Promising Submission

Back at Harry\'s manor, they had to find something to do with Harry\'s new guests.



"Harry?!" Hermione cried as he, Nathanial, Damian, Asher and Severus portkey\'d into the den.



Harry sighed and Nathanial felt his exhaustion sharply. "Miss Granger, I will have transportation provided for you back to your parents home tomorrow. For now, Dobby will show you to a guest room."



Her eyes narrowed as she processed. "You\'re not going to let me stay with you?" She asked incredulously.



"No, Miss Granger, this is my home. I do not allow those I do not trust in. You are lucky that I\'m simply to tired to make you leave or you\'d not be staying the night."



Nathanial bit his lip when she tried to convince Harry with pleas and tears to let her stay, that she was trustworthy, his best friend.



"You\'re not." He whispered. Nathanial wasn\'t sure his voice had carried when she didn\'t immediately turn to him, but his master turned his body to make Nathanial more prominent so he repeated himself.



"You\'re not his best friend, Miss Granger." Nathanial blushed as her bright eyes turned on him. He could tell she was intelligent and that her experiences with Belle had showed her the dark side of the magical world. She had new, nearly insane, shadows in her eyes. He could tell when she flicked her gaze from Harry\'s hand firm and possessive on his ass and back to take in Nathanial\'s shy body language, that she was leaping to conclusions that while may have been correct, were ignorant.



Harry squeezed his ass gently and sent Nathanial a burst of soothing reassurance.



"Hermione, Nathanial is correct. You betrayed me and when things didn\'t go your way came crawling back." His eyes turned earnest in the face of her crushed sorrow, more expression then Nathanial\'s master ever showed to anyone but Nathanial. "I am sorry that you were captured and went through what you did, but you are not my responsibility. I will house you for the night and then return you to where you belong."



Hermione sobbed and then pointed as shaking finger at where the one Harry called Malfoy was kneeling by the entrance to the door, pointedly ignoring Severus\' orders to get up. He was obviously waiting for Harry\'s instruction. Nathanial startled at his pose. His training must have been extensive for him to kneel at the door and wait with clasped hands and stiff form for acknowledgment. "Are you going to send him home too? Or are you going to let him stay. I see you\'re letting Snape stay, and are consorting with vampires and werewolves." She sneered, an ugly look when coupled with her filthy clothing, tear stained puffy face, and savagely cut hair.



When Harry didn\'t immediately say yes she fell to the ground in sobs. "Do you know what that monster did to me? DO YOU??." she shrieked, hurting Nathanial\'s ears. "He RAPED me!!" Nathanial closed his eyes against her pain. She was looking for comfort but no one here wanted to help her. Severus dug in his belt, stormed over, and handed the distraught witch a potion. She smiled at him and took it.



When she immediately collapsed in sleep Harry rolled his eyes at the potion\'s master who returned it with a raised eyebrow. "Did you want to hear more of that?"



Harry shook his head and called for Winky to take the girl to a warded guest room. She wouldn\'t be able to leave it.



London stepped out from the shadows with a small smile that, while genuine, lit his face in an eery light. "Master." He whispered melodically, and bowed to Harry. Nathanial stood his ground, hiding his fear, in case this was a challenge for Harry. London smiled at him, a shy smile that changed his face from eery to vulnerable. Blinking, Nathanial snuck a glance at Harry to find his master watching him and only him. Nathanial turned back to London confused. He smiled back in reflex and London nearly collapsed with relief only confusing Nathanial more.



"London" the vampire\'s relief was replaced with an honest need to prove himself worthy to Harry, something Nathanial saw and approved of though didn\'t know the source. "What is going on with Malfoy, and where is the box?"



"Your small elf was showing me around when you called him. When he returned with those three, he was nervous and unable to make any decisions. The girl kept distracting him by asking him questions so I told him to take the box to the safest room here and then walked the girl and your Malfoy here. He settled there almost immediately and hasn\'t moved." London nodded at where Malfoy was currently kneeling.



"Has he said anything?" Severus asked, fingering his belt.



"When I asked, he only said he was waiting for his new master, and would remain there until given direction."



Harry sighed, closed his eyes and rested his head on Nathanail\'s shoulder. "I\'m to tired to deal with this right now."



