Chapter six

Harry's POV

Harry wiped the sweat off of his forehead, groaning when he realised he had mud on his hands which was now smeared over his face. He sat up and stretched his back; he'd been leaning over the flowerbeds for over two hours with the sun practically roasting him alive.

As he bent down to get back to work he heard a maniacal shriek.

"BOY!"

Of course; how could he be so ignorant as to think he'd be let off after what Malfoy did?

He stayed where he was and didn't do anything; his uncle scared him when he was angry so hopefully he'd cool down before he found Harry...

No such luck.

"There you are!" Vernon screamed as he barged through the door. He moved surprisingly fast to get to his nephew and before Harry knew it his head was being pressed into the soil.

"No one humiliates me like that, especially one of your lot!" In his anger he shoved Harry ever more into the dirt. Harry spluttered for air and tried to push himself up but his arms were hardly muscular enough to do one press up, let alone one with his uncle's weight on top of him. He felt his glasses pressing into his face and heard one of the lenses crack.

He pulled Harry's head up by his hair and hissed, "Now get on with it." He let go of Harry's head causing the boy to fall to the ground. Just as he was about to get up, he saw – with one eye of vision – Vernon's foot heading for his face. Using his quidditch reflexes, he managed to dive out of the way.

"Ha! That got you up, eh?" Uncle Vernon smirked and kicked Harry in the side, not dangerously hard but it hurt nonetheless.

"Stop wasting time and start weeding, boy!"

Feeling extremely angry and slightly idiotic, Harry said, "Well, I wouldn't have got distracted if you hadn't come over!"

"You...! How da...?" Vernon stammered. Obviously not being able to think of anything to say he grasped Harry – who had just managed to get most of the dirt off of his face – by the hair and, once again, forced Harry's face so hard into the flowerbed that Harry felt a sharp pain in his nose, followed by a hot liquid dribbling over his mouth. Vaguely, as he was suffocating, Harry heard the door bell ring. Vernon didn't seem to hear it; he was too engrossed in asphyxiating his nephew. He was obviously releasing all of the anger he'd had from having to keep a freak in his house.

"Ungrateful little fr-ARGH!"

Suddenly, Harry felt the great weight leave his body and he gratefully gulped down air.

"What the hell do you think you're doing to him?" someone asked; Harry didn't know who, he had his eyes closed.

He felt someone gently turn him over and he grumbled, "I'm doing it, I'm doing it..." He got up and began weeding again, ignoring the pain that was spreading through his body. He didn't even realise he was missing his glasses.

"No, its okay, you don't have to, Harry." Two leather gloved hands held his face and Harry tried to focus on the person before him. He saw a blur of bright blonde and suddenly the voice registered with the hair.

Harry pulled away and crawled backwards, thoroughly embarrassed.

"Don't be stupid, Potter," sighed Malfoy. "Sit down!" Harry had stood up but swayed where he stood and suddenly the world was spinning. His eyes went blank and he felt himself heading towards the lawn... though he never felt the impact.

Lucius' POV

Lucius couldn't believe his luck; he was going to see Harry again without Dumbledore! He apparated back to 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey, and rang the door bell. The horse face woman answered and gazed up at him with wide eyes.

"I think you'd better leave," she said bravely, yet bitterly.

"No actually, I'm here to take Harry. He'll be staying with me until the school term." Without waiting for an answer he barged past her and looked around.

"Where is he?" he questioned as politely as he could.

Harry's aunt merely shook her head. However, a sound from the garden caught his attention.

He made his way to the back door and found the whale of a man pressing his Harry into one of the flowerbeds.

"Ungrateful little fr-ARGH!"

Lucius cast a stunning spell at the fat man, surprised when it actually worked. He thought he'd need at least two to get through all of that blubber.

"What the hell do you think you're doing to him?" Lucius asked, looking down on the stunned uncle.

He looked back at Harry who was on his front with his head to the side. He could see his eyes were closed, his beautiful face covered in soil and dried blood, and his glasses off; a fallen angel, thought Lucius. He turned him over and the boy mumbled something like, "I'm doing it, I'm doing it..."

Then, remarkably, Harry got up and started weeding! It was spooky to watch; he almost seemed robotic, as if it was programmed in his head to keep going even if he was injured. That did explain a lot from Harry's past battles, Lucius thought.

"No, its okay, you don't have to, Harry." The boy didn't seem to be able to hear him so he held Harry's face in his hands forcing Harry to look at him. He still somehow looked beautiful, especially without his signature glasses covering half his face. Lucius could see Harry's green eyes perfectly now and was almost captivated by him for a moment. The orbs seemed quite blank though.

Then suddenly his eyes came into focus and Harry started to struggle. He crawled backwards, and through the mud, Lucius could see a blush on Harry's cheeks.

"Don't be stupid, Potter," Lucius snapped. Harry began to get up and Lucius almost shouted. Instead, he tried to make his voice sound reasoning. "Sit down!"

Potter was swaying slightly and Lucius could see what was going to happen before it happened.

As Harry plummeted towards the grass, Lucius ran over to him and caught Harry in his arms.

He stroked the mud covered face and brushed some of the soil and leaves out of the raven coloured hair.

On his way past Harry's uncle, he made sure to step on his hand, then grudgingly muttered, "Rennervate."

He said nothing to the aunt who was pressing herself so hard into the wall he was surprised she hadn't disappeared through it.

Using Harry's condition as an excuse to bring him to his manor, Lucius decided he'd let Dumbledore know after they got there.

Lucius had seen how dizzy and concussed Harry was so apparition probably wasn't the best way to travel. Instead, he conjured up a self-driven carriage and placed a disillusionment charm on it. He got in the back and placed the sleeping Harry next to him, making sure the boys head was leaning on his shoulder. He cleaned Harry's face and mended the broken nose that was still oozing blood.

He'd been so worried when he saw Harry faint; not the fatherly worry, but concern about losing him for good. Taking advantage of Harry while he couldn't struggle, Lucius put his arm around Harry's shoulders and fell asleep.

If one didn't know the anger Harry had for Lucius, one would think Harry loved the man he was leaning on.