Fic: The Sum Of All Fears
Title: The Sum of All Fears
Fandom: Harry Potter
Ship: Harry/Draco
Genre: Horror
Rating: PG
Prompt: None
Word Count: 899
Author's Notes: For my Harry, whose regrettable fear inspired me.
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 Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Summary: Harry is confronted by his worst fear.
"Let him go!" The cry echoed rapidly, slamming back in his ears and reverberating in his head. He didn't realise till then that it was his own voice, that the plea had been torn so violently from him that his throat felt raw. He swallowed instinctively.
Darkness pooled around the edge of his vision but the main focus of his attention stood directly before him, bathed in a sickly yellow light, a light as unnatural as the monster that stood within it. Two figures, a smaller one being tightly embraced by a taller thinner figure; no, being held close like a lover, like a child, like a... like a shield. Long white fingers caressing a pale cheek possessively, making his skin crawl at the sight as if it was his own cheek being touched in such a manner.
"Let him go." A whispered command, a veiled threat, a promise of an untold punishment yet to be meted out.
"Mine." A hissed response, the warning going unheeded. Red eyes flickering dangerously, giving a warning of their own. "All mine."
He tried to take a step forward, to reach out but all his muscles were frozen in place. He could no more move a single limb, a finger or toe than he could move his head. He desperately wanted to turn away, to block out the sight that made his stomach clench and heave but at the same time, he needed to know what was happening even though there was nothing he could do but watch. He had never felt so torn. As those long white fingers slipped tenderly down the delicate neck into the collar of a nondescript shirt, he longed to close his eyes, unable to withstand the torturous vision before him. Fabric fell free from slender shoulders as the shirt slid away, revealing a slim chest beneath which those fingers travelled over, ever downward, finally coming to rest in the centre.
He dared to raise his gaze momentarily to meet steady grey eyes that looked back at him unflinchingly, seemingly aware of the predicament they were both in. Soft pink lips parted in a gentle smile.
"It's all right," he soothed. "He won't hurt me."
He wanted to scream a warning, but his throat was dry and as much as he strained, he made no sound. He struggled to move even a fraction of an inch but that too was denied him. Like a statue, he watched helplessly those skittering fingers over the smooth planes of that pale chest, feeling the queasiness and panic rise within him until without warning they struck, plunging beneath the skin, grasping for something buried inside. Grey eyes widened in shock and in pain, mouth opened to release a scream of pure horror that made him cringe.
Ever so slowly and with deliberate pause to enhance each lingering moment, fingers now red and slick withdrew from the hollow, tightly fisted round a throbbing red mass that trailed a cord behind it, connecting it still to the slight figure now trembling in fear and incomprehension. He struggled for breath, fighting the rising wave of nausea as his own heart thumped madly inside his own chest. He watched those long thin fingers smooth over the fragile organ, noticing how every movement slew off a small segment which drifted lazily down to the floor like so much scarlet confetti. Faster and faster those digits moved, gradually wearing the heart down till they finally squeezed a little too tightly on it and it burst, showering droplets of red all around and there was nothing left.
A shrill cry rent the silence. "How could you do this to me?" Tears pouring down the pale cheeks, eyes glancing wildly from side to side trying to make some sense of it all. "How could you leave me?"
He struggled to reply, yearning to break through; although he had anticipated this, he still couldn't turn away as much as he knew he needed to, wanted to, should do. I didn't leave you, I would never leave you, I'm here, I'm with you, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Gasping hard, his forehead beaded with sweat, he gave one final valiant surge of strength and found himself sitting up in bed, reaching out to the last vestiges of a dream.
He glanced round feeling totally displaced, staring into the murky light for the horrific vision that was still fresh in his mind. Sleepy grey eyes met his from next to him in the bed.
"What's up, love?"
"Nothing, just a bad dream. Go back to sleep."
He felt those eyes look over him in concern. "Are you sure?"
He nodded. "I'm fine. Honestly. It was just a dream." He lay back down, feeling a soft warm body bridge the gap between them and insinuate itself in his arms. He hugged it thankfully to him and closed his eyes, trying to dispel the traces of the nightmare that still lingered. He breathed deep, seeking calm in order to return to sleep but his mind continued to mull over the events his subconscious had confronted. It was ridiculous, the old enemy was gone, vanquished never to return. He was safe, they were both safe. He had no reason to fear losing his other half ever again, the danger was past. Except sometimes, one danger gets replaced with another and the fear never completely dies away.
