Ch. 2

In the dungeons

Late one night, Draco found himself furiously stalking down the corridors of Hogwarts towards the dungeons where the Potions Master's office was located. He was seething, and for good reason (to his mildly twisted way of thinking at least).

Earlier that day, in Potions, he and Crabbe had been having a most blissful time tormenting the detested Gryffindor trio. Granted, it was not the most quiet form of torment, but then Filibuster Fireworks thrown into cauldrons containing botched potion-making attempts (Potter and Weasley's project, of course) from across the large Potions classroom is hardly expected to be so. But that wasn't even the point. The point was that he, Draco, had been taking part in an attempt to seriously hassle (and perhaps even hurt) a group of Gryffindors. The point was that he, Draco, was adhering to the Slytherin code of behaviour where Gryffindors were concerned. The point was that he, Draco, was trying to perpetuate the legacy of the House of Slytherin. And the point was that he, Draco, was not only stopped from doing so, but was reprimanded for it. And not only was he reprimanded, but points were taken off his house by the Potions Master, who was only the Head of the house in question! Granted, it was only three points, but Draco found this fact completely immaterial.

Draco stopped in the corridor midway between the Slytherin dungeons and leaned against a wall, trying to catch his breath. As he had been walking, his thoughts went back to the injustice of the events of the morning, and he found himself holding his breath. After a couple of minutes of doing so, he realized that he wasn't breathing and he forced himself to stop and lean back, collect his thoughts, and be able to breathe again. But the more he collected this thoughts, the more furious he became, until he realized that his anger would simply not dissipate until he'd spoken to the traitorous Potions Master himself.

However, as he thought about what he would say to the Potions Master, and how that conversation would go, he once again started to hold his breath, but for a much different reason this time. He thought about the potential "conversation " again, and found that holding his breath was positively useless, since just thinking of what was about to happen was enough to render him breathless. He was vaguely aware of his face flushing and his legs becoming weak under him, and slipped down with his back against the wall to sit on the floor. Standing did not seem a viable option at this time, and he didn't want to risk trying to walk to Snape's office in this state. He ended up sitting there for a while trying to regain his presence of mind.

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Now, Snape and Draco had been carrying on a clandestine affair for quite some time. Being a secret affair as it was, naturally, the entire population of Hogwarts knew about it. However, what the entire population of Hogwarts did not know about was the nature of this relationship. Far be it from two such Slytherins as themselves to carry on a mushy romantic affair full of roses, teddy bears and moonlit walks, of course, but the nature of their relationship went beyond the mere absence of fluff. The exchanges in their relationship were not of gifts and pretty love notes as they were of power and control. Lately, Severus had begun to tire of being the wielder of control all the time. Not only was he a professor, he was also the head of the house of Slytherin and to tell the truth, it was all getting to him.

At the same time, Draco was sick of his own position in life. Always in the shadows of someone else, always having to take orders from someone who fancied themselves higher in the societal hierarchy. Always having to be compared to St. Potter, and falling short next to him. Draco longed to be in control, just once. Just to see what it was like.

And one day, not long ago, it seemed that all his desires were about to be realized. It was at this time that Severus and Draco had been going together for a while when one day Severus found himself too frustrated to deal with anything and went off on a long rant. The rant was about, of course, Severus perpetually having to be in control of whatever situation he was in, and how he could never give up this control and have someone else take responsibility for him for once. When he started on this, Draco had responded by retorting that it was better to always be in control than to never have control at all.

This exchange went on for about an hour before the two realized that they might be getting onto something. And that that something might let them realize all their inner desires, and leave them with a better feeling about their station in life in general. And so it was.

Draco was now the one in full control in this relationship, and Severus established himself as submissive extraordinaire. And the two were getting along better than ever. So in truth, what the rest of Hogwarts saw as merely a clandestine relationship between a professor and a student was really much more than that. Much more indeed.

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It was the "indeed" part that Draco was thinking mostly about as he sat against the wall trying to catch his breath once more. All sorts of depraved thoughts rampaged through his head like a herd of wild elephants, leaving the destroyed remains of rational thought behind. After the stampede slowed somewhat, he realized that unless he got up to do something about the situation, however, the "indeed" part would simply not work out.

