Beta: Allexandrya & Queen Morgana. Test readers: Silverhope & Littleroo27
A/N: Written for challenge #26. Professor Trelawney makes a prediction about Harry and Lucius in Harry's 7th year on the HLFQF site. But then I saw one of the comments blasting about fluffy OOC Lucius being crap so I decided to just post it elsewhere.
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Freefall (verb): to descend initially, as for a designated interval


Harry Potter sat down to breakfast in the Great Hall, glad to be early for a change. Ever since he'd managed to beat Voldemort, the Gryffindors had been treating him like some conquering hero. He was sick of it. After all, he'd never actually wanted to be the bloody one to go against Voldemort in the first place!!

He sipped at his pumpkin juice and looked around the room. The Slytherins were starting to assemble. Their reaction had been perhaps the oddest since there had been none at all! The entire house was acting completely the same. Harry had figured surely some of them would be relieved, at least, if not happy that they would not have to serve Voldemort. Or maybe some of them would be out-and-out furious with them. But, there had been no reaction at all. They were still snobby, indifferent, rude and arrogant. Harry shook his head. He'd never understand Slytherins.

The Ravenclaw House was very relieved. Yet, after a few days of non-stop parties, the students seemed rather annoyed to have their attention taken away from their studies. Many a night Gryffindor House had some Ravenclaw knock on the portrait of the Fat Lady to tell them to keep it down.

Hufflepuff house was a surprise. Harry never would have pictured them as such party animals. But night after night they had joined in the non-stop celebration in the Gryffindor Common Room. Harry did his best to avoid the Common Room completely these days. Instead, he'd taken to shrinking his broom and keeping it in his bag. When he wanted to go to bed, he'd fly up to his window and climb inside and hope that no one would spy him and drag him down to the Common Room. It had gotten so bad that he was thinking of sleeping with his Invisibility Cloak on, the problem being they'd still see the lump under the covers.

Harry sighed loudly, and hoped it would all blow over soon.

The professors all seem inordinately pleased with him, except Snape of course. But, this was not a big surprise. The really big shocker had been when he and Malfoy were cleared of any and all charges in light of some papers Dumbledore had left behind. Snape was now Deputy Headmaster and Minerva McGonagall was Headmistress.

She was being rather strict in all things, with the exception of the parties, feeling her house was due it's acclaim. Instead, she'd become just a bit prideful about the whole issue. Whereas, she used to walk around with a stiff back, now it was with a stiff back and a puffed out chest. Harry was reminded of a rooster.

Harry was wondering if it would be worth it to petition to go into Slytherin House for some peace and quiet!

Soon, the whole of Gryffindor house burst into the Great Hall in their loud and boisterous way. Harry wondered if they'd always been that way or if he'd just now noticed. Maybe he was growing up?

"Good morning, Harry!" Hermione greeted him in a perky manner.

Harry groaned inwardly, wondering how long it had been that perky people got on his nerves.

"Hi, mate!" Ron said cheerfully from next to her.

Harry bit back a sigh. Ever since Ron and Hermione had started to date, Ron had been very perky, too. They plunked down opposite him so that Harry felt forced to put on a happy smile for them, although it was practically painful to do so.

Neville sat to his left with Ginny on his left. That was yet another couple to occur. On his right side sat Seamus, who was now dating Lavender Brown, sitting to his right. They all chatted animatedly while Harry did his best to shrink down and eat faster.

An odd hush fell over the Great Hall as Professor Trelawney entered. Ever since the war ended it was practically a daily occurrence that the Professor was making predictions. The freaky thing was that they were all coming true! And they were simply falling into her normal conversations. Statements like, "Severus, I'd try the other goblet instead," before the bottom of the goblet exploded out all over his lap.

Even the Headmistress was starting to treat the Professor with a bit more respect. Of course, her regular believers were now impossible to stand, going on and on with all the correct predictions that were made now on a daily basis. The Professor seemed superbly content with what was happening as if she'd always known this would happen. She had told the students in her Divination class that the cloud of war and presence of so many Dark Wizards had clouded her Third Eye. When she told the others at the Head Table one day, Snape rolled his eyes, much to the amusement of the Slytherins.

Snape was his usual self, which in many ways was reassuring. Dark Lords could come and go, but Snape would always be a git toward him. In a way, that was true of all of the Slytherin House. Although, it would have been nice to get a bit of a break from them all, especially Malfoy, who had taken everything that had happened to him and turned it around so it was all Harry's fault; nothing really new there. It was just that Malfoy seemed so bitter toward him now.

Was it that he'd expected his father to rise and become the next Dark Lord? Or maybe it was that he'd lost his mother during the war. Rumor had it that Voldemort had been displeased at Draco's failure to carry out some command and had killed his mother in retaliation. Although, Harry really couldn't see how that was his fault. But, it was not like he ever understood Draco Malfoy anyway, any more than he understood the Ministry of Magic.

Scrimgeour had pardoned Lucius Malfoy, Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy. Harry, Ron and Hermione had screamed over this injustice while over at the Burrow this summer. That had been a relief, at least. Once he'd gotten out of St. Mungo's for injuries sustained during the final battle, he found out that he would never have to go back the Dursley's.

With that thought, Harry managed a real smile to carry him through the remainder of breakfast. When finished, he, Ron, Hermione and the other Gryffindor Seventh Years tromped down to Double Potions with Snape. Unfortunately, they ran into Draco and his gang in the corridor.

Draco looked at him with a sneer. "I knew I smelled something awful. Oh, look, it’s the Golden Boy of Shit."

Harry frowned. That was another thing; Draco's barbs had gotten a bit nastier, especially in tone. "Malfoy."

The blond haired boy got right up in his face. "You have no right to call me even that, you worthless piece of trumped up muggle filth." Before Harry could react a wand was in his gut and he was doubled over with horrific stomach pains. He collapsed on the floor where Draco gave him a good kick before Harry's friends managed to pull him away. A trickle of blood oozed out from the corner of Harry's mouth.

Draco and his groupies were laughing as they entered the Potions room. Hermione healed Harry, while Ron removed the curse, something they'd both become rather good at in the war. Hermione was outraged, and Ron cursed vehemently about Malfoy before he had to dash off to his own class.

Harry could not help thinking that no matter how things changed some things would always stay the same. Draco Malfoy would always hate Harry Potter, always.

Snape soon arrived, and the rest of the class silently entered. The professor sneered in Harry's direction, looking pointedly over his now rumpled robes and blood on his face. Harry tried to wipe off the blood with the back of his hand, smearing it further, until Hermione wiped it off for him with a huff. Snape sneered at her, too, and class began.

Harry put his head down and wondered where the year would take him. Surely dealing with just Malfoy would be easier than dealing with Voldemort's evil plots every year. He just needed to do his best to avoid him and have his guard up better. So doing, he'd get through the year easily and then be done with school; free to do whatever he wanted to do.

Life was finally looking up!

Chapter 2

In retrospect, Harry should have known that would be too easy. Of course, he never could have foreseen what a real pain in the ass Draco would become. It all happened a few days later, when thankfully the parties in Gryffindor were finally coming to an end. Very possibly, it might have had something to do with Ron getting so plastered he ran down the halls naked, proclaiming to be a god of love.

Nevertheless, it had seemed like a normal day. Classes were scheduled, Snape was sneering, Malfoy was glaring, yes, all-in-all it looked to be a normal day. That's when it happened. Right between one mouthful of waffles and another, Harry turned to see what everyone had gone dead silent about.

Professor Trelawney had shot to her feet. Harry closed his eyes and braced himself for what the prediction would be this time. It was not what he'd expected.

In order to keep peace and renewal in our land
The Chosen of Light and Dark must bond hand in hand
Unknown to them, they are mates of the soul
Though they have always been opposite of goal

The Chosen of Light still carries his scar inside, and has had accolades too many to bestow,
The Chosen of Dark was at the right hand of his foe,
Though he is now buried far below

The Chosen of the Light has hair of dark
And from his mouth always a kindly remark
The Chosen of the Dark has hair of light,
no kind words slip past his mouth pressed tight
Yet, in bonding to each other they will find their love is right.
Their love is their new destiny
In the liquid they shall see

In the spawn of the Dark One
The hatred there will cause his life to be undone
Unless the love of the two can turn the son
The illness has begun
Thanks to a curse left by the leader of the Dark
The very last reminder of his Mark

Harry began to choke on his food while across the hall Draco Malfoy collapsed, a painful scream from his throat echoing around the Great Hall. Chaos ensued as the Hall erupted with screams, cries, laughter, whispers and concern. Snape rushed over to his favorite student, picked him up, and rushed from the room, followed by several Slytherins. His lips looked blue from where Harry sat and his pale face almost translucent. Harry felt a tremor of fear move through him as he sat in disbelief, watching, as if in a movie, seeing the goings-on around him.

Headmistress McGonagall had to shoot off a series of loud explosions from her wand before the Great Hall settled down. Harry managed to finally get past the wad of waffle in his throat. His mind was spinning, lost in thought. It took Hermione nudging him to make him snap back to reality, such as it was.

"Mr. Potter," Headmistress McGonagall seemed to be calling to him irritably, as if she'd done so several times already. "Please follow me."

With an audible gulp, Harry rose shakily to his feet. He glanced down at his breakfast, realizing his appetite had definitely been shot. His housemates looked at him with concern and some awe. Once again, Harry felt he was the entertainment for the school. His feet moved robotically to follow the Headmistress up to her office. He could only hope that he would wake up from this really bad dream before he got there.

The gargoyle jumped aside to allow the Headmistress to pass and Harry followed hurriedly after. They rode the spiral staircase upwards in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Upon reaching the top, McGonagall opened the door and went to sit behind her desk. Harry flopped down in the chair in front of her and stared down at his hands.

"Oh, Harry, dear, I hate to tell you this but it looks like this is another valid prediction. Although, one could hope that Mr. Malfoy's sudden collapse at the table was merely a coincidence, I fear the worst." She looked at him seriously before continuing.

"Surely you realize that the Chosen of the Dark is referring to none other than Lucius Malfoy!?" Minerva's voice was rising slightly with panic. Harry didn't blame her one bit. It seemed like an excellent time to panic. He certainly was, panicking, that is.

