Title: A Torturous Reminder
Chapter 20: Unannounced Changes
Rating: M
Warnings: H/D SLASH, HBP SPOILERS
DISCLAIMER: We do not own Harry Potter! Characters (except those created by us) belong to the amazingly talented J.K. Rowling, WB, and the publishing companies. Don't sue us! We are just bored teenagers having a go at poor Harry and Draco!
Draco listened to Alex's laughter until it slowly died off. He felt completely useless. He couldn't move, he couldn't do anything. He stopped struggling to get free, knowing well that his efforts will be futile. He slumped a bit, the numbness slowly growing from the tips of his fingers to the rest of his body. He wondered what they would do to him. Probably torture and then kill him, yet death eaters were very creative, especially his father.
"Harry," he whispered out into the cold room, wondering where he was. The nagging feeling that something would happen to Harry growing more and more as the seconds went by. How long had he been here? Minutes? Hours? Days? He had no clue, time here was nonexistent.
A cold laugh sounded not far from him, and he turned to see his father standing in the entrance to the small room, "Harry?" Lucius said, still laughing as he got closer to Draco.
Draco looked at Lucius straight in the eye, not wavering at all.
"Yes, Harry," hissed Draco, "and so what?"
Lucius looked coldly at Draco, his laughter stopping abruptly, "You are a disgrace to the Malfoy family," he said his tone icy and firm.
"I haven't considered myself part of that family for years," snapped Draco
"Silence!" yelled Lucius, "you will not speak of the family in that tone!"
"Well guess what, father dearest, I don't give a fuck about the family name! You disgraced it!"
Lucius walked over to Draco and kneeled beside him, "You were always a weakling. I always had to make excuses for you when people came over. You call me a disgrace? Me who stood up for something? What have you stood up for? Nothing! You are a filthy coward," said Lucius in a low voice.
Draco held his head up high, "Cowards don't run away from those they support."
Lucius grabbed Draco's shirt and yanked him towards him, making Draco winced as the chains bit his arms and ankles even more.
"What do you call yourself then! You were too much of a coward to do Voldemort's noble work! You left your own father and ran off with the old coot!"
"I never supported you in the first place, Lucius."
Lucius looked at Draco with such hatred in his eyes, and a glint appeared in them as he started shaking Draco.
"Of course….you were off with Potter. Oh I am sorry…its Harry isn't it?" he said sarcastically, "isn't it!"
"Yes, it's Harry," replied Draco, 'and I love him' he said silently to himself, causing a slight smile to appear on his face.
"You will regret ever being with that idiot boy! Bella told me about you two, the bile rises as I think about it…it was an unwise choice, Draco. I thought you might come back to us…but once I heard about you being with Potter, I decided not to give you a second chance."
"I would not want another chance in the first place!"
"You choose a filthy half-blood over your father!" exclaimed Lucius, color rising to his cheeks.
"Yes, I do, and I will never regret my choice," said Draco defiantly.
"Then it's about time you suffer the consequences," hissed Lucius, "you are no longer a son of mine…you need to learn a lesson in order for you to forget that boy."
"I love Harry, you cannot change that, you cannot make me forget him" snapped Draco.
"Oh, Harry will be with me for the rest of his life," said Alex, coming from behind Lucius, "He will forget you, and he will love me," he whispered.
Lucius smirked coldly at his son as he raised his wand, Alex doing the same behind him, "Wrong choice," said Lucius, smiling cruelly.
Draco did not close his eyes, he faced his father and Alex and waited for the killing curse to come at him. The next thing he saw was darkness.
Harry sighed as his face met the cool stone.
"Harry! You came…I knew you would!" exclaimed a voice.
Harry looked up and was met with the sight of Alex, not thinking, he stood up and launched himself against him, sending them both to the floor.
"You…fucking…bastard!" snarled Harry as he threw several punches at Alex, venting his anger.
"Harry! Love, wait!" said Alex, trying to shield his face from Harry's hands.
Suddenly, Harry was thrown backwards and he hit the wall with a thud. He turned around and paled at the sight. Draco was sitting on the floor, bound with chains that drew blood from his ankles and wrists. He was completely dirty, with blood splattered around him, and his once perfect hair was matted with dry blood. His blood ran cold as he noticed Draco wasn't breathing…
"Not a pretty sight is he?" drawled Lucius, his wand still pointing at Harry, "this is what he gets for disagreeing with me."