Nathanial held his master soothingly as the others waited. Severus was back to barking orders at Malfoy, which were ignored. London shifted his weight from foot to foot, a show of ill-ease Nathanial hadn\'t ever seen on a vampire, even one as relatively young as London was. Nathanial still couldn\'t figure out what it was London wanted from him. His earlier relief from a mere smile seemed off some how. Finally, Harry lifted his head and nodded decisively to himself. He strolled over to join Severus near the kneeling Malfoy and Nathanial tried to figure out where Harry wanted him. He settled for sitting on the floor near the couch Harry usually sat on and waiting.



"No. I forbid it. He needs medical attention and rest and I can give it to him." Severus growled.



Harry wiped at his face in frustration, "Look, I realize that he needs medical help but he\'s not going to let you touch him unless I say."



"Just like a Potter to refuse a helpless man help based on nothing but the past."



"You really have no room to be telling me about letting go of the past." Severus\' face tightened and Harry let out a buff of air. "I don\'t want to fight with you Severus. I want to help him as much as you do." He raised his voice to talk over Severus\' sardonic "Of course you do". "But he needs this too. Let me bring him to the couch and then I\'ll see if I can get him to let you treat him."



Harry didn\'t wait for Severus to agree, though Nathanial saw the dark man nod. He addressed the broken, kneeling man. "Malfoy, stand up." The blonde complied. "Walk over to sit on the couch next to Nathanial."



Malfoy trudged weakly over and Nathanial stood to help. He assumed that since he was only a pet, Malfoy wouldn\'t be opposed to his help. He wasn\'t, dead eyes brightened momentarily in weary thanks as Nathanial helped him to kneel next to him. Harry and Severus followed him and Harry pulled Nathanial between his legs to give Severus room to sit on Malfoy\'s other side.



Damian and Asher nodded to Harry and made pointed mentions of dawn to a stubborn London, then took their leave. Harry raised an eyebrow at London who settled on the ground some distance from them, near enough to feel included, but the vampire only blushed.



Malfoy struggled to sit on the floor by Nathanial when Harry sat down. He whimpered when Harry gruffed at him to be still and continued to attempt to slide off into the floor. When Severus and Harry gave up Nathanial slid a hand between the couch and Harry\'s leg to tangle a finger with Malfoy\'s pinky. The blonde man squeezed his finger tightly and fixed his eyes on Nathanial\'s. The leopard focused on those eyes and obeyed Harry\'s instructions to help by reflex. He watched Malfoy\'s face so his eyes were always there if Malfoy wanted to meet them, which he did, frequently.



Nathanial only payed the barest of attentions to the doctoring Severus did to Malfoy\'s body. He didn\'t sneek glances at the wounds or make faces at the smell, though that was challenging. He understood that Malfoy was terrified and needed someone, one person, one empathetic face to focus on. Nathanial had always wished for someone to fulfill this need he himself had, had often. Everytime Malfoy met his eyes and relaxed slightly, every time Nathanial was able to ease a bit of discomfort, Nathanial felt a burst of gladness.



When it was over and Harry ordered Nathanial to help Malfoy dress in new clothes Dobby brought, Nathanial finally began to listen again.



"He should be fine until I get him home." Severus told Harry absently while returning empty vials to his potion\'s belt. Nathanial could sense both his master\'s discontent as well as Malfoy\'s fear.



"Severus.." Harry began but he stopped when Severus looked up at him. "I\'d like to keep him here."



Severus snarled, "No, I\'ll not have my godson becoming one of your sluts."



Nathanial swallowed hard and jolted. He hated being called a slut, especially from someone he thought understood like Severus. When Malfoy whimpered slightly and London winced, Nathanial knew he wasn\'t the only one hurt. The room abruptly grew cold and a wind picked up. Harry\'s green eyes began to glow and he sat up straighter, narrowing his eyes at Severus.



"Careful Severus. That almost sounded like you were insulting my kitten." Nathanial blushed in pleasure as his master stood up for him. Malfoy gazed longingly at Harry while London shot Nathanial envious looks. He ignored them both, focused on his master and giving him a pleased smile.



"You owe him an apology Severus." the dark wizard\'s lip curled in a soundless snarl that had all the subs leaning away.



"I apologize." Nathanial nodded quickly but Harry didn\'t accept it.



"I do not believe that was sincere Severus."



"Potter, do not play me. I am here of my own free will. I will not be subjugated by you. You are not my master."



Harry leaned forward. "Do not pretend that I am forcing you to be here Severus. You are here for Asher, because this is his home. You are here because you care for him and because we are friends, but do not think that I will allow you to miss-treat what is mine. You insulted Nathanial, and you need his forgiveness."



