Rating: this chapter: PG13
Summary: Summary is long, see full story notes for details.
Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and plots from the Harry Potterverse belong to JK Rowling and various publishing companies and movie studios. I am not making any money from this. I am simply doing this for the fun of it. Any plot devices and original characters belong to me alone and are simply a figment of my imagination.
Author's Note for this chapter: Getting serious.

- - -

Chapter 12


Last time...

Draco felt tears come to his eyes. Harry was dying, right before his eyes. He'd never felt so helpless in his life. He crawled across his body behind him and pulled Harry's head into his lap.

"Don't do this to me, Harry! You can't do this to me!" he sniffed. "You're my soul mate, I know that now. Please come back to me!" But Harry didn't move a muscle or twitch an eye and Draco felt such despair, like his heart would never be whole again.

It was at that moment, an explosion rocked the very foundation beneath his feet...

- - -

Draco clutched Harry's still form closer as dirt and rocks tumbled around him. A second explosion rocked the cave and Draco cried out in pain when a sharp rock glanced off his elbow.

"Your Highness?" Draco heard a familiar voice call out.

"Captain Zabini?" A second later, Blaise's dark face appeared before him and Draco sobbed with relief. "I can't wake him! He won't move!"

Blaise made his way toward them and placed two fingers against Harry's neck. He found a pulse, weak and stuttered, but a pulse none the less.

"He's alive, but barely. We need to get him back to the ship."

"I think it's his ribs. He said they felt broken earlier." Draco sniffed.

"Probably punctured a lung climbing up here. We need to get him back to the ship. Are you strong enough to help me?"

"Where are the others?"

"Distracting Voldemort, of course!" Blaise grinned as he climbed back down the ledge. Draco eased Harry's body down to him and Blaise draped the unconscious man over his shoulders. "When the next explosion goes off, run like hell. The ship is docked at the edge of the forest."

"What about you? You can't run with him like that, can you?" Draco asked.

"I've done this before. We'll be fine." A third explosion went off and Blaise pushed Draco into moving. Not even pausing, both men rushed out of the cave, amidst the laser fire and explosions. Draco spotted the twins and Hermione giving them covering fire from behind a grouping of boulders. Draco wanted to cry with relief at seeing them, but he held himself in check. He could fall apart later.

"Your Highness, duck!" Ginny shouted from somewhere behind him. Draco obeyed and not a moment too soon as something passed over his head. He looked up and saw The Dark Lord himself, flying around on a skiff. He saw Draco looking at him and smirked.

"Well, well, well. The Prince of Slytherin, here on my very own planet. Why wasn't I informed of this little bit of information?" Voldemort turned to glare at Crabbe Senior.

"I-I didn't know he was here, My Lord." the man stammered. Voldemort's glare darkened and the man audibly gulped.

"I'll deal with you later." he snarled. He turned back to Draco. "Come with me now and you have my word I will spare their lives."

Draco stared at him like he was crazy.

"You must think I'm mad!" he sniped. "I don't trust you or your word for both are meaningless."

"Pity. I would have treated you with respect."

"Yeah, respect for my arse I'd say." Beside him, Blaise gave an undignified snort while adjusting Harry's weight on his shoulders.

"Why quibble with the details. Do you yield?"

"Fuck you!" Draco shouted. Blaise spoke into his comm.

"Now, Seamus!"

A volley of laser blasts entered the clearing sending everyone scrambling for cover.

"Everyone back to the ship! Move your arses!" Blaise commanded. Draco needed no further prompting, taking off at a fast pace as the laser fight resumed.

He spotted a familiar looking ship at the edge of the forest and made for it, Blaise and the others right on his heels. Draco collapsed in a heap in the main hold as Blaise quickly placed Harry down next to him.

"Get us in the air, Seamus!" Blaise shouted, running for the bridge. The engines roared to life and Draco felt pinned to the floor as the ship ascended. Draco looked out the portal as the bright blue sky gave way to the darkness of space. There was a tense moment where no sound could be heard and then there was a violent jerk as the ship shot into hyperspace.

After some time, both Blaise and Luna returned to Draco's side.

"Are you all right, Your Highness?" Luna asked.

