Harry Potter and The Serpent King (BP5)
folder
Harry Potter › Slash - Male/Male › Harry/Draco
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
52
Views:
20,706
Reviews:
85
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Harry Potter › Slash - Male/Male › Harry/Draco
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
52
Views:
20,706
Reviews:
85
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Empty
Chapter Number/Total: 38/52
Chapter Title: Empty
Words: 2007 Words
Harry walked back over to the kitchen table after checking on Valen where he was sleeping in his cot in the corner.
It had been a tense day. Lee had agreed to take Harry and Draco to the Ministry one last time. Harry had filled up with magic, and all he could really do was think about what it was for. They were going after Voldemort in less than a week now. He still couldn't really grasp it. Dinner with the Weasleys and a few others had been tense too, and only Harry, Draco, Ron and Hermione remained in the room at the table. Everyone else had gone home to make last-minute preparations or things of the like. Mr Weasley had gone to check all of the protective spells on the Manor for the Muggles and other people still living there, and Mrs Weasley had gone back to Hogwarts with Professor McGonagall to help with things there. Remus and Sirius had eaten with them as well, but had already gone up to bed.
Harry took a gulp of his tea, sighing quietly.
Ron and Hermione were both very much subdued, not having spoken much through the meal or much of the day. They had been spending a lot of time alone together.
Draco watched Harry and laid a hand on his thigh under the table. He patted him, not sure if he was trying to comfort Harry or reassure himself.
Harry smiled softly at Draco and leaned forward a bit on the table towards Hermione and Ron. "So ... how are you guys ...."
"Holding up?" said Hermione with a small smile.
Harry nodded.
"We're there for you."
"That's not what I asked," Harry said. "I want to know how you guys are. I mean ... you know?"
There was silence for a few moments as Ron, Harry and Hermione stared at each other.
"We've known it was coming, mate," said Ron. "Even when we didn't really know, we've always known."
Hermione smiled that small smile again. "He means, yes, we're scared. We're scared for you, for Draco, for each other, everyone. But we're ready. We've talked about it."
Draco watched them, only a touch now of the old jealousy that used to haunt him. "Seven years," he said quietly.
Hermione nodded. "Seven long years that I wouldn't trade for anything. Even with everything that's happened. We were with you when you saved the Philosopher's Stone."
"And when you had to go down to the Chamber of Secrets," said Ron with a small grin.
"And we went into the Whomping Willow together."
"We would've been in the tournament with you."
Hermione rolled her eyes slightly at Ron. "We went to the Ministry."
"And we fought in sixth year."
"We're not going anywhere, Harry. Don't feel like this is your fault, that anyone getting hurt, or dying even, is your fault. You didn't choose this."
"We want to do this," said Ron. "We've had plenty of time to stop being your mates."
Harry smiled and shook his head at them. "You two are so unbelievably corny," he said.
They laughed a bit.
"We only rehearsed it a little bit," Ron teased.
Draco chuckled softly, thinking corny was also a fitting description of his husband. He also realised the irony of this moment. He had been one of their obstacles through most of that. And he had been angry at being left out of Harry's life. Now he was in the middle of it and it meant leaving his husband to fight alongside these two again.
Harry sighed quietly. "I know we're not leaving tomorrow," he began quietly, "but if ... I don't ever get another chance ... Merlin, I don't even know what to say to you two. You've been like a brother and sister to me and I wouldn't have blamed you if you'd stopped speaking to me a long time ago. Without you ... I would've bloody died at eleven. You guys are brilliant and ... there's no one else in the world I trust more than you."
Hermione quickly wiped under her eye and Ron beamed. "Well, it's good to know that my best mate's as corny as me," he said.
Draco snorted and rolled his eyes, but smiled all the same.
Hermione actually smirked a bit at Draco. "And you," she said.
"Oh, Merlin, you," said Ron with a laugh.
"You have been the bane of our existence for most of these seven years," she said, still smirking.
”Draco Malfoy, ferret extraordinaire ..." said Ron.
"... Nasty prat, absolute snob ..." said Hermione.
"... Has turned into one of the greatest blokes I know ..."
"... And one of our very best friends."
"We only rehearsed that one a little bit, too," said Ron, and he and Hermione laughed again.