"You will pay for this, Malfoy," said Harry in a hollow voice, "I guarantee it," he finished, raising his wand at Lucius.
Lucius raised an eyebrow, "Are you going to fight me for him, Potter? Fight for this piece of vermin?" he said, pointing a long finger at Draco's unmoving body.
'So he's not dead,' thought Harry with relief, but grew angry at Lucius' words.
"Watch what you say about him," snarled Harry, gripping his wand tighter.
"I am his father, I can say whatever I please about him, Potter."
"You are not his father. A father wouldn't do the things you did to Draco."
"It was for his own good, but of course, he was too stupid to see it as what it was."
Harry made to hit Lucius with a spell, but an expelliarmus hit him in the back, and his wand left his hand.
"Potter can't hold his wand?" said a female voice from behind him.
"Now, Now, Bella, be nice to our guest," said Lucius grinning at Harry.
"Harry," said Alex, trying to grab him but Harry turned away from him.
"Tsk, Tsk, Potter, running away?" said Lestrange, "We can't have that, now can we? What fun will it be without you?"
Then Harry felt an invisible force pushing him towards the ground, and he dropped into a chair that had been conjured under him. He couldn't stand up, it was like if he was glued to the chair, and he struggled while Lucius and Bellatrix laughed, and Alex looked hungrily at him.
"Your Gryffindor stupidity never ceases to amaze me, Potter" said Lucius starting to pace, "you bound yourself to Alex, and at what cost?"
"You will let Draco leave this place," said Harry, his tone meaning that it was to be done.
Lucius shook his head while Bellatrix laughed, "Let Draco leave? Alex did you promise that…?"
"No!" said Alex scowling.
"You fucker, you need to let him leave!" yelled Harry, thrashing in his chair, "Fuck…just let him go, Alex! Fine, I promise to make it work, just let him leave! Please!" exclaimed Harry passionately.
"Ohhh you must really love him, Potter…how sweet," mocked Bellatrix.
"You stay the hell out of this, Lestrange!"
"Are you threatening me, Potter?"
"Yes I am! Have a problem with that!"
"I don't take threats lightly."
"Bella…"
Alex walked closer to Harry and gave him a deep kiss, "If you promise this, I will let him go, Harry."
Harry took a deep breath and looked around him, there had to be an exit somewhere…
"Lucius…Bellatrix, can you leave me alone with Harry a few moments?"
"Alex, we cannot…" said Lucius warningly.
"I believe he needs some…persuasion," smirked Alex.
"Fine, just don't step out of your boundaries, remember who's in charge."
"Yes, just…leave," said Alex distractedly.
Once Lucius and Bellatrix had left, Alex turned to Harry and ran his hand lovingly down his cheek.
"Harry…Harry…how much I have wanted you. Ever since the day on the airport, the day we met…remember? Oh, I liked you when I set my eyes on you, and I believe I made it very clear. You have no idea how happy you made me when you took notice of my advances," he whispered, bring his mouth to Harry's neck and sucking gently.
Harry closed his eyes and tried not to focus on Alex. Draco was only a few feet away, was he awake?
"Everything was perfect, I had you, and you wanted me. Then that bastard had to ruin it all," he snarled, his tone changing, and he then straddled Harry abruptly.
"No matter, I have you now. Now and forever…you have made me really happy, Harry," he continued, still kissing Harry and wrapping his arms around him.
"Draco won't get in our way any longer, it's only you and me, right?"
"…right…" said Harry, the words tasting bitter to his mouth, he had to distract Alex.
"Kiss me, Harry, I need to make sure you will hold your promise of trying to make this work."
Harry leaned forward and kissed Alex. It felt so very wrong, it felt horrible. The lips were too rough, the taste was not the same…it was just not Draco. He didn't feel lightheaded with happiness like when he kissed Draco. No. He felt disgusted and dirty, but continued kissing him until he heard Alex moan.
"Can I trust you, Harry?"
"Yes," said Harry, his voice raspy.
"Hmmm, I need you right now Harry…now…"
Harry suddenly felt the invisible force that had been holding him down go away, and wanting to gain Alex's trust, he let himself be lowered into the floor, Alex on top of him.
