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Harry Potter and the Unusual Alliance	By : RikuRocks Category: Harry Potter AU/AR > Slash - Male/Male Views: 5752 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to Harry Potter, nor am I making any money from this work of fiction.

Chapter List
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Chapter 22: The Final Horcrux.
"No," Snape said in a tone Harry could not place. The obsidian-eyed man closed his eyes and bowed his head slightly.
Remus swallowed before repeating, "I'm sorry," even more hoarsely than usual as his eyes shone sadly.
Harry thought his heart stopped as he realized what his surrogate godfather meant. He quietly said, "No.�
"It makes sense," whispered Draco. "Why else would he keep me alive after I failed? Why kill my mother? It should have been me. That's why he wants me alive�what other reason could there be?"
Harry was dimly aware that Snape and Remus were responding, but he could not focus on what they were saying. His complete attention was on Draco.
The pale boy looked lost for the moment. Harry felt the same way.
He was only supposed to have to kill Voldemort. Harry had accepted that fact long ago and even came to terms with the probability that he would have to kill several Death Eaters to accomplish that. However, he was not supposed to kill an innocent boy.
Draco had never killed anyone, and Harry knew that the pale boy could not. The grey-eyed boy had not even caused any great harm in the grand scheme of things�and all that he had was because his hand was forced.
Dumbledore had been right that night in the tower; he had known all along that Draco was good. Harry knew that too now. Draco was an ally�a friend�a companion.
Harry was vaguely aware of Remus speaking his name. He knew he had to focus. If there was a way to help Draco, he would not be of any help this way.
"Harry," Remus said softly, and the bespectacled boy was aware of the werewolf's hands on his shoulders. "Harry��
"Sorry�" Harry blinked a few times to unfix his eyes. "I'm sorry, what were you saying?"
"It's alright, Harry," answered the lycanthrope. "I was just concerned. You haven't moved or spoken for a few minutes."
Green eyes blinked a few more times and he realized that Remus was kneeling in front of him. "I'm al- It's just a shock�"
Remus' expression turned from concerned to sympathetic. "I know, Harry; I'm so sorry. I want you to know that we aren't going to give up hope so quickly."
"I- I don't want to kill him," Harry whispered as he stared at Remus as though he could find an alternative buried in the lycanthrope's kind eyes.
Harry sensed more than saw movement slightly above him to his left. He realized that Draco and Snape were standing and vaguely wondered when that had happened. However, once he looked up, he was too caught up in startled grey eyes to bother thinking about that.
Suddenly, startled turned heart breaking, and then pensive before the spell broke as Draco turned to Snape, who released a heavy sigh.
"Why would Harry kill me?" asked the blonde softly. For a moment, Snape said nothing, but the way his eyes softened gave Harry the impression that Draco was searching them much as he himself had just done with Remus.
"A living Horcrux�has to die to destroy the soul fragment. Is that it?" Draco's voice grew even softer as he finished speaking.
"Yes," Snape answered, hi voice almost as quiet. His tone grew in strength and volume as he added, "At least, that is what we have assumed. I admit that I have not looked into the concept of living Horcruxes as thoroughly as I could-"
Draco's quiet and surprisingly steady voice cut in before Snape could continue. "But both you and Lupin reached this conclusion before?"
"That was when we only had a snake to consider," Remus interjected levelly. "If Severus and I combine our research, we may find something neither of us had considered before."
"Neither of you would leave an assignment half-completed," said Draco, who was still facing Snape. "You both were the best Defense Against the Dark Arks professors Hogwarts has ever seen, and you are rapidly becoming the most knowledgeable and powerful wizards alive. Once He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and Grindelwald are dead, I think you will be. You expect me to believe that you both simply overlooked a way to avoid killing before?"
"No, but I will not simply accept that I must stand aside while Potter murders you," answered Snape vehemently.
"Harry will not be murdering him," Remus said, his tone as resolute as Snape�s.
"What if there isn't any other way?" the pallid Slytherin asked quietly.
"Then it still won't be Harry," answered the werewolf.
Draco turned to meet the scarred man�s eyes. After a moment, the blonde seemed to gain an odd sort of calm. He nodded absentmindedly, "Thank you."
Suddenly, Harry's mind caught up.