"Yes, Ma'am." Harry groaned. "Of course, it is. Who else could it be, but the father of my worst enemy? Sure and soul mates! Why didn't I think of that? It’s so obvious~!"

"Mr. Potter, sarcasm will not help us right now. Though, I understand perfectly why that might be your attitude. I need you to think very strongly as to your feelings for …for…" she gulped loudly, "Lucius Malfoy. If I know Severus at all, he's already informed the boy’s father of what has occurred here today."

Harry felt a very bad headache coming on. "I don't need to think on it. He hates me and I hate him. He tried to kill me in my second year! I know he's a Death Eater; I've seen him in Voldemort's circle! There was no reason for the Ministry to pardon him."

Minerva looked ill. "That was simply a matter of politics. Money is the grease of the political machine. It's not that I approve of such a relationship, given your ages and stations, not to even mention your political views. However, Mr. Malfoy's life may depend on your own. I'm so sorry, Harry, but if Professor Trelawney is correct, yet again…well, I'm simply saying you should prepare yourself, dear boy." Her voice rose almost hysterically at the end, and Harry knew the conversation was over. He could only hope he wouldn't be forced into this ridiculous situation against his will, like so many others he could count on his fingers.

Rising from his chair, he turned to go only to be stopped midway, by the entrance of Severus Snape. Harry fought back the urge to groan or roll his eyes. Snape gave him only a cursory glance before looking over his head as if he wasn't there. God, Harry hated being short.

"Mr. Malfoy's condition has been stabilized. He appears to be a victim of one of Voldemort's long-term, timed curses that he became so fascinated with before his death. Neither Poppy or I are certain of a cure." His eyes shot to Harry, and his upper lip curled. "Unless, of course, you consider the one Trelawney mentioned, and Draco spent half of his time, while I was in the infirmary, retching over the very idea."

"Oh, dear. I suppose there's nothing for it but to notify the poor boy's father!" Minerva exclaimed looking as if that was one of the things on the planet that she most dearly did not want to do.

"I already took it upon myself to contact Lucius. We can expect him shortly."

Harry rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, "Oh, goodie."

Freefall: Chapter 3

The Potion Master's head snapped to meet Harry's eyes with a reproachful glare. "That sort of attitude will not help matters."

"Sorry, Professor, but, honestly, do you really believe Professor Trelawney's prediction?" Harry asked doubtfully.

Surely, if there was one skeptic left in the entire school in regards to Trelawney's Third Eye, it would have to be the man in front of him. Severus took his time answering, weighing each word carefully.

"What I do, or do not, believe is not the matter at hand, Mr. Potter. The fact of the matter is that one of my students is in the Infirmary at this very moment with something very close to what was described by the prediction. I will do all I can to see Mr. Malfoy is returned to good health and will make sure that, if need be, you will as well. Do I make myself clear?"

Harry cast his eyes to the floor, noticing as he did so that the floor needed to be swept. "Yes, sir."

There's no use fighting this one, Harry old boy. You're doomed – again. Why even bother? Each year, you're damned if you do show up for school, and damned if you don't. What's that saying? You're not paranoid if they really are out to get you? Yes, that's it. Maybe I could get it tattooed on my forehead.

"Perhaps you should stay here and await the arrival of Lucius." McGonagall looked at Harry with a bit of pity mixed in with resignation. "I don't think he'd appreciate having to track you down after visiting his son."

"Canceling classes may be in order," Severus said swiftly, "after all, the rumor mill will be too busy chattering to pay any attention in classes."

"Excellent suggestion, Severus, would you mind telling the students?" Minerva gave a small smile. Much to Harry's surprise, Snape gave a respectful nod before sweeping out of the room.

Once he left, Minerva turned her attention back to Harry. She waved her wand at a nearby table and a tea set appeared. "Try to get comfortable, Harry. I hope that you use this time wisely to prepare for what may lie ahead of you. When he arrives, I'll send him up to see you. I believe you may wish to speak privately. If I see Miss Granger or Mr. Weasley, I'll send them up for moral support."

Harry nodded glumly. Minerva left the room, and Harry let out a slew of expletives. Apparently, Ron and Hermione had been waiting just outside the door, for they were suddenly there, mere heartbeats later.

"Harry! What's going on?" Hermione exclaimed.

"Please tell me that it's not as hopeless as it looks," Ron pleaded, looking green around the collar.

Hermione shot him a look before turning back to Harry and sitting by him. "What did McGonagall say?"

"She and Snape seem to think I should just get ready to accept my fate." Harry closed his eyes and put his head in his hands, missing the look that his friends shot each other.

"Maybe everyone just needs a little time. I'm sure this is just some coincidence." Hermione squeezed Harry's shoulder comfortingly.

"But Hermione, what if it’s not? Lucius Malfoy is an evil git! Everyone knows that!" Ron hissed.

"Even Mr. Malfoy must deserve a little respect," Hermione tried to argue but no one was buying into it.

"He tried to kill me!" Harry yelped, looking up.

"That was a long time ago," Hermione shrugged.

"Bloody hell, whose side are you on?" Ron glared at her, while Harry shook his head in disbelief at Hermione, and agreement with Ron.

"I'm simply saying we all need to calm down and view this from all sides. This is serious. If Harry can try to look at it objectively, maybe we can find a way out of this."

"Whew, you had me worried there," Harry sighed with relief.

Hermione frowned. "I'm sorry. It's all so sudden and confusing!" She wrung her hands.

"How do you think I feel?" Harry yelled.

"Hermione's right, Harry, you need to calm down." Ron patted him on the shoulder. "I don't see how they can force you to…to" He looked green again and turned to Hermione for help. She rolled her eyes.

"Things will work out, Harry. I'm sure we can figure out what Malfoy's been cursed with. Between Professor Snape and Mr. Malfoy, they probably know most of the curses Voldemort used." Hermione tried to smile but she was still wringing her hands together, a sure sign she was worried.

"Snape doesn't know what it is. But, you're right. Maybe Mr. Malfoy can figure it out. I'm sure he doesn’t want to be stuck with me anymore than I want to be …no, I can't think about it. Maybe there was a way out in the prediction. How did it go?"

Ron frowned. "There was something about 'in the liquid they will see'. But that sounded more like it was going to be more proof that you had to, err –"

"Okay, so that's no good. I feel so helpless!" Hermione stomped her foot, angrily. "There has to be some way out of this! Maybe, if I go to the library, I could find –"

"Right, I think I saw that coming," Harry rolled his eyes.

Hermione gave him a light swat upside the back of his head. Harry rubbed it, with a chuckle. "Go ahead, Hermione. If anyone can find this in the library you can. Ron, why don't you see if you can contact Bill? Maybe it's an old curse?"

"Right!" Ron looked pleased at having something to do. Harry watched them go with some relief. At least, he could have some hope that they might find something out. But, he also needed to get them out of there. Lucius Malfoy was probably not going to arrive in a very good mood. Having to deal with the man's reaction to finding the two of them was not fuel he needed to add to the fire.

Harry looked up at the picture of Dumbledore that now hung nearest the Headmistress' desk. "Do you have any idea what curse this might be?"

"No, I'm quite sorry to say that I do not. But have heart, Harry. You've faced greater obstacles than this, and survived it." Dumbledore offered.

Rubbing his hands over his face, Harry tried to get a grip on his nerves. "Did you hear the prediction? It said that Mr. Malfoy and I need to bond. What is that?"

"I'm afraid to say it's much like a muggle marriage, Harry. You would be, in a sense, bound to him for the rest of your life, with all respect and privileges that you'd enjoy as a spouse." Dumbledore shook his head. "Unlike the muggle marriage ritual, however, you would not be able to dissolve it."

Harry wondered if the day could get any worse.

Freefall: Ch. 4

In retrospect, Harry realized that to ask that was a really, really stupid thing to do. Never ask if your day can get any worse, when it's already in freefall. Besides, this was the Malfoy family he was about to become permanently involved with! He'd have to be out of his mind not to realize it was only going to get worse.

He'd just been starting to gain some balance back, being left alone in the quiet office, when Lucius Malfoy arrived, looking madder than Harry had ever remembered seeing him. The blond's hair seemed to be flying about in some sort of invisible wind. Harry supposed Mr. Malfoy's magic might be leaking out because of his temper. And, to add insult to injury, Snape was with him.

Taking a steadying breath, Harry managed to say, "Mr. Malfoy, Professor Snape."

Professor Snape realized it was his attempt at being polite and civilized, if the sudden tilt to one eyebrow was any indication. Nevertheless, it seemed to be just the opening Mr. Malfoy needed to go for the jugular, not seeing the diplomacy in it at all.

"HOW DARE YOU PULL MY SON AND ME INTO ONE OF YOUR PERSONAL FIASCOS?!" Mr. Malfoy raged, his teeth snapped angrily.

Harry counted to ten in effort not to scream back. "It isn't my idea of a good time either, Mr. Malfoy." He winced even as he said it, realizing belatedly that it was not the right thing to say, and his counting had been an exercise in futility.

"DO YOU THINK IT IS MINE!? I HAVE TO DEAL WITH…WITH…YOU ON A FULL-TIME BASIS! THE MERE THOUGHT SICKENS ME!"

"You're not alone on that count, Lucius, but yelling at Mr. Potter isn't going to help, no matter how much I'm enjoying it," Severus commented with some amusement.

Harry bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from saying what was on his mind, knowing it would only make matters worse. Lucius snarled, and looked away from them both a moment, running a gloved hand over his hair in an effort to smooth it. He sat down in the chair furthest from Harry and turned a blazing hot angry glare on him instead of speaking.

Severus went around and sat behind the desk, his robe snapping out behind him. "Now then, we need to come to grips with the situation at hand, in case Professor Trelawney was actually correct. I suggest the use of a soul mates potion immediately. It will take me less than an hour to brew."

"And WHAT exactly am I supposed to do, in the meantime!? You've seen Draco. And if we don't recognize the curse that …that –" Severus raised a hand to cut Lucius off before he exploded once more.

"This won't be easy on anyone. But, if she's correct," he paused to roll his eyes, "then I suggest you two try to negotiate a way to work through this. After all, you'll need to have your stories straight before you have to convince Draco, that is, once again, if her prediction holds true." Severus frowned.

"I can't believe this!" Lucius snapped, crossing his legs and wrapped his cloak about him angrily. All the while, fingering his cane, as if figuring out the best way to hex Harry with the wand that was held within it.

