FIC: Mark Me Yours - Chapter One (Harry/Draco)
Title: Mark Me Yours
Author: digthewriter
Rating: NC-17 (For the entire fic. Each chapter may vary)
Pairing(s): Harry/Draco. Original characters. Some Weasleys.
Warnings/Content Notes: Possible OOC. Short-tempered Harry. Confusion. Longing. Angst. Magical tattoos. Moving Art. Fluffy ending. Made up Pureblood rituals, and some magic history. (Also, not sure if I should warn for: UST)
Word Count: ~45,000 (total fic) / Chapter One: ~9500
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.Author's Notes: Originally, I wrote this entire fic in a month for a fest but due to unforeseen circumstances, I had to drop out. So it's a bit rough around the edges but it's something I love dearly. The plot is adapted from an original m/m fictional story titled Adorned, however it has been changed drastically to fit into the Harry Potter universe. No copyright infringement of any kind is intended. (Also, if you know anything about Adorned, please know, that the ending is totally different, and so is a lot of the characterization of all the side-characters.) I basically took the idea of a tattoo artist and a down and out man who had no choice, and ran with it. I owe everything to anemonen, nia_kantorka for reading as I wrote this fic and cheerleading and finding plot holes; and Josephinestone for the last bit of overview. All the remaining mistakes (as I'm sure there are) are mine. I hope you like the story! It will be posted in chapters every couple of days.
Summary: It is said that...sometimes the worst idea in the world is the best option you've got. Draco has no other alternative. It's been ten years since the war and he's flat broke. He only has one choice, and there's only one man that can help him."I'm going to need you to remove your clothes."
Potter's husky voice nearly echoed in the empty room as Draco's head shot up from staring at his feet towards him.
"I'm sorry. What?"
"I have to inspect your body-" Potter hesitated for a second. "The canvas. I need to see if I can work with it."
Draco turned away from Potter as he started to unbutton his shirt. It wouldn't have really mattered, anyway, since Potter was asking to see him in the buff, still, he needed to do that. He couldn't look at Potter while he was undressing. When they both knew what Potter was going to see. The scars on Draco's chest-the scars Potter has placed there nearly ten years before.
"It isn't too late to change your mind," Potter said.
"I don't really have a choice, do I?" Draco asked in return. Why beat around the bush under false pretences? Draco needed a job. No one would hire him, so this was the only thing he could do.
It had been ten years since the war, and Draco had been resourceful enough to survive off what little of the Malfoy fortune had been left to him. He was careful with his money and his spending, but he had also not managed to secure employment in ten years. Ten Years, and still no one would hire the former Death Eater, and eventually Draco had lost everything. His money, his house, everything.
"We always have a choice," Potter said.
"Fuck you, Potter," Draco snapped almost immediately as he turned to face Potter in nothing but his briefs. He wondered if Potter needed him to remove those as well. He hoped not.
Potter raised an eyebrow and Draco nearly panicked. "I'm sorry," Draco said almost immediately. The man that had brought Draco to Potter's tattoo shop had said that he was to always refer to the owner as "Sir," but Draco struggled to oblige. He was willing to participate in the formality of the situation until he'd realised that the man he was meeting, his new-for lack of a better word-master, was none other than Harry Potter.
"It's alright, I'll let it slide this time." Potter spoke with ease. Draco noticed that Potter was examining his body and analysing whatever he needed to, to make his decision.
Draco's thoughts returned to wondering why he was standing there? Why was he standing at a Muggle tattoo shop in London and being assessed by Harry Potter-to be his canvas?
A week before, Pansy had owled Draco saying that she'd found him a work opportunity. She knew a man who was looking for someone for an art project. "An art project," that's what she'd called it. Draco had no idea what he was signing up for. The man met with Draco and told him that he was willing to salvage some of his possessions from the manor if Draco agreed to sell his services to him.
At first, Draco had thought that the man wanted to have sex with Draco, but he was mistaken. Well, he wasn't entirely mistaken, the man did want to have sex with Draco, but those weren't the services he'd talked about. The man, Jacob Kaminas, was going to purchase all of Draco's mother's paintings and store them for Draco if Draco agreed to be his property.
Kaminas wanted to take Draco to a wizard tattoo artist who was looking for eager human canvases. It seemed, from what Kaminas had told Draco, that the art of Muggle tattooing was all the rage in the wizarding world and this wizard was prepared to pay good price for the right canvas. Kaminas thought that Draco would make the perfect canvas.
"Think of it this way," Kaminas had said, "if the tattoo artist really likes you and turns you into an art piece, the wizarding world won't be able to look away. All those men that never gave you a second glance for being a Death Eater will be paying good money to attend parties where you'd be put on display!"
The thought was intriguing, Draco reckoned. It was a lot better than selling himself for sex.
"I'll do it!" Draco had said almost immediately. He really should have thought it through, but the idea seemed too promising.
Kaminas had informed Draco that if the tattoo artist liked him, he'd buy Draco's services as a human canvas for three years, and in those three years, he'd adorn his art on Draco. After the three-year contract, when the artwork would be finished, Draco could pledge to be the artist's living art-piece and be paid for being put on display. The income he'd earn from all the willing wizards would set Draco up for life. He'd be able to purchase back the salvaged art from Kaminas and live a content life.
Draco remembered several Pureblood parties from when he was a child. There were always guests that were hired to simply come in and mingle with the guests. They were considered entertainment, and he even vaguely remembered half naked wizards and witches that walked around and everyone gawked at them with adoration and what he reckoned was desire. He was too young at that time to have realised that the gleam in their eyes wasn't simply fascination but also vehement lust.
"What if he doesn't want me because I'm a Death Eater?" Draco had asked as soon as he'd agreed to the service-bond.
