Our Choices

Hello everyone! It’s been awhile, hasn’t it? Well, I’ve finished Our Choices and I will be posting a new chapter every week or two. Yes, My Lord is still a work in progress but is coming along nicely. I’m not sure when I’ll be finished but I’ll keep everyone informed. Now, onto the story!

Chapter Four

Soft grey early morning light filtered through the windows in room 203. The wizard wireless played quietly on a small table next to the single sized bed. The guards standing watch outside Draco’s room wouldn’t let him turn it up any louder. They told him that they needed to hear him clearly in case he needed help. Draco didn’t mind. As long as there were no sounds of forest life or the echo of the packs’ cave, he was happy. The guards, he supposed, were nice enough. Although the only words spoken between he and them was the warning about the noise level and the short introduction from Potter when he assigned them to his room two and a half weeks ago.

The morning of that day Potter had come to get any information that Draco could give about Voldemort that Greyback had let slip near Draco. Unfortunately, he had never been privy to anything other than the newest pack members. Even if he had, Draco would have never given any of it to Potter. Of course, he had loads of stuff on Greyback’s pack activities, horrifying things that he had witnessed first hand, but refused to let any of it reach Potters ears. The man must have sensed Draco holding back because he threatened to get a ministry approved order for veritaserum. Draco had immediately pleaded with Potter to find his information elsewhere.

“Potter, please, I can’t tell you. If they find out I opened up about anything, no matter how trivial, Greyback will kill me despite his orders not to. I can’t.”

“You can. Your free of him, in case you didn’t notice.”

Draco shook his head and looked away, remaining silent.

Potter sighed. “Ok, look, I can get a few guards assigned to you once you give me something if your that afraid.”

“It wouldn’t matter. My father would find a way around them.”

“How?”He asked.

Draco turned away again. He heard an aggravated huff before his jaw was enclosed in a bruising grip and he was forced to look up into Potter's furious eyes.

"I don't like being ignored. Tell me."

Draco swallowed thickly and complied. "I'm his heir. When I get released here it will be into his custody and he will have the final say. If he doesn't want anyone on his property, whether it be Aurors or the Minister himself, all he'd have to do is code the wards to deny them access."

Potter shook his head. "I would get a Ministry order. He'd go to Azkaban for refusing it."

"He has people in his pocket that could keep him out."

Potter threw his hands in the air and stood up, towering over Draco. "For Merlin's sake, Malfoy. If he has that much control over you then just emancipate your self from him and be done with it!"

Draco cowered back from the agitated man but replied. "I'd have no money and no wand. As much as I'd prefer to live on the streets than go back to Greyback, it would still only take a matter of hours before they found me again. Then he wouldn't have any rules or restrictions. Without the protection my father gave me for being his heir it would only be a matter of time before I died."

"Protective custody then."

"People don't last long in protective custody. I'd be a sitting duck."

Before Potter could come back with something else, a nurse came through the door floating a covered tray behind her.

"Breakfast, luv." She said as she placed the tray on his lap. "Eat up. Your Mediwizard will come shortly to have a look at your legs." With a bright smile, she turned and walked out.

Draco eyed the tray before him, saliva forming in his mouth. If Greyback taught him anything, it was appreciation of food. He'd gone days without eating while in his custody, and was grateful for every bite he'd taken in the two days he'd been in St. Mungo's.

He turned to Potter and found him sitting once again in the chair beside the bed. He gestured to the tray in offering. He didn't want to share but didn't want to be rude either.

Potter waved his offer away and Draco immediately lifted the cover and dug in. He thought, later, that he must have looked like a fool, shoveling food in his mouth the way he had but at the time he was too absorbed to care. Everything tasted so good and most he hadn't had in ages. Just as he put his empty glass of pumpkin juice down Potter spoke.

"He didn't feed you very often, did he?"

Draco blushed, realizing Potter's eyes hadn't left him while he had eaten. He shrugged and placed the empty tray on the swivily table next to the bed.

The silence grew and Draco began to wish Potter would leave. Just as Potter opened his mouth to say something he was once again stopped by a knock on the door.

Healer Loken came into the room with a gentle smile. "How are you feeling today, Draco?"

"Fine, sir." Draco said quietly.

"Good, good." He turned to Potter and nodded his head. "Hello, Mr. Potter."

The dark haired man nodded his head in return but stayed silent. Healer Loken flipped through Draco's chart for a few minutes, murmuring quietly to himself every now and then.

"Well then," he said as he flipped the chart closed, "lets go ahead and start. Would you like Mr. Potter to stay?"

Draco shrugged, not looking at Potter. "If he wants." He knew full and well Potter wouldn't leave until he was ready to.

"Alright." The mediwizard pulled out his wand and preceded to cast a few diagnostic spells.

"Well, it looks like everything is healing nicely. Any pains, headaches, or dizziness?"

"No, sir."

Healer Loken walked to the end of the bed and lifted the sheet off of Draco's legs, folding them up to his thighs. He lifted one of the emaciated limbs and bent it at the knee.

"Any pain here?" He asked, running his hands over the deep scar.

"Just a few cramps every now and then but nothing serious." Draco could feel Potters gaze on him and he shifted uncomfortably.

"Well, it looks like a simple case. We'll do a few mending spells and rub a bit of restorative potion on them. You'll be up and walking in no time."

As the healer turned to get the things he needed to start, Draco worked up his courage.

"No."

The mediwizard whipped back around. "No?"

Draco fixed his eyes on his lap and wrung his hands nervously. "T-they said when I came here that I could refuse treatment. I can, right?"

Healer Loken looked flustered. "Well, er, yes. But Draco, wouldn't you like to walk?" He asked stupidly.

