A Slave to Die For



pairings: HP/DM, HG/RW, GW/NL, SB/RL



disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor am I making money from this story.



Author's note: This is a Prince!Draco Slave!Harry story, and I know the country names and such couldn't be more unoriginal, but hey, whatever, right? Please not that this is SLASH (male/male), and if you think it's icky, then find a more canon story to read. Enjoy!

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Draco ambled through the busy market district of Diagon, where peasants of the four kingdoms of Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor, haggled over the prices of items like shrivelfigs, owls, and potatoes. He loved being among the commoners, especially in disguise, where there was no exasperating bowing and scrapping and callings for his blessing etc etc.

"Fresh newt eyes! Two dozen for five knuts! Fresh newt eyes!" A portly woman crooned, displaying her wares on a wooden cart. Draco stopped at the next booth and bought a slice of watermelon, sucking on the dripping juices and spitting out the seeds as he proceeded down the market.

A few children ran through the streets, laughing and playing with wooden swords. Draco had to veer off to the side to avoid being prodded. He frowned at their threadbare tunics, which were smeared in filth, and riddled with holes. The Slytherin Realm was going to seed, and his father, King Lucius, knew it well. 'It used to be so beautiful, now it's rotten and covered with shit.' Draco mused, subconsciously turning down a dank alley, and proceeding to Knockturn, the dark, dangerous part of the marketplace. He had a special purchase to make, and this was the only one place to get it.....

"Now, here's a nice strong youth, he has no whip marks, see? So he's quite mellow, follows orders exceptionally well.....let's start at 50 galleons! Yes, you sir! In the bright red! And do I see 75? Very good, ma'am!" A large cow of a man was auctioning off slaves, currently a boy who had dirty blond hair and a hopeless emptiness in his gaze as he stared out blankly to the audience of eager bidders. He turned Draco off of him instantly. He liked slaves with backbone, fire, passion.....

A little ways down the line of chained slaves, he came across a promising pair. A young man, who had to be around Draco's own age of seventeen, was glaring angrily at the crowd. He wore a tattered tunic and a fraying pair of knee-pants, and his hair was a long, filthy dark brown. He had various cuts and bruises on his face and arms, and when he turned to whisper to his neighboring slave, Draco could plainly see dried strips of blood on his back through the holes of his shirt. The slave's eyes scanned the crowd with a furious sweep, and rested on Draco, who gasped at their brilliant green hue. He was the one.

This slave girl next to him was just as defiant and proud as her neighbor. She was a bit shorter, but looked to be seventeen as well. Her frizzy honey-brown hair was long and knotted, and it reached her tunic belt, which was only a cord of twine. Her uniform was as dilapidated and flea-bitten as the boy's, and Draco was not surprised to see just as many whip marks on her arms and back. Her hazel eyes followed her friend's, and stared fiercely at Draco.

Well, he knew that he was buying the boy, but his Father had told him not to waste his money being charitable. Draco decided not to get the girl now, but keep tabs on her, and see if a position opened at the palace that she could fill.

The auctioneer grabbed Draco's boy by the neck and veered him front and center. "Now, this whelp is a waste of life. He is very stubborn and he has a consistent tendency of mouthing back. I wouldn't waste my money on him, personally, but for those of you who like to ah, break them in, he'd be your man. Lets start at fifteen galleons....yes! You there in the hood! Do I hear twenty? No? Well, going once, twice, SOLD! To the fine man in the hood."

Draco was amused to see the slave's look of anguished astonishment at being bought. The blonde youth was about to walk backstage to pick up his parcel, when the boy snarled, " I go nowhere without her!" And he clutched at the girl Draco had contemplated buying later. Draco smirked, and raised his head to the slave auctioneer. His hood fell away.

"Prince Draco!" The large man gasped, sinking to his pudgy knees, "It is an honor, m'lord. What may I say to dissuade you from buying this loser?" The man yanked on the chain connecting to the slave's manacled hands, feet, and neck. The boy fell to his knees with a jerk, and the girl fell with him, still clutched tightly in his arms. "You're making a scene, boy. Let the mudblood go!" The fat man whispered menacingly, but the green-eyed man just held on tighter. "Do you think I care what the crowd sees?" He retorted, earning a backslap in the face. The man turned to his prince, giving him a look that said, "See what I mean?"

"What is your name, slave seller?" Draco drawled, pulling out a bag of gold. "And what is your price for the girl?" The two slaves looked awe-struck, but still stayed defiantly entwined with each other.

"I am Vernon, m'lord. Of the Twist Guild." Ah, yes. Vernon the Twisted. He was a notorious slave hunter and purveyor. He was a head member of the band of brutal and barbaric muggles who had connived and weaseled their way out of slavery, the Twist, as they called it themselves.

"I have heard of you. And the girl...?" Draco prompted, reaching into his silk purse.

"Ah, she is another dud, m'-"

"I can see the whip lashes just as plainly as you, Vernon. How much for her?" He snapped, growing impatient.

"Yessir. Ten galleons." Vernon mumbled, yanking on the slaves' chains viciously. Draco gave the man twenty five gold coins, and signaled to his two hidden bodyguards, Crabbe and Goyle, from their hiding places among the crowd. He handed them a slave chain each, and led their odd procession back up to the palace of his father, King Lucius. He almost forgot to yank his hood back up before returning to the jostling bustle of Diagon.

"Your names, slaves?" He inquired, turning silver eyes upon his purchases. Crabbe and Goyle yanked sharply on their chains to force an answer out of them.

"Hermione Granger."

"Harry Potter."

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author's note: okay, I dunno when I'm going to update this, since I don't know how long the next chapter will be, but I'll try to get it out soon. Please review!