The Contract

Chapter Twenty Nine -- Apologies and Admissions lead to forgiveness





Harry walked calmly from the Room of Requirement. However, as soon as the door closed, he ran as fast as he could to the Hospital Wing. Draco was hurt! He had been the reason. Draco would never forgive him.



He got to the door after pushing his way through the masses in the halls. Taking a deep breath to calm his breathing just before he opened the door. Quietly, he made his way to Madame Pomfrey's office. There were several beds full and he knew that he was probably the cause of all of them being in there. One bed was curtained off. This was the area in which Harry found the Healer.



She came bustling out from behind the curtain and almost ran into him. "Mr. Potter, you have some nerve coming here. How dare you show your face?"



"I'm sorry. I was told to come see Draco. I have to apologize to him."



"And if he does not wish to see you?" Her eyebrows were into her hairline when he had apologized. She looked at the broken man in front of him. Her words had destroyed him. Patting him on the shoulder, she said, "I'll ask him if he wants to see you."



Harry nodded, unable to say anything else. She left the area, Harry heard whispers, before she returned and asked that he come to her. "Be gentle, he has had a real scare."



Harry nodded again and walked around the curtain, expecting to see a broken, blonde body. Instead, he found Draco sitting up in bed with his arms crossed. The blankets were pulled up around his chest. He did have a small bruise on his cheek and had been crying, but the only way Harry could tell was that his eyes were a bit red.



"Dr...Draco?" He stuttered.



"Why are you here Potter? Come to gloat that you are so powerful that you would resort to trying to kill us?"



Harry didn't understand the 'us' reference, so he ignored it. "I wasn't trying to kill anyone. I just lost my temper."



“Apology not accepted, now go away.” Draco said.



Harry let the first tear fall before turning away and retreating to his dorm. Draco watched the man turn away and heard the door to the infirmary shut behind him. As angry as he was with Harry, he could not forgive quite so easily the fear he felt for his children.







Remus opened the door to Gryffindor Tower and asked to speak to Ron, Hermione, and Ginny for a moment. Once grouped and a silencing bubble erected, Remus explained, “I am very embarrassed to admit this, but as you both have been told, Harry had two trainers. One who was for the finer things, then…” His voice broke for a moment. “another one for his er…discipline. The Headmaster called me after Harry’s demolition. He cast a few rather intricate spells on me to release memories. Apparently, I have had one constant employment since Lily and James were killed…” The words hung unsaid between them.



“Professor, Do you mean to tell us that YOU are the one that made Harry like that?” Ginny asked accusingly.



“It would seem so, yes.”



Hermione looked into the brown eyes for a moment, “And what is happening now? Why all the secrecy? We knew that Harry had been trained. Why keep you from remembering what was happening to him? And while we are at it, why are you telling us this?”



“Because I have had a lot thrust upon me at once. I sent Harry to Draco after he and I spoke, then told him to return here and wait for me. I need to know how he is and thought you were the best option.”



Ron crossed his arms. “Remus, I am trying really hard to understand why all this is happening to Harry, to be an adult and not go off on anyone until I know all the facts, but you are making it hard. Harry is in our dorm. He came through an hour or so ago and I followed him upstairs. He was already kneeling on the floor by his bed. He would not talk or move.



“I’ve seen him in more situations than any man has a right to be, and I am fed up with the blind trust. I’ve supported him and defended him through the years of our schooling, and except once, without question. Now, I don’t know what you have planned for him, but I want to know, right now, what is going on. You can tell of the past or give us an idea what to expect for the next few days, but you can’t just lay this shit on us and expect more than what we’ve given.” His face was red. He was fed up and refused to take it anymore.



Remus ducked his head for a moment. “I don’t know all the details. I do know that I plan to go to Harry and make him apologize to Draco publicly. I’m not sure what will happen with that. He and I have been talking about Harry’s needs. Do any of you realize that Draco loves Harry?”



Ginny snorted, “Yea, its pretty obvious, and did you know that Harry loves Draco?”



“Yes, I did realize that. I am hoping that Draco can get control of Harry for a bit and maybe return him to the man he was before his birthday. There is much research being done outside of Hogwart’s and until we can put the pieces together, I won’t make any speculations.”



“Why should Harry have to apologize to Draco?”



“Because he loves him, Ginny.” Hermione said. “And because they have to find a way to get along or Harry may well take down the school.”



