Bonded

Summery: In his 7th year, Harry goes through a really rough break-up with his girlfriend, and then, what could be worse then being bounded to someone you hate? Will his bonded help him out, or will he make Harry as miserable as possible?

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry, Draco, or anything, which is related to Hogwarts, or J.K. Rowling's world. I changed some stuff in this fic, but Company Calls Epilogue did give it up to me and I have proof. Also, you should look at the last chapter of Company's Calls Epilogue, if you want.

Yes, I will be reposting everything, just because I have changed a few things here, and there, but not much at all. Hope you like it.

I'm saying sorry now for the bad language, slight fluff moments, which might grow into something more than fluff later on, and anything else you might find offensive about this fic.

Warning: slash, fluff, and others that now escape me, but will be up sooner rather than later.

"Talking"

'Thoughts'

(Flash Back's)

Spells

(Author's notes)

Now, lets get this show on the road...

Previously: "BLOODY HELL! BECAUSE, I'M NOT GAY, MALFOY!" Harry seethed, and clenched his fists tight at his sides. Later, he would notice the tiny cuts that resulted from his nails, digging into the soft skin.

Draco didn't say anything, but then again, he didn't have to, his face told it all. Harry watched him bite his lower lip, and look at the ground. If Harry hadn't lost all form of control already, he would have felt a stab of guilt through his chest. But, he didn't. He couldn't, he was furious. Infuriated at himself, for being attracted to Draco, angry with Draco, for bonding them; but mostly, angry with himself, for not knowing what to do.

Unable to come up with a better plan, he continued to yell. "I am NOT gay, and I don't find you attractive." Draco winced. "I never have. I don't know what the fuck was wrong with me last night," Harry laughed bitterly. "No. NO, I KNOW WHY I DID IT. I know why I kissed you, why I touched you," he paused to gather his thoughts. "I kissed you because I felt bad for you. I pitied you. I pitied you, because you're gay, and because you answer to filth like Voldemort. But most of all, I pitied you because you love me, and I will NEVER, ever love something like you. Never." His face was red with anger now, and he was standing over the other boy.

Draco finally looked up at him. First, his face displayed open hurt and betrayal, but in an instant, it was gone. Draco put up his infamous mask, and sneered at Harry. He gave Harry the same degrading look that he had given him every day, for the last six years. He stood too, and cursed the fact that Harry was about an inch or so taller than him.

"Prove it," Draco hissed angrily.

Draco quickly pushed Harry back on the couch, and before Harry had a chance to recover, Draco was on top of him in a flash, his hands against Harry's shoulders to keep him in place, as he started to kiss him.

…………………………………………………………………………….

"Ginny?" Harry murmured, his speech slurred from having just woken up.

"Yeah, it's just me," she said quietly, her hand stilling on his head.

Harry shook his head. "No… Not just you. You."

"Harry, that makes no sense." She smiled softly, and bit her lip to keep from giggling.

"I know, I know," he said as he sat up, and wrapped his arms around her tiny shoulders, burying his face in her hair. He breathed in the scent of her shampoo, and her perfume. Ginny's stomach felt like it flipped over at the contact, and she tensed briefly before leaning into his embrace. Finally, she broke the hug after a few minutes.

"What was that for?" Ginny asked, looking at him curiously, while trying not to laugh.

"That was for being you," Harry said with a smile. "And, for listening to me." Harry spoke honestly, and as he watched her face, he could truly agree with Draco, no, Malfoy's opinion. She was hot.

(Sorry for such a long preview, I just think it all needed to be said.)

Chapter Nine: The effects of being bound

Harry had spent the night with Ginny and when none of the girls found out, and Harry could happily avoid Malfoy, he decided to stayed with Ginny for the next two nights. After the first night, Harry left his room, nothing happened except many glares from Draco across the Great Hall, and during class. Ginny, and Dean as well, were there to help him through it. Ginny, and Harry did keep it a secret about being in the same bed, even from Dean, but they had been there happy for two nights. Not because they wanted to be with each other, but because they were best friends, and it seemed that, they both just realized that, the feelings they have been feeling were not of an intimate love, but a brotherly sisterly love.

On the third morning, Ginny and Harry woke up together; she opened her eyes slowly, and rolled over onto her back. Her arm collided ungracefully with another body, and Harry sat straight up with a panicked expression. Ginny giggled at his abrupt movements, and when he turned to look at her sleepily, she blushed, and her arms dropped slowly back down to the bed.

