reached up and dragged him back down. “...Saturday,” he murmured, still a bit groggy.
Harry froze, then relaxed as he realized Draco was right. He slipped back under the covers and sighed as Draco curled around him. Soon, the blond was once again asleep. Harry gazed down at his angelic face. They had a lesson with Remus in a couple of hours, but they probably needed the extra sleep. Shifting down in the bed, Harry closed his eyes and drifted off.
~
Everyone had a lazy start to the day. By the time people started drifting into the Great Hall for breakfast, it was midmorning and closer to lunch. Hermione had been up early, worried about Lavender. She was bound and determined that her house-mate would have plenty of visitors so that she wouldn’t be able to brood too much.
When Ron finally emerged from his room, Hermione was waiting in the common room, and was actually friendly, chatting with him on the way to breakfast.
Ron was relieved. He really did care about her, and it hurt when she’d not been speaking to him. There was still a bit of strain in their interactions, but he thought he knew what to do about that.
The Gryffindor table was buzzing with rumors about Lavender, which Hermione quickly put a stop to. She explained, in as vague terms as possible, the circumstances around Lavender’s Infirmary stay, and then she set about organizing them into shifts of people who would go and visit their recovering house-mate.
While Hermione had been busy at the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables, Pansy Parkinson had evidently been doing the same at Slytherin, and soon the two girls had everything organized.
The redhead smiled as he watched Hermione and Pansy drawing up a schedule and making assignments. Things had almost seemed to be back to normal between himself and Hermione, and he didn’t even mind being around the Slytherins that much, although he still didn’t trust Malfoy. He definitely was not going to say anything more about that, however.
Ron recognized that he needed to make amends with Harry though, and he didn’t even need Hermione’s not so subtle nudges to know that. Harry had been quiet during the meal, smiling at the occasional joke, but remaining solidly in the background most of the time.
When a sheepish looking Ron had turned to him and apologized, Harry had readily accepted it, and had simply told him that who he really needed to apologize to was Draco. That had caused Ron to turn an interesting shade of purple.
He’d agreed to do it, however, and so Harry and Hermione had watched approvingly as Ron quietly gave Draco his apology. They’d even shaken hands on it, watched suspiciously by Pansy and Blaise.
Since it was a Saturday and they had no classes, Hermione had their day all planned. First, she had them penciled in to visit Lavender early, and then she had a fairly strict study schedule outlined, including Potions, much to Ron’s chagrin.
“Well, you don’t have to study it since you’re not taking it, Ron,” she’d said. “But perhaps you could do your Transfiguration homework?”
It was a beautiful day, and so they sat under a tree outside to study, away from the prying eyes of the rest of the school. Ron even managed a civilized nod at Malfoy, when he and Harry arrived a couple hours later and settled together across the clearing from them. The blond hesitated, and then coolly smiled and inclined his head. And so, an uneasy truce was formed.
~
Crucio!
He convulsed, screaming as the unbelievable pain ripped through him. After what seemed like an eternity, the pain stopped, and he lay there panting, tears leaking from his eyes.
“Are you ready?” the masked figure asked.
He moaned, twitching as they dragged him to his feet.
“Yes. You are ready to do his will,” the other said.
Ron woke screaming, his heart pounding. He realized immediately where he was, and let out a deep breath. His sheets were all twisted and lay at the foot of the bed.
He sighed and sat up, still clutching his wand. That was the third such nightmare that he’d had in as many evenings. And they were getting clearer. Usually, he couldn’t even remember what his dreams were about. Someone had been torturing him.... Did the Cruciatus really hurt that badly?
Yes, he imagined it did. At least Harry said it did, and now he had this experience to share with his friend. Despite the fact that it hadn’t happened to him exactly. The bond with the unknown Death Eater was getting stronger.
He looked down at the wand and then placed it on the bed. Slowly, the memory faded, flying away on the wisps of a dream.
It really must be the wand, Ron thought. It has to be why I’m having these dreams. Maybe I do need to let someone know about this....