“There is one other thing… Harry has used up his chances with the school administration and the Ministry of Magic, if Harry doesn’t settle down and stop his madness, he will be returned to St. Mungo’s. If I understood what Draco said, it is imperative we not allow Harry to be returned there. And if this will save Harry, then I will do whatever it takes to keep him in line here until he turns eighteen.”



“We all expect to be informed as you have more information. For now, I will continue to try to help Harry and defend Draco, but I promise you that you will not like it if he gets chucked out of here. I won’t have Harry put back in that loony bin.” Ron said with all the force he could manage. “He is upstairs in our dorm. We’ll see you at dinner.”





Remus made his way up to the dorm to find Harry still kneeling. I made him learn to find peace in that position. I will make it up to you somehow. Remus thought to himself before telling Harry, “It is dinner time. Draco has been released from the hospital and you will apologize to him in public.”



Harry stared at him, breaking his training with his indignation. The collar burning was ignored. “No. I apologized to him and he told me it wasn’t accepted and to go away. That was it. No explanation needed. HE DOES NOT WANT ME! I won’t embarrass myself again.”



“You will do as you are told...PERIOD! I don’t care if you are embarrassed or not. How do you think he feels?”



Harry ducked his head, not in submission, but in sadness, the position earned him relief from the collar. “I don’t know how he feels because he won’t look at me. He won’t talk to me. He thinks I tried to kill him. I… think I would rather be expelled than to go through that again.”



Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, Savior of the Wizarding World, Defeater of Voldemort, Youngest Seeker in a Century, had given up hope.



Remus crossed the room and grabbed his upper arm. His voice harsh and commanding, “You will do as I say. You will do it now. You act like a child and I will treat you like a child. You will apologize for putting his life, and the lives of those around him, in danger. You will do it now. Power be damned, Harry Potter. If you do not do as you are told, Molly Weasley will be here in one hour to deal with you in her own special way and NOTHING I could possibly do to you would be worse than that. You want to avoid being embarrassed? Dealing with Molly Weasley in the Great Hall will bring you more embarrassment than you can ever imagine. Now, get your arse up and go to dinner.”



Harry walked past him without answering. He made his way to the Great Hall, he sat at the end of the Gryffindor table, no one else sat near him. He waited for less than ten minutes before the doors opened and Draco walked in. Standing, he walked to intercept the blonde.



“Draco, wait a moment.” His voice was loud enough to carry across the hall. Draco turned and looked at him. “I owe you an apology. I want to give it to you in front of everyone here. I did not try to kill you or anyone else. I lost my temper. I will not make excuses but I will offer my apologies.”



Draco knew this was coming. He knew what he would have to do. Remus had told him that Harry’s main conflict in his life was that he had been trained so well and so thoroughly that he could not cope with the man he expected to be his Master ignoring his existence.



“Assume the position.” Draco told Harry through gritted teeth. Without thought, Harry went to his knees.



Draco uncrossed his arms and stood a bit straighter, he walked around the man on the floor. He was beautiful, but there was much to be said at that moment. "So you lost your temper? Well, isn't that just rich? You could have killed someone with that little temper tantrum. Why couldn't you have had that temper tantrum…” Draco lost the air of control at that moment, his voice raised, he continued, “THAT NIGHT? WHY COULDN'T YOU HAVE LET YOUR MAGIC LOOSE THEN?"



Harry looked incredulous at him, but said nothing. Draco seemed to be on a roll, saying all the things he had been screaming in his nightmares. "NO! YOU COULDN'T LOVE ME ENOUGH TO JUST KILL MY FATHER. YOU HAD TO WAIT UNTIL YOU FINALLY SHOWED UP HERE TO LOSE YOUR TEMPER? HOW DARE YOU?!" His face was beet red; the vein in his neck that Harry had spent so much time tracing with his tongue was pulsing just below the skin.



“I AM ANGRY WITH YOU, PET. YOU DESERVE TO BE HUMILIATED. YOU HURT A LOT OF PEOPLE TODAY. I REFUSE YOUR APOLOGY. YOU WILL WORK TO MAKE THIS UP TO ME. I CLAIM YOU, HARRY JAMES POTTER. YOU ARE MINE!”



