Summary: This is probably unoriginal, but H/D having to rely on each other for more than just the basics, thanks to Dumbledore cruel unusual punishment.
Cruel Unusual Punishment
Chapter One – An Example
"The Saviour of the Wizarding World and the heir to the Malfoy fortune, the richest and most prestigious family in our history, should set an example to the other students, not use their titles as an excuse to avoid punishment for inexcusable acts. One way or another you will be an example to the other students, even if I have to make an example of you myself. I'm sorry Harry, Draco, but it is necessary to be firm on this matter."
Both boys stood silently before Professor Dumbledore, looking at their own feet, awaiting their imminent punishment.
"It is not enough simply to punish you, I'm afraid."
Harry's heart froze. They really were going to be expelled. He was going to live with the Dursley's and be their failure nephew, probably demoted to slave, forever. His whole body had gone numb and his mind was spinning in on itself.
"What are you going to do?" croaked a very hoarse voice: the tremor was more noticeable than the words.
Harry looked up abruptly, to find the owner of this unfamiliar voice… and saw Malfoy, who he'd forgotten was even present, in his thoughts of the Dursley's. Hated and despised Malfoy, whose fault this was entirely, completely, totally and unwaveringly. But it didn't look like Malfoy. You could never feel sorry for Malfoy, or think of him as weak or even human enough to really feel any emotion… but this boy, he was near crying and looked so fragile, frail and vulnerable.
Harry just stared, as Malfoy's- no, not Malfoy, Harry decided instantaneously: Draco would be the name of this new boy, who was capable of feeling and being vulnerable and weak- Draco's lower lip trembled as Dumbledoor looked up into his shining blue eyes.
Harry decided that Malfoy would probably use the word Draco as an insult if he knew what it meant in Harry's mind.
Dumbledore smiled kindly.
"No doubt you expect to be expelled?" he let that hang for a moment and Draco gave an almost imperceptible nod.
"But, one thing even you could never call me, Mr. Malfoy, is predictable. Your punishment will be far more unusual and I expect you will think it cruel. You will learn far more from this punishment than the conventional one. You both have potential, and that is a terrible thing to waste."
Both boys were nervous. It was the 'cruel' part that worried them, but other than that, they were actually quite curious.
"Your punishment will be this: you are going to learn to like each other."
Both boys gaped.
Malfoy recovered first: "How the hell are we supposed to learn that- short of a few irreversible memory charms and some very strong, mind altering potions, of course?"
"No disrespect Professor, but nothing will ever make us like each other: not even you have that much power." Harry stated matter-of-factly.
"I didn't say I'd make you: I said you'd learn, Harry." Dumbledore said serenely from behind his desk.
"But… how?" Harry asked, utterly confused.
"Well, Harry, you learning to like one another: that was the unusual part. The means by which this will be achieved is the part you may consider cruel."
Harry's body filled with icy dread again. He could feel the cold crystals breaking his cells, reducing him to frozen mush. What was he going to have to do to learn to like Malfoy?
"You will have to rely on one another completely. You will learn to see one another as human-"
Relying completely on Malfoy? They would definitely have to make him do that: there was no way he was going to learn to, or just voluntarily, trust him: Harry wasn't that stupid.
"- One of you will be physically weakened and the use of his arms will be restricted, through magical and reversible means. The other will be expected to take full responsibility and care of him. Any physical damage done to the weaker boy, whist in your care, will result in an immediate reversal of roles. Any emotional damage will result in the change happening at midnight. The more you hurt one another, the longer your own debilitation will last. Whatever you do to hurt or help one another will affect how you are treated in turn no doubt. You will learn that, with this punishment, you will get what you deserve."
Both boys stood stunned again. Harry was terrified: Malfoy would just kill him. He couldn't trust Malfoy!
"You will no longer belong to the Houses of Gryffindor or Slytherin, respectively, and so, of course, neither of you is allowed to return to your former common rooms or dormitories for the duration of the punishment. Your friends will not be allowed into your common room or dormitory. You will have your own House and the ordinary point system will not apply to you; your point system will dictate how long your punishment lasts, but you'll figure out how it works as you go along.
"Good luck, boys! Report to the entrance hall in ten minutes and you'll be escorted to your new quarters. No need tocollect anything: all your belongings have already been moved."
tbc...
Please RR and i'll love you forever )
