The Contract

All Mistakes are mine, and although I admit this freely, if you have a rude comment to make, please feel free to e-mail me or leave it on my live journal.

--RD



Chapter Twenty -- Understanding the Bond





It was evening when Harry next woke. His body hurt and he was light-headed. The sun was ducking behind the clouds on its way to night. He turned over and gasped at the pain. The fire from the rape sending out waves of electric pain to all of his body. With a cry, he passed out once again.







Remus woke suddenly at the sound of a muffled, but definitely human, moan. Looking around, he listened with every sense his wolf allowed. There was a different smell in the house, but was it different than their arrival, or was it just a normal smell? He felt the hand creep up his spine and a gentle tug to return to the arms of the man in his bed.



Contently, Remus was lulled back into a troubled sleep as Severus’ arms wrapped around him once again.





Hermione woke in the evening as well. Making her way from Ron, she used the loo and went back to the table. They were making headway with understanding and the possible transition of the bond. Molly and Ginny were making dinner while Draco was playing chess with Arthur.



“Ginny, how are you feeling?”



“Much better now. The sleep helped, as did the shopping. When we got back, I talked to Draco for a bit and know that Harry is safe and he… well, I know everything is okay, even if it doesn’t seem that way.” Her words were a bit disoriented, as though she couldn’t quite grasp what had happened.



Looking to Molly, she received a small headshake indicating not to ask. Hermione always obeyed Mrs. Weasley. “Did you have a nice lie down?”



“Yes, I know it wasn’t proper to sleep in Ron’s bed, but I don’t think either of us needed to be alone.”



“No, I didn’t,” Said Ron as he came down the stairs. “Where’s Malfoy?”



“In here, losing to your father in a game of chess.” Interested, Ron took an offered cup of tea and made his way into the living area to watch the game.



Molly handed Hermione a plate of snacks and cup of tea and told her that there would be no more studying for the moment. Taking the offered food, she sat near Ron on the couch and watched Draco’s knight beheaded by Arthur’s queen. Ron took a sandwich from Hermione’s plate without a word. In four more moves, Arthur had beat Draco. “How about a game with me, Dad?”



“Of course, son, just set the table again.”



Draco stood and stretched, a place in his side caught and he winced in pain. “The Healers said you would be sore a couple of days, Malfoy. You need to be more careful or you’ll end up back in St. Mungo’s.”



Draco nodded and walked out the front door to sit on the porch swing as the sun went down. It took a few moments for Hermione to sit next to him. “Draco, I know you don’t like me very much, but…how are you?”



“Granger… Hermione… I am sorry for the way I have treated you. I had no right to think I was better than you. Please forgive me?”



She touched his arm, “Of course I do. You are bonded with Harry.”



His voice cracked just a bit when he answered her, “I’ve been thinking about that. I am not so sure. I don’t know if my… Lucius had the right to change the bond. I don’t think I deserve someone like Harry regardless. Maybe it would be best if I released him from the bond.”



“Do you think he is safe? I mean I know you sent him with Dobby, but was that the best thing to do?”



“It was the only choice at that point. I was barely making sense by the time we got up to my quarters, and Harry… he pushed me away. Whether I meant to or not, he thinks I gave permission for this to happen. The first time… I wasn’t so nice. I actually made myself sick before I could finish. I released his bonds and made it to the loo before vomiting all over the floor. He crawled under the bed and by the next morning, he was healed and gave me a rather spectacular blow.” Looking to the girl beside him, he saw her blush.



“I’m sorry Hermione, that was tactless. But he was completely healed. I am sure he is fine and trying to convince Dobby that he isn’t hungry.” She smiled only a bit at that. “So did you find anything useful during your research?”



Excitement radiated off of her as she answered, “Yes, now that you asked. We found a book on Life Debts and Short Term Bondings. It was from the Black Estate so it was rather old, but I was just finishing a chapter on breaking the bond when you came home. Let me get it.” She stood and went back inside.



When she returned, it was without the book. “Molly says it is dinner time, and I can’t have the books until we all eat.”