Alex grabbed Harry's hand and fingered the ring, "Mine," he whispered, "all mine." He pushed his lips roughly against Harry, and Harry placed his arms around Alex.
"That's it, Harry…" mumbled Alex.
Harry continued roaming his hands around Alex's back, lower and lower. Until he felt the tip of Alex's wand with his fingers.
He took a deep breath, and before Alex knew what was happening, he had him pinned down with his own wand pointing at him.
Alex's eyes went wide with shock, "Harry…"
"Don't speak…You have ruined whatever life I had Alex. YOU ruined it. Draco is my life, and will always be my life. Do you understand that?" he hissed, "I love Draco, I love him so fucking much…I can never love you, Alex," he said, "I really want to kill you right now, but you will get your time…soon enough…I will make sure of that….Petrificus Totalus," he whispered.
Alex lay on the floor unable to move, his eyes opened. Harry got up from him in disgust and ran to where Draco was.
"Draco!" he yelled, "Draco, speak to me!" he said, grabbing his shoulders.
Draco turned his head weakly and stared into Harry with his lifeless eyes.
"Draco! Snap out of it!"
But Draco continued to stare at him, with no recognition. His silver eyes remained blank.
"Draco!" cried Harry, his breathing quickening, "Oh god…what have they done to you, love?" he whispered kissing Draco's forehead.
He heard footsteps and he turned just in time to dodge a spell Lucius had sent him.
"You are not getting out of here!" yelled Lucius, looking at Alex's body on the floor, and then at Harry.
Bellatrix stood next to Lucius, both of their wands pointing at Harry.
Harry grabbed Draco's hand and tried to apparate but couldn't.
"It's worthless, Potter. You have no wand, it's over."
"The golden boy is cornered…his luck has finally ran out…we should have some fun with him, Lucius."
"I believe we shall, Bella," said Lucius looking at Harry.
Bellatrix walked closed to Harry, smiling maniacally, her wand raised.
She smirked and looked directly at Harry, "Cru-."
But Harry was too fast for her, in one fluid moment he raised his wand and yelled out "Avada Kedavra!"
The green light traveled and hit Bellatrix directly in the chest, she looked surprise before death took her away and she fell on the floor.
Lucius looked slightly shocked, but his features were immediately back in place. He looked at Harry and smiled cynically. "Never knew you had it in you," he said, laughing slightly. He kicked the body out of his way and slowly began to step nearer.
"Accio wa-," Harry was saying when an expelliarmus was shot and Alex's wand was gone from his hand.
"I do believe your luck has run out though," Lucius said. He stepped forwards once again, now placing Draco's limp body as the only barrier between them. "Did you really think that you could have a happy ending, Potter? Especially with Draco? Believe me, Draco never meant anything of what he said. At least, he'll never mean it anymore," he said, a slightly amused smile on his face. "But of course, I'm going to be the generous knight I am and deliver you from the hurt you'd otherwise encounter if you continued to live."
Harry stared at him, hate and rage filling him once again as he stared into the malicious grey eyes that were concentrated on him.
Lucius turned to Alex and countered the charm that had been placed on him, producing a stiff looking Alex who stumbled as he got his wand and then stood next to Lucius, his eyes betraying the desperation and sadness he was feeling at Harry's rejection.
"Kill him, Alex," Lucius said, not turning to look at Alex and keeping his eyes on Harry.
"Ki…kill Harry," Alex gulped, looking from Lucius to Harry.
Lucius nodded, slowly becoming annoyed by the lack of response to his command. "I ordered you to kill him, so now you will…" he said, his voice edgy.
"But -," Alex said, trying desperately to find a way out.
Harry was there, on his knees, holding onto Draco's hand and trying to come up with some way to get out of there, for route of escape. His eyes never left either of the two who stood before him as his mind wandered, searching for a plan.
"But what! Do you dare defy me," Lucius said, anger getting the better of him.
Alex shook his head, shaking nervously and turned to look once more at Harry. He couldn't… he just couldn't hurt Harry… but he couldn't disobey Lucius either. He had to choose, his own safety or that of Harry's…
Harry looked from Lucius to Alex, glad that at least Alex's attraction was being useful. He only hoped that it was enough to continue being an obstacle in Lucius's plan and in his own death.
