Fallen
by Yih

Disclaimer: This is slash. If that squeaks you, avoid it and don't read it! It will contain possibly all the following pairings: HP/LV, HP/LM, HP/SS, LV/LM, LV/SS, LM/SS.

Beta'd by Blackumbrage.

Why Voldemort wants to wait until Harry is of age when he shouldn't care b/c he's evil bad Voldemort?  It's because he fucking loves Harry, and you do nice things for the people that you love. 

16: Endgame (May 17, 2004 to May 19, 2004)

Voldemort had told him that they had to wait until he was of age.  Never had Harry wanted Hogwarts to end as much as he did during the last spring months leading up to the OWLs.  With nothing else to distract him but his studies, he allowed Hermione to set him up on a punishing schedule where they woke up at the break of dawn to prepare for their classes and then after their classes they studied like mad for the OWLs until well… Harry even expected to get an O in Transfiguration as much as he was simply not that good at the subject thanks to Hermione's help and all that studying. 

Of course, Harry did make time in his intense schedule to continue on with his Charms theory with Professor Flitwick and his private Potions lessons with Severus.  He enjoyed those private study sessions more than anything else.  He learned more in them, and he learned new stuff in them.  It never really took him by surprise how much he'd known, but now he knew--- and well he wanted to learn more.  Wasn't that the point of Hogwarts?  He didn't want it to be pointless after having spent so much time and effort to get back here. 

"Add a little dragonwort, carefully," Severus murmured, as he watched Harry's eyes glaze over.  It would have annoyed Severus even more if Harry was the type that exploded his cauldron when he got dazed.  Luckily, Harry was gifted enough with a sense of timing that he never accidentally exploded his cauldron.  There, of course, were times that he did explode his cauldron--- but that was usually because he was trying to fine tune a particularly volatile potion and well… that sort of thing happened.  "Steady, now, Harry."

It was when Harry felt Severus press up against his back that he jerked from his thought wandering and was brought quite harshly back into the present.  He didn't mind it at all.  It reminded him, in a way, of what he was hoping to feel when he was with Voldemort finally.  The attraction he felt to Severus, he guessed, was an offset of Severus having a similar coloring to the Dark Lord.  Both of them had dark hair and intense eyes, though the lines on Voldemort's face were never as harsh as Severus's constantly seemed to be.  Then again, in Severus's eyes there lurked something that was missing in Voldemort's.  Harry still hadn't quite pinned what it was. 

Harry tried to mentally remind himself that this wasn't Voldemort, though the hard body pressed up against his back and his ass felt like his fantasies of Voldemort pressing against him deliciously.  No, this was only Severus.  No matter how attractive he might find Severus, he wasn't going to risk his future relationship with the man that he'd been waiting his entire life for.  Even if he did want to experiment with his desires beforehand, as not to totally embarrass himself when it came his time to be with Voldemort, he knew not to.  After all, how could he compete with Lucius?

Lusty and sensual Lucius who knew exactly how to make his Voldemort moan and groan with the most pleasure?  It wasn't like he could learn in one night what would please Voldemort the most when Lucius had years, decades even of experience over him.  But he would know something, even if he had to dig through obscure books that he stole from the Restricted Sections and read in the dead of the night when Hermione had even given up studying and had retired for the night.  When he came of age, he was going to do his best to give Voldemort the best night of his life. 

"Pay attention, Harry.  You almost added the bitterroot before you should have," Severus reminded him patiently, though a bit of irritation was beginning to creep into his voice.  Harry knew better than to not pay attention now.  He knew precisely how long he could push things before Severus got impatient to the point where… well he would raise his voice and that's when things got ugly.  Severus only raised his voice against… everyone not in Slytherin and especially Neville Longbottom if he believed the rumors, but Severus never raised his voice against him not since first year.  He knew better than he press his luck in that. 

"I'm sorry."  Waiting for the right amount of time, Harry added the bitterroot at what he knew as the perfect time. 

"That's good, Harry, very good." 

-

His OWLs were done with and he had never felt this worn out in his life than even when he'd been under magical exhaustion.  The scary thought was that the NEWTs were only going to be worse.  Thank god though, Harry thought with some relief that that was still a good two years away.  But now it was over and he could look forward to perusing through some of the books that he'd bought on his last trip to Diagon Alley when Hermione had been distracted by some books for light reading. 

All the endless studying that Hermione had forced upon him had been good, Harry grudgingly admitted.  It had kept his mind off of Voldemort and off of what was to come.  The time had sped by more quickly because of that and he was grateful.  That was why when he swept Hermione into his arms and hugged her tightly at Platform 9 ¾.  Not only was he going to miss her, he was going to miss how she kept his mind off the impending events… not that she knew they were coming, but still---.

"I'm going to miss you, Hermione." 

She smiled and hugged him back equally tightly.  "I'm going to miss you too." 

"Owl me." 