The Gryffindor stood and turned Draco by his shoulders until they were facing. "Draco�do not give up yet. I believe what you just said about Snape and Remus�and Remus is the most moral person I have ever met. If anyone can figure this out, it's the two of them. I am not just going to let you die; I don�t care who�s going to do it. I'm not letting it happen."
"None of us are simply going to let this happen," drawled Snape, who also seemed to have pushed past the initial shock. "If there is another alternative, we shall find it."
"What do you mean, if?" said Harry, glancing at the raven-haired man.
"He means, there may not be an alternative," answered Draco. "Even if they devise a theory, it may not work."
"That's true," commented Snape thoughtfully. "It would be useful to have a test subject."
"You're thinking of Nagini?" asked Remus in a pensive tone.
"Well I certainly am not planning on creating any living Horcruxes," replied the potions master.
"Do you know where she is?" asked the lycanthrope.
"No. Nagini comes and goes as the Dark Lord needs her," Snape actually looked disappointed. "The old Riddle house seems a likely location. It would be pertinent to find her when she is away from the Dark Lord, of course."
"Well, you two stay here and try to find out what you can about living Horcruxes," Harry chimed in. "I'll go find Nagini."
"We'll go find Nagini," Draco corrected. "That part of the plan hasn�t changed."
"Voldemort's going to want you-" Harry began, but the blonde interrupted him.
"He's wanted me from the beginning; we already knew that. We just didn�t know why until now." Draco's gaze shifted between the room�s other occupants. "At least now, if I'm killed, we know it still served a purpose. You're the one we need alive, Harry."
Harry just looked at the fair boy for a moment. "You're right. We'll do it together."
Snape looked at the two boys keenly as Draco gave Harry a small, thankful nod.
"Actually�" The grey-eyed boy seemed to think for a moment, "Are you sure you�re the one who has to do this?�
"What? Find the Horcruxes?" Harry asked. "Dumbledore gave the task to me-"
"I think he is referring to killing the Dark Lord, Potter," interrupted Snape. Then, the sallow man turned to Draco. "I heard the half of the prophecy�unfortunately, it does claim that."
"What about the other half?" asked the blonde. "There may have been something-"
"Unfortunately, the entire thing points to Harry," said Remus sadly. "It could have been different at first, but I'm afraid there's no other way to interpret it now."
"You know about the prophecy?" asked Harry as he quickly turned to the werewolf. "You know what it says?"
"Word for word," answered the scarred man. "James asked us to meet him one day, just before they went into hiding. Peter couldn�t make it� Anyway, James wanted our opinions on it. Sirius and I both felt that he should follow Dumbledore's advice about hiding with you and Lily."
Harry could only stare at the lycanthrope. He had suspected for a while now that Remus knew more about his situation than anyone else�and more about the war in general than any of the others who had survived to this point, but he had never imagined that anyone knew the prophesy word-for-word. Even Harry himself could not claim that.
"Might we have a word in private then, Harry?" asked Draco, his gaze carefully avoiding the other two men in the room.
The bespectacled boy blinked a few times as he turned his attention to the blonde. "What?"
"I have an idea," replied the fair Slytherin slowly; "I want to discuss it with you, and I doubt you'll want anyone else to hear it just yet."
"Er�okay�sure," Harry stammered, wondering how the wan boy could take in so much and move on with barely a hitch.
"You may use the lab, Draco," drawled Snape. "The werewolf and I shall start by pooling our knowledge." The sallow man did not seem at all pleased about having to spend more time with Remus.
Harry narrowed his eyes at the potions master. "Don't call him-"
"It's fine, Harry," interrupted Remus. "I'm used to it, and Severus� disdain is the least of my worries. Besides, we don't have time to try to change those who we cannot. Go on with Draco, and call if you need anything."
Harry nodded; he could not find any flaw in the lycanthrope�s statements. "Alright; you do the same." He added the last part with a glare at Snape as he passed the sallow-skinned man.
Remus smiled slightly, "Of course, Harry."
Neither of the two men said anything to the other as Harry followed Draco through the hidden door and into the room just before the potions storeroom. The work area and raw ingredients storage closet put the ones Harry had seen at Hogwarts to shame. A cauldron filled with a translucent amber fluid was bubbling in the corner of the room.
Draco turned to face Harry once the bespectacled boy had closed the door behind them. For the first time, Harry noticed how shaken the pale boy was over the situation. His hands were quivering, his head was lowered, and his eyes looked as though he were seeing something terrifying in the distance that no one else could.