"Welcome to my life," Harry muttered unable to stop himself.

"Why, you insufferable, self-centered brat!" Lucius yelled. "My only son and child could be dying in there while you sit in here, unable to think of anyone but yourself. Do you ever think about anyone else's life but your own!?"

Harry jumped to his feet. "I HAVE SPENT MY WHOLE BLOODY LIFE BEING MANIPULATED BY OTHERS TO ACT AS THEIR HOUSE ELF OR TO KILL THE GOD DAMN DARK LORD THAT YOU SERVED AND BROUGHT TO POWER! HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE ME OF NOT CARING ABOUT OTHERS?"

There was a loud crack, like of thunder, and Harry suddenly found himself in his dorm room. "Oh shit!" Harry groaned loudly. He instantly realized he'd accidentally let his magic get away from him, and it had apparated him to his room, much like it had apparated him to a school roof when he was younger and being chased by Dudley's gang. With a loud sigh, he began to march back to the Headmasters office, knowing if he didn't return he'd be in big trouble with Snape.

But, halfway there his steps faltered, and he found himself walking toward the Infirmary. He wasn’t sure why. It wasn't like he cared about Malfoy! Did he need to see it to believe it? Harry wasn't sure, but he kept walking there anyway.

When he passed through the doors to the Infirmary, what he saw was certainly not what he expected. A large number of students from Slytherin house were huddled around Malfoy's bed, not just Crabbe and Goyle. Just as Harry had thought maybe this wasn't the brightest idea he'd ever had, they all seemed to look in his direction at once.

Oh crap. This day just gets worse and worse…just had to tempt the Fates earlier didn't you?

Harry could have sworn he had only blinked, but he soon found himself pinned to the wall and being choked by a very upset looking Gregory Goyle. "What did you do to Draco, Potter!?"

"I …didn't…do …anything," he managed to gasp out while trying to pull away the beefy hands that were cutting off his oxygen supply.

"Right. Draco just happens to be complaining about how it’s your fault that his mother is dead when that old bat sprouts off another prediction and he falls over!?" Pansy shouted from somewhere on his right side. It was hard to tell. Harry was starting to see spots in front of his eyes.

"For the sake of Salazar, let him down, Greg." Harry dropped to his knees, gasping for air. When he looked up, he was surprised to see Blaise Zabini scowling at him. "If Potter was at fault, then Draco’s dad or Snape would have been able to figure out what was wrong with him, easily. Am I the only one, besides Draco, that can think around here?"

Harry slowly rose to his feet, but put his hand in his pocket, fingering his wand. He would not be caught unprepared twice. "I didn't know anything about the stupid prophesy until I heard it in the Great Hall. It's not like I want to be stuck with Mr. Malfoy as my…" Harry felt the world spin around him. "Oh, god. Husband?"

The Slytherin's looked at each other, then back at Harry, with resignation. "You call us stupid, Blaise? He hasn't even put it all together yet!" Pansy shook her finger at Harry, while looking at Blaise in disbelief.

"Yeah," several of the Slytherin's chimed in.

"Look, Potter, why are you here?" Blaise asked, clearly at the end of his patience with Harry's presence.

"I …I don't really know," Harry looked down, and balled his robes up in his hands from where they were stuck in his pockets. "Maybe I just needed to see for myself?"

Blaise made a face at this, seemingly picking something out of one of his teeth with his tongue before moving aside. "There he is, Potter, happy now?"

Harry looked nervously at the group, which was parting reluctantly aside to let him get a good look at the Ice Prince of Slytherin. Draco’s face was pale, but his breath was even. As Harry felt the sick feelings of doom settle in his stomach, that some how this was entirely his fault, Draco's eyes fluttered opened, freezing him in place.

Freefall Ch. 5

"WHERE THE HELL DID HE GO!?" Lucius yelled at Severus, gesturing between where Potter had been and Snape. "Has no one taught the boy manners!? We were still engaged in our conversation!"

"Is that what it was? It seemed more like a shouting match to me," Severus said, giving his old friend a measured glance of reproach. "Mr. Potter is given to fits of uncontrolled magic, which, if I may remind you, he used to his advantage on the battlefield?"

Lucius huffed angrily before picking at a piece of imaginary dust on his ever immaculate cloak. He tried not to think about how powerful Potter really had to be to apparate within Hogwarts. "Really, this situation is most distasteful. There must be some way out of it."

"What do you recommend, Lucius? Besides, Mr. Potter is just as averse to the situation as you are, wouldn't you agree?" Severus smirked.

"For once, the boy and I agree on something," Lucius shot back.

"Might I suggest that you stop calling him a boy? It might help you adjust to the situation a bit better to realize Potter is a young man now? After all, I seem to recall you favor the younger rent boys of Knockturn Alley, or has that particular fascination died off?"

"Have I mentioned lately how much I hate you?" Lucius sneered, making his nostrils flare, giving him the appearance of an angry lion. Something Snape found amusing, but wasn't stupid enough to point out.

"Do let me know when to be afraid. I might forget." Snape chuckled.

"Bastard," Lucius sighed.

Snape smiled crookedly. "I may be the one you hate. But, if you'll admit to it, what you really deplore about this situation, besides Draco's sudden illness, is that you were not able to put the moves on Mr. Potter at your own pace. Am I correct?"

"Did I say hate? Loathe is a much better description." Lucius looked away.

Snape snorted. "Don't worry, Lucius. I doubt anyone knows you half as well as I do. Your secret is safe with me."

Lucius waved his hand in dismissal. "That doesn't change the fact that Draco will not tolerate the situation anymore than Potter will. And while it may, mind you may, have merely flitted across the furthest reaches of my mind that the young man might be entertaining in bed; it does not mean that I have ever contemplated it for longer than one tumble!"

"Does it really matter, Lucius? It could be very good for the family name. Besides, if that old bat is right, then the potion will show you are soul mates." Severus was trying very hard not to laugh by hiding his mouth behind his hands.

"Do I look like a simpering old romantic fool? Those stupid soul mate potions were created by some clever potions master in the Victorian period to make a small fortune off the aristocracy, letting it become a custom of the time." Lucius looked down his nose with disdain.

"You should know, since it was a Malfoy," Snape laughed. "One that made your family quite rich if I recall."

"Loathe is too light a word. Abhor might be more on target," Lucius glared such daggers at his old friend that it would have made anyone else tremble with fear. Severus only laughed harder.

A loud chime went off and Severus stood. "That's the alarm I placed on Draco's bed. He's coming around. Perhaps we will find Mr. Potter along the way."

"He's already down there, Severus," came the voice of Albus Dumbledore from his portrait.

Severus gave a slight nod. "Shall we? I know you must be eager to see Draco, and of course, Mr. Potter," Severus gestured to the door while looking smugly at Lucius.

"And people think I'm evil," Lucius growled.

"Why thank you, Lucius. I think that's the nicest thing you ever said to me." Severus chuckled. Lucius stormed off toward the Infirmary, leaving Snape to follow him. The discussion was clearly over.

As they entered the Infirmary, it was to find Potter standing at Draco's bedside. The Slytherin's in attendance were spread around him like a security detachment. Draco's eyes were just fluttering open.

"Potter, I must be in hell to see you when I wake. Why are you always the source of my pain? Isn't it high time you did the world a favor and dropped dead?" Draco hissed out angrily. "Most heroes at least have the sense to do themselves in, if they aren't intelligent, to go out in a blaze of glory in battle."

Harry took a step back, amazed at the clear hatred that resonated in each of Draco's carefully measured words. Their battles had always been of a more childish nature. When had Malfoy become so bitter? Even as he tried to fathom the answer to that, Draco arched his back and gasped for air.

Madame Pomfrey appeared out of nowhere and pushed him back. "Mr. Potter, I think it would be best if you left."

Harry seemed to stumble backwards. Madame Pomfrey had always been so kind to him. True, she could be rather brash, but this?

An odd feeling washed over Lucius as he watched both his son and the Medi-witch lash out at the… young man in front of him.

"Draco, that's enough," Lucius said breaking the suddenly, oppressive and sudden silence.

"Father, don't tell me you believe that rubbish that stupid excuse for a teacher was spouting." Draco spat and then hissed as a fresh wave of pain crashed over him.

"Whether I believe it or not, is not the issue. The fact remains that you have obviously been cursed by a spell that neither Severus nor I recognize. And even in the short time I have been here, I have witnessed what seems to be a direct connection between your temper and your pain. So, I suggest you stop acting so emotional, as if you were a simple commoner, and get a grip on yourself and act like a proper Malfoy!" Lucius was horrified that Draco was so out of control. It was one thing behind closed doors, but quite another in front of so many witnesses. Thank Merlin so many of them were Slytherins. Unfortunately, by the same token they might take it upon themselves to retell the tale to their families, which would only add to their current level of disgrace in polite wizarding society.

"I don't know what came over me, father. It must be the company," Draco said with false sincerity to start, and finished by giving Harry a dirty look.

Freefall Ch. 6

There was an awkward silence where the parties involved, Lucius, Draco and Harry gave each other searching looks. No one seemed to know what to say. At long last, Severus spoke up. "Everyone please return to your dorms."

Madame Pomfrey gave him a smile. "Thank you. Mr. Malfoy needs his rest. Please do not tire him out." She closed a curtain around the four of them and suddenly the awkward silence was magnified by two. That is, until Headmistress McGonagall entered, and it went up a notch. Harry bit back a sigh.

"Oh good, you're all here. I ran into Miss Granger. We believe we have a lead as to what this curse is," she looked very pleased with herself. Although Harry suspected it had been Hermione who'd done all the work. He wasn't too shocked it hadn't taken very long; after all Hermione probably had the library fairly well memorized by now.

"Well?" Snape hissed.

"Oh. It's the Corporis Sui Expera Discordia Ex Vitae curse or the Disembodied Dissension of the Departed Hex. Or, so we believe." She pulled a parchment out of her pocket with a tight lipped frown. "That theory remains to be tested, of course."

"The what curse?" Harry asked, in confusion.

Lucius explained, "It's a very old curse, spoken of only in legend. This curse may be cast only when a relation of a departed one is unhappy, not only with the means of their death, but their home life as well. It can be cast by one who, through their interference, causes soul mates to be bound. The result being the source of the unhappiness, which in this case would be Draco, suffers greatly. The entire spell is powered by negative ancestral magic."