Draco nodded. "Yes, but, no offence, I think my father would prefer to have our family mediwitch take charge of that."

The man raised his eyebrows and sighed. "Alright then. It's your choice, I suppose." He stopped and scribbled something in the chart. "Since your not getting your legs taken care of you'll be free to go tomorrow morning. I'll notify your father that he can come pick you up. I'll also write up a list of potions you should continue to take and send them to your family healer along with your chart.

"Thank you, sir."

"No problem at all. Take care of yourself Draco." He turned to Potter. "Good day, Mr. Potter."

The moment Healer Loken stepped out the door Potter was up and closing it behind him. When he turned back his eyes were narrowed with suspicion.

"When you spoke earlier, you made it sound as if you would be returned immediately after checking out of here."

Draco nodded and lay back. "I will be, more than likely." With his belly full and the comfortable knowledge that no one would be returning until lunch, he began to feel sleepy. Potter needed to leave. This was his vacation after all. He should be able to spend the last day in peace.

"Then why did you just tell the healer all that bullshit? Why didn't you get your legs fixed while you had the chance?"

Draco sighed and rolled over on his side facing the irritated man.

"Because Greyback would just do it all over again. It hurts, Potter, and I'm already going to be punished for leaving. I'd rather not add to it."

Silence once again hung in the room and Draco closed his eyes. "Potter, please, I'm tired. I want to sleep while I have the chance."

Receiving no reply, Draco opened his eyes. Green eyes level with his own and very close, stared intensely into grey. Startled, Draco jerked back and landed in a heap on the other side of the bed. As he pushed himself up into a sitting position, Potter came around the bed with a predatory look about him. He gave Draco a once over, from head to toe before pulling his bottom lip between his teeth and squatting down close to the blondes rumpled form.

"Do you remember out original agreement?"

Draco nodded, unable to speak.

"That offer still stands, if you want it."

Draco shook under that fiery gaze and parted his lips, willing himself to say something... anything. "I... I'm- I don't understand."

Potter smirked and Draco's breath quickened. "Same terms as before. All you have to do is sign the contracts. It's simple." Potter shifted closer and cupped Draco's cheek, his thumb brushing the skin just under the blonde's eye. "Think about it. You can eat whenever you want, sleep in your own room, in your own bed. You could read anything you like. You'll get nice clothes. Anything else you may want or need would be nothing but a question away."

"To be your whore?" Draco whispered.

Potter nodded. "Yes and anything else I want." He paused for a moment. "Say yes, Draco."

Draco swallowed sharply. Protection, food, clothes, and a clean warm bed. In return for sex. Although he didn't much like sex, he no longer held any qualms about giving it up in payment. And Potter didn't look like the sadistic sort. It might not be all that bad.

"Y-yes."

Potter gave him a soft smile, his eyes turning into orbs of emerald ice. He slid his hand from Draco's cheek into his clean, untangled hair. Draco gasped as the grip tightened and was pulled up sharply.

"Then I think it's time you start talking. I want to know every detail."

Draco did. He sat for hours on the cold tile floor telling Potter everything he had wanted to know. He'd spoken of everything, from rituals he'd witnessed to the embarrassing details of being Greybacks bitch. By the time he was finished his throat was sore and his cheeks were chapped with tears. Potter had been unfazed throughout the whole conversation. He listened quietly, only interrupting with quiet questions when his curiosity was peaked.

He helped Draco back into bed and went to fetch Healer Loken, giving Draco strict instructions to allow the man to heal his legs and get rid of any removable scars. Afterward, Draco was left in peace when Potter left to get the contracts ready. He lay there on his small bed, unable to sleep even though his eyes fought to close. When Potter returned, the sun was setting. He brought with him the two guards. Potter explained to him that he would be officially released within the week but would remain at St. Mungos under watch until everything was filed away. He couldn't bring Draco back to his house before he was legally emancipated because his father could do a tracking charm on his runaway heir. Although he wouldn't find the exact location due to the wards he would still know the whereabouts. Potter refused to take the chance of his hideaway being found.

One week after that Potter brought the contracts to him already holding his own signature and waiting for Draco's mark. He watched with an eagles eye as the blonde man signed in all the right places. The moment he finished they were snatched away and rolled up. Potter gave him a small smirk and left.

Draco hadn't heard from Potter since then but he assumed everything was now filed away at the Ministry because today he was informed that he was to be released into Potter’s custody once the man came in. Potter's custody. The words seemed to have a dark echo attached to them. Draco wasn't scared really, just... nervous. With Greyback he knew his place. He knew what was allowed and what wasn't. He knew what actions caused punishment and others reward. With Potter he knew nothing. He was starting from scratch and that made him wary. Not that he was complaining, mind you, he was beyond relieved for not being made to return to his former Master. He just wished he had something to prepare him for his new life with Potter.

Draco sighed and grabbed the Steadybar his mediwizard insisted he use. His legs were still wobbly and weak from not using them and the Steadybar made sure he didn't collapse from the strain on his muscles. It was a long, lightweight cylinder that hovered in his grasp but was strong enough to hold his weight should it need to. Healer Loken explained that had he only injured one leg he would have been given a cane but since both were damaged he needed something that would keep him upright should they give out together.

Draco slowly stood and shuffled his way to the window closest to the bed. The window was enchanted to show whatever made the patient comfortable and Draco enjoyed the hustle and bustle of some wizarding city it projected for him. As he stood there staring out at the magically created image he wondered if Potter still employed Dobby. It would be wonderful if he had someone there he could safely call a friend. So engrossed in his thoughts, he never heard the door squeak open, the rustle of clothes walking into the room or the soft clink of a cane on the tiled floor.

"Hello, Draco."

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