Harry crossed the room, grasped the pale boy's hands and tilted his head to encourage the other boy to raise his own. "Draco�are you o- I-I'm sorry." He shook his head to explain his loss for words.
"So am I," replied the blonde.
There was a pause, in which Harry was not sure what to say. He honestly did not think there was anything he could say. The green-eyed boy was about to simply give up on words and pull the pallid boy into his arms when Draco broke the silence.
"I understand if you'd rather not�" The smooth voice broke, and Harry did not bother with words at all this time.
Draco stiffened slightly, as if surprised, when he was pulled into the abrupt embrace. As Harry stroked the too thin and trembling back, he suddenly realized what the grey-eyed boy had been trying to say before.
"Were you going to say that you understand if I didn't want to be with you anymore?" asked Harry in a bizarre mixture of sadness and amusement.
Draco nodded into his shoulder. "Yes, and I mean it. It's alright if you would rather-"
"Why would I leave you now?" asked Harry before the blonde could finish. �Because of this�? It's as you said; nothing�s really changed. I thought I shouldn't act on this before because I have to face Voldemort-"
Harry felt the boy in his arms tremble harder at the name. "Sorry. Anyway, Remus made me see that it's better to try, because what's going to happen will happen anyway and it's going to hurt to lose each other either way. At least this way, we had something first�something to remember happily afterwards. If I don't survive�I'd rather die knowing you know how I felt, and if I have to l- lose you�well, I would rather have you first."
Harry never questioned when they gotten past the point of trying to put a label to their relationship. It seemed as thought their current situation was causing his raw emotions to override his analytical side. The only logical thought he entertained briefly, was that this -whatever it was- was the one good thing to come from the situation.
Draco moved just enough to look into Harry's eyes, which he seemed to search for a moment before answering. "I would like that too."
Without a second's hesitation, Harry captured the fair boy's lips in a kiss.
The raven-haired boy had feared that it might feel different now, even though he knew it should not. The strange thing was that it did feel different. This was not the soft delicate kiss that had passed between them in Grimmauld Place�it was something more.
Harry was kissing the pale boy with a fervor he did not know he possessed and Draco was responding with abandon this time.
Harry had pressed Draco against a cabinet before he knew what he was doing, and began delving into the fair boy's mouth as one arm remained wrapped around the Slytherin's slim waist and the other glided over his torso. One of Draco's pale hands were tangled in his unruly hair while the other was caressing his neck and shoulder.
Harry dropped the hand that had previously been gliding over Draco's shirt lower and slid it underneath the thin fabric. The blonde released a startled gasp into Harry's mouth as the cool, soft skin under Harry's hand tightened.
Harry's fingers found the long scar that he himself had left on the pale torso and began to trace it up the emaciated stomach and onto the smooth chest as he continued kissing the now swollen lips of the fair boy who released another soft gasp.
"Harry," Draco breathed out as the Gryffindor�s kisses moved across his delicate jaw line and down his slender throat. "Harry, I really did bring you here to talk about something�" The blonde's train of thought broke with another sharp intake of breath.
Harry managed to pull his mouth away just enough to pant out a few words. "Do you want me to stop?"
Grey eyes stared into green with so many emotions that Harry could not begin to describe them all. "You really would, wouldn't you?" Draco said in barely more than a whisper.
Harry blinked to remove some of the passionate haze from his own eyes. "Of course; I told you I wouldn't pressure you into anything too soon, and I meant it."
The two teens stared at one another for a brief moment, panting and still in a rather intimate position against the cupboard. Then, Draco murmured, "Don't stop," and their mouths met again.
Draco's arms wrapped around Harry's neck as his lips parted for the raven-haired boy. Harry's hand resumed its exploration under the blonde�s shirt as he pulled the too-thin waist closer, bringing a muffled gasp out of both of them.
Draco's hands slid over Harry's chest as the hand under his own shirt slipped around to his back. Harry stroked down the fair skin, noting in the back of his mind that he was feeling far too many bones. He could try to fix that later�if there was a later.
At present, he was too caught in the moment to worry about that. The bespectacled boy slid his hand down, under the waistline of the fair boy's jeans, earning him yet another small gasp.
