The End of the Beginning

Chapter Eleven: Moving On

The faithful have betrayed before, why not betray again?

For trust be constant changing: first pow'r, next fear, and then-

Do you know your followers? How true do loyalties lie?

'Tis easy to judge a foe, but a traitor- I dare not try.

A friend ought to be reliable, but if they were proved not,

Would there e'er be a day when the past could be forgot?

Draco smiled at his lover as they stepped off the apparition portal. He took Neville's hand and gave him a small kiss before leading him down the bustling street of Diagon Alley.

"Where are we going?" Neville asked softly as he leaned against Draco's arm, enjoying the breezes that whistled past them. Spring was finally dawning and streets were filled with couples enjoying the warmth.

"First, we're paying our respects. And then...the night is ours." He leaned over and stole another kiss before leading Neville out into Muggle London and towards the Underground.

Neville traced the route with his finger and frowned, worrying at his lip. "St. Mungos?"

Draco nodded, pulling out a pack of fags. "He's finally been cleared for visitors."

Neville nodded, yawning, laying his head on Draco's shoulder as they took seats on in the car. An hour later he was gently shaken awake. Blinking, he raised his head and stood, stretching before following Draco to the Muggle entrance of the wizarding hospital. He trailed after the blond, trying not to remember coming here to visit his parents...or finding their bodies here.

The long term care unit was silent as it always was, most of it's inhabitants too far gone to make much noise. A bed in the corner held a sleeping man, curled around a stuffed Hufflepuff Badger. Pictures of family, friends from school, even a few Muggle Pounds rested on the side table, as if trying to call back the male.

The stuffed animal and the pictures reminded visitors of how young he was...as if you could ever truly forget. Seventeen. Younger than any who had stayed in this ward. Just a boy really. His parents had all but abandoned him here. Too heartbroken to see him. They blamed the wizarding world for what was done to him, while the wizarding world just tried to save what was left of his mind.

Draco and Neville took seats next to Justin's bed, Neville reaching out to take his friend's hand while Draco filched a Chocolate Frog from the drawer.

Neville's thumb brushed over the smooth skin beneath it, and he studied Justin's sleeping face, wondering what he would say to him if he was awake. 'Sorry about locking you up here, but we had to you know...after what happened to Abbot. Sorry the death of your wife made you insane...at least you got to hold her as she died unlike Draco. And at least Abbot won't grow up to visit you here every holiday.' No. None of that would do. So what did you say to a fallen comrade and friend who was still breathing? No words could bridge the gap that had sprung up between them, but Neville had to try.

Time passed both slowly and quickly for the three. Justin didn't wake up before their time was up so Draco left him a note that they had visited along with another stuffed animal, a Slytherin Snake this time. He bent down and kissed Justin's temple, Neville doing the same before they both left silently.

*

Dennis leaned against the wall of the dungeon, lighting a fag. He blew out a stream of smoke and glanced towards the barred door next to him. He hadn't done guard duty since the second war but here he was, back on duty. And this time he was guarding against allies of the fallen Headmaster.

The vampires that Hogwarts hosted weren't the friendliest of people and Snape had ordered them under lock and key until he could figure out what to do with them. Their leader hadn't been happy and Snape was still in the Infirmary healing from a sword wound to his stomach.

"Little boy..."

Dennis frowned at the barred door, blowing out another stream of smoke. "Go away." he murmured, turning back to the wall, trying to shake off the creeping sensation that had started crawling up his spine.

"Come here, little boy..."

Dennis moved closer to the door, shifting his shoulder as he still tried to dispel the feeling. He looked through the bars to see a young girl, around eight years of age, her long blonde hair curling down her back, shining against her black cloak.

"I'm hungry..."

"Not offering," Dennis snapped and the girl pouted before turning away, heading back into the darkness. She paused and looked over her shoulder at him. Dennis moved closer to the door, raising his hand, pressing it against a flat panel of stone.

The door snapped open just as Dennis regained his senses. A hand reached out and grabbed the front of his robes, jerking him through the doorway just as the door slammed shut.

Dennis hissed, the stones of the wall pressing into his back. The hand clenched tighter, nearly cutting off his air supply. He looked up into the deep blue eyes of Link, almost falling into them.

"Why. Are. We. Locked. In?" Link growled out.

"S...Snape ordered it. He's scared of you...what you are."

"And what are we, boy?"

"Vampires...murders."

Link released Dennis, watching as the younger male fell to the floor. "You know nothing then."

Dennis rubbed his throat, blinking up at Link. "Then what are you?"

