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Love, Free as Air	By : Lomonaaeren Category: Harry Potter > Threesomes/Moresomes Views: 32703 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and I am not making any money from this story.

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
- 8
Thank you again for all the reviews!

Chapter Seven�Freedom
and Flight

�� Draco lay
in his own bed that night and stretched his arms out until his hands brushed
the edges of the sheets. Then he turned over and buried his face into the
single pillow. He didn�t have to worry about someone close to him snorting into
his hair and mumbling into his ear, the way that Severus tended to do in the
early morning.

�� He had
missed the sex. Draco could admit that freely. Severus wasn�t a beautiful man,
but he was a controlled one, in
absolute charge of his body, able to move it in ways that wouldn�t have
occurred to someone younger than he was. Draco had wanted to share his bed far
more frequently than Severus had let him in the past few years.

�� But had he
missed the other things? The way Severus slept so close, his arm flung across
Draco�s throat, his body twisted right on top of Draco?

�� It had
taken him this long to realize it, but Draco had to shake his head slowly. No,
that was something it hadn�t occurred to him to miss. Why should he? Severus
had made it clear that he considered closeness a problem, and they�d had
separate bedrooms for so long now that it was difficult for Draco to remember
whose bed they�d last slept in
together, as opposed to had sex in. Severus had said the separate bedrooms
would be good for them, giving them each their own space.

�� Draco
smiled faintly, derisively, but it was more for his childish self, the one who
had always believed Severus unquestioningly, than for Severus. Draco had known
Severus for what he was when he was still in school: selfish, passionate only
in pursuit of what he wanted. Draco hadn�t been one of those things for a long
time now.

�� He couldn�t
blame someone for being a Slytherin, or he would have had to blame himself.

�� Draco
rolled over again and stared up at the ceiling. He had thought that the last
few days would make him realize how much he missed Severus, because he�d been
spending time apart from him and doing things that didn�t involve
him�meditating, gardening, studying subjects that had nothing to do with
Potions, eating meals alone or in Potter�s company. Draco had hoped the
schedule of activities would teach him what he could put up with and what he
would have to demand would change.

�� Instead, it
had taught him�

�� What? That
he could be happy on his own?

�� Draco
nodded slowly. Yes, it had showed him that.

�� Of course,
he still hadn�t been alone, because Potter was with him. Draco didn�t think he
was ready for absolute solitude yet. And in the wide world beyond the cottage,
there were a very limited number of people who would be willing to spend time
with him. Even his old school friends, doubtless still watched by the Ministry,
wouldn�t want to risk drawing their attention by taking Draco in.

�� So, if he
wanted to be apart from Severus and learn more about this strange resilience he
had thought crushed out of him years ago, where could he go?

�� That was
the crux of the problem, and what had kept Draco from leaving whenever he
thought about it before. Well, he had to admit, that and inherent laziness. The
very fact that he had revived so quickly when Potter came around meant that
he�d never been as hopeless and helpless as he�d thought. He�d liked to think
he was because it was easier than doing something that would actually change
the situation.

�� I�m just
admitting all sorts of things about myself this evening,� Draco muttered, but
it was all right because no one was around to hear.

�� All right.
He needed company, and he needed a place to live where he could fairly easily
get books, food, and other necessities and yet go unnoticed by the authorities.
Where?

�� When the
answer first came to him, Draco snorted and turned it away. But it stood there
like an insistent visitor, knocking at the gates of his mind until Draco
lowered his defenses and let it in.

�� Why not Potter�s house?

�� There was
really no reason, when he thought about it in more detail. He could do things
to pay for his upkeep: brewing any potions Potter needed, cooking meals that
were probably better than what Potter got on his own, teaching him a bit of
esoteric magical theory (assuming that he wanted to learn).

�� And, now
that he understood more about Potter and the kind of person he was, Draco
thought it highly likely that Potter would probably let Draco stay in his house
for free, at least until he could come up with some more permanent solution.
Convincing the Ministry that he was innocent, perhaps.

�� Draco tried
to pull his imagination back into bounds. You
have absolutely no reason to think that will happen. Calm down and focus on
what you can actually do.

