Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Awakening To the Dream	By : ChimaeraChan Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Draco Views: 45316 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 2
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.

Chapter List
- 1-CH1
- 2-CH2
- 3-CH3
- 4-CH4
- 5-CH5
- 6-CH6
- 7-CH7
- 8-Ch8
- 9-Ch9
- 10-Ch10
- 11-CH11
- 12-CH12
- 13-CH13
- 14-CH14
- 15-CH15
- 16-CH16
- 17-CH17
- 18-CH18
- 19-Ch19
- 20-CH20
- 21-CH21
- 22-Ch22
- 23-CH23
- 24-CH24
- 25-CH25
- 26-CH26
- 27-CH27
- 28-CH28
- 29-CH29
- 30-CH30
- 31-CH31
- 32-CH32
- 33-CH33
- 34-CH34
- 35-CH35
- 36-CH36
- 37-CH37
- 38-CH38
- 39-CH39
- 40-CH40
- 41-Ch41
- 42-Ch42
- 43-Ch43
- 44-Ch44
- 45-Ch45
- 46-Ch46
- 47-Ch47
- 48-Ch48
- 49-Ch49
- 50-Ch50 *End Part 1*
- 51-Ch51
- 52-Ch52
- 53-Ch53
- 54-Ch54
- 55-Ch55
- 56-CH56
- 57-CH57
- 58-CH58
- 59-CH59
- 60-CH60
- 61-CH61
- 62-CH62
- 63-CH63
- 64-CH64
- 65-CH65
- 66-CH66
- 67-CH67 *New 6/6/2015*
- 68-CH68
- 69-CH69
- 41
- 42
- 43
Alright, it's been a while! Yay yay for AFF for coming back and setting things straight through all thei hard work and perseverence. I've been posting over at my live journal site (you can get a link on the author's page) and now will be updating back here. Bet you wished you had joined the mailing list now. XD You still can-- VoxFuriae@aol.com --to let you know when new updates are ready. I'm on a little vacation at the moment sos it'sll be a month before you see any new chapters after ch 50.
I'm posting the old comments I had originally made way back when sos many apologies for the wait etc.

**o**
Oh, before I forget. I've got another 4-5 chapters written (long, at that) but I like to make sure everything is perfect before posting... and I may have been drawings a lot this week >_>

I can't remember if you're on the mailing list or not. It's easier to talk to me through emails if you have any questions, that's why I post my email address.

Rest assured, I have no intention of dropping this story, ever. I hate when writers post only half a story and never finish it and I vowed I'd never be one of them. I'll have slow patches but I won't give up on it, okay sweets? So no worries and thank you for offering to help. >^__^<
The_Great_Kaitsu: Wells, I’m sorry you got your heart broken but at least it hasn’t stopped you from caring. Here’s hoping you find what you’re looking for. ~glomp~
Theta: Thank you greatly for giving me the right name. Seriously, I have no idea where I got Zambini from but the bad spelling stuck in my head and I didn’t even know I was spelling it wrong until you told me. Thanks again.
Kaka-she: It’s okay, no need to worry about it. I realize everyone out there has lives. XD I can wait quite patiently for your kind reviews. ~huggles~
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

CH42

“Listen, I’m not asking for a lock of his hair or a bloody marriage proposal. I’m asking to talk with him for five fucking minutes, alright?”
“And I’m telling you, child, you cannot pass. I will not be responsible for what the guards do to you, and trust me, it will not be pretty.”
“I have orders to speak with the Heir! I do not need this shit, spirit. If I leave without—Hey!”
Harry grunted, rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck. He had expected the gargoyles, fierce as they were, to keep people away. But looking down the hallway, the ghost set to observe that children didn’t wander into the area was having problems with a very persistent boy. A very loud boy. “Shut the fuck up, Zabini. Who the hell would give you orders? It’s not like you ever do what you’re told.”
“…Potter? Is it you? …I knew it was you!” Blaise gaped, one hand slapping his forehead while the other pointed down the hall accusingly at Harry’s slumped form. “Listen, I need to talk with you.”
“I gathered as much.” Harry grumbled, waving a hand absentmindedly. “Come on then, before you have the whole bloody castle listening in.”
“Oh, yeah… sorry ‘bout that, but your spirit friend here wouldn’t cooperate. Hold on, let me get Longbottom.” Blaise dashed away, leaning out a doorway to wave Neville in before Harry could say anything.
Joy; today just kept getting better and better.
Shall we kill them? The nearest gargoyle asked, talon claws clicking on the floor as it passed by on it circular guard of the corridor.
“That won’t be necessary. They’re schoolmates of mine.” Harry sighed, waiting for Neville and Blaise to close the door to the Hall and make their way back. He crooked a finger at them and disappeared into the room he had secured, popping on some lights so as not to freak them out too much. What in the world could they have to talk about? He sat on the couch and bit his lip absentmindedly.
“Harry…” Neville stopped in the doorway, staring at Harry in wonder. “It really is you.”
“Come on; gawk inside, elf-boy.” Blaise lightly shoved Neville into the room, shutting the door behind them. “Man, you can’t believe what I had to go though just to find you, Potter. If it wasn’t for my uncle, I don’t think we would have made it.”
“Uncle?” Harry raised his brows, wondering who he was going to yell at once the two were gone.
Blaise nodded enthusiastically, his light yellow eyes gleaming a little to brightly. “Uncle Clive—Well, not an uncle by blood, he’s a little too pale if you get my drift. But his parents were killed off when he was young and our Clan took him in. He’s family in our eyes, plus he is a distant relative, the last Scion of Siren’s blood, so he’s definitely Clan if anything. Haven’t seen him in years, good chap that he is. I finally got to talk to him while he was getting his arm patched up. It would have been worse if the hero man hadn’t pulled him from those Gryphons and their claws. Who’d have thought a human could run so fast? Probably why he’s Magistrate…”
Holding his hands up, Harry tried to wind the boy down. Hell, Malfoy had not exaggerated about his friends after all. They had spent a day talking about the kids in their Houses, hoping to convince each other that they weren’t as bad as they had first assumed. Blaise was definitely as wild as they came, surprising, since he had hardly ever heard the boy talk before. “Zabini. Focus. My head is killing me.”