"The master tattoo artist won't bother with such conventions," Kaminas had said. "He is a world known artist, both Muggle and wizard, and people pay good money to see his works. If anything, he'd welcome the scandal."
"Who is he?" Draco had been so curious. He imagined what the man looked like, if he too had tattoos up and down his body and what kind of a wizard was so interested in a scandal?
"All in good time," Kaminas had answered and in hindsight, Draco realised that he really should have pushed the man for more details.
"Well, your diet certainly needs to change."
Draco was jerked awake from his memory of how and why he'd got there. He was too busy scowling internally at why he was standing naked in front of Harry Potter, being judged for his imperfect physique.
"My diet?" Draco asked.
"You're too thin," Potter answered. "There are bones sticking out of places you need to have some meat. If I put you under the needle today, you'd faint in a moment's notice and your wounds would never heal properly. It'll be a waste of my time and effort. Not to mention, money."
"So you've bought the contract, then," Draco said, "from Mr Kaminas?"
"Just about. I told him that I do need to evaluate the-your body. Like I said, you just seem malnutritioned, but your skin is fair enough and nearly spotless. The colours would-" He drifted off and returned to his drawing table to look through some papers.
Potter was facing Draco's back when he'd made the last comment so Draco turned and glared at him. "What about this?" he asked, pointing at the scars on his chest. The scars that had barely faded in the past twelve years.
Potter cleared his throat and was visibly uncomfortable. "Like I said, the ink would work wonders on your skin tone, and I can work with designs that will hide the scarring if not fuse into them."
"You sound very sure of yourself," Draco said. He wasn't really sure why he was pressing Potter's buttons. He needed this contract; it was his last chance at survival.
Potter chuckled. He was very sure of himself. A remark like what Draco had just made would have had Potter lashing out if this were their Hogwarts years, but now, Potter looked like the dart barely grazed him.
"You can dress now."
Potter turned towards his drawing table again, and Draco watched him as he dressed. He saw the vein in Potter's neck pulsating, like he was very aware of Draco's eyes on him. Otherwise, the man barely flinched.
"Do you have any tattoos?" Draco asked after he zipped up his trousers and was stepping into his shoes.
Potter's attire was the first thing Draco had noticed immediately after he'd realised that his new employer, his tattoo master, was the Saviour himself. Potter wore a long-sleeved black shirt that was buttoned all the way up and his jeans fit loosely. He was barefoot, but the man didn't display any ink on his feet.
"Some," Potter answered without looking up. "All artists that apprentice under a wizard tattoo artist are required to ink themselves. It's sort of a rite of passage, but, otherwise, I never really had any interest in decking myself. I like to draw on other people."
"Why did you want a wizard for your human canvas?" Draco shifted his weight as he spoke. He was bloody tired, but Kaminas had instructed him that he was to stand straight the entire time he was in the room with the tattoo master, unless directed otherwise.
Potter must have seen the discomfort on Draco's face and gestured for him to sit. He spotted a leather chair behind him and sat down; the back seemed to recline a bit. Draco wondered if this is where people sat while Potter inked them.
"Muggles treat tattoo art as an assertion of themselves, and so do many wizards, but they don't understand an artist's need to express his or her own feelings on to a canvas. It's easy with a painting or a photograph but needles and ink that's-that's something personal. People want to give their own ideas, because it is ultimately their body and you're going to have the art forever. I realised that I liked the idea of creating my art on a human and putting that on display. I find the idea of having people judge, comment, or marvel in it fascinating..." He sighed for a brief moment, as if he was overwhelmed with emotion. "And, with magic, it's just something so much more-You know?"
Potter's eyes looked like they were on fire. He was no longer the cold and stoic man Draco had encountered a half an hour before, and he reckoned that Potter rarely expressed himself so openly to everyone. He must have really decided to acquire Draco's contract from Kaminas if he was sharing his ideas, his passion with him so freely.
Draco knew that his face was still impassive and Potter turned abruptly and walked towards the door. Potter surely took Draco's non-reaction as disinterest but it was too late now, Potter's cold hard exterior was back and his voice had changed back, guarded.
He opened the door slightly and called out: "Send in Mr Kaminas." Draco heard the brief sounds of electric needles as other tattoo artists that worked under Potter in his shop were going about their day.
He remained seated on the comfortable leather chair as he watched a blubbering Kaminas drop compliment after compliment to Potter, eventually thanking him for trusting "his investment." "He would take the ink well, won't you say?" he'd asked Potter who'd nodded curtly.
Draco rolled his eyes but made sure it was when neither man was looking at him. Potter was clearly putting up a front of being icy and aloof, and Kaminas was nothing but a greedy businessman.
"Good luck, Mr Malfoy," Kaminas said as he approached Draco to shake his hand. Draco was about to stand up when he caught Potter's gaze and Potter shook his head. He remained seated. "I shall keep your property safe in my Gringotts vault and they are yours when you are ready to purchase them from me."
Draco smiled curtly and nodded. "That's very kind of you," he mustered up and the man shook Potter's hand again before leaving.
The room was once more eerily quiet and Draco felt that if either one of them spoke, it would be sure to echo again. When the silence was too much for him to bear and Potter returned his attention to his drawing table, Draco stood up.
"Where shall I be staying?" he asked; partially to break the silence, and partially because he was tired and hungry. He wanted a bed. He wanted to sleep. Forever. Potter could tattoo him in his sleep and Draco wouldn't care.
"Your things?" Potter asked, looking confused. His voice however, was still impersonal.
"I have none," Draco answered, honestly. The only thing he had were the clothes on his back. Everything else that mattered was under Kaminas' jurisdiction.
"Very well, let me show you the way."*Potter and Draco travelled one flight of stairs up and Draco felt the magic in the room. So far, Draco hadn't realised the existence of magic in the tattoo shop but noticed that one floor above Potter's Muggle studio was his magical one.
