Chapter Twenty – Three: Draco
Draco was frozen. He could feel the hot chocolate warming his hands, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from the prone figure in front of him that was Harry.
Harry is … he's kneeling at my feet?
I don't …
I don't understand.
'Draco?' Granger said gently, gaining his attention. She was gesturing to Harry's hands.
'If you want, I can heal him quickly and I'll leave you two alone to talk?'
Draco could only nod numbly and watch as Granger knelt next to Harry to heal his knuckles. While she was doing so, Draco couldn't help but eye Harry's posture. He was in a pose that Zabini had forced Draco into numerous times – kneeling with his knees spread, chest and forehead on the ground, arms stretched out in front and wrists crossed.
Harry didn't move while Granger healed him, and he remained motionless once Granger had finished and began talking to Draco.
'Draco, if you need anything, if anything happens, you send me a Patronus, OK? I promise to come and help you immediately.'
'I - I don't have a wand.' Draco mumbled, not meeting her eye. There was a long, sad silence between them.
'Would you like to me to stay?' Granger asked gently. Draco didn't fail to notice that she sounded as though she was tightly controlling herself.
'You …' Draco sighed in frustration, searching for the right words.
'I'm in control of myself, Draco. I promise I won't do anything you won't ask me to.' Granger said reassuringly.
'If you really don't mind?' Draco asked, in a small voice. Granger shook her head and took a seat in one of the armchairs next to Draco, summoning a book from the nearby bookshelf as she did so.
'I'm only here if you need anything.' She assured him. Draco let his gaze fall back to Harry, who hadn't moved, but Draco didn't miss the slight shake in his legs.
What do I do?
What does Harry expect of me?
…
What is the opposite of what Zabini would do to me?
'Harry.' Draco finally said. Harry didn't move. Draco looked to Granger, who had her eyes on her book.
'Gra … Hermione?' Draco asked.
No use calling her "Granger" when she already calls me Draco … and she's taken such good care of me already.
Hermione lifted her eyes to meet his. 'Wh - what do I do?' he asked softly.
'Whatever you deem necessary, Draco. You can forgive him, you can punish him, you can ignore him. Whatever you think he deserves, really.' Hermione said.
'Is there…' Draco trailed off and looked away nervously, taking a gulp of his hot chocolate. Hermione waited patiently, giving him her full attention.
'Is there somewhere I can take him?' Draco finally asked.
'You mean a bedroom?' Hermione asked, a faint smile on her lips. Draco frowned.
'Well … yes, but one with … equipment.' Draco blushed, but Hermione took it in her stride.
'So, you've more of a … playroom in mind?' Hermione asked. Draco only nodded. Neither of them missed Harry's sharp intake of breath at the mention of a playroom.
'Of course. I can show you, if you wish?' Hermione offered. 'After all, we are a club with rooms designed specifically to suit everyone's sexual desires.' Draco glanced at Harry and took a deep, steadying, breath.
'If you would be so kind, I would appreciate it.'
'Will he be staying here?' Hermione gestured to Harry, who's legs were shaking more noticeably, and his fingertips were pressing into the ground. Draco considered his options.
'No, he can come with, help me choose.' Draco said smoothly. As he did, Harry groaned quietly. Draco looked to Hermione briefly, who nodded encouragingly.
'Did you say something?' Draco demanded, quietly.
'N – no, Sir.' Harry said, his voice wavering. Draco looked to Hermione again, who smiled.
'Kneel, Ha-' Draco paused, pursing his lips in thought. 'Potter. On your hands and knees.' Draco said, waiting while Harry adjusted his body.
'Good boy,' Draco crooned. 'You will crawl after us, and you will not speak unless spoken to. Do you understand?'
'Yes, Sir.' Harry mumbled. Draco took a shaky breath and stood, allowing the quilt that was around his shoulders to fall to the couch. Hermione gently took the mug from him and put it in the kitchen as she led Draco out of the apartment, sending a Patronus ahead of her as she did so.
'Who's the Patronus for?' Draco asked curiously, hoping she wasn't about to make a scene.
'Before you get started with Harry, I want to perform a little experiment, if you don't mind?' Hermione said.
'Experiment?'
'With the collar. Nothing extreme, I simply wish to prove or disprove my theory.'
'And that is?'
'That the Horcrux within your collar amplifies the strongest sexual personality of the people it's near to. Either that or…' Hermione trailed off, glancing at Harry, who was following Draco obediently.
'Or?' Draco asked. But Hermione simply shrugged.
'We'll find out, I guess.'
Hermione led Draco downstairs to the room she had brought Draco to the day before. She stopped just outside the room and gestured to Draco to stand directly in front of the door.
'Harry worked very hard to enchant the room, so it'll give you the room you … require.' Hermione said with a small smirk. Draco understood the reason for her smirk but didn't say anything.
'So, I just … stand here and talk to the door?' Draco asked.
'Well, you don't need to talk to it, more like … envision the kind of room that you need.' Hermione said.
Draco faced the bland wooden door and, feeling a bit silly, closed his eyes.
I need to show Harry I forgive him, but I need to put him through his paces first.
So …
Draco thought of their time at school, of the days they spent together in the Room of Requirement.
'Oh, my.' Hermione said from behind him. Draco opened his eyes to find that the bland wooden door had transformed. Before him stood an elegant set of double doors that were as high as the ceiling.
'I haven't seen the door itself change before.' Hermione explained when Draco looked at her in confusion. Draco shrugged and opened the door.
Directly in front of them was a huge four-poster bed, taking up their entire view.
'What do you have in mind, Draco?' Hermione asked curiously. Draco gestured for her to follow him.
'Potter. I want you standing at the end of the bed, ready and waiting for inspection. Now.' Draco said, watching as Harry did as he was told. It gave Draco a confidence boost.
'Naked, Potter.' Draco sang as he led Hermione away.
Behind the bed, the rest of the room was revealed. One wall was storage; drawers and cabinets where Draco knew various toys were stored, ready and waiting to be used. There was also a smattering of furniture; a standard St Andrew's Cross, what looked like a mattress with hooks protruding from its sides, a simple wooden chair and -
'A sawhorse?' Hermione asked, gesturing to the bench. The wooden legs were supporting a leather cushion that Draco knew would be the perfect length for Harry's body, and there were cushions lower where Harry would put his knees and wrists. There were even cuffs ready to hold him down.
'Yes, if he wants forgiveness, he needs to feel like he deserves it.' Draco shrugged.
'You won't take it too far, will you?' Hermione asked nervously. 'I'm concerned with the collar…'
'Don't worry, Hermione. Dominant isn't my natural state, so it shouldn't … overwhelm me.' Draco said thoughtfully. 'But I'll be careful, I don't want to see Harry hurt any more than you do.' X
'Thank you.' Hermione said, patting Draco on the shoulder. As she did, her whole body tensed.
'Don't you dare!' Draco ordered, stepped away from her. He watched as she appeared to fight an internal battle.
Finally, she took a deep breath that made her whole body quiver.
'I'm sorry, Draco. I've got it under control.'
'How can you be sure?' Draco demanded, trying hard to hide his nervousness.
'I distract myself by thinking of Ron.' Hermione shrugged. 'I don't have a true desire to be with you, but I do with Ron, so I think of him instead.'
'That … works?' Draco asked, hesitant. Hermione shrugged again.
'It works for me.'
It was that moment when they heard the doors open.
'Master … Harry?' a voice Draco didn't recognise called out, sounding confused.
'Come on, Draco. Let's go greet the others, see if my theory is correct.' Hermione said. Side by side, they made their way to the front of the room.
