Fiction - 03 Dependency - Harry Potter
Title: Dependency
Fandom: Harry Potter
Rating: G
Pairing: eventually Harry/Draco
Series: Part 3/? Battlefields series
Notes: Thanks to marcasita for her beta help. Feedback is very nice.
Previous parts: Part 1 and Part 2
Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. Not mine, just playing.
Summary: War changes you.
The routine wasn't the hardest part of Draco's days. He didn't mind that he knew just when he'd be fed or when the light would go off and on. The hardest part was the lack of human contact. His jailers never talked to him. They Apparated into the room, set down the food tray, then left him alone to eat. They Apparated into the room, took the food tray, and were gone with not one word to him. He was allowed only one meal per day now. No doubt that had been Potter's order.
A few days ago, Draco had made the mistake of asking what day it was. He never made that error again. He still had bruises from the kicks to his body.
It was a routine that Draco wished would end. Some days he wished he'd had more time to swallow the poisoned sweet his mother had sent.
The one thing he did have was a lot of time to think on his life. It hadn't been a long life and he really hadn't accomplished much. His time at Hogwarts, if Draco were honest with himself, was not very distinguished. His memories were mostly not happy, particularly those of his sixth year. He thought he'd known real fear then, but those days paled in comparison to the months that followed and the war that erupted all around them.
Now, here he was, condemned by the Wizarding world. He'd probably never see the outside world again.
Draco sat up in the darkness. He wasn't really sure how much time had passed since he'd first been brought here. He'd not yet been told anything about what was happening beyond the four walls he lived in.
There were days when Draco would cry at the loss of magic. He hungered to wave his wand and manipulate it to his heart's desire, but that was something else lost to him.
Draco lifted his arm to block the sudden illumination that had appeared in the corner of the room. Once his eyes adjusted to the lights, he pushed himself up to a standing position, arms aching and chest hurting. He leaned heavily against the wall, head bowed low. His day was just beginning.
Draco had only moments to use the toilet before somebody would Apparate in with his meal. He barely had the will to drag himself over. Once he made it there, he quickly took care of his urgent needs. It was just moments after he'd yanked up his shorts that he heard the loud pop fill the room. Draco didn't bother to turn round. He never knew the person and they never stayed long enough for him to bother even a cursory acknowledgement of any sort.
He stepped away from the toilet, leaned against the wall, lowered his head, and waited. The sound of the tray being set down echoed in the small space. When he didn't hear the immediate pop of Disapparation, Draco slowly turned his head without lifting it. Granger stood almost right behind him. Her pale hand was covering her mouth. A sharp intake of breath issued from her.
"Merlin, what have they done to you?" she whispered.
The horror in her voice filled Draco with dread. He quickly turned away from her and stared at the wall, mentally wishing her away. When she touched his shoulder, he cringed. He slid along the wall, desperate to be as far from her as the room allowed.
"Don't," Draco mumbled. His throat ached and his voice was hoarse from disuse. He reached a corner of the room and stopped, sliding down the wall. Draco pulled his legs in tight against his chest, trying desperately to be as small as possible.
"I won't harm you," Granger said. Draco refused to look up. He was sure there would be a look of pity in her eyes, and he did not want to see it. She stood in the middle of the room, arms at her side. Slowly she took two slow steps in his direction. Her wand was out before Draco had even realised she'd reached for it.
Draco watched her cautiously as she waved her wand. In an instant he and his clothes were clean. She gestured in the direction of the food tray.
"Please, eat. Your food is getting cold," she said softly.
Draco stood vigilantly watching Granger as he hesitantly moved toward the tray of food. Sure enough, there was heat rising from what seemed to be a bowl of soup. Granger forgotten, Draco fell down by the food tray and snatched up the spoon she'd provided, hungrily gobbling up the warm soup. He didn't lift his head until the bowl had been emptied. When he looked up at Granger, she still stood on the other side of the room. She barely managed to hide her look of shock at his behaviour.
Draco picked up the still warm bread roll and tore it in two, eagerly stuffing one half into his mouth. He picked up the glass of pumpkin juice and swallowed most of it down in one go.
"Thank you," he said with a sigh. He'd never had a civil conversation with Granger in his life yet here he was, thanking her for her kindness. Many nights he'd though back to that moment on the battlefield and what had transpired.
Draco finished the bread and juice and slid back to sit against the wall, closing his eyes. It was the best meal he'd had in ages. Granger was at his side in one motion, kneeling before him. Draco cringed at the sudden movement, but when she made no other motion to come any closer, he relaxed somewhat.
Draco stared up into her big brown eyes. They were wide and moist.
"No, thank you," she finally said after watching him in silence. "I never had the chance to thank you for saving my life." She leaned in closer and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. Draco goggled at her, unsure how to react to this sudden show of affection, particularly as it was coming from the one source he'd never expected. Granger and he had never been on good terms.
When she pulled back and continued to stare down at him, Draco felt unsure of how to react. She stayed, kneeling beside him until she reached out with one hand and touched his cheek. Draco leaned into the caress, gladly accepting a touch that wasn't brutality.
"The war is over," she finally said. "Our side won." She stood and her robes swirled round her legs. Draco stared down at her muddy shoes stupidly wondering how she'd got them so dirty. He didn't think to ask any questions until she'd Disapparated from the room. By then it was too late.
He reached up to touch the cheek that Granger had touched just moments before, closing his eyes and remembering. It could be a long while before anyone touched him that way again.
