Rondo

Spring was cruelest, trees bursting mercilessly into emerald blooms, flowers daring to show their flaming colors after months underground. He had always preferred winter, the sharp gray skies reflecting the color of his eyes, the pale earth a relentless reminder of his heritage. As nature unfolded new life Malfoy Manor grew darker, ivy unkempt twisting over the walls, rains dampening the air in the stone fortress. Ten years had passed since that final day of their seventh year at Hogwarts, and all it took was one movement in the shadows or a flicker of a candle to bring him back to that dungeon, to the rage and loss. Harry Potter, dead, checkmated in the dangerous multigenerational game of human chess. Lucius Malfoy, the grand master, hiding his war tactics until the lethal end.

"Earth to Harry!"

"Huh?" I looked up from my book to see Ron glaring at me across the table in the otherwise deserted Gryffindor common room. "What?"

"I've only been talking to you for the past five minutes."

"Oh, sorry. I was, ah, a little distracted." Thinking about where I was four hours earlier, naked on a desk in an unused classroom three floors above.

"Well, don't you have a talent for stating the obvious."

Stung, I lowered my head, mumbling an apology.

"Harry, what the hell is going on?"

Nothing, Ron. Except if you figure that I'm part of some twisted game, where Draco and I curse each other in the corridors by day and search those same halls by night for a place to make love. Oh, and did I mention my soul's been bound to Draco's since the day I was born, and my father and Lucius Malfoy were the ones that bound it?

"Everything's fine."

"Bullshit. You look like you haven't slept in months, you're behind in Transfiguration, and Neville's been more together in Potions than you. You don't eat, you never want to spend time with me and Hermione--"

"Well maybe if you'd stop being such an annoying ass I'd want to spend more time with you!"

Ron looked as though I'd just punched him. When he regained composure, his voice was warm and quiet. "Harry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry, I'm just really worried. Something strange is going on with you."

"I'm fine. Really. Just nervous about finals and all."

He obviously believed me about as far as he could throw Crabbe or Goyle, but he sat back and closed his book. "I need a break. Want to play chess?"

"What?"

"Chess. You want to play a game?"

I raised my head and suddenly felt my stomach turn. I pushed past Ron and ran at top speed for the bathroom. A few minutes later, Ron entered, moving to kneel beside me on the cool floor.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," I replied, wiping sweat off my forehead with my sleeve. "Just something I ate. I'm not feeling well, think I'll go to bed." I stood, heading for the dormitory.

Furtively, I fished my Invisibility Cloak out of my trunk, pulled the curtains around my bed shut, and slipped the cloak over my head. I crept past Ron in the common room, where people were starting to trickle in after the library's closing. As Hermione climbed through the portrait hole I scrambled out, rushing through Hogwarts toward the Slytherin dungeon.

Since that night in the Astronomy Tower I was polarized, hatred and lust fighting over my heart. Draco had been right, our lives could never be separate now that I was initiated into the game. Though I had made the first move, he controlled the relationship through sheer knowledge and experience. Watching him swagger through the halls tore me in two. I was powerless at the same time I dominated him, set on fire and reduced to life's ashes when he took me in his mouth, when his hands roamed my body. He'd had years to get used to the concept of the game; I was struggling to fathom the depth to which my existence had been altered.

He came down the empty hallway alone; his minions had probably chosen to spend time in a belching contest instead of studying. Looking both ways down the hall, I flung myself at him and he fell against the wall, a bottle of ink from his bag smashing into the floor.

A glance to either side, and a smirk. "Harry. King Subtlety as always."

I threw back my cloak and pulled him into my lips by his shirt collar, savoring his taste, greedily forcing my tongue past his teeth.

Draco pulled away and took my face in his hand. The tips of his index finger and thumb dug hard just under my cheekbones. "Not here."

His resistance electrified me. Tonight, he was going to play according to my moves. "Here. And you'll like it."

Interception, protecting the king. He would have to figure a different way around me. King-Knight to King's-Bishop Three. Pinned, but in control for the time being.