Torturous Affections

Warning: This piece of fanfiction contains questionable themes such as sexual/non-sexual relationships between two males, abuse of power, violence and swearing. Mom and dad, I can swear this is NOT your fault.
Disclaimer: No really, must I remind that Harry Potter does not belong to me and I make no profit whatsoever?

Firstly, my apologies go to all those who follow this story for constantly taking it down, for editing and mutilation. I have sporadic mood problems, and March is evil. This chapter is for Hypersensitive, who is trying to convince me not to let ffnet get me down. It also goes out to Relle, because she's one crazy lovely idiot. XD

This is in an A/U fic.

Harry Potter looked despondently at his surroundings, noting its physical features. It was a place designed to keep people in, most likely until they breathed their last. The only spot of light that flooded a corner of the room was from the barred window, where no means of escape was probable. The faint light served to feed the algae growing along the cell walls, creating a musty scent that clung to his nostrils. He was acutely aware of his hunger and thirst, having been deprived for at least a day. He licked his chapped lips, having long drank the little dewdrops that had settled the previous night. A dull pain formed below his right ribcage jolted him awake every time he moved. The scar on his forehead throbbed, although he had no idea why it was hurting at a time like this. An itch had formed along the back of his knee, and he tugged weakly at the cuffs in a vain attempt to move.

"Ah… Isn't it a lovely morning Potter," a lone voice floated across the room and broke the pregnant silence. Without waiting for a reply, Draco continued, "All the more why we should begin it perfectly."

As if on cue, two burly looking men stepped into the room. One carried whip and the other brandished a lash that was laced with heavy metal spikes. Both of them stood behind Draco, looking very pleased with themselves and very capable of finishing Harry off with their 'equipment'.

Harry took a sharp intake of breath. Shit, he thought, holy shit. What the hell is going to be of me when they are done? Already drained of blood, his arms struggled limply against the constricting chains. Sensing his captive's discomfort, Draco took out his dagger and sharpened in nonchalantly. The prisoners kept in Gryffindor dungeons were never treated in such a manner. Even so, his bravado would surely be questioned if they were intent on torture. He was sure he had barely contained the shock in his expression.

"So anxious to play with my new toys?" Draco mockingly enquired.

He walked slowly but deliberately to where Harry was chained up, savouring the moments as Harry squirmed. Harry could only stare, stunned, heart beating wildly as Draco raised the knife to his eye level. A simmer within showed no hesitation on Draco's part, as he looked ready to plunge it in and gouge out Harry's eye. For a moment, a maniacal impulse flowed through him and he almost did, but decided it was unwise, and better left as a threat.

"Goddamnit Malfoy, you can't do this," Harry nearly yelled, voice choking in his throat as he caught the cruel glint from the folds of the hood.

"Do what Potter? This?" Malfoy sneered bringing down the knife suddenly, and slicing through the middle of Harry's shirt.

A neat incision split the shirt nicely into two even as Harry felt the knife grace his skin, so lightly it could not have left anything but a mere scratch. His abdomen and torso fully exposed, Harry was rendered further vulnerability and helplessness. A chill ran through the room, and goosebumps formed across his skin. Harry gritted his teeth, a sudden resolve like a bolt surged through him. He glared at Draco through his glasses; squashing his fear as best as you could

"Do whatever you want Malfoy. You won't get me to talk," Harry spat.

Malfoy merely gave him a bemused look and stated simply. "As you wish," he replied, before adding, "and technically Potter, I won't touch you."

Harry knew he could not argue his way out of the inevitable. Closing his eyes in resignation, he tried to think back on happier moments. If he was really going to die in this miserable hole, he might as well focus on the parts of his life he cherished. He almost smiled, remembering lying in Ginny's lap while Hermione nattered on about the construction of a new bridge. He watched the joy filled memories whiz past in his mind, as he waited for a certain death. Somehow, he had managed to switch from the spiraling descend of denial, to a broken assertion that he would be brutally mauled, or killed. And in that, it gave him a calmness he never knew he had.

A sound echoed through the room sharply and Harry felt his body jerking in a natural response, before he realized that his torture had just begun. His throat rammed against the cold metal collar as the remnants of his shirt fluttered soundlessly to he floor.

"Nggggghh."

The second blow that came only made a soft ripping sound but Harry threw his head up so quickly and forcefully that his head thudded against the wall, numbing his skull and sending odd sensations to his other joints. He heard himself scream, the burning sting across his chest consuming his thoughts. He bit his lip, willing himself to stay strong.

Harry scarcely kept his eyes open as Malfoy waited for the pain to cumulate to its peak before ordering the next two strokes to be felled. As the two men alternated their flogging, excruciating pain racked through his body. He barely felt the warm liquid moving sluggishly down and pooling at the waistband of his trousers. Vision blurred as another two more strokes descended with respective lethalness.

