Harry sighed in relief as he let himself fall on one of the chairs rounding the kitchen table. Dinner was ready and the table was all set. He had managed to get it all ready before Draco came home from work and he mentally congratulated himself for it. Surely Draco would be happy with him. It was the first time in a week that Harry managed to get dinner just in time, not too early and not too late. His mistakes had gotten him a few nasty bruises, but he was pretty sure he wouldn't get another one tonight. Draco would be home in a few minutes and dinner would still be warm, there was no reason for Draco to get mad.
Harry Potter -now better known as Harry Malfoy- and Draco Malfoy had started dating in their seventh year at Hogwarts. Harry had been head over heels over Draco since fourth year and he had been esctatic when Draco had finally asked him out that day in September of their seventh year. Harry had felt like his life was a constant daydream. Draco was everything Harry could have ever wished for; he was affectionate, doting, gentle, loving, and one hell of a sex god. Harry had felt no regret when he gave Draco his virginity only a week after they had began dating.
Draco had asked Harry to marry him the very same day they had graduated from Hogwarts, barely ten months after they had began dating. Harry had happily agreed. He had actually been over the moon at the mere thought of becoming Draco's husband. It had only taken his and Draco's mother three months to organize everything. The ceremony had been everything Harry had ever wanted, the best thing was, and will always be Draco though. Harry had had a hard time believing he was actually marrying Draco, his long-time crush.
Harry's parents, James and Lily Potter, had been there smiling proudly and happily at their son, along with their bestfriends, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew and Frank and Alice Longbottom.
Draco's parents, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy had been there as well, happy to see their son and son-in-law so happy and in love. Their family and long-time friends had attended the wedding as well, namely Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange, Rabastan Lestrange had been forbidden from attending by Draco as he supposedly was 'staring at Harry too much for it to be innocent'. Andromeda and Ted Tonks had been there as well along with their Auror of a daughter, Nymphadora. Other friends had been there as well but Harry couldn't for the life of him remember their names.
Draco's bestfriends, Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini had stood proudly by Draco's side, happy to see their bestfriend marry. Harry's bestfriend, Hermione Zabini, nee Granger -she and Blaise had married only two months before Harry and Draco- had stood by Harry's side. She had cried a lot but Harry couldn't really blame her as he had shed a fair share of tears himself. Harry and Draco's other friends had come as well, such as Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, Fleur and Gabrielle Delacour, Theodore Nott, Daphne and Astoria Greengrass, Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe.
The whole Weasley family had been there, except for Ronald and Charlie. Harry had been a little bit put out when Draco had told him that Ron couldn't come. He was Harry's oldest friend after all. But he and Draco had never managed to get along and so Harry had let Draco forbid him from attending. Charlie had also been forbidden from attending for the same reasons as Rabastan had been able to come. Harry had been unable to understand why Draco thought so many people had ulterior motives conserning him but he had decided to not question the matter any further and had let Draco take control.
Draco and Harry's old professors had been eager to come as well. Albus Dumbledore had been the first to accept their invitation. He had been ecstatic at the idea of two of his old students being happily together and marrying. Minerva McGonagall had come as well, along with Pomona Sprout, Horace Slughorn, Filius Flitwick, Rubeus Hagrid, Rolanda Hooch and Septima Vector.
Even a few Ministry officials and Aurors had accepted their invitation, namely Kingsley Shacklebolt, Dolores Umbridge and Cornelius Fudge, Alastor Moody, Amelia Bones and others Harry had completely forgotten about. Overall, it was a huge wedding.
But the only one Harry really cared about was Draco. Draco was the only one he had eyes for, the only one that mattered.
Harry was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard the front door open. Draco was home. Harry quickly stood up to greet his husband.
"Hey, how was your day?" Harry asked as he went to his husband who was taking off his Auror robes.
"Tiring." Draco sighed, a tight smile on his lips. "How was yours?"
"Boring." Harry allowed himself to say. He probably should have just said that he had had a good day but Draco seemed to be in a good mood so he allowed himself to honest, just today.
Draco gracelessly snorted before pulling Harry into a kiss. The kiss was sweet and gentle, loving and claiming. Harry sighed in content and allowed himself to melt into the kiss. It was over all too soon though.
Draco pulled away, the hand that had been cradling Harry's head tightened, Draco's fingers began pulling a bit too hard on Harry's hair. Harry didn't dare say a thing though. He knew he had no right to complain.