Draco started to snort, but it turned into a real laugh. He flushed a bit, looking down at his tea. "Wasn't really expecting that either," he admitted.
Harry laughed and smiled, taking a large breath. "A few more days, guys," he said. "A few more days and everything'll be brilliant. Fantastically brilliant."
Ron and Hermione nodded. "We know it will be," she said.
Draco felt a chill down his spine and tried to smile, too. He wanted to imagine a world without Death Eaters and terrible battles. Unfortunately, he was still too caught up in what he would have to do to make that happen and the real possibility that he wouldn't survive it.
Harry put a hand over Draco's on his leg, squeezing it. "It will be," he said quietly and firmly.
Draco nodded with them but didn't say anything. "What do you want to do after?" he asked the other two.
Ron seemed to think for a moment. "I don't really know ...." he said slowly. "I've given thought to being an Auror, but I'm not sure."
"It's hard to decide on anything without having taken our N.E.W.T.s," said Hermione. "But I want to do something that matters. Something that makes some kind of difference. And, who knows? Maybe some other stuff." She smiled softly, looking at the wood of the table.
Harry looked at Ron and thought he might know what that "other stuff" was.
"I have a proposal," Draco said, smiling. "Before we take our N.E.W.T.s and settle into careers, we should all take a trip together. Spend time relaxing and seeing part of the world. We could even spend some of it at the Malfoy Villa in France."
Harry grinned widely. "We never did get a honeymoon," he said.
"Sounds terrifically brilliant to me," Ron said with a sigh.
Hermione nodded, smiling as well. "That would be brilliant," she said.
"Then it's a plan," Draco said firmly.
Harry smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "Too right," he said with a nod.
Valen squealed, obviously awake and not wanting be left out.
"Don't worry, son," Harry said amusedly, getting to his feet. He lifted the baby from the cot. "You will, of course, be coming along," he told him, kissing his forehead.
***
Harry shifted around a bit in his sleep, his eyelids fluttering as he began to wake up. He yawned and rolled away from Draco, rubbing his eyes before doing a silent Tempus Spell. It was 5:38. He sighed and stretched a bit. "You're being awfully quiet," he said to Valen, who he knew was either awake or very close to being so. He stretched for a few more moments and then sat up fully, crawling to the side of the bed. He reached his hands inside before he even really looked - and then froze.
The cot was empty.
Confused and frowning, Harry reached down and threw the blankets out of the small bed, but the baby wasn't there. Feeling a sort of pressure in his chest, he spun around very fast and grabbed Draco roughly by the arm, yanking him so that he could see if he had Valen lying with him.
Draco was pulled roughly but that wasn't what woke him. It was the painful spark of fear in Harry's magic that crackled up his arm and through his body. The blond sat bolt upright and Summoned his wand before he even knew what he had done. "What?" he gasped.
"Do you have the baby?" Harry asked, eyes wide and his breathing already speeding up.
Draco's eyes went wide as well and he looked about quickly, more for Valen's magical signature than for his small body. "No," he gasped, realising what his husband's fear meant.
Harry was very still for about two seconds before he bolted from the bed, grabbing his bath robe from the hook on the door and scrambling to get it on, tripping over his own feet. He threw the door open and dashed out of the room and down the hall.
"Fossey!" Draco yelled, expecting the house-elf to appear immediately. He rolled out of bed and hurriedly pulled on his dressing gown too, frowning when the elf didn't come to his call. He followed after his husband.
Harry ran straight to Ron and Hermione's door, hardly able to breathe as he pounded on it. He didn't know why they would have him, but they had to have him.
Ron came quickly to the door, in his boxers with his wand drawn. He slumped when he saw who it was. "What the bloody hell, mate?" he said.
"Do you have Valen?" Harry asked, shaking.
Ron seemed to take in Harry's look and panic. "No," he said slowly.
"What's going on?" came Hermione's voice from inside.
Harry paled and tore off in the other direction, running past Draco and nearly running smack into Remus and Sirius, who seemed to have Apparated from their room at the noise.
"Do you have Valen?" he said in a gasping breath. "Please tell me you have him."
Sirius looked very alarmed. "Why would I have him ...?" he said.