•

Watching Potter struggle to control his tears made Draco sickeningly satisfied. Here he was in control - understood ever element of the game. He laughed, a false ring that sounded even horrible to himself. Somewhere at the back of his mind, he remembered a time when his laughter rang true, and inwardly winced at how far he had descending.

Upon surveying his handiwork, Draco spoke half-amiably,"Oh sorry Potter, I forgot, if you give us what we want, you really won't have to go through this…" he paused, "this ... pain."

Draco knew; he knew that Harry had probably had not heard him at all. From past experiences, the sixth stroke would have left the prisoner almost unconscious. Some would have even started sniveling and pleading for him to spare them; others would resort to betraying their family and friends. Furthermore, as a special 'gift', he had ordered eight strokes on Harry.

"A stubborn mule," he remarked casually to Crabbe and Goyle. "How interesting."

Harry only responded with ragged breaths teeth gnashing in pain and anger.

After a moment, Draco questioned with false curiosity. "Potter, would you like to divulge any information now?"

"I will never bow to you, Malfoy," Harry spoke with as much resolve as he could muster. Inside however, he felt himself crumbling slowly, like hapless soil being eroded away by persistent rain. His stomach tightened considerably, seeming to cause himself to contract even further.

"Oh Potter, how could I expect you to bow?" Draco commented dryly. "You are, after all, chained to the wall."

At his signal Crabbe unlocked the cuffs binding Harry's hands to the wall. He watched in amusement as Harry tried to slump towards the ground but was cruelly held back by the collar round his neck. He gasped as his air supply was momentarily cut off and struggled to stand up straight again.

Harry felt the blood rush back into his fingers and moved them gingerly, only to realize the soreness of hits wrists. Looking down he saw the abrasive marks from the cuffs and a few lines where blood was already starting to seep out. He hardly dared to calculate the extent of the damage done to his body in those minutes that had dragged by.

Drifting back to reality sluggishly, he tried to block out his natural senses as much as he could. Gazing at Malfoy, his emerald eyes were filled with rage and something incomprehensible that the Slytherin could not quite place his finger on.

It would not be so easy to despoil the new captive, but challenges had never failed to intrigue Draco.

A muffled hack and then, "You are despicable," Harry croaked, lips toiling to form words.

"Potter," Draco murmured, sarcasm lacing his words. "How could you judge me like that? I am hurt, so very hurt."

Indicating for Crabbe to bring in the strawberries, Draco approached Potter as Goyle reattached him to the wall. Harry did not even bother with futile protests. He knew his captors were like empty wells, drained of any form of human compassion. Begging, would only bring him down to their level.

It was with pleasant surprise however, that Harry greeted the bowl of juicy red strawberries brought in. However he stamped down his hopes quickly as they had entered, knowing full well that there was an ulterior motive for their latest action. He swallowed once, but could not help throwing a glance through the corner of his eye at the bowl containing the forbidden fruit.

Detecting Harry's apprehension, Draco lifted a plump red berry from the bowl. He licked the whole fruit before biting off the top.

"Oh hmm. How delicious..."

Harry hungrily wet his dry lips as he watched Draco. The pain had mildly subsided as hunger ate away at him. Draco finished his piece and threw the leaves aside. Inwardly he cursed himself for being so weak. This was no time for distractions.

"Ooh, how could I, Potter? I forgot to share." The false sugariness in Draco's voice dripped.

He took another fruit and approached Harry almost gently.

"Sorry my little one. I will have to compromise a little on the bit about touching you. I just wanted to take care of you, precious." Draco murmured.

He traced his hands up Harry's torso and then his chest, carefully avoiding all the fresh wounds that he himself had paradoxically created. Feeling Harry shiver, Draco let his fingers wander a moment longer than necessary before lifting his other hand to feed Harry. He watched as Harry glanced hesitantly before he parted his lips slightly. Hungrily, he devoured the fruit and Draco fed him another.

"Would you like some sugar?" Draco abruptly asked.

Harry paused, his sixth sense screaming that something was terribly wrong with the entire situation. However he did not mangage to react when Draco placed the strawberry onto a smaller bowl Crabbe was holding. It came out covered in what looked like crystalline white crystals.

Placing the fruit in Harry's mouth, Draco stood back to watch as Harry started to blink in obvious confusion. His brain told him the fruit should have been sweet but his taste buds argued otherwise. There was a brief suspension, as his body seemed to spin around in confused circles, before an overpowering thirst returned to him.

"Oh Potter, I forgot to tell you, we ran out of sugar," Draco said apologetically as he placed two more fruits into Harry's mouth and pressed his fingers over Harry's lips to prevent the latter from spitting anything out.