"So, he won't die?" Harry asked with relief.

"Actually, it's never gone that far. Usually this spell was done by… say a mother who wanted her daughter to marry for love instead of by arranged marriage as was done in the old days. She would pick an unhappy ancestor to use as a power source and cast it. This then forced the family's hand, or the male members of the family, to succumb to the will of the female members of the household."

"It was considered a very romantic thing to do at the time," McGonagall added. "It was often faked by the female head of household with the simple swoon at the very mention of an arranged marriage, leading to the rest of the family to believe she was affected by the hex without necessarily being under it."

But, Harry barely heard the added explanation. This was the first time Lucius Malfoy had spoken to him without yelling or hatred in his voice and he was feeling rather unsettled by it. The man's voice was rather silky and calming when he acted normally. Harry frowned, pushing the thought aside to examine later.

"So, you're saying that Voldemort cast this on me because I didn't care for the way mother died or how father acts as a single parent?" Draco gasped.

Severus folded his arms over his chest. "More than likely, he had it in effect so that the heir would suffer should the parents ever betray him. There might be other such spells in effect on other children of prominent households."

Harry and McGonagall exchanged a glance, undoubtedly both thinking… death eater households. But neither said anything. Poppy suddenly bustled in. "I think it’s time Mr. Malfoy got some rest. You may all come back later."

McGonagall looked sharply at Harry. "It's getting close to lunch time. Why don’t you go down to the Great Hall? For Merlin's sake, try to eat something this time?"

Lucius and Severus moved away, undoubtedly headed for the dungeons. Harry looked up at the Headmistress seriously, "How long until we know for sure that's what the curse is?"

"Shortly, Mr. Potter, have patience, these things take time!" Harry nodded; obviously, the Headmistress was also under pressure to get this sorted out. He hurried off to the Great Hall, eager to catch Hermione and Ron up on what was happening. Maybe they had come up with a solution.

Harry had not gone far when he heard two familiar voices ahead of him, that of the Potions Master and Lucius Malfoy. He slowed down and walked quietly, hoping to catch a snippet of their conversation.

"But, why would he do this, Severus?" Lucius was asking in a hushed tone.

"Obviously, he wanted to ensure that those who were torn between family loyalties and devotion to the cause remained untainted. Otherwise, he'd simply kill off one of the parents."

"How did he know the children would be miserable?" Lucius asked.

"All children born to aristocracy are prone to be doted on by one parent or the other. Rarely do the spouses get along because they are too hardened by mistrust, and passion is non-existent."

"How does someone who has never married know all this pray tell?" Lucius sounded intrigued.

"Because, I've had the opportunity to stand outside and observe the process in action; why do you think I prefer young girls without marriage on their minds, instead?"

"Hmm. What if this prediction is true? What would you do in my place?"

"Cyanide, I'd sooner die than be bonded to Potter."

That goes both ways. Harry thought, as he lost track of their conversation. But, it did leave another troubling thought. No, make that two. First, why hadn't he thought of offing himself at the first thought of being stuck with Mr. Malfoy? Secondly and perhaps even more disturbing… why hadn't Mr. Malfoy?

He walked slowly to the Great Hall as that thought tumbled together with an earlier one. Why had Mr. Malfoy's voice been so appealing when they were not exchanging death threats or such? Did he like Mr. Malfoy? No, no way, no how.

He shook his head vehemently, as if to rid the thought from his very brain.

"I never knew you were gay, Harry."

Harry spun around, startled. "Who's there?" His wand was already out and ready.

"It's just me, Harry." Neville came up from behind him.

Pocketing his wand, Harry relaxed, "Oh hi, Neville." Remembering what his dorm mate asked he stopped in his tracks. "What makes you think I'm gay?"

Neville smiled. "Well, if your soul mate is a man then you must be, right?"

"But, I've dated girls." Harry protested weakly, feeling sick to his stomach.

Longbottom laughed. "Right, and they all went so well. Come on, Harry. Even I do better with my dates than you do. I suppose we should have seen it all along the way you drooled after Oliver all those years."

"What? I did not!" Harry protested before his face fell, suddenly lined with confusion. "Did I?"

Neville shook his head and began to walk, pushing Harry gently by the shoulder. "I know you've been busy saving the world and all, but do you mean to tell me you haven't even figured this out yet?"

"Err, well, I just figured I wouldn't live. And if I did, I'd settle down, get married and have kids like everyone expected of me." Harry shrugged. "You mean you didn't expect that?"

Neville laughed again, removing his hand. "No, Harry. I always thought that after you won you and one of the Weasley twins would hook up, or maybe you'd chase down Oliver."

"Fred? George?" Harry gulped. "You mean to tell me –"

"You didn't know?" Neville asked in disbelief. "Wow, I know Hermione and Ron sheltered you but, oh man. They were legends in the locker room. How could you be on the same team and not know?"

Harry merely gaped like a fish. Neville continued to laugh and pushed Harry into a seat at the Gryffindor table. But, Harry had lost his appetite, not that he'd had much of one to start with anyhow.

Freefall Ch. 7

The sudden thud of a book on the table woke Harry out of his stupor to the presence of Hermione and Ron arriving. Ron looked unhappy, while Hermione looked pleased with herself. "So, did you talk with the Headmistress?" Hermione asked smugly.

"Oh yeah, right, thanks for figuring it out, Hermione," Harry replied, staring down into his food and playing with it listlessly.

"I helped, too," Ron snapped irritably.

"Yes, you did," Hermione spared a glance his way with a smile before rounding back on Harry. "Did you do the potion yet?"

"What potion?" Harry frowned, staring up at her in confusion.

Hermione huffed impatiently. "The soul mates potion, silly! Didn't Snape brew it yet? I thought for sure by now you'd have taken it!"

"Oh, that," Harry turned his attention back to his food. "They're going to work on it now, I think."

"They who?" Ron asked.

"Snape and Mr. Malfoy," Harry replied with a sigh.

"Honestly, I think you had better start thinking of him as Lucius, don't you?" Hermione said indignantly. "After all, you're probably going to be bonded. There's no way he'll allow his son to keep suffering or possibly die!"

Ron looked green. Harry put down his fork. "You want me to do this?"

"I don't see where you have a choice. Of course, I had hoped to find one. But, when I read about the curse, well, you can see where I had to change my stance. At least, I was mature enough to do so." She glared at Ron. But, since he wasn't paying attention anyway, it lost something in the translation.

Harry shook his head at her change in attitude. After a bit, he said, "I got to see Malfoy."

"Which one?" Hermione asked pointedly.

"The ferret," Harry smiled, but it fell soon after. "He's not doing so well. It's made him even nastier."

"Is that even possible?" Ron asked his eyes going wide.

The other tables began to fill in, and Harry was aware of the sheer volumes of stares and whispers pointed his way. "A week ago they all loved me. Today it’s back to the whispering again. Does it ever END WITH YOU PEOPLE?" Harry's voice rose along with his anger as he stood up. Hermione tried to calm him by putting a hand on his arm. But he only shook it off. "LOOK EVERYONE! HARRY POTTER'S GOT HIMSELF IN ANOTHER MESS! LET'S ALL TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING BETTER TO DO!"

Snape came rushing in at the sound of yelling with Lucius on his heels.

The crowd went silent as water goblets exploded up one table and down another while Harry tried to visibly calm himself. That's when someone made the mistake of whispering 'freak'.

Harry's head whipped around and his wand was suddenly pointing at a fifth year Ravenclaw. "FREAK? YOU WANT TO TRY GOING THROUGH HALF THE SHIT I HAVE?"

A hand reached out to cover his own. Harry was surprised to feel calm wash over him. He turned in angry confusion to see Lucius Malfoy. "Lower your wand…Harry."

Harry was surprised to find his wand arm lowering. "How?"

Snape waved his wand about the room repairing all the cups just as the Headmistress ran into the room. "What's going on here?"

"Mr. Potter had a temper tantrum." Snape explained coolly. "It seems, however, that Mr. Malfoy here was able to calm him down."

Minerva blinked, and lowered her voice. "He…he was?"

Snape nodded unhappily. "I was almost done with the potion, but it's practically a -

…foregone conclusion at this point," Minerva finished for him, nodding as well. "Nevertheless…"

Severus nodded once more and turned away. While the Headmistress went to work calming everyone down, Lucius looked at Harry. "Are you quite all right?"

Harry gulped, noticing the actual concern in the other man's eyes. He'd been certain all his life that Lucius Malfoy was like the Grinch in the old Christmas movies, with the heart that was two sizes two small. Had it just grown? And if so, why? Was it pity?

And, it was that thought which made Harry angry. "You think I’m as much a freak as the rest of them, don't you?"

"Of course he does, everyone does," the fifth year from before laughed. It was one thing too many. Harry's eyes flashed with anger as he turned his attention back to the student. Just as it had happened to Aunt Marge, so it happened now. The student stared down at his hands in horror as they suddenly began to swell. His buttons began to pop off, and his tie tore in two before he rose up into the air. The students around him began to scurry away while Harry stormed angrily out of the room.

Lucius could only gasp at the amount of power Harry had just casually thrown off. Glancing at the Gryffindor table, he was vastly amused to see the Gryffindors also seemed to be in shock. Turning to the Slytherin table, he noticed they were all enthralled with how it was being done. They, too, had noticed the power. It was enticing.

He turned sharply on his heel, leaving the Headmistress to deal with the ensuing uproar. It was time to see if he was indeed soul mates with one Harry Powerhouse Potter. Lucius smirked. Perhaps, as Snape said, there would be benefits to this, after all.

The aristocratic blond became lost in his musings as he went down into the dungeons. He was so familiar with the twists and turns he didn't even need to think about where he was going, instead relying on autopilot to get him where he needed to be.

Why had he never considered this before? Indeed, if only the Dark Lord had tried to combine forces with Potter, things might have turned out very differently indeed. Yet, it was pointless to ponder that now. What mattered was what Lucius could do with a powerhouse like Potter at his side. He smirked.

Today's little display was sure to spawn a flurry of notes and letters being sent home. This would only serve to let the public know that Harry was not washed up after the battle. Oh no, Harry Potter was, very likely, the most powerful wizard currently alive. And, if he was part of the Malfoy Dynasty then they would quickly regain the power and prestige they once had held before Voldemort's name was ever uttered.

