wook77 | Fic Update - Voice in the Dark Part 3

I'm feeling quite productive after this weekend. In addition to a multitude of drabbles/ficlets for the

queerditch_pub group, posting a Harry/Seamus ficlet for

deliciantasy, I've also completed the next part of my WiP, Voice in the Dark. I apologize for the delay. I have no excuse except for the fact that I've been in an angsty mood and that's NOT the turn I wanted this story to take. I took a break, wrote some other stuff and came back to it, refreshed and re-energized.

Title: Voice in the Dark (Part 3)
Pairing: Eventual H/D
Rating: PG for this part, will go up to R/NC-17ish
Warnings: none?
Summary: The last thing Harry Potter ever saw was Draco Malfoy casting the killing curse at him. After he awoke, he discovered the Voice in the Dark was Draco. Harry begins coping with his new reality.

A/N: For those that missed the previous parts - they can be found by following the links below.

Part 1
Part 2

Read it below or at Skyehawke or at TheHexFiles

ETA: This story now also archived at The Wonderful World of Make Believe

“Oh relax, Potter, I have no interest in seeing your bits.” Harry could hear the eyeroll in Draco’s tone. Harry got out of the bed he’d just sat back down on and stood there, unsure of the location of anything.

“What’s wrong with my bits?” Harry blushed when he realized what the question implied.

“I wouldn’t know, Potter, haven’t seen them, remember? Do you want me to find out?” Harry’s blush deepened as Draco laughed at his expense.

“Shut it, Malfoy.”

“Did ickle Potty get offended? Come on, git, this way.” No assisting hand came out to guide Harry. Instead, Harry took a tentative step. When that didn’t result in any pain, he took another. With hands tapping the air, he slowly made his way towards the direction from which he thought Draco’s voice was coming. Another step and Harry gave a shout of pain.

“Fucking bloody buggering depths of hell! I thought you were supposed to help me. This is not help! Buggers!” As he was shouting, Harry grabbed the abused foot and hopped up and down. When his hip met with a sharp corner, Harry fell to the ground.

“Christ on crutches, Potter, can’t you even walk?” A hand grabbed Harry’s elbow and roughly pulled him to standing. “Now, why don’t you try again?” The hand left his elbow and Harry was left alone once more.

“Why don’t you guide me to the bath instead of letting me blunder about?” Harry sounded petulant and he didn’t care.

“You’re the one who keeps insisting on doing things for himself, so do them. I’m just here to make sure you rid yourself of your stench. Move, Potter.” Harry could feel a red rage sweep across him.

“Fine! I’ll do it myself!” Harry started back across the room, this time he didn’t hit anything else on his way. The sound of hands slowly clapping together filled the air.

“Very good, Potter. This way.” Draco’s hand put Harry’s on the door knob. Harry opened it and slowly stepped through. Draco called instructions to Harry as he felt his way around the bathroom, while starting the water in the tub and while getting a towel.

“I’ll leave you to it, Potter. Do try not to drown.” Harry snorted and then quickly undressed. Without the voice calling directions out to him, he misjudged how far from the tub he really was. With a strangled yelp, Harry fell into the tub, ripping the curtain from its hooks and splashing water everywhere. Flailing arms splashed even more water as Harry frantically flipped himself over and away from drowning.

“Potter, when I said try not to drown, I really did mean it. What the hell are you doing in there?”

“It was amazing. The tub moved and I tripped into it.” Harry spat back at the blond.

“Witty, Potter, very witty. I’m constantly in awe at your ability to toss a comment.” Harry stuck his tongue out in the general direction of Draco’s voice. “Witty and mature, my what a catch you are!” Harry blushed then jumped when a hand grabbed his and put it on the soap. “Scrub.”

Harry merely rolled his eyes and started to wash himself. It was as he reached further down his body that he realized there weren’t many bubbles in the bath and that he was probably sitting in the bath completely exposed. Rather than acknowledge this, he just scrubbed.

“Malfoy?” There was no response.

“Malfoy?” Harry raised his voice.

“What now, Potter?” Harry wondered at the slightly winded quality of Draco’s voice.

“Where’s the shampoo? I need to wash my hair.” His hand was guided once more. This time, as Draco let go, Harry drifted his hand along Draco’s palm. An inhalation rewarded his actions. Instead of remarking on the strange tension in the room, Harry grabbed the shampoo and started to wash his hair. When the first bubbles dripped into his eyes, he merely wiped them off. The next set started him cursing again.

“Can you do nothing right, Potter? Budge over, I’ll do it.” Harry tipped his head back. Draco rubbed roughly at Harry’s head as he finished working the shampoo into a lather.

“Don’t put yourself out or anything, Malfoy.” Harry winced as Draco’s fingers caught on a knot.

“I’m trying not to, lean back.” Harry felt the water pouring down his scalp and sighed. It felt nice to have someone kneading his scalp, even if it was Malfoy.

“I hope you can handle it from here. Towel is here, clean clothes are here. Can you remember that?” When Harry nodded, Draco left the room. After quickly toweling off, Harry reached out for the clothing. The silky feel to the fabric surprised him. Not wanting to think about whose clothing he was wearing, he quickly pulled them on and then opened the door. As he exited the bathroom, he was quite pleased with himself.

The pride continued as he made his way back to the bed without hitting anything. After reassuring himself about the position of the bed, he threw himself backwards. When he landed, it was with an “oomph” that was not his own.

“Dammit, Potter, why don’t you look before you leap onto a person?” Draco pushed Harry off.

“Good one, Malfoy, like I could.”

“Oh does the ickle Potty feel sorry for himself?”

“Shove off, Malfoy.” Just then, Harry’s stomach grumbled.

“Come on, let’s get something to eat.” Harry felt the bed shift under him as Draco moved towards the door.