"Sorry," she conceded, and swung her legs over the edge of the double bed, and her low riding pajama pants displayed just about every bone in her lower back. Harry winced. He made a mental note to ask Dean about this, and find out if it was a recent development.

Ginny looked out the window, and the sun shone brightly, but the curtains around her roommates' beds were still tightly wound around the posters of the bed, revealing that no one else had awakened. She cast a quick silencing charm over her bed, and turned to Harry. "It's still early. You don't have to leave yet, but I'm going to take a shower, and you shouldn't stay too long, because if anyone in here finds you, I'm going to have a hell of a time explaining why you aren't Dean." She laughed at the thought of having to come up with a reason that the Boy-Who-Lived was in her bed.

"Does Dean spend the night a lot?" Harry asked curiously, and made Ginny blush.

"Um, no. I don't think so," she said nervously.

"You don't know?" Harry's eyebrows furrowed together, as he questioned her good naturedly, with a bit of amusement behind his eyes.

"O shut up." With that, Ginny turn, and flounced over the bathrooms. Harry laughed, rubbed his eyes, and stepped onto the wooden floor. The boards were freezing under his feet, and he walked quickly to his pants, which were crumpled on the floor. He pulled them on, and walked out of the room. He counted the floorboards at the top of the stairs, just as he had seen Ginny do the night before.

When he found the right one, and pressed the magic red button. The stairs glowed once more, and he cautiously stepped down onto the top step. Breathing a sigh of relief that the stairs were permitting him, he quickly descended. The common room was empty, and the large clock showed that it was only just past six a.m. Breakfast didn't even begin until seven, so most students rarely rose until right before then.

The corridors were deserted as he walked back up to his tower. The air was cold, and he shivered under his thin uniform shirt. He sped up, and rubbed his arms in a futile attempt to generate some heat. Finally, he reached the portrait, and stepped back into his common room. The fire was nearly dead, and the room was empty. The morning sun didn't shine through the thick curtains, and the air seemed to reek of ill feelings. Harry trudged through the common room, and over to the stairs. He climbed slowly, dreading a possible encounter with Draco.

As he passed Draco's door, he noted that it was closed tightly, and no noise came from behind it. He averted his eyes, and walked faster towards his own room. As he entered, he noticed that his freshly made bed did not seem to be very inviting; he could feel the chill of cold sheets against his skin, and shuddered. Opting not to go back to sleep, he pulled fresh clothes out, and stepped into the bathroom.

When Harry emerged from the bathroom , he was startled to find Draco waiting right on the other side of the door. Harry met his eyes slowly, and his own heart broke as he saw the raw emotion in Draco's eyes. Draco dropped his eyes to the ground. "It's about fucking time, Potter," he said angrily. His voice was cold, and had Harry not just looked in his eyes, he would have thought that nothing had changed from the years before. Draco walked past him with his shoulders squared, and defiantly, as he closed the door in Harry's face.

Sharp pains of guilt stabbed at Harry's chest, and his face fell. Why did the doing what was right have to hurt so badly? It would have been wrong to lead Draco on. Wrong, wrong, wrong, that's what it would have been. He tried to force all thoughts of Draco from his head, and turned to go down to breakfast. Grabbing his book bag, he headed towards the Great Hall.

Dean looked up, as his girlfriend dropped down next to him on the couch, where he was sitting by the fire in the Gryffindor common room. She kissed his cheek lightly, and then leaned back into the cushions.

"Hey Gin," he greeted her familiarly.

"Morning," she answered shortly.

"Did you talk to Harry the other night?" Dean asked curiously. He had been afraid to broach the subject with her earlier.

"Yeah, he was pretty upset." She cringed, remembering what he had allegedly told Draco in his fury. "He says he's not gay. He told Draco that, he also told Draco that he disgusted him, and that he would never love him."

"That's heavy, but did he mean it?" Dean asked curiously.

"I don't know," Ginny admitted. "He says he does, but I just don't know." Ginny frowned, and rubbed her eyes.

Dean wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and pulled her towards him. She twisted her body, he ended up pulling her upper half into his lap, and she opted to lay face up, across his legs, and closed her eyes. Dean idly twisted her hair around his fingers, and she sighed. He looked down at her, worried by her sigh, and then realized that she was happy, lying there with him. "Gin?" Dean asked softly, enjoying her closeness.

"Mmmhmm?" Ginny replied, with her eyes still closed.

"You know I love you, right?" Dean asked, and she slowly opened her eyes.

