"Oh, there you are." Ron sat down at Harry's cafe table, and the new recruit, Nathaniel, took the other chair. Just seeing his young, fresh face and his quick movements made Harry feel a hundred years old.
Harry greeted them, and concentrated on trying to look normal as he sipped his coffee as they chatted about the Quidditch game the previous night. His shoulders were really stiff this morning.
"What did you think of that final goal?" Nathaniel asked Harry. He had been OK to work with so far, treating Harry more like a co-worker than The Chosen One.
Harry shrugged. "Sorry, I didn't catch it."
Ron smirked and gave Harry a hearty slap to the back that almost had him whimpering aloud in pain. "Oh, he hardly has time to follow sport. Harry is always either showing me up by working extra hours or throwing on his dress robes to go speak at some charity gala."
Harry glared a little at Ron for his summary of his life to the new guy, but pinned on his normal smile to turn back to Nathaniel. "Well, there are so many good causes out there. People are always asking me to help out..." He shrugged.
"You know, I had an aunt who won big at the lottery a few years ago, and the same thing happened to her. Suddenly, people were always approaching her, asking for donations, and she had a really hard time saying No since they all sounded like good causes." Nathaniel said, sipping his latte.
Ron leaned forward, smirking. "I wouldn't mind having that problem if it came with all that money."
Shaking his head, Nathaniel put his mug down. "It got so bad she hardly felt comfortable leaving the house."
Harry had no problem relating to that. He often had to steel himself to go out and try to live a normal life, especially when the Daily Prophet put out a new story about him. "Did it ever get better for her?"
"Oh yeah," Nathaniel smiled broadly at Harry. "She just started a charitable foundation and hired someone to screen all the requests for her. After that, she just told people to contact the foundation, and it didn't take long before people mostly left her alone in public."
Harry chuckled, and leaned back in his chair. "Maybe I should do that." He made the mistake of letting his back touch the chair, and tried to not wince in pain.
"Oh, I have a second cousin who would be perfect! Clementine just finished some kind of office management course and I swear she is smarter than Hermione." Ron gushed, and gulped down the rest of his coffee. "I'll go right now and send her an owl so you can meet her."
"Wait, Ron..." Harry tried to grab his arm but missed, not moving as quickly as he normally did, and Ron rushed off without noticing. The idea was a good one, but Harry would rather choose his own person than get stuck with some misfit cousin of Ron's out of politeness.
Nathaniel was looking at Harry in a strange way. "Are you feeling alright? You are moving so stiffly."
"I'm OK. I just have a small injury the healers couldn't fix for now, and I keep moving a little too much." Harry tried to make his tone blasé, like it was normal to have untreated injuries.
Nathaniel nodded, not looking entirely convinced. His skepticism showed he had good natural instincts as an auror, but Harry needed him to drop this issue. Especially if he was going to be sore every week for a few months.
Harry leaned in a little closer, and lowered his voice. "Don't tell anyone, but I kind of avoid healers unless it's a really bad injury. Someone at St. Mungos always seems to leak information to the Daily Prophet, and everything gets all exaggerated. I'd rather have a bit of pain than deal with all that."
"I understand. Well, you shouldn't work the extra hours then, just go home and get some rest. The rest of us can handle things around here." Nathaniel gave him a concerned look, speaking quietly as well.
Finishing his coffee, Harry carefully stood up. "I might just take you up on that."
...
Harry arrived at Grimmauld Place hours before he normally did. He had barely made it through his shift, with Ron oblivious and Nathaniel often shooting him concerned looks.
The worst had been his ass. The whipped skin ached today, and sitting in the meetings with his co-workers and doing paperwork was very uncomfortable. He shifted often, trying to find a better position, his mind going back again and again to Draco. He felt completely distracted, hardly able to even focus on his work.
Harry ate a quick dinner and went to bed early. Lying facedown on the bed was a relief, feeling much less pain that way. He only meant to rest a little, but fell deep asleep.
...
"So, you just finished a work placement at Gringots?" Harry scanned over the young woman's CV, and tried to think of other questions to ask her.
Clementine gave a quick nod. "As part of my course, we alternated classroom work with various office settings. I also worked with a large law firm and an accountant's office."
She was in her early twenties, but had a more mature air about her. Harry never would have guessed she was a Weasley from her tidy business suit and reserved, professional manner. Only her dark auburn hair, smoothed into a chignon at the nape of her neck, hinted at her background. Her bright intelligence eyes did remind him of Hermione, and Harry could see why Ron had recommended her.
"Well, I don't know how much Ron told you, but I am looking for someone to help me handle requests from charities." Harry set down the paper, and took a sip of his tea.
The young woman smiled. "Yes, Ron mentioned that you were having a hard time managing that. And something about setting up a foundation."