Then, suddenly, both boys froze as they heard a louder gasp behind them along with the sound of breaking glass.
Harry felt another, larger hand close around the collar of his shirt, and then he was swiftly pulled away from Draco and nearly thrown to the other side of the small room before he had any time to react.
He heard Draco's voice cry, "Wait!" Harry caught his balance and spun around to face his assailant as he drew his wand at the same time that he heard Draco say, "Stop."
Harry paused as found himself looking at Snape, who also had his wand drawn�and whose obsidian eyes were darting from Harry to Draco, whom had stepped away from the cabinet and had one pale, slender hand on the potion master's wand arm. Snape�s dark eyes finally settled on Harry, and the bespectacled boy had never seen his former professor look so angry. The look of uttermost loathing that the man usually bestowed upon him failed in comparison to the expression on the sallow face in this moment.
"Potter," Snape spoke in a dangerous hiss, "What do you think you are doing? I would have thought that taking advantage of someone in Draco's position would be below even someone as self-centered and callous as you."
"Severus," Draco said quietly as he took a step away from Snape. "He was not taking advantage of me. He even waited for my permission."
"After all you have suffered in the past few days, months -we may as well say years- what he is doing is taking advantage," replied Snape coldly, although his expression altered greatly from the look he cast upon Harry while he was looking at the blonde. "You can easily be mislead by such an act of affection after-"
"I would not accept such an act of affection from anyone else," the pallid Slytherin interrupted gently but sternly. "I would fight them with everything I have, even now, and you know that."
Draco released Snape's arm as the man lowered his wand as his eyes darkened. The look of loathing returned to his features as Snape turned to Harry again. "How do you explain this, Potter? I saw how closely you watched Draco throughout the entire past year. Where was this fondness for him then?"
Harry suddenly found himself feeling rather guilty. He had watched the fair Slytherin pale, grow thinner and drawn, and develop dark circles under his eyes without ever thinking of helping him.
"I was foolish then," Harry said clearly. "I didn't pay attention to what I was seeing, but I am now."
"I don't think either of us saw it until a few days ago," Draco added softly.
"I assume Potter approached you at that time," said Snape, and both boys nodded. "Your mother had just�" The man's voice trailed off.
"�Been killed," Draco finished in a voice thick with emotion. "That's why I didn't fight it; she wouldn't have wanted me to."
Snape's expression softened slightly as his eyes moved between the two boys again. Harry got the impression that the man knew Draco's words were true.
"�And," the grey-eyed boy continued with slightly less certainty, "If you had known that the last conversation you had alone with her would be the last, isn't there more you would have wanted to say to her?"
Both Snape and Harry flicked their eyes to the blonde. Then Harry turned his to Snape. The sallow man's eyes held the slightest hint of surprise, no small amount of pride, and a very deep pain. His voice was low and very controlled when he asked, "How long have you known?"
"Since Father was arrested," answered Draco quietly. "I should have seen that sooner too. I won't give up whatever remains of my life to pureblood politics as she did�or as you have."
"I do not want that for you�and neither would she," said Snape, his gaze never leaving the wan boy.
"Then let me make my own decisions for once in my life," murmured Draco. His eyes suddenly cleared and his posture straightened. "Speaking of which, I never had a chance to tell Harry why I asked him here�"
The potion master's eyes moved to take in both boys again, and then they turned to the doorway, where shards of broken glass lay in a small puddle of potion. With a flick of Snape's wand, the potion vanished and the vial repaired itself.
"You still have to take some potions and some true rest after undergoing such a strong curse. I shall return in ten minutes," drawled Snape before his eyes turned cold again while they fell onto Harry. "If you misuse him Potter, I will see to it that you deeply regret it."
"Thank you, Severus," Draco said in a tone that made it clear he was thanking the man for more than Harry was aware.
As Snape turned to the wan boy, Harry pondered how it was possible for someone's expression to change so subtly and suddenly. The sallow man nodded once to the blonde before turning and sweeping out of the room, his robes billowing in his wake. Harry noticed that he left both the door to the room and the door to the hidden hall open.
"That was�interesting," commented Harry as he closed the door to the room.
"He may not be the protective she-wolf that Lupin becomes when it pertains to you, but he cares in his own way," responded the grey-eyed boy.
"At least we each have something like a parent left," replied Harry as he turned to face the blonde again. The expression on the pale face made him regret those words instantly, but Draco shook his head when Harry opened his mouth to apologize.