Draco's eyes were wide and his grip on his wand was so tight his knuckles were turning white. "Valen is missing," he said in a shocked-sounding voice.
Harry's wide eyes filled with tears, but he didn't make a sound. He was staring at Sirius, but not really at him. He could see nothing.
Hermione was out in the hall now, her robe on as well. She gripped Draco's arm. "What do you mean he's missing?" she said.
Remus looked stricken as well, and he grabbed Sirius's arm for support.
"He is not in his cot or in our room," Draco said in an unnaturally quiet voice, his eyes on his husband.
Hermione covered her mouth with her hand.
Harry couldn't move. His mind was replaying the dream that Voldemort had sent him. He wasn't even sure if he was breathing.
Draco took a deep breath and intoned, "Accio Fossey the house-elf." Nothing happened, and he could've sworn his blood turned to ice.
Ron looked at Draco confusedly.
"Harry," Sirius said concernedly, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder and giving him a shake.
The whole world seemed to be going in slow motion, or maybe it was all going very fast. Harry couldn't tell. He felt hollow, standing there uselessly.
Draco closed his eyes, pain in his chest sharp and he was having trouble breathing. "House-elf," he whispered, finally understanding.
"House-elf?" said Hermione. "What? What's - what ...?"
Quite suddenly, Harry pushed roughly past Sirius and began running down the stairs, setting off Mrs Black on the way.
"Harry!" Sirius shouted. "Harry, where are you going?!" He followed him quickly, Ron following after him.
Draco turned, made a fist with his silver hand and slammed it into the wall.
Sirius caught up with Harry in the kitchen as he was scrambling with Floo Powder, his hands shaking.
"Harry, no!" Sirius yelled, diving forward and grabbing Harry around the middle as he threw the powder into the flames.
"Let me go!" Harry screamed. "I have to find him! Let me go!"
Ron moved forward to try and help restrain Harry. "You won't find him if you panic!" he yelled, straining to hold Harry's kicking legs.
Harry was still struggling to get free, his ability to Apparate completely forgotten.
"Harry!" Ron gasped. "Harry, stop!"
"Harry, calm down!" Sirius said. "We'll find him! Just calm down!"
It was several moments before Harry stopped struggling and simply lay there, sobbing uncontrollably.
Chapter Title: Empty
Words: 2007 Words
Harry walked back over to the kitchen table after checking on Valen where he was sleeping in his cot in the corner.
It had been a tense day. Lee had agreed to take Harry and Draco to the Ministry one last time. Harry had filled up with magic, and all he could really do was think about what it was for. They were going after Voldemort in less than a week now. He still couldn't really grasp it. Dinner with the Weasleys and a few others had been tense too, and only Harry, Draco, Ron and Hermione remained in the room at the table. Everyone else had gone home to make last-minute preparations or things of the like. Mr Weasley had gone to check all of the protective spells on the Manor for the Muggles and other people still living there, and Mrs Weasley had gone back to Hogwarts with Professor McGonagall to help with things there. Remus and Sirius had eaten with them as well, but had already gone up to bed.
Harry took a gulp of his tea, sighing quietly.
Ron and Hermione were both very much subdued, not having spoken much through the meal or much of the day. They had been spending a lot of time alone together.
Draco watched Harry and laid a hand on his thigh under the table. He patted him, not sure if he was trying to comfort Harry or reassure himself.
Harry smiled softly at Draco and leaned forward a bit on the table towards Hermione and Ron. "So ... how are you guys ...."
"Holding up?" said Hermione with a small smile.
Harry nodded.
"We're there for you."
"That's not what I asked," Harry said. "I want to know how you guys are. I mean ... you know?"
There was silence for a few moments as Ron, Harry and Hermione stared at each other.
"We've known it was coming, mate," said Ron. "Even when we didn't really know, we've always known."
Hermione smiled that small smile again. "He means, yes, we're scared. We're scared for you, for Draco, for each other, everyone. But we're ready. We've talked about it."
Draco watched them, only a touch now of the old jealousy that used to haunt him. "Seven years," he said quietly.
Hermione nodded. "Seven long years that I wouldn't trade for anything. Even with everything that's happened. We were with you when you saved the Philosopher's Stone."