Draco picked himself off the floor, brushed off his robes and smoothed out the creases that had formed when he had sat down so rapidly. He reached up and smoothed his slightly-disheveled-with-anticipation hair down with his hand, and wished ardently that there was a mirror somewhere nearby so he could perfect the look he wanted to walk into Snape's office with, but alas, there was not a one in sight. Finally, he settled with setting his jaw in that way he knew Snape found absolutely irresistible in its ability to create the impression of extreme masculine potential in Draco (not that Draco had no masculine potential to begin with).

Draco's eyes gleamed as he gracefully made the rest of the way to the dungeons, and the gleam only grew brighter as he stepped silently into Severus's office with the intention of taking his boyfriend by surprise.

When Draco entered the office, Snape was in the middle of brewing what seemed to be a rather complicated potion, and was thus too engrossed to notice that there was someone else in his office other than himself. Draco took this opportunity to watch the older man as he was in his own space, and the more he watched, the more taken he got with Severus's mannerisms.

Draco stood off to one side just inside the room, where he knew his figure would be obscured by the many shadows there always seemed to be in the dungeon, and hence would be able to observe Severus without being seen right away. He watched silently as Severus went from the counter to the cauldron and then back again to the counter to chop something else. The black cloak Severus was wearing to protect himself from the chilly draughts trailed behind him gracefully and swirled around his ankles whenever he came to a sudden stop, wrapping around his body somewhat and forming a flowing silhouette of it. Draco watched, mesmerized by the swinging cloak, for a few minutes, after which he remembered his full purpose for being in the dungeons in the first place.

"Okay, Draco," he thought to himself. "Remain focused now...it won't do you any good to let Severus see your weakness for him at this point..."

Draco took a deep breath, pulled his robes around him and emerged from the shadows.

Severus, realizing that there was someone else in the dungeons besides himself, looked up suddenly and saw Draco, who was busily emerging from the shadows.

Draco, upon seeing that Severus had noticed that he was in the dungeons, immediately put on his most intimidating look and advanced towards Severus in a manner he intended to be menacing and awe inspiring. Severus glanced at him, smiled faintly, uttered a greeting, and went back to observing the contents of his cauldron. Draco, bothered by this, advanced some more, adding a slight stomp to his steps as he did so, so that Severus would be forced to look at him again and notice his enraged expression. Severus looked up briefly, smiled again, and went back to his cauldron.

Draco was thunderstruck. His eyes bugged out wildly. Did Severus forget his position in this relationship? How dare he? The utter nerve!

"Ohhh," he thought (albeit not without a certain amount of pleasure). "Is Sevvie dearest in trouble now..."

Newly fortified by this additional thought, Draco approached Severus's work counter casually, leaned against the countertop with one elbow on it to prop him up, and watched Severus for a couple of seconds. Severus, impeded in his work by Draco's elbow lying in front of the vial of powdered unicorn horn, nudged it out of the way so he could reach said ingredient.

Draco, indignant at being shoved away so casually, quickly collected his rampaging thoughts and forced himself to look unperturbed. After all, this could be used as additional ammunition for his cause. But in order for it to be so, he had to remain cool.

Draco picked up a random eagle feather quill lying around and, leaning against the counter again, absently tickled the exposed part of Severus's wrist with it. Severus sighed deeply and lowered the flame on the magical Bunsen burner so that his potion could simmer more slowly. Resignedly, he put the ladle down and leaned against the counter, facing Draco.

"Someone seems to be in a rather playful mood," he observed out loud, rather unassumingly when the situation at present was considered.

"Patience," thought Draco, and then out loud, "Of course I am. These things happen when one is forced to be away from one's lover for extended periods of time."

Severus looked, quite frankly, amused. Usually, it would be him saying something like this before getting down on his knees and begging for Draco's attention. Rarely was the situation otherwise. It was a rather refreshing change once in a while, he thought. "Come now Draco. It's been what? Four hours? Surely we can expect you to live."

Draco was speechless. Severus wasn't taking him seriously at all! What was more, Severus was mocking him! "Just a few minutes longer," he reminded himself.

"Well, of course I can live," he started, "but...oops..." Draco deliberately dropped the quill he'd been playing with. The quill landed near Severus's left foot, and he crouched down to pick it up.

"Perfect," thought Draco. He lifted his right foot and set it down squarely on Severus's back as he was crouched down.

