A/N: So this story has been brewing in my head for several years actually. I have about the first half written, it just needs to be spell-checked and double checked, since some of it I have had written for a while. It was originally written purely for my own personal enjoyment, so basically it includes every possible scene I have searched for on other HP/LM fics, just all in the same story.

I hope someone else will find some enjoyment reading it too!

Please note: As I said, the pairing is Harry Potter and Lucius Malfoy. Other main characters will be Draco, Snape, Sirius (so he's not dead, guys! cause I couldn't bear that) It will also feature manipulativeDumbledore, and some not-so-bad Slytherins. Also: there will be mentions of past abuse, however I am not an expert on abuse, any mistakes are my own and I mean no offense with my ignorance. This is an M rated fic, but it probably won't be too graphic - be on the lookout for foul language. Harry is technically underage in this fic.

This takes place in the summer after 5th year, assuming the events at the Ministry of Magic NEVER happened. Also disregards HBP, DH and horcruxes (although Harry and Voldemort still have a type of bond )

Disclaimer: The characters used here belong to JK Rowling. I am borrowing them only for the purpose of literary enjoyment. I am making no money. She gets all the credit.

If there is anything else you guys need to know as we go, I'll post it in an authors note at the top of each chapter

Somewhere to Stand

By ThornsHaveRoses

Chapter One

June

"What did you say?" Sirius Black shouted.

Albus Dumbledore stared calmly at the wrongly accused convict over those half-moon glasses of his. "I've arranged a Bond for Harry."

"He's only fifteen!" Sirius said, barely restraining himself from crossing the table to slap some sense into the Headmaster. "You can't do that."

"He will be sixteen the end of next month. Besides, I've already had it officiated by the Ministry. There is no altering it now." The old wizard stated.

"Albus," Minerva was aghast. "That practice is ancient and archaic."

Dumbledore glanced at the other Order members present - almost all the seats were full that night - and was disappointed to see the expression on Minerva's face mirrored to some degree on the others. "But still legal and binding. I've talked to Harrys guardians and they've signed the appropriate papers. If either party pulls out now, it means death. Besides, this is for Harrys own safety." He countered.

"Who is the partner, then?" Remus asked.

Dumbledore had known he couldn't avoid telling them, but he also dreaded this moment, knowing not all the reactions would be favorable to his plan.

"Lucius Malfoy."

The room fairly exploded into protests.

"He's a Death Eater!"

"He's twice Harrys age!"

"-Death Eater!"

"-dark wizard!"

"Let me explain!" Dumbledore demanded, bringing the Order to an temperary silence. "Lucius Malfoy cannot hurt Harry, per stipulation of the unbreakable Bond contract. Also - Lord Voldemort cannot hurt Harry, since the boy is now officially a part of one of His followers family's. Severus has assured me this policy is upheld. It is a loophole He would never expect. A safe haven for Harry where his most dangerous enemies can no longer touch him."

"I did not tell you that for this purpose." Severus said, and even he seemed angrier than usual.

"Don't do this. Please." Sirius said quietly.

"It is already done." Dumbledore replied.

Meanwhile, at Malfoy Manor, Lucius Malfoy had just settled himself comfortably to open that mornings mail. Since it was halfway through June, school was out and Draco, who had just turned sixteen the day before, was the only other one at home (besides their house elves of course).

Narcissa had left him the year before, which had come as no surprise and with no hard feeling as she had often said once Draco was old enough she would. Though they had stayed together seventeen years, there was no love lost between them - many arranged marriages were such - and instead only an amiable coexistence. And life had certainly not been all that satisfiying with Lucius, who preferred men. He knew his wife had sought out other bed partners over the years and never held it against her. On ocassion and with much discretion he had done the same. They had parted peacefully with every intention of living out the rest of their lives with a degree if happiness.

So when Lucius opened the letter from the Ministry of Magic that morning, all those plans came crashing down.

When Draco came down a few minutes later, he found his father in his chair with his head in his hands.