“Sorry, sorry; the magic in this place is mad crazy and gets me all nuts.” Blaise apologized, fidgeting from foot to foot idly in his crisp, midnight blue robes. “Dumbledore asked us to check up on you. Damned if I can’t blame him with that bloody Chancellor running the place. If he wasn’t set up so well here, I imagine You-Know-Who would have a run for his money in the psychotic bad guy department. Can you imagine he was elected? I mean, really—”
“Zabini, look at me. Stop talking.” He caught the boy’s gaze and held it until Zabini stilled, his breath slowing to more rational speeds. The boy must have just gotten over his exritus, given his reaction to the magic in the area. “Better?”
Blaise nodded slowly, a bemused smile on his face. “Wow…” He let out a long breath, eyeing Harry searchingly with dilated pupils. “Wow.”
“Neville, talk to me and please be sensible about it.” Harry pleaded softly at his silent friend. He really couldn’t handle much more of anything today.
Neville blinked, smiling sheepishly. “Sorry, Har. You really threw me for a loop. Didn’t recognize you back there.” He walked up to where Harry was sitting, looking down with a sincere smile and shook his hand. “Can’t imagine there’s anyone better for the job, Harry. You’ll do us all right… I’d hug you but I’m afraid my aura will mess you up.” He gave him a knowing look, glancing around the darkened room. “Your birthday was right before school started, if I remember correctly. You shouldn’t be here yet, mate.”
Harry nodded in agreement, beaming in relief at his friend. No, oh my god, you’re a god. No, forgive me, Sire. No, oh I can’t even look you in the eye, you’re so important. …Oh, hell. “C’mere, Nev.” He stood and pulled Neville into a bone-crushing hug.
Neville gave an undignified squeak as Harry nuzzled him. “Ha ha ha, you’re tickling… Hey! Harry Potter, I am not one of your feline, furry Fae! Elves do not cuddle—ha ha haaha ha!” Neville broke down into giggles until Harry had to release him and let the boy breathe. “Ewww… is this dried blood?” Neville wiped at Harry’s robes. Harry had repaired the rip with magic but had forgotten to do a cleaning charm.
Harry hastily spelled the blood away before his friend could start worrying. “Glad to see you, Nev. Really. Everything has been so nuts recently… Hell, I’m glad you’re still the same.” Harry smiled happily, ruffling his friend’s hair. He caught Blaise’s amused look and raised a brow at the snickering boy. “Problem, Zabini?”
“What, no hug for me?”
Harry rolled his eyes. “You’re lucky I didn’t sic the gargoyles on you.”
“The same? Harry, have you seen me?” Neville straightened up, smoothing his hair back down and stepping out of reach of Harry’s hand that looked to be itching to mess his sleek locks up again. “I’m not as different looking as you, but I’m surely not the same. Zabini looks more normal than me.”
“Hardly.” Zabini snorted. “You haven’t seen all of me. You elves are practically human.”
“Human?! Argh, damn Slytherins.” Neville grumbled at the insult. “I could break you in half, you bloody incubus.”
“…I do believe that sounds like a dare.” Harry’s smile widened.
Zabini returned it, eyes flashing with laughter. “My, my, Potter, you’ve gotten playful. What do you say, Longbottom? Want to have a game of show and tell for our new Heir?”
Neville eyed the dark boy suspiciously. “Don’t think those little lust powers will work on me, Zabini. I’m not one of those novices from some third rate clan out there.”
“Hey, can’t blame me for having a little fun.” Blaise shrugged but was smiling wickedly. “Did you see that blonde with the headdress thing? Had her practically purring.”
“Yeah, yeah, the whole table pretty much saw. So, we doing this or not?” Neville clapped his hands lightly.
“Ooh, you’ve got something to show, don’t you?” Blaise said, eyeing the boy inquisitively before turning to Harry. “Well, Potter?”
“If you must know, I can already sense your Soul Forms and have a fair idea of how they look. But if you two want to play, far be it for me to get in your way.” Harry sat with a plop and leaned back on the couch. “And then you will get to the point, I think.” He added with a small sigh.
“Kay, kay, I’ll go first.” Blaise bounced lightly in his fancy slippers, spreading his arms wide and slowly summoning his powers up until magic shimmered over him like a second skin of moving color. He shivered, gasping softly as his whole body twisted impossibly, than resettled into something not quite touchable.
His skin had darkened from light cocoa to something akin to deep walnut, shimmering with a warm, inner glow. His brown hair, pulled back into tight braids, had lengthened; the locks swayed unbidden like something alive, the color tinting deep burgundy and decorated with black strands. His facial structure had become more defined, cheekbones sharper and higher, lips more sculptured and red. Sharp, short ears poked out and back from his head, strange accents of blue and red tattooing his face and skin, and helped make his light, cat like yellow eyes pop out even more. More impressive was the curtain of magic that surrounded him like a shimmery robe, forever moving and changing, entrancing and calling, as he stood silent and still. The regal image was partially ruined by Blaise’s smug fanged smile and regained fidgeting. “Beat that, elfie.”
Shaking his head at Blaise’s antics, Neville snorted and stood a little straighter. “My pleasure. I’ll show you a real Fae Wizard.” He closed his eyes, going completely still. Rising from the darkness, a soft breeze began to sigh, ruffling his hair and the robes of everyone in the room. It grew, the creaking of tree branches and the rustling of leaves echoing unseen, and wrapping around the small boy, tighter and tighter until a whirlwind was surrounding him. He let out a long breath, light sparking and blinding for an instant before fading, the wind calming once again to a soft murmur.
