What the Devil Wants

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“You look like shit.” Harry whispered as Madam Pomfrey came fussing past the bottom of Draco’s bed for the third time in as many minutes. Draco huffed a contemptible laugh and rolled his eyes.

“Thanks for stating the obvious Potter.” Draco snapped dryly as he shuffled back up against his pillow so that he was half sitting up. The blonde was a mess. His face was swollen; his eyes blood shot and blackened. Cuts, tears and slices littered the blonde’s pale skin, some still crusty with dried blood but most clean and beginning to heal. A large bandage was just visible beneath the sheets, wrapped around the boy’s slender torso, no doubt helping to heal the broken ribs and punctured lung. There was a stale silence as Harry picked at an unseen threat on the blanket draped over Draco’s feet.

“So I guess he claimed you then?” Draco whispered as Madam Pomfrey’s footsteps disappeared into her office leaving the pair alone to talk more freely. Harry bit his lip and self-consciously reached up to touch the collar about his neck. Like Snape had said, he hadn’t yet officially claimed him but Harry saw no point in saying so, when he’d have to get used to it sooner rather than later. Quietly Harry nodded in agreement, feeling slightly guilty about lying. “He was miserable with me, had been for 16 years. The promise between my father and him was more like a punishment than a reward to him. I couldn’t have been what he wanted me to be I’m to independent, and I pissed him off with my willfulness.” Harry huffed in amusement as Draco gently brushed back a strand of his silky blonde hair, to reveal a nasty bruise on his forehead in the shape of a footprint. Harry chose not to comment on the bruise and instead waited for Draco to continue. “At first I couldn’t believe he’d fallen for you, my last hope and I manage to pull it off.” Draco boasted proudly in his victory, as Harry sat chewing his lip the truth perched precariously on the tip of his tongue. Harry knew he could never say anything however and merely nodded with gritted teeth as Draco continued to beam with happiness that his scheme had worked. “I’m jealous too of course, perhaps had the sex between he and I been as good as it seemed between you two the other night I might have re-considered being the ‘Promise Child’ I was meant to be.” Draco shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly before continuing. “Still it’s all over now, I’m free of him and my life is mine again.” Draco beamed happily at Harry who merely glared at the blonde darkly.

“And what about my life?” Harry barked angrily. Despite having accepted his relationship with Snape, none of this would have happened at all had Draco not blackmailed him in the first place. Draco rolled his eyes as he reached over to grab a hand full of peeled grapes some other visitor had left for him.

“Don’t fool yourself Potter, you didn’t have much of a life to begin with.” Draco popped a grape into his mouth and chewed smugly. “Besides, in feuds there are always casualties. You are a casualty Potter, and trust me when I say sacrificing your life for mine was well worth it.” Draco popped another grape into his mouth smartly as Harry stood up from the end of the bed, anger boiling to the surface as he stared at the smug blonde before him.

“You’re a fucking cowardly bastard Draco Malfoy, Voldemort should have finished you off.” Harry shouted angrily, ignoring the fast approaching footsteps of Madam Pomfrey.

“Don’t delude yourself into believing you know everything Potter. Voldemort didn’t do this to me, it was my father. Seems he didn’t like the fact Snape got rewarded for securing an alliance between you and him, after breaking the agreement between the two of them.” Draco paused his smug Slytherin smile still in place. “Then when I told him I had no intention of taking the dark mark, he completely flipped out.” Harry’s eyes widened in shock as Draco chuckled darkly. “I told you I was willful Potter, why would I give my life to the Dark Lord when I’d only just gained it back again from Snape?”

“Mr Potter! I will not have you disturbing my patients. If you do not leave this instant I will have you removed by your ears.” At that point Madam Pomfrey interrupted their conversation, her wand pointed threateningly at Harry who was already backing away from Draco. Unfazed by the attention Draco continued to snack on his grapes as Harry spared the blonde one last glance before running from the hospital wing.

Harry slowed his run to a brisk walk as he passed through the corridors of the castle until he was safely outside. The weather had turned rather foul from the sunny morning it had been, and Harry huddled down in his cloak as he tried to dodge the thunder spots that were already beginning to fall from the sky. Picking up his step Harry jogged down to the old stone shelter that overlooked the lake. The shelter was peaceful, and Harry often found himself drawn to the place for sometime alone. With the rain now pouring from the sky Harry didn’t even spare the shelter a second look as he dashed in through the entrance and began shaking the rain from his cloak.

“Do you often come barging into places like that Mr. Potter?” Harry practically jumped from his skin as an unexpected voice made him look up from his wet cloak. Having not expected anyone to be inside the shelter, Harry was taken back to find the shelter already occupied.

“Severus.” Harry whispered awkwardly as he finished shaking the last drops of water from his cloak, pointedly avoiding making eye contact with the elder wizard. There was a tense silence as Harry shuffled over to the stone bench and sat himself tentatively on its edge, furthest away from Snape. For a good ten minutes the pair sat staring out of the open windows of the shelter, watching as the rain fell like a curtain from the tiled roof above them. On a nice day it was possible to see the entire lake from the shelter window, but today all Harry could see was the rain.

“Judging from your miserable silence, may I be right in assuming you spoke to Draco?” Snape broke the silence first, his voice barely audible above the roar of rain outside. Harry glanced up sideways at Snape, the man’s face hidden in shadow but his sparkling onyx eyes firmly fixed on Harry.

Harry nodded in silent reply.

