Birthday Present

(\'I wonder what will be there left when you are through with me\') thought Harry, feeling of indignation rising in him. But he had to admit that it was indeed much harder to be bold with his hands and shoulders immobile against the cold bathroom wall.

\'Er, Mr. Malfoy? I didn\'t notice being a hindrance in your way to privacy (as you are to mine) . And if I somehow was, there was no need to pay so much attention to me anyway. We both did so much better when you ignored me.\'

\'Trust me Harry, the thought of ignoring you never occured to me. And if I left such an impression I deeply regret to have misled you. You have always been of great interest. And not to me only. That by the way is what I would like to talk to you about.\'
The mock in Lucius Malfoy\'s voice was almost unbearable and yet it was the thing that kept fear inside of Harry replaced by defiance.

\'Let me go, there is nothing you can tell me that I want to hear\'

\'I actually did expect to hear something nice from you, Harry. Some words of gratitude, perhaps?\'

\ds ods of what?? You are mad, aren\'t you? Or is it some silly joke of yours? What am I supposed to be grateful for? You didn\'t take an active part in my life, did you? You have nothing to do with my scar, with my terrible summer holidays, with my whole family missing in my life, including my godfather now?!! AND YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO FINGER IN INNUMERABLE ATTEMPS OF FINISHING ME OR MY FRIENDS OFF!!!!!!!!... THOUGH IF WE COME TO THINK A MOMENT YOU ARE VERY CLOSE TO IT NOW SO TRY A BIT HARDER AND YOU ARE IN!!!

\'Dear, if you are through with splitting my eardrums I would like to continue with my thought and say that I of course did not expect you to overflow with effusive thanks but I have deserved being treated favourably from your side tonight. And I definitely thought that even such an ungrateful kid like you could at least say \'thank you Mr. Malfoy for an incredible experience!\' Am I asking for too much? Wasn\'t the preformance wonderful? Didn\'t you enjoy it? Especially that it was your first time ever?\'

\'And what you, Mr. Malfoy have to do with it anyway???\'

\'Everything, dear, everything. Firstly this entire theatre is under my supervision and every play here is being staged after my consent only and, throwing away false modesty, entirely on my money. But secondly, and more importantly in this particular case,.. your ticket, Harry.\'

\'My ticket what?\'

\'Oh, boy, are you really that thick? You still think that it was Ron who had sent it to you???\'

The walls now seemed to be shaking with cold laughter that made Harry shiver. And then it suddenly dawned on him. (\'But it can\'t be true!!!\')

Theersterstanding and disbelief made such an adorable mix of emotions written vividly acroos Harry\'s face that it took Lucius Malfoy more time than he expected to take control of himself again.

\'Harry, dear, you indeed are so amusing! I of course hoped for exactly this reaction on the little trick of mine but it still is amazing how na¿ve you are! One would expect you to have learnt something by now but you are so confident in your bravery that you seriously lack prudence. You\'ve been taught this lesson dozens of times since your first year at Hogwarts: never trust anything you haven\'t checked for sure yourself! But you obviously prefer to learn it the hardest way.\'

\'Can we skip the lecture?\' Harry was finally able to get over the first shock\'. I\'ve got much more decent teachers for that so quit the crap. If I got it right, you were the one who sent me the ticket and I do not doubt that you had a damn good reason for it. So spit it out, I am sick and tired of being humiliated, intimidaand and mocked at today. Besides I am cold and I want to go and see the end of the performance you were so kind to invite me at.\'

\'Aren\'t we just too quick? and not too polite either. Believe me, Harry, I don\'t wanna do it the rough way, only if you make me. So why don\'t you keep it in mind that our talk will be much more pleasant and productive if you remember your manners. As you noticed I am trying my best to be nice to you why don\'t you take a leaf out of my book?\'

And pretending not to see the disgusted look on Harry\'s face he went on: \'As to the performance, your presence to the second part, fortunately or not, is unobligatory. So I am afraid you are not coming back to the box. I don\'t think anyone will miss you there whatsoever.\'

\'I am not staying here with you, Mr. Malfoy\'

\'You are definitely and certainly not! could you possibly imagine I liked it here?\'

\'And I am not going anywhere from here too, at least not before I finish watching the play and even then there is only one place I am heading to. Home!\' barked Harry.

