Disclaimer: Alas, neither Harry Potter, nor the story of the beauty and the beast belong to me. Nay, all I have are a few batman pencils and some battered pairs of Converse.
A/N: Holy crap-in-a-box! Updaaaaate. /spazspazspaz/ I know, it's fricking crazy. And yes, the resolution is already broken. Butbutbut! Dramatic flair was needed! Needed, I tell you. And also, I reread the prelude, and goshdangit, I should have switched Voldemort with Lucius. /cusscusscuss/ But yes. So. /darts away/
oOo
Harry turned away from the rosebushes as a shrill voice shrieked out his name. "Harry! Come here immediately or you won't get any supper! Lazing about when you should be finishing your chores! Disgraceful!"
The brunette young man sighed as he answered his aunt: "Coming Aunt Petunia!" He fingered a burgundy rose as he lowered his voice, turning back to his earlier pastime, which had been staring into the dark forest. "Oh, how I wish I could get away from this place. I would give anything, go anywhere, if only it was away from here." He winced and looked down at his finger, which had been jabbed by a thorn.
A single crimson droplet fell away onto the grass.
XxX
After stuffing his finger into his mouth and dashing towards the cottage, Harry was surprised when his aunt grabbed him forcefully and dragged him up to the attic, to the little room occupied by Harry.
"Clean yourself up; quickly, quickly! Here-" she stuffed Harry's only nice clothes into his hand, "Put these on! And, for Merlin's sake, do something with your hair!"
Petunia disappeared out the door, leaving a bewildered Harry alone. He silently washed himself as quickly as possible and threw on the fancy garments before grabbing a spare piece of ribbon and binding his hair into a ponytail.
Jumping down the stairs two at a time, he was even more surprised when, at the door, he saw the ruling lord of their province, Lucius Malfoy, and his son, Draco.
Petunia turned towards him, a painfully fake smile plastered on her face; a similar look on his uncle and cousin's.
"Harry dear, how lovely for you to join us. I believe you know Lord Malfoy and his son." Petunia's voice was sickeningly sweet, and Harry shuddered in nervous anticipation of the news about to come.
Nodding at the lord, Harry came down the final stairs and stood near the stairwell, loitering anxiously.
"Well, don't just stand there looking pretty! Come here, boy!" hissed Vernon.
Harry made his way to his relations, beginning to get an even bigger panicky feeling in his stomach at the way both Malfoys looked at him.
Vernon pushed Harry in front of him, so that he was facing the Malfoys, disconcertingly close; near enough to smell the revoltingly saccharine perfume one of them was wearing.
"Lord Malfoy here has been asking about you, Harry." started Vernon.
Harry suddenly had a startlingly clear moment, and, within the minute, he knew what his uncle would say next, knew what the Malfoys were doing here.
"The lord saw you once, in the village, and has been interested over you ever since. He has offered us a fine price, and there was no polite way we could refuse him. You don't need to pack up your things; Lord Malfoy will provide for your every need…as long as you provide for his." Vernon said, quite maliciously.
Before Harry could even dream of protesting, he was whisked away, put into a decadent carriage, and being taken away from the only home he had even known.
Curiously, the only thing he could think of as they left was his wish that morning, and the trickle of blood which had followed.
oOo
More A/N: For a note, because I am fricking awesome. You may have noticed that Malfoy Sr. changed from a baron to a lord. That is because when poor Sevvy was changed to a beast, Voldie took over his place as the king-dude, and then he made Lucius a lord. And...the Dursleys are mean. Poor Harry, being sold. Heh heh heh...