Tbc
Fandom: Harry Potter
Rating: G
Pairing: eventually Harry/Draco
Series: Part 3/? Battlefields series
Notes: Thanks to marcasita for her beta help. Feedback is very nice.
Previous parts: Part 1 and Part 2
Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. Not mine, just playing.
Summary: War changes you.
The routine wasn't the hardest part of Draco's days. He didn't mind that he knew just when he'd be fed or when the light would go off and on. The hardest part was the lack of human contact. His jailers never talked to him. They Apparated into the room, set down the food tray, then left him alone to eat. They Apparated into the room, took the food tray, and were gone with not one word to him. He was allowed only one meal per day now. No doubt that had been Potter's order.
A few days ago, Draco had made the mistake of asking what day it was. He never made that error again. He still had bruises from the kicks to his body.
It was a routine that Draco wished would end. Some days he wished he'd had more time to swallow the poisoned sweet his mother had sent.
The one thing he did have was a lot of time to think on his life. It hadn't been a long life and he really hadn't accomplished much. His time at Hogwarts, if Draco were honest with himself, was not very distinguished. His memories were mostly not happy, particularly those of his sixth year. He thought he'd known real fear then, but those days paled in comparison to the months that followed and the war that erupted all around them.
Now, here he was, condemned by the Wizarding world. He'd probably never see the outside world again.
Draco sat up in the darkness. He wasn't really sure how much time had passed since he'd first been brought here. He'd not yet been told anything about what was happening beyond the four walls he lived in.
There were days when Draco would cry at the loss of magic. He hungered to wave his wand and manipulate it to his heart's desire, but that was something else lost to him.
Draco lifted his arm to block the sudden illumination that had appeared in the corner of the room. Once his eyes adjusted to the lights, he pushed himself up to a standing position, arms aching and chest hurting. He leaned heavily against the wall, head bowed low. His day was just beginning.
Draco had only moments to use the toilet before somebody would Apparate in with his meal. He barely had the will to drag himself over. Once he made it there, he quickly took care of his urgent needs. It was just moments after he'd yanked up his shorts that he heard the loud pop fill the room. Draco didn't bother to turn round. He never knew the person and they never stayed long enough for him to bother even a cursory acknowledgement of any sort.
He stepped away from the toilet, leaned against the wall, lowered his head, and waited. The sound of the tray being set down echoed in the small space. When he didn't hear the immediate pop of Disapparation, Draco slowly turned his head without lifting it. Granger stood almost right behind him. Her pale hand was covering her mouth. A sharp intake of breath issued from her.
"Merlin, what have they done to you?" she whispered.
The horror in her voice filled Draco with dread. He quickly turned away from her and stared at the wall, mentally wishing her away. When she touched his shoulder, he cringed. He slid along the wall, desperate to be as far from her as the room allowed.
"Don't," Draco mumbled. His throat ached and his voice was hoarse from disuse. He reached a corner of the room and stopped, sliding down the wall. Draco pulled his legs in tight against his chest, trying desperately to be as small as possible.
"I won't harm you," Granger said. Draco refused to look up. He was sure there would be a look of pity in her eyes, and he did not want to see it. She stood in the middle of the room, arms at her side. Slowly she took two slow steps in his direction. Her wand was out before Draco had even realised she'd reached for it.
Draco watched her cautiously as she waved her wand. In an instant he and his clothes were clean. She gestured in the direction of the food tray.
"Please, eat. Your food is getting cold," she said softly.
Draco stood vigilantly watching Granger as he hesitantly moved toward the tray of food. Sure enough, there was heat rising from what seemed to be a bowl of soup. Granger forgotten, Draco fell down by the food tray and snatched up the spoon she'd provided, hungrily gobbling up the warm soup. He didn't lift his head until the bowl had been emptied. When he looked up at Granger, she still stood on the other side of the room. She barely managed to hide her look of shock at his behaviour.
Draco picked up the still warm bread roll and tore it in two, eagerly stuffing one half into his mouth. He picked up the glass of pumpkin juice and swallowed most of it down in one go.
"Thank you," he said with a sigh. He'd never had a civil conversation with Granger in his life yet here he was, thanking her for her kindness. Many nights he'd though back to that moment on the battlefield and what had transpired.
Draco finished the bread and juice and slid back to sit against the wall, closing his eyes. It was the best meal he'd had in ages. Granger was at his side in one motion, kneeling before him. Draco cringed at the sudden movement, but when she made no other motion to come any closer, he relaxed somewhat.
Draco stared up into her big brown eyes. They were wide and moist.
"No, thank you," she finally said after watching him in silence. "I never had the chance to thank you for saving my life." She leaned in closer and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. Draco goggled at her, unsure how to react to this sudden show of affection, particularly as it was coming from the one source he'd never expected. Granger and he had never been on good terms.
When she pulled back and continued to stare down at him, Draco felt unsure of how to react. She stayed, kneeling beside him until she reached out with one hand and touched his cheek. Draco leaned into the caress, gladly accepting a touch that wasn't brutality.
"The war is over," she finally said. "Our side won." She stood and her robes swirled round her legs. Draco stared down at her muddy shoes stupidly wondering how she'd got them so dirty. He didn't think to ask any questions until she'd Disapparated from the room. By then it was too late.
He reached up to touch the cheek that Granger had touched just moments before, closing his eyes and remembering. It could be a long while before anyone touched him that way again.
Tbc