�� But he had
told himself that for years, buried his dreams and his hopes to try and retain
Severus�s attention, and now they seemed to have grown too thick to be denied.
They burst out, and Draco saw himself free to walk the streets of the wizarding
world again, if not respected the way his family once had been. He could create
a career of sorts for himself. There would always be people who found a touch
of danger would add to their purchases�in this case, buying their potions from
an acquitted criminal�and Draco knew he could do things with potions that, if
not as spectacular as Severus�s skills, would at least decently stand up
against them.

�� He could
try. If he failed, then he would think of something else. But he thought Potter
would help him.

�� And with
Potter by his side, he wouldn�t be alone.

�� Who knew it was as simple as asking for
help? Draco thought in wonder, burrowing back down under the sheets of his
lovely, lonely bed and closing his eyes. I�ll
wait until Severus changes him back to human, but after that, we�re going.
Severus can make up his own mind about what he wants to do after that, but
since he�ll have the solitude that he�s always wanted, I don�t see why he
should care.

*

�� I have
finished the potion.�

�� Severus had
expected a more astounded reaction to his announcement than the one he
received, which was Potter cocking his head to the side to study him with a
single bright eye and Draco looking up from his book.

�� Have you?�
Draco asked after a moment, during which Severus had the impression that they
had both waited for Potter to speak and both been disappointed. �Well, good.
Are you ready to use it, or does it need to steep?� He snapped his book shut
and glanced over at Potter, who was scratching energetically at the back of his
head now.

�� It is
ready to use,� Severus said, and turned around as Potter�s wings opened. But he
only flew across the room from his perch to Draco�s shoulder and settled there,
folding his wings the next moment. Draco looked as startled as Severus felt,
and then considerably more pleased.

�� Severus
frowned. Were it not an impossibility,
given the way that Potter must depend on us in his bird shape, I would say that
Draco is coming to depend on him. But he shook away the strange thought and
turned back to his lab.

�� He heard
the noise of Draco following, but no wings flapping. Potter must be riding on
Draco�s shoulder.

�� That should
not have troubled him. Why did it trouble him? It was the sort of thing that a
parrot would do, and Severus knew that the instincts grew stronger and more
insistent the longer one was in Animagus form. Potter had spent at least a
fortnight in his, and that was only if one counted from the time of his arrival
at Severus and Draco�s home. It made sense that he would want to ride on a
human�s shoulder and save himself the trouble of flight.

�� But the
trouble remained as Severus stepped into the lab, picked up the vial of gently
dancing purple-pink potion, and turned around.

�� Potter
waited until Draco had crossed the threshold of the lab and then spread his
wings, soaring across the room to land in front of Severus on the perch they�d
put up for him. At the height of the perch, he and Severus were nearly eye to
eye. Potter cocked his head at him. �Ready?� he asked.

�� You will
fall off the perch when you begin to change,� Severus said.

�� I won�t
fall far,� Potter said. �And I don�t think you�d be willing to have me on the
counter, either, or willing to bend down and feed it to me while I was standing
on the floor.�

�� I would,�
Draco said.

�� Potter
turned his head and looked at Draco, while Severus narrowed his eyes and tried
to figure out which was stronger: his surprise that Draco was making this
offer, or his anger.

�� All
right,� Potter said, and flew over and landed on the lab floor in front of
Draco before Severus could make so much as a noise of protest. He spread his
wings and held them out as if for balance while gazing up at Draco.

�� Draco
stared back as he took up the vial of potion and knelt, and then smiled.
Severus frowned. There was once again a swell of emotion in him, as there had
been when he fucked Draco, as there had been when he heard Draco was leaving,
that he did not understand and did not want to understand.

�� Potter
drank the potion, though there was a long second when Severus thought Draco
might not be able to force the flared lip of the vial past the constrictions of
Potter�s beak. Then Potter swallowed it, craning his head back and forth,
tongue flipping and flapping at the air. Draco took a step away and put the
vial on the table behind him.

�� There was a
slight storm of smoke from the edges of Potter�s beak. Severus waited.

�� How did
you finally manage to create a potion that would take care of a spell you
couldn�t detect?� Draco asked quietly.

�� I looked
for disturbances in the natural magic around him,� Severus said, gratified that
at least one other person was interested in the process. �The spell, to protect
itself, generated a small field of nothingness. It welled around Potter and
created a minute disturbance in the wards and the other permanent spells we
have set about the house. I noticed it when I increased the wards in my lab��

�� There was a
single bright snapping sound, as though someone had broken a brass plate, and
then Potter screeched cheerfully. Severus watched closely, knowing that the
potion should have forced the spell to end, but not sure what would happen
next.