Link froze, mid step. He replaced his foot on the floor but still didn't look at Dennis. Instead he stared down at the floor, struggling against the emotion that question stirred in him. "An idiot." he said softly.

Dennis raised an eyebrow, trying to stand up. "Nice to know, now if you'll excuse me."

"You think you know war, know pain...know sacrifice. But you are a child who knows nothing. You've watched men bleed and die, but you yourself have given nothing to this battle," Link said, freezing Dennis with his words. "I gave everything I am, everything I was. I was the leader of a nation...and I watched that nation fall because I made one stupid move."

Dennis turned, looking at Link. "You know nothing of what I've given to this war."

Link smiled, an empty smile that left his eyes hollow and pain filled. "I can see it in your face. You care more for what you can find between sheets than what you can find on a field of blood. You spent this war thinking about nothing more then getting laid." He strode closer to Dennis, reaching out and grabbing the boy's hand. "This is sacrifice," he whispered and Dennis gasped.

Pain, fire, blood, a forest, a young woman...bleeding. A blond baby screaming as the woman collapses to the ground next to the roots of an old oak tree. Another child, picking up the baby, carrying him home. A sword, gleaming in a stone pedestal, the blue handle flashing merrily as a heavenly choir sings. A blonde girl stairing at him as tears streamed down her cheeks. A tall, red haired man on a black horse, intent to kill him. Ruby, Emerald, Sapphire, gold...a volcano erupting, water choking.

A spider advancing as he struggled in a sticky web. The heat of the sun beating down on him, burning him as two guards argued over who got to kill him. A stranger, wearing his face done up in shadow. The sounds of a drum as ghosts from the past advanced on him, terrifying him. A dragon, lashing out with her tail, a young girl with red hair, playing a flute as a brown horse gallops. A golden triangle dangling from a beautiful blonde's ears as she laughed. The red headed man again, floating, killing, and laughing. A desert goddess rising above him, her palm out to welcome him.

A woman dressed only in vines, screaming, a tentacle of pure energy lashing out at him, a lizard trying to devour him, his friends dying as he slept, a mask wearing male dancing. An elderly woman telling stories of times long past. A blue creature dying on a sandy beach, so far from the love of his life. Two small fairies arguing, the giant gods of old rising up to protect them, his friends' wedding, seven young boys trying to make everyone happy. An old friend seduced to evil, endless blue expanses of Time rushing past him, changing him, shaping him.

The stranger with his face embracing him. The red headed man handing him a glowing arrow. The blonde woman standing in front of a crowd of millions, her voice raised in triumph. The sound of a bow string being drawn back. Screaming, blood staining a white dress, the woman falling, eyes wide, staring in horror. Pain, pain so deep it tears you apart.

Dennis gasped, stairing into Link's pain filled eyes. "What..."

"My sacrifice. My curse. All bound to one moment, one woman," he whispered, moving closer to Dennis. "I killed her, because I had to. Because I had to defend my people. I killed my wife because she held the key to the greatest evil our world faced." His lips were flush against Dennis' ear now. "I betrayed her...just as you will be betrayed," he whispered.

Dennis' body stiffened and then he screamed as he felt a piercing pain in his neck. The scent of blood filled the air, rousing the other vampires who came closer to watch their leader feed. They were all hungry, but this wasn't their meal.

Dennis slowly sunk to the floor, bringing Link down with him. Link pulled away as Dennis started to blink, fighting the darkness that was clouding his vision. Link bit his lip before kissing Dennis deeply, smirking slightly as the boy responded, even as he was dying. "I told you, you only think about what's between the sheets." he whispered as he laid Dennis back. He brushed a bloody thumb over the boy's cheek as Dennis eyes flickered again, slowly closing.

*

Neville leaned over, taking the last bite of Draco's ice cream before moaning softly as chocolate exploded across his tongue. "I don't think anything could be better than today," he said, smiling at his lover.

Draco smiled back and kissed him gently before unlocking the door to their room at The Leaky Cauldron. "So you enjoyed our first date then?"

Neville nodded, flopping back on the bed. "Everything was...perfect," He smiled again before groaning, wrapping an arm around his stomach. "Though I think a three course meal followed by two desserts was a little much." he mumbled.

Draco laughed and curled up on the bed with him, holding him close. "I couldn't resist spoiling you a bit." he said, brushing a lock of hair from Neville's eyes. "You deserve it."

Neville smiled, turning a bit on his side, kissing Draco softly. "Thank you," he whispered softly, staring into those grey eyes that made him slightly light headed. "I don't know what I would have done without you here."

"Survived," Draco said simply. "But probably not happily."