"I do," she said, and studied his face curiously, and he blushed.

"Good," he replied, and hugged her tightly, bending his head to place a soft kiss to her forehead.

"And, I love you too," came her contented reply as she nestled in his lap.

"I know," he said with a smile. Ginny sat up, and leaned over to hug him. It was an intimate hug; no free form sexual innuendos, (oh yeah, you gotta love the big words. lol…) but predominantly meant to show love; deep and meaningful love, and genuine affection. She leaned back, and situated herself in his lap, his arm around her tiny waist. He leaned forward, and kissed her lips lightly. At first, he meant that kiss to last only a few seconds, to be a passing kiss. Yet, as he pulled away, she wrapped a hand around his neck, and initiated much more than an innocent kiss.

She ran her tongue over his lip, and he parted his lips, granting her access. The kiss lasted only a few more moments, before she pulled away, and grinned cheekily. "Ready to go to breakfast?" Ginny asked him conversationally.

She sat up, and slid out of his lap, and he groaned at the action. "My God, Gin, why do you do this to me?" Dean asked in a halted voice. She smiled at him slowly; it was a genuine smile too.

She extended her hand to him, and rising, he took it. Together they walked out of the common room, as she replied, "Because." She paused for a moment for affect, before continuing with a smirk worthy of the Malfoy family, "Because I can, that's why."

"Well, whatever you do, don't stop." Ginny giggled, and pinched his side. He jumped away from her, trying to glare at her. She knew very well, that he was abnormally ticklish. She giggled again, and he picked her up, tossing her over his shoulder so that her waist lay across his shoulder, and her upper body hung down his back.

"Dean!" Ginny shrieked, pounding pointlessly on his back. "Put me down! Everyone can see up my skirt." The halls were deserted still, and she knew this. Dean grinned, and turned to look at her ass.

"No one can see up your skirt," Dean said with a grin. "There's no one here, but me." With that, he lifted the edge of her skirt, and pressed a kiss against the side of her thigh. She giggled, and then relaxed her body. Dean chuckled before he swung her back down to her feet.

"Stupid boy," she tried to reprimand him by shaking her finger like a teacher, but he caught it easily in his own hand, and pressed another kiss on the center of her palm.

Ginny felt her knees weaken as he lowered his eyes to meet hers. He proceeded to drop kisses on the inside of her wrist, her forearm, and then up to her elbow. She shivered as his soft lips grazed the inside of her elbow, and then up her arm. She hadn't realized that he had been backing her up until she felt the cold, stonewall hit her back. She relaxed against it, and gave in to his kisses, which moved quickly up to her mouth. He kissed the corner of her lips, and then smiled down at her. He dropped one last kiss onto her freckled forehead, and then pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, and pulling her into a warm hug.

"I love you," he whispered into her ear. He felt her smile against his neck, and once again, they continued towards the Great Hall; his arm wrapped around her, holding her close to him.

The two of them sat down across from Harry, who didn't look up at their arrival. "Morning, Harry," Ginny said brightly. Only then did he raise his head, as she saw that his eyes had a fresh film of tears, and her heart broke sympathetically. "Did something else happen?" Ginny asked gently. He had seemed okay when she left him that morning.

Harry merely nodded miserably, before turning his attention back to the eggs in front of him. He hadn't eaten a bite, only pushed the food around, letting it get cold, and inedible. "What happened?" Ginny asked, her request more like a demand. She wasn't about to give up that easily.

Harry didn't respond at first, and just before she was about to ask again, he began to about his painful morning experience.

(Flash Back)

Harry left the common room in a fairly, 'okay' mood, all things considered. He went out of his way to take an alternate path to the Great Hall, because he did not want to talk to anyone right now. So, he figured he'd best take halls that were rarely used; he was going out of his way to the Great Hall, when he rounded a corner, and was confronted with a sight that made him physically ill.

Hermione was pressed up against a wall, her legs wound around the waist of a boy whose face he couldn't see, but he knew by their hair color, that it wasn't Ron. Her shirt was undone completely, save for one button, and her skirt was bunched around her waist. They were having sex. No, they were fucking, and none too gently. Harry stood frozen, and unnoticed as she bucked against the nameless male. He watched as the boy leaned one of his hands on the wall next to her head, supporting himself in climax, and used the other hand to force her hips closer to him. Harry stood dazed, and it wasn't until Hermione let out small moan, that he snapped to reality.