He stood, his feet and red robes trailing inches above the floor. Neville sparkled; there was really no other way to put it. It was like looking at sunlight through the long branches of oak trees, glinting and glowing with power.
“Aw, hell.” Blaise cursed, folding his arms and giving the victor a good once over.
Neville smiled, the wattage going up even more. His skin had darkened to a healthy tan of gold, his violet eyes beautiful against the elegant thin ivy that had somehow manifested in sparkling green and gold twists over his body. His ears had grown long, but instead of looking comical, were sharp and thin, the edges tinted in pink. Brown hair sparkled impossibly, layers of lights and darks cascading down his back, perfectly straight and bouncy. Limber and short, he could have snapped a large tree trunk with his bare hands, but looked more suited for dancing on the tree tops and floating in the wind.
“I think you lose, Zabini, impressive as you are.” Harry commented, watching Neville laugh without actually laughing. Elves were far more impressive than they got credit for. Mostly, because humans liked to down play their powers in hopes of feeling less intimidated when faced with one. The ones that looked human seemed to cause muggles more confusion then the ones that didn’t.
Blaise huffed but his smile quickly returned. “Bloody Gryffindors. Come on, Potter. Put the shiny boy in his place.”
“Oh? I don’t remember agreeing to that…”
“Would you, Harry? I’ve never seen the Heir’s true form.” Neville asked excitedly, blushing under Harry’s amused stare. “Right, no one’s seen the Heir’s form.” He amended quickly. “Please?”
Looking between the two, Harry finally relented with a shrug. “Eh, why not. Don’t expect me to be so bloody dramatic though. I swear you two must have been practicing on how to transform the most visually interesting way.” Before the words were completely out of his mouth, a visible tremor shook him, head from toe, and he was in his Soul Form. “See, nothing special.”
But Neville and Blaise didn’t agree and spent a good ten minutes circling Harry and looking him up and down. “Crazy… you’re like solid, really truly solid, and yet, at the same time, I’m not even sure you’re here.” Neville whispered, cautiously tracing a finger over Harry’s arm. “Why can’t I sense your magic? It should be overpowering.”
Harry smirked, feeling more at ease since neither boy had gone running and screaming like he had half expected. He felt better, more at ease with everything now that Neville seemed accepting. It wasn’t a true test, the two noblebloods had been brought up to understand this sort of thing while the majority of his friends had probably never heard of the Heir, but it left him somewhat hopeful. “You’re too close. You have to be a couple of hundred yards away before you can actually sense the power. Right now you’re in my aura. I could let you feel it, but I think you’re both a little too sensitive to magic still.”
“What’s it feel like?” Blaise asked softly, fingers slipping over Harry’s shoulders hesitantly. “I want to feel it. Please?”
Harry eyed the dark boy, surprised with how touchy the two were getting. Apparently, he wasn’t frightening at all to them. Had Malfoy been right and he was just blowing things out of proportion? Gods, but his emotions were so out of whack this summer; he didn’t know what the hell was going on in his head. He shook the annoyance away and focused on Blaise’s hesitant fingers. “It could knock you out. You’re going to have to wait a few more weeks… That won’t work on me, Zabini.” He chided when the boy’s curtain of power tried to wrap around him and pull him close.
Neville turned glittering eyes to Blaise, frowning at the young Dark Lustre Incubus. “What are you doing? Even if he wasn’t the Heir, he’s still Harry, you git.”
Blaise shook his head dazedly, trying to fight his odd reactions and failing. “Sorry. I don’t know why…” He bit his lip, watching trancelike while his power unheedingly continued to cling to Harry. “I can’t stop it.”
“It’s all right.” Harry said, reassuringly placing a hand to the braided boy’s face and caressing his cheek. “It’s too much power for him to resist; his kind seek it out after all.” He explained patiently to Neville while inwardly he realized how weird his mind was getting without Malfoy there to keep him from thinking about all his problems. Blaise gave a soft sigh against his hand, causing Harry to smile in reply. “In a few weeks he’ll be stronger. He will never be able to be indifferent though… Will you Blaise?” He teased softly, watching the boy’s pupils contract to small points surrounded by pale yellow moons.
“Oh, goddess… say my name again.” Blaise moaned, pressing his face into Harry’s hand and nuzzling.
“Oh, for gods sake.” Neville muttered, rolling his eyes. “I can knock some sense into him if you want.” He offered a little too readily.
“Now, now, don’t judge, Nev. You can hardly keep from floating and zipping about the room.” Harry pointed out with a smirk at Neville’s telling blush. “My kind of power is impossible to block out completely. Everyone reacts differently given his or her magical leanings. Poor muggles tend to go into trances, not even remembering what they’ve seen. Blaise here is already sloshed out of his mind from the magic at White Towers; you can’t expect him to be able to fight anything in his state. I hope you’ll make sure he’s settled back at Hogwarts safely.” He gave Neville a pointed stare when the boy looked far from happy at the idea.
Neville eyed the whimpering incubus with disdain. “I’d say the idiot would get what he deserved; he was acting like an ass at dinner.” And when Neville had tried to curb him, his Gran had reprimanded him about it, as if it had been his fault. “But I suppose, having him loose and unsupervised while he’s like this would be too dangerous.” He added with a grumble. It was going to be hell trying to get the git into the floo.
“Again… Potter, please…”
Harry relented with a smile into the dazed yellow. “Blaise.”
“Mmmm…” Blaise gave a deep sigh, sinking into Harry’s side on the couch and making nonsense noises of contentment while Harry continued to trace his features absentmindedly. It was rather weird, how easy it was to let go of all his human traits when around those like him. Okay, it was really weird, and kind of scary. He was waking up, finding himself but… maybe he was losing his true self at the same time.
“Oh, don’t encourage him, Har.” Neville muttered. “He’s a bloody Slytherin.”
