Goodnight Sweet Girl

Eighteen: Sleep Perchance to Dream

The air was chilled around the young pair who were lying on the ground. Their muscles groaned in protest as they began to move, slowly the girl, a fair skinned silvery blonde wonder, leaned up and took in her surroundings. There was a boy next to her, with honey colored skin, a mess of black hair, and bright green eyes behind thick framed glasses, and beyond the boy was a lake, and to her right was the beginnings of the Forbidden Forest. She moaned and rolled her shoulders a bit to ease the tension in her muscles, and then she felt another presence. She quickly sat up and took the dark haired boy in her arms.

He was slowly waking up, but he was disoriented. He looked up at the fairskinned girl and lifted his hand to gently stroke her cheek and then his eyes widened and he drew in a sharp breath. He quickly sat up and looked into the girl's eyes.

"Draco!" he said, "Your eyes... Are you even Draco? You can't be? I've heard stories of people with eyes like yours. You're a changling."

The girl looked at the boy in her arms as though he were mad, and than shook her head. "Potter, too many encounters with the Dark Lord have finally made you daft. Of course it's me. I'm Draco and what are you talking about? What is wrong with my eyes?"

That was when a voice laced with light and power filled the air, and the yougn couple looked up with a start. The woman was pale, and ethreal, and appeared to be made from light, except for her wavy wild hair, which was so black that it seemed to blend in with the night. She smiled at them and then Harry noticed her eyes, they were mismatched like Draco's, the right eye lavender and the left one a bright green.

Draco's eyes widened as he looked at the woman, and suddenly he knew who she was. "Morgana La Faye?" he whispered it like a question.

She smiled down at him. "My dragon, you have found the other half of your soul and yet you would refuse him until his life mattered. You would let him go free despite what it would do to you. Your selflessness has set me free, my child. It is honor you do me and your blood. Let no one tell you other wise."

"What are you saying?" Harry asked, and Draco clamped a hand over his mouth, fearing that his ancestress might be insulted, but her light airy laughter tinkled like bells all around them.

"Let him speak if he wishes. I am certain that nothing he could say would offend me. For he has done great service too, because he is so pure. How strange that light would be disguised in one so dark, hair of night, skin of honey, when you my dragon look as though you were woven of light, but within you lies the shadows. Together you are one, and you proved this my dear dragon by letting him go, and he proved it by wanting to stay. I wished my Thomas could have been as willing to stay as your Harry, or that I could sacrifice such an important piece of myself like you did."

"You mean the story of how you trapped Thomas and how he later... It's true?" Draco asked, hesitant on saying anything that was related to death.

She looked down, and then back up again with a raised eyebrow, her expression so similar to the one Draco usually wore. "Yes, when Thomas finally told me to kill him or set him free, I did and at the gates of my home where I'd kept him for so long, he was slain. It was shortly afterward that I found I was with child, a son, your first Malfoy. I sent him to France to one my mother's relatives. His fate was better than that of my son Mordred. Still evil has tainted the blood of my family for so long. And your father almost ruined the prophecy, with his silly spell to have a male heir. What a fool. You are now as you were meant to be. Beautiful child, to have known you would have been a privilage, as it is, I do have a gift for you."

Draco's ears perked up at this, "For me?"

She nodded, "For the both of you. And it is a precious gift, but it is not from me, not truly. I only bear news of this gift."

Harry looked up at the strange woman and sat up from Draco's lap. "What is it?"

She smiled at the pair. "Upon your waking, your Madam Pomfrey will have the most surprising news for you. I would recommend a June handfasting. Now back to the world where you belong, and sleep perchance to dream and here you may meet me once again, as I am meant to be seen. Only you have seen me in true form. Oh and Harry, when you awake and see Draco's eyes, know that he is not a changling, only that his fate has been altered, and my dear child, I know you do your new name justice."

With that the strange woman, who was Morgana Le Faye turned and began to walk away. The two looked after her and Draco called out to her, "Where is this world where we belong?"

She turned for a moment, "You will know when you open your eyes, for things have changed in that world's fate as well. Now return, and open your eyes..."

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"Open your eyes."

And Harry Potter did as he was directed and screamed in horror at the face that was looming merely inches away from his. Staring down at him was none other than Severus Snape, only, he looked different, younger, and his hair actually look well cared for. Harry's eyes widened.

"Good, you're finally awake," Snape said.

Harry slowly sat up and looked around the room. He was in the hospital wing and screens were pulled up around him, and among his visitors were Snape, Ron, Blaise Zabini, and Hermione. He sighed and then fell back in the bed, and that was when it hit him. The one person he wanted to see most was not among the people around his bed.

He sat up with a start and looked around wildly. "Where is Draco?" he said in a raspy voice, and realized he must have been out for a long time.