Then again, there was the fact the young man seemed to respond to his voice and touch. It could make for some very interesting games in the bedroom. Lucius had always been a controlling man, and to control such power? To have it willingly submitted? Lucius forced back the wild sense of arousal that mere thought presented. It would not do to let Severus see him in this condition.

The man had already guessed far too much, Lucius realized with a grin. Severus truly was too smart for his own good. Lucius quickened his step.

Upon reaching the potions classroom he was surprised to see Harry already there, looking infuriated and breathing heavily. It was all Lucius could do to tap down his sudden arousal at the still angry flash of incredible emerald eyes.

"I may have to infuriate you often, Harry," Lucius purred. "You are a vision to behold of beauty and power."

Harry's mouth dropped open and he sputtered like a fish, blushing wildly. Lucius found the sudden flush of innocence and youth intoxicating, and closed the gap between them with a few strides.

He pinned Harry to the desk behind him with an arm to each side. Lucius then leaned in, pressing their bodies together. "Has no one told you how beautiful you are, Harry?"

Lucius chuckled, feeling the young man's heart beating wildly in his chest, "Pity."

Freefall Ch. 8

"There will be none of that in my classroom," Severus said sharply. To Harry, it was like a bucket of ice water, and he jumped. Lucius merely chuckled and pulled away. Severus glared at him reprovingly.

Lucius smoothed back his hair while Harry's anger was gone, replaced by complete fear, embarrassment and confusion.

What the hell just happened? Wasn't I mad at him? How did he do that? Did he just come on to me? Holy shit!

Severus raised a haughty eyebrow in his direction and Harry sat down in his regular seat without thinking. The Potion Master hid his laugh behind a cough. "Well, then. I have the potion right here. I need you to each drink a bit of it, then allow me to add a few drops of blood to your bowl. At that point, it will turn as clear as glass and reveal your soul mate." Severus said all this with disdain, as if this was some potion brewed by small children and the whole creation of it was far beneath his station. For some reason, Lucius threw him a withering glance, which made the Potions Master smirk. Harry shrugged it off as an inside joke of some sorts.

Reaching out, he picked up one of the vials of pink fluid. Eyeing it nervously, he closed his eyes and drank it all. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lucius do the same. Severus first cut his hand and squeezed out three drops of blood into the brass basin. He repeated the process with Lucius and a clean knife. Oddly enough he then left the room.

Lucius took Harry's cut hand and pointed his wand at it. Harry jerked, but then calmed, as Lucius merely chuckled before healing the cut perfectly. He repeated the spell on his own. "Oh, um, thanks." Harry muttered, feeling stupid.

A puff of red smoke spewed forth, forming a heart from each bowl and as it cleared, Harry sighed. In his bowl was a perfect reflection of Lucius, and in the elder Malfoy's bowl there was a picture of Harry. Suddenly, a picture of the twins having sex with other boys flashed through Harry's mind. Fear gripped him and he ran from the room to the nearest men's bathroom.

Behind him, Severus snickered returning to the room. "It looks like you've got your work cut out for you Lucius. But, if I know you at all you'll enjoy the chase. Just don't take too long. Draco is waiting."

Lucius smirked even as he strode purposefully out of the room. "Actually, I'll start with Draco. I should let our Mr. Potter have a head start." His laugh echoed after him.


Harry braced himself on either side of the sink. His face was wet from splashing it with cold water. He looked in the mirror with no small amount of panic. "Oh god. What am I supposed to do now? Mr. Malfoy is responsible for the death of my godfather! How can we be soul mates? But, if I don't bond with him, then Draco's going to be stuck in the infirmary his entire life, or worse, he could die and it would be all my fault! For Merlin's sake, I don't even know if I'm gay or not!"

Lucius Malfoy?

Harry looked about in confusion.

It's me, the mirror dear. Are you talking about Lucius Malfoy? He used to go to school here. I remember him well. So, you have to bond with him or his son is in pain forever. Does that about sum it up?

Harry looked right then left, unable to believe he was talking to a mirror. "Uh, yeah, it does actually."

Well, dear, it seems to me that you don't have much of a choice in the matter. Is there any chance that when he participated in Death Eater activities he was doing it in order to protect his family?

"Uh." Harry had never thought about it that way. But, he supposed if Lucius had not done what was expected of him, he would have been killed. As it was, Narcissa had died. Plus, the whole mess that faced them all now. He frowned. "How come you call him Tom Riddle?"

Oh please, I watched that boy go through puberty. He had a wretched case of acne. Although, he did come out of it with a lovely complexion, thanks to my advice.

Harry shook his head. This was crazy, but then again, everyone already thought he was, so what difference did it make? "So, what do you suggest?"

Besides a good hairstylist? Hmm. Well, try to look at the good points. Lucius Malfoy is rich, good looking…scratch that…he's sex-on-legs and single! He's fairly powerful, influential and has that Manor in Wiltshire, plus loads of properties all over the world. Oh, he's rather possessive, too. But, I know some wizards like that in a man.

Harry blushed vividly.

And don't worry about whether or not you're gay. They say the only difference between a straight man and a gay man is one kiss.

Harry's mouth dropped open.

If you do that down on your knees, he'll be putty in your hands, dear, or at least he will be when you're done, if you get my drift.

Horrified and embarrassed beyond words, Harry ran from the bathroom, determined to never talk to a mirror again and to use a darkness spell on any he ever saw in a bathroom.

Harry was running down the hall so quickly, he literally bounced off of Hagrid coming around a corner. Luckily, Hagrid caught him with one hand. "Oh, Harry! Running from that old Lucius, eh? I can't say as I blame you. If it were me, I'd be running, too."

Blinking past the shock of running into Hagrid and pushing what the cheeky mirror had said out of his mind, or at least to back of it, Harry smiled. "Merlin, Hagrid! Am I glad to see you! What am I supposed to do?"

Hagrid sighed. "Don't know as I'm the right person you aught to be asking 'Arry. Maybe you'd be better off asking Hermione. I'm sure she's got this all figured out, eh?"

"She thinks Ron and I aren't being very mature in our handling of the matter, Hagrid! Hermione says I have no choice. Everyone keeps telling me that. I don't know what to do!"

"Easy there, Harry. Try to calm down. I heard what happened in the Great Hall." He looked at Harry seriously, his large eyebrows furrowing together.

Harry looked down at the floor, clenching his hands into fists. "I'm just so sick of it all, Hagrid. There never seems to be a way out, or away, from it all."

"Hmm. Well, as much as I can't stand that Lucius for what he tried to do Buckbeak and Dumbledore, if he's your soul mate, I don't know what you can do. But, I can tell you this. He'd definitely be your way to get away from it all. Protects what's his, he does. Much as I hate to admit it. You'd probably be whisked away to that Manor of his every chance he got. That is, if you don't kill each other first." Hagrid chuckled at the last.

Harry blushed. "I don't think he has that in mind, Hagrid."

"Oh. OH!" Hagrid's eyes went wide. "Well, that puts a whole different spin on it. I suppose this means you really are soul mates, then?"

Harry nodded. Looking around nervously, Harry whispered. "I think he tried to …to kiss me earlier."

Hagrid blinked, blushed and looked away. "Err, maybe you should talk to Fred and George about this?"

"What, did everyone know about those two except me?" Harry asked in disbelief.

"You mean you didn’t?" Hagrid laughed, shook his head, and walked away.

Freefall Ch. 9

For once, Harry wished for the distraction of classes. He needed to think, and there was no way to do it with Lucius around. Eyeing the library shelves, he took down a book that he hoped had the information he wanted and began to read.

Soulmate (or soul mate) is a term sometimes used to designate someone with whom one has a feeling of deep and natural affinity, friendship, love, intimacy, sexuality, and/or compatibility.
A related concept is that of the twin flame or twin soul – thought to be the ultimate soulmate, the one and only other half of one's soul, for which all souls are driven to find and join.
Soul Mates and Twin Flames are not the same thing. Soul Mates are other souls that have agreed to connect with you on this planet for a purpose. In some cases, it is to clear up karma, in other cases it is to finish unfinished business, and for some, it is to accomplish a particular goal together. These relationships may be
a joy to be in or these relationships may be a pain in your life. Either way, they are here for a reason.

When Soul Mates first meet they sometimes feel as if they already know each other. They may feel very familiar to each other. Soul Mates can have a beautiful relationship together, but it will take work. Soul Mate relationships may last a lifetime and others may only be for a particular purpose and be temporary. You can have more than one Soul Mate in a lifetime.

Twin Flames are very different and very rare. Twin Flames are two people in two separate bodies that share the same Soul. (See ancient Greek creation stories)

Twin Flames meet each other in their first incarnation so that they remember the soul frequency of the other being. They are then usually reunited on their last time to this planet. If Twin Flames meet before they are ready they can be the total opposite and not at all compatible. When Twin Flames meet, and are ready for each other, it is the most enjoyable experience possible on Earth.

At this point, Twin Flames are almost identical. They truly compliment each other and it is a hardship for them to be apart. As an outside observer, it is sometimes hard to distinguish the two people. They also have a very strong bond and often have telepathy with each other. Their lives even before meeting each other have many parallels. Again, meeting your Twin Flame is very rare on this planet.

What follows below is the spell to determine if your Soul Mate is only that or is in fact your Twin Flame.

Harry fingered his wand nervously. What if he and Lucius were actually Twin Flames and so opposite from each other simply because they were not really ready to be together? Would it make any difference in the long run? Either way he was still going to wind up bonded to the blond.

No one seemed to be giving him any choice. As a matter of fact, everyone seemed quite ready to leave him to his fate. Harry doubted it had much to do with Draco lying in pain in the hospital, but more of a given that he would readily offer himself to save another.

His eyes drifted toward the window looking out over the grounds with a heavy heart. Was it just him? Was he acting like his heart was made of stone? It was so hard to think clearly. He just always pictured a time where he'd get some time on his own. Now, that hope was dashed.

Once again, his life seemed targeted. Someone seemed to have missed the message that his sacrifice was done, complete and over! Clearly, someone had it in for him. Harry sighed deeply and tried to think of any good points to the situation.

