Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

E-mail address that you want on your Author's Page: Keikokin

Fic title: The darkness

Summary: Harry and Lucius chase each others darkness away

Pairing: Harry/Lucius

Rating: R

# Chapters: 1 shot

Category (romance, drama, angst, humor, horror, etc...): Romance/angst

Completed, Yes or No: yes

"What's it like to be loved?"

It was a simple question but it rocked Lucius' world. There was the great Harry Potter recently the Savior of the Wizarding World after defeating Voldemort and everyone was having a great time at the New Years Eve party. It gave everyone at Hogwarts a chance to celebrate two things at once. Yet Lucius couldn't help being drawn to the solitary figure at the far end of the room, almost hidden in shadows. He remembered Harry as a boy. Then as an irritating busy body that lost him his servant Dobby. But then the world changed and Lucius had sided with the Order, along with Draco. Narcissa had left. And Harry Potter had grown and changed. He'd become a man, healthy, handsome, wealthy and a loner.

With surprise Lucius found this oddly comforting and sat in a chair near Harry when he heard the question asked. It hung in the air. He didn't know if Harry was thinking out loud or wanted to honestly ask him that. But Lucius found he suddenly wanted to scream at the world at large. It did not matter whether Harry had meant to say it or not. What did count was the pain, anguish and torment that dripped from every syllable. It was a pain that was felt by much older men. He knew that pain. Lucius had never cared for anyone but Draco. His son was his world. But he was cold like him. As Lucius was cold as his father. It was always this way in the Malfoy family line. It kept people away. It kept the pain from being seen. The self-inflicted torture of a family that could never show love.

Yet here was Harry James Potter, an orphan, a cast off to Muggles, a pawn in a war, a hero to others. In the same pain Lucius was. Lucius Malfoy gulped. For the first time in years he felt his eyes become moist, a dam in his soul threatened to break lose. But he was in the dark- he was safe. And if Harry was in the pain as well wasn't the saying misery loved company? Could he at long last know someone to at least understand the darkness? With a deep breath of resolve Lucius answered the darkness.

"If I ever find out I will let you know."

There was silence again. It had been a painful thing to say but now it was said it seemed a great weight had been lifted from his own heart. But he wanted more he wanted to live for once, to love for once. Lucius had done his duty as Malfoy heir, then Lord as Head of the Family even Death Eater then spy but never to himself.

Doubt filled Lucius' analytical mind that such a thing even existed but the same part that had always cried for a puppy at Christmas was crying now to live before he died to believe just once that something greater than power, status or wealth existed. So he asked the darkness.

"Does it even exist?"

Lucius could hear the party continuing and it all seemed so far removed he felt much like a nuclei to a galaxy. Draco was grown; he had left. It was only reunions, funeral and weddings that he ever encountered his son. He'd seen far more of the man hidden in the shadows then the only person he thought he loved and loved him back. Harry, he could understand. Draco was an enigma of loose women and morals. Lucius tried to sink into the darkness.

"I think so."

The answer was unexpected, truthful and unsure. It created a gaping paradox in Lucius' reasoning yet it created a swirling nebula of hope. Lucius asked the question fearfully.

"Why?"

He saw the barest flicker of movement in the shadows; saw bright green eyes laced with the hope of a dying man. The shadow moved again to leave when Lucius heard the words echo into the darkness of their corner.

"Because I feel it for you."

Lucius heard something in his mind, but it could not register. It was screaming in fear at the new sound in his body; the sound of his heart racing in his chest. It was the sound of being alive. Too late Lucius looked up gray eyes scanning the room but Harry was gone. His heart constricted but it kept on beating new and different as he got up to leave for there was no reason to stay – any longer.

Lost in his own thought Lucius sat at his desk at the Ministry. No longer able to stand it he made for the lift. It was better to be lost in the tomb of the Manor then the tomb of work. He stepped in not bothering to look up and simply told the box where to go. Then he heard a command of "stop". Lucius looked up startled to see bright green eyes filled with hope and more. He saw the long lashes flutter close as the eyes vanished and hot, soft, tender, needy lips brushed against his own. His heart beat faster and finally able to feel calm when his lips had cooled, he opened his own eyes to find he was alone with the door open at his stop.

"Harry," he whispered pleadingly into the still air.

A letter was sent to him by owl and Lucius did not recognize the handwriting as he tore it open. A small piece of parchment fluttered out. Lucius picked it up and read it.

"I still feel it."

Lucius felt wetness on his eyelashes and tucked the precious note into a pocket.

Out of a bizarre force of habit Lucius sat watching another Hogwarts Quidditch match though he no longer knew any of the players. When the game ended Lucius did not even know who won and he began to get up when he felt a hand touch his own. He looked up into green eyes filled with emotion. He stood up and met the gaze holding the hand tightly.

"I think it exists."

The long black lashes blinked then the green eyes filled with hope. The hand tried to release his own but he only covered it with his other one. His eyes filled with moisture and fogged his vision.

"Please don't go."

There was the briefest nod then he felt a pull on his hand and the familiar tingle of travel. He recognized his own home but there was a difference in the dark Manor. There were bright green eyes that were filled with love. Kisses that filled his nights, days and dreams, with quiet understanding. Then one day the eyes became sad they needed more. Gray eyes saw the sadness suddenly fill them. The darkness became darker. Then one day the green eyes turned to go.

"Being loved is the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me and I feel it for you."

Questioning green eyes suddenly met his gray at the statement Lucius had made. Wetness ran down his cheeks that were kissed away. A warm mouth caressed his own. The feeling of hot body both soft and steely later entered his own. Ragged breaths filled the darkness. Screams of love rang out giving chase to the darkness. Words of love chased away the rest.

"I love you Lucius."

"I love you Harry."

The darkness never returned again.