Severus froze on the way up. He dropped to his knees, ducked out from under Draco's foot, and held the pristinely polished dragon-hide boot. Lowering his head, Severus kissed the leather clad toe and reverently laid Draco's foot back down on the ground. Still kneeling, Severus looked up at Draco's face, eyes full of pleading questions. Before he could ask anything, however, Draco spoke.

"Summon my broom."

"But master," Snape started to protest.

Draco knelt down in front of Severus, raised his right hand, and placed it lovingly on Severus's cheek. Severus, in need of any sort of reassurance from Draco, turned his face slightly so that he could kiss the palm of Draco's hand.

Draco let him do this, and repeated, "My broom, Sev."

Severus looked at Draco plaintively. "Why?"

Draco withdrew his hand from Severus's cheek and promptly slapped Severus so hard that his head swiveled the other way a bit before he caught it.

"You dare to question me?" he demanded icily.

Severus lowered his head and reached into his robes for his wand. Drawing it out, he held out his right hand and whispered, "Accio Nimbus."

A few seconds later, the black lacquered handle of Draco's Nimbus 2001 flew into his outstretched hand. Severus looked at it for a second with some trepidation, and submissively proffered it up to his master with both hands, as one would present a sacrificial offering.

Draco accepted this offering, and briefly considered it before he put it down on the countertop next to himself. He gazed down into his quaking lover's eyes and something in him softened somewhat. "What am I doing?" he thought for a split second. "Why am I doing this? I love Sev...I don't want to hurt him. Why is it that in order to love him, I must keep hurting him? Why must I control him to have him love me? Why aren't I allowed to be vulnerable, too?"

But this vacillation disappeared as quickly as it had come on, and morphed into steely resolve without Draco really knowing why. It was just so easy to slip back into the role he was expected to play. Draco had adjusted to the idea of having certain things expected of him; it was just another part of his life. Heir to the Malfoy estate, leader of 6th year Slytherins, brilliant student, controlling lover-yes, just another role. It was only natural.

He considered Severus with newfound determination. "Do you know why you're in the position you find yourself in, Severus?" he inquired grimly.

Severus's expression grew even more pleading. He looked down and mumbled, "No...that is, I don't think..."

"That's right, Sev," Draco interrupted. "You don't think. You just don't think! You certainly weren't thinking earlier today in class when you took those points off Slytherin! You didn't stop to consider my potential humiliation at all! And then, you really weren't thinking when you pushed me away five minutes ago, were you? And..." he continued, as he assumed an exaggeratedly pensive position wherein he leaned casually against the worktable and stroked his chin thoughtfully. While doing so, he wished ardently for some form of facial hair to be able to play with absently, but there were far more pressing matters at hand. "...What could you have possibly be thinking when, just two minutes earlier, you mocked my words deliberately? Oh of course, that's right¾YOU WEREN'T THINKING!"

Severus's eyes clouded over with helplessness. He lowered them submissively once more. "I'm sorry, Master Draco," he whispered. "Please forgive me."

"Severus, darling," Draco cooed. "Of course you will be forgiven. But you know me well enough to know that, to gain this forgiveness, there are certain conditions you must meet. Certain penances you must perform..."

"Yes, sir," Severus mumbled.

"Fair enough then," concluded Draco. "You know what to do next, I presume."

Severus slowly rose to his feet, and looking down still, started to take his cloak off as Draco watched with a combination of impatience and lust. Finally, Snape stood in front of him clad only in a pair of black boxers with a small Slytherin crest in silver above the hem on the left leg. Draco's eyes flickered to the bulge in said boxers for a moment and then travelled upward to settle on Severus's eyes which were mutely begging him to both stop and continue with the impending chastisement.

Draco, who had no intentions whatsoever of doing the former, but every intention concerning the latter, obliged Severus on this one point. Pulling out his wand, he pointed it at Severus's bare feet and muttered, "prœpedius." Iron shackles emerged from the cold, stone floor and secured themselves firmly around Severus's ankles.

"Hold out your arms," he commanded.

Severus complied with this order and held out his arms, which Draco then bound to the broomstick by the wrists. "Wingardium Leviosa!" demanded Draco, and the broom became airborne.

At this point, the broom hovered a mere foot above Severus's head, so his arms were outstretched loosely over his head. Draco stepped back to ponder his boyfriend's body, so enticingly bound for the moment, when he noticed said boyfriend swallowing nervously and trembling. Draco stepped toward Severus and placed his hands on Severus's slim waist. Severus flinched slightly at the touch. Draco leaned in slightly and gently kissed the hollow at the base of Severus's neck, right above his left collarbone. He remained there for a second, revelling in the closeness, and Severus laid his head down on top of Draco's so that his cheek was nestled in Draco's hair. Just for a moment.

