It had seemed like a dream come true the first time he'd seen the beautiful young man that was Harry Potter. Everything inside him seemed drawn to him, jealousy rose from within him every time he saw him with another man, or a woman for that sake. The moment he'd seen him he had become addicted. He had immediately recognized this lovely creature as his mate.

He had pictured a future with Harry, the worry of having to live without him when he died was nonexistent. Harry was a wizard and wizard's had nearly as long a lifespan as elves had, Gandalf was, after all, a proof of that. The long haired elf had been prepared to woo his mate with everything he had and the happenings on top of Caradhras had seemed like a blessing, the feel of his lovely mate's body moving against his own had been heavenly and the sounds he'd made... oh the sounds... but he was getting off track, the point was that Legolas had been every bit prepared to court his mate, to persuade him that he was the one that Harry was meant to be with, he was the one who could bring him eternal happiness, who could love him the way he deserved to be loved. No one else, only Legolas could do that for him.

And yet, he wasn't the one that was comforting him. He wasn't the one that was convincing him to come back to the group and rest. No, the one that was standing across the clearing with his beautiful mate was Boromir, not Legolas, but the man from Gondor. It was excruciating to stand there, his own mind mocking him. How foolish he had been, to think that Harry would realize on his own exactly who he belonged to. He would have to tell him, inform him of how much he loved him, how he longed to hold him in his arms and keep him safe.

A quiet growl escaped him as Boromir wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulders, guiding him towards their camp and leaving him utterly alone in the large forest. His original intent of going out in the woods had been to think, to mull over his next move and decide how he was going to win Harry's forgiveness. It had been by pure chance that he had come upon the scene he had just now witnessed and he didn't know whether to be happy about it or not. On one hand it had helped him decide to confront his elusive mate, but it had also led to these aggressive feelings, these feelings that he didn't know how to handle. Legolas had always been proud of being in tune with his emotions, but he had never experienced the negative sentiments that accompanied jealousy. He had, to be frank, no idea of how to control these feelings.

It was as if he was walking blind, relying on his other senses as he walked on a path full of dangers. One wrong step and it could have fatal consequences, one misstep and he could risk losing Harry for eternity. The mere thought was agonizing, it brought a sharp pressure to his heart as if it was threatening to collapse if something like that was to happen. He had heard stories of elves that died when losing their mate. He had heard that losing their love, their one and only brought them so much pain that it was too much for their hearts to take and so it collapsed because of the pressure, the longing. His own father had nearly died because of it, the only thing that had saved him from the darkness was his mother's decision to leave for the gray havens, had she stayed any longer death would have caught up with her, and thusly caught up with his father as well. As an elfling he had wondered how it was that someone could die because of losing their mates, but now, as he was right in the middle of such a situation himself, he could easily understand it.

Legolas would rather die than live without his beloved mate.

Now the only thing he had to do was tell Harry the truth, inform him of what Legolas, Gandalf and Lord Elrond had kept from him for so long. Lady Galadriel's words earlier that evening had only confirmed it. Harry needed him, just as much as Legolas needed Harry, the wizard just hadn't realized it yet. And it was Legolas' responsibility to make him realize it. It was he, and no other, that was going to inform the young wizard of his status, of his place in Legolas' life. It would happen tonight, tonight and not a moment later.

Turning around, he walked back the same way he had come with determined steps, prepared to enter their camp and ask for a moment of Harry's time. Even if he denied him that time he wouldn't give up, it was too important for Harry to know this, if he was denied a moment with his mate then he would have to take a moment of his time. He would not stand idly by and watch as Harry was wooed by another man. He would not accept his own death without fighting and he would be damned before he stopped fighting for Harry. Elves were, despite what other races believed, passionate beings and when they loved someone they loved them with their heart, soul and mind. They mated for life and there was only one person out there for them. Through their long lives love would only manifest in them once and that love was so strong that if they lost it, they didn't have enough love within them to do it again. Legolas swore that his fate would not be the same as so many other elves he had seen. He would win his love, keep his love and nothing was going to keep him away from him.

With a graceful air about him he ducked under a branch, moving closer and closer to the camp until he was, finally, within hearing distance. Unlike their night spent with Haldir and his men the chatter was more animated, the hobbits' laughs could be heard from a long distance as they sat around the fire, talking to each other, joking and raising the mood of the group.

No one seemed to pay much attention to Legolas as he silently walked into the campsite, finding himself a vacant seat beside Aragorn, which, unfortunately, was located as far away from Harry as he could get. The fact that Boromir and Gimli were sitting beside his mate, laughing with him, did nothing to improve his mood. In fact, it only served to encourage him to get the whole ordeal over and done, get Harry away from the two sitting so close to him, at the same time as he got to tell him the truth. Ignoring the strange look sent his way by Aragorn, he rose without hesitation, walking over to Harry before halting right in front of him.

"Would you do me the honor of taking a walk with me?" He questioned, staring straight into Harry's impossibly green eyes.

He was incredibly aware of the danger of his request being turned down, that awareness was even more heightened now that he had asked out loud, for everyone to hear. He, as well as Harry, knew that his humiliation, should he be turned down, would be at its greatest before their companions. To Legolas' great relief the young wizard did nothing but nod before standing up, gesturing for the elf to lead the way.

It seemed as if they had walked for hours when they finally came to a stop, having walked so far that their companions wouldn't be able to hear the words that were to be uttered. Drawing a deep breath Legolas turned to face Harry, allowing his eyes to roam his form for a split second before latching onto his eyes. To be perfectly honest, he had no idea, whatsoever, of what to say. He didn't know where to start and how to form his words in a way that wouldn't create a negative reaction from the young wizard before him. His father had always informed him that people that weren't elves could easily misunderstand what elves understood right away. Different people had different customs, customs that had to be taken into consideration when handling something as important as this.

"You're my mate." Obviously, that wasn't how it was supposed to come out.

.............................................

"You're my mate, Harry." Legolas said, dragging the words out, almost spelling them out for him. "There is no why, how or what about it. You're my mate, my beloved, my one and only. You're my only chance at living a happily ever after. Without you I am nothing."

With a sigh of relief at finally getting it all off his chest, Legolas leaned forward, pressing his forehead against Harry's, feeling the young wizard's warm breath on his skin. "I want to hold you in my arms at night, to feel you against me and be able to think that all that is you is mine. I want to have a family with you, to have a life... with... you."

A choked kind of sound escaped Harry's mouth as he shifted, turning his head to the left and forcing Legolas' forehead to move from his own to his temple. He swallowed furiously, trying desperately to rid himself of the spit that had gathered in his mouth.

"I don't have any love, any happiness, or any feelings to give you. I'm hollow and I'm fine being hollow. By telling me these things you're ruining my balance, you're... you're destroying the balance that I've been working so hard to establish and it doesn't work that way. It can't possibly work that way, because if it does I don't know what to do anymore! If it does, I'm not sure how to cope..."

His body was shaking as he gripped the cloth of his shirt, clutching it so hard that he was astonished that it hadn't ripped yet. He longed to run away from the elf, to get away from the situation he found himself to be in. The air itself seemed to squeeze hard around him, forcing the breath out of him and crushing his intestines. Harry was, quite simply, desperate to find a way to avoid this confrontation and forget that it had ever happened so he could go on as they had before it had even occurred.

That wasn't possible though, and so the only thing he could do was to face it head on and try and convince Legolas that them being together wasn't something that was going to happen. He had to cut the head off the snake before it attacked and, possibly, defeated him. He had to keep the elf from getting his hopes up while simultaneously keeping the rest of their group from becoming suspicious.

Shifting in Legolas' grip, Harry barely managed to resist the urge to knee the elf right where it would hurt the most. His foot nearly twitched with the insistent will to go through with it, to allow his body to do exactly what it wanted to and thusly forcing Legolas to relinquish his hold on him. He didn't though, instead he continued to squirm around, unintentionally rubbing up against the very being he was trying to get away from. An uncomfortable grimace flitted across his face as the elf pressed him even further up against the tree, and stiffened when Legolas' warm breath hit his ear, sending shivers straight down his spine.

"I won't let you push me away." Legolas breathed into his ear. "You may fight it as much as you like, but nothing can change the fact that we are meant to be together and no matter how much you struggle I'll have you in the end. Nothing, not even you, can do anything to change that."

The blond took in a deep breath before he continued, inhaling Harry's scent along with it. "J-just give in; allow me to love you like you deserve to be loved. Let me protect you, hold you and show you what it's like to be with someone who's completely and utterly devoted to you."

Silence spread between them, flowing through the air as they just stood there, Harry leaning against the tree and Legolas leaning against Harry, one hand caressing his sides lightly. The only sound that could be heard was their own breath and the various sounds the trees made as the wind rustled their leaves.

"You just have to say yes..." Their breath mingled as Legolas' lips steadily approached Harry's. "You just have to say that one word and I'll take care of the rest."

He didn't have time to answer as, suddenly; his mouth was sealed by the softness of Legolas' lips. Startled, his lips complied, moving along in the pace the elf had set as he drew in deep breaths with his nose, inhaling the intoxicating scent of Legolas at the same time as he got oxygen. Electrical tingles traveled from his lips and into the rest of his body, flooding him with the incredible feeling that was caused by Legolas' lips alone. His whole body seemed to turn into pudding as he melted against the tree trunk, allowing the blonde to push him further against the rough surface of the bark, nearly lifting him off his feet. His mind was in a haze, not capable of forming a single thought as the elf continued his ministrations while settling one hand to rest possessively on the wizard's waist and the other cradling his neck.

It was only then, as he released a content sigh that Harry woke up ,realizing exactly what it was that he was doing and who he was doing it with. With a startled cry he ripped himself loose, moving off to the side so he was no longer trapped against the tree. His breath came in heavy gasps, easy to hear.

"W-what the hell was that?!" he roared, green eyes coming to life as an intense flame filled them.

"That was a spark," Legolas firmly stated, gazing at him with a steady look. "That is how you feel when someone you love, someone who loves you, kisses you. That was the proof that we are, in fact, destined to be together."

Disbelief coated his entire being, showing on his face as he stared at the elf while hesitantly moving his finger up to caress his mouth. His heartbeat was irregular, thumping at a mad pace, almost like he was having a heart attack. His nerves tingled in an unfamiliar fashion, reminding him again and again that he had, indeed, felt something when Legolas' lips had met his own. An unnerving feeling of belonging coursed through his veins, filling his chest with a warm feeling that he couldn't help but to admit that was incredibly comforting.

"N-no..." He whispered, green eyes moving around, looking for any possible way for him to escape. "A kiss can't do that; a kiss can't tell you that you belong with someone."

He refused to believe that Legolas was right, that he truly was his mate and that he had finally found someone to spend the rest of his life with. He couldn't believe it for that meant that he would have to choose between the love of his life and going home. He didn't have the strength to make such a choice; he wasn't strong enough to choose one over the other. In Harry's mind it was better that he didn't accept Legolas' words as the truth, that way he didn't have to choose, that way he only had to concentrate on making his way home instead of working things out with the handsome elf.