"This level is sentineled from Muggles. I've placed a Muggle-Repelling Charm and there's no technology in this room." Potter pointed towards the fireplace in the corner. "You'll Floo here when you're needed and we will work downstairs in my studio. When you are ready for the second phase, we will move up here. Until then this room is simply a bridge for us to travel to the shop."
"The second phase?" Draco asked.
"Magic," Potter answered without looking at Draco and they stepped into the Floo. "Number twelve, Grimmauld Place!" Potter announced as he threw the Floo powder and the flames roared.
When they arrived at Potter's home, a stout old woman with caramel skin and dark amber eyes came rushing to the Floo, and she was followed by a tall man whose skin was paler than Draco's and a beard so dark; he looked like a ghost. They were both dressed in black as if they were in uniform and they looked curiously at Draco as if they were trying to place him.
"Asha, Bhim, this is Draco Malfoy," Potter said with an authoritative tone that he'd used with Kaminas earlier. "Malfoy, this is Asha Sarchan, and Bhim Alexis. They live here with me and see to the everyday affairs of the household. If you need anything, you can direct your enquiries to them and they are to be treated with the utmost respect."
Draco nodded at Potter's words and then smiled at the two people standing in front of him. He thought it rather unnecessary that Potter needed to state that Draco is expected to show them respect. Draco was fully aware that he was a guest at Potter's house and that he would be respectful to anyone that lived there, as well. He supposed that being Pureblood and a Death Eater, Potter just assumed that Draco would be arrogant towards what was obviously the help. Of course he would be respectful, Draco had a lot of time to think about the ways of his family and other Purebloods that he'd grown up around, he wasn't the same person anymore. Except, no one really bothered to get to know him, anymore.
"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Draco said, trying to sound as humble as he could.
"Oh, enough with the formalities!" the woman, Asha, said. "Let me show you to your room." She pulled on Draco's arm and started to drag him towards the stairs when she stopped and looked at Potter.
"Mr Potter, the-"
"Second room on the first level shall do, Asha. Make sure that Malfoy has clean clothes from the wardrobe in the attic, and draw him a bath with tea tree oil, please."
"Dinner, Sir?" the older man asked as Potter turned to step into a room on the side of the hall.
Potter looked like he was about to dismiss the man when he spoke again. "Ms Naya is due to return tonight, Mr Potter," Bhim Alexis informed Potter who looked a bit taken back for a moment then a glimmer of contentment emerged in his eyes.
"Oh, she is," Potter said, keeping his tone even. "Alright then. I trust you've already prepared her favourite?"
Asha Sarchan nodded with enthusiasm and Bhim Alexis looked proud of himself as well. Potter displayed a hint of satisfaction as his lips slightly curled up. "You two really do spoil her. Very well, then. I will be down for dinner. Please make sure Mr Malfoy also joins us." Potter nodded at his staff of two and disappeared into the room.
Draco looked around the house that once belonged to his bloodline and thought it was a lot different than how he remembered it. He'd been at Grimmauld Place once as a child and was freaked out by the heads of the dead house-elves by the staircase. He was glad that they were no longer there, and he wondered if the infamous portrait of Walburga Black was still around. He remembered reading an article by a reporter who did a tour of Grimmauld Place after the war and had written paragraphs on the screaming obscenities of his great aunt.
Asha led Draco to his bedroom and handed him a towel. "Well, you better start undressing. The bathroom is just down the hall. I'll draw you up a bath and then fetch you some fresh clothes from the attic, alright?"
He nodded and started to unbutton his shirt. "Ms Sarchan-"
"Oh, dear child. Call me Asha, Mr Malfoy."
"Please, call me Draco." Draco smiled at her before speaking. "Asha, who is Ms Naya?"
"Oh, Avi?" she asked as she beamed with happiness. "Avi is Mr Potter's oeuvre."
"Oeuvre?" Draco was confused.
"Just like you!" Asha said, smiling. "She's been with us for two years, now. Usually Mr Potter only takes on one oeuvre-a canvas for his art-at a time. But, he must have seen something in you that he decided to-"
"He said that I need to change my diet. He looked really displeased with me as a canvas, I doubt he'll be working on me any time soon," Draco said, dryly. For some odd reason, Draco was disappointed that Potter didn't seem all that pleased with him. Additionally, Draco had no idea that Potter already had had canvases, oeuvres, before.
"Oh, hush. He must have seen something if he drew up a service-bond for you to work with him."
"I haven't signed anything yet," Draco replied.
"Well, all in good time, yes? It's only been a day. Maybe he thinks you'll refuse."
"I don't exactly have the luxury to refuse."
She gave Draco a sympathetic smile. "I'm sure you can work something out. Are you against the idea?"
"The idea of what?"
"Of becoming an art piece?"
"No, I thought it sounded rather promising." Draco had nearly undressed by this time so Asha turned around to grab a dressing gown and handed it to him.
"Well, I can see what he meant by your diet. My dear child, you're dwindling away!"
"I've always been like this," Draco answered feeling self-conscious. He wrapped the dressing gown around him and removed his briefs.
"You'll certainly need to change that if you are to go under the needle eventually and then parade around showing your body." She bent down to grab Draco's clothes and bundled them up.
"You sound like you don't approve."
"It isn't my place to approve or disapprove." She smiled again and decided to take her leave. "Now, the bath will be ready in ten minutes so rest here for some time. Dinner is in an hour when Avi arrives so we must not be late!"*Draco soaked in the warm bath for a very long time. It had been a while since he'd had the luxury of someone drawing him a bath and he not having a worry in the world. He closed his eyes and relaxed as he thought about the woman he was going to meet later. Avi Naya. Everyone in the house seemed to love her and the mention of her name had brightened Potter's face.