Surprisingly it was Blaise who poured him a cup of water and helped him to drink it, and it was Blaise that answered his question, "Draco is asleep, much the way you were. Something happened after your vision, I only know what I heard and what I saw when Draco touched you."

Harry groaned, "I remember Draco and Morgana, and being down by the lake, but before that Draco was missing."

Snape raised an eyebrow as he looked at Harry and then Hermione spoke up, "Harry you've been unconscious for a week. And so has Draco. In fact Draco nearly died to save your life."

"And he saved Ginny and my mum and dad," Ron added sheepishly and then looked at Harry.

Harry's eyes widened. "Ginny and your mum and dad? What's been happening? Where is Madam Pomfrey, I... There's something I need to ask her."

Snape called for Madam Pomfrey, who nearly fainted upon seeing Harry awake, she then shooed out the visitors and did a quick, but thorough, examination of her patient. Once she was satisfied that he was out of harms way and safely on the mend Harry asked her about Draco, and the woman stiffened.

"Madam Pomfrey, I need to know about Draco's condition. It's very important, please," Harry said.

Tears sprung to the mediwitch's eyes. "Oh you poor boy, after that spell he did to revive you, something took possession of his body. I can only assume it was Morgana Le Faye, that is what Albus said at any rate. As for the effects it had on Draco's body, well a significant amount of energy was used to revive you and the strain on his body was too much, expecially with his current conditon. The poor dear, he... or rather she as it is at the moment will have a rough way of it when she wakes up."

"A rough way of what?" Harry asked.

Madam Pomfrey looked at the boy incredulously. "Potter! You just asked about Draco's condition... Do you mean to tell me that you don't know?"

"Don't know what?"

The mediwitch looked ashen, "Honestly, boy... You don't know when you're about to be a father?"

What little color that was on his cheeks faded quickly and he swayed. When he regained composure he tried to stand, but his legs gave way beneath him. Madam Pomfrey scolded him and helped him back on the bed, but Harry struggled against her.

"Mr. Potter! I do know the leg-locker curse, do not make me use it," she finally huffed.

Harry sighed and let her put him back on the bed, but then he said, "Please, Madam Pomfrey, I have to see Draco, please. The only reason he's hurt is because of me, please."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh very well, I will move your bed next to Draco's, will that satisfy you? But do not do as Severus did. Do not try to wake him...her, yet. Remember her condition is delicate and she's had to regain a lot of energy."

Harry nodded and soon his bed was hovering and he could see the bed occupied by a pale form with long silvery blonde hair. His heart skipped a beat as his bed was set down next to it, the other beds in the way moving aside automatically. With another quick spell, the two mattresses were joined together.

Harry smiled and then noticed the disapproving look on Madam Pomfrey's face. "Normally I would not allow such things in my hospital wing, but under the cirmcumstances I will allow it. Draco will need the support once she awakes and your two are properly engaged and since she is in the family way already..."

Harry's face flushed, but that didn't stop him from curling around the slight frame of the girl. Madam Pomfrey sighed and shook her head until she finally pulled up screens around the couple and went to check on other patients. Harry took the opportunity of being alone with Draco to look at the frail girl. He scooted back and looked at the girl that was Draco Malfoy. He swallowed thickly noticing how much paler than usual the girl was, and he winced at how thin she was. If Draco really was with child then he would need to eat as soon as possible in Harry's oppinion.

Then it hit Harry. In the dream Morgana had mentioned being a messenger, and Madame Pomfrey had said that he would be a father. He smiled and then wrapped his arms around the slight frame of the girl, his hands cupping the girl's flat stomach protectively. He wondered when her stomach would begin to swell with the life they'd created together and he marvelled at the miracle that his life had become, but still he worried, because Draco had yet to wake up...

---------

Draco closed his eyes and when he opened them he saw Harry walking away into a strange white light. Draco had wanted to follow, but something was holding him back. Once Harry was out of sight, the light faded and Draco was able to move again. Draco pounded his fist on the ground and looked around, he was still in the damned spot by the lake and the Forbidden Forest. Why had it always come back to this place?

He hit the ground again, and then felt something shift. His back stiffened as he looked around and then gasped as a boat glowing gold pulled up to the shore of the lake and there was but a single person in the boat, a beautiful woman with crystal clear blue eyes and golden hair. She was dressed in a medieval gown of soft sea greens and blues, embroidered with golden thread. She glowed gold like the boat and Draco felt drawn to the boat. She held out her hand to him and he took it.

Once he took her hand he found himself in the boat, and then the boat began to propel itself and the lake was no longer a lake, but a stream. The woman smiled at him and then lifted her hand to stroke his cheek.