With a boost of confidence, which in reality was nothing more than a false façade, Harry squared his shoulders and straightened his back before saying. "I can't be your mate...You'll have to find someone else."

"That's impossible." Legolas immediately stated with confidence lacing his voice, everything in the elf's stance screamed that he knew he was right. "This isn't something I can undo, this is something that lasts forever, even if one of us dies this bond will continue to exist, nothing can stop that."

The words were said with so much certainty that Harry himself found it difficult not to believe them. He could easily admit that the notion of having something that strong with someone was tempting, incredibly so. Yet he knew that if he did, in fact, say yes to the elf then he would be dooming them both. The young wizard wouldn't be able to stay in Middle-Earth and so agreeing to something when he knew that would be cruel to Legolas. It would be like taking candy from a child right after you'd handed it to it.

"How can you be so sure? You haven't even tried yet." The familiar stubbornness within him rose forth, rearing its head and shaking its mane like a wild stallion. He couldn't allow this to go on any further.

"Because," Legolas whispered as he came closer, alarmingly closer. "I can feel it and I have a suspicion that you can as well..."

Harry didn't have an answer to that one; his mind for the life of him couldn't come up with a clever, yet biting, response to the elf's statement. He was, for the lack of better words, silenced. He had in fact felt those feelings that Legolas was talking about, though he had naturally chosen to ignore them. The blond mentioning those feelings only served to remind him of them, to bring them up to the surface once again and make him want to move a step closer to the elf. Truly a ridiculous notion.

"It's eating you up inside isn't it? The raw need you feel to be with me, the fact that you can feel our connection every time I touch you." A hand rose up to caress his hairless cheek in an affectionate manner, making him close his eyes as a warm feeling flooded through him, a feeling of belonging.

"Give me a chance and I'll show you exactly how right this is. Give me a chance and I'll chase all your worries away." Harry was once again surrounded by the elf's arms, pressed up against Legolas' defined chest as he listened to his words. "Give me a chance to show you exactly how much I love you."

"No." He spoke, green eyes focusing on the ground. "T-This can't happen... It's not happening!"

With stiff movements he backed away, thankful that he had finally managed to find a way to escape. His chest moved up and down in a frantic motion as he heaved for breath, fighting to keep the tears that were so persistent from falling.

"I won't be staying here when the war is over, I will be leaving and so there's no way that a relationship between the two of us could work. I'm sorry but it's just not possible..." With that he ran, doing the exact thing he had wanted to do ever since the conversation had begun.

Harry escaped while Legolas was left to helplessly stare after him as his mate ran away from the very person he was supposed to run to.

.........................................

"Ah." The man hummed before he continued. "And exactly who is it that you are searching for?"

"Alantar, the Blue Wizard."

"What?!" Legolas suddenly burst out, cutting off whatever Aragorn was about to say as he leaped to his feet, eyes ablaze with passion and concern. "Of all people, why would you go after him? The blue Istari is ruthless when it comes to punishing those that disturb him!"

"It's a good thing, then, that I am capable of taking care of myself." Harry coolly countered. "I don't need you telling me that what I'm going to do is dangerous, Legolas, I figured that out on my own."

"I'm not saying you can't defend yourself, I'm just trying to tell you that it would be wise to take someone with you." The elf replied, resisting the urge to stalk towards the wizard as they currently had company.

"And who would that be, you? I think not."The green eyed male snorted.

"As a matter of fact, yes." Legolas stated, looking Harry straight in the eyes. "I'm sure that having an elf with you could help immensely. Of course, due to our situation it's obvious that no other elf but me should be allowed to accompany you."

"No, you won't." Harry snarled, "You'll be staying with the Fellowship, you'll save the world with that conceited smile of yours plastered on your face and you'll damn well like it!"

.......................................

"I'll miss you, you know." Gimli's gruff voice, slightly choked with suppressed sobs, told him. "It won't be the same without your presence."

"I know." Harry replied, turning towards the dwarf. "I'll miss you as well."

"You better miss me!" The short male burst out in a light voice, trying to hide the sadness that, unbidden, had welled up inside him. "How am I to live through the constant jibes of the company's elf without you?!"

"Ah," He chuckled. "I must have misunderstood then. I was under the impression that it is you who antagonizes Legolas, not the other way around."

"Oh humbug!" The dwarf agitatedly shifted in his seat. "That's what he wants you to believe! In reality he gives as good as he gets, even more at times, the pompous elf!"

If Harry hadn't seen the way the dwarf and elf had interacted during their stay he wouldn't have believed his ears when he heard the almost fond way in which Gimli insulted Legolas. It would seem that many things had changed during their journey, the fact that Gimli and Legolas' hateful relationship had turned into a good natured rivalry wasn't something he had expected when they first set out on their quest. Changes had happened and they were still happening, all Harry could hope to do was hang on for the rest of the ride and pray to God that he would get through it all alive.

"If I didn't know better I would say that you enjoy your fights with Legolas, Gimli," Harry chuckled good-naturedly. "But that would be silly of me, no?"

"Incredibly so." The red haired dwarf agreed, contently combing a hand through his beard.

"I thought so."

.......................................

When he finally managed to completely remove himself from Gimli, he turned to the last of the Fellowship. Green clashed with blue and Harry couldn't help the way his breath seemed to speed up. With carefully planned out steps, he moved closer, impeccably aware of how those blue eyes followed his every move. It wasn't nearly as unnerving as he thought it would have been. Usually he would have been twitching and squirming when faced with so much attention from the elf, but it would seem that things had changed. If it was for the better or worse he didn't know.

Nervously, he shifted from one foot to the other, his body teetering too close to the side as he suddenly tripped over a tree root. A graceful hand, calloused by years of practicing with swords and other weaponry, latched onto his shoulder, halting his descent downwards and bringing him flush into the elf's side in order to steady him. A loud growl, identical to the one that had been uttered when they had first arrived in Lothlorien, filled the air the moment they touched.

Tension immediately rose in the air and Harry, still squeezed into Haldir's body, had the vague notion that his last farewell wouldn't go by as smoothly as he had hoped. In fact, the storming blue eyes of Legolas made a quiet goodbye seem utterly ridiculous.

"Release him!" The elf snarled, taking a step forward and thusly breaking the line the Fellowship had previously been gathered in.

Harry didn't know whether it was plain foolishness or an attempt to tease and enrage Legolas even further, but Haldir didn't relinquish his hold on him. As a matter of fact, the elf only drew him further in, tightening his grip on the young wizard and, as Harry could see from his position, threw an arrogant smirk at the other blond. In Harry's opinion, Haldir wasn't only stupid, he was brain-dead as well.

"No." And that just proved it all.

Chaos broke out as Legolas, with an unfitting sneer on his face, suddenly drew his bow and arrows, pointing it at Haldir's head with preciseness that spoke exactly of how skilled with the bow he was. The elf didn't even seem fazed with the many arrowheads that were pointed at him in return. It was in that moment, as Legolas stood against those of his own kind, that Harry realized exactly how much the whole mate thing meant to the elf. How much he, Harry, meant.

"Release him!" Legolas repeated, the hot rage leaving his voice to be replaced by a cool calm that seemed even more terrifying.

Slowly, apprehensively, Haldir's arm slipped from around Harry's shoulder, leaving the young wizard to feel oddly bare in front of Legolas. He didn't quite know what to do. Was he to step forward and go stand by Legolas' side? Or was he perhaps supposed to stay exactly where he was, right in the middle of the two groups? He didn't know, but it would seem that it wasn't necessary that he did either, for in that very moment Gimli, as if obeying some secret signal, stepped forward and led Harry away from Haldir and behind Legolas. Only then, it seemed, did the elf in the slightest relax.

Several minutes passed by before, simultaneously, all the elves lowered their weapons while moving into a more relaxed stance. The tension in the air seemed to cling on for a moment until; finally, it disappeared, leaving an awkward silence in its wake.

"I suggest you keep your hands to yourself from now on." Legolas' cold voice rang through the air as the elf turned furious blue eyes on Haldir. "One never knows who might chop them off."

The words were said with such serious calm that Harry couldn't believe it to be anything other than sincere. It was strangely flattering to know that it was because of him that Legolas had reacted so strongly. Yet, at the same time, it made everything all the more difficult for him. Legolas' possessiveness was like a double edged blade, designed to harm both sides.

The time spent away from the elf would do him some good, he mused, it would allow him to get his thoughts and feelings in order, give him some time to analyze them and establish exactly what it was that he wanted. He wasn't so naïve as to believe that he didn't feel anything towards Legolas, oh no, the jealousy, lust and thrilling shivers he had experienced until now threw that notion right out the window. And he was positive that if he stayed in the elf's company, then those feeling would get the chance to fester and turn into something more. The question was whether or not he wanted to allow that.

"Harry..." Gimli's hesitant voice rang in his ear, successfully drawing him out of his own mind. "You need to do something, in this state you're the only one he'll listen to and he's seconds away from drawing his knife."

And, indeed, it seemed as if the dwarf was right. Haldir's superior smirk still hadn't left his handsome face and it would seem that the elf had done or said something to enrage Legolas even further. The blond shook with his rage and just as Harry closed the distance between him and his 'self-proclaimed mate', Haldir worsened the situation.

"Can you blame me? He is, after all, such a delectable, little creature."

And the fragile silence that had settled between them all shattered easily as Legolas lunged forward, his mouth twisted in an ugly snarl.

Somehow, and he himself didn't know how, Harry managed to place himself between the two. A hand lightly pushed against Legolas' muscled chest, halting his progress and keeping him from attacking Haldir. He was well aware that it was only Legolas' reluctance to harm Harry that the elf stopped at all. It had nothing to do with the green eyed man's strength.

"Stop it." The young wizard said, ignoring the little voice inside of him that urged him to let Legolas take care of the other elf, it was bound to be an amusing sight, after all. "You're about leave, this isn't the best way to say goodbye, you know."

"I apologize." Legolas replied after composing himself, more sorry for the fact that his goodbye with Harry hadn't gone as he would have liked than sorry for the attempted attack on Haldir.

Before he knew it he was encased by the elf's arms, held in such a tight embrace that he was afraid Legolas wouldn't ever let him go. Of course, he knew how unlikely that was, but still, the way the elf seemed to cling onto him indicated that such a possibility was in fact possible of transpiring.

"You know." Harry mumbled, his voice muffled by Legolas' shoulder. "It's not as if you'll never see me again."

"I know." The elf replied, tightening his grip even further, if that was even possible.

Harry didn't reply. Instead he relaxed into Legolas' embrace, breathing deeply as he lifted his right hand to wipe away the salty imprint his tears had left on his skin. This, he mused, would perhaps be the last time he'd ever be like this with the elf. It all depended on whether he managed to figure out his feelings and, of course, whether or not he managed to keep himself alive long enough to see the Fellowship once again. Despite the fact that he had assured the hobbits that he would meet them again, Harry knew perfectly well that there was a very large chance that he wouldn't survive. He knew that it was likely that he wouldn't ever see them again, and so, he allowed himself this little moment. After all, there wouldn't be any time to do so later.

With a faint sigh, he shifted, moving back slightly so he was no longer flush against the other. "You should go, they're waiting for you."