Then he thought about how proud Hermione would be if he could play a special part in the upcoming conflict. No, he’d wait to say anything. He’d at least figure out whom he was channeling.
Grinning, he sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed in preparation for getting ready. He so couldn’t wait to see his friends’ faces when he turned out to be a hero just like Harry.
~
Lavender giggled as Pansy regaled her with stories about the study hall she’d just left. The thought of Snape pulling up his sleeves and pushing Seamus and Dean’s faces into their books was very amusing.
The Gryffindor was feeling better. She was now able to go several hours without thinking about what Zacharias had done to her, and her magical stores were almost completely replenished after the two days in the Infirmary.
The treatment had consisted of rest and a complete vacation from all magic. She wasn’t allowed to even touch her wand until she was stronger. Madam Pomfrey had said that she could perhaps get her wand back that evening.
The visit from her parents had also made her feel better. Her mother had fussed, and her father had simply hugged her and told her he was happy she was all right, and that he was proud of her for standing up to a Death Eater. The whole story had been recovered from her mind by Legilimency, and now they all knew her loyalties to the side of Light.
The two girls chatted most of the morning, joined later by Ginny, who handed Lavender a box of Chocolate Frogs. The three girls pigged out and gossiped the afternoon away.
Despite the carefree day, it was a pensive Ginny who left the Infirmary that evening. She’d been careful in her questioning of Lavender, and it didn’t appear that anyone had noticed the tenor of her questions.
Ginny was worried. Over the past few days, Ron had seemed a bit off to her, and when she’d mentioned it to Hermione, she’d gotten a distracted nod and pat on the head.
At dinner the night before, Ron’s odd behavior struck Ginny. Ron, who was usually rather clumsy and not at all good in social situations, had actually been charming. He’d flirted with Hermione, making the Head Girl blush under his attentions.
Then, Seamus had brought up the Canons, Quidditch-obsessed Ron’s favorite team, and he had all but dismissed him, continuing to pander to Hermione. The final straw had been when dessert had come. Ron, who usually clambered over people to get to the treacle tart, very calmly levitated it over and offered it to a smiling Hermione before taking some himself.
Ginny almost choked when that happened. Ron Weasley was being polite about food? This was completely out of character. And since when was he so good at levitating spells?
When Lavender had mentioned the things that had been off in Zacharias’ behavior, Ginny had listened carefully. Acting differently, his personality having undergone a slow but noticeable change, loss of interest in things had had been important to him before: all of these things sounded like the way Ron was acting now.
She sighed. But what could she do? It wasn’t as though her brother were doing anything bad. He was simply being more deferential than she’d ever seen him in his life. He was nicer. Could she complain about that? Maybe he was just growing up.
As she watched him in the common room, joking with Dean, she wondered if she just wasn’t a bit too suspicious.
~
“Oh for.... Get up!”
Severus snorted as Harry and Draco, in Animagus forms, tumbled over each other and went down heavily. The forms shimmered and then they were back to human, limbs tangled as they struggled to sit up.
“Sorry, sir,” Harry said sheepishly.
Severus rolled his eyes. “The idea, Harry, is to work together in your Animagus forms as a team, not for you to trip over Draco’s leopard form every time you attempt to do so.”
Harry sighed and ran an agitated hand through his hair. “Yes, sir,” he said. “I know, but it’s hard to hold the animal form and do wandless magic.”
Severus smirked. “Actually, Harry,” he said silkily, “you are not doing wandless magic in the strictest sense. You have a very large wand on your forehead. If you master this, you should never be defenseless.”
“You have a huge wand elsewhere, too,” Draco murmured under his breath, making Harry blush.
“The other thing is, you have to stop stepping in front of him.”
At Harry’s blank look, Severus shook his head and turned away. “Perhaps you can explain,” he said to Remus, who’d been watching from the corner. “I have a class to conduct.”
With a swirl of robes, he was gone.
The werewolf shook his head and walked over to them. “I think I know what the problem is,” he said.
At Draco’s inquiring look he said, “You are each trying to protect the other, rather than just trusting that your partner will do his job.”