�� Potter�s
parrot body elongated, and then became flatter and more hunched. Severus found
himself having to look away during some of the moments when it stretched, but
he had the impression that Draco watched all the way through, though perhaps
with his breath coming out in small pants and gags.

�� When
Severus turned back, it was to see a naked Potter rising to his feet, shaking
the familiar, hated dark hair back from his face. He nodded to them and said,
�Thank you.�

�� Severus
blinked. He could not say that he would have recognized Potter without the
distinctive features of shaggy hair and green eyes. His scar had faded to almost
a line under his fringe, his body was considerably taller and more slender and
more scarred than when Severus had last seen him, and his skin had the dark
flush of someone who spent most of his time outside. He also looked
half-starved, though Severus knew that came from spending most of his time as a
parrot with people who had not cared well for him.

�� He found
his eyes wandering down and took them away with a frown. Draco, beside him,
continued to watch Potter avidly.

�� Potter
seemed to notice and smiled back at Draco before he held up his right hand and
closed his eyes. A frown of concentration worked its way over his face before
he announced, �Accio wand.�

�� Severus
felt a current of power ripple out from Potter, spring through their wards, and
earth itself somewhere a long way away. A moment later, something answered it
and came flying towards the house.

�� I couldn�t
take the wand with me when I became a parrot, just in case they suspected something
and made me change back,� Potter explained. He was stretching his arms over his
head and looking at his hands in wonder, as though it would take him some time
to get used to having them again, instead of wings. �We knew they were smart
enough to use the spells that would give them an idea of a wizard�s power level
if he and his wand were together. Separated, they would know I could perform
magic, but not how much.�

�� They would
know you,� Draco pointed out,
gesturing towards the scar on Potter�s forehead. He still hadn�t taken his eyes
from Potter�s naked body, Severus saw, and that brought another burst of
emotion on in his chest. �And they would know that you�re quite powerful.�

�� Potter
shook his head, a sly smile curling his lips. That was one way in which Severus
did not find him an improvement over the parrot: his ability to wear
expressions like that. Severus could have gone quite happily from one end of
his life to the others without ever seeing Potter smile that way. �There are
plenty of people who�ve thought since the war that I�m not that powerful, or I would have been able to defeat Voldemort with
something other than an Expelliarmus.
And I�ve encouraged those people to think that, and spread rumors and write
articles.�

�� Severus did
not have time to respond, because Potter�s wand came through the wards and
swirled down into the grasp of Potter�s hand.

�� All
right,� Potter said, and turned around to face Severus and Draco. �I assume
that you want me to make the Unbreakable Vow? And for Malfoy to be our Bonder?�
He dropped to one knee in the center of the lab, never taking his eyes from
Severus�s face, as if he assumed that Severus would tell him from his
expression how severe the Vow had to be.

�� Severus
nodded once and drew his own wand. He did not like many things: Potter�s face,
the way that Draco had never looked away from Potter yet, the way that Potter
seemed so comfortable naked�

�� Or the way
that he was in danger of reacting, with a lithe, beautiful young man in front
of him, the only person other than Draco whom he had seen naked for six years.

*

�� Harry
waited patiently, keeping inside the small, mean smile that wanted to appear.
He knew his nakedness disconcerted Snape, and so did Malfoy�s reaction. Harry
would go on milking them for all they were worth, at least until after the
Unbreakable Vow was over and he had no reason to do so anymore.

�� Snape
seemed to realize, finally, that the best way to get this over with was to get
the Vow over with. He knelt in front of Harry and held out his hand. Harry
clasped it willingly. He would have expected the hand to be slimy and the
fingers as scaly and greasy as Snape�s hair a few weeks ago, but he had had
time enough to observe the careful way Snape handled his potions.

�� The hand
just felt like a hand, if dryer than usual. Harry glanced up and nodded to
Malfoy. �You need your wand out,� he said.

�� Malfoy
flushed, blinked, mumbled, and pulled out the hawthorn wand. Harry watched it
through half-closed eyes and felt a pulse of familiar magic when it settled on
top of his and Snape�s joined hands. Well, he had used it several times. Perhaps this was the wand�s way of
greeting him.

