Love For Blood

Chapter Twenty-Nine

With that, breeding season passed. It left behind two exhausted and fucked out teenagers, covered in sweat and scars. Some scars would never fade, serving as a permanent reminder of their bond.

Not many asked questions. Draco simply stated he had a family emergency. Harry was...well, Harry. No one truly expected an answer, most simply settling on not knowing while others would make up their own theories.

The spring brought warmer days as they settled into later months. Harry continued the secret meetings with Dumbledore he had been having the whole year. Compared to the other events in his life, the meetings seemed to only add to the chaos. However, lately, they had been getting more taxing.

Dumbledore even requested Harry to corner a teacher and bribe them for memories.

Of course, being Harry Potter and having a little bit of artificial luck, he retrieved said memories.

Harry felt guilty though. Not only was he hiding the contents of these meetings from his beloved friends, who he trusted with his life, but Draco too.

He didn't really have a choice. It was classified. That didn't really make him feel better though. Draco was his mate and the guy he loves. He knew Draco probably had his secrets too. He shouldn't feel guilty.

Plus, this kept him safe.

So, the days passed and Harry was now waiting for that day. The day that Dumbledore tracked down another one of Voldemort's Horcrux.

It scared him. However, any remotely peaceful progress that helped takedown Voldemort was worth the risk. Any way he could possibly lessen the effects of the war was worth it.

However, Harry had a horrible feeling. As if something simply wasn't right. The air in the castle seemed thicker and tension was dense enough to taste.

It was as if a metaphorical weight had become physical.

Maybe the reports of more attacks had been the cause. At least, that's what Harry hoped.

The one place the weight would lessen, however, was when he was with Draco like he was now. They spent time together in the RoR like they usually did. Draco sat with Harry cuddled into his bare chest. Harry felt safe, Draco's fresh scent keeping him calm.

Draco dragged his hand lazily up and down Harry's arm. Heavy enough to remind Harry of his presence but light enough that his fingertips barely grazed the sun-kissed skin.

"What's on your mind?" Draco's voice cut through the peaceful silence. Harry gazed up to meet the stormy eyes that he fell in love with.

And then he lied to them.

"Nothing."

Draco chewed on his lower lip and narrowed his eyes in thought. He had become so much more expressive over the months they'd spent together. That or maybe Harry just became better at reading him.

"Are you sure? You know you can tell me anything," Draco pushed, uncertainty lining his face. Harry, however, didn't waver.

"It's nothing, Draco. Don't worry about it," Harry sighed, looking away from Draco. However, not before he saw the downcast look that crossed Draco's face at the harsh rejection.

"Okay."

Draco looked away and his hand dropped from Harry's arm. Harry nibbled on his lip, guilt pooling in his stomach.

Harry quickly looked up at Draco's head with regret.

"Draco, I'm-"

"I should go," Draco cut Harry's apology off quickly and effortlessly. Draco still didn't look at Harry as he pulled on his clothes and gathered his things.

"Draco, wait-"

"I need to study...alone. With exams coming up and all. Plus, you seem preoccupied," Draco picked up one last piece of stray parchment before heading towards the door.

Harry quickly jumped up from where he was sitting, dressed in only his boxers and a Weasley sweater. He ran forward toward Draco's retreating back.

"Please, Draco-"

He was cut off yet again, this time by the heavy wooden door slamming in his face. Harry's hand was still partially extended towards where Draco had been just moments before.

Harry dropped to his knees, his breath trembling.

Hurt mate. Broke trust. Bad mate.

Harry gripped his hair as his wolf instincts flooded his head with negative, detached thoughts.

A sob ripped from his throat at the sudden wave of despair that filled him from the rejection of his mate.

Damn, he hated this. He hated that his life would never be calm enough for him to ever live it the way he wants. He hated that it was too dangerous for him and Draco to love each other without worry.

Guilt panged through his chest as he remembered all of the trust Draco placed in him.

"I'm not afraid of you."

"I'm not afraid of your past. I'm not afraid of your future. I'm not afraid of your wolf. I'm not afraid of what could happen to me. I'm not afraid of you, Harry."

"So what if you are cursed? By that definition, I am cursed too. But I'd rather live cursed and rejected with you than lead a normal, uneventful life in which we never find each other."

"Destroy my life and devour my soul. But I will still love you all the same."

Harry's eyes snapped open in realization. He should have never hidden this from Draco. By trying to "keep him safe" all he had done was drive him away. Not to mention that it blatantly trampled over the trust and love Draco had placed in him.

"Draco...DRACO!" Harry quickly sprang to his feet, bounding over to his jeans that lay on the floor not far from the bed.

He pulled them on in a rush before bolting towards the door. He had to get to Draco. He had to make it to Draco. He had to apologize and tell him the truth. He had to make this right!

Just as his tanned hand grasped the door knob, a familiar knocking noise on the window flooded the room.  Harry felt his heart sink as he turned around, hand still holding onto the knob in hope.

There stood one of the school owls, a dainty note attached to its leg. Harry clenched his eyes shut, knowing all too well what it was.

His hand fell from the door as he slowly walked towards the window. With a shaky sigh, he unlatched the window and swung open the glass.

The bird hopped in and allowed Harry to retrieve the note before immediately flying back for the owlry, not waiting for a response.

As Harry unraveled it, he immediately recognized the swooping handwriting. Just as every letter before it, it requested Harry's immediate presence without revealing much of anything about why and a reference to a repulsive piece of candy somewhere on the back.

Harry looked between the cream-colored parchment and the heavy wooden door Draco had slammed shut only minutes ago.

He screwed his eyes shut, willing himself to not let out more pathetic tears.

I am sorry, Draco.

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A/N
Who's bad at updating books and gets very off track and distracted? You guessed it, me!
Sorry, for the millionth time, for the late update and thank you for the continued support.
Mwah ( ˘ ³˘)♥
Love Y'all,
~Cam

(p.s. not proofread because I am a thug.... and lazy)