Third Place - Angst

Three defeated Gryffindors made their way back up onto the ground floor. After Harry had briefly outlined what had happened with the potion master, he had been treated to a rare sight of Hermione Granger completely without a clue as to what to do next. Which, unfortunately, was not at all welcome.

"It's alright, you guys," Harry said to them as they stopped in a shadowed alcove just to the right of the dungeon stairs, out of the sight of prying eyes. "I'll just go explain to Draco what happened. You know, tell him everything. Then he can't be angry at Hermione-," Harry stopped for a second. "Okay, well, he'll still be angry, but I could explain to him that she was protecting me and that it's okay and so he won't tell his father or call the Aurors."

"Harry, you're mad if you think that sounds like a good plan," Ron said defeatedly.

"Well, it's all we've got, isn't it?" Harry snapped back.

"You could run," Hermione pointed out.

"Where? How? What am I going to do when it's time to, you know..." Harry started to make a gesture towards his abdomen but stopped immediately remembering Snape's words. "When it's time for me to give...birth." He was proud of himself for not wincing when he said it.

"Besides," he continued, "I'm not just going to run away and let you guys take the brunt. If anyone needs to run, it's you, Hermione. I refuse to see you get carted off to Azkaban. Why am I the only one who is worried about this?" he asked in exasperation.

"Because we are more worried about watching you fall like a broken doll down a flight of stairs again." Hermione's voice showed how upset she was. "It was awful, Harry. I heard your bones breaking and the crunch when your head hit the edge of that stair. I saw the blood on the stone and I watched as Draco started after you. I couldn't let him finish what he had started. I will gladly go to Azkaban, happily, if it means I don't have to watch my best friend be ripped to shreds!"

Harry's eyes were wide open in surprise. He understood now why his friends had been so urgent to get him to safety. Had Draco really kept coming after him? Would he have killed if Hermione hadn't done something? Harry stepped forward and wrapped his upset friend in his arms.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," he whispered. "I'm sorry you had to watch that and I'm sorry you had to make a decision like that." Arms tightened about him and then pulled away. Harry let her go.

"There is sure to be some sort of loophole, anyway, Harry," Ron said quietly. "I've heard Charlie talk about how sometimes they have to do unethical things to save the young Dragons or dragon eggs. Sometimes kill another adult to protect the young. I'm sure there has to be something like that in that stupid Act."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, you're right. And all I have to do is say that I asked for help and then they won't touch you," he said to Hermione.

"We had better get you back to Gryffindor tower and start making plans. We could try to get that warning system of yours up, Ron, and then make sure there is always at least three people with you at all times," she said in a businesslike manner.

"Hermione, I don't see how that is going to work. Besides, it will drive me mad," Harry explained.

"Well, too bad, Harry. You have to start thinking about someone other than yourself, now," Hermione said firmly. Harry looked down and then set his gaze on his friends.

With a sigh he said," Yeah, I guess you're right. This is really weird. When I knew that it could happen I never really thought about it actually happening. I mean," Harry looked down at his stomach again. "There's a baby in there, isn't there?" he whispered in awe. "It's just about too much to take in and yet, it seems like it's the most perfect thing that could happen." He looked up at his friends. Hermione was smiling softly and Ron was staring with wonder at Harry's stomach. "Is that weird?" Harry asked.

"No, Harry," Hermione answered. "It sounds perfectly normal for a perfectly unreal situation." Harry smiled.

"Potter!"

All three friends jumped as if they had been shot. Hermione and Ron moved in front of Harry, instinctually shielding him.

"Mr. Malfoy! You need to cease and desist! We shall find Mr. Potter without your screaming!" Madame Pomfrey's voice was shrill with worry. In the dark alcove, Harry and his friends could just see them coming into view at the top of one of the staircases. There were about ten or so other students who had been in the same corridor as the alcove and all movement and talking stopped as an obviously still enraged Draco came speedily down the stairs. Harry could now see that Draco still had on some of his Quidditch gear. He wondered why Draco had come looking for him without changing completely. Unless he had seen that Harry had left the stands. Oh no! Was that why Slytherin had lost? Had Harry's disappearance distracted Draco and he had not caught the snitch? No wonder he had been so mad!