“What is her obsession with my weight?” Hermione laughed but didn’t answer as they walked into the house.



“Molly this is wonderful!” Arthur said as he ate the rich stew she had prepared. Molly beamed.



“I wonder if Harry is eating okay though…” Draco commented. He had only taken a few bites but just did not have much of an appetite.



“If you are ready, call Dobby to bring Harry.”



“I’m not ready. My father has not been sentenced and until he is, Harry is in danger. Once dinner ends, Hermione and I can do additional research and figure out what has happened. Severus is planning to return in the morning and help if possible.”



“Remus is coming as well.” Hermione added.



They talked on for a bit about Ginny and Molly’s day of shopping. When they got to the part of new robes, Draco paled just a bit. “Mrs. Weasley, I cannot think of how I could possibly thank you for your forgiveness and hospitality. Would you allow me to pay you rent for the month before I return to Hogwart’s?”



“No, Draco dear, I would not. We always managed before and it will be fine now as well.” The conversation ended at that point. Dinner was cleared and the books replaced. For the next hour, Hermione, Ginny, Ron and Draco poured over the books to find the answer.



It was Ginny that came upon it. “I have it, I think… listen to this:



A short term bond, also known as a contract will be for a certain amount of time as negotiated by the participants. There was one known case where the son was given the servant for the term of two years as a fulfillment of a Life Debt. The servant, Polly Prindle, had a bit of a crush on the son, Dermott Dike, and when the Bonding ritual was performed, she added ‘please let him love me’ just before the magic took effect.



Polly and Dermott were together almost three months when Dermott’s older brother, Derwin, returned from war. Deciding that he wanted Polly, he raped her, claiming that Dermott had given his permission. She believed Derwin. When Dermott attempted to console her, she pushed him away claiming that he had given consent.



Although he had not actually given consent, he apologized and said that he had. The Bond was broken. The pain was severe at first, but it also served to release Polly as a Servant and give him the opportunity to regain her trust. It also protected her from Derwin’s advances.



Derwin was sentenced to death for the rape of a Bonded Servant, even after he claimed that she was given to him….”



It goes on to say that he courted her and eventually won her heart.



The room was silent. The older Weasleys breath caught as they realized what Ginny had found.



“Draco, is that what you want? Do you want to break the bond with Harry?” Ron asked him.



“I promised you Ron, that I would do whatever it took to keep him safe. If that is what it takes, then yes, I would break the bond. As long as you all know that I did not give my permission for Lucius to hurt him. I need to think for a bit. Please excuse me.”



He walked out the back door into the garden. He stood in the night thinking back to the time when he and Harry were getting to know one another, the trust they had built, and the love he felt for him. Coming to a decision, he said clearly and loudly, “I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, did willingly and knowingly break the terms of the contract. I release Harry James Potter from the terms of the Contract.”



Lightning flashed across the sky as Draco screamed. The pain, as though part of his soul was ripped out of his body, was mirrored only by the boy hidden in Grimmauld Place.





+++



Both men were on their feet in an instant. The unbearable pain in the scream echoing through the house. Following the noise, with their wands drawn, they made their way to the kitchen. Following the senses he had ignored earlier, Remus' nose smelled Harry's blood. The close they got to the celler, the stronger the scent became; unitl deep inside the cellar was the room that Remus used during the full moon.



There were no more attempts at stealth; with an unspoken word, they blew the door off its hinges. The firelight flickered to reveal Harry Potter, alone, hurt, weak from blood loss, screaming as long as his voice could hold out.



Severus stunned the boy from across the room. They approached quickly. Picking him up, Remus made his way to the Living Room. With a last nod at Severus, he Flooed to St. Mungo’s with Harry.



+++



Draco was sitting in the garden, panting from the pain when he heard a shout from the house. Fearing that it was under attack, he raced, wand drawn to the back door. It flew open with a bang.



He heard Severus’ voice saying, “Now!” before disappearing from the grate.



Turning, Hermione said, “They found him, Harry was at Grimmauld Place, Remus just took him to St. Mungo’s.



~~TBC~~~~~~