Draco wondered if he would love her, too. What if she hated him? Surely, she wouldn't think of Draco as competition? If Potter was going to go from having one human canvas, or oeuvre, as Asha had called it, to two, his attention would be divided.
Kaminas had told Draco that inked wizards relied heavily on public appearances to be able to afford their lifestyle. If Potter didn't complete Avi Naya's artwork, would she hold it against Draco?
"Draco, are you just about done?" Asha knocked on the bathroom door and startled Draco. Ten years of near solitude, and now in one day, Draco was being sought after constantly.
"Yes. I'll be right there," he answered and stood up to dry himself. He wrapped himself in the dressing gown again and made his way to his bedroom. When he arrived at the room, he noticed that Asha had changed the linens on his bed and laid down a new shirt, a pair of trousers with underwear and socks. It was embarrassing really, that this older woman, who wasn't his mother, was treating him like he was a schoolboy.
Uncomfortable, and feeling like a twelve year old boy, Draco dressed himself. He wore the pair of house sandals that Asha had left on the floor by his bed and followed her downstairs to the dining area.
Bhim Alexis walked through the door letting the chilly October wind in and Draco shivered. "Word to the wise," Asha leaned in towards Draco and whispered. "When waiting for guests at Grimmauld Place, make sure to place a warming charm on yourself. You could be waiting for a while with the door open." She winked at him and returned his attention towards the door.
Draco heard footsteps and he turned to see that Potter was making his way down and that he too, had changed. He wore a casual half-sleeve shirt with the top buttons loose and Draco wondered if he'd have the opportunity now to see Potter's ink.
He didn't want to stare so he removed his gaze from Potter and waited by the door with Asha. Two minutes later, a woman with flowing blond hair, perfectly groomed eyebrows that arched beautifully and showed off her deep blue eyes walked in through the door.
Draco was nearly floored. The woman was astonishing. He wasn't interested in women, not like that, but her beauty was definitely something that would turn heads no matter one's sexual orientation. She was tall. Not taller than Draco but with her build and the way she presented herself, she looked as if she could tower over him.
"Welcome home, Ms Naya," Alexis said as he released her hand and closed the door behind them.
"It's good to be back," Avi Naya said, beaming as she and Asha hugged.
"It's brilliant to have you back," Asha told her and all but dragged her into the house where she walked right past Draco and greeted Potter.
He smiled at her as she bowed to Potter. "Mr Potter." Her voice was sweet and her tone reflected nothing but respect.
"Ms Naya," he said and took her hand in his and kissed it.
A surge of envy dashed through Draco's body. He wasn't sure what he was jealous of. The amount of attention everyone was giving this woman, her beauty itself, or the fact that Potter smiled at her in a way that he'd never seen him smile before. Not even when they were in Hogwarts together and he'd dated both Cho Chang and Ginny Weasley. He never smiled like that at them.
Potter continued to hold the woman's hand as she turned to greet Draco next. "I must apologise for my rude behaviour, but I did wish to say hello to Harry before I learned all about you," she said. There was no malice, or rudeness in her voice, but that didn't surprise Draco. She was in the company of her composer, her ink-master, she couldn't be rude if she wanted to be.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms Avi Naya," Draco said and bowed at her courteously.
She smiled at him when he looked up and Draco briefly glanced at Potter who had another strange look in his eyes. It was almost as if he was proud of Draco. Draco wasn't sure if he should have been offended at how little Potter thought of him that every action of normality seemed to release a look of shock from Potter.
"Avi, this is Draco Malfoy," Potter said.
"Of course, I know who Mr Malfoy is," she said, almost rolling her eyes. It seemed that all formality had now ended and she was acting like she was amongst friends. "Please call me Avi, none of this Ms Avi Naya business in the house."
"How do you know me?" Draco asked. They were still standing in the hallway of the house and everyone else around them, including Potter had begun to walk away. Yet, Avi still stood there, looking fascinated with Draco.
"I was a first year at Hogwarts during-during the war," Avi answered. "I was too little, too unimportant to ever be on anyone's radar, but of course I know all about the war, and your-" she hesitated.
"My family's involvement," Draco said unenthusiastically.
"And your positive part in it. Harry's told me all about it. How you saved his life, and then he saved yours, it's stuff of legends."
"It feels like a different life," Draco answered.
"Avi..." Asha whispered her name, and Avi's attention went from Draco to Asha in an instant.
"Dinner, of course!" Avi said as if the idea of speaking to Draco was just so preposterous. "Let's talk more over dinner, shall we? I must change into something more comfortable!"
He watched her walk up the stairs and followed Asha into the dining room. Potter was already seated at the head of the table and was reading the Prophet. He barely gave Draco a glance as Asha told him to sit at the chair next to Potter's.
"Wine?" Alexis asked and Draco looked at Potter who nodded at Alexis.
"Which one is it today, Bhim?"
"Huntaway Reserve Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, Sir," Alexis said and shook his head as though he was expecting Potter's answer.
"So that's white?" Potter asked.
"Yes, Sir. That's white," Alexis replied, sounding almost exasperated. "Tell me, Mr Malfoy, what do you make of it?" He turned to Draco and poured him a taste.
Draco swirled the glass around, smelled the wine and took a sip.
"Very herby, and strong sweet tropical fruit aftertaste. It'll probably go well with a salmon dish or perhaps some pilaf," Draco answered and looked up for a response. He'd also smelled similar things cooking in the kitchen so he'd ventured a guess. He found Alexis gaping at him.
"That's bloody brilliant, my boy!" Alexis said, clearly impressed. Draco felt his cheeks flush and he tried, but couldn't help looking towards Potter. Potter had an impassive look about him. "See, Mr Potter. This is what I've been waiting for all these years! Finally someone in the family that can speak my language!"
