Memory Loss (Harry Potter Drarry slash)

11: [As Dark as It Gets 5] Family

Harry's hands were shaking so bad he almost dropped the paper on the floor. With his head spinning and his heart pounding so hard it hurt, almost as if it was pounding directly and mercilessly against his ribcage, he lifted his gaze to look at the boy.

"How could this happen? How could ... Percy? He's always been this ... this model student and, later on, even a model employee at the Ministry of Magic-I mean, he always spoke so proudly and superciliously of his duties, and of his employer. He was a real pain in the arse about it, but he was never evil."

The blonde boy studied him with an enigmatic look in his bright, green eyes, and in them Harry perceived a maturity and an awareness of the cruelties of the world that seemed too acute for someone so young. That degree of awareness should be beyond him, and the fact that Harry recognised himself in this boy made his heart swell with sorrow.

"I am uncertain of just how much I ought to tell you about this," the boy said hesitantly. "I am merely figuring as a messenger, and the person who sent me only told me to give you the newspaper."

"But who are you? And who sent you?" Harry asked, confused by this new twist of events.

The boy hesitated anew. "I am not supposed to tell you that."

Harry decided to be bold and acted on a whim that might throw him into even darker waters and further fuel his confusion. But he had to trust his instincts, because if he was confined to just his five senses, he did not know how long he would survive locked in that house. Taking a step towards the blond boy, he said, "But you are Tom's brother, aren't you? That's how you knew where to find him. That's how you were able to prevent him from killing me. You're my ... son."

Instead of answering, the boy closed his eyes and lowered his shut gaze. "She is calling me back. I have to leave now. Forgive me."

Just like Tom had done earlier that evening, the boy uttered a strange spell and a disc appeared behind him. Only this time it was not entirely transparent; Harry could see parts of the world that the boy was about to step into, including the hint of a young woman with long, silky black hair. A second later, it was all gone.

Harry sank down to the floor.

He was alone again, and even though he had been alone for the better part of ten years of his life, he had never quite felt alone-at least not this strongly.

"I miss you, Draco. You'd better come back to me alive, because I can't go through all that pain and frustration following your amnesia again. I can't go through that again. Come back to me, Draco. Please."

_______________________________________

It was already getting dark, but it seemed way too early for late July. The sky was turning an ominous purple with heavy storm clouds forming above the trees. Shadows were chasing around their legs as Tom shifted his illuminating wand from one hand to the other.

They were walking through a thick forest, and for some reason, Draco could feel snow under his feet; he could feel the cold air of winter brush against his cheek and pour into his lungs. For a moment, he could even see a puff of hot breath form a tiny cloud in front of him as it left his mouth. Why did he have the feeling that he had been there before?

"Where are you taking me?" he inquired as Tom led him deeper into the forest. He knew that Tom would never kill him since he was actually carrying him inside his belly at that very moment-he would automatically be killing himself. Still, Draco felt as if he was being led to his own execution.