"So you are the child of Morgana's blood. Born a boy to a fool, and given your true form once again. And oh, how you glow..." the woman said in a whispy voice and then her hand lowered to Draco's stomach, and stopped to rest against Draco's abdomen. Draco looked from the woman's hand to the woman's pale eyes, with his silvery blond eyebrow raised questioningly.

The woman laughed, "You look so like Morgana when you do that. Yet you've the coloring of that boy she fancied. He was a nice boy, tis a shame I saw him down this same path, but he wasn't like you, he was meant to stay, you are only visiting."

"Visiting where, and why was your hand over my stomach?"

The woman smiled secretly. "Silly things you mortals be. Still that makes you all the more endearing. Do you not realize you glow with the energy of the child within your womb? And you are now brought to Avalon. And I, I am the Lady of Shalot, I saw to Thomas the Fair's journey, his return to Avalon, and I saw to King Arthur's journey as well. Now do you know of me?"

Draco's eyes widened, as he reeled from the shock. Now Morgana's message of a gift made sense. He was going to have a baby. And this woman was taking him to...Avalon?

"Why are we going to Avalon?" Draco asked.

The woman smiled again in her secretive manner. "You will see young one. There are gifts to bestow upon you and yours. And there is something to celebrate."

"What is there to celebrate? Mortals are only taken to Avalon to stay, forever... How will I ever get back to Harry?"

"You go only to receive your gifts, and then you will be free, the faery folk have given their word, and they thank you, for now they have their mistress among them once again," she said.

"Morgana is their mistress?" Draco asked incredulously.

The Lady of Shalot gave a little laugh. "Yes, and she has been lost to us for many years. We, all of the people of Avalon owe you many thanks."

Draco swallowed thickly, but before he could ask anymore questions the boat had stopped and the lady was beckoning him to get out fo the boat. He looked down and noticed that the stream now flowed with blood. He hesitated, but then turned to see the Lady of Shalot watching him closely. He then took a deep breath and crossed the stream of blood and his barefoot touched the cool grass of the shore. It was then that he noticed a rise in the mound of grass before him and an opening.

From the opening came Morgana Le Faye. That was when Draco noticed that the Lady of Shalot was still present. Morgana looked down at him, a smile alighting her delicate and beautiful features.

"Oh, dear child, I would that you could join my court in celebration, but alas, they are not ready for you, still I have gifts to bear for you and your betrothed. These gifts once taken, may never be returned, for they will be yours always," Morgana said.

Draco looked at the woman that stood before him and wondered what she was up to. She smiled at him and then pressed two rings into his hand, one for a man and the other for a woman, the one for a woman could easily fit his ring finger. The rings were of a silvery metal that seemed to ebb and flow in the design, and the design was intricately detailed, roses woven about the circlet. Draco's breath stilled as he looked at the rings, tempted to put on the one that was meant for him, but Morgana stopped him.

"These are posey rings. They hold powerful magic, and bond you to your soulmate, and you have found yours, and so I give this gift, but these are special, the metal used in the forging of these rings contains fae blood and unicorn blood, once you put these rings on you will be immortal, as will your soulmate, and the rings are enchanted, so once they are put on and the vow spoken they may never be removed, by any means. From that moment onward age will never touch you, nor will illness, although you may suffer great injury, yet in time you will heal. You will become what I am, you and he. As it is the two of already possess the power of my ring, so even without my milpreve you will be as powerful as you have become, and he shares your power because of your sacrifice. This is a great gift. Treasure it, and you will be able to watch your children bear children and return to the earth and their children shall have children, and you will watch through the ages, how your blood lives on."

"But then I would watch my children die," Draco said.

Morgana nodded, "Yes, but you will grow accustomed to it, and know it as the natural order of things. Also you will be given more control of your ability to bare children. You see, the fae have the ability to choose when they bare children. Fae bodies are different from mortal bodies, although faes produce mortal children, unless the heavens predict otherwise. You see all peoples are sometimes governed by the heavens, for the stars have many secrets to tell."

Draco nodded and then looked at the two posey rings in his hand. That was when he noticed the inscription. To Thee I am bound, And my Soul I have found. He was not certain how the words fit on the small bands, but they were there none the less, and he did not question it. Morgana closed his long feminine fingers around the rings and lightly kissed his cheeks.

"Now go child, return to your world, and your soul," Morgana whispered and then Draco once again entered the golden boat of the Lady of Shalot and the stream was once again filled with pure crystaline water and then the boat stopped at the shore of the lake at Hogwarts and he stepped from the boat in the same place where Harry proposed. Draco looked around and as he turned the golden boat and its mistress were gone, then he turned to face the castle and saw the light where Harry had disappeared. He walked toward the light and felt something pulling him...

Then whispered words fell across his ears...

"Open your eyes."