Harry's raw throat burnt with a renewed intensity and the heat felt worse than the scorching sun that he had experienced during desert training. By the time Draco had made him finish another five strawberries Harry's head was whirling and his gullet felt as if it had been gorged out. Tears flowed readily down his dirt-streaked face.

Without warning, Draco suddenly placed two salt covered fingers onto an open wound. He had no idea how an agonizing yell managed to rip out of his throat. Pain shot through with fervent intensity and Harry arched his whole body as Draco dragged his fingers vehemently down. For all he was worth, Harry screamed.

All of a sudden, Draco's lips were on his, forcing him into a muffled silence. Harry was at a total loss with as his senses desperately tried to piece together the blond's motives. All the conflicting actions Draco did left him utterly and hopelessly confused. He could not help but part his lips as the Slytherin delved his tongue into Harry's mouth and kissed him brusquely.

"Oh god, you bastard." Harry cried when Draco suddenly slammed him against the wall and the warmth left him, so he could only feel the pain, the overwhelming pain.

Draco drank swiftly from his canteen and his hood fell from his face revealing the uncanny beauty within. His pale complexion perfectly complemented the platinum blond hair that would have shone with innocence. The well-defined cheekbones emphasized the surprising youthfulness of his face. His eyes glinted with a seductive deadliness.

Words failed him, and Harry was momentarily distracted. But, it all rushed back when he saw Draco coat both his hands with the glaring white crystals of salt. He gaped in horror as Draco advanced towards him, and planted his soft lips again onto Harry. The next moment, Harry broke down as Draco placed both hands between their bodies and clawed his fingers down onto his gashes.

Harry could only feel the white hot searing pain as it consumed him whole.

•

It was in a favourable mood that the irrepressible Draco left the dungeons . He licked his lips lightly savouring the two 'kisses' he had delivered to his prisoner. They were salty, but not particularly tasty, and he more or less preferred the fact that they were delivered with a tinge of hatred and bitterness. Well, so much for another get-to-know-you session.

This is really getting better by the day, Draco thought. The war was progressing in their favour and their special prisoner was falling apart. If the little 'interview' were to go unsuccessfully, it would not change much. Unpredictable as the winds of war are, they were howling for him. Seeing as how things were, new 'equipment' might be needed in the future. With that in mind, Draco made his way purposefully to the blacksmith.

•

"If I didn't know him better, I'd say he enjoyed the kiss much more than the torture."

"Aww com'on, you can't be serious, Draco screws up practically ever decent looking prisoner. That was just another one of his perks."

"You mean screw. Not screw up."

Loud, coarse laughter followed the unsophisticated joke, and the men challenged each other to a wrestling match.

Throughout the other two guard's debate, Ronald Weasley kept silent. He was brooding sullenly. Having never liked Draco's choice of actions, he definitely did not approve of what Draco was doing to the new prisoner. He did not even understand why guards were needed outside the cell when the prisoner was chained so tightly to the wall, in a state that would have shocked the people, if this was not war they were speaking of.

To make sure you all see the damage, and know never to cross his path on the wrong side.

Inwardly sighing for he knew the voice was correct, Ron shifted his foot and peeped into the cell. The prisoner was slumbering, somewhat peacefully with his head lolled to a corner awkwardly. His state looked rather disturbing but the redhead kept quiet, and turned his head away. If he had once wondered how Draco could treat another human being like this, the answer lurked within a conversation the leader had with Blaise. He simply never saw them as humans – only pawns of war.

Silently Ron wondered if he had made the right decision those months ago. Some guttural instinct told him that he might have been too rash.

•

A/N: Thank you for staying with the fic! :)

Relle: Thank you, especially you, because you really have been lovely in your support. And here's chapter 2. ::hug::
Hypersensitive: Thank you dear!
Keylimepie: Thank you for the high-end compliment. I really don't deserve it.
MalfoySlave: And you're back. Thanks for re-reviewing hun.
Kaze: Thank you for the great review! Violent protest? :: is scared :: Thanks really, for the compliment.
Bakachan17: Hey, I really haven't heard from you. Granted, school is evil, but I hope you're fine. =)
Eyriess: Its you again. Wow. I loved your review. Thank you so much. And I won't stop writing, (although people might wish I did) so don't worry.
Lil' Eowyn: Wow. Really, thank you so much. And cliffhangers are fun. =) I'll read your story soon.
LostGryffindor: You my friend, just rock.
Lythis: Nothing of mine should ever be labeled under masterpiece, really. I'm honoured though. And I do get the hint.

My sincere thank-yous also extend to Xiao Bai, Silent Stalker, Falling Ice Star, taintedglow, silent-sounds, kokky, p-chan, Siren of the Darknessflame, Narcissa, wolfen-alysha-draco-dragon, beggar, cupcake's angel, duchibum, Kihler and crybaby-xx.

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