"I will," she promised.  "Maybe you can even come visit me." 

"Maybe," he murmured vaguely, but he didn't think that'd be possible.  He doubted that Voldemort was going to let him out of his sight.  Harry actually didn't want to be anywhere but at Voldemort's side, but Hermione didn't need to know that.  "I won't know until I talk with him." 

She nodded and smiled.  "That's fine.  I won't know anything until I talk to my parents anyway.  Maybe I'll invite you on one of the mini-vacations that my parents and me always take.  I think that'd be fun, wouldn't it be? You'd actually get to experience the muggle world instead of just learning about it in muggle studies." 

"I don't even see why he's even taking the class," Draco drawled arrogantly, placing his arm around Harry's shoulders.  It had taken that one rejection and a difficult talk afterwards for their friendship to be mended, but now everything was peachy and Harry was glad for it.  While Hermione was his best friend, it was nice to have another friend that he was close to.  And if there was anyone that understood what life was probably like with Voldemort, it was Draco.  "I think personally that it's a waste of time." 

"It is not!" Hermione exclaimed. 

Draco rolled his eyes and made a point to just ignore her.  It amused Harry to no end how the two of them always seemed to get into spats, though their arguments were more cute than anything.  The way they went at it reminded Harry of a dance.  Too bad they didn't get along better, they might actually become good friends.  Harry suspected the reason that the two of them didn't get along well was because of him.  And yet if he wasn't there, they probably wouldn't even interact.  As if Draco would ever be caught dead talking to a muggleborn if Harry didn't provide him with a good excuse to. 

"I enjoy the muggle studies class," Harry murmured softly.  "I think it's good to study something that you know nothing about." 

"You Ravenclaws and your endless pursuit of knowledge," Draco muttered, but there wasn't any of the trademark Malfoy scorn in his tone.  Harry was really glad that Draco was no longer pursuing him; he'd feel sorry to lose Malfoy's friendship.  It had been hard though, to convince Draco that even though he didn't see Draco in a sexual fashion didn't mean that Harry still didn't want to be friends with him.  It seemed that Draco took rejections in a double-folded way. 

"Is it so bad to pursue knowledge?" Hermione countered. 

"My father will be picking both of us up shortly," Draco announced.  He then pointedly gestured at an excited couple that was waving frantically at Hermione.  "And aren't those your parents, Granger?" 

Hermione gasped and started running off to her parents.  "I'll see you next year, Harry!  Remember to owl!" she cried.  "And take care of yourself!" 

"Good riddance," Draco muttered.

"You really don't hate her as much as you want everyone to believe," Harry remarked wisely. 

Draco sent him a withering look.  "You are insane." 

"Insanely right." 

Draco decided not to deign that response with an answer. 

-

Why did it not surprise Harry to find that Voldemort was not there when he arrived back home?  He had been exuberantly greeted by Nagini, but his response to her had been lacking enthusiasm.  When she had seen that he had no energetic response to her warm welcome to him, she guessed with unfailing accuracy what was bothering him.  It wasn't hard to guess, after all.  It had always been Voldemort in the end that got Harry truly emotional about anything.

{He will be back later tonight,} Nagini responded with bemusement.  {He was not pleased to be called away.}

{He promised to be here!} Harry exclaimed like a petulant child.

{He does the best he can,} she chided lightly.  {You forget that he is a Dark Lord and that as the Dark Lord, Tom has responsibilities that he must take are of.}

Harry finally nodded.  He knew that.  He knew that all too well.  {How have things been here while I've been gone?} he asked neutrally.

{Very boring,} she responded.  {All I do is sleep and eat without you here.}

{That is what you do when I'm here,} he teased.

She glared at him.  {That is not all I do!  I talk to you!}

{That is true, but don't you talk to Tom?}

She sighed.  {He has been very busy these past few months.}

{Even for you?} Harry inquired with surprise.

{Even for me,} she answered, glancing at him sideways slyly.  {But not for you, it seems.}

Harry had the decency to blush and it was enough.  It confirmed what Nagini had suspected for the longest time and what she had hoped for the longest time.  Her two loves were going to be loves for each other.  How perfect, she thought, how utterly perfect.

-

When Harry saw Voldemort for the first time in months, he'd felt a surge of desire shoot through his body and had seen the desire in him match the yearning that gleamed dangerously in Voldemort's own eyes.  So they felt the same about each other.  How they had been kept apart for so long and why they hadn't come together sooner, Harry did not know.  It would take too much to separate them now. 

Harry had known that when had come back from Hogwarts that everything would change.  He hadn't known how much would change, only that things would change.  He expected to lose his virginity and do all the fabulous things in the book that Lucius had given to him.  What he got was much more than that.  If he had known what Voldemort was going to propose to him, he would have been even more anxious and nervous than he had been. 

{This is serious.}

{I realize,} Harry responded. 

