Dusk Falls (A Harry Potter Fanfic)

Part 9: Kiss

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry potter. That belongs to the lovely J.K Rowling. This plot belongs to me. Also, sorry for the rather long wait. My life has been rather crazy right now, but I figured I'd give you guys what I have written at the moment. Cheers~

Tom's POV:

Tom stalked into his study. Strolling to the desk, he glanced at an unoffending paper weight. It exploded. The window pane behind him cracked slightly with the force of his fury. Spiderweb cracks creeping up its surface to create a kaleidoscopic effect of shadows and light. It would need to be fixed, but not right now. Instead, Tom started pacing before it, the splintered sunlight falling across his tense shoulders.

He had allowed his mate to be injured. Had lost him in the crowd... and allowed him to be injured. Dumbledore hadn't hesitated to seize the opportunity Tom had allowed by his inattention. He growled in anger at the thought of Dumbledore harming his mate. Of breathing the same air as his mate. Of Dumbledore breathing, really.

Something else exploded, but Tom didn't care enough to cease his pacing and check what it had been. It would only be dust now anyways.

They had all laughed it off. Even Harry, but Tom couldn't do that. He had failed his mate. He had promised to protect him, and failed so spectacularly quickly. It had taken all of his self control just to finish buying Harry his new clothes and not drag him away to the manor. Only the knowledge that Harry needed clothes that weren't ratty, that his mate deserved to have his basic needs met, had allowed Tom to get through the Madam Malkin's visit. No matter how Tom was feeling, Harry's needs had to come first. They had to.

...And he was right back to where he started. His little mate had already suffered far more in his short life than anyone should have had to. It sickened Tom to think of the years of abuse Harry had endured at the hands of those filthy muggles. At the years of danger Harry had faced at Hogwarts; a place that should have been safe for him, had it not been for the insane schemes of its Headmaster.

How could he have let this happen? He had known the dangers of going to the Alley. Had practically dared fate to try something and had gotten his just reward for doing so. They had been separated and Harry hurt. He...

"Tom?" A quiet voice interrupted his thoughts and he sighed, the tight feeling in his chest he hadn't even been aware of loosening at the sound of that soft voice. Harry.

Tom turned to watch his mate approach him. "Yes?"

"I... I felt like you needed me?" Oh, how confused his little mate sounded. Growing up as Harry had, no one had ever explained the ties that bound mates together. The very real twining of their souls. It must have all come as a shock to him. Probably still was.

"I did..." Tom told him before revising the statement. He wouldn't lie to his mate, even if it could only be a lie of omission. Besides, he did need Harry. He couldn't live without him ever again; didn't want to ever live without him again. "I do need you."

"Oh... um... what for?" Harry kept approaching him until they were standing a mere foot apart. He had no idea how much his very presence settled Tom's emotions.

Tom regarded him for a moment. Harry had changed clothes; most likely for the simple fact that the others had his blood on them. He looked good in clothes that actually fit him and weren't full of holes. He was still too thin, but Tom could fix that with regular meals.

"I'm sorry." It was something he would never say to anyone else. Only Harry. Only his mate would hear those words from his lips.

"For what?" Harry's head tilted adorably to the side.