"What is going on here?"

Harry looked a bit to the left and saw Professor McGonagall come striding into the area. She looked up and saw Draco coming down and Harry saw her tense her body as if readying for a fight. He had better stop this and fast. He started pushing past his friends but they held him back.

"No, Harry, stay here. Once he's gone, we'll get you up to the tower," Hermione whispered.

"I just have to explain to him-,"

"Get out of my way, old woman."

Draco's voice was cold and hard and sent a frisson of fear up Harry's spine. He looked out and watched as Draco came closer to their hidden spot. Just as Draco started down the dungeon stairs, he stopped suddenly. Then he carefully took his foot off the top step and turned towards where the three friends were hiding. There was a ghastly look of evil pleasure on Draco's face.

"I can smell you, Harry," he whispered. Harry was trembling in abject terror. "Come here." Draco's order restarted Harry's progress towards the Slytherin. But before he could come out of the darkened hidey-hole, Hermione and Ron both stepped forward into the light and faced the beast.

"Ah, the interferers," Draco snarled.

"Leave him alone, Malfoy. You don't even know what you're on about," Ron said in a forceful tone.

"Stay out of my way, Weasel. Harry! Get out here now!"

"No, Harry! Stay there!" Hermione called out. Draco lunged for her and she dodged out of the way. But Draco was faster and shoved her down. Ron came at Draco while McGonagall was shouting to stop. Draco picked Ron up by the arms and flung him backwards until he rolled up against a scared third year Hufflepuff.

Draco turned on Hermione who was just getting back on her feet. "Stay out of this! He's my sub, not yours."

"You're an ass, Draco! If you would just stop for a moment and listen-,"

"Listen? To the sounds of my bitch laughing at me behind my back? To him making plans to fuck the old man? To tell the school about it? Oh no, I shall now punish him for what he has done and for your interference. Harry! Now!"

"Harry! Don't move!" Hermione called out. Ron was finally on his feet but was being held back by a few of the other Gryffindors at McGonagall's orders. The Gryffindor Head of House was calling for Hermione to get out of there, but Hermione ignored her and faced down Draco.

Harry stood in the shadows. He wanted to obey Draco, his instincts told him that he was challenging a dominant and he had better move. But another instinct, the one to protect his child, was just as strong, and it held him in place, hidden away from the threat.

Suddenly, from the depths of the dungeon steps came a voice. "Move away from the girl."

Draco spun towards the sound and lowered the arm he had raised to hit Hermione. The smart Gryffindor took the sudden advantage and stepped away from Draco and moved closer to Harry's hiding spot.

Snape emerged from the dark mouth of the steps. Draco snarled.

"He's mine, old man. You threw him away and now he's mine!" Silver streaks were appearing on Draco's cheeks and his pupils were slitting.

"No, Draco. It was you who threw him away. Quite literally." Snape's voice was cool and calm but he was obviously readying himself for battle. As he came fully into the semi-circle being made by the growing crowd Draco held his ground. Almost in a sick parody of a dance, the two began circling each other, sizing each other up. Harry wanted to step forward and stop this. The teachers and students were frightened, Hermione and Ron were getting hurt and now there was going to be bloodshed all because of him. He needed to step up and stop this. But he couldn't. He wrapped his arms round his middle and watched in fear.

"He needed to remember who his Supero is." Draco's voice was beginning to take on the qualities of a growl.

"I doubt he forgot. You were the one who pushed him to me. Again, quite literally." Snape's voice was still calm but there was a definite roughness beginning in it.