The moment, that had been unbelievably peaceful, was shattered, crunched into millions of frail pieces that couldn't be put together again. Green and blue once again clashed as Harry moved out of reach, forcing the elf to relinquish his hold on him. He watched as Legolas' hands, which had previously been suspended in the air, fell uselessly at his sides.

With one final look at his companions, he turned away, moving away from the shore and further into the forest. He wasn't about to put himself through the torture that was sure to come should he watch as they left. No, he wanted to make this as easy as possible for himself. If that made him selfish he didn't care.

......................................

"It's eating you up inside isn't it? The raw need you feel to be with me." Legolas' words echoed through his mind. He had lost, Harry realized. The blond elf had managed to get to him, he had penetrated Harry's defences and left behind him feelings that had only grown in his absence. And Harry, as deprived of affection as he had been in his life, had unconsciously embraced these feelings, allowing them to grow roots inside of him until there was no turning back.

...................................

"Welcome back to the living." Gandalf's deep, kind voice sounded in his ears as green eyes fluttered open. "For a while there we didn't think you'd ever wake up."

"It's nice to see you too." Harry dryly retorted, pushing himself up to support himself on the back of his elbows. "For how long have I been asleep?"

"Oh, not to worry, two or three days at the most." The old man replied, lips tilting upwards in a gentle smile as one of his large hands came up to caress Harry's head.

"Hmm." He hummed, eyes closing in delight as calloused fingers began carding through his hair. It had been too long, he mused, since he had had a moment like this with his fellow wizard.

"The others have been worried about you, particularly a certain elf." Gandalf said, a sly grin crossing his face as his hands ceased their treatment. "He's been very restless, barely left your side and snapped at anyone, for the most part your other elven companions, who wanted to undress you in order to check you for any injuries. I must say, you've got yourself a very protective mate there, Harry."

"He threatened Calanon and Ainion?!" Harry questioned, eyes opening up in surprise.

"Oh yes, threatened and threw them out of your rooms, quite effectively too. He even contemplated on denying me access, I'm sure." Amusement seemed to pour off of the man in waves. "Though me being the wonderful and trustworthy man I am, managed to convince him to let me in, I can be very persuasive when I set my mind to it."

...................................

He had both been nervous and excited to see Legolas after discovering his feelings. He wanted to redeem himself, to make up for the way he had treated the elf when he had revealed his secret to Harry. Not an ounce of dislike had welled up inside of him as Gandalf had called Legolas his mate, and he found that the idea of hugging him, kissing him and loving him was quite appealing.

In a matter of seconds he had crossed the distance between them, throwing himself into the elf's arm before burying his face in the neck of Legolas. With deep breaths, Harry inhaled the blond's scent, imprinting it in his mind as he closed his eyes in pleasure. The elf's hot breath sent a tingle down his neck, and Harry found himself relishing it as Legolas pulled away slightly.

"You silly, silly, wizard!" He breathed, a hand reaching up to bury itself in Harry's thick locks before grabbing a hold of the young man's neck. "Don't you ever do something like that again, you understand me?"

"Ok." The raven haired male simply replied.

And then his world was drowned in pleasure as a pair of soft, softer than he could remember, lips connected with his. As an arm snaked around his waist, drawing their bodies tighter together Harry couldn't help but wonder why he had resisted it for so long when it felt so good, so right.

He was in paradise.

........................................

The day was in full bloom, the sun was shining, the wind was blowing and the streets were filled with people bustling about. Green eyes observed as a small boy, a joyous smile on his face, ran, like only a child could, through the large crowd. It was amazing how the boy managed to weave his way around the many bodies that were in his way, and Harry nearly jumped to his feet when it looked like he would crash into someone. He didn't though, just in time the young child managed to twist his body in a direction that saw to it that he wouldn't hit anyone. It was refreshing, really, to see such a show of agility in someone so young.

Gently, he ran a hand through his hair, untangling the tangles and combing through it like he would have with a comb. The many sounds that filled the air was like a soft melody that longed to lull him to his sleep, they caressed his ears and informed him that things were back to normal, as normal as it could be when the whole town was packing, in the city of Rohan.

"Shouldn't you be packing?" Arms suddenly wrapped around his waist, drawing him back against a firm chest as someone settled down behind him.

"I could ask that of you as well, Legolas." Harry replied, allowing his head to fall back onto the elf's shoulder as his eyes shifted from the streets and up to the skies.

"I was looking for you." Legolas spoke, his grip tightening as he ran his nose up and down Harry's bared throat. "We haven't had any time with each other for weeks now..."

"Hmm." He purred, gathering his fingers together, lightly tapping them on the knee to his right before spreading them and moving them downwards until he cupped the elf's knee. The motion was very much like cracking an egg right before it was to go into the pan.

"This is nice, isn't it? Sitting like this, I mean." Harry said, continuing to stroke Legolas' knee.

"Indeed, It's very pleasant, it truly is a shame that we don't get the time to do this more often." The blond answered, shifting slightly as he moved to shower the young wizard's neck evenly with kisses.

Silence settled between them as they simple sat there, basking in each other's presence. The thought of how he had ever managed to think of this as something bad once again popped into his head. It was incredible that he had thought that something that felt so write was so wrong, the mere idea was preposterous and Harry could honestly say that he was embarrassed of ever having had it.

.........................................

"Nonetheless, nothing we can do will change the king's mind. Do not trouble yourself with this, Love, if it is meant to happen then it will, no matter how much we try to prevent it." Slender, elegant hands moved to cup Harry's face.

"Let me ease your worries." The elf whispered, moving so his lips hovered over the young wizard's, his warm breath mixing with his mate's as he leaned slightly forward, barely brushing against the one situated in his lap.

"I would love to," Harry said, closing his eyes for a small second before opening them again. "But, as you've already pointed out, I should be in my room, packing."

Swiftly he jumped to his feet and out of reach, a light laugh tumbling across his lips as green eyes sparkled with a mischievous streak. A pink tongue teasingly peeked out of his mouth, wetting his lips with a blank sheen of saliva while a tiny grin spread on his face at the way Legolas' eyes darkened. With a small wave he turned around, heading towards the door with deliberate steps only to be stopped by two arms grabbing a hold of his shoulders, spinning him around and then gently pushing him up against the stone wall.

A quiet gasp escaped him as soft lips connected with his own. Warmth spread through his body as the euphoric feeling that accompanied Legolas' kiss burst forth. It wasn't gentle by any means, sparks flew and the intensity of it only grew as the elf added his tongue in the equation. Tenderly, the wet appendage followed the trail Harry's own tongue had made mere seconds ago, repeating the motion as he desperately sought entrance.

With a quiet groan Harry granted it, opening his mouth slightly only to immediately have his defences breached. Quick as lightning Legolas slipped his tongue inside, tasting, feeling and exploring the cavern of Harry's mouth with relish as he closed his eyes in elation. This was where he belonged, with his mate tucked safely within his embrace while his tongue explored the territory that was his to claim for eternity. He couldn't imagine that anything, other than fully joining with Harry, on earth could feel better than this.

Gasping for breath, Harry pulled back, ignoring the string of saliva that connected their mouths as he leaned his head back against the wall, closing his eyes in pleasure as Legolas immediately latched onto his neck, trailing light kisses there. Whimpering, the young wizard moved his hands upwards, running them through blond hair as a tongue peeked out to taste his skin.

"W-we really—ah!" Harry began, pausing for a moment to regain his bearings before continuing. "We really should get together more often."

Legolas only grunted.

"I mean, it's only positive for our relationship, right—oh right t-there." His knees buckled, forcing Legolas to keep him standing as the world swam before his eyes. He was dizzy, heady with the many delicious, delightful, wonderful feelings that were running through his head and spreading throughout his body. The blood that was steadily flowing south did nothing to help him clear his mind and it only fuelled his desire for more.

"Oh my..." A voice decidedly not Legolas' penetrated his dazed state, making him look up only to be greeted by the unwelcome sight of the fellowship's dwarf.

A threatening growl vibrated from Legolas' chest as the elf moved from his position at Harry's neck to look at the intruder. Blue eyes, darkened by both lust and anger, glared at the red head while he drew himself up to his full height, shielding Harry as much as he could.

"You better have a good reason for coming here, dwarf." Legolas snarled.

"Oh, well...you see..." Gimli stumbled, his eyes wide as he took a step back and away from the furious blond, he had never seen him like this before.

"What was that?" It was a miracle; Harry thought as he straightened himself, that Gimli hadn't peed himself.

"I said that Aragorn wants to see us, all of us."

"It's alright, Gimli," Harry said, peeking out from behind Legolas. "You go ahead and we'll be right behind you."

The dwarf was all too eager to obey, turning around with swift movements Gimli hurriedly moved away from the couple, the discomfited blush that had steadily been sneaking up his neck refused to disappear. Only when the red head was out of sight did Legolas turn back to Harry.

Blue eyes were ablaze with annoyance and, had it been any other than Aragorn who had called for them, Harry was sure that Legolas would have ignored the summons and rather continued on with their previous activities. As it was, neither of them would do so and thusly, they both righted their clothes before following in Gimli's footsteps towards the meeting hall.

.......................................

"I hate horses." Gimli's deep voice sounded from behind as strong, short arms tightened their grip on Harry's waist. "They're nothing more than beasts that smell and leave their excrement wherever it pleases them."

"In other words, they are little more than dwarves." Legolas happily added to their conversation as he trotted up on their side.

"Oh my..." Gimli said, looking at the young wizard with large eyes. "Did you hear something, Harry? I could have sworn I heard some gigantic, annoying bug buzzing around here."

"You know, if you two are going to swap insults the rest of the day, you might as well just switch horse Gimli, for I have no intention of being a witness to your everlasting pissing contest." Harry casually drawled, producing a mixture of a giggle and a snort from Éowyn.

"You-you'd abandon me to the poisonous clutches of the elf?!" The dwarf burst out in disbelief, dramatically shying away from the elf as his eyes gained a suspicious hue; there was no telling what the blond would do to him as repayment for his interruption the day before yesterday. "He'll tear me apart!"

"Of course I would," The dark haired man said, his eyes filled with mischief. "How else would I get the peace and quiet I've so been longing to have?"

"You traitor, deserter, deceiver," Gimli shouted, one of his arms, he needed the other to keep himself from falling, waving about in the air. "And to think that I trusted you!"

"Come now, Gimli, I would love nothing more than to save you from the big bad elf, but, as it is, I feel that you would have great benefit of facing your fears head on and join Legolas on his horse." A grin stretched onto his face, revealing his white teeth as his green eyes sparkled in a show of light.

"Bu—"

"No buts, Legolas won't do anything, will you, love?" Still keeping a firm grip on his reins Harry made sure that they wouldn't walk into anyone before turning to face his mate.

"If that is what you wish," The elf's teasing smile turned softer around the edges, serving to morph Legolas' features into something more caring and loving. "my mate."

"See there?" The young wizard smiled down at Gimli. "It'll be fine."

And that was how Harry had ended up riding alone while Legolas and Gimli lingered a little at the front of the company, their quarrelling voices easily heard across the distance. Hours had passed and it still didn't seem as if they would be stopping anytime soon, they hadn't had their lunch yet and Harry's stomach was very much looking forward to receiving some food and nutrition.