"Father?" He asked, alarmed, going over to him.

Lucius didn't even speak, just handed over the letter that might as well have detailed a death sentence, in more ways then one

Draco read in shock.

Dear Lucius Malfoy,

This letter is to inform you that you have been chosen for an official Bond. Per the Union Law (passed 1138AD, section 48, subsection 5B - please see Wizarding Law page 664 for more details) you will have 60 days to officiate the Bond with your pledged (August15th). Failure to comply from either party with result in the fatality of both parties. Your pledged will arrive on the morrow.

Congratulations

Felix Snickett

Department of Bonds and Unions

Ministry of Magic

It took a moment before Draco could speak, and even then the words were meaningless to the elder Malfoy, no matter how sincere they really were.

"Father. I'm so sorry."

When Dumbledore broke the news to Harry, the Boy-Who-Lived argued, and protested, and finely begged. But Dumbledore was unmovable.

When Sirius went up to his Godson room a few minutes after, he found him sitting silently on his bed, knees pulled up to his chest. He wasn't crying, but for a moment Sirius wished his was, instead of this terrible, stoney exceptance of a fate he didn't want, and Sirius couldn't save him from no matter how hard he fought.

His godson was supposed to be all fire and defiance and laughs. This watery-green-eyed boy staring at him, he broke Sirius' heart.

And then Harry gasped "I don't think I can do this."

Sirius wrapped his arms around the teen who'd already had to shoulder more then should ever be asked if someone. He rocked him back and forth, wishing desperately he had something more to say then "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

The next day the two men prepared to meet. Lucius was still unaware of the identity of the person he was locked into this Bond with.

Sirius laid out a pair of black jeans and a long sleeve emerald shirt, while Harry showered. Remus came in and Sirius hugged his friend. "It's not fair, Mooney. He's so young."

Malfoy Manor was just as somber , waiting for their arrival. Both Malfoys had spent the morning and all if the night before unable to stop themselves from coming up with lists of who it might be. But it certainly wasn't a short list. The possibilities were almost endless. As soon as Lucius and Narcissa's divorce went through, his name would have appeared on the list of eligible bachelors, an automatically generated list for anyone to view once they'd made it apparent that the head of their family was hoping to Bond a member.

When the doorbell rang, Lucius opened the door, and the man standing there was about as bad as it could get. " You've got to be shitting me." slipped out before he could catch his tongue.

Sirius Black roughly pushed past inside the house. " It's not me, you asshole." He spat.

Draco arrived in that minute to see who it was and his father's confusion played across his face as well.

"Then pray tell, what the bloody hell are you doing here?" Lucius drawled.

"I need to talk to you. " Sirius ground out. He hesitated, running a hand through his too long hair. "It's Harry."

"What is?" Lucius snapped.

Sirius glared at him. " It's Harry. With this fucking Bond. Dumbledore set him up."

Shock made Lucius blut out the first thing that came to mind. " He's just a child." He breathed.

"He's the same age as me." Draco clarified.

"There .The same age as my son. Oh, Merlin . And he's. . . Of course,Ddumbledore did this. Oh fuck me." Lucius rambled - something Draco wasn't sure he'd ever seen his father do.

Some of Sirius' anger at the blonde man drained away, seeing him there so stunned, with hissDon hovering anxiously behind him, hand unconsciously held out as if he wanted to touch his father and comfort him, but social breeding wouldn't quite let him. "You don't want the bloody Bond, do you?"

That brought out some of Lucius' anger. "Being forced to marry a boy half my age? The same boy my lord and master has been trying to kill for over a decade?" He scoffed, a hundred terrible thoughts running through his mind.

Lucius had always played the games, between Dark and Light, between Pureblood and not, but always on his own scale. Never thrust between two endlessly plotting Lords, a blatant tool for their manuvering, with not a chance to stake his position. Merlin, he couldn't seem to get his legs underneath him. The unshakable head of the Malfoy bloodline, and he was still stumbling over this.

