A/N: Hopefully things are starting to get a bit more exciting. Please drop a review if you like it (or if you don't), and Merry Christmas to all who celebrate! To everyone who doesn't, happy Tuesday!

Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belongs to J. K. Rowling and other people who are not me.

Somewhere To Stand

by:ThornsHaveRoses

Chapter Eight:

After that, things seemed to go smoother than anyone of them would have expected. Lucius still watched Harry intently, always with curiosity. Harry still managed to get by with very little sleep every night, instead distracting himself by working in the gardens - a relatively easy task considering they took up about three acres of property. Sirius stopped in when he could, and with Severus' visits, the Manor was more alive then it had been in years.

It was the last day of June, and by chance Sirius and Severus were both there, exchanging glares every time they had the misfortune of meeting eyes, when Felix Snickett arrived unannounced. He walked in on the adults and Draco in the living room.

Lucius was pissed, but of course he hid it, "Snickett."

"Ah, Lucius, Draco. And Severus Snape, yes?" The irritating little man than turned to Sirius, who had stiffened. "And I'm afraid... but you do look familiar, Mr...?

"My cousin." Lucius interjected smoothly before Sirius could think. "Well, from my ex-wife's side, but still. Ingmar Black."

"Pleasure." Snickett held out his hand.

Sirius shook it mutely, then shot Lucius a 'what-the-hell?' look.

Yes, Sirius had changed his look a bit since his last photo in the paper - not only cleaner, obviously, but that black hair was trimmed and his face clean-shaven, but it had only been three years since he'd escaped Azkaban and Snickett, even though he was clearly an idiot, was still a Ministry official and might know better then most what the notorious Black looked like.

Luckily, Narcissa did have a third cousin named Ingmar Black, who was estranged and had not been heard from for the last decade or so. Lucius had seen a picture once, and Ingmar had the black hair and classic nose that ran in the family. The ruse should work. Of course, Lucius was a bit startled at himself, that his first thought had not been to rid himself of Black once and for all by giving him to the Ministry. No, his first thought was what would his new Bondmate think if Lucius had done such a thing.

Severus simply watched the short man over his teacup. He didn't like or trust the greedy, pathetic little man.

"Lucius, where is your Bondmate? I'd love to speak to you together."

Why today? Lucius thought. Harry had a killer headache, so bad he had skipped out on visiting his Godfather - making him talk to Snickett now would be cruel. Nonetheless, if he didn't Snickett would make trouble, and quite frankly they could not afford anymore right now.

"Draco, would you go grab him? He's in our room." The last bit was said purely for Snickett's benefit.

"Of course, father."

At the door, Draco knocked. When their was no answer, he hesitated. He hadn't been in his father's room since he was a child, and now that it was Lucius' and Harry's, it seemed doubly intrusive. Draco pushed in.

Harry was on his back on the left side of the bed, both hands pressed over his eyes. There was a pile of tissue on the floor beside him, and Draco was surprised to see they had blood on them. He stepped closer. "Hey. Potter."

Harry mumbled something, which sounded a lot like "fuck off", and that actually made Draco grin slightly.

"Potter, that Snickett guy from the Ministry is here."

Harry sat up with a groan. "That fucker? Now?"

"Yeah, he..." Draco trailed off as Harry cursed again and trail of blood began leaking from his nose, dripping off his lip as he reached for another tissue.

Harry squeezed his eyes shut as he held it under his nose. Then he pushed off the bed. "I'm coming." He mumbled.

Draco let him pass in shock. He'd never seen Harry like this. When his father had said Harry had a headache earlier, Draco's first thought was that the Boy Hero was being a baby. But the pain Draco had just seen on his face, coupled with the dozens of bloody tissues on the floor, discarded that theory entirely. No, this was serious.

Harry paused outside the hall for a moment to compose himself, then went in, the blonde boy following just behind him.

Four pairs of eyes watched Harry come in, frown at Snickett, then instead of sitting in the empty chair by Sirius as they all expected, he went over to the couch Lucius was on. Everyone watched in shock as Harry dropped down beside him, his hip touching Lucius', then drape one leg over the blonde's, then cross his other on top of that, in a very relaxed, very intimate pose.

Then Harry leaned in so his lips were just an inch from his Bondmate's ear, but spoke loud enough that everyone could hear. "What the hell is he doing here again?"

"Mr. Potter." Snickett greeted, looking slightly perturbed.

"Mr. Ministry douchebag." Harry returned. "What are you doing here?"

Draco almost choked on his laughter, but also his amazement. He knew Harry hadn't been faking upstairs, so he must be pretending now. Plus he'd never seen Harry willingly get so close to his father like this.

Snickett frowned. "It's my job to check in on all new Bondmates. To make sure all rules are being followed and everyone is happy."

Harry reached over and took Lucius' cup from his hand and took a drink without hesitation, while Sirius and Severus looked on in shock. Lucius schooled his expression better.

Harry lowered the cup and frowned. "Like when you told Lucius he could fuck me as much as he wanted? That rule? Cause I'm pretty sure you just made that up."