"And when you had to go down to the Chamber of Secrets," said Ron with a small grin.
"And we went into the Whomping Willow together."
"We would've been in the tournament with you."
Hermione rolled her eyes slightly at Ron. "We went to the Ministry."
"And we fought in sixth year."
"We're not going anywhere, Harry. Don't feel like this is your fault, that anyone getting hurt, or dying even, is your fault. You didn't choose this."
"We want to do this," said Ron. "We've had plenty of time to stop being your mates."
Harry smiled and shook his head at them. "You two are so unbelievably corny," he said.
They laughed a bit.
"We only rehearsed it a little bit," Ron teased.
Draco chuckled softly, thinking corny was also a fitting description of his husband. He also realised the irony of this moment. He had been one of their obstacles through most of that. And he had been angry at being left out of Harry's life. Now he was in the middle of it and it meant leaving his husband to fight alongside these two again.
Harry sighed quietly. "I know we're not leaving tomorrow," he began quietly, "but if ... I don't ever get another chance ... Merlin, I don't even know what to say to you two. You've been like a brother and sister to me and I wouldn't have blamed you if you'd stopped speaking to me a long time ago. Without you ... I would've bloody died at eleven. You guys are brilliant and ... there's no one else in the world I trust more than you."
Hermione quickly wiped under her eye and Ron beamed. "Well, it's good to know that my best mate's as corny as me," he said.
Draco snorted and rolled his eyes, but smiled all the same.
Hermione actually smirked a bit at Draco. "And you," she said.
"Oh, Merlin, you," said Ron with a laugh.
"You have been the bane of our existence for most of these seven years," she said, still smirking.
”Draco Malfoy, ferret extraordinaire ..." said Ron.
"... Nasty prat, absolute snob ..." said Hermione.
"... Has turned into one of the greatest blokes I know ..."
"... And one of our very best friends."
"We only rehearsed that one a little bit, too," said Ron, and he and Hermione laughed again.
Draco started to snort, but it turned into a real laugh. He flushed a bit, looking down at his tea. "Wasn't really expecting that either," he admitted.
Harry laughed and smiled, taking a large breath. "A few more days, guys," he said. "A few more days and everything'll be brilliant. Fantastically brilliant."
Ron and Hermione nodded. "We know it will be," she said.
Draco felt a chill down his spine and tried to smile, too. He wanted to imagine a world without Death Eaters and terrible battles. Unfortunately, he was still too caught up in what he would have to do to make that happen and the real possibility that he wouldn't survive it.
Harry put a hand over Draco's on his leg, squeezing it. "It will be," he said quietly and firmly.
Draco nodded with them but didn't say anything. "What do you want to do after?" he asked the other two.
Ron seemed to think for a moment. "I don't really know ...." he said slowly. "I've given thought to being an Auror, but I'm not sure."
"It's hard to decide on anything without having taken our N.E.W.T.s," said Hermione. "But I want to do something that matters. Something that makes some kind of difference. And, who knows? Maybe some other stuff." She smiled softly, looking at the wood of the table.
Harry looked at Ron and thought he might know what that "other stuff" was.
"I have a proposal," Draco said, smiling. "Before we take our N.E.W.T.s and settle into careers, we should all take a trip together. Spend time relaxing and seeing part of the world. We could even spend some of it at the Malfoy Villa in France."
Harry grinned widely. "We never did get a honeymoon," he said.
"Sounds terrifically brilliant to me," Ron said with a sigh.
Hermione nodded, smiling as well. "That would be brilliant," she said.
"Then it's a plan," Draco said firmly.
Harry smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "Too right," he said with a nod.
Valen squealed, obviously awake and not wanting be left out.
"Don't worry, son," Harry said amusedly, getting to his feet. He lifted the baby from the cot. "You will, of course, be coming along," he told him, kissing his forehead.
***
Harry shifted around a bit in his sleep, his eyelids fluttering as he began to wake up. He yawned and rolled away from Draco, rubbing his eyes before doing a silent Tempus Spell. It was 5:38. He sighed and stretched a bit. "You're being awfully quiet," he said to Valen, who he knew was either awake or very close to being so. He stretched for a few more moments and then sat up fully, crawling to the side of the bed. He reached his hands inside before he even really looked - and then froze.