He stumbled backwards awkwardly, and as luck would have it, right into a suit of armor. The metal body crashed to the ground, and Hermione and the boy, jerked towards him. Harry identified the boy as a seventh year Ravenclaw, Alexander Wilks. Alexander's face flushed deep red in embarrassment, and Harry mentally noted that Hermione did not show any sort of emotion. She was completely passive as she turned her gaze upon Harry. Her hair was messed up, and she straightened her skirt calmly after being lowered to the ground. She turned her body to face him as she buttoned up her shirt.

Harry stood there, his mouth unattractively hanging open. He was speechless; all he could do was stare at her. "What?" Hermione asked coldly. "What the fuck are you staring at?" She undid the clips in her hair, and then refastened them, adjusting the curls around her shoulders. "Are you stupid, or something? Go away." With that, she grabbed Wilks' hand, and they walked away. Alexander glanced over his shoulder, his face showing a good amount of guilt. The boy had some sense that what he had been caught doing, was wrong on many levels. Or at least, he felt some remorse for hurting Harry.

Harry stood there for a good five minutes, before he gathered up his discarded book bag, and walked to the Great Hall in a stunned silence. Upon entering, he saw that Draco had already arrived, and was sitting with Pansy, and that Cecile slut. They were falling all over him, flashing bits of their chest, batting their eyes, and pouting their lips in a way that might have aroused any straight boy. Harry stared with no emotion. When Draco felt the eyes on him, he raised his head to meet Harry's gaze. Harry felt locked by the stare, and in Draco's eyes, he realized he could see past the wall that Draco erected. Harry could see hurt, he could see pain, and he could see the effects of betrayal. Guilt stabbed at him again, and he ripped his eyes away. He felt Draco watch him as he took a seat at the Gryffindor table.

(End Flash Back)

"That stupid bitch! God, I hate her!" Ginny burst out after Harry finished his sad story.

"Don't call her that," Harry defended Hermione, out of habit.

Dean looked at him pityingly. "You've got to get over her, mate. Or at least, admit she's done you wrong, and deserves to go to hell," he told Harry. Harry raised his eyes to look at the couple.

"Was it my fault?" Harry asked; his voice cracked slightly. "Did I make her hate me? What did I do wrong?" His voice faded into nothing, and a tear traced silently down his cheek. He pushed it away in an angry movement that betrayed that he was merely embarrassed. "Oh God, Ginny. What did I do wrong?"

Ginny reached across the table, and took his hand. "You did nothing wrong, Harry; nothing at all. She's not worth you being so upset over." She paused, and then continued as an afterthought, "I'm not saying what you feel is wrong, because they are your feelings, and no one can tell you that they are right or wrong. I'm only saying that you did nothing to cause this, and you have no reason to blame yourself."

Harry didn't look up. When he did finally raise his head, his eyes were panicked, and he looked at Dean. "I'm going to be sick." With that, he rose and walked as quickly as he could, out of the Great Hall. Once again, silver eyes watched him leave, this time thinking something completely different. Draco was worried despite the way Harry made him feel at the moment. He saw how sudden Harry's departure was, and he saw the way Ginny's eyes followed him with fear and/or panic splashed across her features. Draco pushed Pansy's hands away from his tie that she had been attempting to straighten, and stood. He left the Hall in an equally quick departure. Ginny smiled slightly as she saw Draco follow Harry. She relaxed, knowing deep down, that the other boy would care for Harry, and that she didn't have to worry.

She turned to Dean, and grimaced. "I'm glad I'm not Malfoy, right now." Ginny had a very big fear of vomit. It was just something that freaked her out, and made her feel sick to her stomach as well. Not just the smell, but hearing the sound, and she'd be on the floor emptying her stomach as well. Dean smiled back at her slightly.

"I guess I'll just tell Professor Sprout he's sick, or something, she won't mind." Dean turned back towards his breakfast, and began to eat.

"Aren't you eating?" Dean asked Ginny, his voice filled with concern when she didn't move. He too had noticed her thinning body, and strange eating habits. "You hardly eat anymore, Gin."

"How can you eat after that?" Ginny asked, looking back at him, and motioning toward the door with a tilt of her head. "You know I hate vomit, I couldn't eat if I was starving." She made a face, and took a sip of her tea.