The green-eyed boy decided to try to change the subject. "What is it you wanted to talk about?"
Draco suddenly looked nervous. Harry approached the pallid boy and held him in a loose embrace this time. "It's about Voldemort and what we just learned isn't it?"
"Yes," answered Draco softly. "Please hear my idea out before you say anything. I'm not sure I can say it if there are any more interruptions�not that I didn't enjoy yours."
Harry managed a slight grin, although he was concerned about what the other boy was going to suggest. "I'll hear you out first."
"Thank you." Draco took a deep, slow breath before he began. "Here's my idea; you are going to hate it, but listen anyway. After we destroy the o-other Horcruxes, then you cast the Imperius Curse on me.
�I will not fight it, so it will be as simple as you allow it to be. After that, use the curse to make me face V-Voldemort and cast the killing curse on him. I'm sure one of the Death Eaters will kill me too-"
"What? No! Draco, I am not going to kill you," Harry subconsciously tightened his hold on the blonde. "You are not going to die! There has to be another way."
"As long as one of the Horcruxes survives, V-He can return." Draco's voice was coming out shaky, but he continued. "When they kill me, I will take the last bit of him that's left inside me with me. It should happen at about the same time, so when the curse I cast strikes him, he will be mortal and therefore, killed."
The bespectacled boy shook his head, "But the prophecy says that either of us must die at the hands of the other. You can't kill him; I have to do it."
Draco released a shaky breath that Harry assumed would have been a sigh under normal circumstances. "Plan on strangling him with your bare hands, do you?"
"What?" Harry's eyebrows furrowed. "No�I�er, I'm going to use my wand."
"Precisely," said the fair Slytherin. "Prophecies are not usually meant to be taken literally, Harry. You must kill him, but you can use a tool to do so. That is why you are going to cast the Imperius Curse on me; I am going to be the tool that you use. I will also be the one to take any curses V-He or his Death Eaters cast instead of you. That way, if he doesn't die, you are still around to finish the job."
"I am not going to just let you die, Draco," Harry whispered harshly. "Besides, what if Snape and Remus find something? It might not be necessary, and I am not letting anyone kill you while there is still hope. Do you understand? Do not give up on me, Draco."
"Can we just have that as a back-up plan, then?" asked Draco quietly, as he clearly accepted at least some level of defeat.
"Only if I'm the one who makes the call on when it's necessary to use it," answered Harry.
"Then you have to be willing to acknowledge when the time comes," drawled Draco.
"Only if the time comes," commented Harry.
"You are not going to give up without a fight are you?" questioned the wan boy.
"Never," replied the raven-hired boy.
"Well, you would have to cast to the curse, so it is ultimately up to you anyway," conceded Draco. "Just keep it in mind�and stop being such a hypocrite, we both know you would do the same thing, if not something completely reckless."
Harry released a weak chuckle, "You do know me pretty well."
"You know me better than you think," replied the blonde. "You knew I would back off�stubborn git that you are."
"You know I'm going to ask about everything you said to Snape, right?" asked Harry.
"Naturally, but can it wait until later?" replied Draco as he rested his head on the bespectacled boy�s shoulder.
"Of course," answered the raven-haired boy as he ran his fingers through the soft white-blonde locks -his other arm remained wrapped around the other boy's slight waist.
"I think Snape forgot his potion," murmured Draco. Harry's eyes darted to the caldron in the corner.
"I'll take care of it," the blonde continued without moving. "Why don't you make sure Severus isn't taking this out on Lupin too badly?"
"Are you sure?" asked Harry, who could recognize that the grey-eyed boy wanted to be alone for a moment.
Draco nodded against the Gryffindor�s shoulder, and then gently backed away from the firm chest he was cradled against. "Thank you, Harry."
Harry leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on the other boy's forehead. "Just know that between Snape, Remus, and I, you'll have ten minutes at best before someone comes to check on you."
The corner of the pale boy's lips twitched up in the faintest of smiles. "I could get used to that."
Harry smiled at him before exiting the room and taking a deep breath. Then he straightened and headed toward Snape and Remus' voices. He was suddenly even more thankful for werewolf's protectiveness of him. He had a feeling he might need it for reasons he had never imagined before.
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Harry Potter and the Unusual Alliance