Not that it didn't make sense, because it did, which was another reason Lucius hated it. There simply weren't that many reasons to arrange a Bond such as this, and by god he understood them, he just never would have imagined that old coot forcing his Boy Wonder into this mess, no matter how much protection, or influence, or political standing, or finances he might get out out of it.

Sirius, ever the one track mind, said, or rather, commanded, "You won't hurt him."

"I don't want to hurt him, Black." And surprisingly, once Lucius said it, he knew it was true. He may not care much for boy, from everything he'd heard from Draco and others, but he would not hurt his own Bondmate. Not that he could physically, the bond prevented it, but the elder Malfoy had a feeling Sirius was referring to emotional harm as well.

Sirius hesitated, as though what he was going to share next was a secret, "He's been hurt a lot."

Lucius almost loosed a scathing remarked about how he knew that - Merlin, he'd seen the boy bloody from the Chamber of Secets mishap at Hogwarts, had watched the Triwizard tournament as the teen had limped from the dragons arena with claw marks across his arm, not to mention that bloody graveyard (and he felt it was best not to mention that graveyard at this point in time, perhaps not ever).

"I know." He said, watching the Black heirs face, noting it finely seemed calmer then when he'd burst in, looking for all intents and purposes like he'd enjoy nothing more then hexing Lucius' balls off. "And even though I don't want this, I will take care of him."

Although he had no idea how he'd accomplish that task, he would. Because Lucius was everything the world accused him of being - cold, intimidating, harsh - but he would protect his family to his dying breath. And he wasn't quite sure how Potter would fit into that dynamic just yet, but he would fit somewhere.

"This is so fucked up. Harry doesn't deserve this." Sirius murmured.

"Neither does my father." Draco said, quietly but firmly.

Sirius looked at him and said seriously, "You're right. He doesn't. "

Strange, Lucius thought, this was the most civil conversation he'd ever had with the Black heir. He studied the man before him for a second - his devestated eyes and miserable face (he was a Black for Merlin's sake, didn't he have a better poker face?) before coming to a discision he hoped he wouldn't later regret. "Give me your hand."

Siriu seemed to judge him for a moment, and Lucius wondered what he thought he was reading on his face, before the dark-haired man held it out, palm up. Lucius pressed his index finger to the offered palm, and he felt it tense as the first licks of the blondes magic danced across his skin.

Barely a moment later Lucius pulled back.

"I've keyed you into our secure floo network, so you may visit your godson when you wish . Now, I have to get ready for said godsons arrival. Draco, could you please show your cousin out?"

Once Lucius had swiftly departed, Draco turned to Sirius. Strange that even though they were closely related, they'd never spoken to each other, though Draco had recognized him right away. The Black features were unmistakable, not to mention his 'fame' meant the whole Wizarding world knew who he was. Which might have been why he confided "I've never ever seen my father so rattled."

Which was true. And Draco would never have expected his father to give the man acess to their floo. Only Severus Snape, his father's best friend and Draco own godfather had access. Even Narcissa had been removed from their floo network promptly after the divorce.

"It's going to be a long summer." Was Sirius' only reply before he too left, leaving Draco to mull over the strange scene he'd just witnessed between the two.

When Sirius arrived back at Grimmuld Place, he sought out Remus. "I went to Malfoy Manor." He started.

Remus whisper-shouted , "You what? Sirius, you goddamned, impulsive -"

"I wanted to hurt him." Sirius continued.

"Obviously." Remus hissed.

"But I didn't. I talked to him." Sirius hesitated. " Lucius Malfoy doesn't want this Bond anymore then Harry does. He didn't even know who he was pledged to until I told him. "

That stilled Remus.

"I know," Sirius agreed to his friends unasked question. "I think... he might not be... I mean - He won't hurt Harry. He promised not to. I just...am thinking he might not be completely evil." Then he almost told him about the floo acess, but instinct told him to keep that information quiet for now.

A/N: So that's the beginning. Please leave a review! Let me know what you think so far, and chapter 2 will be up soon!