“Wait up, Malfoy!” Harry pushed himself off and walked across the room, not colliding with a single piece of furniture. Draco put his hand on the door and Harry opened it.

The pair slowly made their way to the kitchen with Draco calling out directions but allowing Harry to make his way on his own. There were a few rough spots, including the stairs, but Harry was glowing with pride as they entered the kitchen.

The room quieted as Harry opened the door and entered. Then, exclamations and conversations started up all around him. Bodies pressed in on him from all sides. Random hands tugged him into unknown chests and embraces. With a frantic sweep of his head, he tried to find Draco to extricate him from the mass of Weasleys.

“Move it, Weasleys. Can’t you see you’re overwhelming him? Someone save me from Gryffindors.” When Harry felt Draco’s hand on his arm, his heartbeat slowly faded as the panic subsided.

“Like you’d know what was best, Ferret.” Harry recognized Ron’s voice. Ron grabbed Harry’s arm and tugged him.

“I know more than you, obviously, Weasel. Couldn’t you see you were scaring him? He can’t see who’s grabbing at him!” Draco tugged Harry back towards himself.

“But he’s ok with you, huh? Right.” Harry started feeling a bit anxious again as the duo fought over him. Ron kept tugging his arm one direction and Draco pulled him back upright. In all honesty, he felt like a bone between two dogs.

“Cut it out, both of you! Now you’re scaring him!” Thank the Maker for Hermione, Harry thought to himself. Harry could feel Hermione pulling Ron’s hand off his arm. She clutched it close to her chest. The other hand rubbed up and down his arm. It was driving him nutty as he was pulled away. Finally, he pushed the arms and hands away from him.

“I can do it my own bloody self! Stop fighting, stop touching and stop yelling!” Harry yelled at the group. The room became ominously quiet until the sound of sarcastic clapping filled the air.

“Very well done, Potter. Way to stick up for yourself!”

“Shut it, Malfoy.” There wasn’t much heat in his voice, instead, there was a note of amusement as he realized how very spoilt he sounded.

“Mrs. Weasley?” Harry twisted his head around as he searched for the woman that had quickly become a mother figure to him.

“Yes, Harry, dear?” There, off to the right, Harry turned his head towards the voice.

“I’m hungry. Could I get a spot to eat?”

“Of course, dear! Let me just heat up some of this.” Harry didn’t know what “this” really was but figured he would like it anyway.

“To the front and a bit to the right.” Harry nodded and walked towards in the direction Draco told him. His hands found the chair and he sat at the table. All too soon, the smell of hot food filled the air and when the plate was put in front of him, Harry reached for the fork. He found it missing. Before he could wonder where the fork went, it was poking at his lips. He pushed it away.

“What part of ‘I can do it myself’ is so hard to understand?” No one said a word as the fork clattered onto the plate. Reaching a hand slowly, he found the fork and quickly speared some mashed potatoes onto it. Thankfully for his pride, his fork went into his mouth and not onto his face. It clacked against his teeth as it went in but Harry congratulated himself anyway.

Harry could feel the weight of all the eyes on him as he slowly fed himself. It was slow going as he carefully aimed the fork into his mouth. Once, he jabbed a tine into his lip and he could feel a small bit of blood pooling on his lip. His heart was racing the entire time but he didn’t want to show his insecurity. When he’d eaten his fill, he stood up and pressed back from the table.

“Thank you, Mrs. Weasley. It was very good.” He nodded in what was hopefully the right direction and started back towards his room. As soon as he left the kitchen, he paused and caught his breath. He was much more anxious than he thought he’d be.

Shaking from the exertion and the adrenaline rush, Harry very slowly made his way along the path to his room. He stubbed his toes a few times and there was one dicey moment when he almost fell down the steps but he eventually made it to his floor. When he reached the landing, he realized that he had no idea which door led to his room.

“Second on the right.” Harry jumped and started to tumble back down the steps. Hands reached under his armpits and steadied him. Draco’s body pressed close to his back. Harry unconsciously pressed back a little further into the embrace.

“Thanks, Dra, err, Malfoy.” Harry’s voice was breathy and he hoped that it could be attributed to the excitement.

“You’re welcome.” Draco’s voice was equally as breathy as Harry’s. They stood like that for long moments until the sound of a door opening somewhere else pulled them out of the silence. Harry regretfully slid out of the arms around him and felt down two doors on his right. Halfway across the room, the door shut and Harry knew Draco had followed him. A yawn pushed past his lips.

“Malfoy?” The small childish voice couldn’t possibly be his, could it?

“Yeah, Potter?”

“Would you… that is…I’d like it if… err.” Harry stuttered over his request as he crawled into the bed and pulled his blankets up around his shoulders.

“Spit it out already, Potter.”

“Would you stay while I fall asleep?”

“Fine.”

“Malfoy?” Harry was really embarrassed about his next request.

“What now, Potter?” The sound of wood creaking signaled Malfoy sitting into the chair next to the bed.

“Would you tell me a story or even read Hogwarts, A History?”

“Whatever the Golden Boy wants.” The amused voice held a trace of pleasure in it and Harry focused on that.

“Thanks.” As Draco’s voice washed over Harry, he slowly started to fall asleep. As he wavered between the states of awake and asleep, he reached out a hand and felt Draco grasp it. A slight smile drifted across his lips at the feel of the palm against his.

“Draco.” The soft sigh slipped through his grin as he faded the rest of the way into sleep.

On to INTERLUDE
On to PART 4

Finally, I'd like to pimp/recc two stories I read today. First was written for me by

chanond. It's wonderfully fun and rompy, just what I wanted. You can find this untitled fic HERE .

Second pimpage is a beautifully dreamy fic written by

deliciantasy. It tugs at you and leaves you "gahhing". Autumn Leaves