Harry had barely rounded the corner into the boy's bathroom, before he spilled the contents of his stomach into the nearest toilet. He hadn't really eaten anything, only drank a cup of black coffee. As he knelt over the basin, he felt a soft hand on his back, and something inside him relaxed under the gentle touch. Under the gentle ministrations, his retching calmed, and his stomach settled slightly. This person seemed to have healing powers. Harry leaned back on his heels, and rested against the bathroom wall. He raised his eyes, and was not all together surprised, to see Draco crouching by him.

"You okay?" Draco asked him quietly.

"No," Harry answered weakly, and tried to smile at Draco's stupidity.

"I didn't think so," Draco said, and sighed. "Here." Draco extended his hand, and motioned to help Harry stand up. Harry took it, too weak to have accomplished it on his own.

"Thanks." Harry smiled weakly, his face was rather pale, and his eyes were red, and shimmered with tears. Harry wiped his mouth with the corner of his robes, and then wrinkled his nose at the smell. "Sorry," he apologized. "I'll just be going back to my room then." He took a step, and his foot nearly gave out under him.

Draco's arm shot out instinctively, as he pulled Harry close to him, supporting the other boy against him. "I don't think you can do it alone," he observed dryly.

"I know," Harry replied in a broken voice. "I can't."

Draco just sighed, and began to walk forward. Together, they made their way back up to the their tower. Draco helped Harry up the stairs, and then helped him get into his bed. Harry looked up at Draco, and as he did, something occurred to him. "You healed me," he stated plainly. Had he been thinking clearly, he would have realized that he was not all the way healed; he did however, know that Draco had made him feel ten times better, with only one touch.

"Yeah, I know," Draco said, and sat down on the edge of Harry's bed. "It's the bond stuff again. I'm better at controlling the side effects that you had, because I'm the linkling, but it was side effects. That was the longest we've gone without seeing each other, talking, or really touching since we have been bonded." Draco paused. "I wanted to warn you about that sooner, but I never got a chance. I guess you found out the hard way, what happens, and it only gets worse if we're not near each other." Draco sighed, and stopped talking.

"Shit," was all Harry had to say to that. It was quiet for a moment longer, before Harry spoke again. "I'm really tired." His voice was quiet, and reminded Draco of a small child with the flu.

"I know that too. That's probably a side effect from all the vomit, and your body trying so hard to get it all out of you." Draco stood up awkwardly. "You should sleep, I'll tell Dumbledore what happened." Draco moved to leave, and Harry reached out his hand.

"Don't leave yet. You make me feel better," he said, as his hand dropped limply back to the bed, and his face reflected a pitiful little boy, who needed someone to care for him.

Draco sighed, and then looked down at Harry, who had captured his dreams, and possibly his heart, that day in June, when he came of age. "Alright," he said softly. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Good." With that, Harry fell asleep. Draco walked over to the armchair by the window, and sat down. He picked up one of Harry's books, which was lying on the small bookshelf next to him.

'Quidditch Through the Ages' was the title. "Typical," Draco muttered to himself, as he flipped to the first page. He had read this book so many times, that he had it memorized, but he didn't feel like getting up, and getting a book of his own so, he began to read it one more time as he started humming softly to himself.

And we stare each other down

Like victims in the grind

Probing all the weakness

And hurt still left behind and we cry

The tears of pearls

We do it. Oh, we do it.

Is love really the tragedy the way you

Might describe?

Or would a thousand lovers

Still leave you cold inside?

Make you cry…

These tears of pearls.

All these mixed emotions

We keep locked away like

Stolen pearls

Stolen pearl devotions we

Keep locked away from all the world

Your kisses are like pearls,

So different and so rare

But anger stole the jewels away

And love has left you bare,

Made you cry…

These tears of pearls

Well I could be the tired joker

Pour my heart to get you in

Sacrifice my happiness

Just so I could win

Maybe cry…

These tears of pearls

All these mixed emotions

We keep locked away like

Stolen pearls

Stolen pearl devotions

We keep locked away from all

The world

We twist and turn where angels burn

Like fallen soldiers we will learn

That once forgotten, twice removed

Love will be the death…

The death of you

All these mixed emotions

We keep locked away like

Stolen pearls

Stolen pearl devotions we keep

Locked away from all the world
...

That's it for this chapter people, and just so I give credit where credit is due, the lyrics are not mine, but are from the 1997 song, Tears of Pearls, which was on the début album of the same name, by Savage Garden. Unfortunately, the group Australian group did not last very long after their second album; Affirmation was released. They will be dearly missed.

Hope you liked this chapter. I told you it would be up quickly, and I made it long just for you people.

C ya next chapter.