One month later, Azadeh had become the bookshop owner's favorite employee. She showed up every day, did her work, did not expect special treatment, and also helped out in the cafe part of the store sometimes. Another reason why the owner liked her so much, Azadeh attracted more customers, granted they were mostly male, but her profits went up. ThoughMelissa was quick to remind the male customers to keep their hands to themselves, lest they get a visit from the Death Eaters, but at leastAzadeh made good tips anyway.
Lucius looked for her in the bookstore, and there she was, in the cafe part today. He was insulted that she was SERVING others like she HAD to. Why Harry allowed it, he had no idea. Lucius then decided to take advantage of her newly found servitude and stop in for some coffee. Sitting down, he watched her come his way without really looking, most likely saw someone sit down at the corner of her eye and automatically went that way. "Hello sir, what can I...?" Azadeh went pale when she saw him and did her usual 'squeak' when she was tongue tied.
She looked at him in slight fear, he was still handsome, still regal looking, though he did not look as clean shaven as normal, Draco said he was having a hard time sleeping. Still, there was something that was behind his eyes, something that she worried about, but wasn't sure exactly what it was. Harry was not like Lucius, spending time with Harry, she found that Voldemort had not truly destroyed him and she was trying, though subtly, to get him back...but Lucius, Lucius was a TRUE Death Eater, truly cruel and enjoyed it and truly to be feared. Finally, she spit out the words, "what can I get you?"
"A coffee," he drawled.
"Okay," she smiled very nervously, fidgeting as she always did when she was.
Melissa, the owner, saw Azadeh and it bothered her. She knew the history behind her and Lucius Malfoy, what happened and knew the man well enough that he wasn't one to be trifled with. However, Melissa did not like her girls to be messed with, Death Eater or no, and didn't like what he was delibertately doing. He had found her.
When Azadeh came in, she said she needed one coffee, '...and a shot of fire whiskey,' she thought afterward. "Sweetheart, I'll take it...you're needed in the bookshop anyway, got a new stock in." Azadeh nodded and quickly left to the other part of the store, but not before saying 'thank you' in a most relieved tone. Melissa gave Lucius his coffee, "on the house, sir." She smiled and was about to leave...
"WHERE is Azadeh?" Lucius narrowed his eyes in annoyance.
"We needed her in the bookstore, new stock you know," Melissa turned and left.
After a few minutes, Azadeh leaned back to look out the window where she could see the cafe part and he wasn't there, she let out a huge breath of relief and went back to work. Azadeh concentated back on trying to get one book on the shelf that was rather high, and stood on her toes trying to reach it. "I'll get that for you," a leather clad hand took the book out of hers and put it on the shelf. It occured to her that she was in a remote area of the store and it wasn't busy today, she shook as she turned around.
Lucius stared down at her, his walking stick blocking one way out and his arm blocking the other. Azadeh tried not to look at him, but when she did, she saw a mix of desperation, coldness, and malice. "What is it, Lucius?" She flinched when he moved his hand to her face and caressed her cheek and lips. "Lucius, don't. Please, you know you can't do this," she pleaded with him but it did no good. It was if it fell on deaf ears, and instead he growled and forced her into a remote corner of the bookstore, putting his hand over her mouth.
"I'm going to remove my hand and you're not going to scream or anything...correct?" Lucius eyed her as she nodded. Removing his hand, she remained quiet. "WHY are you working, is young Harry that hard up for money, has he spent too much again?"
"No. It's to get out of the house, that's all. I like it here, the owner's nice to me."
"She'd BETTER be. So, do you enjoy your new handler...or rather, does he enjoy you?" Azadeh blushed. "Ah, so I see he wasted no time in taking what was mine. Reaping the benefits of my labor, I broke you in and now he RIDES you, is that it?"
"Why are you talking to me like this, it wasn't my fault?" she was tearing.
"But you KNEW!" he hissed. "I saw your drawings, you knew about him coming, you KNEW it was going to happen and you didn't tell me."
"Because there was nothing you could have done, I can't help what I see all the time, sometimes I can change itand sometimes I can't...and this I couldn't," she flinched as he gripped her shoulder.
"Don't you LIE. I know about Paris! I know he kept you and had his way...and I know you enjoyed it. How you take care of him...HE BRAGS ABOUT IT, HE BRAGS ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU CARE AND WANT TO DO NICE THINGS FOR HIM!"
"BECAUSE HE TAKES CARE OF ME!" She spat. "You hurt me ANYTIME I remotely showed any independence, or I questioned ANYTHING you did, any OPINION OF MY OWN was considered some affront to your EGO. I would have taken care of you, I would have WANTED to, if you hadn't been so cruel to me half of the time...and I don't care if you did consider it 'discapline'! It was only until the very end did you start to realize that maybe I was more to you than just a possession. But I did start to care for you, I ask Draco all the time how you're doing."
