Juuuust a little something, pure fluff really I just had this image in my mind and decided to write it. As a side note I have been rather busy lately, so don't worry I haven't forgotten about everyone. Actually I'm going through my archives (aka the very large files of work I have stored away) and I've come to the realization that I officially have way too many unfinished stories. Some of which are rather long and complex. I believe I've found a total of twenty seven documents in all- blehhhh. At this point I'm simply focusing on which ever ones catch my eye first. Twenty seven bloody plot lines are running through my head at any given moment gah- I'm worried for my sanity. I can literally remember the character development for each one and what I intended for them too, the mind is truly a wondrous thing. At any rate if you happen to read this and were wondering why I haven't put anything up for a while...well...twenty seven plot lines should be answer enough for you. I am actually working on them though so don't think I'm just sitting here twiddling my thumbs I just prefer to finish them before I upload them simply so that I don't feel pressured by the end of the story. Hope you enjoy this bit!

Mistress Slytherin

It won't stop.

Even as I sit here in a classroom full of noise all I can hear is you. Every time I blink, my minds image flickers towards you like a broken film. The sound fills my ears.

I can hear you breathing.

I can feel your pain.

Merlin how you hurt!

I don't want you to hurt because I know your suffering intimately. Because we are similar you and I, but I don't want to admit that. But I can hear it, the sounds of notes spilling from your fingertips as they slide across the piano, ebony and ivory contrasting just like you and I. Do they know this precious pain? I doubt you share it with them and yet it bleeds through me. I feel as if I have no right to see this and yet at the same time I have every right to listen to this.

Because you and I are very much alike.

Bellatrix, the one who claims to know you best could never dream of understanding these moments. When you are drawn up from whatever you're doing, when you stride out of the room down hallways and corridors to your secret weakness. It's a need and only two people know of it and one of them wishes he didn't.

Before I know what I'm doing I'm standing, before I know where I'm going I'm running.

Am I running away from the sound or am I running to it?

I don't know until my feet stop in front of the Room of Requirements and the door opens.

A piano.

I've never played in my life and yet here I am striding towards it with all the desperation of a man seeking water in the desert. My fingers tremble as they tap the keys and for a moment I'm almost afraid to press down. My fingers act before my heart can think and suddenly we are playing together. A duet across miles and miles as feelings rush from me, rush like a river, like rain, like time passing us both by. Suddenly I'm the desperate one, I play and I play unfamiliar movements yet they feel practiced and worn. Again, again, it's all pouring out of me, out of you, spinning and weaving until we're both sharing the same pain- until you realize that the notes spilling from your fingers are slipping into mine. Until you hear our duet. And then just like that, the noise that I so ardently wished to end was gone leaving an echoing silence, a void I didn't know was there.

"Harry Potter…" There it is, you breathe my name, like you always do and I cannot deny the power it holds. I'm crying though I don't know why and you are shocked to feel the hesitant half-formed thought.

I don't want to fight any more.

And then the moment is broken leaving me alone again with nothing but my heavy breathing as company. Slowly I stand and move away from the piano wondering why such a simple task hurts so much.

It is two weeks before you haunt me again, two long weeks of silence which hurts and burns deeply inside of me. I know what is happening, and I know that I am weak for not doing anything to stop it. When at last those two weeks are up I find myself waiting for you, watching the horizon for change until at last the black dots appear on both land and in the air. You and I are so similar, I can feel you in my mind now and I know that you know. You know that I don't care. You know that I've condemned this world to destruction by your hand. And with a shudder I realize that you understand my intent. Still though I hesitate, because your mind is screaming no into mine and my hands and feet won't move without you letting them.

I don't want to fight any more.

Then don't

But I'm frightened. I admit it freely now that I'm scared of you. Of what you might do to me. Will it hurt? Probably. I don't want to hurt any more.

I won't hurt you

My eyes snap open then because of all the phrases I had anticipated from you- that wasn't one of them. No, not in that tone, not with that hint of understanding. The black dot's are getting larger closer, I don't sound the alarm, why should I? Carefully I ease myself down from where I'm standing on the ledge of the astronomy tower and dangle my feet. There, it would only take the barest of muscle movements to send me clattering to the ground in a broken heap. Something in my mind tells me that I won't do it though. Is it you? Maybe. I can feel the heat in my scar and I can understand that you are near by. Are you one of the many black dots? A part of the dark cloud that approaches the castle? No…you are too good for that. You are near though, waiting. I wonder idly if the black dots will hurt me.

No. No one would dare.

That's right…I belong to him, isn't that what he'd said so many times.

Yes, mine.

I bob my head slowly. A short gasp fills the air behind me and I turn to see the headmaster standing there behind me looking out at the mass that is quickly approaching. Blue eyes are sad when they finally seek mine. I see in them the same acceptance that I have come to understand. He knows I will not fight. It would take a def man not to notice my recent silence and a blind man to miss my empty seat during meals and class times. His smile however is something I have trouble understanding. Slowly he comes to stand beside me his arms comfortably sitting behind him as he looks out over the magnificent view.

"There is no hope." I say confused by his calm. Dumbledore nods his head slowly.

"I can see that with my eyes Harry." He says calmly a faint trace of a smile hanging on the corner of his lips. I can't help but tilt my head to the side in wonder.