"I'm hungry."
"D-Dinner's ready." Harry stuttered and Harry mentally beat himself up from being scared already. Draco was in a good mood. He shouldn't be scared.
"Good." Draco crashed his lips Harry's, and the younger man winced inwardly. His lips were still heavily bruised from all the biting Draco had done this morning and he was kissing him so hard it hurt. "Good boy." Draco mumbled against his lips.
He went to the kitchen, leaving Harry standing in the hallway. He sighed in relief. He had really thought would find something to blame him for. However, his breath died on his lips when he heard a plate fall to the floor.
"Harry. Come here." He heard Draco growl out. Harry gulped in fear but went to his husband anyway. He knew fairly well that it would only be worse if he didn't oblige.
"W-What is it?" Harry mumbled as he reached the kitchen doorframe.
"Could you please tell me what in Merlin's name is that?" Draco asked, pointing at the broken plate and food on the floor.
"W-Well, t-that was d-dinner." Harry mumbled, his gaze locked on the ground.
"Look at me when I talk to you, Harry." Draco half growled, half yelled.
Harry felt his heart miss several beats and he forced himself to look up and meet Draco cold grey eyes. "S-Sorry."
"Now, I want to know why you made sheperd's pie?"
"I-It's my f-favourite." Harry mumbled, his gaze focusing back onto the tiled floor.
Draco grabbed the back of Harry's hair, forcing him to look up. Harry didn't know how his husband had ended up behind him, the only thing he was aware was the pain he felt as Draco pulled his hair. "I-I said it's my favourite so I thought-"
"I don't care what you think!" Draco cut him off. "I don't want Sheperd's Pie. You know fairly well that I don't want that for dinner. I've told countless times, right Harry?" Harry jerkily nodded. "What am I going to eat now?" He didn't know what Draco was about to do and it scared the shit out him. "I made a lot of efforts." Harry begged to differ but he would never say such a thing out loud. "I actually was in a good mood when I arrived but you had to ruin it all, didn't you Harry? You always have to ruin everything. I've been understanding all week long but you don't seem to understand." Draco sighed and shook his head as though he was about to do something he didn't really want to. "I'm just going to have to make understand then."
"W-Wait. I could make something else. I promise I'll be quick." Harry tried to protest eventhough he knew it was pointless.
"You had your chance, Harry." Draco scolded him- his voice was soft and gentle though- as he pulled Harry toward the hob. It was still hot from the cooking Harry had done mere minutes ago. Harry's brain was trying to process every possibility but it only came up with one. Surely Draco wasn't cruel enough to do that, right?
"Draco, please. Stop, please." Harry sobbed as he tried to get Draco to let go of his hair.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to ruin your pretty little face." He cooed as he kissed Harry's cheek. "Wouldn't want my husband to end up disfigured, right?"
"I'm sorry, please." Harry sobbed. "I-" Harry trailed off as Draco took hold of his right forearm and pressed it hard against the hob.
Harry didn't want to scream. His screams always made Draco angrier. He only hit Harry harder if he screamed. But he couldn't help himself. He screamed as he felt the skin of his forearm blister and melt on the hob. It felt like forever until Draco finally let him go.
Harry was weak and he fell to the the floor as his legs weren't able to support him any longer. He was sobbing hard, clutching his injured arm. "That'll teach you." Draco smirked. "Now off you go, I want you in bed in five minutes." He kicked Harry right into his stomach. "Hurry."
Harry knew he was too weak to stand up and so he crawled to the bathroom. Luckily, their flat was quite small and so he reached his destination quickly. His arm and ribs hurt like hell but he ignored as he used the sink to pull himself up. He took a second to look at himself in the mirror and nearly gasped. He used to seeing himself in such a state but he was still taken aback each and every time.
Draco had started hitting Harry a week after their wedding. It had been a little slap here and there at first but it only grew worse as days went by. Two months after their wedding, Draco was beating Harry up fully. They were nearing their two years anniversary so Harry was quite used to the beating.
Harry didn't blame him though. He couldn't blame him. Draco loved him, he was the only one who could love him and the only Harry wanted to be loved by. He loved Draco more than anything in the world and would never dream of leaving him. Draco was violent but he only ever hit Harry when he deserved it. Otherwise he was kind and he loved Harry, truly loved him.