....................................

"Aragorn," He said his voice cracked and hoarse from all the screaming. "Are you alright?"

"I'm getting there." The man groaned, shifting to lie on his back as he turned to look into Harry's eyes. "They'll be furious, won't they?"

"Absolutely livid." The young man agreed, running a hand through his hair while gently squeezing the water out of it. "They won't let us out of their sight for at least two weeks, I can imagine."

"Weeks? Perhaps for me, yes, but Legolas is a rather possessive person, Harry, you won't be allowed on your own for months and even then he'll be watching you from the shadows." There was an absolute truth to Aragorn's words that compelled Harry to believe them.

He was well aware that Legolas was a rather possessive and, dare he say it, jealous male, the way he reacted when someone even dared to look at Harry in an appreciative manner only confirmed that. And, based on these experiences, Harry came to the conclusion that Aragorn's words were true and that it was very likely that, the moment he had fallen off that cliff, he had earned himself an overprotective shadow.

"I'm doomed, aren't I?" Harry sighed.

"Now, I wouldn't say that, Harry," Aragorn replied, sending a boyish grin his way. "You're destined to have an overprotective elf watching your every steps and chasing away anyone that can be considered as overly friendly, yes, but doomed? Don't exaggerate Harry."

"Oh shut it, I'm doomed and we both know it." The young wizard deadpanned, unsteadily rising to his feet.

The sound of hooves clicking against the ground suddenly reached them, drawing their attention away from the conversation. A brown horse, suspiciously familiar, was trotting towards them, its mane dancing in the air.

"You have an incredibly intelligent horse, Aragorn."

"Indeed."

..........................................

He was numb, bordering on cold, from the inside out. Tears filled his eyes as he stood beside Legolas, watching as the elf's blood rushed from his face and the glow, that surrounded all elves, seemed to vanish right in front of him. His grandfather, Gróin son of Farin, had told him stories of what happened to elves that lost their mate. They would wither, he had said, inconsolable and consumed by their sorrow they would slowly lose their mind until nothing was left but an empty shell. They died, following their mate into the afterlife and there was no medicine or magic that could keep this from happening.

"They were delectable, the screams of your wizard." The orc rasped, black blood flooding from his mouth as his yellow, rotten teeth was bared in a malicious grin. "It's a shame that I couldn't force more out of him. I would have loved to have a go at him, in more ways than one, if you catch my drift."

Gimli did nothing but watch as Legolas drew his long blade, stabbing it right into the disgusting creature's vulnerable belly before twisting it around. He had never imagined that he would see Legolas, one the most friendly and non-violent beings he had ever met, performing such a cruel and malevolent task as this. He did not blame him, however, for he would have done the exact same thing himself if it hadn't been for the fact that Legolas had gotten there before him.

The perverted leer that had occupied the orc's ugly face was forced away in order to make way for the pained grimace that followed the harsh stabbing. A shriek, so loud that it hurt his ears, filled the air as the creature writhed and clawed at the ground, blood spurting in every direction as the twisting of the knife continued. Legolas was unrelenting and didn't stop until the orc fell to the ground, motionless and dead and even then he kicked the orc right in the face as he got to his feet.

If he had thought the orc to be ugly before, it was downright nasty after the elf was done with it. Black blood coated its whole body, its nose, which had admittedly been very crooked and disfigured to begin with, was an unrecognizable mess and Gimli was sure that, had it been alive, the pain would have been so great that it would have been unconscious within seconds. Its armour covered foot, the right one, was twisted in such an angle so unnatural that no one could be in doubt of the fact that it was broken.

A sense of satisfaction rose within him as he took it all in. The broken, beaten and dead body. There was no doubt in his mind that the repulsive creature deserved it, no doubt at all. The immoral things it had insinuated, the fact that it had dared to sully Harry by even speaking of doing such revolting acts to him all led Gimli to believe that no one would mourn the loss of this horrible being, not even its comrades or master.

The orc was, however, the least of his concerns now; his top priority was now to shake Legolas out of his grief long enough for him to get the elf onto a horse. They had to get going; they didn't have the luxury of lingering in order to search for their two comrades. The women, children and old people that had been sent towards Helm's Deep in advance had to be caught up with, only when they had reached the stronghold could Legolas and Gimli even think of looking for their lost friends. The possibility of them being dead never entered his mind as he had great faith in them both, he was sure that a mere fall from a cliff couldn't possibly be enough to kill them.

With that in mind, the dwarf walked towards the cliff and the kneeling Legolas. A strong, calloused hand settled on the elf's shoulder, offering comfort while at the same time serving to drag the male's attention away from the dark waters and onto Gimli.

"You shouldn't listen to the foul lies spouted by that fiend," He said, hesitantly smiling at the pale man. "Harry and Aragorn are both alive; you and I both know that none of them could ever be defeated by a measly orc."

"Then why can't I feel him?" Legolas' hollow voice flowed into his ears. "Why can't I sense his presence?"

"I don't know, you couldn't feel him when he was with the blue wizard, perhaps this is just like that time." Gimli gruffly replied.

"It isn't, this time it's different. Our bond wasn't as strong when he was with Alantar, but he's accepted it now, it's stronger and I should be able to feel him no matter how far away he is." It was quite clear, by the whitening knuckles, that the elf was barely restraining himself from punching something.

"Harry's fine, you'll see." The dwarf insisted. "Now come along, they're all waiting for us, and I'm sure neither Harry nor Aragorn would be happy if we abandon them now that we're so close to reaching our destination."

"No, I daresay they would not." Legolas gently replied, a small smile lingering on his face at the thought of his mate's temper.

....................................

"You know, you didn't have to stand there and watch while I finished with him, I would have been more than happy had you chosen to join us." Harry said, waving goodbye to Marcus as the boy ran in the direction Harry guessed his father to be in.

"I'm afraid that should I have approached you, your new friend would have witnessed something not appropriate for children." Legolas retorted, walking forward and sliding his arms around Harry before drawing his mate up against his chest. His blue eyes closed in delight as his nose traced the young wizard's neck; inhaling the delicious scent that he had associated with Harry from the moment he had met him. It was something undeniably Harry.

"You couldn't have come to tell me you were alive and well before you went off on your little rescue mission?" The elf rasped, his voice deep and hoarse as his lips lightly connected with warm skin, his tongue pleading to come out and taste. No doubt it would be more delicious than anything else he had ever tasted; he had a hunch that he would never get enough of it.

"Of course not," He whispered, eyes fluttering close in a show of enjoyment. "Who else, if not I, would dare to keep you on your feet? It's good for you."

Abruptly, the warm arms that had surrounded him disappeared, taking with them the warmth that had comforted him so. Immediately, Harry spun around, facing Legolas as he watched as the elf visibly struggled to keep his temper in check.

"Not when it comes to your well-being," The blond stated, his blue eyes shining fiercely as his passion were shown through them. "I couldn't bear losing you and even the slightest thought of something bad happening to you sends anguish right through my very soul. Your life is not something I take for granted."

"And neither do I," Harry murmured, reaching up and cupping Legolas' face, his thumbs stroking a small circular pattern right under his eyes. "I won't leave you, Legolas; you don't have to worry so much."

"It's only natural that I worry for you. You are my mate, Harry, there is no other in this world for me, and if I lose you then I lose myself." He sighed, warm breath washing over Harry's soft skin. "You can't possibly believe that I'll be able to live on without you, do you? I love you; you're my life, my heart, my soul and my entire being. How many times do I have to repeat that for you to understand it? This isn't some game I'm playing, it's real."

"I know that."

"I don't think you do, I don't think you understand how serious this, our relationship, actually is. Had Gimli not been holding me back and if Aragorn hadn't managed to tell me where you were as quickly as he did, I would have killed him, I would have killed him for dragging you down with him in that river and it wouldn't have mattered to me that it wasn't even his fault." The elf whispered in a heated voice, his arms slipping around Harry as he caged him within his embrace.

The urge to step forward, lean against Legolas' chest and bury his face in the crook of his neck to inhale the elf's musky scent was strong. He wanted so bad to take comfort of, after having travelled and been away from him for two days, being in his arms once again. He couldn't though; for once Legolas was the one who needed comfort, who needed to be reassured by Harry. He was ashamed to admit that during the short period after he had accepted Legolas as his mate he had greedily received any affection given to him, he had always been the one comforted while the blond was comforter. It was time, he decided as he gently eased his arms around the elf's shoulders, that he stepped forward and took a part in the relationship. From now on they were to be equals. When given affection Harry would give back.

His whole countenance softened as he drew their bodies close together, one hand lightly running up and down Legolas' back, making invisible patterns there as his other hand, the right one, moved the elf's blond hair over to one side before gently kneading and rubbing at the back of his mate's muscled neck. Shifting to stand on his toes he pressed his lips against the sensitive patch of skin he knew to be right under Legolas' left ear, making a trail of soft kisses down from there.

Rough hands, larger than his own and riddled with lines and calloused from years of archery and swordplay settled at the small of his back, pressing their hips and crotches together. An electric current swept through his body, forcing a soft sigh out of his throat and into the air.

His breath quickened. "Next time I'll come to you first."

"There won't be a next time." The warm hands moved, travelling down until they settled on his cheeks, exploring them as they moved to a more private place. Not an easy task with an eager wizard latched onto your throat.

"Oh?" Harry questioned, his tongue sneaking across his lips and lightly pressing against Legolas' skin, the explosion of flavours on his taste buds called forth a quiet groan.

"From now on you won't be leaving my sight." He said and with a great show of will strength took a step out of Harry's arms, making sure to keep him at an arm's length distance. "The only time you will be allowed on your own is when you need to relieve yourself, and even then you'll have to tell either me, Gimli or Aragorn of your whereabouts; you'll be eating, sleeping and spending your every moment in my presence."

The elf's words were like a cold shower to Harry. Any thoughts he may have harboured of him and Legolas going any further, vanished along with every single trace of desire that had had his body so flushed. "So in other words you'll be treating me like some petulant child?!"

Outrage was written all over his face and the idea of comforting Legolas was abruptly washed away. He had, of course, expected something like this to happen, but to such a degree? No, he wouldn't agree to it. Staying with Legolas he could handle, yes, but having to go through the humiliation of alerting his friends to when he needed to go to the bathroom and which toilet he would be using? Impossible, it was completely unacceptable. His pride couldn't take it.

...................................

Heat surrounded him. Flames, in a mixture of blue, white and red, licked at his skin. His dark hair flew in every direction, affected by the wind as he threw his head backwards, his mouth open in a silent scream. Fury occupied his whole being, from his feet to his head, stretching out to his fingers and toes. His inner mind played the scene of Marcus being stabbed over and over again, fuelling his rage. With a bang his flames grew, heating up, reaching for the sky and consuming any oxygen that came in its way. The four enemies that surrounded him were burnt to a crisp in mere seconds, their screams still ringing in the air. Its eyes glowing, the dragon headed for Marcus' murderer, swooping down and swallowing the despicable orc in one bite, the flames insuring that the creature dissolved into nothing as horrible screams slammed against his eardrums. It was like music to his ears.

