[A/N – Another Wednesday, another chapter. :-) This one has been censored as well, for comparitively more graphic content. The full version can be found here:
http: awesomeopossum greatnow com / LH7 . htm
Hopefully FFN doesn't maul that… As last time, take out the spaces, periods between the parts of the domain, and slashes after the colon. Sorry it's really inconvenient, but FFN isn't a big fan of HTML. Bah.
Oh, and a request of y'all? I had someone tell me that there's a misspelling in the title. I speak no French whatsoever, I just thought that it made a pretty-sounding title and much more dramatic than anything in English. :-) It should translate to "The Momentary Encounter" or something similar. But the person who said there was a mistake didn't elaborate, nor did they leave an email address. Gah. So if anyone here speaks French and is willing to tell me what's wrong with it, I'd be very grateful. :-)
And of course, time to thank my reviewers. :-)
xikum – I emailed you personally awhile ago about your review, but thank you again for taking the time to leave me feedback. It's always appreciated. :-)
ShatteredxDream – Yay, a faithful reviewer, how cool. :-) And I don't think they'll ever admit to love. Lucius does care about what happens to Harry, but he can't bring himself to admit to loving him. It's more passionate and lusty than loving, really. But there's a hint of a relationship somewhere, so. Hm.
DARKMARK33LV – Mm, well, who doesn't love some Lucius/Harry action? :-D I'm glad you like the story, and I hope I'm posting fast enough to satisfy you. :-)
Enola – Emailed you, but thank you again. So incredibly cool to get a review from an author I really admire. :-) And also thank you for telling me that FFN completely obliviated the original link, I had no idea… Bah. :-p
Tarawen – I'm glad you like it, and here's more. :-)
Megwin – Well, Harry's not turning evil, per se. But he's working toward self-preservation since he's become more realistic and worried about the situation with Voldemort. Nobody views their own actions as evil, he's just being kind of selfish. :-) Here's the next chapter for you.
treana – I always thought Lucius's composure was super-sexy. :-D As for Harry's mood swings, hehe, you can't blame him, he's in unfamiliar territory and situations and ideas, and he's being seduced by Lucius Malfoy. And I got rid of the complications of Draco and Narcissa by sending them off on a convenient holiday to Switzerland, as I mentioned a couple chapters ago. :-) Because stories where Lucius/Harry is established, and Draco knows and is supportive? Way OOC, it always tends to be, and I'm not talented enough to keep him in character. Of course, he would hate the idea, but I don't feel that that would lend anything to the story either. And I may begin babbling, so I'll wrap this up. :-) Glad you like the story.
The Greekie – Hm. Well, Harry still doesn't know how to feel about becoming a Death Eater. On one hand (as I've mentioned before), he's realizing with this self-preservation joining Voldemort means he won't get killed, always a good thing. On the other, the idea of joining the people who killed his parents and godfather is really messing with his head. On the third hand, Lucius is a sexy persuasive bastard. :-) And I've actually got the entire story written, so the suggestions, while interesting, might go to waste on me. :-p Sorry. And thank you for the offer of being a beta, but I'm all set already. :-) Glad you're enjoying the story.
CassandraRaven – Whee, it's fun to keep track of your name changes. :-P Hehe, no, it's cool. I'm glad you liked it, and I hope I'm updating fast enough for you.
riantlykalopsic – Not too much more, I'm sorry to say. We've got this update, and then two more chapters that will both be posted next Wednesday. Then I don't know what I'm going to do. :-P Glad you like it so far.
Aaand, that's it. Onto the fic! :-)]
---
The tension in the manor had been smothering for the past few days. Lucius had decided that Harry would have to approach him. And Harry, equally stubborn, had decided to avoid Lucius completely. Lucius hadn't seen the boy in seventy-two hours. He was taking his meals in his room, according to the house elves, and was only venturing out after Lucius had left for the Ministry.
He had noticed missing, or misplaced, dark arts books from his library, but he had Potter's wand, so it didn't matter anyway.
It was Thursday evening when Lucius saw Harry again. He had just returned home, via the fireplace, and emerged from the cottage to the grounds. To his right was the lake, and he could faintly see Harry's figure against the bright, star-spotted sky.
He decided to break the silence, and approached the lake. Harry was sitting on a flat rock, throwing stones into the water. He either didn't hear Lucius, or chose not to acknowledge him. Ker-plunk. "That's effective," Lucius commented drily.
Ker-plunk! That one had been thrown so violently that the water nearly lappped at Harry's ankles. "You must be cold," Lucius persisted, brushing his fingers down Harry's exposed arms.
Harry shivered, but said icily, "I'm fine."
Lucius pulled his coat off and draped it around Harry's shoulders. Harry left it there, but picked up and tossed another stone viciously.
He was aiming a fourth when Lucius removed it from the boy's hand. "That's enough, Potter." Harry didn't even look up, but bent to get another rock. "Potter," he repeated, taking the boy by the shoulders.