Draco snarled and came at Snape. It was fast, faster than most of the crowd could see, but Harry saw it. Draco's hands went for Snape's throat and were almost around it before arms came up and pushed them away, using the momentum to force Draco back. The two spun to face each other again. Snape's eyes had now become cat like as well. Both combatants were breathing heavy and their muscles bunched in preparation of launching another attack.

"Stop this now, Draco," Snape called softly. His voice now in full growl.

"Students, get back," McGonagall called. Someone was smart enough to reach out and grab Hermione, pulling her out of the way. It was now just the two Slytherins and Harry, still hidden away.

"You just couldn't leave him, could you?" Draco snarled. "You couldn't let it be. You couldn't take the fact that I had gotten the sub. You fight who you are, but the instincts are still there. You had to have him, no matter what!" With the last word, Draco launched himself at Snape again. He pushed the older man back and Snape had to steady himself as Draco attacked again. Hands clawed at Snape's throat but he was able to again block them. But in the last moment, grabbed them and forced Draco down by twisting the arms and putting pressure on the elbow joints. Draco cried out in rage as his knees hit the floor. But just as quickly, he kicked out and managed to knock Snape to the ground. Again, faster than the full human's eyes could follow, both of them were back up and circling each other again.

"Draco, you're not using your brain again," Snape snarled. "Do you actually think that any of that drivel is true? Or is it that you just didn't want the child and needed to blame someone else?"

Draco laughed. "Oh, so now he's a child? What does that make you?"

Snape actually stopped moving in his amazement. "You are an idiot," he said quietly. He reached behind him and dragged Harry into the light. Harry cried out at being removed from his safe place. His hands tightened protectively about his abdomen. Draco growled at seeing Snape's hand on Harry.

"He's breeding." Snape's voice was cold. Draco's face began to fall in confusion. "Did you honestly not know?"

Draco looked at Harry, at the hands wrapped around his middle and eyes downcast in fear. He looked again at Snape. The potion master shook his head in disgust.

"Children. Children playing at grown up matters." Snape's eyes bored into Draco's. "You attacked and harmed a breeding sub."

"No, you're lying!" Draco rasped.

"Am I?" Snape's hand tightened on Harry's arm and he dragged him a bit further into Draco's line of vision. In a firm cold voice, he spoke to the Gryffindor. "Harry, tell that idiot what you have been doing. Tell him about your thievery."

Harry was so scared at that moment he didn't even think to stop himself from blurting everything out in front of other students and teachers. "I've been taking things that are soft and warm. I needed them."

"And what was the last item you stole?"

"Your scarf, sir. I'm sorry."

"My scarf. With my scent. You had it in your possession for sometime?" Harry nodded.

"What did you need it and the other things for?" Snape prompted.

"I needed to make a safe place. A soft place. I had to make it perfect."

"You were making a den," Snape stated. Harry nodded. "And where is this den?" Harry shook his head. He couldn't reveal that. It would make it unsafe. The hand on his arm tightened again and he winced. He heard Draco growl. Still, Harry shook his head.

"Don't make me repeat the question," Snape snarled.

Harry couldn't risk it. He could make another. "It's in the gazebo in the private garden outside Draco's room," he whispered. Draco's eyes widened in understanding. Then they looked down as his shoulders slumped in defeat. The entire corridor was deathly still. Not even a cough or scuffle of a shoe could be heard.

"You are still a child and obviously a reckless fool, Draco." Snape's voice was calm again and Harry sneaked a glance up to see his eyes had returned to normal. "You can not handle the responsibility and I have decided I can not place an innocent in danger. Potter will be staying with me from now on. I am taking him and you will not come near him. If you do, you shall suffer great consequences that will include your family and your name." Snape's voice lowered. "Do not test me in this."

Draco's head remained down and he did not move.

Snape looked up at the silent wide-eyed crowd. This galvanized McGonagall and Pomfrey and suddenly everyone was being ushered out of the area.

"Come, Potter," Snape said. He pointed towards the steps and with a quick look back at the defeated Draco Harry went down to his new home.

Indago - Chapter 46

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