Severus growned his teeth, but everything Harry said was truth so he took a deep breath, pulled up fortitude from somewhere deep and apologized sincerely to Nathanial. The leopard looked away and nodded with a blush.



Harry dug his hand in Nathanial\'s hair to force his head to turn back and face Severus. "Do you forgive him kitten?" Nathanial nodded, "Then say it."



"I forgive you Severus."



He released a deep breath and tried to control his blush when his master released him. A harsh poke in his side had him instinctively scooting to the left, coincidentally away from Harry. London immediately lunged into the spot, leaned against Harry\'s leg, and smiled when Nathanial looked back at him. Nathanial didn\'t know if his mullish anger passed through the bond but at that moment Harry said, "London, bed. Dawn is coming."



London said, "Which room should I go?"



Harry gave him a passing confused look and then answered, "Yours"



London\'s unusual face twisted into an ugly pout which he directed at no-one in particular before lurching to his feet and shuffling away petulantly. Harry didn\'t even notice, though Malfoy and Nathanial exchanged glances. Malfoy\'s was almost blank with only a hint of amusement while Nathanial knew his held nothing but confusion. Why be relieved when Nathanial smiled if London hated him so? It didn\'t make since.



In the end, Nathanial hesitantly asked Malfoy where he\'d rather go when it looked like Harry and Severus would never stop arguing. Both older men blinked slowly as if cursing themselves for never considering such a simple solution.



Looking for bravery in Nathanial\'s face Malfoy answered so softly only with the help of his leopard hearing did Nathanail catch it. "this boy would like to stay with his master." To his credit, Harry did not rub it in Severus\' face and instead offered him a room. Severus grunted and said he\'d join Asher. He\'d apparently done it enough that it hardly mattered.



Nathanial stood first, stepping out of the way so Harry could regain his feet. Malfoy stayed on the ground and when Harry began walking, crawled on the floor behind them. Nathanial saw it because he was following behind Harry and cleared his throat.



"Malfoy? Why are you on the ground?" Harry groaned.



Nathanial rubbed his leg soothingly over Malfoy\'s side as he answered, hoping to reassure him. "This boy is vermin only barely worthy to crawl where his master\'s feet have been." Malfoy recited.



"Oh, I\'m too tired for this. Nathanial, take care of him and bring him to our room." Harry sighed and with a parting smile for them walked off.



Malfoy\'s blank face cracked as Harry walked away and Nathanial took him in his arms. "He\'s really exhausted. He had to battle Belle and will probably have to do it again tomorrow. He needs his sleep. He\'s not abandoning us." Nathanial said softly and waited until the abject fear faded a little. Malfoy\'s blank face didn\'t crack again but Nathanial could tell he was soothed. "We don\'t have to crawl unless he orders it. Usually he doesn\'t put us in deep submission unless we\'re playing. When we\'re not he just wants obedience and trust. That\'s really his thing he wants us to trust him to take care of us." Malfoy nodded and Nathaniel knew he wasn\'t doing a good job.



"How about this. I\'ll try and explain as we go along but if you have any questions, you can ask me okay? You could ask him too but I don\'t think you will." Nathanial smiled at his slight joke but Malfoy didn\'t\' even twitch. "Alright well up on your feet." His voice seemed to be calming Malfoy so Nathaniel continued to talk, more then he usually felt comfortable anyway. "We don\'t have to crawl, or talk about ourselves like that. You are not vermin and Harry will not think better of you for saying it. He wants us to like ourselves. He says that he does not want those unworthy, since he wants you, I\'d say you are worthy." Blank grey eyes brightened at the thought and Nathanial smiled gently. " It was hard for me to believe too. It took months for Harry to convince me that I\'m not a whore." Malfoy flinched and Nathanial fed Harry that through their link.



There were things Harry never called Nathanial because it hurt so much, whore, slut, pussy; it seemed as though Malfoy would have similar hangups.



When they reached their bedroom Harry was standing by the wardrobe. Nathanial nudged Malfoy and then began undressing his master. Quickly, Malfoy got with the program and helped. "I\'d like a bath pets." Harry mumbled.



