Escape

Harry drew in a deep breath, Lucius smelled of leather, wool and some woodsy smelling aftershave. Harry’s heart started hammering as he realized that Lucius was making no move to hold Harry. He stiffened and started to move away trying to back away from Lucius…maybe his feelings weren’t reciprocated. Maybe he’d imagined Lucius’ interest in him. Harry’s face flamed and he tried to move his sluggish and suddenly clumsy feet.

Lucius’ right arm shot out and jerked Harry back into his body. He reached with his other hand and grabbed Harry’s chin---hard.

“You’ll leave when I tell you to boy,” he ed led looking straight into Harry’s green eyes.

Harry shivered with a combination of fear and something nameless. Lucius’ eyes were winter gray and merciless. Why had he ever imagined this man could help him?

Lucius noted the doubt in Harry’s eyes and tightened his grip on Harry’s jaw.

Lucius brought his face closer towards Harry’s and saw the boy flinch.

“Harry,” he growled and Harry felt himself harden at the low tone. “I mean to have you, to keep you, never doubt that. I’m your *only* friend. If you don’t believe that go now back to Dumbledore and his ilk. Let them use you in the name of the Order. Die a hero. Die alone. Because Harry in the end Voldemort will die and you will die.” Lucius grated out harshly.

Harry’s stomach dropped. Yes, he knew he was going to die. Dumbledore and the rest of the Order seemed to feel that Harry really had little chance but as their only alternative they’d try their best to prepare him. Harry’s mouth turned down. Bitterness flowed through his veins. He’d heard the hurried, whispered conversations---did they think he was deaf as well as stupid?

“But *I* don’t want you to sacrifice yourself needlessly. I want you to live. I can do this for you *if * you trust me. We can destroy Voldemort and free you from the Order at the same time. Do you believe me?” Lucius demanded.

Harry unconsciously shook his head. Lucius Malfoy with his best interests at heart?

“Why?” Harry blurted out. He had no illusions about himself. He was a scrawny sixteen year old with little to recommend him save for the ability to survive the killing curse as a baby.

Lucius smiled in predatory fashion.

“Enlightened self interest,” Lucius bit out.

Harry’s heart fell. Another man who wanted to use him.

Lucius finally released his aching jaw.

“I won’t lie to you. I want to survive. I want my family to. But…” Lucius removed one of his gloves and his hand found it’s way into Harry’s messy, dark hair. Lucius began to rhythmically card his hand through Harry’s hair.

“I also want you, Harry.”

Harry felt some of the tension easing from his spine.

“But, you’re married,” Harry blurted out and then flushed.
ciuscius predatory smile reappeared.

“Narcissa has done her duty by me and provided me with an heir. I no longer require her. She has,” and Lucius hesitated just a moment. “been given her freedom. She will live for the forseeable future with her remaining relations on the continent.”

“Oh,” said Harry. Then something else occurred to him and his heart sank. Draco.

“But, Draco won’t like it,” Harry said in a tentative voice.

Lucius let loose a deep booming laugh startling Harry. He’d never seen a Malfoy laugh like that.

“My dear boy, Draco will do as I decide and what I want is you by my side. Do you imagine Draco is stupid? When he knows my plans he will obey me,” Lucius said in a hard voice.

Harry could well imagine Draco wouldn’t have the kind of will it took to try and oppose Lucius’ decisions. Draco was, in some ways, a more limited wizard. He had the perhaps the same knowledge and opportunity but lacked the degree of ruthlessness his father contained. Harry had never felt threatened by Draco, at least not magically.

“Enough. They’ll miss you soon. Now, listen to me well. You’ll go back to Hogwarts and act normally, you’ll do what they tell you to do like the good little Gryffindor you are. You’ll do nothing to make them suspicious. I’ll contact you soon through Draco…now go,” Lucius said, smacking Harry on his buttocks.

Harry jumped but didn’t walk away.

Lucius’ eyes narrowed.

Harry started to stumble backwards keeping his eyes on Lucius.

“Harry,” Lucius snapped.

Harry stopped.

Lucius moved forward in three quick strides.

Lucius pulled Harry’s face to his and crushed his lips against Harry’s frozen ones.

Lucius nipped hard on Harry’s bottom lip drawing blood.

Harry whimpered and opened his mouth. Lucius tongue took up immediate residence examining every corner of Harry’s slightly dry mouth. Lucius darting tongue pulled out and ran over Harry’s lips before Lucius pulled away.

“Don’t forget me,” Lucius said in a low tone before turning away from Harry and moving off into the rapidly darkening woods.

Harry, his lip still bleeding realized Lucius had stuffed his wand back in his pocket while the kiss had been going on.

Harry shook himself out of his daze and started to move quickly to re-join his friends in the Main Hall. It was almost time for dinner.

As Harry moved across the Quidditch Pitch on his way back towards the school he wistfully ed hed he could tell his friends about Lucius and his offer but he doubted they’d understand. Lucius was bad. Unadulterated evil. He’d offered his services to Voldemort and had done terrible things. He was now going to try to double cross das dark lord with Harry’s help. But then, wasn’t that what Harry was supposed to do with his friends and the Headmaster---betray them on Lucius’ word alone?

As he moved into the front door he wondered he wondered if the sorting hat had been t…mat…maybe he had more Slytherin in him than he’d wanted to acknowledge. Enlightened self-interest indeed.


“Harry” Neville shrilled as Harry sat down at the Gryffindor table. “We thought you’d miss dinner, where’ve you been?” Neville said between bites of his cottage pie.

Harry looked down the table.

“Just took my time that’s all,” Harry said with a smile.

Ron grinned at him around his roll and Hermione smiled benignly at him. The conversation flowed around Harry unabated.

Harry picked up a roll and felt a prickling in the back of his neck. Someone was watching him. He looked up and saw the Headmaster looking at him, nodding pleasantly and raising his glass to him at the head table.

Normally, Harry would have been pleased at this show of attention, but he frowned as he turned away and brought his attention back to his food. Did the Headmaster manipulate him as easily as all that? Had Harry been so starved for attentioat Dat Dumbledore’s approval overrode Harry’s own needs?

Harry paid scant attention to the soup he was spooning into his mouth. He turned back to the Staff table and noted Dumbledore’s attention was now focused on a treacle tart.

Had he been wrong to trust Dumbledore so implicitly? The Headmaster had let him stay with the Dursley’s who’d clearly hated him. They’d kept him in a cupboard for eleven long years. Oh the headmaster had very reasonably explained the magical protection to him, but why the thought gnawed at him hadn’t the Headmaster taken him to Hogwarts?
He could have been just as easily protected there behind the powerful wards that were stronger than Dumbledore and Voldemort’s power combined. He knew that because Hermione had patiently explained the power used to create them so long ago. It was all in “Hogwarts: A History” that only Hermione had taken the time and trouble to read.

At the staff table Professor Snape had finished dissecting his lamb chops and waiting impatiently for dinner to finish so he could return to his potion experiments in the dungeon. He glared over at the Hufflepuff table and the level of chatter died at his withering glance. Smirking he turned his eye to the Gryffindor table and caught Potter’s expression. Snape’s eyes narrowed. There was an expression on Potter’s face that he’d never seen before…calculating and even angry. A moment later it was gone and Potter returned his attention to his dinner and his friends conversation. Snape felt a frisson of unease and vowed to keep a closer watch on the boy. Something had changed deep and fundamentally within the Gryffindor.