With a power-surge that seemed near impossible, considering all the magic that already was in the air, Harry was lifted off the ground, hovering a few inches above it. He wasn't thinking clearly as flames shot out, burning anyone that came within reach, enemies as well as allies. He was surrounded by an inferno, unreachable. His mind was corrupted, darkening by the minute as it was consumed by the urge for revenge. He wanted to kill the orc that had speared Marcus, he wanted to maim him and watch him suffer and pay for what he had done. His mind had snapped, like a thin string it had been cut and all that was left in its wake was flames and an all consuming need to deliver retaliation.

He screamed, twisting and turning as an unexplainable pain spread throughout his chest. His heart was beating so hard, so fast and loud that he was nearly afraid it would collapse on him. With a blaring boom, sounding nearly like a gunshot, a humongous dragon, the same as he had used when fighting Saruman, burst forth and out of his chest. The sheer power sent him flying a few feet backwards. White and blue flames made up its body and even Harry, who was partially immune to it, could feel the incredible heat that rolled off of it in waves.

The battlefield, which had earlier been filled with screams and the sound of steel meeting steel, was quiet. Ominously so. It was as if they were all waiting for a ticking bomb to explode, the beeps bringing them closer and closer to their demise. The wind picked up and, suddenly, the dragon made its move. Screeches of pain and fear rang through the air as the awful stench of burnt orc filled their noses. The magnificent form flew all over the battle field, breathing rays of scolding hot flames and setting everything on fire.

It moved back towards him, twirling around him before grabbing a hold of his waist with its scorching hot tail. The wind whipped about him as they flew further and further up into the air. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply as he reached within himself and searched for the fiery globe he knew to be there. If he could only reach it, touch it, then maybe he could get some of his control back again, maybe he could keep his magic from killing everyone around him. It was a big if, a big risk, considering the fact that he would practically be unconscious for the time he spent searching for his flame core. Anything could happen while he tried to fix this.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he plunged, diving straight into the darkness of his own mind. All the while shocking tingles of agonizing pain vibrated through him, running through every single nerve that was under his skin. There was no going back now.

It had been expected, even anticipated. He had been prepared to bring his young friend to a deserted area, ready to guide him through the enormous change that he himself had gone through in his early years. He had never had any intention of leaving Harry alone to go through this excruciating experience, yet things had happened, in form of a young boy of ten something Gandalf had been unable to predict had arrived.

He winced, watching from his horse atop of the hill, as the dragon wrapped its tail around his friend, carrying him high up towards the sky . It would be much harder to deal with this then he had anticipated. The mere fact that it was the element of fire Harry was carrying inside him complicated things much more than it would have had it been water or wind. Of course, since his own element was fire he would have been able to handle it, but then Harry's dragon was added to the equation.

Every wizard had an element they ruled over and that element always took the form of an animal. Saruman's was an eagle, Radagast's a wolf and his own was a very charming little fox. Had Harry's been a phoenix, fox or a salamander it would have been so much easier, so much more manageable. Of course, nothing was ordinary nor easy about the young wizard and as such he really shouldn't have been surprised that the boy would end up with a dragon. It made his job much harder though.

Taming a dragon was near impossible, they had a nasty temper, an arrogant and malicious nature and a fierce possessiveness over whatever they considered to be theirs that was incredibly dangerous. Fire in a dragons form was the most primitive, the one a wizard's familiar took on before they had properly bonded and it was, obviously, hazardous to both health and the environments. Gandalf dreaded facing it. Especially considering the fact that it was none other than Harry's fire in the form of a dragon.

He gestured for Èomer to lead his men down to the battlefield, shaking the man from his awe-filled staring. Even though Harry had stopped fighting, too occupied with controlling his magic, that didn't mean that the enemy had done so. Taking a deep breath he steeled himself, scanning Harry and his dragon for any sign of weaknesses. He tightened the grip on his staff, feeling the heat spread through him as the wood shone red for a short second. There was only one weakness, one that Gandalf had been hoping he could have avoided taking advantage of. The only spot he could attack was the source of it all, Harry. His young friend was the weak spot, the only place that wasn't protected by flames and magic.

Guiding Shadowfax into a light trot he moved towards his fellow wizard, his heart tightening to a near painful extent as he prepared to summon the magic he knew would be needed. Harry needed to be restrained and taken to somewhere far away from people, he knew that the young man wouldn't ever forgive himself should he be the reason why some of his companions were injured and, since Gandalf viewed the boy as a grandchild, it was his job to keep him from having to experience such a thing. Even if he had to use force to do so. It was for Harry's own good after all.

The wind whipped around him as his horse companion sped up. Flying, like the wind, across the battle field they moved closer and closer to the place where every orc and man seemed to desperately avoid. Heat swirled around, hitting him with such force that it seemed as if he had walked straight into a wall. Beads of sweat gathered on his forehead as the intensity of the heat grew to a near unbearable degree. It was unendurable to watch as cry upon cry of harrowing agony was wrenched from Harry's throat, the uncontrolled movements the young wizard's body made as it was flung from side to side, following every movement the dragon made. Harry looked like a rag doll about to be discarded in mere moments.

The raging battle, which had been previously paused due to unusual circumstances, was now more heated than ever. More blood was spilt, more lives were taken and the volume and quantity of the screams had increased. There was something new to it all though, something that had lit up inside every soldier the moment Éomer had showed up with his many men. Hope. Now if he could only manage to snap Harry out of his unrestrained state that hope would be complete and they would all be able to fully focus on winning the battle. A ray of scorching hot flames shot right past him, singing the outsides of his pride and joy, his beard. Somehow he didn't think it would be all that easy.

The darkness cradled him like a newborn baby, surrounding him on every edge as he navigated, with difficulty, around the many threads that created a labyrinth within his own being. The temperature was irregular, dropping and growing at an unbelievable speed, making it difficult for him to know whether he was supposed to be freezing because of the cold or panting from the warmth. It felt as if he had been walking for hours upon hours without getting anywhere. His feet were growing numb and the dark tightened in on him, shadows growing.

He'd never expected this. Or, rather, he had never wanted nor wished to expect it. To realize that he had such darkness, such a hostile place within himself. Harry had always liked to think of himself as good, or at least as good as someone with a messed up childhood could become. He prided himself in knowing that, somewhere in between all the housework, missed birthdays, occasional abuse and practically having raised himself, he'd still managed to get through life with nice values and a good and proper head. But discovering that he, one of the good guys, had something like this inside of him was very much unnerving. And it only lead to him wondering that if he had something like this inside of him, then what would Voldemort have?

He shivered, drawing his cloak tighter around him as he buried is nose in the coarse fabric. His sword, which had previously been hanging from his hip, swinging back and forth with his movements, was nowhere to be seen. He had no idea where his wand was, it didn't matter though, broken as it was. And even if it hadn't been he couldn't have been sure that it would have been there with him either, the only things he had with him were the clothes he was wearing. Everything else had been stripped away without his permission. He was relying solely on his own body to keep him safe, to manoeuvre himself up, down and around the sharp threads. He had several cuts on his body that proved exactly how sharp they were. They'd cut into his skin as easily, if not more so, as a newly sharpened blade.

The sound of a fire crackling suddenly reached his ears, breaking through the all consuming silence that had ruled his surroundings ever since he had dived into them. A weak light, shining slightly red, caught his attention. He moved towards it. His breath quickening and his heart beating harder. Was this it? Had he finally, after what seemed like days of walking, reached his magical core?

Yes, he realized as he was greeted by the sight of a large orb hovering in the air. A sense of familiarity flowed through him as he moved closer to the glass sphere. Yellow and red flames licked at the fragile walls as a gust of sheer magical power rolled off of it in waves, hitting him right in the chest. It wasn't what he had imagined it would look like, it was much smaller, much more simple. He had thought it would be something more awe inspiring, something beautiful and never before seen. Finding that it looked very much like a light bulb on fire was somewhat of a disappointment.

He took another step forward, the muscles in his hand twitching with the urge to reach out and grab a hold of the ball. Swallowing the spit that had pooled in his mouth he did just that, watching with anxious eyes to see if something would happen. It didn't. It was strangely anticlimactic. There was no wall of flames suddenly bursting forth, nothing that came chasing after him, just his hand and the sphere, skin connecting with cold glass. His fingers had sifted right through the flames as if they were no more than a mere illusion. The burn he had expected was non-existent and he found himself drawing his hand back and staring at it in wonder.

Green eyes filled with wonder darted back and forth from his own skin and to the glass sphere hanging in the air before him. He reached forward, wrapping his fingers around the fragile looking glass before pulling. Nothing happened. His eyes narrowed, glaring suspiciously at the innocent looking ball before he lifted his second hand, wrapping that one around the glass as well, and, with a little more power to it, he pulled. Once again, the sphere didn't budge, not even a single inch. It was glued to the spot.

He pursed his lips, circling the small object as he searched for any possible weaknesses. There was nothing to indicate that the sphere couldn't be moved, it was suspended in the air with nothing to keep it there, yet Harry couldn't even move it. Carefully he felt around in the air, checking to see if there was some sort of invisible contraption that held it in place. There was no such thing, granted the air around the ball was slightly warmer than the rest but that couldn't possibly be enough to keep it from shifting. Closing his eyes he concentrated, gathering a small amount of magic just under the skin on his right hand. It tickled, sending shivers up his arm and to his neck. He reached out once again, his hand closing in around the sphere.

Pure, unimaginable pain erupted through his very being. A loud shriek was wrenched out of his chest, travelling up through his throat before flowing across his lips. The flames, which he had earlier been able to touch without hurting himself, had latched onto him, gripping his hand with its searing hot fire as if it had a will of its own and making it impossible for him to tear loose. No matter how much he tried. The darkness disappeared, chased away by the light from the many fires that had risen to surround him. They licked at his clothes, burning them to a crisp and nearly reaching the vulnerable skin that lay beneath. His breath came in pants as he tried to breathe through the torturous pain.

Sweat rolled down his neck as the room temperature rose. The flames grew even larger and he had to fight to stay conscious. A wave of magic rose within him, roaring and demanding to be let out in order to fight the insolent fire that dared to oppose their master. Electricity crackled in the air as the tension grew. His magic seemed to have a mind of its own as it seized up its opponent. Nothing Harry did could reel it in, and, to be honest, he didn't particularly want to contain it. The moment it had surfaced the fiery pain that ruled his body had disappeared.

His green eyes rolled to the back of his head as his body shook and trembled to such a degree that it almost seemed as if he was having a seizure. Loud booms filled the air as his magic and the flames crashed against each other, fighting for control. Bolts of lightning flew everywhere, destroying everything it connected with. The flashes created by the unruly magic quickened until the whole room was lit up and Harry was blinded by it all.

Everything turned silent as the light suddenly disappeared and Harry could finally see again. All that was left from the powerful display was the glass sphere, devoid of the flames that had previously been licking at its seemingly thin walls. The content purring of his magic made him draw the conclusion that the fire had been defeated and that his own magic had come out as the one on top. Cautiously he grabbed a hold of the ball, his lips tilting upwards at the lack of pain. Experimentally, he tugged at it, testing to see if it would move. It did.