The cot was empty.
Confused and frowning, Harry reached down and threw the blankets out of the small bed, but the baby wasn't there. Feeling a sort of pressure in his chest, he spun around very fast and grabbed Draco roughly by the arm, yanking him so that he could see if he had Valen lying with him.
Draco was pulled roughly but that wasn't what woke him. It was the painful spark of fear in Harry's magic that crackled up his arm and through his body. The blond sat bolt upright and Summoned his wand before he even knew what he had done. "What?" he gasped.
"Do you have the baby?" Harry asked, eyes wide and his breathing already speeding up.
Draco's eyes went wide as well and he looked about quickly, more for Valen's magical signature than for his small body. "No," he gasped, realising what his husband's fear meant.
Harry was very still for about two seconds before he bolted from the bed, grabbing his bath robe from the hook on the door and scrambling to get it on, tripping over his own feet. He threw the door open and dashed out of the room and down the hall.
"Fossey!" Draco yelled, expecting the house-elf to appear immediately. He rolled out of bed and hurriedly pulled on his dressing gown too, frowning when the elf didn't come to his call. He followed after his husband.
Harry ran straight to Ron and Hermione's door, hardly able to breathe as he pounded on it. He didn't know why they would have him, but they had to have him.
Ron came quickly to the door, in his boxers with his wand drawn. He slumped when he saw who it was. "What the bloody hell, mate?" he said.
"Do you have Valen?" Harry asked, shaking.
Ron seemed to take in Harry's look and panic. "No," he said slowly.
"What's going on?" came Hermione's voice from inside.
Harry paled and tore off in the other direction, running past Draco and nearly running smack into Remus and Sirius, who seemed to have Apparated from their room at the noise.
"Do you have Valen?" he said in a gasping breath. "Please tell me you have him."
Sirius looked very alarmed. "Why would I have him ...?" he said.
Draco's eyes were wide and his grip on his wand was so tight his knuckles were turning white. "Valen is missing," he said in a shocked-sounding voice.
Harry's wide eyes filled with tears, but he didn't make a sound. He was staring at Sirius, but not really at him. He could see nothing.
Hermione was out in the hall now, her robe on as well. She gripped Draco's arm. "What do you mean he's missing?" she said.
Remus looked stricken as well, and he grabbed Sirius's arm for support.
"He is not in his cot or in our room," Draco said in an unnaturally quiet voice, his eyes on his husband.
Hermione covered her mouth with her hand.
Harry couldn't move. His mind was replaying the dream that Voldemort had sent him. He wasn't even sure if he was breathing.
Draco took a deep breath and intoned, "Accio Fossey the house-elf." Nothing happened, and he could've sworn his blood turned to ice.
Ron looked at Draco confusedly.
"Harry," Sirius said concernedly, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder and giving him a shake.
The whole world seemed to be going in slow motion, or maybe it was all going very fast. Harry couldn't tell. He felt hollow, standing there uselessly.
Draco closed his eyes, pain in his chest sharp and he was having trouble breathing. "House-elf," he whispered, finally understanding.
"House-elf?" said Hermione. "What? What's - what ...?"
Quite suddenly, Harry pushed roughly past Sirius and began running down the stairs, setting off Mrs Black on the way.
"Harry!" Sirius shouted. "Harry, where are you going?!" He followed him quickly, Ron following after him.
Draco turned, made a fist with his silver hand and slammed it into the wall.
Sirius caught up with Harry in the kitchen as he was scrambling with Floo Powder, his hands shaking.
"Harry, no!" Sirius yelled, diving forward and grabbing Harry around the middle as he threw the powder into the flames.
"Let me go!" Harry screamed. "I have to find him! Let me go!"
Ron moved forward to try and help restrain Harry. "You won't find him if you panic!" he yelled, straining to hold Harry's kicking legs.
Harry was still struggling to get free, his ability to Apparate completely forgotten.
"Harry!" Ron gasped. "Harry, stop!"
"Harry, calm down!" Sirius said. "We'll find him! Just calm down!"
It was several moments before Harry stopped struggling and simply lay there, sobbing uncontrollably.