"No… but… you said we wouldn't kill him," Alex said softly, his gaze dropping.
"I know what I said, but as complications have arisen, his life has to be taken. We can't leave the death of Bellatrix to go unpunished," Lucius said, looking in disgust at the crumpled body. "And after the way he treated you, he would probably leave you and go after Draco. And I don't plan on leaving Draco until he has been… reeducated."
Alex looked up at Lucius, betrayal obvious in his features. "You kicked her fucking body away! Do you really expect me to believe that you want revenge for her death! And so what if Harry won't be with me, there are loads of ways where I could be sure he never left my sight! There are other options!"
"Yes, I'm quite aware that there are," Lucius said, his own voice rising, "but none of them are as good as Potter's death."
"Harry doesn't have to die."
"He does too."
"He does not."
"For the safety of all of us, he does."
"No he does not," Alex said, facing Lucius fully.
Lucius's eyes had not once left Harry's own as he watched for any sign that might mean danger to him. Now that Alex had turned on him, though, he couldn't do anything but draw his attention from Harry for this slight intervention.
"Fine, if you can't kill him, then I will," said Lucius, raising his own wand over Harry. "We'll deal with you later," he said before beginning to mutter the curse.
"Expelliarmus," Alex said, brandishing Lucius's wand away from him and to the other corner of the room.
Lucius turned, angry now and his eyes in narrow slits, blonde hair seeming to stand on its edge. "Oh, you will rue the day you thought of backstabbing me, Bloom," he said before brandishing Harry's own wand and gleefully shooting a spark of green light towards Alex.
It hit Alex full on the chest and he was sent flying back. He hit the wall with the thud and slumped onto the floor in a lifeless pile.
Harry clenched his eyes shut, awaiting for his own life to draw away. 'I'm so sorry, Draco,' he thought in his mind, regretting not having been able to remain alive and cursing himself for having impulsively put on the ring Alex had offered him. He opened his eyes to take one last look at Draco's face, when he heard laughter.
Harry looked up, only to see Lucius looking at him with an amused look on his face and Harry's own wand in his hand, raised and aimed at him. "Oh, did Alex forget to mention? He said that you would die if he died, but only if you killed him. I guess he forgot the part, in hopes that you would save him from danger, possibly. But, as that was not the case, it seems that you've been relieved of that bond. No worries, though, you'll soon be reunited with your beloved," he said, sneering at Harry.
Harry turned to look at his finger, shocked, and saw that the ring had apparently come off and now lay loose on his finger. He slipped it off and put it in his pockets, unsure why, and raised his eyes once more to Lucius's.
"You're not going to get away with this," he said, anger in his voice.
"Oh, and who's going to stop me? I don't remember you telling anyone," Lucius said nastily.
Harry cursed at his impulsiveness, wondering who would come and rescue them, but let his face fall into a small smile, unwilling to show Lucius the fear he felt at the moment.
"Oh, don't worry about that," he said, "I'm sure they'll find their way here. And if they don't, I'll still deal with you."
"You! Boy, don't make me laugh. You don't even have a wand," Lucius said.
"I don't need one," he said, and let out anger in small amounts. "Expelliarmus," he said, and the wand Lucius had been brandishing was immediately shot out of his hand.
Lucius stood there, in shock at the wand less magic that had occurred, not having taken the possibility into effect and now, himself, left without a wand.
"Oh, you'll pay for that," Lucius said, his mind trying to force in his head and fear becoming evident in his eyes.
"Will I? I'm beginning to doubt your powers, Lucius," Harry said, adding unneeded spit at the mention of Lucius's name, but knowing it would draw his attention.
"Oh, don't doubt them. Just because you can perform simple spells without a wand, doesn't mean you're going to win," Lucius said. He moved slightly over towards Bellatrix's body, noticing the wand in her hand and glad that at least his kick hadn't sent her too far away from him. He inched his way towards her when he was suddenly stopped by Harry's voice.
"Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you," Harry said, untangling his hand from Draco's and now standing up. He had to get them both out of here, now, but he wasn't sure on how and the only thing he could do for now, without his wand, was stall. He wasn't too sure how good his magic was without a wand, but he knew his anger, if controlled, would allow him to perform small feats of magic.