With a curious air about him he lifted it up to his eyes, taking in every single detail. A small Chinese dragon fluttered about inside of it, throwing flames after flames at the glass in order to get free. Its red scales and yellow mane shone like no other and Harry could see all the muscles flexing in the dragon's powerful body. Straight horns grew from the dragons head, only a few bumps here and there could be seen. Otherwise it was perfectly smooth. Red eyes turned to meet with Harry's green as the dragon stopped twisting around in favour of taking in the new presence.

Slowly, Harry traced the creature's form, his finger running along the glass. He had the strangest feeling, an urge you could say, to throw the glass to the ground and free the beautiful being. Something told him that such a creature wasn't to be held in a prison, but rather let loose and allowed to fly freely in the sky. His limbs practically trembled with the urge and so, without really thinking much of it, he raised his arm high up in the air, listening to the almost triumphant roar that suddenly could be heard from the sphere, and threw it forcefully to the ground.

The glass shattered.

The wind tore at his clothes, tugging the fabrics in different directions. Something warm and hard was twisted around his waist and, though he knew that he should have been frantic to get loose, Harry relaxed. He was secure in the knowledge that whatever was holding him would never ever dare to hurt him. A resonating growl filled the air, flying into his ears. He could feel the vibrations from it travelling through his body.

He opened his eyes, the soft lids moving back in order to allow him to see. It wasn't what he had expected to see, that was for sure. There, right in front of him, was Gandalf surrounded by flames and accompanied by a large nine-tailed fox. To the old man's right stood Gimli, uneasily running a hand through his beard and tightening the grip he had on his axe. It was glaringly obvious to Harry that Gandalf was about to do something Gimli didn't fully agree with. To the wizard's left stood Legolas, as impressive as ever with his blond hair moving in the wind, his bow in hand as he fired arrow after arrow at any of the enemy that dared to approach them. The elf was worried, Harry could see, the narrow eyes and small wrinkle between his eyebrows that always seemed to appear when Legolas was concerned for him, Harry.

He didn't need any more information than that to realize that Gandalf was about to do something to him, Harry, something he wouldn't like. He shifted slightly, feeling harsh scales against his skin. He could feel his magic rising, on its own accord, underneath his skin. Everything tingled as a blank shield appeared before him, surrounding him on every edge as the thing holding him moved. An enormous dragon head appeared in front of him, facing away from him. He was confident that if he didn't do or say something soon, then something bad would happen.

And so with that in mind he shouted, "You wouldn't believe the amazing view I've got up here! I can see everything!"

And just like that Gandalf's grey eyes widened, Legolas' broad shoulders stiffened and Gimli's mouth dropped wide open. He had to admit that it was the first time he had managed to surprise his companion's in such a way.

Lifting a hand he stroked the dragon's scales, watching as the ground came closer and closer as he descended towards the earth. It felt good to be back, out of that wretched darkness and back in his own sane mind. His feet felt heavy as they connected with land. The dragon's long body coiled around him as it too landed on solid ground. Cautiously, as he was still a little unsteady from spending so much time up in the air, he made his way around the great serpent's many limbs. A small, weary smile decorated his features as he finally got out of the maze that was his dragon's body.

His breath was knocked out of him as Legolas slammed into him, the elf's arms surrounding his body as he drew him tightly up against his chest. The males familiar scent wafted up into his nostrils, filling his nose once again as Harry buried his face into the slightly coarse fabric of the elf's clothes. He placed a soft kiss on his chest, taking the time to nuzzle his nose further into Legolas chest before reluctantly drawing away in order to face his other two companions.

......................................

The sound of rain pouring down filled the heavy silence that had settled in the room. Quiet snores rose into the air, mixing with the sound of the rain and drawing his attention. There, in the far right corner, lay his newly found companion, the dragon, still unnamed as Harry hadn't gotten around to giving it one yet. When the battle had finished he had half expected it to disappear just like that time when it had fought Saruman's familiar. It was, however, becoming painfully clear that it would do no such thing and that Harry was officially stuck with an overly large dragon to drag around. He could imagine what an odd sight it was, Harry with his small stature, dragging a dragon at least three times bigger than him around as if it was an obedient dog.

Not that he had done much dragging, considering the fact that all his time had been spent in the exact same room he was sitting in now. But the fact still remained, that the dragon hadn't left his side. Not once had the creature risen to eat, exercise or maybe even relieve itself. And Harry found himself to be mildly impressed by the amount of self-control the dragon had to have, not to mention control over its bodily functions. Despite not getting any privacy he supposed it was a good thing. With the dragon always near him he could control him better. The people of Rohan had quite clearly displayed their disapproval and fear of the dragon. Harry found that it was much easier to deal with them if he and his dragon just stayed out of the way and didn't cause any trouble. That way the people of Rohan could forget that they even had a dragon amongst them and live on as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

A low, displeased rumbling sounded from the dragon as arms grabbed a hold of his waist, pulling him back against a very familiar chest. A couple of strands of blond hair fell across his shoulder, confirming that it was, indeed, Legolas who had come to join him. It had become quite apparent, by the glares, growls and downright vicious looks sent in the elf's direction that the dragon had no love to give to Legolas. In fact, Harry was sure that if hadn't been for the fact that he was currently held within the elf's arm, the dragon would have risen into the air and clamped its jaws tightly around Legolas' body. But as it was the creature merely settled with sending a constant array of glares towards the blond. Its red eyes glowing with its dislike. Watching as his lover, he wasn't sure if that's what they were considering that they hadn't gone all the way yet, struggled with his familiar was terribly amusing.

"He doesn't like me much, that dragon of yours." The elf murmured, his hot breath hitting Harry's sensitive skin and sending shivers down his spine.

"That's a first, isn't it?" Harry replied, a small smile spreading across his face. "Usually your rugged good looks and incredible elf charm can win over all kinds of animals."

"It's a once in a lifetime, I assure you." Legolas replied, warm lips gently pressing against the small patch of skin right behind Harry's left ear.

"How are you feeling?" The blond questioned as he tightened his grip on his mate, burying his nose in dark hair and inhaling the overwhelmingly sweet scent clinging to the strands.

"I'm angry, exhausted and I want nothing more than to break something." He muttered, entwining his fingers with those of Legolas. Perfect. It was a perfect fit, the way they interlaced and wrapped around each other. Both of them ignored the rising volume of his dragon's growls.

"I could send for Gimli," Each corner of the elf's lips was tugged upwards into a teasing smile as humour filled his voice. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind you letting loose on him."

"It amazes me how you two consider yourselves to be friends, what with the way you're always hacking away at each other." Harry replied, twisting his torso in order to come face to face with the other. "Is it some sort of bizarre expression of love?"

"Who knows." The elf said, gently squeezing the young wizard in his arms before turning to look at Marcus. "He'll be awake in three days."

"How do you know?"

"Because the herbs Aragorn gave him usually takes three days to work. He'll be awake when that third day is over and done with." Shifting backwards Legolas leaned on the cold stone wall, releasing a content sigh as Harry followed his move and leaned up against his chest.

It was nice, incredibly so, that Harry was finally accepting his affections, even more that they were returned. Considering the tensions that had begun growing between them he had half expected the wizard to shy away from his touch, his caresses, yet Harry once again surprised him by leaning into it, taking comfort in his body and the warmth and security it provided him with. Pride blossomed within his chest as he realized that his mate was, in his distress, seeking Legolas to comfort him.

Harry on the other hand wasn't at all in the same blissful state as his companion was in. Their argument still lingered in the back of his head, and it was only because of the stress having weakened his mental walls that he chose to give in to the elf. And even though he was currently relaxing in the elf's embrace, reality was that he still couldn't forget the way the blond had so easily dismissed his passionate speech. He had bared himself and allowed Legolas a small glimpse of his worries, his losses. It was unnecessary to say that the reaction he had gotten wasn't the one he had wanted, nor expected. He didn't say anything though, it could all wait until later when Marcus was awake and the people had recovered from the fierce battle. His problems in the department of love wasn't nearly as important as helping the people of Rohan get back to their normal lives, or as normal as they could be considering the evil that still lingered in the air.

For now he would keep his disappointment in check and allow Legolas to go on thinking that all was well. One step forward, two steps back was the pace in which their relationship was going, he mused to himself, perhaps it was better that way. Green eyes fell closed, his breath evened out and Harry was consumed by sleep.

.................................

A gust of air hit the back of his head, messing up his hair and sending it flying in every direction. He turned around, staring straight into Leroy's red eyes and said, "What?"

A snort and a low growl was his response.

"No," he replied, lifting his right hand to drag it through Leroy's yellow mane. "We're not going any further than this, if you want some food you'll have to catch it from this area."

Another growl was issued.

Green eyes narrowed. "I don't care if the bunnies aren't as tasty here, a bunny is a bunny, no matter where you get it from."

He didn't like the mischievous glint that suddenly appeared in those red eyes. Not at all. With a roar, much louder than Harry would have appreciated, the dragon took off into the air and sent Harry what looked strangely similar to a mocking grin before flying away.

"Idiot." Harry muttered, turning his back on the dragon and walking back in the direction of Helm's Deep. All the while he was stifling the amused smile that wanted to burst out on his face. He had to admit that the dragon's antics were somewhat entertaining.

...................................

He halted, green eyes widening as he took in the unexpected figure before him. Long blond hair fell straight downwards across broad shoulders and surrounding a smooth, soft looking jaw. A forest green tunic stretched across a strong chest and Harry could have sworn that each time that body moved he could see the muscles flexing beneath the skin. No matter how tentative he was about his relationship with the elf he could easily admit that the male was fit, delightfully so.

"You've been avoiding me." Legolas stated, his blue eyes narrowed in displeasure. "You've been running away from me. Why?"

"I...I haven't been-"

"Oh yes you have. Every time I come even remotely close to you you turn away and pretend as if you have something better to do. Every time I try to talk to you, to figure out what is wrong you shut me out and act as if everything is normal. You are avoiding me and now I want to know why." The elf took a step closer to him.

"I-" He cut himself off, looking away from the male in front of him before drawing a deep breath and steeling himself. "I've been distancing myself because I think we might be moving too fast."

"I see..."

"No, you don't. For you this has all been a piece cake. You've grown up knowing that you'd find a mate, you've always known that, but I haven't. It was thrown at me without any warning and I foolishly agreed to it before I was ready." A pink, wet appendage peeked out of his mouth in order to moisten his lips. "Where I come from it's normal that we have some time to get to know each other. We haven't had that chance. I don't know what you favourite colour is, how your family are or even what you like to do to pass time when you aren't in the middle of war. I want, no I need, to know you, really know you before we can move any further."

"So you need time? Time to learn about me? Time to think things through?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then you'll have it." It was weird, seeing those eyes so dull and resigned and it almost seemed as if Legolas had given up any hope he might have had when Harry had uttered those three words that in another setting would have brought him great pleasure.

"Don't do that." He said, running a hand through his hair.

"Do what?"