"You aren't afraid?" I ask troubled by his calm. I know you are listening now, are you waiting for his answer too? Yes, I feel you're slight impatient shift.

"No." The man shakes his head. "When you are as old as I am you come to several realizations, one of which is that the world is bound to change. It has before, and it will again." I nod slowly in understanding. Yes, the world would change and people will suffer, perhaps I too will suffer- but somehow I don't think so.

Any that dare harm you face me.

I shiver slightly at your possessive tone. I recognize it though as a glint of hope, there are very few things in this world that you count as precious and I have become one of them. Dumbledore is looking at me warily now his blue eyes twinkling with a calculating light. Slowly he moves his gaze towards the people flying towards us. There is no stopping them; I can see in his eyes though that he wants to…so dearly he wants to protect his school. He beams at me suddenly and the look of longing is gone from his eyes, he raises his hand in mock salute and I wonder if he is as mad as everyone believes him to be.

"To the end of one era and the beginning of another!" And just like that he is running and jumping off the tower his arms spread eagle as he welcomes death with a sick crunch that I can hear even from where I stand. I feel a shiver of annoyance from you but it is quickly dismissed as your people begin their attack. I can't help but find it all beautiful, they are well trained as they drop to the ground and swoop through the windows with explosive force. The castle will be overrun in minuets I can tell, they won't know what hit them.

Your escort should be arriving any moment.

Escort? I turn slowly at the sound of pounding foot falls and frown at the men and women that fall to one knee around me forming a semi-circle their hands fists above their hearts.

They swear fealty to the one I've chosen as my consort my Harry.

Lucius Malfoy issues a slight gasp and I know he's seen the way my eyes shift to red when you speak to me. I tilt my head to the side. Where do you want me to go?

The Great Hall, I will be there shortly.

I nod as you are pulled away from our link. Slowly I slid from the banister and stand. "He says take me to the great hall." I say softly. The inner circle glances up at me in shock before ducking their heads once more. Lucius Malfoy is the first to stand, the rest follow. He holds out his hand to me and I understand at once that he means to walk beside me. Does he seek favor from me already? I don't know but you send your acceptance and that is all I need to take hold of his hand and allow him to settle his other arm around my shoulder- protectively I come to realize as we begin our decent. No one would dare harm me with your most trusted men and women surrounding me.

"The halls are empty." I say conversationally perhaps simply to put the inner circle more at ease with me, I understand that it must be hard for them to suddenly have to protect me rather than seek to kill me. "And silent." I add wondering at the lack of screaming.

"The students are all in the great hall; our objective was to take over Hogwarts with as little loss as possible." Lucius is the one that answers me now his voice civil and to the point. I nod slowly.

Harry duck

I am down before the others know why and a green spell soars through the space where I was standing. The Order of the Phoenix appears once by one and I can't help but sigh. They hadn't taken well to my rejection of their offer to join.

"You traitor!" I don't' pay attention to them, not when I can feel you scanning me checking for hurt a snarl of anger reaching through me.

"Kill them." It is my mouth that opens but your voice that speaks. When I look up at Lucius I can see red eyes reflected in my lenses. You are here with me, you always were.

And always will be.

It is then that I understand why you haven't been playing recently. You've found someone who fills that empty void inside of you, because you found me. I can feel you bracing yourself for insult as the inner circle attacks but all I can feel is awe. I have never been needed by another human being; never in this sense, and never to this degree. I stand slowly and can't help the thrill of joy that rushes through me. Show me what it is then, to be the dark lord's most precious. You are stunned and silence greets me but I feel the shiver of anticipation that rushes though me and the dark promise that I will not be disappointed. Lucius Malfoy holds out his hand to me again and I accept it without hesitation. A small smile tilts the corners of my lips and I am left feeling more alive than I've ever felt before as we approach the Great Hall. Soon I will see you.

Soon.

You agree. The inner circle line up beside us in a practiced motion and push the doors open with a loud screeching sound. Gasps fill the air as Lucius guides me to the front I step up to the front where not one but two thrones sit and take my place beside your empty throne. I am struck again by my longing to see you. I almost don't notice the crowds of students filling up the room, I hadn't noticed them walking in because of the thick lines of death eaters saluting me. They seem to understand though. As I look over them now I see their understanding, their realization that I am not on their side. A part of me is excited by that, after all this was what they got for putting all their troubles on me. I never made any promises; I never wanted to fight you in the first place. I shiver suddenly and visibly. You're here… I stand without noticing as the doors fly open with the force of your power. You ignore them all. And so do I, how could I see them when all I see is you? Powerful, tall, and bloody hell hot! Your eyes are just as red as I remember them but your skin is alabaster instead of gray and smooth rather than scaly. Your features are more human now and your hair long black and silken flitting gracefully in the air behind you. You are striding towards me and I can see with a flicker of my own eyes how your muscles ripple under your robes. Suddenly you are here before me staring down at me a breath hangs between us and I can't stand it. Did I move or you? I don't know, don't care. You're surrounding me, holding me tightly, and cradling me to your chest because I am precious to you. If anything were to prove that to me it would be this…this.

"Mine." You whisper to me but I'm certain you wouldn't mind the others hearing you. No one would dare hurt me here of that I'm sure.

"Yes, yours." I say just as softly. You do not let me go as you turn to address the crowd, and I am content to lean into your side. A new era has begun.