Harry just smiled weakly and decided thinking was not one of his strong suits when he was still recovering from magical corruption. “Yeah, but look how easy it is to make him happy. He’s sweet.”
Neville grunted in response, scowling at Blaise’s prone form. “Sweet isn’t the word. Slimy, I think, suits him better.”
Laughing, Harry caught his friend’s hand and pulled him down to sit beside him. “How goes it at Hogwarts? Did all the kids make it there safely? I have a feeling big things have been going on this summer.”
“Yeah, for the most part it’s all of them. Just you and Malfoy were missing… did you hear about Malfoy? His father broke out of Azkaban and then Draco went and took the Candidate Trial. He never made it back to the school though; there are rumors that Voldemort has either captured him or killed him. That’s why he’s here.” Neville nodded his head at Blaise. “I told him it was too dangerous in his state, he’s been locked up in the Hospital Wing for a week now, but he insisted on seeing you and asking for help. He wants you to go save Malfoy.”
“Does he now…” Harry tilted his head, watching as the Slytherin’s breathing evened out in something akin to sleep, although his eyes were still open and glancing around the room without focus. “Malfoy’s safe and sound at Hogwarts; he arrived there earlier today. You don’t have to worry about him.”
“How in the world do you know that?” Neville asked with a frown. “I didn’t sense him today. I would have sensed him at Hogwarts if he’s truly a Candidate.”
“Yeah, well, Draco’s rather special in that sense.” Harry frowned lightly, fingers pulling at Blaise’s braids before meeting Neville’s eyes. Draco was special. “Voldemort’s got this collar on him and it’s trapping his power. I wanted to take it off him but you know Malfoy; he can be as stubborn as a bloody Mountain Gnome when he wants to. He seemed to think it would help him blend in better with the humans…” He fell silent, his thoughts overwhelming him for a moment. Squaring his jaw he continued more confidently.
“I have to stay here for a week. The Council is really fucked up, and needs all the help I can give it.” He didn’t want to, but he had to. He couldn’t go running away at such a crucial time. Means would have to be taken to bring order around here and he needed his selection of councilors to grow in power so they weren’t killed after he left. It was only a week. It felt like a lifetime but it was only a week and then he could get back to Malfoy. “I’ll need you to deliver some letters for me… I need you to make sure Draco’s all right. Don’t let anyone know he’s there. Don’t let them know you know either, if possible. I realize you have school stuff but this is really important to me, Nev.”
Neville smiled reassuringly. “Hey, it’s fine, Harry. He’s your Candidate; of course you want to protect—”
Harry shook his head slowly. “He’s my friend. Just like you and all the other ones I care about, Nev. The rules are the same. You might want to let people know he’s made that list now… especially Ron and Hermione. It’ll take them a while to get used to the idea.”
Nodding, Neville bit his lip and looked away thoughtfully. “Maybe I shouldn’t say this, but you have to realize that the other Candidates are going to eventually awaken, Harry. Malfoy may very likely die.”
“He won’t.”
“If he’s got that collar on—”
“He won’t.” Harry repeated, his jaw set. “The best thing about being Heir is I can make and break the rules at my discretion. I’ve had enough death to last a lifetime. No more of mine will die.”
Neville stared at him worriedly, hand resting on Harry’s arm. “…It wasn’t your fault, Harry. Voldemort set the whole thing up. You couldn’t have known Sirius would—”
“Don’t. Not that.” Harry pulled away and got to his feet, leaving Neville to fall with a squeak onto Blaise’s drowsy form. “Here, let me just write up these letters and you two can get back to Hogwarts.”
“Harry, I didn’t mean any—” He squeaked again, trying to pull away from Blaise’s sudden grip on his waist.
Harry sighed, pulling out some parchment and a quill from the desk drawer. “It’s fine, Nev. I just don’t want to talk about it. I have enough on my mind right now.” He refused to think about the past. Each day at a time and all that rubbish… as long as he didn’t have to think about back then.
He peeked over his shoulder when Neville started cursing. Huh, Malfoy had been right about the whole clinginess thing; that looked horribly annoying for Neville. He left his friend to his struggles, turning back to the parchment and collecting his thoughts. Dumbledore’s would be easy, enough. Malfoy’s wouldn’t.

*******

“…Come on… say it…”
“I swear to any god listening, I’m going to beat you to a slimy pulp, Zabini.”
“Please shiny? Just… just once…”
Neville growled and began counting the steps it would take to get to the arrival chamber while dragging the incubus bastard down the hall. Harry had wanted to help but he had looked so ill sitting in his weird room, that Neville had refused. It wasn’t that Zabini was heavy, just really, really, really, bloody annoying.
“Please?”
Neville stopped walking, huffing in annoyance. “Just wait till we get to Hogwarts. I’m going to throw you in with the Hufflepuffs and there’s nothing you can do about it.” He strengthened his grip and started pulling Blaise down the hall again. The idiot’s lust power, invisible and weaker now that Blaise had returned to his human form was definitely trying to cling to him and would probably do the same to anyone who came in contact with him. The Hufflepuffs wouldn’t hurt the prat but they’d probably freak him out. What a damn narcissist. Say his name… Ha! He stumbled, a noise drawing his attention up ahead to where a figure was waiting.
“Mr. Longbottom. Mr. Zabini. I’m surprised to see you here so late. Your Headmaster will be worried.”
“Ooohh… creepy Chancellor man…” Blaise whispered to Neville, breaking into giggles right after. The problem with Blaise’s whispers was that everyone could hear him. Neville would have smacked the boy but was too busy watching the man stalk towards them.
Heart beating painfully fast, Neville fixed the most goofy, apologetic smile he could muster on his face. “Sorry, sir. Zabini here is having some problems with all the magic in the castle. I finally found him yelling at some ghosts, making no sense at all. I have to hurry and get him back to Madame Pomfrey before she has my hide.” He quickened his pace, hoping to get by without being stopped. Unfortunately, he suddenly found a staff in his path, forcing him to stay.