\'Ouh, I greatly doubt the precise fulfilment of your plan. Personally I have made another arrangement for us. Besides, where will you go? To those Muggles you call your relatives? I do hate being a source of your disappointment but I wouldn\'t say they are expecting you home tonight. They got a pretty little note from you saying you had a sudden change of plans and would go straight to your friend Weasley. I suppose they enjoy having my eagle owl at their home - she hates waiting too long for answers but doesn\'t leave until gets one or is called back. She is probably still there contaminatMuggMuggle furniture. They probably will be very happy to see you now. How do you think will they treat her well?\'

Harry felt giddy with images of Dursley\'s living-room in owl droppings, Uncle Vernon in a state of utmost fury not coming to pick him up, Ron perfectly happy and safe at home, not knowing anything that was going on, everyone else watching the play having no idea he needed help. He had no one to turn to and what could he do on his own? He was in the unknown place, in it\'s most deserted part, facing a grown-up wizard and...

(\'Wizard? My wand! I can at least give it a try.\') It hit Harry how long it had taken him to recall his magical powers. He had survived in much harder situations than this one.

He wanto reo reach for his pocket but suddenly realised he was not able to move his hands at all. He was pinned to the wall with a snake cane of Lucius Malfoy, right at his elbow level, hands along his body. Looking down he saw his wand lying several feet away from them, thrown out apparently with the force of Malfoy\'s initial push.

The thought that he was absolutely helpless infuriated Harry. And with all the force he could muster he kicked Lucius hard on his knee-cap. Acknowledging that it was pointless he still couldn\'t help enjoying with grim satisfaction that single second in which Malfoy\'s face was distorted with pain.

Harry knew he would have to pay for the moment of pleasure for the murderous look in the wizard\'s eyes made the bathroom tile a warm and welcoming place. Harry pressed himself harder to the wall and waited for a blow.

However, another moment passed and he was still alive. It looked as though Lucius Malfoy for some extraordinary reason was fighting his desire to kill Harry on the spot and was getting hold of himself. But his teeth were gritted so hard Harry could hear the sound.

\'Will you now listen to me boy\' Lucius hissed, leaning closer to Harry. \'I do not like repeating twice. If you have a certain problem understanding me at once, don\'t worry, I can help you out with that one. I\'ll find a perfect way of making you pay attention. So BE-A-GOOD-BOY! I do not have to be all this nind fnd fluffy or explain a single thing to you but nevertheless I am doing it! Not that you have a choice here but at least listen to what I say and accept it. As it is. I could try the Imperius curse of course, to make you more obedient, but we both know how masterly you fight that one and I don\'t feel like losing any time in waste. What do you think of the Cruciatus for a change? that would definitely entertain me for a little while. I hope you don\'t amuse yourself with tope ope that I will have any mercy for you?\'

\'I\'ve seen your mercy before, Mr. Malfoy.\' Harry said coolly. \'Anyway you\'ve done a good job convincing me that you want to talk to me badly and ignoring all your efforts would be so...\' and at that he got slapped hard.

\'I would greatly appreciate it now, Mr. Potter, if you swapped your tone to something more respectful.\' Lucius was absolutely calm. \'Or do I not deserve it for my patience with you?\'
And obviously needing no er fer from Harry he continued:

\'So let\'s finally make our talk official, business-like and quick. Right now I will let you go and you, making no noise or any abrupt movements will follow me...\'

\'I will not go anywhere with you.\' said Harry stubbornly.

\'...outside the theatre where we\'ll take one of the carriages...\'

\'I. Will. Not. Go.\' repeated Harry, his temper rising dangerously high.

\'...and on our way to my manor we will have a comfortable , fo, for we have already wasted too much time here. We have to get there before my wife...\'

\'I-AM-NOT-GOING-ANYWHERE!\' bellowed Harry but his yell was immediately muffled. He felt only too well the answer to it - Lucius Malfoy\'s hand settled on his throat, a little tighter than to let him breathe properly.

\'Tut, tut, tut, Harry. If I were in your shoes I\'d think twice before I shout. No wonder Severus says you\'re hopeless - you reject thinking as such. Truly Gryffindori wou would say.\'

\'Is it a Slytherin trait then teaching others what to do?\' asked Harry trying hard not to cough. \' or is it just your family one? your son has always been keen on showing me the error of my ways ever since our first year at school. As if I ever cared what Malfoys think of me. Either you or your son.\'

\'Oh! Draco. Thanks for reminding me. Our conversation is so fascinating that it constantly overshadows this day\'s issue. Lets get back to business.\'

As sistsistable was the urge to reveal everything Harry had on his mind at the moment, the memory of iron fingers on his neck was not at all encouraging for any more rebels. So Mr. Malfoy could again continue uninterrupted.

\'As you might know my son has always been \'interested\' in a certain Harry Potter. It got pretty irritating, as one may suppose, you being the headline of all the conversations concerning school. It is ys \ys \'Potter this\' and \'Potter that\'. And being a good father I had to take a closer look at you one day to see what it was all about. Is it just envy? His usual craving for power? Fame? Or is it because of you he hasn\'t found himself even a decent girlfriend yet, when I supposed him to have shagged half of his house by this age. As I actually did once.\'

Harry grinned. Lucius\'s frivolous tone seemed to have relaxed both of them.