Harry chuckled, wondering if there was anything his friend hadn't told his relative. "Exactly. I would get a lawyer to do up the paperwork on that, of course. I just want someone to do the day to day work. It's hard to say how busy the role would be for you..."
It felt a little ridiculous, hiring someone when he didn't know the scope of the job. "Would you be willing to try this for a three month period? You could help me with the initial foundation set-up and get things going. Then we can see what is required after that."
"A probationary period. Yes, most businesses have that." Clementine nodded, not seeming put out by the idea. "A chance to see if we work well together also."
Harry let out a relieved chuckle, liking this young woman more and more. "Would you be OK with using a room in this house as your office? Or I could rent some office space if you think that is more suitable."
She looked over the room with an assessing eye, and Harry felt a bit like cringing at what she was probably seeing. He was basically a tidy guy, but never seemed to find the time to arrange for the repairs or redecorating that the old house needed. He hadn't seen Kreacher for months, and doubted the house elf bothered with any cleaning anymore.
"Would you mind showing me around, and we can see if there is an appropriate space?" Clementine asked, already standing up.
Harry stood up as well, feeling much more like himself now. It had taken a few days for most of the pain to fade away, and going to bed so early had left him feeling more well rested than he had been in ages.
By the time Clementine was shaking his hand an hour later, they had agreed she would take over the second floor. She was going to convert the bedroom into a private office, and prepare the drawing room to be in better condition to receive people for the business.
Walking around the old house, Harry moved his more personal possessions to the third floor and set up some wards restricting who could access the top two floors. It would be a bit of an adjustment having other people in the house again, something he hadn't really done for years.
...
Harry shivered a little, goose-pimples popping up over his bare skin. The room was warm, so he just put it down to feeling a little excited and nervous. It was harder somehow, kneeling in the room again in just his underwear, knowing what had happened last time. Would Draco whip him just as hard, leaving him sore for days?
He tensed when he heard Draco's footfalls in the hallway outside, and drew himself into a subservient position, his head tilted down to look at the floor in front of him. His heart was pounding hard in his chest, his mouth felt dry, and he felt a pang of awareness go right to his cock. Taking a few deep breaths, he tried to keep calm, keep it together.
He could only see Draco's lower body when he entered. Black boots, black trousers instead of jeans this time, the black robe. Draco removed the robe and hung it up, before coming to stand in front of Harry.
"Look at me." The order was firm and Harry didn't hesitate to obey, wanting to see Draco so much.
He looked good, wearing an aubergine dress shirt tucked into the black trousers, a slim black leather belt encircling his slim waist. His silver blue eyes looked over Harry approvingly. "You look less tired this week."
It wasn't really a question, so Harry only nodded in response. He felt better, since he had only worked longer hours a couple nights, and had only one charity event he had committed to before hiring Clementine.
Draco strolled around Harry, and traced his fingers lightly over his back, where some of the deeper bruises still showed faintly. Harry jumped a little at the touch, and Draco chuckled a little. "I like seeing my marks on your skin."
The comment and touch made Harry feel a glow of warmth, feeling satisfied that his dom was pleased with him.
Ten minutes later, Harry was tied down on the bed, this time on his back. A blindfold made it impossible to see anything, and Harry felt even more vulnerable from that. He used his other senses more, listening to Draco's soft steps around the room and speculating on what he was doing.
Light fingers ran down over his chest, and Harry tensed a little in reaction, barely holding back a surprised gasp. Draco seemed to be tracing over his sparse chest hair, in the centre of his chest, around his nipples, on his stomach leading down to the waistband of his briefs. His body responded almost instantly, his nipples tightening, and his cock starting to harden. Harry felt mortified, knowing he could do nothing to hide it.
Draco didn't seem disturbed by it, his fingers stroking and playing with Harry's nipples, making them even harder. He pinched one firmly, and Harry let out a shocked gasp, his back arching off the bed. When Draco repeated it with the other one, it wasn't as much of a shock, but still hurt just as much. He kept doing that, gently touching Harry and occasionally giving a hard pinch, mixing pleasure with pain.
Harry found he was breathing faster, sweat dotting his forehead, and his cock fully hard now. No matter how much he reminded himself that Draco wasn't going to have sex with him, his body still responded to his touch and nearness.
Being blindfolded, Harry's whole world narrowed down to the two of them and that bed. He could smell Draco's light cologne, fresh and a little spicy. Feel the warmth coming off his body when he settled next to Harry on the bed. Hear that his breathing was a little faster as well, and Harry liked that. Knowing that he was affected by what he was doing to Harry. Was it simply enjoyable to him, being dominant over an old school enemy after all these years, or was he aroused by it at all? He was pulled out of that thought by an even sharper pain, and he winced as it was repeated.
"Nipple clamps." Draco murmured, somehow tugging on both of them. He moved off the bed, and then ran something down Harry's chest. "And this is a crop."