“And where, exactly, did you find Mr. Zabini?” Loxton asked pleasantly and smiled widely, enough so that he passed the line of charming and went right into deranged. “In his state he may have broken something. I’d like to know where to send the house elves.”
Neville fumbled for a better hold on Blaise, using it as an excuse for time to think. Hell, he was never good at lying. He always ended up blushing like a loon and he was certain by Loxton’s demeanor he wasn’t fooled in the least. “Sorry, but I can’t recall. This place is just so confusing, with all these corridors and doors. I got lost like ten times. You’d have to ask the ghost, since he was the one that pointed me back this way.” He smiled sheepishly. Loxton didn’t.
“Perhaps we can leave your friend here and go together to search.” For some reason, Neville could not keep his eyes away from the way Loxton kept casually smacking his staff in his hands.
“Uh… I really have to get back, sir.” Neville backpedaled, Blaise choosing the moment to sway heavily and knock the two of them to the ground. Gods damn it! He disengaged himself from Blaise’s limbs and stumbled to his feet, pulling the boy after him. He bit back a squeak, flinching away from Loxton’s helping hand. “That’s alright, sir—I’ve g-got him!” He pulled the boy, who towered a head taller, close and nearly fell again from the awkward balance.
“Nonsense. It will hardly take a moment, Mr. Longbottom.” Loxton took a firm hold of Blaise’s arm and started prying the boy from Neville’s shaking form. Swallowing back another squeak, Neville gripped Blaise’s robes for all he was worth while his mind whirled for some sort of solution. Something told him attacking the Chancellor because he suspected he was trying to find where Harry was sleeping, would not be believed when the man kept insisting on helping him with Blaise.
“Really sir, Blaise needs to see a healer.” Neville hedged as he felt Blaise slowly slipped from his fingers.
“Heeeyyy… you said it…”
“We have many healers, probably better equipped at that, here at White Towers. We can have someone look him over while we have our little walk.”
“That won’t be necessary, Rowland.”
Neville didn’t dare look up, just gripped Blaise around the waist and pulled him partly behind him so Loxton couldn’t reach. He recognized Lesley Griffith’s voice and thanked all the gods that he had happened to come by. Of all the people there, he knew Griffith would keep Loxton from whatever the hell he wanted. He watched, fascinated, at the Chancellor’s face as emotions flickered wildly across it before settling on his normal charming smile and turning to the group coming down the hall. Neville realized with a start that this smile was the man’s most common mask.
“The boy has been deluded with magic, Lesley. I don’t think his school would know how to deal with such a situation.” He nodded graciously to Madame Henrietta and her children, who were trailing sleepily behind after the long night. “I’m sorry to see you leave so soon, Madame. I hope you have found the evening enjoyable.”
“Oh, yes. We’ve all had a wonderful time, Chancellor. My Lesley was just seeing us out. Can you imagine after all these years, I still get lost?!” She laughed lightly, missing the way Lesley and Loxton were glaring at each other.
“I don’t think he’ll have a problem; Poppy has done well with him so far. Clive had made an interest to visit him tomorrow, just to make sure he was well. No point worrying the man needlessly by keeping the boy late among the magic that has effected him so poorly.” Lesley smiled sweetly, his eyes promising pain. “Come along, Longbottom. Let’s get you back to school before Dumbledore has my head. I can carry Zabini if you like; your robes are far more expensive than mine.”
Neville smiled gratefully and carefully handed Blaise to the First Chair and away from the scary Chancellor glaring spectacularly at them. He noticed Lesley’s robes were far more expensive than his, but he suspected Lesley didn’t have a grandmother waiting in the wings to chew him out if he messed them up. “Thank you, Mr. Griffith…” He almost continued but Loxton was watching closely and totally freaking him out. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to leave as soon as possible. Zabini is really messed up.”
“Say it…”
Lesley nodded, saddling Loxton with Madame Henrietta’s clingy arm and fixing his hold on Blaise, the three of them quickly moving down the hall and into the awaiting arrival chamber.
“Gods, that guy is creepy.” Neville sighed, eyeing behind him where the talkative woman and her children were thoroughly thwarting Loxton’s attempts to leave.
“He didn’t hurt you, did he?”
“No.” Neville looked up, a little surprised with Lesley’s tone. The man sounded like he had expected it… oh hell. He gulped and thought back to what Loxton had said. “I think he was looking for Harry. He wanted me to lead him back.”
“Yeah, well, fat chance on that.” Lesley grumbled. He looked down in amusement when Blaise stirred and started on another nonsensical tangent. “This poor boy’s plastered out of his skull. I am going to hear about this from his grandmother, no doubt. Would you mind lighting up the fire, Longbottom? My hands are full.”
Neville nodded, setting about starting the floo.
“Come on… please…?”
“What’s that, love?” Lesley asked, carefully setting Blaise on his feet.
Blaise giggled, swaying into the man. “You know. Say it.”
“Say what?”
“It.”
“It?” Lesley humored him, smirking as the boy broke into giggles again. “Whatever for?”
Blaise snickered, shaking his head until he was dizzy. “No, no, no, not iiiit… Say my name—my first name.”
“Ah, and what would your first name be, love? I’m afraid I haven’t been caught up with the newest of your Clan.”
Blaise blinked, his mouth gaping for a moment before shutting it with a snap. “Ah—Ummmmm… Shiny, what’s my name? You know… my first name…”
Neville rolled his eyes, sighing in exasperation. Gods, give me strength. “It’s Blaise. Your name is Blaise, and that is the last time I’m ever saying it again, Zabini.”
“Yeah, that’s it! Haha… Say it again, Shiny.”
“How about I beat you instead?” Neville growled under his breath, sticking his wand back into his pocket.