"What are we having?" Avi asked as she entered the room and sat across from Draco on the other side of Potter. She looked relaxed in a long-sleeved tunic and black cotton trousers. When she'd entered the house, she had been wearing heavy wizarding robes and now she almost looked like a completely different person.
"Wine," Potter answered her dryly without looking up from the paper.
"White or red?" she asked.
Potter snorted. "Ask Malfoy."*Dinner had been a quiet affair. Quiet, in the sense that Draco gathered that no one talked shop around the dinner table. Bhim Alexis told a story from his childhood about growing up in South Africa and silly pranks he and his brothers pulled on their stepmother.
Asha talked about growing up in Kenya, and her cooking instructor who made her fall in love with all the varieties of lentils that were brought into the country via trade from India.
Draco wondered how two of-what sounded like-the world's most travelled individuals ended up in wizarding London and working for Potter. From the sounds of it, they were well in their thirties during the second wizarding war, and he had so many questions for them that he felt like his mind was going to explode.
Regardless of the number of inquiries he had for every statement Bhim and Asha made, Draco kept quiet. From time to time he would look at Potter whose face was almost always expressionless, to Avi, who was beaming with delight.
Every time Draco placed his fork down on the plate, Potter eyed him almost intrusively. It was as if he was keeping tabs on how much Draco was eating.
Potter excused himself from the dinner table first, claiming that he had work to do. He asked Asha to drop by later with the menu for meals the next day, and Draco supposed it was because Potter wanted to put him on a special diet.
After Potter left the room, Draco felt like the tension in the room eased up. He wasn't sure if that was just the feeling he was having, or if everyone else around also felt the same way. Avi offered to help clean up so Draco followed suit.
It wasn't until Avi had rolled up her sleeves to carry the dishes from the dinner table to the sink that Draco noticed some of her artwork. He'd stopped mid-step and was sure that he was gawking at her.
"Can I?" Draco asked as he touched Avi's sleeve and she rolled it up some more.
On her right arm, from the start of her wrist and up her forearm, Draco traced peacock feathers. They looked almost life-like and as she continued to roll up her sleeve, Draco saw the formation of a gorgeous bird.
"Touch the nape," she whispered and Draco wasn't sure if he should have. "Come on, don't be scared."
Draco obliged and caressed the nape of the bird and suddenly what seemed like a dormant bird came to life with the feathers flying up Avi's arm. Draco nearly shrieked with the vibration.
Avi laughed. "That happens to almost everyone the first time."
"Wizards?"
She nodded. "The magic doesn't work with Muggles. If they touch the tattoo, it stays dormant. You need magic in your blood to make them come alive."
"What about the other side?" Draco asked curiously and turned Avi to look at the other arm.
"It's his other half," she answered. "It's better when peafowls travel in packs. So they don't get lonely."
Draco was still shell shocked from the initial encounter with the ink and was about to ask another question when Avi interrupted him.
"Alright, it's time for bed. I'm sure you'll have plenty other questions for me, and I will answer them all-we'll be spending a lot of time together, you know-so I'll see you in the morning, Draco."
Draco nodded at her as she kissed him on the cheek and wished him a good night.*When Draco returned to his room, he was beginning to get excited about what his new life was going to bring him. Short of Potter barely looking at him over the course of the evening, his bizarre day had turned out to be quite alright. As he lay in his new bed, he marvelled in the comfort of the cotton sheets, the soft blanket and the freshly laundered pillow cases. He'd not slept well in a very long time and barely at all after he'd lost the manor.
His friends had been kind enough to let him crash with them but after a month of bumming around with Pansy, Blaise and Theo, Draco knew that he needed to fix his life and it was finally starting to feel like he might be well on his way there.
Working with Potter, even though it was not the most ideal situation, wasn't the worst thing in the world. Anything was a step up from living under the same roof as the Dark Lord, or living alone in a house that haunted his dreams. He'd lost his parents years before, and every night when Draco had gone to bed, he'd wondered if it would be his last night there.
He hoped that finally, the nightmares would stop, and that he could be at peace. At least for a little while.
Draco's last thought that night was a happy one and he felt the smile on his face as he drifted off.*The nightmares hadn't stopped. Draco had been a fool to think that it would all end so quickly. He woke up frantic, sweaty, and hot. He yanked the covers away from him and jumped off the bed.
For a minute, he couldn't remember where he was and he thought that he was still dreaming. He stumbled out of the room and knocked the side table as he exited through the door.
"Shite!" he swore under his breath and bent down to pick up the things scattered on the floor, but the room was too dark and he'd left his wand by the bed.
"Malfoy?" Potter's voice was hushed and still it scared Draco.
"I..." Draco was panting and unable to form a coherent sentence.
"Lumos." The light from Potter's wand brightened the hallway and Draco finally managed to grab the small table he'd knocked over along with its contents. "Are you alright?"
Draco nodded and he looked at Potter, sure that he probably looked like a frantic madman. His thoughts were distracted, though, when he realised that the buttons on Potter's shirt were open and Draco could see his chest and dark designs, swirly lines on his neck and chest.
"Malfoy," Potter said sternly and Draco snapped out from staring.
"Sorry. I had a nightmare and I forgot where I was; I panicked-"
"It's okay," Potter said, placing a hand on Draco's shoulder. He started to move his hands in circles as if he was trying to soothe him.
Draco inadvertently closed his eyes and he felt as though he was about to lean into Potter's touch when Potter stopped. He removed his hand quickly and stood up.
"Are you alright now?" Potter asked, his voice losing the tone of tenderness he'd just expressed.
"Yes. Thanks for- Sorry for waking you."
"It's fine," Potter answered. "I wasn't asleep. I was just on my way back from the library-"
"The library?" Draco asked, confused.
"Yes. We have a library in the house. It's not much, mostly stocked by Hermione...anyway, I was looking for a book for the night as I have trouble sleeping and I heard-you."