It didn't take long for Draco to show Harry what both things could do. Tugs on the nipple clamps were interspersed with the crop flicking all over his chest and the sensitive skin of his inner thighs. He tensed as the crop hit higher and higher, getting closer to his erection, his balls. The thought of being struck there made Harry pull at his restraints, wanting to curl up to protect himself.
Eventually, Draco pulled off the clamps, and Harry gave another small cry of pain as the blood rushed back into them, feeling like pins and needles in already aching areas. He also undid the restraints, but left the blindfold on. "Roll over."
It took Harry a second to follow the demand, his arms and legs a little achy from being in the restraints and his actions tentative to roll onto his sore chest.
"That was pathetic. When I tell you to do something, you need to move faster than that," Draco sneered, sounded completely disgusted. He yanked Harry's underwear down, and soon had it worked off entirely. "I better give you twenty more strikes to make sure you learn this lesson. Count them aloud for me."
The first hit of the crop against his ass made Harry jump. "Ahhh...one." Each strike seemed harder than the last, only on his ass, and Harry was sure the crop was raising red welts over his skin. He could barely say the numbers after each one, he was trying so hard not to let sounds of pain escape.
He slumped on the bed after almost shouting "Twenty." It had been the hardest hit yet, and it felt like every inch of his ass was red and sensitive. He felt exhausted, completely drained again. Somehow, being unrestrained had made it worse, struggling to stay still as he waited for each whoosh of the crop.
Dimly, he knew Draco was moving around, but it wasn't until he was smoothing the cooling gel over Harry's inflamed skin that he felt more aware of his surroundings. "You can say your safe word if it ever seems like too much."
The soft words and his light touch made Harry feel better, and he found himself relaxing, sinking into the bed. His chest still hurt, but not as bad as his ass. "Yes, sir. Thank you."
He hadn't said much today, and it felt a little strange. Had he really just spent an hour alone with an attractive man, being basically tortured?
"Roll over. Let me see your chest." Draco said.
Even though he was in pain, Harry scrambled to obey quickly, not wanting to make the same mistake as last time. When his ass hit the bedsheets, he hissed aloud.
Draco chuckled, running his hands over Harry to settle him down. "Good boy. Now just relax while I take care of you."
More cooling gel, Draco swirling around and over his nipples until they were hard again. He smoothed gel over the other parts of his chest, and then his hand was sliding up his leg. "Spread your legs for me."
Harry could only obey, biting his lower lip as Draco's hand went up his inner thigh. It stopped at the top, lingering for a few heartbeats before sliding back down. It moved to his other leg, seeming to go over slower as it moved upwards.
It was so good. Harry was rock hard and could even feel his cock leaking a bit of precum. He shifted on the bed, shamelessly spreading his legs a little wider and arching his hips slightly off the bed. He let out a little whimper when Draco's hand stopped, barely an inch below his balls. Just a little higher. He had never wanted anything so much. Never wanted anyone so much.
"Harry," Draco growled, his voice soft but with a pleasing roughness to it. "Are you trying to break one of my rules? What did I tell you last time?" He moved his hand away, much to Harry's disappointment.
Harry wished he wasn't wearing the blindfold, wanting so badly to see Draco right now. "That you don't have sex with clients, sir."
"That's right. Now are you going to behave, or do you need another lesson?" Draco drawled, and gave one of Harry's sore nipples a tap.
Pain jolted through Harry, and his hips dropped back on to the bed. "I'll behave, sir."
Draco seemed satisfied with that, continuing with his aftercare, his touch soothing instead of teasing. Eventually, he undid the blindfold and got up from the bed.
Harry wasn't aroused any longer, but he still watched Draco with appreciative eyes as he walked over to don his robe. "Um, sir..." He knew it was wrong to speak out of turn, but he needed to ask something.
Draco turned slowly, glaring at Harry. He arched an eyebrow at him. "What, Harry?"
Harry sat up on the side of the bed, trying to ignore the pain. "You said you don't have sex with clients, but what if I wasn't a client, sir?" He said it fast, his desire stronger than his fear of punishment, or his discomfort being naked in front of the fully dressed man.
Draco's eyes widened at the question, and Harry was sure he saw a flash of heat in them before they became guarded again. He tilted his face up a little to look down at Harry, his expression full of disdain. "You committed to twelve sessions. Are you really going to give up so soon?"
Harry shook his head, frustrated and knowing Draco was deliberately twisting his words. "I can take the pain, sir. I don't know if I can take the rest much longer though."
"If you are so desperate for sex, you can transfer the rest of your sessions to another man. Or go to a gay bar. I don't fucking care, Potter." Draco pulled his hood up, his face in shadows again.
His shoulders slumping, Harry shook his head. "No, I want to stay with you, sir."
"Fine. See you next week." Draco left quickly, the door closing with greater force than normal.
...
-A/N: I mentioned this was a slow burn, right? ;)