“Now, now, children. Let’s try to behave. Blaise—yes, that is your name, you silly cutie—Blaise is going to go stand in the floo, and I’m going to call out Hogwarts for you just to make sure you don’t stand there all night saying ‘say it’ the whole time. Alright, love?” Lesley took Blaise’s giggle as a yes, and helped march the boy towards the waiting floo.
Lesley smiled kindly at Neville’s tired expression. “Did you have a nice chat with Harry? He was probably asleep when you saw him so don’t feel too bad if he was grumpy. He’s having the same problem with all the magic around here, poor kid. Not as loopy as this one, thankfully… Yes, you, you silly, sexy incubus who will be causing many problems once sprung on the unsuspecting populace of Hogwarts students. Gods, what I wouldn’t give to see Albus’ face—Ha! Minerva will have a fit! She’ll have to give the boy a beater bat just to keep the kids away…”
Neville bit his tongue, deciding the faster he got Zabini away from these people the better for everyone. As nice as the First Chair was, Zabini was bad enough without someone putting ideas into his head. “Mr. Griffith, it’s getting late and Dumbledore will be worried.”
“Oh, of course. Hope you had fun, Blaise.” Lesley smiled and gave Blaise an extra pat on his head, leaving him swaying in the floo, green flames licking at the edges of the boy’s robes. “Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!” Blaise’s eyes opened wide in surprise for an instant before he shot up into the floo network, his indignant yell echoing behind him. “My, he’s going to be quite the handful.” Lesley commented brightly.
“Yeah, thankfully now officially someone else’s.” Neville added, not quite as cheerfully. He glanced again over his shoulders, making sure Loxton was still out of range before speaking quietly to Lesley. “Listen here, Harry is my friend. He’s saved my life a couple of times and he’s one of the reasons I know good can conquer evil. Now, I’m trusting you, as First Chair and direct descendent of Solus Ta, the Soul of the Day, to keep him from dying while in your care. Understand? If anything happens while he is here, I, and my Clan, will hold you responsible.”
Lesley smirked, eyes loosing a bit of his sparkle. “You’re quite the firecracker; small and dangerous, eh?”
“I’m not playing, Griffith. He’s important to me—to all of us. I don’t care if you have to kill Loxton and everyone else on this farce of a Council. Keep them away from Harry.” Neville said, deadly serious.
Lesley met his gaze, something sad and heartfelt taking his expression. “Don’t worry, I have no intention of letting my cousin come to any harm while here, or anywhere else for that matter. He’s the last hope I have whenever I look out at this world, and I don’t want to see that disappear, ever. I’ll do whatever I can to save him, even if my life is forfeit.”
Neville nodded grimly, and they shook hands. “I’ll be in touch, Griffith.”
“I’m sure you will, Longbottom.” Lesley changed the hold, so their forearms were gripped instead, a tradition saved for those connected by bonds of friendship and warriors that fight together. “Take care of yourself. The Heir’s allies share the Heir’s enemies.”
Reading Lesley’s eyes, Neville gripped back firmly. “Till the blood is cool and the last breath faded.”

*******

“No, Zabini is quite well. I have it under Poppy’s good authority that he will be up and about within the week.”
“He shouldn’t have been allowed to go if he was so weak, Headmaster.”
“He wanted to go. Do you think I could have stopped him? How many times have you slipped out of this castle in the middle of the night, Draco?” Dumbledore smiled reassuringly. “I made sure his clan had been notified of his condition and Neville was quite willing to watch Blaise while they were there.”
Draco glanced briefly at Neville, all emotion blank on the Slytherin’s face. “I don’t think any of you understand the consequences of magical contamination. Blaise could have died. He could still die. Please, speak with me before allowing any newborns in your care to be allowed to run off among dangerous magic and people.”
“I think I can agree with that.” Dumbledore said cheerfully, not fazed in the least that Draco was throwing his weight around. The boy did know the most about such things anyways. “Now, we will leave you two to your business. Don’t stay up too late, Neville. You do have classes tomorrow.”
Neville nodded at the Headmaster, eyes straying to Draco. Standing face to face with Malfoy for the first time since last year, he was struck with the realization that he had never really known the boy. Draco had changed, as to be expected with anyone chosen to be a Candidate. It had to be that which really threw him. Draco Malfoy was worthy of being Soul Vigil, and only amazingly intelligent, resourceful people, with the bonus of great courage, sharp eyes, big heart, and a dangerous, predatory sense of the world were worthy of that right. This was not the same boy he had hated barely half a year ago. This was not the same boy he had been friends with seven years ago.
Draco had waited for his bedroom to clear of annoying Professors and healers before setting his gleaming eyes on Neville again and asking the question he had been wondering since he had left Grimmauld Place. “Is Potter alright? Don’t give me that shit you told Dumbledore; I know he’s hurting from the magic there. How bad is it? If it’s really bad I might have to send you back in there and drag him out…” He raked his hand through his hair and started pacing. “…Well?! Spit it out, Longbottom!” He growled when Neville made no move to talk, only continued to stare at him. Shit, was his power spiking? He stopped moving and checked to make sure his Veela powers were behaving. No… still in control. …What the hell was Longbottom staring at?
“Huh—What—Did you just hit me?!” Neville gaped in confusion, stepping away from Draco.
“So you haven’t gone mute; nice to see. Now answer the fucking questions!”
Neville rubbed his shoulder, glaring reflexively at Draco. Candidate or not, Malfoy was still a bloody bastard. “Here, go take your anger out on this first, then let’s try talking without resorting to violence. Slimy git…” He dug into his robes and handed Draco the unlabeled, sealed roll of parchment Harry had told him was for the boy, and stepped out of the way of any random punches sent in his direction. Bloody Slytherins.
“What the hell is this?” Draco froze. Staring at the scroll with narrowed eyes, he lowered his head and gave a curious sniff.