Suddenly, Draco stepped back and flicked his wand at the levitating broomstick, which shot up a foot, hovered there for five seconds or so, thereby stretching Severus's arms painfully above his head before dropping back down to its previous position, thus letting Severus's arms relax. While the broom was at its highest position, Draco could see Severus clenching his teeth and sweat forming over his brow as he tried valiantly not to cry out.

"What do you have to say for yourself, Sev?" he asked calmly, as if the person he was asking was sitting comfortably in front of him instead of in a considerable amount of pain.

"I'm sorry, master..." gasped Severus, trying to maintain a semblance of composure.

"Hmm..." contemplated Draco. "That didn't seem too sincere an apology to me."

He waved his wand at the Nimbus once more and once again, the Nimbus shot upward, and stayed there longer this time.

By the time it had descended to the original position, Severus was sweating profusely and breathing erratically, but he still had not cried out.

"Let's try this again, shall we, Sev?"

Gritting his teeth against the pain of his already aching muscles, Severus whispered, "Please Master Draco...I beg your forgiveness...please..."

His desperate request was answered by another quick movement of the wrist, and therefore was cut short.

"PLEEEEEEEAASE!!!" was the resulting scream of pain.

Draco waved his wand once more, and the bindings disappeared, the broomstick clattered to the floor, and the shackles unfastened. Severus fell to his knees, gasping for air, tears of pain streaming down his cheeks. He reached for the hem of Draco's voluminous black robes, hesitatingly brought it to his parched lips and kissed it reverently. Draco kneeled down in front of Severus once more and cradled his face between his palms. He gently wiped the salty combination of tears and sweat away, and leaned in to place his soft lips on Severus's. Draco's hands slipped down Severus's neck, over his chest, down his sides and into the waistband of his boxers in one slow, fluid movement. Severus moaned and leaned back to lay down on the clammy dungeon floor, pulling Draco on top of him while doing so. Draco's fingers hooked around the elastic of Severus's boxers, and slid them down until there was nothing between Severus and Draco but Draco's own robes. Which weren't there for long.

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Half an hour later, the two men lay on a cloak on the floor in amicable silence, another cloak on top of them to shield them from the ever present draughts. Severus lay with his cheek resting in the hollow of Draco's chest with Draco's arms wrapped tightly around his waist. This was one of the times in their relationship where it was understood that roles were not to be considered, power was to be a complete non-issue, and they could simply bask in the presence of the other. For all that this relationship precluded, it was still a tender one, and it was understood that it would always remain so.

It was during this pleasant afterglow that Draco's thoughts again shifted to the ones he was having earlier, wherein he wondered why exactly he should have to fall into the same role time after time after time. After all, it's not as if it was easy for him to have to always be the one forced to punish. For all that he wanted to be in control, causing pain was something he didn't find as pleasant as he thought he would when the dynamics of this relationship was first established. Perhaps this was because it got boring to keep having to think up new ways to keep things from getting monotonous and trite. Or maybe that it took too much time and effort to always be on his guard, looking for ways to initiate situations such as the one that had just taken place. Or maybe he just wanted to lose control in this relationship for once. Not as a permanent thing of course, since the idea of being in control had not ceased to be appealing, but just once. Just to try. To be the taker in situations where he had been giving before, and give in the situations he had been taking in.

But how to broach this subject with Severus, who was snoring lightly on his chest by this point? That was another question altogether.

Draco shifted a little under Severus when he felt his leg falling asleep from being pinned under Sev's. In doing so, Severus woke up slightly, yawned and shifted himself around. Draco decided to take this oppourtunity when Severus was likely to agree with anything to introduce the current dilemma in his mind.

"Umm, Sevvie," he said tentatively.

"Mmmrargrafrum..." mumbled the half-asleep Severus.

"Sevvie? Are you listening?"

"Mmm..." Severus said contentedly as he found the sweet spot to sleep in.

"Sev?"

"Mmm...sleepy..." came a muffled voice from under the mop of black hair that was resting on Draco's chest.

"Sev, can we talk for a minute?"

