Taken

Chapter Seven:

Draco awoke with the sunshine, his room bathed in strands of yellow sunlight. He stretched languidly and rolled onto his back, basking in the pleasant glow and the aftermath of one of his most pleasant sleeps to date.

His contentment suffered a blow as he turned and was given a reminder that he was not alone. Harry lay beside him, face hidden behind an enormity of black curls. One slender arm lay draped across the no-man's-land that existed on the bed between them. Curiously, Draco watched the almost-feminine slave. His fingers ghosted over the skin of Harry's wrist after a short hesitation, noting that the pearl-white skin was, indeed, as smooth as it looked.

Harry murmured something in his sleep and turned to lay on his back, his hair tumbling to the pillow in the process. Draco watched the boy's profile with open fascination, before shaking himself. The pirate was about to smack the slave lightly to wake him up when, suddenly, he stilled his hand.

Frowning, Draco pushed the dark hair further back and gazed at the pointed tips of the slave's ears.

What an odd abnormality.

Bizarrely curious, Draco reached up to grasp the point between his thumb and forefinger gently, as if to assure himself that this was real. He drew back hastily as a light moan bubbled from Harry's lips.

Eyes wide and breath held, Draco licked his lips and studied the boy. What was that? Such a reaction only hastened to flame his curiosity. He gripped the tip once more and tugged lightly, mouth going slack as Harry arched into the touch and a mewl spilled from his parted lips.

Smirking wickedly at the newfound weakness, Draco chuckled darkly and moved to get dressed.

###

"I want to go home."

Harry spoke the statement to no one in particular and, as was becoming the predicted response, he was ignored.

He heaved a sigh and pouted when Luna patted his head in passing. The girl was becoming far too fond of that. Draco chuckled as he wrote something in a leather bound journal, his long legs kicked out in front of him and resting on a vacant seat.

The sun beat down almost harshly, splitting the waves in a way Harry relished. It had been a waste to remain inside; though now the dark-haired Allura was considering wasting its light to avoid the pirates.

Hermione hummed happily as she knitted, a process Harry had become enraptured by. He watched her swift fingers spin wool to create something else, his green eyes curious. Barely a glance was spared in the direction of the two pirates playing chess. Lucius and Severus were focused on their game, but Harry had little interest in the slow-paced game.

"Would you like to learn how to knit, Harry?"

Harry's eyes brightened at the offer and he nodded even as Lucius snorted in amusement. "Men have no need for such a skill, dear," he smirked. Hermione glared at her husband and moved her things to sit beside the smaller boy. There was no denying that for the age he had stated he was, Harry was tiny. Positively skinny in a way that made her want to feed him, yet failed to make him look malnourished. It was as though Harry's natural shape was light and slender.

He tensed beside her as she sat, wary even now, having never voluntarily chosen to be this close to any aboard the ship. Hermione smiled softly at him, offering a spare set of needles and holding her own out as an example. "It's easy, Harry, grab some wool and I'll show you."

Harry allowed himself to relax, reaching over to grasp the white ball of fuzzy material. His hand briefly brushed Hermione's stomach in passing. The boy stilled, his eyes closing as he spread his fingers against the woman's abdomen, palm down.

Hermione froze, unsure and wary of what the strange lad was up to. "Harry?" she questioned softly, eyes flicking to Lucius as he looked up in question. The dark haired male opened his eyes and pulled his hand away as though burned. "Forgive me," he gasped, eyes dazed as he held Hermione's confused gaze, "I was saying Hello."

Hermione frowned and cleared her throat, "yes, well, that may be how your… society say hello, wherever you originate from but here we shake…"

"No," Harry cut her off with a low laugh, "I was saying hello to the baby."

Hermione dropped her needles in shock, her hand going to her stomach automatically. There was not the slightest swell to alert her that she was with child.

Lucius stood abruptly, eyes blazing. He glared at the smaller boy as he advance. "How do you know?" he hissed, kneeling before his wife protectively. Harry blinked rapidly, his gut sinking like a lead brick as he realized his mistake. "I… I just knew," he stammered, "I didn't mean to overstep, I… Surely you can feel the life of your own child?"

Hermione shook her head swiftly, hand unmoving as he grasped her stomach. "How did you know?" she whispered. Harry licked his lips nervously as he caught Severus' curious gaze and Draco's unwavering stare. He had just made a large blunder in appearing human.

###

Harry's eyes were wide as he darted into the bedroom, looking everywhere but at the silver-eyed pirate that followed him. The scene he had caused on deck was one that could be easily overshadowed be Hermione's sudden outbreak of happy tears and Lucius' disregard of him as a sort of healer; were it not for Draco's adamant interest in what had occurred.

"Are you sure Hermione is with child?" the blonde questioned as he stalked forwards, voice low and altogether too curious. Harry sighed, his want to lie tasting bitter on his own tongue. He never could tell a lie. "Yes."

"How?" Draco purred, pale eyes pinned on the little male as he backed Harry further into the room. The Allura breathed slowly, "it's a skill," he whispered, "one all my people have.. I think nothing of it." Draco thought this over, head tilted to the side.

"Where are you from?"

Harry stilled abruptly, panic freezing his blood. "What does it matter to you, pirate?" he bit out viciously, his defensive streak spiking as he was backed into a corner, causing his fins to strain against his skin.

"I wouldn't take that tone, slave." Draco tsked, mouth curving into a wicked line. Harry hissed, "you deserve only this tone, thief!"

Draco darted forward with the speed of a striking cobra and his arm snapped up to pinch Harry's pointed ear harshly.

A burst of heat erupted in the Allura's groin and Harry shivered as a startled moan fell from his own mouth. He'd never felt this before… He'd never allowed someone to touch his ears, or any intimate part of him, before. Harry stared up at Draco with confused, dark eyes, mouth panting as the pirate's thumb began to stroke the point slowly.

The pale man chuckled darkly, maintaining his grip as he forced Harry back against the wall. "I can make your stay here torturous, little one," Draco whispered against his ear, causing a mewl to sound from the slave, "or I can make it very, very pleasant…" He grasped both of the slave's ears and pinched gently, delighting in the cry of pleasure he received in response.

The pirate bent low over Harry's flushed face, eyes lidded. "The choice is yours… Learn your place."

With that, he backed away and turned to exit the room, smirking as Harry gasped wildly and slowly slid down the wall to land seated on the floor.