Potter.
Grinning grimly, he tore the seal open and quickly unrolled the parchment. Huh, Potter had surprisingly nice handwriting for such a head case.
Demon eyes,
I’m alive, pissed and woozy, but alive. Don’t do anything stupid, and I use the phrase loosely, you prat. Shits piled high up here and needs my attention for the week. You won’t have any more problems concerning bias with your new look, so don’t let the Ministry fuck with your head. I need you, mate, but your shirt might do in a pinch.
…Pleeease?
I’ll beg if you want, oh mighty, brilliant, wonderful pal of mine who I am not worthy to have as such a generous friend. I promise I’ll bring you back something really, really, really nice.
Anyways, you don’t have to worry about me. Listen; if the opportunity arrives don’t come here unless it’s an emergency… a real emergency. Maybe you shouldn’t even then. I’m pretty sure they’ll kill you right off. Just stay safe. See if Shiny will take you to the two dark feathered friends of mine. I… I’ll be back in a week. Oh, I said that already…yeah.
I think… Well, I think that I’m going to really miss you—Stop laughing; it’s called a heart, you git.
Regards
P.S.—Make sure that Galleon you owe me is nice and sparkly. I like’m sparkly.
“…Damn it, Potter. You just keep fucking with my head.” Didn’t the idiot realize he had enough problems without Potter getting clingy in bloody letters too?! I need you, mate? Really miss you? How could he write that so casually!?! Whimpering, he stumbled to his bed and curled up into a ball on the green comforter, the letter clutched firmly to his chest. He was headed for a mental breakdown. Twelve hours away from Potter and he was going nuts. Twelve people to kill.
Stupid, stupid, stupid… didn’t the idiot know that the longer he stayed there the more opportunity it gave the Council to off him? Potter has to play do-gooder, like always, and never thinks of his personal safety! Did he really expect him to wait patiently at Hogwarts while he gets himself killed? Stupid, bloody Gryffindork.
“Malfoy? Really, are you all right?” Neville eyed the boy curled up on the bed. He looked small and scared, and if he wasn’t wary of getting another uncalled for punch, he might have went and made sure he was ok. Draco made a sudden shout, causing Neville to jump. “Huh, what?” Shit, what the hell was Malfoy on? What a nutcase.
Draco sat up with a huff, his silver hair mussed uncharacteristically. “I said Potter is a fucking idiot. Now, for real, how did he seem? Was he rational? Sometimes, when it’s bad, he can’t even stand on his own and he starts babbling and hurts himself…” He trailed off, looking down at his hands that were fidgeting with the edge of his pajama top.
Dear gods, Harry hadn’t been kidding… the two were really friends. Dismissing his amazement for the moment, he tried to go about reassuring the boy. “Harry’s fine. He’s rational, can stand on his own, and is having a fun time ordering the old codgers in the Council around.” He said it cheerfully but found he was unable to smile at his own joke. “Uh, he told me that he’s found some good people that he’s equipping to replace the Chancellor. Oh, and Lesley Griffith is there and I really think he’ll do everything he can to make sure Harry’s safe. He even helped to find him a room and set up guards so Harry could rest from his magical fatigue.”
“Magical fatigue?” Draco echoed hollowly, licking his lips. “Uh, was it dark? Was the room like a hole in space?”
“Er, yeah. How’d you know?”
Draco shook his head thoughtfully. So Potter had an escape from the magic. At least something had turned out right. Maybe it wouldn’t be that bad. It wasn’t like Potter was easy to kill when he had his guard up. He was alive and rational enough to write a letter without giving away anything to anyone who might have intercepted. He had even made jokes, as lame as they were. He was alive, and he missed him. He licked his lips again and glanced back at the parchment. “Hey, who the hell is this Shiny person? I’m supposed to speak with them.”
Neville blushed, ducking his head with slumped shoulders. He was going to kill Zabini. “Yeah, that’s uh… that’s me, I guess.” He sighed dejectedly.
Draco gave him a long look, raising a brow at the sparkly haired brunette. He chose not to comment for now, deciding he probably didn’t want to know anyways. “You’re supposed to take me to ‘two dark feathered friends’ of his. I assume he’s talking about his birds.”
“Oh… yeah.” Harry wanted Draco to see the Fae. Why? Would they talk to Draco since he was a Candidate? “Um, they’re up in our dorm room though, and I really doubt they’ll let themselves be moved. I can sneak you up during classes tomorrow, I guess. The twins might go easy on me if I’m late for Potions… we’ll have to disguise you or something though. Um, if you don’t mind waiting that is. Do you have to see them right away?”
“No… I don’t think anyways. Potter is such a pain.” Draco mussed. “Like I want to see his stupid birds.”
Neville couldn’t help but silently agree with Malfoy. “Listen, he wants me to make sure you’re okay while he’s gone. I’ll be checking up on you daily but don’t get the wrong idea; it’s only for Harry. Candidate or not, I’m still angry about the shit you said about my parents… hey, are you listening to me?” Malfoy was looking blankly at his hands, a strange expression on his face. “Hey, are you all right?” Against all misgivings, he stepped closer to the boy, enough to see the war of emotions flashing in his silver eyes.
Malfoy sighed, twisting his shirt idly. “…You saw him, right? Close enough that I can smell him on you… You can’t understand how weird that makes me feel right now.” He looked up, eyes aglow with pain and confusion. “Part of me wants to lean in and get his scent back on me.” He swallowed hard and clenched his fists. “Another part wants to snap your neck for ever getting that close to him. And the rest, the rest that used to be what I considered rational and sane, is screaming above it all, wondering what the fuck is wrong with me for feeling so happy that he sent someone to check up on me!” He fell silent, dissecting his words now that he had said them. Gods, he needed help.