"Right, sorry again, Potter. Have a good night."
"You too, Malfoy."
Potter waited with his wand lit by the doorway to Draco's bedroom until Draco got back in the bed and pulled the covers on him. His body temperature had reduced to normal and he was beginning to feel chilly again.
He turned to look at the door and Potter nodded at him and then closed the door to Draco's bedroom. Draco was back in the darkness, and he hoped that this time, the nightmares wouldn't return.*The next morning Draco was awoken by the smell of bacon that seemed to have spread throughout the entire house. He glanced over at the clock and realised that it was half past ten. He'd slept in. He'd overslept!
His first night at his new place of service and he'd overslept! He wondered why Asha hadn’t woken him up. He'd half expected for Asha or Bhim to come knocking on the door at half seven.
Unsure of whether he should shower before making his way downstairs or simply change, Draco almost had a panic attack.
"Hey, you're up!" Avi opened the door slowly and peaked in the room. "I was just coming to check on you if you hadn't actually slipped into a coma."
Draco laughed and got up off the bed to greet his housemate. "Sorry, I don't know what got into me. I usually wake up in the morning without a problem."
"It's probably the comfortable bed," she joked. "But don't get used to it. When you're ready to start getting inked, you'll be expected to wake up before Harry and if you don't-well then, you don't want to know!"
"Is he here?" Draco asked.
"No, he went in early today. Something about supervising one of the Muggle tattoo artists. He told us not to disturb you and to let you sleep-in as much as you needed. Up until a reasonable hour, of course."
"He did? Did he tell you about last night?"
"He said you had a nightmare and you almost took the house down with you." Avi laughed as she placed her hand on Draco's shoulder and squeezed it. "This is why I sleep with a silencing charm on my door." She winked and then grabbed his arm dragging him out the door.
They made their way down the stairs and into the kitchen where Asha had a plate of breakfast ready for him. "Mr Potter has given me strict instructions on your breakfast. He says I need to focus on protein and carbs. He's also told us to keep you hydrated and let you sleep-in for the first week at least. He wants to make sure that you get enough rest with the proper foods. He's heavily devoted to his investments."
Draco couldn't help but find the entire thing tiringly ironic. Granger had recruited Potter after the war to help with her venture of freeing the house-elves as they shouldn't have been considered property, but now here he was, Potter's property, and being instructed on how to keep it sustained.
"He cares," Avi said almost as if she'd read Draco's mind.
"About what?" Draco asked taking a bite of bacon and enjoying the succulent taste of it.
"It's not that you're his property. He cares about all of us. He wants to make sure we have everything we need. When you see him tomorrow about your contract, he'll tell you this. He'll also tell you that your room is your own and you're allowed to decorate it how you wish. You'll have a spending budget and everything."
It was clear that Avi was a bit taken by Potter, and he knew better than to argue with a woman about her knight in shining armour. Potter certainly was not that for Draco. He was a man who bought him-his services-from another man who wanted to use Draco for his own benefit.
Draco was nothing but property being tossed around to the next highest bidder. You could decorate the prison however you wished, it was still a prison, and Draco was most certainly trapped. At least for the next three years.
"I'm going to take a shower," Draco said after he finished his breakfast. Most of his breakfast. Asha frowned at him when she saw that a quarter of his plate was left untouched. "If I start overeating from day one, I'll only end up vomiting it," Draco told her. "One step at a time, okay?"
She nodded and took his plate off the table. "I'll have to tell Mr Potter."
"I wouldn't expect anything else from you," Draco said and smiled at her. She scowled at first but then broke into a heart-warming smile that had Draco almost choking back tears.
He all but ran out the door because he didn't want Asha and Avi to see him crying.
"Harry told me to show you the library, so maybe we can spend some time there when you're done with your shower," Avi called out after him.
"Okay," he said but didn't turn to look at her. He wasn't going to cry, not really, but he knew that his eyes would give him away and he couldn't have that. He barely knew these people and he wasn't going to open his heart out to them.*The hot water was soothing and Draco knew that, again, he was in the shower for longer than it was really necessary. But, he was avoiding-everything. He still couldn't believe that he was living in Potter's house, under Potter's care, being fed what his kitchen-staff made, and was going to befriend a woman who practically kissed the ground Potter walked on.
He wondered what Avi's situation had been that she'd ended up under Potter's wing as his canvas. Was her situation similar to his? Had her family supported the Dark Lord as well or maybe she just wanted to become an art piece. It was an easy way to make money once you were completed. He remembered the way Avi and Potter had greeted each other last night and he couldn't help but wonder if there was anything going on between them. Instead of coming from the library last night, he was actually come from her room and he'd just said library because he didn't want Draco to know.
Draco wondered if Asha or Bhim knew what was happening between Avi and Potter.
When he stepped out of the bathroom and into his bedroom, Draco found a new outfit waiting for him at his bed, which was perfectly made. He turned to look inside into the closet and found a whole set of new clothes hanging there. They weren't new, really, but new to him. Perhaps the last person who stayed here under the service-bond had worn them and now they belonged to Draco. Perhaps the last person who'd worn them was also just as destitute as Draco was.
"Draco, are you just about ready?" Avi walked into Draco's room without knocking and he welcomed the distraction. Draco wasn't ready to go down the sad path of self-reflection again.
Avi was wearing a sleeveless tunic with a long flowy skirt that had slits up to her thighs. It was October, right? Draco wondered. Warming charm or not, Draco thought that Avi looked as though she was ready to stroll down a summer farmer's market. He missed his mother immediately.
A year before she'd passed, Draco and his mother would take what little money they had and go to the farmer's market every Sunday. They'd Apparate to a small village where barely anyone recognised them immediately and mother and son spent the day together, looking at flowers and eventually buying small pots or flowerets or seeds to grow in the garden at the manor. That seemed a lifetime ago, now.