*****
All feedback gratefully received and appreciated.
Fandom: Harry Potter
Ship: Harry/Draco
Genre: Horror
Rating: PG
Prompt: None
Word Count: 899
Author's Notes: For my Harry, whose regrettable fear inspired me.
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 Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Summary: Harry is confronted by his worst fear.
"Let him go!" The cry echoed rapidly, slamming back in his ears and reverberating in his head. He didn't realise till then that it was his own voice, that the plea had been torn so violently from him that his throat felt raw. He swallowed instinctively.
Darkness pooled around the edge of his vision but the main focus of his attention stood directly before him, bathed in a sickly yellow light, a light as unnatural as the monster that stood within it. Two figures, a smaller one being tightly embraced by a taller thinner figure; no, being held close like a lover, like a child, like a... like a shield. Long white fingers caressing a pale cheek possessively, making his skin crawl at the sight as if it was his own cheek being touched in such a manner.
"Let him go." A whispered command, a veiled threat, a promise of an untold punishment yet to be meted out.
"Mine." A hissed response, the warning going unheeded. Red eyes flickering dangerously, giving a warning of their own. "All mine."
He tried to take a step forward, to reach out but all his muscles were frozen in place. He could no more move a single limb, a finger or toe than he could move his head. He desperately wanted to turn away, to block out the sight that made his stomach clench and heave but at the same time, he needed to know what was happening even though there was nothing he could do but watch. He had never felt so torn. As those long white fingers slipped tenderly down the delicate neck into the collar of a nondescript shirt, he longed to close his eyes, unable to withstand the torturous vision before him. Fabric fell free from slender shoulders as the shirt slid away, revealing a slim chest beneath which those fingers travelled over, ever downward, finally coming to rest in the centre.
He dared to raise his gaze momentarily to meet steady grey eyes that looked back at him unflinchingly, seemingly aware of the predicament they were both in. Soft pink lips parted in a gentle smile.
"It's all right," he soothed. "He won't hurt me."
He wanted to scream a warning, but his throat was dry and as much as he strained, he made no sound. He struggled to move even a fraction of an inch but that too was denied him. Like a statue, he watched helplessly those skittering fingers over the smooth planes of that pale chest, feeling the queasiness and panic rise within him until without warning they struck, plunging beneath the skin, grasping for something buried inside. Grey eyes widened in shock and in pain, mouth opened to release a scream of pure horror that made him cringe.
Ever so slowly and with deliberate pause to enhance each lingering moment, fingers now red and slick withdrew from the hollow, tightly fisted round a throbbing red mass that trailed a cord behind it, connecting it still to the slight figure now trembling in fear and incomprehension. He struggled for breath, fighting the rising wave of nausea as his own heart thumped madly inside his own chest. He watched those long thin fingers smooth over the fragile organ, noticing how every movement slew off a small segment which drifted lazily down to the floor like so much scarlet confetti. Faster and faster those digits moved, gradually wearing the heart down till they finally squeezed a little too tightly on it and it burst, showering droplets of red all around and there was nothing left.
A shrill cry rent the silence. "How could you do this to me?" Tears pouring down the pale cheeks, eyes glancing wildly from side to side trying to make some sense of it all. "How could you leave me?"
He struggled to reply, yearning to break through; although he had anticipated this, he still couldn't turn away as much as he knew he needed to, wanted to, should do. I didn't leave you, I would never leave you, I'm here, I'm with you, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Gasping hard, his forehead beaded with sweat, he gave one final valiant surge of strength and found himself sitting up in bed, reaching out to the last vestiges of a dream.
He glanced round feeling totally displaced, staring into the murky light for the horrific vision that was still fresh in his mind. Sleepy grey eyes met his from next to him in the bed.
"What's up, love?"
"Nothing, just a bad dream. Go back to sleep."
He felt those eyes look over him in concern. "Are you sure?"
He nodded. "I'm fine. Honestly. It was just a dream." He lay back down, feeling a soft warm body bridge the gap between them and insinuate itself in his arms. He hugged it thankfully to him and closed his eyes, trying to dispel the traces of the nightmare that still lingered. He breathed deep, seeking calm in order to return to sleep but his mind continued to mull over the events his subconscious had confronted. It was ridiculous, the old enemy was gone, vanquished never to return. He was safe, they were both safe. He had no reason to fear losing his other half ever again, the danger was past. Except sometimes, one danger gets replaced with another and the fear never completely dies away.
*****
All feedback gratefully received and appreciated.