The mop sighed, groaned and rolled off Draco's chest to reveal Severus's tired yawn. After the gaping mouth closed, Severus wiped one had over his eyes, propped his head up on one hand, and turned to face Draco. "What would Young Master Malfoy like this time?"

"Well, I was thinking..." Draco started, slightly distracted by Severus drawing circles on his bare stomach with one finger. "It's like this...sometimes...aargh, why are these things so hard to explain...it's kind of like...OH FOR MERLIN'S SAKE, WOULD YOU STOP THAT?!"

Startled, Severus drew his hand back and looked at Draco right in the face, fear forming in his eyes. "I'm sorry..." he began to apologize.

"AND STOP THAT TOO!!! AAGH!!!"

"Stop what, Master? I'm sorry, but I really don't..." Blind panic at the thought of having done something wrong could be heard in his voice.

"THAT! All of that!" Draco yelled, before forcing himself to calm down. At the rate he was going, Severus would be groveling at his feet next, begging for mercy from some impending punishment that Draco would be forced to devise on the spur of the moment. And that would just ruin the point of this whole conversation in the first place.

Draco got up to pace nervously around the dungeon. Finally, after a couple of minutes of pacing, he thought he would try a new approach. He slowly turned to face Severus, who was by now, kneeling, prepared to do the bidding of his obviously perturbed master.

Draco sighed. All this submission certainly wasn't making anything easier. "I love you, Severus," he began.

"As I do you, Master Draco," interrupted Severus. He shuffled closer to Draco on his knees until he was kneeling right in front of Draco. "As I worship you, my lord. Let me show you how much I worship you..." he purred suggestively, while reaching up to the waistband of Draco's boxers to lower them and...ahem...prove the extent of his worship.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Oh, stop it, will you?" he muttered and stepped away from Severus.

"But Master," said Severus, looking hurt. "I am here only for the sake of your pleasure. I am here to do your bidding."

"Okay, fine. In this case, my bidding is thus: just listen to me like a normal person for a second will you? I bid you to stop acting like..." and here Draco cringed, "...like my slave. Just for now. Indeed, this would give me a great amount of pleasure."

"But I am your slave, sir. Perhaps an unworthy..."

"BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I WANT!" screamed Draco, finally losing his temper. "I DON'T WANT A SLAVE! Not all the time, anyway! Do these ridiculous dynamics always have to exist?! Can't you love me, even if I'm not lording over you?!"

"But, sir..."

"AND STOP CALLING ME SIR!!!"

Severus looked taken aback. "So, in this case, Draco, what you're saying is that you don't want to be in control. That you don't want me to have to surrender my control to you. That you loathe the entire foundation our relationship is built on."

Draco felt a cold wave wash over him. This was not how it was supposed to be going. "But our relationship is built on love, isn't it? Like most other relationships?"

"Love?" Severus pshawed. "Love is not everything, Mister Malfoy. Surely, I thought you understood this? Love is nothing compared to power! I'm very disappointed; as a Slytherin, I expected you to know better. Now come, let us end this futile conversation..."

"NO!" yelled Draco, in increasing aggravation and panic. "You're saying you don't love me?"

"I respect you, Master Malfoy. Which is more important. I respect you, as I respected your father before you."

"So what you're saying," said Draco, slowly, with growing dread. "Is that you don't love me. You don't feel anything for me, except when I dominate you. That you won't feel anything from me if I stop."

"I would stop respecting you then, Malfoy, and I cannot feel for those I cannot respect."

"But when we kissed..." Draco started, now confused.

"Velvet-covered steel," Severus interrupted. Draco looked at him while Severus continued. "Velvet-covered steel," he repeated. "Most erotic, once you think about it..."

"Then those kisses; they meant nothing?"

"Velvet-covered steel," repeated Severus once more.

"I'm sorry, then, Severus," Draco whispered, his voice cracking. "But I can't..."

Severus looked surprised. "You can't what? Are you telling me that you don't want to continue in this? That you want to give this up for a piddling little thing such as love?"

"Goodbye, then, Severus," he whispered. Draco picked up his cloak, hastily threw it on over his boxers, and turned to leave.

"But you can't do this," Snape was spluttering. "You can't go. It's not that simple."

"Goodbye, Severus," Draco repeated, and stepped out into the hall. He walked away, not daring to look back in fear that he would find that he couldn't leave after all.

"TEN POINTS FROM SLYTHERIN!" came the voice wafting out into the hall after him.

Draco continued walking.