Disclaimer: Harry Potter doesn't belong to me. However, I am in the works to buy it. Really? NO NOT REAAAALLLY!

Timeline: Harry's seventh year.

Warnings: Contains slash. Don't like it? Don't read it!

Behind the Masks

Part Eleven: The time has come

When Harry woke up he felt like he was in a dream. His beautiful lover was leaning over him with a fascinated look on his face. His blonde hair fell into his grayish/blue eyes while they searched Harry's features.

"Good morning." Harry murmured half asleep as he pulled Draco close to him.

"Hmm," Was all Draco said obviously wide awake.

This had been the recurrence for the past week since their first night together. Harry would sneak into Draco's room to make love until they feel asleep. He would wake up to those beautiful eyes which would be searching for signs of awareness. Cuddling would follow, possible reprise of last night's events then a shower while Draco remained quiet.

"Did you have another dream?" Harry asked softly into Draco's hair.

"Yes." He replied softly digging his pointed nose into his lover's chest.

Harry's brows drew together with concentration. "They're just dreams." He whispered thoughtfully.

Draco said nothing as he pulled Harry from the bed softly smiling. "Come, love. Let's get a shower."

Smiling Harry followed, his thoughts for a minute drifting to Hermione full of worry, then quickly back to his lover's bare arse as they walked. He wouldn't think about that until the meeting in Dumbledore's office proceeding lunch.

(Malfoy Manor)

Hermione leaned up against the bed post frowning as a House Elf carried in her breakfast. She would have complained to the Elf about liberation if she hadn't been so damn hungry.

That plate of hot eggs, sausage, hash browns with a side of fluffy pancakes just looked too irresistible.

"Thank you." Hermione said politely as she took the tray that fit across her lap.

As she ate she slowly opened her napkin which had been embroidered (magically most likely) with a sentence. Each meal there was a new sentence on her napkin. She had no idea what they meant but when she put them all together she realized it was a verse from William Shakespeare's Sonnet's. Hermione had a sneaking suspicion that the page that had been in the box a week ago had been of this poem. Why was it so important and why so unnervingly familiar? Like reading a long forgotten child's book you had once loved.

Today's napkin said "The mortal moon hath her eclipse endured,"

Her heart ached a bit as she showered and dressed. Her clothes had been taken out long ago and in their place the most beautiful dresses had replaced them. Soft earthy greens and summer baby pinks covered fabric so soft she felt naked wearing them.

That day's gown was off the shoulders in an empire waist that draped down her body to the floor.

He's not going to make me trust him by giving me pretty things. Hermione reminded herself not to fawn over the beautiful creations. Her fingers ran up and traced the golden locket that hung around her neck. Lucius had charmed it so she could not take it off. It felt like such a part of her she didn't want to take it off, not really.

The past week she had been stuck inside these large rooms. A large bedroom that leads to a bathroom the Prefects would have envied. The main room, adjoined by large double doors from the bedroom was more like a library then a sitting room. She spent most of her days reading the books that lined the walls like a beautiful masterpiece.

Lucius would appear when lunch was set up in the corner of the room at the small table the House Elf's conjured for meals. He'd stare at her unnervingly until she glared back and he'd smile with this knowing look in his eyes.

He'd tell her of his life with Helena, how they met, what they did. He told her of his father and the cold way he'd been raised.

"Why did you follow him?" Hermione couldn't help but ask.

"My father?"

"No, you-k…hmm, V-Voldemort."

He flinched. "After my father was dead, you were dead my only option to the Malfoy line was to produce an heir. I married a suitable candidate and had Draco."

His youthful blue eyes pierced into her. The youth potion was permanent without an aging potion to counter the effects. So he stayed in his young form in hopes of pleasing her. She told herself she didn't care. She told herself lots of things, but that didn't make them true either.

"But…" Hermione started.

"When Potter left the Dark Lord dead (for all we knew) I started taking the potions that kept me alive. Cold-yes. But alive none the less."

"What potions?" Hermione seemed upset with the notion though for the life of her she couldn't understand why. This WAS Lucius Malfoy after all.

"I created a potion to help counter the depression and suicidal tendencies that a lifemate under goes when their mate is taken away. The potion itself is highly temperamental but the effects are the same…numbness."