Lucius looked at her suspiciously, Draco never said anything to him about her asking after him, "oh, and WHAT does he TELL YOU?"
"That you aren't sleeping, you're drinking too much again, you're even angrier than before...which I didn't think was even possible," she raised her eyebrows in sarcasm. "Lucius, I'm sorry this happened, I know it was unfair, but I was helpless too." She spoke softly in the last sentence.
He looked down at her, Azadeh looked so fragile then, helpless...he couldn't help himself. Lucius brought her up and pinned her to the shelf, then captured her lips, forcing her legs open with one knee. Azadeh's eyes were wide with shock, was he going to do what she thought he was going to do? In order to keep her from speaking, he put two leather clad fingers in her mouth, nearly choking her. Of course he was going to do this...he had done it before, she was sure. It was all too perfect in how he knew how to silence her, how to shift his weight where she couldn't move. Had Harry done this to some woman as well, did he know how to expertly RAPE a woman to get her to talk or just out of pure intimidation or hate? But this was not out of hate, it was out of the fact that Lucius felt he was reclaiming what was his, this was lust at it's most violent point.
Azadeh could hear his pants unzipping, he was kissing and licking her neck, his breath heavy and fumbling with her underwear, trying to move it out of the way. Tears came to her eyes, 'please...please help me Creator! Doesn't anyone notice I'm missing...wait I was supposed to be stocking books, SHIT!'
Another leather clad hand grabbed Lucius's shoulders and pulled him back hard...once again, Draco had interrupted his father's attempt at taking her when she didn't want to be. When she had asked for help, he showed up. "WHAT the HELL are you doing FATHER?" Draco asked in a harsh whisper, trying not to attract attention. He helped Azadeh up, she had slid down and landed on her knees and then held her, protecting her with his body from Lucius.
"WHAT? She is rightfully MINE!"
"No, not anymore and what you did could be considered treason! If you're going to take advantage of another Death Eater's woman, YOU HAVE TO GET PERMISSION. And I doubt Harry would give it to you!" Draco glared at his father, but Lucius didn't look back at him, instead, his focus was on Azadeh...she was now officially prey.
"How DARE YOU interfere!"
"And what were you going to do afterwards? Leave her? As rough as YOU ARE, she'd need medical attention! Harry would want to know what happen...in fact, he may not even have to ask. So just GO!"
Lucius pointed his finger at Draco, "this isn't over between me and YOU."
"Don't I know it," Draco narrowed his eyes. Lucius tromped off, cursing. He then turned to Azadeh, "are you alright?" She had tears in her eyes and shook her head. "I'll be back, I'm going to talk with your boss, stay here." Draco left and after a few moments he came back. "Alright, I'm taking you home, then I'll contact Harry."
They left the bookstore, Draco keeping her hand on his arm, strutting, pretending again. He apparated to Harry's home and sat her down. She was shaking, and with good reason, it was then that Draco contacted Harry and told him to come to his home immediately concerning Azadeh. Just a few moments went by and Harry arrived, Draco took him aside into another room, Azadeh jumped when she heard a roar of anger.
Harry ran into the room where she was, it scared her how angry he looked but he bent down and touched her face and body, looking for any marks on her, he found a small bruises on her inner thigh, "did he...managed to...?" He couldn't say it.
"No, but it was a close call. If Draco hadn't stopped by...," Azadeh whispered and looked down. Draco was smiling on the inside, she viewed him as a bit of a hero now, snaking his way closer to her.
"WHAT were you stopping by for?" Harry looked at him accusingly as if he had a part in it.
"I saw my father sitting in the cafe part of the store and Azadeh taking his order, I happened to be in the area...I went to stop by to say hello to him. Then I saw him get up, after he'd been served by the owner and go into a different part of the store, I followed, it seemed strange...and I found him. I WASN'T WATCHING, it was by luck I was there...so don't get any funny ideas in that little scarred head of yours," Draco narrowed his eyes.
"Fine. Thank you," Harry said flatly.
"Thank you for...SAVING her from my father? You're welcome."
"Don't PUSH ME TODAY," Harry hissed. Azadeh grabbed his hands, she didn't want them to fight, he directed his attention back to her, "I'm sorry...I'm just...angry"
"And you have every right to be," Draco drawled.
"So, what do we do about your father?" Harry hissed.
"You do what you feel is right, Harry. I'm not going to bother to protect my father, not from this. He knew better, but I fear, for the first time in his life...he is in love and doesn't know how to handle it. He has been...for lack of a better word, BESTED by you, out manuvered, and for my father, someone who has always been good at playing people like pawns...it's quite a blow to the ego. You see, what I find so funny is that he thought he could beat Azadeh into submission, that obviously didn't work," he smirked. "My father, doesn't know how to love properly, plain and simple, and I am relieved she is with YOU. Of course, when I get home, I expect there will be a great deal of retaliation...which is why I'm moving out. I've bought my own place, saved for years from my other job. So, I won't have to put up with his tyranny anymore."