Well, he wouldn't be alone. But, he couldn't really move past the fact that Lucius was part of the group of Death Eaters who'd killed his godfather! So, that pretty much cancelled out each other.

Lucius was more than likely to place him up on some platform or pedestal. But, hadn't he had enough of that? Lucius was probably thinking in terms of what Harry could do for his family name. Harry frowned. That was a double bad item, no good in it at all.

His sacrifice would save Draco. Harry rolled his eyes. Draco, who couldn't stand him, who he had to convince this was a good thing and would probably spend the rest of his days being mad that Harry had taken up residence in their lives.

Harry twisted the situation this way and that. It made him tired, and he could feel a headache coming in on the edge of his consciousness. He used to see the world in black and white. Now, he knew better and could see the shades of gray. He felt as though there was no meaning to his life, just what was inflicted on him by others.

Surely, even if he and Lucius were Twin Flames, they would never live in perfect symmetry or harmony. If they were simply soul mates, who was to say there was not a better suited soul mate out there waiting for him?

Thinking briefly upon what had happened in the potions room, Harry had to admit if only to himself that even his sexuality was up in the air. As much as he hated to admit it, Lucius made him feel alive. His heart had raced at the mere proximity of the handsome blond.

The hardest part of the whole situation would be to let go out of his hatred. Strange, how no one seemed to think he was incapable of doing just that. He could almost taste how they all thought he was capable of such sweeping forgiveness. But, he wasn't the saint they'd all made him out to be. He wasn't sure he could let it go.

True, his hatred seemed to come and go. The hardest part was to realize that possibly in time he might forgive Lucius and, if he did, wasn't he betraying Sirius? Or, was it just that in its own twisted way, that was his last tie to his godfather?

Fighting back tears, Harry stared sightlessly out the window.

Deep in the shadows of the stacks, Harry was watched by one Lucius Malfoy. He watched the myriad of conflicting emotions over the young man's face. Swallowing back the taste of fear in his throat, he left the library to return to the Infirmary. Obviously, Potter didn't care how they might be connected, or for the prediction. It didn't matter if they even belonged together; there was no way Potter could let go of his anger.

The question now was would Draco only suffer for the rest of his days or would he slip away from him? Not for the first time, Lucius felt deep despair coil around his heart, constricting it tightly. Why had he even entertained the thought of going through with this? It wasn't as if Draco would ever approve and would more than likely be happy to die rather than have Potter in the family.

His emotions teetered backwards and forwards unyielding to any sense of logic. But, in the end, Potter's life was his own to give away or keep. Declaring himself a fool for entertaining any help from the Gryffindor, Lucius cursed himself a thousand times over.

While the situation is less than ideal, no one could deny that some attraction existed.

Lucius was surprised to find that bothered him, but he would hold his tongue while his emotions and thoughts kept turning, making it difficult to tell which way he was going and whence he'd come.

Freefall Ch. 10

Draco struggled to keep his eyes open for a long moment before finally succumbing to the pain wracking his body, closing his eyes once more. He frowned as he thought over the situation as he understood it. In order for him to be pain free, he'd have to accept his father and Harry Potter becoming bonded.

He tried to push the pain back. But, even though it remained dim and distant for a moment, the second he thought of how much he hated Potter, it raced back like a wildfire through his body. Inhaling sharply, he inwardly cursed at himself for doing it again. How long ago, now, was it that he'd made the connection between being mad equaled pain? Pretty much since the time he'd opened up his eyes in the Infirmary. Though pain was a great teacher, even it was having a hard time changing the thinking of nearly his whole life.

The pain twisted his body into an unnatural angle, cresting over him causing his body to arch off the bed. When it ebbed, Draco fell back onto the bed, panting for air. A small trickle of sweat fell into his eye making it sting. Blinking away the added pain, he was surprised to see a figure blurry but coming ever closer. The blond hair made recognition easy.

"Father," Draco gasped out in the steadiest voice he could. He tightened his fists around the bed sheets so his now ever shaking hands would not be construed as a weakness. His father pulled out a chair by the bed and sat down, casting an assessing glance over his body.

"It is getting worse, isn't it?" Lucius asked. But, really, the question was rhetorical. They could both tell the situation was worsening by the hour, if not by the minute.

The mere thought irritated Draco beyond belief, causing another wave of pain to shoot through his body. He trembled valiantly as he tried to ride the pain not wishing to be weak in front of the man whose sole opinion he valued above all else. His eyes were wild as he tried to hold back his natural reactions.

Lucius winced in sympathy. He'd seen that look before from full grown men who tried to brave the Cruciatus curse. Draco could not endure much more or he would go mad or die from the side effects to his body. Already, Lucius noted the blue tinge to Draco's lips and tips of his fingers, the shaking in his hands and arms, and the occasional gasps for air.

"What would you have me do, Draco?" Lucius asked quietly and in resignation, for when it came down to it, his son would have the final say over his own life. If he could not accept what appeared to be the only solution, namely bonding with Potter to fulfill the idiotic prophesy, then what was the use of going through the motions.

Or had Draco suffered enough to realize that it was worth any cost to his pride and feelings to have his life back? Draco looked away, yet Lucius could sense the sheer lividness of the glare that was being shot at the walls. He would not be surprised to see paint missing in the morning. "Mayb,e I just need a boost of power, a pepper-up potion or something."

"Denial, Draco, how plebian," Lucius commented tiredly.

A clearing of the throat made both the men look up toward where Madame Pomfrey was standing. Her hands were folded in front of her apron and she looked resolute in whatever she was about to say. "I regret to say that your son's magical core is draining away rapidly. His magical balance is clearly dissipated. It is now simply a matter of how long he can hold on while you and Mr. Potter continue your ridiculous games of cat and mouse. Despite all my predilections toward Divination in general, I advise that you bond immediately and that you, Draco," she shot him a withering glare, "accept it and move on. After all, it would be done to save your life. It would not be you trapped in a forced bonding."

"And, you see this all so clearly now because…?" Lucius sneered while trying to ignore how his son was once again arching with pain tossing this way and that at the mere topic of conversation.

"Because, I was not looking for a solution in divination, I was looking for one of medical reasoning. Since there appears not to be one, I have no other recourse but to conclude this is by some outside means. Logically, since it fits the description given to us by what I reluctantly admit to be an up and coming Seer, one must follow the course given to us within her prediction in order to stop young Mr. Malfoy's suffering. However, if you've come up with a better answer I'd love to hear it." Her voice snapped sarcastically and Lucius knew better than to go head to head with the woman on her own turf. He bowed his head slightly. She nodded back before storming off angrily.

Lucius rubbed his forehead tiredly while waiting for Draco's body to cease it's painful writhing. When his son's slightly clouded gray blue eyes looked at him once more, he shook his head regretfully. "Unfortunately, Draco, I fear she is right, unless you have another option?"

"Kill Potter once I die and consider the score settled." Draco panted.

Lucius' gaze was sharp as he studied his son's face for any sign he was joking. He was not. Reaching out, he smoothed the lines of exhaustion now marring Draco's tired face. "I cannot do that, my son. I will not let you go so easily, even if you are so stubborn as to hold onto your hatred until it kills you. Although, I must admit Potter is proving to be a harder conquest than I first thought. He also seems unable to release his hatred for me in order to save you; no matter how compelled to do so."

Draco's expression turned grave. "I will always hate Potter."

Lucius watched Draco's body twist in a new bout of self-punishment for his unfailing hatred of one Harry Potter. "Then, I will stay with you until you die. Is that what you want? Are you that much of a spoiled brat that even in your death you must be a martyr? You need to accept Potter. The potion has been brewed and, at the very least, we are soul mates. Would you want me to die as well, if the roles were reversed?"

Draco shifted uncomfortably, wincing in pain as he contemplated the question.

Freefall Chapter 11
Remus and Reason

Harry was mindlessly walking the halls when he was stopped short by a familiar voice. “I seem to remember your father doing this anytime he had to make a big decision. Perhaps it would help to talk?�

“Moony!� Harry ran to his old friend and professor, hugging him warmly.

Remus smiled at him as he stepped back to take a look at Harry. “Minerva was kind enough to tell me you might have need of me. Should we go for one of our walks? I miss those.�

Harry felt guilt fill his gut. Remus must have seen it cross his face. “Now, Harry, I didn’t say that to make you feel guilty. I understand that you’ve been busy with your friends and school. When you get older perhaps you’ll understand about becoming a bit nostalgic.� His eyes creased at the corners with his gentle smile. Harry sighed feeling the wave of love wash over him. Remus put an arm around his shoulders and they slowly headed outside in companionable silence.

Perhaps it was intuition on Remus’ part that it was necessary for Harry to get his thoughts together. Whatever it was, Harry was grateful for it. They walked a good bit over the grounds until they were facing the lake.

“If it’s any comfort at all Harry, I’ve never particularly believed in soul mates. Nor, for that matter, do I believe that we only have one person that we can love in our lifetimes. It seems a bit silly a concept when you consider we came from cavemen who would beat whatever attracted them over the head.�

Harry laughed, grateful for the ease in his tension. “There now, perhaps you can tell me your feelings on this matter.� Remus patted him on the shoulder in a reassuring manner.

“Where do I begin? I’m in a daze, stumbled and bewildered! This is just a roller coaster ride. It was easier to fight Voldemort.� Harry threw up his hands in a gesture of surrender.

Remus nodded seriously. “Do you have any idea what you will do?�

“Do I have a choice?� Harry sighed, plopping down on a large outcropping of rock.

“There are always choices, Harry. From what I understand, Lucius has taken to spending all his time with his son believing you’ve made up your mind. But, keep in mind you could be the best thing that ever happened to that man.� Remus caught Harry’s eye, trying to get his point across, but somehow, Harry just felt more alone.

“I need a moment here, and I don’t have it. The walls are closing in on me. There’s nowhere I can go for relief. I don’t think I can take any more pressure. How can that be what he needs?� Harry’s face was twisted in confusion while his leg bounced with emotions.

“Ah, Harry. Lucius has spent most of his life fighting monsters. He can offer you protection from the outside world, while you can give him someone who truly needs him.�

Harry shook his head.