Walking a bit closer, he grabbed Harry’s hair and pulled it back. “You and I will be alone the rest of the weekend in my quarters. Perhaps during that time, you can convince me of your sincerity. But until I am ready to retreat to those quarters, you will stay here. You will stay in the correct position until I come for you. Do you understand me?”



Swallowing a bit, Harry said, “Yes, Sir. I will stay here until you come to me.” Draco released his hair; he returned to the correct position and waited. Draco walked to the Slytherin table and ate dinner before walking out of the hall. Harry stayed exactly where he was supposed to as the other students and faculty emptied after dinner.



Hermione and Ron stayed and watched Harry. His body, though ramrod straight, was relaxed. Molly Weasley arrived and walked across the hall to speak quietly with Ron. Ron told her what happened and that Draco had just left him there.



“Probably on Remus’ advice.” Hermione decided. “Draco’ll be back to get him. He’s probably trying to figure out what to do next. I am sure he is talking to Severus and Remus. Maybe even Dumbledore, I suppose.” And they waited.



Molly finally walked to Harry, ran her fingers through his hair and told him that she was proud of him. Dumbledore’s advice was to simply accept this as part of Harry and not to make him feel conflict regarding his training, as it was done and there was no discussion. As Molly was walking toward the doors, they opened.



Draco walked in. Smiling when he saw Molly, he hugged her. Whispering as he did so, “I think I can do this. I am so scared though. But I think we can make some headway with him if we can just get alone and talk.”



“I don’t know that I agree with the methods, but I do think that something had to change. Whatever you decide, continue to get advice, Draco. Trust someone.”



Promising he would, he released her and asked her to wait until Harry and he had left then give his regards to Ron and Hermione, but also ask that they not come to the apartment tonight. Molly agreed and stepped back to watch.



Draco calmed and told Harry, "Pet, come to me." Harry shuffled forward. Draco rolled his eyes. “Get up off the floor and follow me.” He said.



And Harry did. He followed Draco through the halls, ignoring the students milling around to see what would happen, as he kept up with the blonde. When they reached the door, Draco turned to look into the green eyes. “You will crawl across this threshold. We will speak more once we have entered, but you must swear to do as I ask until I release you.”



“I swear to do what you ask.” Harry said with all sincerity just before he went to his aching knees to wait for the door to open.



Once inside, Draco told him to undress him, then get undressed as well. There would be nothing sexual tonight, but Draco planned a nap before he could start any long conversations. Without looking at Harry’s body, he turned, “Follow me.”



Draco walked to the en suite and ran a bath. Climbing gingerly into the tub, he told Harry to join him. He leaned forward for the brunette to sit behind him. Once settled, he pulled Harry’s arms around him and relaxed. The water was warm, but not overly so. It would stay this temperature as long as they stayed in it.



“I need to tell you many things, but I am simply tired. I want you to sleep with me tonight and tomorrow we will discuss exactly where we should go from here. It’s been too long since I have slept well without a Calming Draught and tonight, you will be that potion.”



”Yes sir.” He said quietly. His breath soft against Draco’s ear. “I’ll do anything, just don’t turn me away again.” He begged softly but with his heart.



“I’ll do what is necessary for us, Pet.” Remus had told Draco that he would need to use a term of endearment to remind Harry of his place. Standing, he said, “Dry me.”



Harry got out of the tub hastily and grabbed the nearest towel. When Draco stepped out, Harry started at his feet and worked his way up. He was drying his hips when he noticed the bulge in Draco’s normally flat tummy. Startled only for a moment, he continued to dry the pale skin. Once finished, he waited.



“Dry yourself and crawl to me in the bedroom.” Draco walked out, expecting his orders to be followed to the letter.



Harry did exactly as he was told. He crawled to Draco’s bed. The perfect blond was already laying down when he got there. Harry paused just off the area rug for Draco to tell him what he wanted.



“Come to me, Pet.” Harry shuffled forward and was still kneeling until he was within reach of the bed. Draco lay on his side facing Harry. Reaching out, he stroked the face of the father of his babies. “Harry, you may sleep right there or you can hold me. There will be no sex, no blows, no sexual touching until we talk tomorrow. What do you wish to do?”



“I want to hold you, Sir.”



And he did. For the first night since Lucius took him, Harry slept all night. Draco woke only once and that was to look at the man beside him for a moment, silently thank Merlin, and go back to sleep.