Cracking the Gold

Disclaimer: See Introduction

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Draco chuckled lowly again, shaking his head as he padded across the room, sighing, \"You could make things easier on yourself you know Potter.\" He fastened the collar into place, the spikes on the inside of it. Just resting against Harry\'s throat, though if he pulled against it too hard they\'d dig into skin.


Harry tried to pull away, afraid of Draco\'s hands being around his throat. His mouth dropped in a silent \'oww\' as the spikes dug in, his hands instinctively going up to push him away, eyes narrowed.


Draco smiled, fastening the lead back to the collar, \"Much better, I would suggest not tugging it too much, don\'t want you all pincushioned.\"


Harry\'s green eyes blinked, having not realized the lead being attatched on. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion of everything, yet he returned his hands to folded in front of him,


Draco smiled once more, nodding again as he started off, \"Come along then, I\'ll give you a tour, then we\'ve a luncheon to attend.\"


Harry cursed beneath his breath. How was Malfoy acting so calm--it was normal, but it seemed to be a much different side to him. Obviusly a completely different side than anything harry had ever seen. He blinked as he was led out the door, keeping his head down, his hands folded in front of him in attempts to keep anything from blowing open by accident. Also in attempts to keep his mind from thinking he were naked...he sure felt like it. Glancing up, he realized he could barely see. His glasses had been removed for the bath--not that were were much good to him anymore. His face was now free of the frames which laid twisted and shattered from battles on Malfoy\'s floor. Now his emerald eyes stood out even more from between the wisps of freshly washed, almost fluffy hair.


Draco paused a moment later when he realized that little fact. He shook his head, flicking his wand free from his sleeve, pointing it right between Harry\'s eyes and murmuring a charm, \"Reverse-temporary blindness spell, should work to clear your vision. At least for now.\" He smiled slowly, \"Stay on good behavior and I might replenish it.\"


Harry froze and tensed up as he suddenly found Malfoy\'s wand square between his eyes. What had he done?! He clenched those greens shut until he spoke again, easing the fears of the Crutius curse falling on him again. He trembled slightly at the rememberance of the pain. When he opened his eyes, he was in shock to find he could actually see. It felt like a miracle, and he almost smiled. Until Malfoy tugged him on.


Draco smiled once more, flicking his hair back behind his shoulders, \"The buttons go all the way down you know pet, you needn\'t hold it closed like that all the time.\" Such a wily thing he was, he was enjoying this far more than he\'d ever thought possible.


This cause Harry to blush almost madly, and tighten his grasp on his own hands. He knew if he could get his wand back he could win....even if he had to use those dreaded curses himself. He was sure that he wouldn\'t be sent to Azkaban for using the death curse on Voldemort....and maybe that was Malfoy\'s power? He couldn\'t give up....


Draco had paused his easy, almost gliding strides, \"Well? Going to button them or just leave them as they are. You\'d best decide quickly pet, haven\'t got much time to finish this tour and still get to our luncheon on time.\"


Harry turned a deeper red, looking like christmas aruond the eyes as he fumbled to do some buttons up, having not realized they were there. He managed to do them up, but he still kept his hands folded as he felt more secure then--having his--extremities, less free then.... X_x


Draco smirked, nodding once as he started walking again, giving Harry a full tour of his apartments. It was as grand and as lavish as one would expect from a Malfoy, particularly one so high up in the ranks.

\"Now, here\'s how things work. You are free to wander the halls if you like, though I wouldn\'t suggest trying to remove that collar or get outside. I expect you beside my chair at mealtimes, and I expect you to arrive in less than three minutes when I summon you, is this clear?\"


Harry looked at Malfoy then, almost angrily. \"And if I don\'t?\" He hated this, and he was doing everything he could to try and keep his mind on the situation at hand, and not the beauty of everything he was seeing. It was almost twice as beautiful as Hogwarts, and Harry had never imagined that was possible.


Draco smirked then, shaking his head, \"Well that\'s when I get inventive with the punishments.\" His brow arched slightly, \"And I\'ve no doubt you don\'t want to test what I\'m capable of, hm?\"

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A/N ~~ Thanks all for the reviews...I will reply to each personally again from where I left off, I\'m just rather knackered right now. X_X I figured I better update before I lose your interest though. :)