Journey

“Get up.” It was the cold voice of Lucius Malfoy that woke Harry the next morning. Draco was still snuggled in his arms, trembling not from the cold, but from the look of icy anger in Lord Malfoy’s eyes. “Get boy, I have business to take care of here.” Malfoy addressed his son.

“No.” He said it softly first. “No, father.” This time louder. Malfoy’s eyes looked from Harry to Draco.

“Pardon?”

“I will not let you hurt him.” Draco said, defiantly lifting his chin.

“You dare tell me no?” Malfoy raged. The men behind him stepped back, remembering all too well what happened when the last person told him no. “Get up you lazy boy! We are going back to the castle!”

Draco stood, with all the dignity he could muster, despite the chuckle from some of the men. He knew he was naked, and that was definitely a disadvantage, but he held his chin high. “I won’t set foot in that place until you explain why you are treating your own people in such horrid ways.”

Harry wasn’t surprised to feel the sharp poke of a sword under his chin. “You turned my son against me.”

“You turned your own son against you when you lied to him.” Harry’s voice was calmer than he felt.

It was Lucius’s turn to be surprised when a cool blade touched his neck. “You take that away from him or I will kill you.” Draco had a hold of Harry’s sword (he was quicker than Harry thought) and held it firmly to his father’s throat. “I said let it go!”

Slowly Malfoy let the blade drop from Harry and looked back at his son. “You have to understand some of the mechanics of this son. You do not know yet. You are still but a boy.”

Harry knew from experience that this was entirely the wrong thing to say. He nearly smiled when Draco, still naked, pressed the tip closer to oy’soy’s neck. A thin trickle of blood slid down Malfoy’s throat. “I’m more of a man than you ever could be.”

“Would you really kill your own father?” Malfoy asked, his smile forced, his eyes that of a cornered animal. “We are blood. Potter is nothing.”

“He’s everything to me.” Draco whispered, hoping half heartedly that Harry didn’t hear him. He couldn’t bare to have Harry reject him yet again. He looked down at Harry, pleased to see the smile there deep in those emerald eyes. But his look to Harry had been a costly mistake. The sword was knocked out of his hand by someone behind him and he was falling to the ground.

“Foolish boy.” Malfoy sighed. “I had hoped, prayed even that you would not turn out to be as silly as your mother was with her childish dreams of romance and true love. You disappoint me Draco. But I guess I should have known you would have.” Malfoy sighed again, looking somewhat defeated. He turned to the man clad in armor behind him. “Kill them.” Giving one last look of disgust to his son, Malfoy left them to his men.

Not once in his twenty seven years did Harry ever give up. And he was not about to either. He stared at the laughing men. Draco was sitting next to him, looking just as defiant. Harry wanted to reach out and hold him but knew he would have to have both arms for what about come next. There were five men, and one a little farther in the forest. Two in front of him, one behind him, and two standing guard at the edge where Harry couldn’t see.

“‘E does have a nice bit of ass, don’t ‘e boys?” One of the bigger men asked, pointing to Draco. “Kinda looks like a woman.” Harry knew by the look of them, though some had armor, they were not even close to being well trained professionals. It might actually be easier to escape than he originally imagined.

“I have a small proposition to make of you gentlemen.” Harry started, looking into the bigger one’s eyes. Yes, there was definite greed there. He smiled. “I was hoping that you would at least let us dress before you kill us.”

Draco was watching Harry with surprising calmness. He had no doubt in his mind Harry could handle the situation. Harry was trying to stand without startling the other men. He was a breathtaking sight to behold, sculpted thighs, slim waste, broad chest. If they got out of this mess, when they got out of this m Dra Draco would have to see Harry naked in better daylight where they wouldn’t have so many distractions.

“I think you’d better stay back. I don’t care much for your need for clothes. We’re gonna dump you in the rivers anyhow.” Even as he was talking, Harry was moving. The ordinary person probably couldn’t see it. But Draco could. He sat in quiet awe.

It all happened so fast Draco was sure it hadn’t happened at all. Somehow Harry managed to pull his belt over, he drew out two daggers throwing them, hitting the two men from the edge. The sword was stabbed through the man in front of him, and one other dagger was used to slice the throat of the man behind him. That left only one man in the forest, and another standing not too far from Harry. There was fear in his eyes and he ran.

Turning, Harry held out his hand and helped Draco to his feet. “As much as I would love to keep you like this all the time,” Harry smiled, looking down Draco’s nude body, “we must dress and ride. The men will be after us in a matter of minutes.”

“Harry I-” Draco was silenced with a kiss.

“Later.” Dressing in a hurry, Draco looked up at Harry, who was already waiting on top his horse. “Ready?”

With a slight nod, Draco was lifted onto Harry’s horse and they were off. Draco was sure they were going so fast they were flying. Harry was behind him, holding onto him so tight Draco could scarcely breathe. Out of the corner of his eye he saw something, someone, then Harry stiffened and groaned. Draco looked back, there was an arrow sticking out of Harry’s side. His face had paled, his hold on Draco slackened. Hedgwig, as if knowing her master was in trouble, slowed suddenly and Harry fell off.

Draco was down in an instant, trying to lift Harry back onto the horse. “Get out of here you foolish boy.” Harry whispered. He screamed in pain as Draco yanked out the arrow.

“Not without you.” Draco said, his eyes filled with worry.

“Too stubborn for you own good.” Harry made as if he was getting up. “Up, then, boy.” Draco studied Harry for a moment before he jumped on the back of Hedgwig. He looked down, but Harry had paled again. He was loosing a lot of blood, and loosing it fast. His face was horribly white, his eyes dulled in pain. He slumped against Hedgwig. “Go! Take him to Ron!” With that he slapped the animal’s behind as hard as he could and before Draco could stop it, they were riding hard once again, leaving Harry behind.

Draco took the reins and tried to steer him back to Harry. When the horse finally would listen to Draco (he didn’t like to see the wrath of his master when he disobeyed either), Harry was gone. There was a trail of blood on the road, then nothing. “They took him. My father’s men took him!” Draookeooked around once more to make sure Harry wasn’t hiding in the forest. “We have to go find Ron and the others.”

The horse gave Draco a look that said, that’s what I was trying to do in the first place. Draco grabbed the reins and leaned down. “You can fly, can’t you. Fly to Ron, we have to save Harry.”