"Don't touch me," Harry said, shrugging his hands off.
Lucius grabbed Harry's wrists and pulled him up off the rock. "You're brooding." They started down a path.
"I'm thinking," Harry answered defensively. He pulled his wrists out of Lucius's grip, but put on his coat.
"About what?" Lucius asked with interest.
Harry sighed. "I'll need my wand back."
"I don't trust you with it."
"Please," Harry begged. "I was stupid to agree to this. I don't want to learn dark arts anymore, I've had enough, I just want to go back to how things were. "
"No."
"Why not?"
"You may not pull out of this whenever it suits you. It's too late, you're in this for good now."
"I don't want to be," Harry said desperately.
"Then I'll take you to the Dark Lord and you'll be killed," Lucius told him.
"Fine."
Lucius stopped and studied him. "You can't be serious."
"I am," Harry said.
"You have such amazing potential-"
"To kill people," Harry cut him off. "I know, you told me."
"To be powerful. Respectful. Feared."
"I don't want to be feared," Harry said in frustration. "I just want to be normal."
Lucius laughed bitterly. "You haven't been normal since you were a year old."
"Well, if I were to practice dark arts it certainly wouldn't help matters, would it?" Harry argued.
"You would be known for what you've done, not who you are."
"I would be known for murder," Harry answered scornfully.
Lucius draped an arm around the boy's shoulders, leaned in closer, and murmured in his ear, "You would be known for your greatness."
Harry disgustedly pushed him away and walked farther ahead. "I'd rather not be."
"Then I should kill you now."
"That's okay," Harry shrugged.
"It's not," Lucius answered. Harry looked back at him. "I'm not okay with it."
"With all due respect," Harry snapped, "I don't see how this would affect you."
Silently Lucius slipped his hand into Harry's and led him back to the manor.
---
It was the first night in three that they had dined together, and the atmosphere was laced with awkwardness. Harry ate quickly without looking up, evidently still brooding. Lucius contemplated casting a Cruciatus on him just to get some noise out of the boy. "After dinner we'll continue your dark arts education," he mentioned casually.
Harry slammed his fork down in unexpected anger. "I told you I'm not doing anymore."
"And I told you that you may not quit," Lucius replied, irritated.
"You can't make me continue."
Lucius leaned over the table. "You don't think I could manage Imperius?" he hissed. "You will learn the dark arts. By choice or by force is your decision."
They both finished dinner without any conversation. Lucius stood and told him, "I'll be in the library, and you'd best show up. There will be consequences if you don't."
Harry didn't answer, but Lucius saw him clench his fists briefly. "You have a half hour to be there, Potter." He left.
---
The library door creaked open in hesitation. "Come in," Lucius called. "I'm in the back."
Harry emerged from behind an oak bookcase, looking angry to be here, but here nonetheless.
"I have a request to make of you," Lucius began, idly fingering a leather-bound volume. Harry raised an eyebrow. "If you decide to study dark arts on your own time - " Harry blushed darkly " - then at the very least put my books back in place. Furthermore I'd appreciate if you ended the hypocrisy of pretending to be above dark arts, and then studying them once you are out of my sight."
Harry's eyes narrowed, and he looked ready to argue, but Lucius interrupted, "Don't make excuses, it's okay." He again tossed the bag of stones onto the table. "What did you learn?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing you'll admit to."
Harry nodded impassively.
Lucius extracted a stone and transfigured it into a mouse. "Show me the disembowelment curse, then."
"As if you don't know it well enough already," Harry muttered.
"Crucio," Lucius said lazily.
Harry had not experienced the pain awhile, and when the curse hit him his knees gave out and he bit down on his lip to keep from crying out. Lucius waited patiently while Harry suffered the curse. When it was over, he repeated calmly, "Show me the disembowelment curse."
He offered Harry his wand, and the boy snatched it out of his palm angrily. "Eviscero," he said through clenched teeth. Blood spattered across the table as the mouse was torn apart, but this time Harry didn't even flinch.
"Good boy," Lucius said with approval. He cleaned the tabletop with a sweep of his wand. He transfigured another stone. "Now," he said, lightly stroking the mouse's fur, "let's try a new curse. The incantation is Concutiossis."
"And what does it do?" Harry asked guardedly.
"You'll see." Lucius let the mouse go and looked expectantly at Harry.
He pointed his wand at the helpless creature. "Concutiossis!"
The mouse's shrill squeak was cut short as it collapsed on the table, limbs twisted at grotesque angles. Shards of bone broke through the skin and blood stained the wounds.
"It shatters all of the bones, save the spine and skull, in the body," Lucius said without looking up. "It will die eventually, of course, but it will go through quite a bit of agony first." The mouse was still struggling, unable to squeal in pain due to its collapsed ribcage. "In a sense, these are...worse than what I've taught you so far, for the death is neither instant nor relatively painless." He reached for the velvet bag.