"Don't go acting as if the whole world has just been snatched out from under you. I'm not saying that I'm leaving you, all I want is to get to know you a little bit better before we go any further." Harry stated while allowing a small, tender smile to show.

"Alright. You want time to think then I'll give it to you, starting now. When you're done going back and forth and have finally figured out what you want, seek me out."

"Wait— What?" Startled green eyes swivelled around to look at the elf.

"I am not about to torture myself by watching as you decide whether you want me or not! If you want us to be together then you will have to be the one to make the first move." Abruptly, Legolas turned his back on him and moved away from him at such a speed that Harry wasn't given the chance to respond.

It wasn't a nice feeling, watching as the elf moved away from him and Harry absent-mindedly wondered if this was how Legolas had felt all those times he had turned from him. He was left there feeling cold, alone and with a terrible guilt settling inside his chest. This wasn't what he had imagined when he decided that talking to Legolas about moving a little slower. He had thought that the elf would react like usual and do everything in his power to stay near him and win him back. He hadn't expected the elf to go along with his wishes and actually give him some time. Apparently, Harry had been wrong and Legolas had finally gotten enough.

.....................................

The familiar fluttering of wings announced Leroy's return and it was only when a warm, wet tongue licked up the side of his face that he was brought out of his stupor. Pride and smugness rolled off of the dragon in waves as it lightly pushed its nose against Harry's chest before looking down. Following the creature's line of sight he realized exactly why Leroy seemed so proud of himself. There, on the ground, lay two bloodied bunnies, one with a broken neck and the other with two large puncture marks in its chest. It snorted through its nose, sending him a self-satisfied look before bowing down to the ground and grabbing a hold of the two unfortunate animals with its lethal teeth. Red, slitted eyes glowed with satisfaction and mockery as Leroy threw the two lifeless bodies into the air, catching them with his strong jaws and swallowing them whole.

"Oh shut it," Harry said, walking away from his familiar.

He didn't much feel like heading back to his bed so instead of walking straight towards the fortress he took a turn to the right and wandered towards a cling of large rocks he had caught sight of on the way out. The stars were out and he figured that it would be much more productive to gaze at them rather than lying in bed unable to sleep. Leroy's large, scaly body settled around him, serving as a shield against the cold breeze. Hours passed by and he was unable to resist as the heaviness of sleep finally settled in on him.

...............................................

"It's not working." Harsh whispers penetrated his slumbering mind, waking him from his blissful sleep.

"Well try to shake him then."

"Oh," An annoyed voice spat back. "Well that should be easy, shouldn't it? What with a dragon coiled around him and all!"

"Then use a stick or something, Pippin! It can't be that hard!" A voice, now identified as Merry, replied.

"If it's that easy why don't you do it then, Merry?"

A large grin widened across his face as he opened his eyes and took in the two bickering hobbits. It had been a very long time since he had last seen them and in the stress of preparing for battle he hadn't really had the time to wonder where they had gotten to. Seeing them now, however, was a great relief. They were still alive and well by the looks of it.

"Alright," Merry said, pushing Pippin away as he grabbed a hold of a large, thick stick. "Step aside and see how the professionals do it, my fellow hobbit."

With his tongue sticking out of his mouth Merry began the complicated progress of reaching Harry with the stick without bumping into Leroy. A low rumble vibrated from his dragon's body and into his and it was when Harry saw how Leroy was baring his sharp, white teeth that he decided to intervene. If Leroy acted on his feelings then the dragon was bound to be grumpy in the morning. He didn't think the two mischievous hobbits could handle that.

"Is there a particular reason as to why you're playing with a stick, Merry?" He asked, sitting up while supporting himself on Leroy's warm body. "I can assure you, Leroy hasn't been trained into playing fetch."

He couldn't help the trilling laughter that escaped him as Merry immediately dropped the stick and ran behind Pippin as if he had done something extremely wrong.

"Oh really?" Pippin replied, a large grin on his face as he looked at the older hobbit behind him. "Who would have thought. It would have been a damned entertaining sight though."

"I can imagine." Gracefully, Harry extracted himself from Leroy's many limbs, climbing over his long body until he finally reached the ground.

..................................

Snarls, growls and deafening booms slashed through the air. Flames of all colours and smoke in different shapes surrounded the place Gandalf last had been standing. Green eyes, wide with shock, darted back and forth in a desperate attempt to see what was going on. Despite the surprising attack Gandalf's flames still surrounded him and kept him a prisoner.

He flinched as the sound of claws tearing into flesh drifted through the air and into his ears. Images of Leroy's lethal claws cutting into the older wizard appeared in his mind and he choked a whimper that was begging to come out. He hadn't meant for this to happen. Harry had never thought that Leroy would react so strongly and violently to his emotions. It had taken him completely by surprise.

A gust of wind flowed through the air, tugging at his hair and clothes and blowing away the thick, dark smoke. Large shapes came into view and when the smoke finally cleared Harry's pupils dilated in surprise. There, standing protectively in front of Gandalf was a large white fox encased in flames of all colours. Its teeth were bared in a threatening sneer while nine, large, fluffy tales swished back and forth in agitation. The fox was tense, standing in a rigid pose, its muscles flexed and moved under its thick fur and the fact that Harry could see it spoke exactly of how ready the fox was to defend its master.

The dragon seemed just as intimidating, if not more so with the three bloodied gashes running down his chest. Leroy stood there, his long body highly strung as it coiled around itself in a move that seemed almost impossible. A constant rumble of growls travelled through its chest, up its throat and through its open mouth. Scales shone in the sun and if it hadn't been for the situation they were in Harry would have admired them. As it was admiration would have to wait for another time when Leroy wasn't trying to kill one of Harry's friends.

"Leroy," He called, gaining the dragon's attention for a mere moment before its glowing eyes shifted straight back to glare at its opponent. "Get back here."

A snort and a quiet growl was his only answer as the dragon bared its lethal teeth.

"Get back here," He repeated, his voice having a steely undertone to it as he continued. "Or I swear that you'll never see that forest I promised to take you to."

The dragon hesitated, falling back slightly as its red eyes darted back and forth between Harry and the fox before emitting a pitiful whine and bounded over to its master. A large scaly head ducked through the flames that surrounded Harry, not at all affected by the heat of it, and nuzzled into the wizard's soft stomach.

"Good boy," Harry murmured as he stroked a hand through Leroy's mane.

.................................

Her arm wrapped around his waist as they, in a gathered effort, seated themselves upon the cold stone floor. His legs dangled over the edge and as he leaned his head upon Éowyn's shoulder he decided that he was content. Sitting there was something he could have done forever, if needed. It brought him such peace, such calm that he had never felt before.

"Should I feel threatened?" A welcome, amused voice sounded from behind them.

"Yes you should." Harry began, his eyes closed he nuzzled his cheek further against the Lady's shoulder. "I've fallen in love with Éowyn and her heavenly shoulders. You've got nothing on them."

He could feel Éowyn shifting uneasily against him. When not in the presence of at least Aragorn and Gimli it didn't seem as if she was comfortable around his mate. Of course, he could understand why. Elves were, after all, such magnificent creatures that inspired awe in all beings. It was only natural to feel threatened by their grace, looks and superior skills. The possessiveness of the elves was also a factor playing into it, he suspected. They were renowned for their jealousy when it came to their mates and because it was common knowledge to the people of Rohan that Harry was, in fact, such a mate Éowyn's unease was not unfounded.

"Don't worry, my Lady." He whispered in her ear, despite knowing that Legolas could probably hear every single word he said. "He doesn't bite."

A muffled snort of amusement came from the place in which Legolas stood, once again drawing Harry's attention back on him. "Was there something particular you wanted, or do you just enjoy destroying my me-time?"

"Am I not allowed to greet my mate on such a fine morning? Would you deny me this pleasure?" Footsteps came nearer and suddenly the elf was crouched down beside him, running one gentle finger down his cheek. Blue eyes darted back and forth as they took in every detail of Harry's appearance. Hands crept up to take a hold of his jaw, cupping his face and tilting it in order for their eyes to meet.

"How are you this morning? Better?"

Once again he could feel Éowyn shifting beside him, and so taking pity on her he released her and allowed her to move further away from them. He wouldn't have wanted to sit right beside a couple being all gushy either. Harry himself knew how awkward it was sitting next to a pair that were having a... moment.

"Much, now that I don't have a wizard tracing my every step." He smiled again, leaning into the other's touch.

"He's just worried for you." Legolas soothed, sitting down so Harry could lean against him.

"Yeah, that's fine and everything, but he won't let me go out." The slight hitch at the end of the sentence signified that it had, as a matter of fact, been a whine. It was strange, but he only seemed to whine, pout and sulk in the presence of his elf. Perhaps it was the fact that their relationship was different than those he had with the others. Maybe it had to do with the new-found trust between them or even the fact that Legolas insisted on caring for him in a way he had never been before. Either way, he liked it. He liked being able to let loose and relax around the other. It only strengthened his belief that their relationship was heading in a good direction.

"You're out now, aren't you?"

"Yes, but that's just because I sneaked out." The young wizard replied.

"Oh believe me, you didn't sneak out." Legolas chuckled, his amusement clear to the world. "Gandalf wanted me to tell you that he was perfectly aware of your movements and that he wants you back in your room in an hour."

"Of course he does." Harry dryly commented before moving out of the elf's grasp. "Well then, since I'm only allowed one hour of freedom I'm afraid you'll have to leave. That hour is going to be spent with my dear friend Éowyn."

"Ah, enjoy yourself then, my love." A small peck on his cheek, delivered by a pair of soft lips, was his farewell and in only a few seconds Legolas no longer stood before him.

"He's very attentive to you." The soft fabric of Éowyn's dress rustled in the wind as she moved to join him again, a fond smile on her face as she observed him.

"He is." Harry agreed, folding his arms in his lap as she sat by his side. She was right, now that he looked for it Legolas was very attentive. Always brushing against him whenever they passed each other in the hallways, always checking up on him with lingering glances and touches. And even though they were busy Legolas always made sure to drag him away from all the work and tasks in order for them to eat dinner with each other. It was comforting to know that the elf cared enough about him to drop whatever he was doing in order to have that meal with him. That routine of always eating dinner together single-handedly managed to reassure and calm him after a day filled with worries. It was very much like the serenity that always arrived after a violent storm. Legolas was his serenity.

"You are very lucky to have someone so devoted to you. There aren't many who experience that."

..........................................................

Elves, being the tranquil creatures that they were, did not react to the loss of a mate in such a manner, however. They were much more subtle, much more silent than the race of men when expressing their sorrows. And Legolas was the perfect example of this.

All colour had escaped the elf's face, the blood draining from his head, leaving behind it a rather sickly paleness. Those blue eyes, always sparkling with some kind of hidden emotion, were dull and drawn. Furthermore, even Legolas' long, blond hair seemed to have lost all its shine. On the whole it was as if Harry leaving had drained the elf of his very soul. The body, slumped on the floor with only the wall behind him to keep him upright, was merely an empty vessel, a useless shell no longer in use. Only quiet whispers escaped the chapped and trembling lips, and even those were so quiet that the onlookers had to strain to heart them.