“Are you disappointed Mr. Malfoy has turned out to be less of an evil genius, and more of your common variety selfish bastard like so many other people are in this world?” Harry shrugged his shoulders with a huff of contempt. “You see now why I detested his forced presence in my life.” Again Harry nodded this time glanced up to meet Snape’s gaze fully.

“He thinks he’s won, Draco Malfoy triumphs over Harry Potter yet again like this is something I was forced into, that I didn’t want it….” Harry stood up abruptly from the bench, his fists clenched angrily by his sides as he began pacing the length of the shelter.

“If you examine the matter closely Potter, you weren’t exactly a willing participant to begin with.” Snape put forward matter of factly as Harry paced past him twice.

“Yeah alright so I was given a push but if I hadn’t been forced to begin with I’d have never made the decision on my own! They all think this is some kind of joke, some monumentally tragic sacrifice I’m making on their behalf. Even now Dumbledore and bloody Sirius are probably working up a way to get me out of this!” Harry was angry now, his face flushed with raging heat as he clenched his fists even tighter and threw his arms about savagely. “I want this! I want you! I have done since the moment you stepped foot in that fucking classroom, and told me ‘Fame isn’t everything’.” Harry paused, completely ignoring the rather amused eyebrow that shot up into Snape’s forehead at the boy’s last comment. “You’re a mean, grumpy and snarky bastard, but at least I knew what to expect when I saw you, I knew that what you said was exactly what you were thinking. Unlike the rest of them that have more bloody secrets than the Department of Mysteries!” Harry collapsed fuming against the window his back to Snape, as he tried to control his raging temper. A cool breeze blew in through the open window chilling the heat in Harry’s cheeks and calming him slightly.

“You do realize Harry, you’re incredibly enticing when you’re angry.” Harry shivered as he felt the ghost of warm air on his neck before a pair of arms came up to hold him tightly about the waist. Harry relaxed almost immediately at Snape’s touch, all anger draining from his body as he leant back against Snape’s strong embrace. “You should throw your weight around more often Potter, it might remind them all just who you are and what you’re capable of if pushed.” Harry closed his as Snape drew aside the collar and began nipping and caressing the pale skin of Harry’s throat with his mouth. Being young it took very little to arouse Harry into hardness, his tented pants brushing against the cold stonewall in front of him as Snape continued to ravish his neck. Frustrated by the lack of more contact Harry reached back, and having tilted his own head to the side dragged Snape’s lips up to his own. The kiss was sloppy in such an awkward position but Harry didn’t care as he inhaled deeply on the professor’s heady aroma.

This kiss didn’t last and Snape pulled away leaving Harry panting, and whining miserably at the lost contact. Snape smiled ruefully as he retreated back to the stone bench, himself not affected by the display as Harry had been.

“You’re a shameless exhibitionist Potter, I must remember that.” Harry frowned deeply as he spun around from the window, still hard and needy as he watched Snape sit casually down on the bench. “I’m calling a class tonight, 11.35 same place.” As if someone had flicked a switch Snape slid easily back into professor mode, as he brushed an invisible crease from his robe. Harry gritted his teeth as he made a point of adjusting himself before reluctantly coming back to sit beside Snape on the bench, this time much closer.

“What’s the topic?” Harry muttered hoping to get a heads up on Sex Magic 101, having been behind on his reading of late.

“Fantasies and the extraction of them from your mind to give to your partner during intercourse, so that you may share the moment. It’s quite exhilarating when done correctly.” Snape sighed quietly as he watched Harry out of the corner of his eye. Harry chewed his lip in thought, silently processing a few of his more choice fantasies. It was only after a few moments of silence that Harry caught the smug glance Snape was throwing him.

“Don’t even think about using legitimacy on me, I warned you before I can’t stop you.” Harry argued as he narrowed his gaze at Snape who was smiling a very Slytherin smirk.

“You shouldn’t keep them so handy then Mr. Potter, if you don’t wish other people to see them.” Snape’s smirk widened and Harry struck out as he felt the first tentative prods of Snape trying to invade his mind. Hitting Snape hard in the arm and practically pushing the man off the bench Harry ground his teeth together angrily.

“I said stop it! If you want to know what they are you’ll have to teach me how to perform the appropriate ‘magic’.” Harry huffed as Snape narrowed his gaze but chose not to remind Harry how obedience and submission was a key to their relationship. “Speaking of which, do I still have to go to Draco to complete my homework?” Harry grumbled.

“Over my dead body.” Snape growled defensively not even a heartbeat after Harry’s suggestion. Having realized his mistake Snape swallowed awkwardly and turned his glare out of the window. Harry was surprised at the conviction in Snape’s abrupt admission, and took a second to take in what it had meant. “What I meant was,” Snape paused awkwardly and Harry quickly butted in to save the man the embarrassment.

“I know what you meant Severus, and that’s fine with me. He wasn’t very good anyway and so long as you will make yourself available for my studies when needed…”

“Watch yourself Potter.” Snape growled rapidly loosing his patience with Harry’s cheek. It was easy to overlook Harry’s disobedience when their relationship was still fresh, but in time Harry would have to learn to toe the line. Harry lowered his gaze and blushed slightly in awkward apology as he was put back in his place.

“Sorry Severus,” Harry whispered as he pressed an apologetic kiss to Snape’s cheek. Snape nodded in acceptance as he stood up and moved towards the door of the shelter. The rain had slowed a little over the last half an hour that they’d sat together but it was still raining enough to wet them through should they run back to the castle. Still with dinner looming there was no other choice and beckoning to Harry, Snape stepped out into the rain and led them back towards the castle.

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TBC>>>