"Where are we going?"
"I thought we could spend the late morning in the library until it's lunch time. Then perhaps we can go out for a walk after?"
"A walk?" he asked incredulously.
"We have to stay fit," she said, as if it was so obvious. "A healthy diet and exercise, but not over exerting ourselves. We have to keep our bodies fit. I'm really surprised that-" Avi stopped herself from speaking her thought.
"What is it?" Draco asked instantly.
"Nothing, sorry I said anything." She took a step back and turned to leave Draco's room.
Draco chased after her; he didn't understand. "What is it, Avi? What are you surprised about?"
"Well," she drawled, carefully choosing her words. "Most ink-masters, when they pick a canvas, tend to pick someone..." She paused for a moment "...younger. I just know that you're the same age as Harry-I'm just surprised that he didn't pick someone else that was closer to my age."
"Oh," Draco said, unsure, and a bit hurt. "Mr Kaminas said that I looked younger for my age and that-well-perhaps Potter was desperate for another canvas."
"Perhaps," she said and continued walking. "But...to choose an oeuvre after a single meeting..." She trailed off sounding like she was still in disbelief. This was the first time Draco and Avi had been alone, and Draco couldn't help but wonder if her kindness was only a show for Potter and the others, and if she really did detest Draco as he'd first feared.
They arrived at a room down the hall and the door seemed to be locked. Avi flicked her wrist and tapped her wand at the door handle, it opened slowly.
Draco was instantly mesmerized by the room as they entered. The library, was for lack of a better word...breathtaking. The entire room was covered in books and he didn't know where to start. He glanced over at Avi and the kindness in her eyes had returned as she watched him react.
"I know," she said softly. "I was taken aback the first time, as well. It is where we spend most of our free time and I think Harry knows how to take care of his patrons." She smiled at him again and took a seat at one of the leather chairs in the middle of the room. She gestured for him to sit across from her. "Do you play chess?" she asked and when Draco nodded, she grabbed a small box from under the coffee table that was in between the chairs and set up the chessboard. "Let's see how good you are, then."
A minute later, Asha had entered the room and brought them tea and snacks. Avi seemed surprised to see Asha and Draco reckoned that the snacks brought to them must have been on Potter's request as part of Draco's diet plan. He tried not to react or show any recognition of the fact. Avi had decided to be friends again and he wasn't in the mood to make her get all cross again.
After lunch, Avi and Draco had gone for a walk in the neighbourhood. It was a quiet afternoon, and neither of them talked much. They returned to the house and to the library.
After spending the afternoon playing chess with Avi and then browsing through the library, Draco returned to his room to prepare for dinner. When he arrived, he saw that Asha had placed a small basket of items on his bed along with a new dressing gown. The basket contained several different types of cleansing soaps and creams that Potter no doubt had had Asha purchase for Draco. Draco supposed that the ink-masters knew what was best for the body of a human canvas, but Draco felt humiliated, nonetheless. He hated that he didn't seem to have any control on his lifestyle anymore and that, of all the people in the world, it was Potter who was dictating all the sovereignty.
He undressed and then dressed himself in the gown before heading to the bathroom; there was no use delaying the inevitable.*"Don't you look fresh?" Avi asked as Draco entered the dining room for dinner. Everyone except for Potter was already there.
He looked at Asha who smiled softly at him and gestured for him to sit. Dinner was served quickly, yet there was no sign of Potter. "Where is..." Draco had all but whispered his half a question when Asha answered him.
"Mr Potter will not be joining us tonight. He said that he'd had a long day and wanted to simply rest. Draco, he's asked for you to stop by his office once we are done with dinner. I reckon he needs you to sign off on the legal document."
Draco looked over at Avi who didn't look up from her plate as she put a forkful of rice pilaf in her mouth. There was wine served but no banter was attached to it. Draco figured it was more of a Potter and Alexis thing than anything else.
They ate in silence as Asha and Alexis talked about their day, the market, and the weather. Draco only nodded when something was directed towards him, and as soon as he was done, he took his leave.
"Do you want me to come with you?" Avi asked as he left his room to head up to Potter's office. It was like she'd been lurking outside his room waiting for him to come out.
"Oh," Draco responded, almost startled. "Do you think that'll be alright?"
"Sure," she said and smiled at him as she grabbed his arm and led the way. Draco only obediently followed.
They arrived outside the door to Potter's office and Draco knocked.
"Who is it?" Potter spat out.
"It's Draco," he answered.
"Come in." Potter's voice rolled through the door and out into the hallway. Draco glanced over at Avi who looked a bit fearful for him.
"Maybe you should go in alone," she said. "It doesn't sound like he's in a good mood."
"So you're abandoning me because Potter's upset?" Draco asked, attempting a joke.
The door opened and both Draco and Avi jumped at the abruptness of it. "I thought I told you to come in," Potter said, and then looked over at Avi. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to offer Draco support," she answered, her voice kind.
"It's not necessary, this won't take that long," Potter said and turned to walk away. Draco followed him. "Close the door behind you," Potter added and Draco followed suit.
Draco looked around Potter's office that had artwork hanging all over the walls. The paintings weren't framed and they hung on giant pieces of parchments, some taped, and some nailed on. Potter's desk was cluttered with paint brushes, open vials of paint, and more parchment. Draco wondered how the man could find anything there, but chose to keep his thoughts to himself.
They stood in the room quietly. After Potter had found whatever he was looking for, he was waiting for something, but he didn't tell Draco what it was. A moment later, Bhim Alexis walked into the room and Potter nodded at him.
"I'm to be a witness to the signing of the contract," Alexis informed Draco, and Draco wondered why Potter couldn't tell him that himself.
