All This Time, You Were Missing From My Heart

Chapter Nine

Severus took the stairs to Albus's office three at a time. When he opened up the door, Harry Potter was sitting with a cup of tea, talking to the Headmaster.

"Albus!" Severus gasped, catching his breath.

"Severus?" Albus stood up, fearing that the Potions Professor was injured. Severus held up a hand as he tried to slow his breathing.

"I'm fine. He took the information different than we expected, Albus. He's going to try and recruit him," Severus glanced over at Harry as he said this. Harry dropped his cup.

"Voldemort wants me to be a Death Eater?" Harry gasped. Severus avoided his eyes as he nodded to the seventh year.

"He says he wants to make you his heir. Voldemort thinks you're too much like he was to not be evil."

"I'M NOT EVIL!" Harry shouted.

"Harry! Calm down. He didn't say you were," Albus placed a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder. Harry slumped back down into his chair and put his face into his hands. "Severus, are you hurt?"

Snape shook his head. "He was so pleased with me, he even said that he'd let something slip next time."

"This is bad," As Albus spoke, he looked like the frail old man he was. He wearily lowered himself into his chair and waved at Severus to take the one next to the shaking seventeen year old. Severus picked up the teacup on the floor first and then took the seat.

"This is more than bad, Headmaster. If Voldemort succeeds, I fear that I will end up much worse than he is," Harry's voice was muffled as he pulled his legs up into the chair and hugged them against himself.

"When are the Death Eaters going to attack, and where?" Dumbledore shot a worried look at Harry, who was rocking back and forth.

"It's going to be at Hogsmeade, but I don't know when. The lesser trusted Death Eaters will just be summoned when it's to happen," Severus shook his head. He turned the empty cup around in his hands and stared at it to keep from looking at the Boy-Who-Lived. "He suspects that I'm not loyal to him anymore."

"This is most unfortunate. Harry, you're not to leave the grounds for any reason."

Harry nodded at the elder wizard. "I think that goes without saying."

"You also must never be alone," Dumbledore continued.

"Draco, Weasley, and Granger won't let him out of their site most of the time anyway," Severus sneered.

"Lay off them, Snape," Harry said quietly. He slid out of the chair and stood. "I'm going to go back to my dorm, Headmaster."

"Of course, Harry," Albus nodded at him. Harry glanced back at Snape once before he walked out of the Headmaster's office.

***

Draco looked up as the gargoyle moved aside to let Harry out of the stairwell. When Harry noticed him, he shook his head and gave the blonde a wry grin.

"I saw Snape run up there a few minutes ago. What'd he want?" Draco grinned lewdly at Harry. He regretted it when Harry's face dropped.

"Voldemort wants to recruit me and make me his 'heir'," Harry's voice plummeted to a whisper.

"Holy shit," Draco gasped, wide eyed.

"It seems that he and I are even more alike now," Harry kicked at the floor as they walked down the corridor.

"Except for one thing."

"Yeah? What?"

"You're not evil, that's what," Draco stopped him.

"Thanks, Draco," Harry smiled at the Slytherin. Draco pulled him into a hug, which he awkwardly returned. "You know, if anyone were to walk past here right now, they'd prolly think the worst."

"I wouldn't put it against them," Draco shrugged as they continued walking. "So where're we headed? Gryff or my room?"

"I don't want to face 'Mione and Ron right now," Harry answered. "Especially after that wonderful piece of news Snape told me."

To Draco's surprise, Harry sneered.

"Stupid greasy git."

"That's something I haven't heard you call him in a while," Draco looked over to his disturbed friend, "and mean it."

"Well, that's what he is. It's not like he's ever going to return my feelings," Harry scowled and kicked at the wall as they stopped in front of Draco's room. Neither of the seventh years noticed a pair of amber eyes watching them from the shadows.

***

Remus sniggered to himself. This was too good to be true. Now...if he could only get them together. He laughed evilly for a moment before breaking down and giggling like a schoolgirl.

***

"You never know, Harry. Frodo," Draco spoke the password.

"You changed your password to 'Frodo'?" Harry asked, forgetting Draco's other words.

"He's a red head," Draco shrugged as they stepped inside his room.

"That's a muggle book, I hope you know," Harry told him as he flopped down on the now familiar green couch.

"So? I love that book!" Draco shouted, jumping up and down in his chair.

"You act like a schoolgirl on a sugar-high," Harry shook his head in disgust.

"That's basically what I am," Draco threw himself over the gap between the couch and his chair and almost landed on Harry. As it was, he fell over face first across Harry's lap.

"That really doesn't look right," Harry commented, just sitting there...looking down at the blonde head in his lap. "It would be very hard to convince someone that it's not how it looks."

Draco's voice was muffled...by...well, you know.

"You could take your head outta my lap, you know," Harry said dryly. Draco moved and propped himself on his elbows, still over Harry's crotch.

"You know, there's a spell that I can use to make you a red head," Draco grinned up at him.

"No thanks. If I was meant to have red hair, I would have been born with it," Harry pushed him over.

"Aw, c'mon Harry!" Draco pouted.

"No, Draco," Harry glared at him.

"Well, you're no fun!" Draco huffed.

"I don't think I'll ever be fun again," Harry muttered, running a finger over a scar on his wrist.

***

"Sirius," Remus sang as he slinked up next to the animagus.

"Jaysus!" Sirius jumped. His hands flew up to his heart for the second time that day, and Remus could see the matching gold band on the other man's finger. "You scared the hell out of me"

"Sorry, Padfoot. You can still do that thing with your handwriting, right?" Remus grinned slyly.

"Define 'thing', Moony," Sirius looked wearily at him.

"Copy someone else's handwriting," Remus said, producing two sheets of parchment.

"Sure! What do you want me to write?" Sirius nodded, mischief in his eyes.

"To my dearest love..." Sirius didn't even notice that one of the sheets was in his beloved godson's handwriting.