Blanching, Neville spread his hands wide in a non-threatening manor and carefully approached Draco, hesitantly kneeling beside the boy. He held his arm out to Draco in offering, hoping to calm the boy. “Here, it was only a hug hello. He can’t help it; the Heir’s blood makes him very touchy. It’s natural for him to imprint those he cares about through touch. It’s probably natural for you to freak about it too, since you’re a Candidate.”
“I know, I know! Yet my brain is saying otherwise and I can’t figure out when I started caring!” Draco wailed, grabbing Neville’s shoulders and rubbing his face into his neck to pick up Harry’s scent. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this.” He whispered glumly into Neville’s red robes. “I was supposed to grow up, marry someone my parents chose, inherit mad amounts of money, have kids, get a job in the Ministry, and find some happiness in all of it. Voldemort was supposed to be the only thing in my path, that somehow would have disappeared, because who the hell expected him to show up after all these years?!”
He pulled back to meet Neville’s eyes earnestly. “Did you really expect to transform? Did anyone honestly expect after thousands of years an Heir would actually be born! What the hell? This wasn’t supposed to happen and now I’m going nuts because of it!” He exuberantly waved Harry’s note in front of Neville, too fast for the boy to read but enough to make him squeak. “He needs me! That big idiot needs me and worse, I actually, truly care! So much it hurts! Why the fuck do I care?!” Breathing heavily, Draco’s anger slowly faded and he slumped, staring blankly at the page in his hand.
Neville watched him, not sure if he should bother or not. Malfoy was a little scary like this… more so than he used to be. Hell, his Gryffindor instincts always killed him during times like this. Fine, he would be nice. “He cares about you too. He told me. He considers you a friend, and said you made the list.”
“The list?” Draco raised his eyes, too glum to laugh at the thought of Harry actually having lists of whom his friends are. Lists of enemies were one thing, but of friends? What a dork.
“Yeah, Harry made these lists last year around the time we were getting the DA organized. It was a way to strengthen us through friendship and loyalty… all for one and all that rot. He had a secret one, one that only the people on it really know about, and not even all of them know. They’re called untouchables and the DA members pass the names through each House with the knowledge that they’re protected. You’re on it now and because of it, no one will give you a hard time about anything without knowing that they’ll get twice as much shit for it later.”
Raising his eyebrows, Draco sat back a little to search Neville’s face. “And why, exactly, is that?”
“Um…” Neville squirmed, looking away.
“Didn’t quite hear that, Longbottom.”
Neville rolled his eyes at the boy but wouldn’t meet his gaze. “Because Harry will retaliate. Fully and with discretion… including, but not limited to, death.”
Draco blinked. “…He came up with this last year?”
“Ha, ah, yeah.” Neville scratched his nose lightly. “He’s quite serious about it too. He hasn’t killed anyone, mind, but he’s dealt out quite a few nasty hexes because of it. I don’t think anyone took him serious until the whole Ministry battle, but they sure do now.”
Well, once again Potter had proved beyond any doubt that he was quite mad. Draco fixed Neville with a sharp look. “This doesn’t bother you at all, does it. You are not fazed in the slightest that Potter is absolutely insane. I mean, it’s fine for me, I find it horribly charming because apparently, I’ve lost my mind, but you—you’re a sane, freethinking person, Longbottom. This should bother you. You can’t tell me that everyone on that list agrees with this.”
Neville shrugged, smiling softly. “He’s my friend. If anything happens to him, trust me when I say everyone on that list would be ready to kill for him. Now that I know that he’s the Heir, it makes sense to me, but even back then, when I didn’t know, it never bothered me. Harry’s an amazing person and the rules were always different when it came to him.”
Draco couldn’t help but remember how he had thought of the same and used to be annoyed by it. “And the others? They’re fine with this?”
“…Well, they don’t know.” Neville chuckled sheepishly. “The Weasley twins, Sirius, Remus, Ron, and Seamus were the only ones Harry told besides me. They took it well. I think it made sense to Remus and Sirius, the others were just glad to be a part of it, but most people just don’t have the right mindset, I suppose, to truly understand. I think you have to experience real pain in your life to gain the right perspective. It is horribly charming, Malfoy. I think it’s the sweetest thing ever. But you want to know what Ron said when he had first heard? He asked Harry if Voldemort wasn’t planting ideas into his head— Oh, that’s another thing. You’re now privileged to certain information. I don’t know if Harry was planning on having me tell you, or if he wanted to do it himself, but if you happen to ask the right questions, I’ll be willing to answer.”
Draco just kind of stared dumfounded at the brunette. Potter had a secret society of followers. Before he had even become Heir. Life just kept getting weirder and weirder. “Um… I don’t have to pretend to like any of you, do I? I promise to try to cut back on the prattiness but don’t expect me to be nice. Potter is just going to have to deal.”
Neville didn’t smile, just thought back to how Harry’s tone had softened when they had been discussing Draco. “Something tells me you can act however you want, Malfoy.”
Draco nodded blankly and buried his head into his hands. “He’s okay?”
“Yeah.”
“He really misses me?”
Neville sighed. “Unfortunately, yes.”
Draco nodded, spreading his fingers so he could meet Neville’s eyes. “I’m sorry for… I’m sorry I treated you like shit, Nevvy. I wasn’t supposed to—”
“Shit, don’t start with that.” Neville looked away from the sad eyes, the childhood nickname hurting him more than he had ever thought it would. “It makes sense now with you being a Candidate. You sure took to it, though.”
Draco smiled weakly. “Raw talent.”
“I’m sure… Eh, I should get out of here. Classes tomorrow and all…”
“Right, see you then.” Draco gave a halfhearted wave of his hand, watching the boy shuffle awkwardly out the portrait hole and leaving him alone. He didn’t expect things to really go back the way they used to be, it was far too long and too many cruel things had been said between the two. It was a relief that at least Neville now knew his hostility hadn’t been personal.
- 41
- 42
- 43
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Awakening To the Dream