{The decision is up to you.}

{Did I ever have a choice?} Harry countered. 

{You always have a choice.}

{I don't think I did… or do.}

Voldemort narrowed his eyes.  He had thought he had made it clear that Harry always had a choice.  Had he been mistaken?  {Explain yourself,} he demanded.

{How could I have a choice when no one can compare to you?} Harry whispered softly, the reverence undimmed in his eyes despite the hardships that had taken place with the exhaustion and the arguments in returning to Hogwarts.  Despite all of this, their bond between them was as strong as it ever was.  Voldemort was glad to see this.  If things had been disrupted between them, Voldemort didn't know who else he could blame… but blame himself and he found that unacceptable.  {I fell in love with you before I even truly knew what love was.  What choice did I have but you?} 

{So you love me,} Voldemort stated.

{I love you.} 

{Then you do wish to bond to me for all eternity.}

{I do.}

{Once you make this decision, it cannot ever be reversed,} Voldemort warned, but knew that Harry wasn't the type to go back on a decision once his mind was made up.  When Harry spoke, his word was true.  He had not a way of deceiving his words into meaning something that he did not mean.  He was no Malfoy at manipulation.  {It will stand forever in time and in space.  A bond of souls cannot be erased or unmade.}

{I understand.}

{Then it will happen when you come of age.}  Harry smiled but then his eyes narrowed, narrowed only the slightest of margins but enough for Voldemort to tell that something was wrong.  {Something bothers you,} Voldemort said evenly.  {What is it?} 

{What do you plan to do of Lucius?}

Voldemort smirked.  {What Lucius?}

Harry smiled, that was answer enough.

-

A few days later…

Lucius scowled.  Nothing had turned out as he had hoped. 

Severus pressed his lips together.  Things were as they were meant to be. 

Draco frowned.  Whatever hope he had continued to harbor faded.

Hermione smiled.  Harry looked so happy, it had to be right.

Albus Dumbledore closed his eyes as he saw the doom of whatever faith he had had that he would be able to stop Voldemort and turn the tide.  Oh yes, the tide was turning and he should have seen what power Harry Marvolo had but he had been to blind to try to reach the one boy that could have changed things… and now it was too late. 

"Do you take the Dark Lord of the Realm," said a hushed and revered voice, "Harry Marvolo as your soulmate through time and beyond that?"

"I do." 

"And do you take Harry Marvolo, our revered Dark Lord of the Realm as your soulmate through time and beyond that?" 

"I do." 

"Then so be it." 

There was no clapping, there did not need to be as Voldemort bent his head down and captured his consort's lips.  Of course there were lips that were whispering of why the Dark Lord would wish to take a young wizard… a young wizard as his consort, but all this made sense when they saw the powerful merging of magic that sprang from them in a furious wave of outpouring magic as their souls bonded together.  It was truly a powerful thing and it made those in attendance take note that this bonding was only going to strengthen He Who Could Not Be Defeated. 

-

A few years later…

{You are upset with me.}

{You killed my parents.}

{You love me unconditionally,} Voldemort reminded his irate lover.  {You know what webs Dumbledore weaves.} 

{You do not deny what he accuses.}

{I love you more than my life, though I thought love impossible for one such as I before I met you.}

{Romantic darkness.} 

{Yes,} Voldemort hissed, reaching out to Harry only to find Harry withdrawing away from him.  {I had a good reason.} 

{What?} Harry demanded. 

{You.}

Harry shuddered and shivered.  There was something about the way that his lover spoke in parseltongue that got him too aroused.  {Me?}

{Yes,} Voldemort agreed, this time his hands managing to cup Harry's face to draw those succulent lips up to him.  {If I had not killed them, I would not have found you.}

{It does not make,} Harry gasped as Voldemort's hands snaked down to grope his groin, {their deaths justified.}

{I think it does.} 

{You are evil.}

{And you love evil,} Voldemort retorted.  {Dumbledore was wrong to go to you.}

{He does not think I am evil.}

{You aren't.}

{Then why is it wrong} Harry countered his mind barely able to think of a response when Voldemort's tongue was working its wicked way downwards, {for Dumbledore to try to get through to me.} 

{Because you are inexplicably mine.}  [NC-17 300 words cut.]

THE END.

Author's Note: Thanks for the long road this fanfic has taken.  It ended up actually making it to a conclusion when I didn't think that it would several times.  Thanks for supporting me and getting me to finish this even though I've wanted to quick like 3 or 4 times.  Your reviews did wonders.  Anyway, if you want the cut out scene (if you can't wait for it to go on Inkstain – available in about a week or so -) review and leave your email in the body or your review.  If you don't leave your email in the body of the review I won't forward you the last scene. 

Sorry, no time for response to reviews (cousin's over) so if you're lucky I'll be able to email the NC-17 scene by Sunday night sometime.  (Inkstain should have a full Fallen up sometime next week if you can wait).