"And why not? Have another trick up your sleeve?" Lucius asked, sneering at him lightly, though the fear still visible.
"I might," Harry said, knowing he had control for he time being, and hoping that Lucius wouldn't say something to get his anger out of control. He needed a clear mind for this, he needed to be able to think.
"Oh, and what are you going to perform now? A slight tickling spell that will have me rolling on the floor in laughter? A small spell that will hopefully buy you some time? Or the killing curse?" he asked, inching his way once more towards Bellatrix and glancing quickly over to the wand to see just how far away he was. 'Only a bit more…' he thought when he suddenly felt himself being pushed backwards.
"I told you not to perform any tricks," Harry said to a stumbling Lucius. He had parted from Draco, although he hadn't wanted to, but their safety right now meant more right now and he had to finish Lucius once and for all.
Lucius grinned widely at him, unnerving Harry. "Oh yes, I know you did, but thank you, though," he said, brandishing his own wand. Harry had sent him sprawling to the corner his wand had been thrown to.
"Oh shit," Harry mumbled under his breath. "Stupe-," he thought, his mind reeling in plans when he was suddenly bound and on the floor.
"Oh, I don't think you're going to be doing any more magic for now," Lucius said, laughing maniacally as he stepped over him. He swished his wand and the bindings became even tighter on Harry, constricting his breathing and cutting into his skin. "I think a bit of fun is now into effect, seeing as you're in no position to fight back," Lucius said and before Harry had time to register it in his mind, Lucius had sent a mobilocorpus charm at him and was sending his body flying through the air, zooming into walls and grinning wider as he heard cracks of bones.
"Well," Lucius said to a bloody and nearly unconscious Harry. " I think it would be fit to perform it now. After all, too much just becomes tawdry, and we don't want to go and kill you off while you're asleep. That would be too… humane," Lucius said, sneering widely.
"You're only… brave… because I'm tied up," Harry said, sputtering and having trouble with the blood that seemed to be coming out of his mouth.
Lucius glared down at him, then resumed back into his sneer. "Go ahead and think what you want. What difference will it make? In the end, you're going to be dead, so who are you going to tell? Who's going to label me as a coward when I'm done off with you. No one, that's who," Lucius said. "Now, before any further interruptions ensue," Lucius said finally, "I think the end has come." He placed a bind over Harry's mouth. "Don't want you to talk and try to change my mind," he said before he looked down at Harry. "How proud Lord Voldemort would have been…" he said softly, an eerie and faraway entering his eyes. "If only he could be here…"
Harry looked up at him, barely registering what he was saying, but shivering at the unnaturalness of this man and this comment. He had always thought death eaters had to be a bit more than crazy to have actually joined and believed Voldemort, but here was living proof of what they had actually felt for their master, the reverence they had felt for him and apparently still did. He couldn't contemplate on it too long, though, as other thoughts entered his head.
'I'm about to die.'
'But I don't want to die.'
'And what about Draco?'
'His father obviously did something to him… but what?'
'Draco…'
A sudden emptiness began to fill him. He realized the possibility that Draco would no longer be with him, that Draco would no longer be near him. He wondered why he was thinking about this when he was about to die. In death, it wouldn't matter. Yet… the feeling that Draco would never be the same after this clung to him. He couldn't die, he had to be there for Draco. He had to live, somehow… he had to fight… he had to make sure that Draco would be safe… but how…
He felt immeasurable doom as Lucius finally got quiet after his rambling and praise of his dead master, and knew that this was the end. He glared up, defiantly at Lucius's eyes. He wasn't about to let Lucius see that he was afraid. Thoughts of Draco filled him and he felt tears welling up in his eyes, along with the dizziness the loss of blood was producing in him. The last thing he saw before closing his eyes was an unbelievably bright light.
A/N: Hmm… is that the end of our hero's journey! Yes! That's actually the end of Harry's journey, really… now that the battle's ended… there's really no more journey left… just the rest…. Well, unless the rest can be considered as a journey… then I suppose he still has a bit to travel…. I wonder what happened though…. Anyways, thanks for the reviews and… update for chp. 21 will be soon! Please review with your concerns and delights. It's almost ending… how sad… a few more chapters to go…