�� Will you
promise never to tell anyone of the place Draco and I have made for ourselves
here, or the way to find it?� Snape asked harshly, his voice a dry gust on
Harry�s face. Maybe he was withered up on the inside as well as the outside,
Harry thought, meeting his eyes. Maybe there was nothing soft or warm about
him.

�� I will,�
Harry responded.

�� The first
tongue of fire appeared, encircling both their hands, and gave Harry all the
heat he could have wanted when it tickled, not quite burning, the small hairs
on the back of his hand. He held in the grunt that he wanted to give, never
looking away from Snape.

�� Will you
vow never to betray our existence to anyone, or our escaped state, or our
defenses, or our current freedom, except as we may direct and desire?� Snape
demanded.

�� I will,�
Harry said, and the second tongue of fire joined the first. The wand shook a
little, Harry noticed, and, when he glanced to the side, he saw that Malfoy had
the strangest expression on his face. He had no idea why, though, so he
shrugged and let it go.

�� Will you
promise not to bring harm to us by any direct or indirect route, at the
instigation of anyone other than ourselves?� Snape asked.

�� Harry bit
his tongue to hold back the laughter as he thought about the devious ways
Snape�s mind worked. He could understand why they might someday want Harry to
talk about them to the outside world, but not why they might someday want Harry
to do harm.

�� I will,�
he said, when he was sure he wouldn�t laugh, and the third tongue of fire
appeared to complete the knot. They held still for a moment more, until the
fire shimmered and vanished, and Harry released Snape�s hand and stood up,
gratefully flexing his fingers.

�� If you
could lend me a few clothes and lower the wards for me, I�ll be on my way,� he
said.

�� I�m coming
with you,� Malfoy said quietly.

�� Harry felt
a jerk of feeling in the center of his stomach, and couldn�t have named it. But
what he saw most clearly, at least in the moment before he turned around to
face Malfoy, was the flash of murderous rage that crossed Snape�s face.

*

�� Draco
licked his lips. He had to hold to his purpose in the face of Severus�s anger,
and that was always easier said than done. But he had not only his own
determination but the approval and welcome in Potter�s face to encourage him.

�� Are you
sure?� Potter asked, before Severus could say anything. �I know that you were
going to try to work on him. And he at least looked at those memories I gave
him the other day, though I don�t know what he made of them.�

�� You will
not speak of me as though I do not stand here,� Severus said, and his words cut
across the ones Draco had planned to say.

�� Potter
blinked at him. �Out of all the things happening here,� he said softly, �you�re
the most worried about that?�

�� Severus
went still. Draco knew that stillness hid vulnerability, as well as a
determination not to let anyone see the vulnerability which he would hide as
fiercely. He had been taken off-guard by Potter�s words, and this might be the
only moment Draco would have to make an impression of his own, past that
initial second of surprise when he had announced his desire.

�� You were
right about me,� Draco said.

�� Severus
turned towards him, and both of them ignored Potter�s inarticulate noise of
protest, though Draco, at least, was aware of it. He met Severus eye to eye and
stared back at him with a courage that he had long since thought he�d lost.

�� But then,
that was the problem. It had been easier to think of the qualities like courage
as lost rather than buried, because if he thought of them that way, then he would have been responsible for digging them up
again.

�� You were
right that I was more childish than you are,� Draco said steadily. �I gave up
my responsibilities too easily. I thought I knew what life would be like here,
but I really didn�t, and then I blamed you for the difference between my dreams
and the reality, instead of changing either the reality or my dreams. I mistook
a crush and physical affection for love.

�� I do think
that I�m in love with you now. I could never have put up with what I have for
as long as I have without that. But my dreams are more important to me, the
same way that brewing is more important to you than I am.�

�� Severus
made a single violent gesture, as though reaching out to reclaim something, but
when Draco paused and waited courteously, he said nothing. Draco nodded and
went on. He had suspected that Severus would hesitate.

�� So I�ve
taken charge of my life now, and I know that I can live with Potter for a time,
with his help, and hopefully reestablish myself in the wizarding world, again
with his help. It�ll take a long time, but now I�m more prepared for what my
life will be like, instead of dreaming up this childish vision that I cling to
long after I realize that it won�t and can�t be fulfilled.