He smiled gently as the boys avoided looking at each other. “There is no shame in wanting to protect the one you love, but if it puts him or others in even more danger, then perhaps you have to relax and know that you will each do your own part.”
Turning to Harry, he said, “You are stepping in front of Draco, trying to shield him from danger. Admirable, but suicidal when you’re in battle.”
When Harry nodded, Remus looked at Draco. “Your cat form is very powerful as well, Draco. And I understand your wanting to stay close to Harry, but you are hindering his unicorn form. He simply isn’t as maneuverable with you directly underfoot.”
He stepped back and allowed them to regain their feet. “Now, how about we try that again. This time, try to stay out from each other’s paths, all right?”
They nodded and shimmered back into Animagus forms. As they repositioned themselves, Remus hid in a different part of the clearing and prepared to ambush them again.
None of them noticed the stone-faced figure, hidden behind the bushes, who had been watching for some time.
~
They were exhausted when they got back to their room that evening, but at least the rest of practice had gone well, Remus praising their collaborative abilities in the end.
“We shall meet again for more practice in two days,” he said as he escorted them back to their quarters. The werewolf was particularly careful, casting a Notice Me Not spell on himself, as well as making sure to stick to deserted corridors as they walked.
When he left, Draco dragged Harry to the couch for a quick snuggle.
“Hermione’s meeting us to go to dinner, remember?” Harry said, sighing as Draco licked his neck.
“Mmm, yeah. And?” Draco nipped Harry’s earlobe, making his eyes close with pleasure.
“We can’t do this now. Not with her on the way here,” Harry gasped.
Draco chuckled, his warm breath tickling Harry’s neck. “Sure we can, lover,” he whispered. “Just a quick hand job will take care of us until later.”
Nimble fingers undid Harry’s trousers and then their already slick cocks were sliding together. Harry’s head hit the back of the couch with a thud as Draco continued to stroke them and whisper hot, sweet things in his ear.
“You look incredible,” Draco moaned. “So beautiful. So fucking hot...”
Neither lasted long, gasping as they pulsed and came, their essences mingling as they spurted in tandem over Draco’s hand.
A whispered Cleaning Spell, and then they settled together, wrapped around each other, for a quick nap.
~
Ron ignored everyone on his way back to his room. He was too gobsmacked to talk to anyone. When Ginny had reminded him about Quidditch practice that evening, he shook his head at her and mumbled something about being too tired.
Now safely ensconced in his bed with the curtains drawn, he thought about all that he had just seen.
Not only was Remus Lupin back, a fact which Ron had discerned for himself, but he was training Harry and Draco, who had become Animagi! And no one had told him any of it. He was betting that Hermione knew everything.
He growled. No one trusted him! And here he was, willing to endure a mental connection with a Death Eater to help Harry. Well, forget that. Harry wasn’t the only one who could save the world. Ron could do it, too. All he needed was a way to prove it.
Ron lay back, idly waving his wand in the air above his head. “I wish I knew a way to show the world that I’m as big a hero as Harry Potter is,” he said aloud.
A faint green mist formed and surrounded him. He gasped as a face formed in the smoke. The eyes were a burning red. Ron scrambled to the top of his bed, eyes darting around looking for escape.
“Weasssley,” a disembodied voice whispered.
“Who are you? What... what do you want?” Ron said, his voice cracking.
The hissing voice laughed. “It isss time to show your true colors, Weasssley. You are ready to remember. Commemissi!”
And all of his conditioning that had occurred when he’d been captured by Voldemort returned. Ron’s eyes widened, and he cried out, his wand glowing white hot and burning his hand. He lost consciousness for a few moments.
~
Dean’s head snapped up at the loud shriek that came from Ron’s bed. He jumped up from his own bed, where he’d been reading, and ran over, pulling back the curtain.
Ron lay there panting, clutching his wand.
“You all right there, Ron?” he asked.
Ron’s eyes slowly opened and then he slowly smiled at his house-mate. “I’m fine, Dean. Just a bad dream. Say, d’you know where Harry is?”
~TBC in Chapter 19
