The Search Is Over

Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Got a Secret

The two eventually fell asleep. It was still dark in the room when Regulus suddenly sprang to wakefulness. Kreacher's body thrashed and struggled against him as the elf gasped for breath. "No...Please! Master Regulus...Save Kreacher!"

"I am here, Love...Wake up," Regulus said, holding Kreacher close and rocking him. He'd heard that one should not wake a sleep walker, but nightmares were a different matter. Still he didn't want to wake him too suddenly even from a dream like this. Somehow the gentle approach felt better. Kreacher's body relaxed within a few seconds and when he spoke again, his tone was baffled rather than panicked."Where are we?"

"In bed at home...It's over...It was a nightmare and you're awake now," Regulus soothed.

Kreacher sighed and his entire body went limp against Regulus. "Kreacher is sorry to disturb Master Regulus' sleep," he muttered regretfully.

"No," Regulus said firmly. "I am sorry for sending you with Voldemort to nearly get yourself killed." There. He'd finally said it aloud. He'd sent his dearest Kreacher on a mission that nearly killed him

"Master Regulus is not to blame," Kreacher insisted. "He did not know. It must be Kreacher's fault for somehow displeasing the Dark Lord."

"You must stop thinking such things, Kreacher! I can't stand it," Regulus said, frustrated. "You know he's sick and twisted and that you did nothing wrong...nothing to deserve that even if for some mad reason he thought you had somehow misstepped."

"Kreacher just hates that he has cost Master Regulus so much."

"You cost me nothing...He needs to be stopped. I just wish it hadn't come to light at risk of you," Regulus said grimly. He sighed. "Though I hate to see you blame yourself and I do firmly request that you please stop doing so, I understand the psychological desire behind it. Aside from the bloody slave mentality that is far above someone like you...It's simply hard to wrap one's mind around the fact that anyone would treat someone like that...leave them to die for no reason." Kreacher nodded fervently against Regulus's shoulder. Regulus continued to hold him, running a soothing hand over the elf's back. "Your perplexity is understandable, but the man is obviously quite mad. He managed to fool everyone this entire time, but now he has slipped up and gotten himself exposed. Why is only to be understood by the minds of the mad. We can start, though, by finding out exactly what he was doing at that lake. That is where Professor Slughorn comes in. Hopefully he can help to shed some light on what sort of potion it was that you drank. If not, he may have some leads to get us started."

"Kreacher hopes so," the elf said.

"For now, we should try to get back to sleep," Regulus suggested. "Do you think you shall be able?"

"Kreacher doesn't know. He will try."

Regulus smiled. "I bet I know what would make you sleep." Bending he trailed his lips across Kreacher's cheek to land on his mouth. The elf responded, and as always wound his arms around Regulus's neck and twined his fingers in his hair in that way that always melted all of Regulus's senses and left him breathless.

"Kreacher is not certain that he has the strength, though," the elf murmured.

"That's fine," Regulus assured firmly. "Because tonight, it is all about you. There is time for us tomorrow and all the days after. Tonight let me take care of you...I will give you such pleasure that you shall simply pass out." He chuckled and Kreacher gave a shiver of anticipation against his body. "If Master Regulus is certain," he said, tone hesitant. He was obviously uncomfortable with simply allowing anything to only be about him.

"Quite...And by the time I've finished with you, you will be calling me Regulus...without the master." Placing Kreacher back onto the bed, Regulus trailed feather light kisses down his body as he slid the tunic Kreacher wore up over his head. Kreacher's body was definitely interested even if he hadn't the strength to do more than receive, and Regulus was more than glad to give. As he pleasured Kreacher again and again with his mouth, he couldn't help feeling grateful that the elf was alive to receive that pleasure. As Regulus had intended, his efforts were such that Kreacher called him Regulus many times without the honorific 'master, and when he at last was completely spent and unable to move, he fell asleep in Regulus's arms in a matter of seconds.