�� I�ll swear
an Unbreakable Vow if you like, also promising not to betray you. Potter can be
our Bonder.�

�� He stopped
speaking. Severus stood there in heated silence for long moments, all eyes for
him, and none for Potter. Draco had to admit that he found that gratifying. As
he had admitted to Potter, having Severus�s complete attention was heady.

�� Then
Severus cleared his throat and said, �I do not wish you to leave.�

�� But why?�
Draco demanded. �I told you that you were right. I�m too childish to live with
you. I�m trying to change that, but not for
you. For myself. It would be a long time, if ever, before I would make you
a good companion. And I want out of this house, I want more company, I want to live. Do you want that?�

�� Severus�s
left hand closed into a fist, though the right remained still. Draco wondered
if Potter had noticed. Perhaps not, with the way he seemed to attend to both of
their faces at once and the angle he was standing at.

�� I wish to
continue to exist,� Severus said. �Yes. Of course.�

�� Draco shook
his head, irritated. He hated it when Severus pretended to be stupid, to miss
the nuances in words that he probably saw more of than anyone else. �I don�t mean that. I mean, do you want to live
in the wider world, with more people around you, and grow instead of stagnate?
You�re happy brewing your potions. You�re happy with the way that things are.
Isn�t that true?�

�� Severus
inclined his head. �But I would�� he said, and then halted so abruptly that
Draco knew he had cut the words off because they would reveal too much of
himself.

�� Draco
tilted his head. It occurred to him for the first time that, although Severus
might know exactly what he wanted as far as his skills and activities were
concerned, he might not understand himself as well. Maybe the man Draco loved,
had seen glimpses of, and had constructed an imaginary picture of was still
there, beneath the surface of the sure, calm, centered Potions master.

�� Yes?� he
asked. He made his voice encouraging. Severus still deserved a chance.

*

�� Draco expects me to speak such words in
front of Potter.

�� Severus could
not forget the audience. He could not forget that Draco had pushed him to this,
and that he was being forced to discover new things about himself, new
emotions, new gestures, not in decent privacy and over a decent length of time,
but in a crowded room and all at once.

�� He had not
understood himself when he prevented Draco from leaving, but he had thought
that he would have months or years to come to terms with that action, and so he
had not greatly feared. Now he had to fear what would happen if he said the
wrong thing. He had to fear Potter�s loud laughter and Draco�s contempt.

�� He had to
fear Draco�s leaving.

�� Severus
brought his face up and shook his head. He locked his emotions far beneath the
surface. If Draco wanted to revel in his humiliation, Severus would deny him at
least that much. �I would have you leave, of course,� he said, voice deep and
cold and polished as frosted iron, �if you feel that you cannot live here.�

�� Draco
didn�t try to hide the pain in his eyes, and Severus sneered at him. Yes, he had forgotten their audience. There was
no other excuse for his behavior.

�� Potter
reached out a hand, and it came to a rest on Draco�s shoulder. Severus turned
on him. Their lives would not have changed if Potter had not stumbled through
the wards, and he could only think that was a good thing.

�� I want you
gone within the hour,� he said.

�� That�s not
a problem,� Potter said, still calm and unworried by his own nakedness. Severus
did not understand that. He would not have been able to rest until he was
covered. Why should Potter be stronger than him in any way, including this one?
�I can just borrow some clothes from Malfoy�he�s closer to my size than you
are, anyway�and help him pack his things. We�ll be gone in your hour.�

�� When
Severus turned back to Draco, he had repaired his fa�ade. He had a look of
chill pride in his eyes, in fact, that Severus had not seen in years.

�� Good-bye,
Severus,� he said, and followed Potter out of the lab.

�� Severus
stood in the center of the lab, thinking, and foresaw how it would be. Potter
would seduce Draco. They would live together, and Potter would make Draco into
his toy that he could take out when he wanted and leave behind when he wanted.
Draco would lose his useful skills�study, research, brewing�and become the
shallow socialite he had once vowed to Severus he would rather leave with him
than chance becoming.

They would be lovers.

�� The wards
on the lab meant that neither of the traitors would be able to hear the vials that
shattered against the walls a moment later.

*

�� pittwitch:
Thank you!

�� Mia: I�m
glad you liked that line. It�s one of my favorites.

�� mrequecky:
I think he would think so, too.

�� lryn:
Severus is constitutionally determined not to learn.

�� And I think
your question is answered. ;)
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Love, Free as Air