Malfoy shivered slightly and though both Harry and Nathanial noticed, neither mentioned it. Nathanial left them to run the bath and then stripped. He returned when the tub was full to find Harry hugging a stiff Malfoy. From the looks of Harry\'s swaying, Harry had been hugging him for a while. Malfoy was naked but that didn\'t seem to be why he was so stiff. Nathanial alerted his master through their link that the bath was ready and after a moment Harry released Malfoy.



Nathanial held the door open for both Harry and Malfoy and then waited for Harry to get settled. With a large sigh, Harry relaxed in the water. "Get in pets." Nathanial nodded to Malfoy, telling him to get in first and then Nathanial gathered the towels, soaps, oils and things Harry loved close by so that they would be in reach. Then he joined them. Malfoy leaned on him, pressing his body against Nathanial\'s and away from Harry. Nathanial pressed back for a second and then left to cuddle in Harry\'s arms. Bath\'s were about relaxation and Shower\'s for cleaning.



He reached out of the tub pulled arbitrarily and was happy with the unscented soap. He lathered up a washcloth, handed it to Malfoy and then got himself one. Without words he showed Malfoy how their master liked to be washed. As Harry\'s muscles relaxed Nathanial waited for his master to begin talking. Harry needed these baths to work out the stress of the body and the words to work out the stress of the mind.



"This is not a good time to be taking on a new pet, kitten." Malfoy froze but Nathanial leaned against him and sent him a wink. Harry\'d already fought with Severus, he wasn\'t going to get rid of Malfoy now. Whatever reason caused Harry to want to take and fix Nathanial, caused him to want Malfoy too. It was a fact; and Harry never gave up.



"I should focus on him. Learning him, what he needs and fears; teaching him how to submit, and learning how to control him, how to bring him down. Instead I have to deal with Belle and she\'s not going to leave without a fight. I\'m not sure I can protect him. I didn\'t make any plans for him kitten."



Malfoy, hearing why Harry was worried about taking a pet, leaned more fully on Harry in order to reach all his body. Nathanial smiled. He didn\'t feel threatened by Malfoy as he did with London. Malfoy needed him as much as he needed Harry and for once Nathanial felt like he could really help someone, well someone other then Harry. He knew how much Harry needed him.



"Master, how do you and Malfoy know each other?" Nathanail asked. He liked the messages they were sending Malfoy, that they wouldn\'t exclude him, talk behind his back. When Malfoy\'s eyes widened he hoped this message was getting across.



Harry\'s eyes slitted open and glanced at first Nathanial and then Malfoy. "Well I guess first we should call you Draco now. Is that okay?" Malfoy, Draco froze. "This boy deserves no name master." Harry pursed his lips and Nathanial ceased his rhythmic washing to let Harry sit up.



"Draco. You are mine now." He frowned at Nathanial, "Didn\'t you tell him how I do not own pets that are unworthy?" Nathanial flushed and nodded, apparently Malfoy hadn\'t understood.



When Nathanial flicked a look at Draco his mask had cracked and he was biting his lip, gazing at Nathanial with worry and fear.



"Draco." Harry commanded his attention and the mask slid back on. "I do not own pets that are unworthy." He waited, staring deeply into Draco\'s eyes, so deep Nathanial thought he might be reading his mind. "You and I have a past Draco, but I am not going to use that against you, if you don\'t use my past actions against me. We are different people now, different men, and we have a different relationship. I\'m not going to punish you for acting like a kid. You were a kid, and I hardly even noticed you after fifth year." Malfoy flinched. "What Draco?"



Draco swallowed and sent a pleading look at Nathanial. "Do not look at him. If I am to be your master, then you will obey me. Tell me why me ignoring you after fifth year upset you."



Nathanial internally winced. This wasn\'t the time to throw around his weight. Harry sent him a mental pull on his braid and Nathanial flushed for not having faith in his master.



"I missed you." Draco whispered. Harry nodded and rewarded Draco by pulling him slowly into his arms and rubbing his cheek against the top of his hair. He didn\'t ask anymore questions but ordered Nathanial to join them. Slowly and carefully Nathanial settled on Draco\'s other side and Harry opened his right arm so Nathanial could press up against both of them. They sat like that until the water grew cold. Harry huffed and waved his hand. the water warmed and Draco\'s mask cracked further to allow them both to see how shocked he was.



"Yea, surely you heard that I have Old Voldies magic too." Draco cried out and backed away from Harry so fast he slipped and fell into Nathanial, forcing the leopard underwater. He struggled but Draco\'s limbs contently pushed him back below the water. Nathanial breathed in water and his fear spiked. He couldn\'t breath and the water was turning red.



