tick-tock | a drarry tale

XXIV.

February

"Harry!" Draco laughed, letting him pull him close.

"Shh," Harry hushed, though too giggling. He wrapped his arms around Draco's neck, and Draco wrapped his around Harry's waist.

"Seriously." Draco tried to keep his voice composed. "We're doing great; maybe you should tell your friends about us..."

Harry sighed and looked down at their feet.

"I don't know, Draco. I don't think they'll see me in the same light-"

"Harry," Draco interrupted, shaking his head. "You and your friends have been through so much together!" He started to laugh in disbelief at how Harry was talking. "Do you think they'd hate you if you were dating a guy?"

Harry's heart fluttered, still not used to the words 'dating a guy'.

"It's not that," Harry sighed, looking up at Draco's face. "I think they'd hate me if they found out I was dating you. Draco Malfoy: the Evil Slytherin."

Draco chuckled.

"Is that what they think?"

"It's what we think."

"'We'?" Draco asked in disbelief, and it was Harry's turn to chuckle.

Draco only shook his head, grinning like an idiot. He pulled back and lifted the Gryffindor bridal style.

"Ah!" Harry squealed. "Put me down, Evil Slytherin!"

Draco laughed while leading him over to his bed. In one swift movement, he plopped Harry down on top of the duvet and crawled in around him. They made themselves comfortable: throwing the blanket over them and turning towards each other.

"I'd do anything for you," Harry mumbled absentmindedly, reaching over and stroking Draco's cheek.

Draco smiled.

"Likewise, Potter."

_________

Present

"This way, Potter," Malfoy said, leading the three of them down the nth row of glass orbs Harry has been through. It felt like they have been walking for miles. The woman behind him, Bellatrix, was completely silent. It was almost like she was nervous.

For what, though? Harry thought. She had the upper hand here.

As they continued down the row, Harry noticed the shelves cut off and that they led them into a circular room with a very high ceiling. As they got closer, he saw that dim torches dotted the walls, and the silhouettes of more Death Eaters.

His heart was racing as they neared. The circular room was silent, all of the hooded figures were stock-still.

"Well?" Harry spoke up. Lucius turned to look at him. "Where is he?"

Lucius only sunk back into the crowd of Death Eaters, Bellatrix not too far behind. Harry gripped his wand tighter, waiting for someone to move.

There was a sniffle deep within the cloaked figures. Harry turned towards the sound, and noticed Narcissa's light hair that was sticking out. She was standing beside her husband.

"Narcissa?" Harry asked. The figure he had his eyes on stepped forward, slithering in between bodies. She stopped moving when she was a few feet away from him. "Where is Draco?"

There was a quiet snicker. Harry noticed Draco's mother tense, and watched as she hurried back into the multitude of cloaks.

"Harry Potter," said a high, cold voice. Harry turned towards his right and saw a tall, thin, and black-hooded figure, his terrible snakelike face white and gaunt, his scarlet, slit-pupiled eyes staring... Lord Voldemort had appeared in the middle of the room, his wand pointing at Harry who stood frozen, unable to move.

Sharp, quiet murmurs of "My Lord" reverberated around the room, but Voldemort hardly noticed. His eyes were trained on Harry, who turned in order to face him.

"Voldemort," he breathed, not really sure what he was seeing was true. Gasps, hisses, and threats exploded around him.

"How dare you call him that!-"

"My Lord, how dare he-"

"Kill him-"

"Get rid of both of them!-"

That last shout made Harry's stomach churn, and the pictures of Draco, gagged, bloody, wanting to die, invaded his mind. Voldemort looked to where Draco's parents were standing.

"Thank you, Lucius, for bringing him here to me." He looked back at Harry, whose hand that was holding his wand started to tremble. "Potter, are you aware that you should have died a year ago?"

Harry straightened.

"I- I don't think I should have died. Not at the hands of you," he said, cursing himself for stuttering, for dark chuckles erupted around the room.

"Hm, interesting," Voldemort mumbled, seemingly bored. "What makes you think that?"

Harry was growing aggravated.

"Where's Draco?" he asked, his voice echoing throughout the room. Voldemort's face turned into a sneer.

"I have nothing more to say to you, Potter," he said quietly. "You have irked me too often, for too long."

No...

"But," the Dark Lord added, "I have one more thing for you to do."

"I won't do anything for you!" Harry snapped, raising his wand. Without hesitation, all of the Death Eaters in the room too threw out their wands, the lit tips pointing directly at Harry.

"You cannot kill me, Potter," said Voldemort, amused. "Besides, don't you want to see Mr. Malfoy one last time?"

Harry's wand went limp in his outstretched hand. He lowered it and bit his lip. Knowingly, Voldemort then turned and stuck out his arm, sweeping it in Harry's direction.

The sound of chains clanking against each other rattled throughout the dimly lit room, and Harry spotted two figures pulling another in between them. The figure in the middle had his head down, and when close enough, was dropped at the Dark Lord's feet. Harry could tell that light hair from anywhere.

"No..." he whispered, eyes wide. He heard Narcissa gasp from the crowd.

One of the Death Eaters who brought Draco in bent down and unshackled his wrists. Draco gave a sigh of relief and brought his hands close to his chest. Slowly, he opened his eyes and noticed Harry standing before him.

"... What?" he asked quietly.

"Draco!" Harry yelled, and he began moving forward.

"Ah, ah, ah," Voldemort tsked, stepping in his way.

"If you hurt him..." Draco groaned from behind, "I will kill you!"

Voldemort, along with the Death Eaters, laughed.

"I always knew you were not loyal to me," the Dark Lord said coolly, turning so now he was facing the Slytherin. "I knew the Unbreakable Vow would keep you obedient." He looked back at Harry. "And it worked! Because you brought Potter to me. This is what I wanted all along."