"Nothing a bit of rest won't cure." Draco smiled, tiredly.

"Let's get Harry to the med lab so I can look him over." she smiled. Draco nodded, getting to his feet. Together with Blaise, they got Harry onto a stretcher and headed for the med lab

- - -

The first thing he became aware of was the absence of the pain that had been a part of his life for the last few weeks. Sense of smell returned next and he detected the faint smell of medical supplies. He tried to open his eyes but they felt like they were glued shut. He gave up on that for the moment and tried to move an arm, a finger. Nothing. Pushing aside the panic he wanted to feel, he relaxed his muscles completely and calmed down. Once he felt relatively calm, he tried again. His eyes slowly opened, blinking in the harsh light of the med lab

"Someone turn off the sun." he mumbled. There was a shocked gasp somewhere near his head and the sound of breaking glass.

"Harry?"

"That's me. Anyone get the name of the comet that plowed into me?"

"You stupid man, you almost died." that familiar voice chuckled.

"I can't die, I'm too tough for it."

"Get some more sleep, Captain, before I force you to."

"I'm an invalid, Luna. Have some mercy." Harry managed a small laugh. She patted his shoulder as he drifted back to sleep.

- - -

When he next awoke, a familiar face greeted him and he smiled.

"You're going to be the death of me, bratling." Severus smirked, stroking a hand across Harry's brow.

"No different than our dueling sessions." Harry chuckled. Severus gave him a small smile before his face went blank.

"You scared us, Your Highness."

"I'm sorry, Uncle." Harry sighed, closing his eyes.

"Just don't do it again...your father is not above staking me if you become hurt in my care."

"He's your blood brother, just kick him in the arse." Harry chuckled as his eyes closed. Severus dark laugh followed him into sleep and he felt a kiss placed on his forehead.

- - -

Seamus, Blaise and Colin were sitting beside his bed when his eyes opened again. His gaze landed on Blaise first.

"You disobeyed a direct order."

"At His Highness's request, may I add." Blaise smirked.

"Thank you." Harry stated sincerely. Blaise only nodded. "So how are the three of you doing?"

Colin's smile could have lit up the sky.

"We're pregnant." Blaise grinned. Harry's jaw dropped in shock.

"You lucky sonuvabitch! Congratulations!"

"There's more." Seamus smirked, patting his own stomach.

"Dammit Blaise! You're one fertile sonofgun!" Harry chuckled. "Sure you can handle two pregnant mates?"

"I think I'll manage." Blaise laughed. "We want you to be our children's godfather, if that's okay."

"I would be honored." Harry nodded.

"All right, you three. Harry is still mending, now go away and let him rest." Luna berated the three men. With wishes for a speedy recovery, they left Harry to rest.

- - -

Over the next two days, other members of his crew came to visit him (discovering that Ron and Hermione were also expecting) except the one person he wanted to see. He asked Remus about it on one of his visits.

"Is Draco avoiding me?"

"He hasn't come to see you?"

"No."

"Odd...he told me just yesterday he was going to come down after dinner."

"Maybe he's avoiding me." Harry sighed.

"Any reason why you think that?"

"Things got a bit...tense while we were in that cave. But he kept a level head and I'm proud of him for that. I don't know why he's avoiding me."

"I'll talk to him."

"No. He'll see me when he's ready to. Just leave him be."

Remus nodded and quickly changed the subject.

- - -

Later that night, having enough of being cooped up in the med lab, Harry made his way to his room, intent on getting more sleep in his own bed. When he opened the door, he was surprised to see Draco curled up on his bed, sound asleep. Harry looked closer and saw dried tear tracks on Draco's cheeks and his heart melted. Not willing to disturb his rest, Harry grabbed a spare blanket and covered Draco before shucking his own clothes and easing in beside him. In less than a moment, he was sound asleep.

Sometime during the night, Draco turned over and snuggled closer. Subconsciously, Harry wrapped an arm around him and pulled him tight, placing a light kiss on his hair before falling back to sleep.



TBC...

I know I promised you this chapter a few days ago, but Derek (my leather-wearing gay muse) is being his normal bitchy self and is giving me grief over a fest fic I'm trying to complete.