Horror crossed her face, "You made yourself cold." Flabbergasted she just stared at him not knowing what to do.

"Yes, in a way. It was how to survive." Lucius leaned back in his chair looking over her face. "But I have not had to take the potions at all this week." A very youthful expression crossed his face in what could only be described as a real smile. "It is very…liberating. I can't blame my son for defying me; the alternative choice is not very attractive."

"You-you…" Hermione stumbled until she jumped up making her chair fall back. "You bastard! The people you have hurt to satisfy your own bitter loneliness! You make me sick!" She threw her napkin at him and ran into her room slamming the doors behind her. What she hated most was not the shameful tears that stained the beautiful linen sheets but the feeling of emptiness now that Lucius was away from her.

She hated that feeling most of all.

Everything stilled around her as the last of her tears fell. Her heart beat calmed slowly as the doors of her room opened and Lucius stepped in.

Hermione turned her head away from him repeating all the things in her head about him that she hated.

Lucius laid down next to her. The most blatant move since she'd been held prisoner there. He prompt himself up on his arm and ran his left hand up and down her shaking back as she curled up into her pillow.

"Go away. You have no right to…to…" To what? Kidnap her? Lay in her bed? To make her want him?

Lucius said nothing until he leaned over and his lips gently brushed her ear.

"Not mine own fears, nor the prophetic soul,
Of the wide world, dreaming on things to come,
Can yet the lease of my true love control,
Supposed as forfeit to a confined doom.
The mortal moon hath her eclipse endured,
And the sad augurs mock their own presage,
Uncertainties now crown themselves assured,
And peace proclaims olives of endless age.
Now with the drops of this most balmy time,
My love looks fresh, and death to me subscribes,
Since spite of him I'll live in this poor rhyme,
While he insults o'er dull and speechless tribes.
And thou in this shalt find thy monument,
When tyrants' crests and tombs of brass are spent."

She shivered and her eyes turned and looked at him. "Why have you had the House Elf's bring me napkins with that sonnet on it?"

"Do you not recognize it? No? It is the 103rd Sonnet of William Shakespeare, a Muggleborn wizard that was your favorite as Helena. You were always reading, always so intent on knowing everything. You never liked poetry though. You said it didn't make sense. Why write about emotions that were temperamental anyway. Then you came upon that sonnet one day. I heard you ripped it out of the ancient library book and brought it to me. Can your heart not feel it's meaning, my love?"

Her soft eyes looked over his face that was soft in the natural light of her room. "It was talking about the War you were fighting."

"Yes, yes, go on." Lucius encouraged.

She bit her lip. "The world knew what was coming, you knew how it would end, you could not see how our-your love could change the outcome. It was doomed from the start."

"Yes," He whispered his lips kissing a faint line down her wrist.

"But it's okay. The life your true love brings to you gives you such depth that death is not unwelcome once she's gone."

"Go on." He whispered kissing her neck gently as she trembled all over.

"You insult the people that can not speak for themselves because they do not know the war is going on. It leaves emptiness at the end, nothing but the eternal moon." She whispered and Lucius covered her mouth with his own.

She felt powerless but so complete as he kissed her.

"I love you; you are my lifemate, whatever your name may be." Lucius told her.

This was not the man that had attacked them in their fifth year. This was not the man on the run from the ministry. This was not him!

"I…I feel you…apart of me. Inside." She whispered looking at him unsure. "But I'm…not sure, I mean…"

"It's okay, darling. It's alright." He held her as she closed her eyes and felt secure.

(Dumbledore's office)

"The time has come."

Harry had been dreading those words since he found out he was to destroy the Dark Lord.

"The battle begins." Dumbledore turned and sat down at his desk. "Lucius has broken down the defense of the Dark Lord by revealing his location to Severus this morning. The Order will go to retrieve Hermione this evening."

"I'm going." Harry stood up.

"Yes, Harry. I would not dream of stopping you. I believe…that this will be the final battle. Voldemort and his Death Eaters location seem to have changed dramatically today. I believe they are heading towards the location of Lucius' hide away."

Draco stood quickly grabbed his hand and looking at him with understanding but frightened eyes. "I'm going too. Till the end." He whispered.

Harry clutched his hand and nodded. "Till the end."