(\' Imagine Draco being involved with someone? Who on earth would agree even for all the money his family has?\') Harry snorted. Too loudly and too boldly perhaps, but Lucius smirked, his tenselessness probably being welcomed by pleasant memories.

\'If you had had a decent family, you would have a notion of what disgracing your family means.\' He watched fury flashing in Harry\'s eyes and smugly noticed it being put down with a supreme effort of will.

\'Have you, Mr. Malfoy, chosen your wife not to be a disgrace?\' Harry\'s emotion was only decipherable in the slightest quivering of his voice. \'She probably is all but \'decent\'.\'

\'I can\'t say I like your tone today boy, but funny you should mention it at all. Good-looking as she might be she could have been a mistake of mine. And imagine, no one actually believes that I love her. Why is that I wonder?\' his mischievous grin was even more unnerving than his smirk.

\'Because you are not capable of it\' suggestedry ory obligingly.

\'Strange as it is, but you are quite close in your guess. At least I am not when it comes to her. It\'s different with Draco though, he is my heir after all and... And that again brings us back to him. Draco, apparently having too much of his mother\'s blood in him, though being quite of an appropriate character still lacks some will and power of his own. You know only too well that he seems to fail in getting anything he wants if he tries on his own. He can\'t even use his looks well. And that puts me in front of another task of helping him out. That\'s what fathers are for, aren\'t they, Harry? And since he for whatever stupid reason obviously needs you, he will get you. It\'s only fair, don\'t you think?\'

Furious and shocked, Harry at first was sure that he had had his back to the cold wall for so long that his ears were stuffed.

But Lucius Malfoy was not joking. He was not looking for an answer, he didn\'t need one. He was smirking, only waiting for Harry to show his consent, confident but ready to suppress any sign of resistance. And still, still, silly or not, but Harry was not going to give up. Not yet. Not that easily.

\'I am not taking part in any sick games you and your precious son may entertain yourself with.\' Harry said firmly, perfectly aware at once that their game was actually over. No more easy ways or light conversations, no talking anyone in.

Lucius reached out for the snake head on the end of his cane, whipped out his wand and pointed it at Harry\'s heart, with a slightly harder pressure than needed, just to make sure that Harry was feeling it all right.

\'It is not working with me that way, Mr. Potter. You should know better. I do not take \'no\' for an answer.\' his voice was so quiet that Harry had to strain his hearing to make out the words though the meaning was only too clear for him.
Harry was not afraid. He was senseless.

For a couple of tense and infinitely long seconds Lucius was drilling in his eyes and then released him so suddenly that Harry almost fell to the floor. Malfoy turned his back on him, reasonably sure that Harry was taking in his every movement.

\'Accio wand!\' and Harry\'s only hope was conveniently being laid now in Lucius\' pocket. \'Follow me\'.

Watching Lucius Malfoy\'s back moving away became an unexpected recovery of Harry\'s senses. It was too much of a temptation to him. He just had to run for it.

With what seemed to be the last and overexaustifforffort he rushed forward and caught up with Lucius in a second. But the way between him and the door was everlasting. Harry\'s pulse was counting his steps, but it always appeared thousands more left to make. It took him so long to get there that he had time to feel suprised at Lucius not stretching as mush as a finger to stop him. At this very thought Harry seemed to hear Lucius hiss: \'Oh, how stupid really\' but he cared no more for he was already holding the doorknob. Harry jerked the door open with a sinking heart and that heart gave such a triumphant beat that it alone drowned the word Harry had been dreading all along.

\'STUPEFY!\'

Harry fell into darkness long before his head hit the floor.

*
Lucius stood over Harry\'s body, smirking at his defeated enemy, pleased but seemingly a little tired.

\'Why do the young never listen to wiser people? Was no use trying to talk him in anyway I suppose? Should have done this at once. Why when you do your best it never comes out right if it concerns Harry Potter?\'

He clicked his right hand and four house-elves appeared in front of him.

\'Take him to the Manor, undress, wash and put on the couch in my bedroom\' his finger pointing at Harry.

The elves bowed, came up to Harry, put him up lightly and the five of them vanished with a loud pop. Harry\'s glasses lay forgotten on the floor. Lucius picked them up and looked at them.

\'They make them so stubborn in Gryffindor!\' he said, with a powerful note of amusement in his voice. The next second he was placing the glasses on his own bedside table in the Malfoy Manor.


A/N: TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!