"Where is he? Where is my love?" Was the continuous mantra that was repeated again and again.

"Gandalf..." A cautious Aragorn broke the silence that had followed, looking at the old wizard with a concerned expression on his face.

The tall, bearded man stepped forward, pointing his staff at the distressed elf and muttered a quiet incantation, watching as the elf's entire body relaxed into consciousness and ignoring the way those blue eyes stayed open. He would be having a serious talk with both Harry and Regulus when he next saw them. Honestly, leaving right after Harry so obviously had accepted Legolas' courtship. Of Harry he could understand it, had maybe even expected it, the young man was rather impulsive after all. Regulus, however, should have known better.

With a frown drawing his face down, he moved towards the door, an unconscious elf floating along behind. He ignored the inquisitive gazes of his companions in favour of reaching is destination: Harry's room. Only one thing could calm Legolas now and that would be his mate, safe and back in his arms. As that was no longer possible they would have to settle for the next best thing, Harry's scent. Gandalf was quite certain that letting the elf rest in Harry's bed, the place practically drenched in the young wizard's scent, was the only thing that could calm him enough so that they could talk. And talk they needed to.

..................................

"It's true then?" Théoden questioned, the wrinkles on his forehead more obvious as he furrowed his brows. "Young Harry has left us."

"He has." Gandalf confirmed.

"Why?" One of the hobbits, more precisely Pippin, asked.

"Because he is afraid."

"We all are, this war affects us all so that is no excuse." Théoden scornfully replied, rubbing the hilt of his sword in an agitated manner.

"He is not afraid in the same sense as we are, he is not even afraid of the same thing as we are. Harry is afraid of choosing." The wizard explained, pausing for a moment before continuing. "He will return to us, I am sure. Before two weeks has passed we will be reunited and all we can do until then is keep Legolas sane and move on with our plans. Harry will learn the error of his way soon enough."

...................................

It was official. His mate, Harry James Potter, would never be allowed out of his sight again. After having put himself together from his breakdown he had come to the conclusion that he needed to teach his mate that disappearing without his permission was not allowed. He had allowed it before because he had believed it to be a phase, that Harry needed to rebel a little before he could settle down and fully accept his position. But no longer. Legolas would ensure that Harry understood that childish attempts at running away, no matter how unwittingly he was doing so, would not be tolerated any longer.

Had his mate been an elf he would not have been so lenient, yes for lenient was exactly what he had been during the last few months. Legolas had given Harry more freedom than any other elven mate would have been given. The most precious of things to an elf was his/her mate and as such they all used drastic means when it came to protecting them. So, due to that, it was understandable that most of the time said mate was not allowed to stray out of their sight. And, as he'd already stated, had Harry been an elf he would have known this and wouldn't have made the mistake of running away, with another man at that.

Gracefully, he moved through the halls of Meduseld, the strands of hair that Regulus had brought back to him hidden safely in the inner pocket of his shirt. It was reassuring to have his mate's scent with him, and even though Harry in person would have been much better Legolas would take what he could get. Until he managed to get to Harry, of course. And after having made sure his mate was unhurt and knew exactly where his place was—by Legolas' side, preferably in his arms—he would naturally take his time in reacquainting himself with Harry's lovely body. The mere notion of claiming Harry for himself sent shivers of anticipation through his frame.

For now, however, he would have to bide his time and convince his companions that it was time for them to start moving. Blue eyes narrowed in graveness, no matter how great the feeling of something being wrong with his mate was he would have to steel himself and endure it. Harry was, if nothing else, a stubborn creature and if he wanted to run off on his own he would have to learn for himself the consequences of doing so. Legolas could not always be there to rescue him and he was quite certain that nothing less than hands-on experience would teach Harry the foolishness of acting before thinking.

"Just as long as you do not die, my love." He whispered to himself and pushed the doors leading to the main hall open.

....................................

The ship rocked steadily, back and forth from side to side. It was easily manipulated by the gentle waves surrounding them. The wind blew strongly into large sails, pushing the rough fabric to its limit as they gradually moved forward. It wouldn't be long now. There was nothing more than a couple of hours. And then the only thing standing in his way would be a massive sea of orcs: easily handled. Not something he would've been too worried about had it not been for the fact that Harry was somewhere in that sea.

He knew perfectly well that his mate was more than capable of taking care of himself, no matter how questionable his methods in doing so were. Legolas could not, however, shake off the persistent and foreboding feeling that something bad was going to happen. It made him anxious, impatient and restless. His feet had left a permanent mark on the ship's deck from all his pacing. And he was quite certain that Aragorn and Gimli were becoming more and more unsettled by his obvious worry. Consequently, the whole ship was brimming with tension.

"You are worried." Aragorn came to stand beside him, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the railing before pulling out his beloved pipe. Wizened eyes gazed out at the shore slowly passing by while experienced hands began stuffing the long stemmed, wooden pipe.

Legolas drew a deep breath, licking his suddenly parched lips. His knuckles turned white as he tightened his grip on the railing, his mouth pressing into a thin line and his blue eyes narrowed as he confirmed. "I am worried."

"Gandalf is with him, protecting him." The man muttered as he lit fire to the tobacco in the pipe chamber, watching as the flame died down and embers began glowing. "Harry will be all right."

"There are some things," Legolas whispered, his gaze following the tendrils of smoke escaping the pipe chamber and playfully floating up into the sky, "that not even Gandalf can protect him from."

He grew restless again; his whole body trembling as he roughly pushed away from the railing and once more began pacing in an agitated manner. White teeth glinted in the air as they latched onto his lower lip, mercilessly abusing it. His breath came in short and rapid inhales. His eyes darted back and forth, unable to find something to settle on. The elf's entire frame mirrored the restlessness on the inside.

Finally he came to a halt, spinning around to stare straight at his quiet companion. "I knew from the very beginning that Harry is not from this world, how could he be when there is something so otherworldly about him? I've accepted this because it is a part of who Harry is, but ever since he parted from us in Lothlorien I have had this niggling suspicion that refuses to leave me no matter what I do."

Frustrated, the elf dragged a hand through his long, blond locks. "Even though I know Harry is mine to keep, I cannot help but to feel as if his world and everything in it will rob him from me."

"Nonsense!" Gimli's brusque voice suddenly cut into their conversation as the dwarf came marching up on deck. "As if the lad would ever allow such a thing!"

"But that's just it," blond brows furrowed as a frown covered Legolas' face. "What if he wants them to? It's his home for Valar's sake; Harry wanting to return is inevitable. What am I compared to that?"

And then Aragorn, still contentedly smoking his pipe, spoke up. "I think that you are underestimating Harry's love for you, Legolas. You should trust in him."

The ragged looking man's words were measured, carefully weighed before having been uttered. Calm grey eyes gazed at Legolas with such certainty that it was near impossible to doubt his words. Still, Legolas could not quite push away his worries. What could he offer that Harry didn't already have back in his world? What was he compared to the family that was no doubt waiting for him to return?

"It's easy then, isn't it?" Gimli commented, "All you have to do is find Harry and ask him. Simple."

"It's better than what you are doing right now." Aragorn pointed out when Legolas turned to him for his opinion. A cloud of smoke escaped the man's mouth as he spoke, his thin lips rough with dry and cracked skin. "It gives you something to focus on—other than Harry being in danger."

"You'll see my friend," Gimli added his two cents, "everything will turn out just fine."

.......................................

Without a word Gandalf moved forward, grabbing a hold of the blanket keeping Harry modest and gently moved it to cover the rest of his body. Having done this he turned and, with the help of Aragorn, began guiding the elf out of the room. Step by step they neared the door, Legolas growing tenser as they did so. And by the time they had set foot out in the hallway, the elf was near frantic in his need to return to Harry. With a loud reverberating growl, he tore himself out of Gandalf and Aragorn's arms and ran straight back to his mate's body. Swiftly, he ripped away the sheet covering Harry and buried his face in the crook of his throat, his entire frame sagging with relief as he inhaled Harry's magnificent scent.

It was perfectly clear: Legolas was not to be removed from his mate.

.............................................

Had he not, ever since he had arrived in Middle-Earth, strived to find a way back home? Had he not done everything in his power to fulfil his wish of seeing Ron and Hermione again? How was it that he had given it all up so easily and with no thought of the repercussions it would bring?

His answer came in the form of a door being violently slammed open.

A loud bang—loud enough to startle him out of the trance he found himself to be in—echoed off the walls, making way for a new array of noises, or more specifically voices. Soft, beckoning voices; the kind of voices used when dealing with a dangerous creature. Frantic shuffling of feet suddenly mixed with the voices, growing in volume until three—no five—figures clumsily stumbled into the room. The fellowship—minus three—was once again gathered together.

"Careful!" Gimli warned in a gruff voice as he cast a worried look at the ones behind him, or more specifically at Gandalf and the one he was supporting.

Harry's breath caught, his eyes drinking in the sight before him like a ravenous man would a glorious feast. Legolas had seen better days, that was for sure. His blond hair was tangled and had a slight sheen of grease to it, as if the elf hadn't washed it for a while. Dark circles put years on his face, making it seem as if he was an elf who had lived for thousands of years, an elf that was slowly but surely moving closer to the brink of death. And yet, despite all of this, Harry was so happy and relieved at seeing him that Legolas had never been more handsome in his eyes.

He wanted to speak, desperately trying to force his voice into working, but all that came out was a pathetic little whimper. It did the trick though. Because the moment it escaped him Legolas immediately took notice of him.

Time seemed to stand still as their eyes met, green clashing with blue. Harry jerked forward into a sitting position, hissing as his body protested his movements. Ignoring Aragorn's restraining hand he reached out to his elf, a pleading look in his eyes as his arm trembled with effort. For one painstaking minute nothing happened. And just as Harry was about to give up and lower his arm in defeat, Legolas reacted.

A rush of air was his only warning before he found himself bundled up in Legolas' embrace. The elf's arms restraining him in a possessive grip, immediately spinning around so his back kept Harry from the others' view.

"Is it you?" A shuddering breath left the elf, sending shivers down Harry's spine as it brushed against a patch behind his right ear. "Is it truly you?"

"Yes." Harry whispered, reaching up to cup Legolas' cheek as if attempting to provide him with some proof that, yes it really was him. Weakly, he caressed the flawless skin with his thumb, rubbing in soft circles.

"I'm sorry," He began when it became obvious that no answer would be forthcoming, "I'm sorry for putting you through so much, for always disappearing when we've finally resolved our problems. It's downright cruel and vicious of me, taking several steps back when I have promised to take one forward. I'm sorry for dying, for scaring you so."

"Why?" Legolas' voice was hoarse from disuse and a sliver of accusation lingered behind the elf's eyes. "Give me a reason, anything that can explain the continuous hell I've been through these last few weeks."

"I..." Harry hesitated for a second, not sure if the words about to leave his mouth were the right ones. And a sigh escaped the confines of his mouth as he came to the conclusion that the time had come, he would have to be honest and tell Legolas the truth. For if he did not he feared that nothing could redeem him in Legolas' eyes. It was apparent; the elf had been pushed to the limit.

It was time to come clean and inform them of the plan that had ruled his actions for the last couple of weeks.