No one knew about the beatings. Harry would never tell anyone. He didn't want anyone to take Draco away from him. He wouldn't be able to keep on living if they took Draco away from him. He couldn't deny that sometimes he wondered if it really was worth it. He hurt constantly, he felt like his life was nothing but pain. On particularly hard days, he thought about going to Hermione and tell her everything. He also thought about going to Lucius for every time he was in the same room as the man -his father-in-law-, there was something in his eyes, a dark glint, as though he knew something was wrong. But then Draco would come to him and apologize, he would tell him how sorry he was and how much he loved Harry. And Harry would forgive him. He always forgave him. Because he loved him.
Harry gasped as he bit his lower lip without even realizing it and pain shot through it. He had forgotten how bruised and split it was. He had deep dark bruise on his left cheekbone and a nasty-looking cut on his jawside. He had scratches on the right side on his neck, mingling with the dark bruises and hickeys. He didn't even know which ones came from kisses and which ones came from the beatings. He didn't even care anymore.
He quickly took off his clothes when he realized that he was wasting time. He probably only had two minutes before Draco came looking for him. He didn't even dare look at his body. He knew that it was covered in bruises and cuts. He knew that he was broken. But Draco was the one who did all this to him and he loved Draco enough to fogive him. He knew that he was painfully thin but he didn't care. If Draco decided that he wasn't to eat, then he wouldn't eat. All that mattered was Draco whispering to him that he was beautiful, no matter what. Draco found him beautiful and so he was.
Harry sighed, trying to forget about the pain running through his body. He wanted to heal himself. Even if couldn't heal his bruises, he wanted at least heal his forearm. It hurt like nothing else before. It was the first Draco had burnt him that way and Harry didn't want it to ever happen again. He knew that he wasn't allowed to perform any kind of magic -Draco had taken his wand away right after their wedding-, he also knew that Draco to see Harry's bruised body but Harry just wanted to heal his arm.
Harry heard Draco's footsteps coming near the bedroom and hurried to the bed. He slid under the covers, trying to keep his forearm from touching it as he knew that it would only bring him more pain. He closed his eyes, trying to keep his tears from falling as he realized that lying only brought more pain. There were just too many bruises.
He felt Draco slide in beside himself and tensed. He wasn't up for any kind of sex right now, be it gentle or rough. He felt Draco's arm wrap around his slim waist and nearly sobbed as he thought his husband was about to force himself into him. "Are you mad?" He heard Draco whisper into his ear.
He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that Draco had not come to have sex but to apologize. Harry merely nodded as he didn't trust his voice right now. He wasn't mad. He was never mad. He couldn't get mad at his husband, he loved him too much for that.
"I'm sorry, Harry. You just made so mad. It's just- It's been that way all week and I just lost it." Harry turned around to face his husband. "You have to understand that I wouldn't do that to you if you didn't deserve it. Trust me, it hurts me more than you to do that, Love."
Harry nodded. "I know. I'm sorry."
Draco smiled. "Good." He kissed Harry softly on the lips. "Are you giong to be good now?"
Harry nodded. He wanted to be good but it seemed he always did something wrong without even realizing it. He wished he was good enough for Draco to stop hitting him but it was nothing but wishful thinking. He was bad, always bad.
"Draco?" He said after a couple minutes.
"Yes, Love?" Draco replied, a soft smile on his lips.
"Could you- Could you please heal my arm?" He mumbled, blushing in embarassment.
Draco sighed, his eyes hardening. "You know that I can't. You need to learn, Harry. You need to be a good boy. Pain is the only way you'll learn your lesson, you know it."
Harry nodded. "Yes, I know. I'm sorry I asked."
"You're mine, you'll do well to remember that. You'll always be mine. You belong to me and I alone make the decisions. You don't get to make any demands, is that clear?" Draco's was low and threatening.
Harry nodded once again. "Yes. I'm yours."
"Good." Draco smiled and kissed Harry's forehead. "Now sleep, Pretty."
Harry didn't want to sleep though. His arm hurt too much for him to sleep but he knew better than to argue with his husband. It would only bring him more pain. He wasn't even sure he knew how to argue anymore. He knew he was broken. Draco had broke him. But that was okay because he loved Draco enough to forgive him. He loved Draco enough to live such a life. Harry forced himself to fall asleep, his head resting on his husband hard chest. It was only at night that he was sure why he stayed. Cradled in his husband's arms, Harry felt loved and cared for. Draco was the only one who could give him that kind of love. He loved Draco enough to suffer through the pain said love brought him.