"Aren't you going to clean this up?" Harry asked with uneasiness, motioning to the writhing creature.
"No," Lucius answered tersely. He dropped a rock on the table. "Are you paying attention, Potter?"
"Yes."
"Velicruento, then." He transfigured a second stone into a mouse. This one sensed the danger in the atmosphere, and scurried away. Harry picked it up calmly and set it back in the center of the table. "Velicruento."
The fur uncoiled from around the mouse like a long ribbon. Muscles and bone were visible in the pool of blood the creature had formed. Harry kept his eyes trained on the gore, aware that Lucius was watching him. The mice crawled together, curled in a pool of their own blood, and became still. Harry was also.
Lucius draped an arm around his shoulders, and Harry subconsciously pulled closer. "I don't want to see you cry," Lucius warned.
"I wasn't planning to," Harry answered.
"Do you want to continue tonight?"
Harry glanced at the mice, then back at Lucius. "I want you to teach me everything you know."
---
They worked all night, fueled only by adrenaline and determination. When dawn's sunny fingertips reached the library windows, Lucius checked a pocketwatch and picked up his velvet bag. "It's seven AM, and I need to be at the Ministry by eight. We'l get cleaned up, changed, and have breakfast in a half hour."
They met again in the dining room, two omelettes placed in front of their seats. "When I return, we'll continue," Lucius told him. "And in three days' time I'll take you to the Dark Lord." Harry nodded silently. "You're not protesting?"
He looked up. "I'm going to finish what I started, and not regret any of it."
"Good to hear." The conversation died, but it was a comfortable silence. They finished, and Lucius rose from his seat. "I've got to go. I'll see you tonight. Don't get into too much trouble while I'm gone." He took Harry by the shoulders, leaned over, and kissed him softly on the lips. Harry was unaccustomed to this show of tenderness, but leaned back and tilted his head upwards. He bit and sucked Lucius's lips in tiny kisses, throwing his arms around his neck. Harry's fingers tangled in Lucius's hair, and he stood, pressing their bodies together. In return, Lucius slid his tongue into Harry's mouth, tasting and nibbling and sucking. He was reaching for Harry's zipper, when the boy pushed him away abruptly. Lucius composed himself and glared at him. "Is there a problem?"
"You're going to be late," Harry reminded him breathlessly.
Lucius pulled out his pocketwatch again and glanced at it. "We'll finish this when I get home." He smoothed his hair from having Harry's hands tangled in it, straightened the front of his robes, and reluctantly left. Harry watched him go, wishing he didn't have to, and returned to the library.
---
Lucius pushed the library door open silently. Harry was curled up in front of a fireplace with a book in his lap. Lucius strode in, coming to a stop beside the armchair. "Are you ready?"
Harry closed the book quickly, looking startled. "Yeah." He set the book down and reached for his wand.
Lucius raised an eyebrow. "We'll forego dark arts until tomorrow." In one motion he lifted Harry and carried him out of the library.
"You don't need to carry me," Harry protested lightly as he wrapped his arms around Lucius's neck.
"You'll need your strength for later," Lucius hissed, biting Harry's throat lightly.
They turned into the dark hallway beside the library, and Harry tensed. "I don't want to be in here."
"You're safe," Lucius promised. He pushed open a heavy door and stepped inside, shutting the door behind himself.
There was a low table in the center of the room, and Harry was dropped onto this. Lucius grabbed the bottom of the boy's shirt. "Do you trust me?" he asked, staring into Harry's emerald eys.
"I think you would do this no matter what I answered," Harry replied, obediently pulling off his shirt.
Lucius pushed him backwards, and forced his wrists into clamps at the top of the table. Harry struggled as they locked shut. "Relax," Lucius murmured. He did, but only barely. Lucius continued, unzipping Harry's slacks slowly and watching the boy's reaction. He flinched upon feeling the cool air on his thighs, and Lucius brushed his fingertips along the soft, tanned skin. He hooked a finger in the waistband of Harry's boxers and pulled them down slowly.
---
Lucius murmured a spell to clean him up, and retrieved another bottle from a nightstand. "Hold still." He unscrewed the lid; there was a sweet-smelling balm inside. "This will only be temporary relief, mind. But you can appreciate it for the time being." He rubbed it along Harry's body, focusing on the marks that the clamps had made on his skin. Harry purred again, relaxing at Lucius's touch. The situation wasn't so much sexual as it was...sensual. Comfortable. Nearly loving. Lucius massaged the liquid into Harry's skin. When all spots had been covered, Lucius rescrewed the lid. "Better?"
"Yeah." Harry moved over as Lucius again joined him in bed.
"Get some sleep, Harry. God knows you need it." He pulled the covers over both of them with one hand, and the other was wrapped possessively around the boy.