Remus moved to sit next to Harry. “I’m not sure I can explain this to someone of your age Harry, but I’ll give it a go okay. Just bear with an old man. Lucius was not needed by Narcissa, who was a strong, independent woman on her own. Draco, like his father and mother, is rather independent himself. Unfortunately, they are all very cold as well. But, you have a need to be protected, sheltered and I’m sure that’s a fascinating mystery for him. There’s enough untapped love and passion between the two of you to bring you both to your knees as well. I’m surprised you haven’t felt any attraction at all.�

Looking away so Remus wouldn’t see his blush, Harry said softly. “It’s all madness. He’s old enough to be my father!�

“Harry, can you honestly say that you feel you’re the same age as your classmates?�

Expelling a large sigh, Harry stared down at his hands in his lap pointedly ignoring his bouncing leg. “In some ways I feel younger. They still know so much more than me about this world. But, in other ways, I feel like they are just an annoying bunch of sodding brats I have to babysit all the time.�

“Would you like to live careless and free, Harry?� Remus asked softly, placing a hand over Harry’s bouncing legs in an effort to calm it.

“What does that matter? Of course I would. I’d like to make a run for it right now, never have to worry about what the bloody press would say about me or if the Auror’s will catch the last of the Death Eaters or not. Sometimes I –“

“Harry?�

“Sometimes, I run away in my mind. It’s like a constant play sometimes. I just let myself drift, dreaming I was anyone else.� Harry bit his lip, fighting the pain welling up inside.

“Lucius would protect you and you’d finally have your freedom. His name would afford you that, as much as yours would give his family a measure of respect again. He could run interference for you with the press and the politics.� There was a pause before he continued. “You do realize it will be so much harder for you once you graduate don’t you?�

“What do you mean?� Harry asked nervously, looking up at Remus’ steady eyes.

“Everywhere you go, people will be calling out your name, asking for your autograph, for you to sponsor their products and to have their picture taken with you. They’ll be thankful citizens and angry orphans. Politicians who will be bowing and scraping for your support, only the walls of Hogwarts are protecting you now.�

Harry stood up, taking a shaky step forward. He’d never given it much thought. But, it was so obvious now. Up to now, he’d been lucky. His classmates had been irritating, but it wasn’t the first time, so he’d been able to pretty much shake it off.

“Why aren’t you against this?� Harry asked, looking out over the grounds.

“Oh, Harry, it’s certainly not what I would have chosen for you. I simply wanted to point out that there’s some light in the darkness. After all, as the years have gone by, I’ve come to realize that no matter what stop sign is thrown in your path you keep going forward, and that’s who you are. No one can stop you once you’ve made up your mind, Harry. Perhaps it’s the Leo in you.�

“My parents would have freaked.�

Remus laughed. “James would have, that’s true. Your mother would have been completely overcome by her concern for Draco. But, that’s really neither here or there.�

“I suppose I better go talk to Lucius.� Harry whispered.

Rising from his perch, Remus put his arm around Harry’s shoulder once more. “You’ve made a decision?�

“Yes, I have.� Remus searched his face, nodded and they walked together back to the school.

Chapter 12 Freefall

Remus and Harry walked together to the infirmary in silence. Remus didn’t want to push, knowing that Harry’s mind was made up and Harry didn’t want to think about what he was about to do. He was too busy trying to make himself walk the long walk to Draco’s bedside where he knew he’d find Lucius.

He had to search deeply for his Gryffindor bravery. It almost seemed as if all of Hogwarts looked differently. From the portraits to the suits of armor, it was almost as if he didn’t recognize it. He found himself immeasurably grateful for the weight of the arm settled firmly around his shoulder.

Harry stopped at the doors, summoning up the courage he knew he needed. Remus gave a squeeze to his shoulder, and Harry pushed open the door. They walked by several beds before they drew the attention of Madame Pomfrey. She looked at Harry with knowing eyes before giving him a tremulous smile. He nodded in recognition of it but felt unable to return it.

As soon as Lucius saw Harry, he gave Draco’s hand a last squeeze and stood up, knowing by the look on their faces a decision had been made. “Lupin.�

“Malfoy.�

Harry sighed at the sudden coldness in the room. “If we’re going to do this, I’d appreciate the two of you being on a first name basis.�

“Does this mean that you’ll do it?� Lucius asked quietly, as if afraid to break the sudden atmosphere of goodwill.

“Yeah,� Harry nodded, looking away from both men to where Draco was laying fraught with pain on the bed. He was asleep, pale, sweaty and shaky.

Lucius closed his eyes and rubbed one hand over his face; a poor effort to mask his obvious relief. A clearing of the throat drew their attention to where Poppy had suddenly joined them, to one side of Remus. “He’s starting to have some problems breathing. While I still cannot vow that this hex is what has caused his pain, I cannot help feel relief at your choice.� She smiled at Harry, patting his arm.

“It’s about time.� Severus said striding quickly into the room. “We should do this right away.�

Harry gulped, feeling his stomach rising dangerously close to his throat. Remus squeezed his shoulder once more. Lucius looked from them to the Deputy Headmaster. “I agree. Can you suggest an appropriate location?�

“Given how he looks Lucius, location is hardly a priority.� Snape glowered at Harry.

“While this may be a bonding of convenience, this is a rather important event –“ Poppy shot back, giving the man a hard stare.

“It doesn’t matter,� Harry muttered, simply wishing for the whole matter to be over.

“Harry,� Lucius reached out but Harry took a step back and shook his head.

“The Room of Requirement should do nicely,� Remus said firmly.

“I fail to see why we should waste time, Remus! Potter here is hardly a blushing bride waiting for the perfect wedding!� Severus looked ready to punch Remus in the face and only Madame Pomfrey stepping between them averted it.

“Gentlemen, please! I can connect the Floo in this room to the Room of Requirement. It would only take a moment.� She gestured with a hand to the wall that held the fireplace.

“Can Hermione and Ron be there?� Harry asked, feeling suddenly bewildered and unsteady again. He felt a need for his friends.

“I’ll go fetch them and meet you there.� Remus offered. Snape looked about to snarl something again but this time Lucius shut him up with a glare. Harry felt oddly grateful for that, yet felt a chill go up his back and crossed his arms over his chest.

Poppy made the connection to the Room of Requirement with a simple spell and Harry and Lucius walked through first, one right after the other. Harry was surprised that he didn’t stumble as he came out the other side. He heard the woosh of the Floo behind him and knew that Severus had joined them.

“Must we have this production?� Severus snapped irritably.

Lucius chuckled. “I believe this is what Madame Pomfrey pictures in her mind for her own wedding.�

Harry blinked, looking around. He had to admit it was beautiful. The room looked as though it was in the middle of a meadow and the walls were bewitched along with the ceiling to look like a perfect spring day. At the far end was an archway covered in red roses, the symbol of love. Rose petals created a path that led to the arch. On either side, curved paths of crushed white stone led to the places for witnesses. Under the arch was a white podium that resembled a short Greek column. Upon it lay several items that might be needed for such an event; a goblet, chords, a few bowls, and a large book. A few chairs made out of bent willow and laced with whisper thin fabrics of white fluttered on a soft breeze. Harry could feel the magic all around them, giving him a sudden surge of assurance and calm.

Lucius cleared his throat. “I never had the chance to ask you, Severus, to be my best man.�

“Well, since I must be here anyway, I suppose I can.� Severus replied.

Lucius chuckled at his reply before turning to Harry. “I do not know what faith you are.�

“Um, whatever you are works for me,� Harry replied. The Dursley’s had never taken him to church and regardless it wasn’t as if he could believe in whatever they used as a belief system if it allowed them to treat him as badly as they had. He started sharply when Lucius wrapped his larger hand around his somewhat smaller one.

Taking a deep breath, Harry tried to shelve the emotions that were running through him, but couldn’t help the underlying confusion it caused. He was grateful as the Floo whooshed once more and Remus stepped through, followed by Hermione, Ron and the Headmistress.

“If you don’t mind, Lucius,� Minerva said softly, while looking at Harry with concern.

“Of course,� he gave a small nod, then led Severus off to where they would be standing.

As soon as they were out of earshot, the Headmistress looked at him tenderly. She placed a hand on his shoulder. “I know this hasn’t been easy on you. And I hate to ask this, but I must. Are you certain about this?�

Harry closed his eyes and tried to ignore the urge to run like hell. He opened his eyes. “Yes.� She nodded primly and moved to the front.

“OH, Harry!� Hermione squished him in a tight hug. Harry squeezed her back, wondering when he might be able to do so again. She pulled away with suspiciously bright eyes, before turning to look at a very pale Ron.

“It always happens to you doesn’t it, mate?� He asked sadly. Harry wanted to laugh, expecting he should but it got caught in his throat somewhere along the way. Ron pulled him into a hug and patted him hard, nearly knocking him forward.

“Um, would you two mind standing up for me?� Harry asked hopefully.

Hermione’s face was suddenly filled with a sad smile. “Of course we will, Harry, won’t we Ron?�

“Uh, yeah sure,� Ron answered, then smiled. “Mum’s going to kill you that she’s not here.�

“Mr. Potter!� Snape yelled from the front, “If you are quite done risking Draco’s health, we are waiting!?�

Harry and Ron shrugged at each other, before Hermione grabbed Ron’s arm and they hurried to their places. For a moment, Harry turned his back on them all to regain some semblance of composure before there was another woosh. Remus stepped through with a smiling and crying Mrs. Weasley. Harry fell into her arms grateful for the solace and strength she offered. He looked up at Remus. “Thanks.�

“I’ll just go stand by Ron,� Mrs. Weasley kissed Harry on the cheek and bustled off.

Remus was about to follow, but Harry caught him by the arm. “I’d appreciate it if you walked me up the aisle. I think mum and dad would have approved.� Harry asked hopefully but his eyes screamed out that it was way too far to walk alone.

With a nod, Remus agreed, hugged him tightly, then they turned to face the others.

Freefall Chapter 13

Minerva pointed a wand at Harry and Remus. A burst of magic crackled over them both and their plain drab clothes were transformed into magnificent robes. Remus was wearing a deep dark blue robe that made him look regal. Harry was now wearing a shimmering silver robe with white ribbon trimming the edges.

She then turned to Lucius, who held up his hands with a small nod of thanks before transforming his own robes to a dark grey with silver trim, complimenting Harry’s robes perfectly. Molly smiled and pointed to Harry next. Remus chuckled next to him as he saw Harry’s hair was suddenly neatly groomed.

