Bonds of Pain

By the way, ~...~ is the character talking to themselves, and { ... } is one of the boys talking to the other in their heads.

Bonds of Pain

Chapter Three

In which rescues continue

~How in the nine hells does Draco know Mr. Potter's in pain? He's so sure of it I daren't dismiss it out of hand, but... how would he know? Why would he care? And why is he calling the boy by his first name?~

Severus Snape's mind was spinning as he apparated from Malfoy Manor to the end of Privet Drive, where the wards allowed apparation. ~Wait. Which house is the dratted boy in?~

Surprisingly, Draco took off at a dead run as soon as he had gathered his senses. His godfather followed, questions multiplying by the minute. He nearly ran into the boy as Draco stopped in front of a particularly ordinary-looking house.

"If you please, Uncle Sev?" The blond boy waved at the door. It took a moment for the request to register.

"You're sure...?" Severus asked. Draco nodded curtly.

"I can feel his pain... Harry's here." His lips pursed, Snape pointed his wand at the door.

"ALOHAMORA!" A loud bang accompanied the door being blown to splinters, and Draco rushed inside before his godfather could caution him. Severus stepped through the wreckage to find the blond pulling at a cupboard door under the stairs. No less than five sturdy locks held the door shut.

Wincing, Severus used the same charm as before, merely whispering the strange word. The locks fell to the floor, and Draco nearly tore the door off its hinges before reaching inside. What he gently pulled out and handled like delicate china made the hardened professor go completely white.

Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, was covered in bruises, with who knew how many broken bones, and blood oozing from a few cuts as dried blood flaked off in other places.

"Ssh, Harry, we're here now, they can't hurt you anymore." The gentle words pierced the black fog, pulling Harry away from oblivion. He opened his eyes to see a blurry shock of near-white hair bent over him.

"Who...?" The single word was barely more than a sigh. The figure gently brushed a lock of his own unruly black mane away from Harry's eyes.

"You'll be all right now, Harry. It's Draco. I'm here to get you out of this hellhole." The figure--could it be the Slytherin he'd been seeing in visions?--turned to another, much darker figure next to him. "Uncle Sev, he can't see very well. He needs his glasses. Could you look for them in there?" Now that Harry thought about the other boy, he knew the blond was in bad shape but more worried about Harry than himself.

"Dr-Draco?" he gasped, the words sending daggers into his throat. "Not... not a... dr-dream?" The figure shook its head, making the hair swing a little.

"Not a dream, Harry. I refused the Dark Mark." Something warm and wet hit his face, then the darker figure reappeared.

"Here are his glasses. Wait--Draco! You're crying!" That sounded a lot like his Potions professor, but why would he be coming to get Harry Potter?

"If only you knew what he's been through, Uncle Sev. You have no idea." The lighter figure took something--his glasses--and settled them on his face. Everything jumped into focus. It was Draco Malfoy and Professor Snape. ~Next to Tom Riddle, the two people I though hated me the most.~

{Next to Tom Riddle, the two people I thought hated me the most.} Draco blinked as the thought popped into his head from what he already considered the bit of Harry in his mind. He smiled gently, stroking Harry's coal-black locks.

"Not anymore, Harry. Not me, at least." ~In fact, I think I'm going positively Gryffindor.~ Draco grinned at the perplexed look that crossed Harry's face.

{What the hell? I could have sworn I just heard Draco in my head...} The thought, obviously not his own, confirmed Draco's suspicions. Seeing the confusion rampaging through his godfather's mind, he explained.

"I think we've mind-bonded, Uncle Sev. Maybe our recent experiences woke some talents neither of us knew about." Then Draco looked back at Harry. "He needs Madam Pomfrey as soon as we can get him to her." For once, Uncle Sev didn't argue. Instead, he looked at the skinny boy on his godson's lap.

"Where are your school things? I'd rather not inflict these people on anyone else." Harry sighed, and Draco cradled him a little closer.

{I don't know. They burned almost everything. My wand, broom, and cloak wouldn't burn. They may have put them in the linen closet upstairs.} Harry was obviously too tired and worn out to talk, so Draco repeated everything. His godfather took the stairs two at a time, disappearing silently at the top. After a minute, he came back down carrying the broom, wand, and a silvery cloak. Draco silently lifted Harry gently in his arms, and the dark head settled in the hollow of his shoulder. Draco tried to be careful about the broken bones as he took his new friend from the Dursley residence.

~You'll never have to go there again, if I have anything to do with it.~

{Thank you... my friend.}

There we go... I finally got poor Harry away from the Dursleys. But how are they going to get to Hogwarts? And how will Dumbledore take this development? What the heck is a mind-bond? Find out on Saturday when I post the next chapter!

Review and tell me what you think!

Beth Weasley