"Probably." Neville agreed before kissing Draco gently again.

Draco moaned softly at the small, gentle kisses Neville bestowed upon him and drew the boy closer, deepening the kisses a little at a time, working Neville into a slow state of arousal.

Neville purred softly as they kissed, un-buttoning Draco's shirt, easing it from the pale skin he most wanted to reach. Draco moaned more as Neville's mouth escaped his lips and down his chest, watching his lover, smirking. His. He rather liked that idea.

Lost in his thoughts it took a bit for Draco to realize Neville had stopped somewhere around his stomach. He frowned and tilted Neville's head up slightly...only to realize that Neville was fast asleep. Draco shook his head and rolled Neville onto his back before working the boy's shirt from his trousers and up over his head, careful not to wake him.

Draco soon had Neville stripped down to his boxers and tucked his boyfriend into bed, placing a gentle kiss on his temple, curling against the warm body, yawning as his eyes fluttered closed.

They jerked open as he shifted and felt something hard in his pocket. He reached into his pants and pulled out a small black box, setting it on the end table, patting it fondly before snuggling back down.

*

Lucius groaned, releasing the blond hair beneath his hand and fixing his zipper. Seamus stood, licking his lips, sitting up on the desk so he was eye to eye with his lover, rolling a round paper weight in his hands. "Where is our master?"

Lucius smirked. "Safe,"

"Why won't you tell me?" Seamus said with a pout, looking at Lucius from under his lashes.

"Because you're a foolish boy who is too easily seduced. Anything I tell you will be found out by Dumbledore within a week."

"That's not true!"

"No, it's not. It would be three days." Lucius said and watched cracks form in the paperweight before gently removing it from Seamus' hands.

"Then why am I still here, with you, if I'm of no use?"

"Oh, you're of use, my little leprechaun. You give perfect head and moan so nicely when I fuck you."

"So I'm just your whore."

"Obviously. That was the agreement."

"I wanted more."

"I didn't."

Seamus glared at him, his hands stroking the hilt of a dagger in a side pocket of his trousers."

Lucius sighed and leaned forward to kiss Seamus' lips, only to meet his cheek as Seamus turned his head. "Come on, my leprechaun. You know your use. You do what I need done," Lucius nuzzled his neck. "My deadly Irish angel." Lucius licked a long wet path up to Seamus' ear. "I need you again."

"Tough, I have rug burn."

"Not that sort of need, angel. I need you to go to Diagon Alley."

*

Smoke, thick, dark and choking floated over them, blotting out once pleasant dreams as they struggled to breath, gasping, jerking awake. A pale, glowing form stood over Draco, worried, pale green eyes watching. A hand covered his mouth and nose and he could suddenly breathe.

"H...Harry?"

Harry nodded and helped Draco sit up, removing his hand only for his ex lover to cough. "You need to get out, Draco. They set fire to the building, and all surrounding ones. They're after you and Nev."

"What? Why?"

"Pick a reason."

Draco hurriedly dressed, grabbing Neville's clothes, trying to wake the boy. Neville wasn't doing too well, his breathing labored and harsh. "Come on, baby. You gotta get up, we have to get out of here," He helped Neville sit up and pull on his pants just as flames started licking at the doors. "Come on, Nev." Draco got Neville standing and looked at Harry.

Harry was staring down at the black box on the nightstand sadly, a crystal tear sliding slowly down his cheek.

"Harry..."

Harry flicked his hand, the box flying across the room and into Draco's hand. "No time," Harry whispered. He looked at Draco before shaking his head. "Never time. Go."

The lovers disappeared with a pop, re-appearing in front of The Leaky Cauldron. Both boys were coughing heavily, staring up at the destruction that was The Leaky Cauldron. Fires burned everywhere, stinging the eyes and clogging the lungs. Residents of Diagon Alley started swarming around, ignoring the two half dressed wizards covered in soot. Ignoring them until a scream pierced the air. "DEATH EATERS!"

Draco and Neville whirled around, staring, trying to find the Death Eaters...only to find everyone staring at them, wands out. They both shared a look then looked down at the black skulls on their forearms. Draco and Neville's stared at them from hundreds of wanted posters, left-over from a time when the war was thick and any marked wizard was slated for death. "Fuck," Neville whispered.

"Not now," Draco murmured, his defense of making tasteless comments kicking in. Neville resisted the urge to smack him, but it was painful to squash.

"Bring up the wards! Keep them here! Kill them!" Shouts filled the air and Draco grabbed Neville's hand, giving it a squeeze before taking off.

"RUN!"