It was as they approached the podium that Harry realized two things. Firstly, he had no idea what the items on the podium were all about. And secondly, he had no ring for Lucius or even knew if he needed one. A heavy weight suddenly filled his pocket and he saw Hermione winking at him out of the corner of his eye. He sighed with relief.

Remus patted him on the back, alerting him to the fact he’d arrived at the front. He moved off to the side and Harry felt cast adrift. Turning, he saw Lucius looking at him with a soft smile. Oddly enough, it made Harry felt a bit better.

Minerva drew their attention. She began to speak, after casting a large protective circle around them. But, Harry was having a hard time focusing. He felt like he was barely breathing. Dimly, he felt and saw Lucius reach for his hand. It seemed to bring Harry’s mind out of the shadows it had slipped into and back into reality. She cleared her throat and began.
“Know now before you go further, that since your lives have crossed in this life you have formed ties between each other. As you seek to enter this state of bonding you should strive to make real, the ideals which give meaning to both this ceremony and its meaning.
With full awareness, know that within this circle you are not only declaring your intent to be bonded before your friends and family, but you speak that intent also to your creative higher powers.
The promises made today and the ties that are bound here greatly strengthen your union; they will cross the years and lives of each soul's growth.
Do you still seek to enter this ceremony?�
“Yes, We Seek to Enter.� Lucius said solemnly. Harry blinked. Feeling Remus nudging him in the back, he repeated the lines as well.
With a shake of her head, Headmistress McGonagall continued.
“In times past it was believed that the human soul shared characteristics with all things divine. It is this belief which assigned virtues to the cardinal directions; East, South, West and North. It is in this tradition that a blessing is offered in support of this ceremony.
Blessed be this union with the gifts of the East. Communication of the heart, mind, and body. Fresh beginnings with the rising of each Sun. The knowledge of the growth found in the sharing of silences.
Blessed be this union with the gifts of the South. Warmth of hearth and home The heat of the heart's passion The light created by both to lighten the darkest of times.
Blessed be this union with the gifts of the West. The deep commitments of the lake. The swift excitement of the river. The refreshing cleansing of the rain. The all encompassing passion of the sea.
Blessed be this union with the gifts of the North. Firm foundation on which to build. Fertility of the fields to enrich your lives A stable home to which you may always return.
Each of these blessings from the four cardinal directions emphasizes those things which will help you build a happy and successful union. Yet they are only tools. Tools which you must use together in order to create what you seek in this union.
I bid you look into each others eyes.�
Lucius turned toward Harry and they did as Minerva bid them. Harry was relieved to note that although he felt as though he’d just been hit by the jelly-legs curse, Lucius looked as strong as ever. He took some measure of comfort in that.
“Lucius, Will you cause him pain?
Yes.
Is that you intent?
No.
Harry blinked at the odd words but felt the flow of magic start around him as Minerva looked at him, indicating it was his turn. He was ever so grateful as Remus began to whisper the right responses in his ear.
“Harry, will you cause him pain?
Yes
Is that you intent?
No.
I ask you both, will you share each other's pain and seek to ease it?

Yes
And so the binding is made. Join your hands

She picked up the first cord and draped across their hands
Harry, Will you share his laughter?
Yes
Lucius, Will you share his laughter?
Yes
Will both of you look for the brightness in life and the positive in each other?
Yes
And so the binding is made.
She picked up the second chord and it was draped across the couples hands.
Harry, Will you burden him?
I may
Is that you intent?
No
Lucius, Will you burden him?
I may
Is that your intent?
No
Will you share the burdens of each, so that your spirits may grow in this union?
Yes
And so the binding is made.
She draped the third chord across their hands.
Harry, will you share his dreams?
Yes
Lucius, will you share his dreams?
Yes
Will you dream together to create new realities and hopes?
Yes
And so the binding is made.

She draped a fourth chord across the couple's hands, and another flood of magic washed over them.
Lucius, will you cause him anger?
Undoubtedly
Is that your intent?
No
Harry, will you cause him anger?
Probably
Is that your intent?
No
Will you take the heat of anger and use it to temper the strength of this union?
We will
And so the binding is made.

She draped a fifth chord across their hands before continuing.
Harry, Will you honor him?
I will
Lucius, Will you honor him?
I will
Will you seek to never give cause to break that honor?
We will
She draped the last sixth chord across their hands and tied them together, and said more of the spell that would bind them together.
The knots of this binding are not formed by these chords but instead by your vows. Either of you may drop the chords, for as always; you hold in your own hands the making or breaking of this union.
Lucius slid a ring onto Harry’s hand and kissed him on the cheek. Harry repeated the motions and nervously kissed Lucius on the cheek.

I declare by these witnesses and all the powers vested in me by the Ministry of Magic and this plane of existence that you are so bound.

Harry gasped as the last waves of magic crashed over them. Lucius placed a chaste kiss on his lips before he gave a brief nod to Harry and rushed from the room with Severus on his heels.

“I suppose he wanted to check on Draco,� Minerva said kindly.

“Of course,� Harry murmured but noticed it didn’t stop his chest from clenching just the same.

Freefall Chapter 14

Harry walked slowly out of the room in a daze. He was married. Married to Lucius Malfoy, of all people. Yes, he was scared. Who wouldn’t be? But, oddly enough, part of him wished there had been more of a kiss at the end of the ceremony. He stared down at the ring on his hand. A warm hand touched his shoulder. He turned to see the warm smile of Remus Lupin.

“How are you, Harry?� He asked, with gentle concern lacing his voice.

“A bit, well, I’m not sure how to describe it.� Harry shrugged.

“You saved Draco’s life,� Remus reminded him. “I’m sure your parents would be proud of your sacrifice.�

“I suppose we should all head to the Infirmary and check on him,� Molly said, arriving with Hermione and Ron at her side.

“Yes, an excellent suggestion,� McGonagall said from their other side and together they walked there. Harry sighed deeply, falling into step. It hadn’t escaped his notice that no one had congratulated him.


When Lucius and Severus arrived by Draco’s bedside, they were pleased to see the color had already returned to his face; a face which was covered with a furious scowl as he beheld his father. “You’ve done it. You’ve really, really gone and done it haven’t you? Married Saint Potter.�

“Draco!� Severus snapped angrily. “Your father just saved your life, you ungrateful brat.�

Huffing, Draco looked away. “I suppose you expect me to say I’m grateful.� He crossed his arms over his chest.

“I expect it would be too much to hope for congratulations, so that would be a small compensation, yes,� Lucius acknowledged.

“Far be it for me to rain on your parade, but I’d like to check over my patient if you don’t mind.� For once, Draco looked gratefully up at the medi-witch who’d just saved him from offering gratitude for something he found so bitter to swallow.

Severus and Lucius walked a few steps away before stopping and looking back while Poppy conducted her tests on her patient.

“What will you do now?� Severus asked quietly, so as not to be overheard.

“I’ll need to make an announcement to the press and contact my solicitors.� Lucius replied.

“That wasn’t what, or rather whom, I was referring to and you know it.�

Lucius turned away from Severus and walked over to a window to gaze over the grounds. “I’ll need to speak to Harry. However, he needs to finish his education.�

“As an official couple, you could stay here and make sure your heir doesn’t kill your new spouse.� Severus commented wryly.

Before Lucius could answer, he was startled by a voice interrupting their private conversation. “What will happen now?� The blond turned to see Harry standing behind him, along with his ‘wedding party’.

“I suppose that would depend on what exactly the hex involved.� Madame Pomfrey broke in to the discussion.

“Ah, so what exactly do you propose?� Lucius asked her.

“I would request, Mr. Malfoy, that you stay here until we can tell the distance, or rather closeness, that you must maintain to ensure your son’s health. It might not be as simple as your commitment to each other. Surely, you understand the need for treading carefully at this point in time.� She replied.

“A wise precaution,� McGonagall stated clearly.

“He can stay with me,� Snape offered.

“No.� Harry said firmly. “For better or worse, we need to get used to each other. Besides, I’m not exactly going to be welcomed with open arms back in Gryffindor house after marrying Lucius Malfoy and saving Draco.�

“Harry!� Hermione yelled. �You can’t leave Gryffindor!�

Minerva pursed her lips and looked at Lucius seriously. He gave an almost imperceptible nod. “Quarters will be prepared.�

“Lucius – “ Severus began at the same time Remus said “Harry.�

“Sometimes, a bond is best established by discovering things by themselves, together, alone.� Poppy interrupted.

Grumbling unhappily, Draco was trying to get out of bed, drawing her attention. She excused herself and hurried off.

For the first time, Ron spoke up with a serious look on his face. “Look, I hate to lose you from Gryffindor. But, I think I can speak for everyone when I say he wouldn’t exactly be welcomed with open arms. And, it’s going to be pretty hard for those that don’t know you to explain this to them.�

Lucius put a hand on Harry’s shoulder. “He’s not in any danger.�

Ron looked toward Draco’s bed. “You have what you want. How can we believe you?�

“Mr. Weasley!� McGonagall snapped sharply.

Holding up a hand, Lucius smiled grimly. “As you so eloquently pointed out, Mr. Weasley, I have what I want. My son is well again and I have a chance for happiness with Harry at my side. I will not betray his sacrifice in having to marry me.�

Draco joined their group, dressed and looking unhappy. “Yeah, Weaselby, we won’t let anything happen to your precious pal.�

Lucius nodded approvingly at his son as their eyes met. He placed his other hand on Draco’s shoulder as he drew near. The sight of the three together, gave the rest pause. They were a formidable sight. They looked determined and ready to take on the world.

Turning slightly toward Harry, Lucius leaned over and kissed him tenderly as Draco rolled his eyes before laughing at the rest turning pale. Draco turned toward the pair that now seemed to be wrapping around each other for the long haul, their kiss lengthening and deepening. He owed his well-being to the pair of them. Although, as he heard a soft moan escape from Potter he suspected it wasn’t quite the sacrifice they’d all thought.

Draco shrugged. At least it beat him having to be married to Potter to break the hex. And, it was that thought that finally made Draco Malfoy smile as he watched the great Harry Potter in freefall to the Malfoy Charm.

Who could resist it? Apparently, not Harry Potter.

Sure, it was going to be a long haul, but Draco had a feeling they’d make it. After all, Potter was now a …Malfoy.


THE END