Harry nodded and decided that he would he would talk with the Dark Lord to find the best possible action.
Draco came home to find his father pacing like a caged animal, "THERE YOU ARE!" Draco stood his ground as Lucius got straight up into his face. "HOW DARE YOU!"
"How dare I? You're the one that lost it, not me. Harry knows now, father, he knows and you know damned well that there will be reprocutions for this!"
Lucius pushed his son up against the wall, his fists clenched onto Draco's uniform, "YOU TURNED ME IN, DIDN'T YOU!"
"I had to, otherwise, Azadeh would have told him first. At least I convinced Harry not to have you KILLED! I don't know what will happen now! IT was your own fault... Look at you, pathetic now, you had her, and you lost her... perhaps if you had been kinder to her, she would have told you her visions and it could have been prevented, but you and that NASTY temper of yours, your HASTE to get things done, just like Harry's second year at Hogwarts...giving the WEASLEY girl that damned diary before you were told! YOU who taught me to have patience and play the pawns, LOST IT! Losing your one valuable piece, the one that could go all over the board and protect you...your queen...your Azadeh."
Lucius tried to throw Draco on the ground, but failed, Draco had his Death Eater training, and was no longer the little boy that feared his father. "DAMN YOU!"
"I don't know...maybe, if you had given Azadeh to me...this would have never happened," Draco sneered.
"OH..I see," Lucius hissed. "REVENGE, is it? For not giving my SPOILED little boy what he wanted once again!"
"No, for hurting Azadeh as you had. And now, you won't have me to bully anymore either...I'm leaving home. You can stay here, in your hate, in your misery without your love...that you ironically tried to distroy no less, and without your son...who you constantly barrated to be JUST LIKE YOU," Draco narrowed his eyes and left.
Azadeh laid awake that night thinking of the day's events, what happened. Harry was watching her, wondering if she was alright, she didn't want to really talk about it and didn't know if it was because of shock, or worried about Lucius's retalliation...which there would be none. "What are you thinking?" he finally asked.
She turned to face him and then teared, "I...am thinking...it's all my fault, that I wish Lucius had never found me."
"Don't you DARE think it was your fault, and I'm glad..it was fate, we would have never found each other otherwise!"
Azadeh started to sob, putting her hands to her face, Harry held her, "it just never used to be like this, you NEVER used to be like this! You were gentile and kind, do you know what I thought as Lucius was trying to rape me?" He shook his head. "Did YOU do this...? Did Harry ever rape a woman to get information or to do it as punishment?" There was nothing said, he wouldn't answer the question. "Did you? Did you EVER?"
"Please don't ask me that..."
"What?" Azadeh's was confused and her heart froze, "what do you mean, 'don't ask me that?'...Harry, please tell me you didn't...please..." Her eyes were filling with tears.
"I'm sorry, I was made to...I.." Suddenly he was slapped and Azadeh got out of bed, not even wanting to be in the same room as him. She ran so fast out of his bedroom that it took him a moment to realize what exactly happened, he was stunned slightly. Harry lept from his bed like a tiger, angry at her for hitting him and then ran after her.
Azadeh didn't know where she was going to go, she just ran...but when she tried to open the front door, she couldn't. Taking off again, she tried to hide or something, her heart was breaking, how could he? WHY? Her Harry was truly dead now...what happened? Then, she was grabbed hard and jerked backwards, Harry caught up to her. "LET ME GO!" Azadeh was beating on his chest, trying to get away from him, angry with him. They fell to the ground, she was stronger than Harry gave her credit for.
He managed to pull her up and hold her from behind in a vice-like grip, Azadeh could barely breathe. "WILL you listen to me!" Harry was begging, "I didn't KNOW I was doing it, I was under some kind of spell! I was aware, but I couldn't control my actions...it was stronger than the imperius curse, I was slipped something! PLEASE! PLEASE DON'T HATE ME!" Harry pleaded. "I LOVE YOU, I couldn't stand it if you hated me...please forgive me."
Azadeh didn't know if she should believe him or not, but he had no reason to lie...his pleading was sincere. All she could do was was cry, "no...I don't...I don't hate you...you could strangle me with your bare hands and I could do nothing but love you."
"I couldn't do that...please, I haven't done it since, I felt horrible once I realized what happened...please..." Harry turned her around, she looked up at him...then put her hands through his hair, he purred in relief. He was her weakness and she was his. "I love you...I love you...," he kept whispering as he held her. Azadeh didn't know what to do, her heart belonged to him, there would be no one else. So, she kissed him, embraced him and he did the same. "Marry me," he stated instead of asked. "You're marrying me next week, do you understand? I won't lose you.." She nodded as she slipped closer inbetween his thighs and looked into his beautiful green eyes.
"What happened, Harry? How did this happen to you...you weren't like this before?"
"I...can't remember," he said sadly.