Snickett smiled. "Mr. Potter, it's common in these situations for the dominant wizard to get full union rights even before the Bond date -"

Harry cut him off with a sharp laugh, then he nudged Lucius' arm. "Hear that? He thinks you're the dominant wizard here."

Sirius had to force his jaw to stay firmly closed at the words coming out of his Godson's mouth. He couldn't believe Harry, his innocent Harry, would ever say something like that out loud in front of everyone.

'If you truly are having intercourse, then it's a simple matter of proof -"

Harry cut him off again, before Lucius could even think of doing so, so caught in the clipped words flying back and forth. "How do I prove that? I tell you how big his dick is, then he takes off his pants and you measure?" Harry asked crudely.

Snickett actually blushed.

"Guess what? He's mine, so you'll never get to see." Harry stood up. "Lucius, please, get this fucker out of this house."

Lucius stood too, "Your welcome has worn a little thin, Mr. Snickett. Severus, would you mind showing him out."

Once Snickett was out of the room, Harry deflated a bit, pressing the heels of both his hands to his forehead, and sucked in a painfilled breath. "I'm sorry about that. I just wanted him gone fast."

Lucius actually laughed.

The elder Malfoy had to admit, for what Harry had wanted, he had accomplished it in the most efficient (if a bit crude) way. Had it been uncomfortable, completely out of the blue, and left Lucius reeling at the teens boldness? Well, yes. Would he have rathered if his manhood had never been brought into the conversation? Obviously. But it had worked, and worked most efficiently. Lucius was almost... proud?

Severus came back and looked at Harry curiously. He wouldn't have believed Potter could act that to save his life if he hadn't just seen it with his own eyes. Still couldn't believe how quickly he had manipulated Snickett. If the Potion's Master didn't know from Lucius that they hadn't slept together yet, that performance would have convinced him, even though technically neither had actually admitted to it.

Of course, he thought somewhat amusedly, it had clearly convinced the convict, if the storm brewing on his face was any indication.

Harry moved, perhaps a bit uncomfortable standing amongst them after his lewd comments , and ended up, unintentionally, in full view of the bay window. Draco, who was watching Snicket, said "He's not leaving. He's just staring through the window."

Lucius frowned, his eyes flicking to Harry, then the window, and his quick mind came to a solution that fell directly in line with the act Harry had just played. "Harry. Don't move." Lucius commanded softly, and those green eyes locked on his.

The blonde approached him slowly, searching those expressive eyes for any sign of fear, any apprehension. Harry nodded subtly to him, and lifted his chin.

Lucius leaned down and pressed his lips to Harry's.

Those soft red lips yielded for him, not quite kissing back, but not resisting either. Lucius put a hand on the smaller man's hip, and Harry's whole body tensed up. Snickett was watching, and neither pulled away.

Harry had to remind himself to breathe. The kiss was not what he was expecting, not that he had much to compare it to. It was softer then he was expecting - softer then he thought Lucius Malfoy could be. And the older man tasted good - in a sort of indescribable way. If the kiss had lasted longer, Harry might have worked himself into a panic, because no one had ever been this close to him before, not like this. But for those brief seconds it was just nice, and accepting and not pushing, and damnit but he might have enjoyed it. Which was all kinds of fucked up, but then when had his life not been?

The kiss barely lasted a handful of seconds, but then Lucius pulled away, despite the addictive taste of those sweet lips. He knew he couldn't push Harry too far. Didn't want to, not with an audience. He inclined his head slightly and Harry stepped back.

Sirius felt like gagging. That fucking Death Eater was having sex with his Godson - who wouldn't be sixteen for another month.

"Snickett's gone." Draco reported.

"You bastard!" Sirius spit, crossing over to Lucius and catching him with a forceful right hook as soon as he turned around.

"Sirius!" Harry yelled.

The convict swung again, catching a disorientated Lucius in the same cheek. Then he grabbed the blondes shirt.

Draco and Severus both pulled their wands.

"What the hell..."

"Black!"

"Back the hell off, dog!"

And Sirius: "How could you? He's just a boy... how..."

Harry got between the two men and pushed on Sirius' chest. "Sirius. He's never touched me. Sirius! He's never touched me!" Harry shouted, and finely his eyes focused on his Godson.

"What...?" Sirius gasped.

"This was all for show, Sirius. It's not true." Harry repeated, "please let him go."

Sirius did, almost shoving Lucius away. He fell on his ass and his son ran to him.

"Harry..." Sirius moaned.

"Sirius. I'm fine."

Sirius hugged him, a whirlwind of desperate emotions inside of him. "Thank Merlin. I never want him to touch you, Harry."

Harry froze in his embrace, and when Sirius let go he took a step back and said coldly "So you'd rather I die? Because that's the only other option here, Sirius."

The Animagius seemed to realise what he had said, but his tongue jammed as he tried to think of words to fix this with.

Harry turned and left.

"Really, Black?" Lucius hissed, standing.