Suddenly, Draco was gone and Harry was pulling him up, holding him as he threw up and choked on water. "Easy kitten" Nathanial forced the water from his lungs and collapsed, exhausted on Harry\'s naked chest.



When Nathanial\'s breathing eased he looked for Draco and found him floating in the air by the tub, wide eyed and terrified. Nathanial smiled at him wearily, showing that he wasn\'t angry which only calmed Draco a small amount.



"It\'s okay Draco" Harry said helping Nathanial out of the tub and waving Draco down. When his feet hit the ground, Draco fell to his knees, crawling forward and licking both Harry\'s feet. He was sobbing, pleading, "Please, so sorry so sorry, please." Nathanial took a shaky breath and met Harry\'s tired eyes.



"Alright, get up." Draco struggled to his feet, still pleading.



"What did you do wrong Draco?" Draco\'s whole body shook as he struggled to breath and Harry patiently waited.



"This boy hurt your kitten and nearly drowned him. This boy did not listen and calm down when his master said. This boy.."



"Alright." Harry held up a hand and immediately Draco stopped. "Yes you did do those things, but that is not why you will be punished." Draco rocked with the word punished but didn\'t begin pleading again. "You are going to be punished because you freaked out and didn\'t trust me. If you\'d been calm and not reacted as you did, not only would Nathanial not have been injured, but it would have been resolved much faster." Draco hung his head and nodded.



A flick of his fingers had Nathanial twirling so Harry could see his head. He undid Nathanial\'s braid, pulling gently on the plaits until they were loose in order to look at the bleeding cut. As it was exposed, Nathanial shivered, enjoying both the burn and his master\'s concern. "ah kitten, I have been neglecting you again haven\'t I." Nathanial didn\'t answer, knowing that his reaction to the pain had given him away. It hadn\'t been to long, just a few weeks since his master took him down, but Nathanial felt it keenly.



A whispered word and the sting was gone. Nathanial tried not to miss it. Harry kissed the spot and said, "Don\'t worry, soon you will have wounds I put on you to enjoy." Nathanial shivered while Draco peered at them in morbid curiosity from beneath chopped bangs.



Harry sent both Draco and Nathanial into the bed room with a slap on the ass. Draco flinched and Nathanial arched into it. Nathanial handed Draco some of his sleep wear. Usually Nathanial slept in the nude but he remembered that first night with Harry and how reassuring it had been to be still wearing his shorts. Draco held the folded t-shirt and tight pants tightly but waited for Harry\'s command before putting them on.



"Put them on Draco. Your punishment..." Harry waved his hand and a mattress appeared on the floor, complete with pillow and heavy blankets. "Is to sleep on the floor, away from both me and Nathanial."



Draco rocked again, though Nathanial couldn\'t tell if it was in relief or disbelief. When Draco didn\'t dress fast enough, Harry barked at him. Draco scrambled to dress while falling on the mattress at the same time. It was comical but Nathanial was able to hold in the giggle. He knew that for a while, until things settled, there was potential for competition. He didn\'t\' want that, didn\'t want to end up playing Draco for Harry\'s affection. He wasn\'t good at competition, always loosing so as not to hurt or challenge others. Harry rolled his eyes at Nathanial, knowing his thoughts, and Nathanial blushed.



Harry snapped his fingers once they\'d all settled in for sleep and the lights turned off. "Master." Nathanial whispered. Harry grunted, "The sun will be up in a few minutes."



"I know pet."



Nathanial forced himself to complete his thought even though Harry was uncooperative. "It will come right through that window." Harry groaned and waved his hand, creating a heavy dark cloth that hung over the window.



"Good thinking Kitten. Now go to sleep." Nathanial giggled.



"Good night Draco." He whispered, giggling again when Harry sighed.



"Yes, goodnight Draco. We\'ll talk more about this when we wake. Wake me if you need to use the loo or if you need a drink. If you wake before us then lay there unless you need to use the loo or need a drink. Understand."



They waited, and had almost assumed Draco was sleeping when Draco said softly, "yes master, thank you master."



Harry smiled kissed Nathanial softly on the lips, pulled the leopard into his arms so that his hands were resting possessively on his ass and fell asleep. It took Nathanial a bit longer. His mind was full of the changes Draco would create and the odd riddle London represented, but finally sleep also claimed him.