Potter cleared his throat and began. "The date on the bond marks the beginning of your three year commitment," he said, without looking up at Draco. He seemed to be searching for something on his desk, again. Draco thought the man needed a secretary more than he needed an oeuvre.
"In those three years, you are to stay at my house, and follow the rules that are expected of all would-be-oeuvres."
Draco nodded.
"Until I am done with you, your skin will belong to me. That means I have say over all that could impact it. Your eating habits, your coming and going, even your bathing regiments-anything that could affect the 'art'. Do you understand?"
Draco nodded again.
"Once I have begun the tattoo work on you, there might be social gatherings that you'd be invited to, those are most of the time, paid by the individual who has summoned your viewing. Any money that is made from that is to pay for your room and board. Anything left over will be put into a private account and it will be yours to collect at the end of the three years. Bhim?"
Potter turned to look at the other man in the room who had stayed eerily quiet. Alexis nodded and started to speak.
"Any action you take that will compromise your ability to show this art will have repercussions. Your contract can end early or it can be sold to a third party, if we feel that we-all of us-are not a good match."
Alexis hesitated a bit before saying the last bit. "We will need you to undress again."
"What?" Draco nearly choked at his question. He could see the awkwardness on Alexis's face as he said the words. Surely, neither one of them wanted this but, did he have another choice?
"I realise this is uncomfortable, but the contract demands that the witness is there as I inspect the canvas officially before we are to sign it and you are bound to me for the next three years."
Uncomfortable, Draco nearly scoffed. That's one word for it. "Everything?" he asked, struggling to keep his face impassive.
"Just the trousers and your shirt will do," Alexis answered before Potter could, and Draco sighed with relief.
He undressed as fast as he could, because if he were slow, this would seem wrong. It was all wrong, anyway. Why, was Draco all of a sudden so nervous to undress in front of Potter?
What if Potter changed his mind? Was this all a joke? Could the world be so cruel to Draco?
Of course it could.
He closed his eyes as he waited for Potter to approach him. He felt Potter's warm body around him, and struggled to not start when his hands, his rough fingertips brushed slightly over the pattern of skin on his chest. His scar.
Draco held his breath.
Potter grabbed his arms and lifted them up, turning them this way and that.
"Do you burn easily?" Potter asked and Draco nearly shivered at the feeling of Potter's warm breath on his shoulder.
"What?" Draco asked again. It seemed to be his favourite word of the night.
"Do you burn badly?" Potter asked, quietly.
Draco opened his eyes and looked at Potter. "Um...not more than usual," he answered. He had spent a lot of time in the gardens at the manor with his mother. They hadn't always used a sun shielding charm so he knew that he could spend long periods of time outside without any trouble.
Remembering the sun in the gardens only reminded Draco of how long it had been since he'd gone flying and his heart ached for it. He missed flying.
"There's already been an improvement in your skin since you've started to live here," Potter said, startling Draco again. His tone was cool and cut off; he just sounded so sure of himself. Draco felt another rush when Potter's fingers brushed on the hollow of Draco's back.
When Potter walked around and stood next to Alexis again, Draco saw the look of appreciation in his eyes, regardless of the cold tone of his voice. This look hadn't been there the first time Draco had faced Potter in his tattoo shop. Then he was guarded, and now, now he must have realised how desperate Draco really was.
"You may put your clothes back on," Potter said in a commanding tone. He turned towards his desk again and started to rumble through the papers. Draco thought that he really was just doing that so he wouldn't look at Draco again.
Which was all good and fine with Draco.
"You will be liable if you are hurt duelling someone, or harm your body on purpose." Alexis continued to speak again. "After the term of your stay is over, you are free of such restrictions. Additionally, for your stay at Mr Harry Potter's home at number twelve Grimmauld Place, anytime you leave the house, you must be accompanied by one of the inhabitants. That would be: myself, Bhim Alexis, Ms Asha Sarchan, Ms Avi Naya, or the head of the household, Mr Harry Potter, himself."
Draco looked at Potter whose expression was unreadable, and then looked at Alexis again.
"Under no circumstances are you to leave this home unaccompanied," Alexis said firmly and the only thing Draco thought in that moment was that clearly there was a story there.
"Those are the terms of the bond," Potter said and Draco nodded.
"Do you accept, Mr Malfoy?" Alexis asked.
"Yes. I accept. I will stay here, I will not leave the home alone. I will not harm my body. I will eat and drink whatever Potter orders me to. This contract is for three years and after that I am-"
"Free to do whatever you please." Alexis smiled warmly. Obviously, he wasn't the one who was being bound to the house. He was allowed to go wherever he pleased.
"What about visitors?" Draco asked. Surely, someone would want to come and see him, someday.
"As long as they are announced twenty-four hours in advance, and there is someone in the room that sits with you."
"I'm not even entitled to some privacy?" Draco almost snarled at the fact.
"When your guests arrive, they will wait for you in the sitting room. You will be accompanied by Asha or myself, unless the visitor is here for Ms Naya, as well. We are not to leave the room until the guest has left. That is the rule of the house." Alexis crossed his arms and stared at Draco, making sure he understood.
Potter opened his mouth to say something but Alexis cut him off. "Those are the rules," he said.
"The same rules apply for Avi?" Draco asked.
"Yes. When she has a visitor, Asha stays in the room as well," Potter answered.
"Do you accept the rules, Mr Malfoy?" Alexis asked.
"Yes," Draco answered.
Alexis handed him the piece of parchment that the contract was drawn on. Draco glanced over it, and then signed it above the line that stated: Human Canvas. That really was what he was. Nothing else. A human canvas for Harry Potter. CHAPTER TWO
Author: digthewriter
Rating: NC-17 (For the entire fic. Each chapter may vary)
Pairing(s): Harry/Draco. Original characters. Some Weasleys.
Warnings/Content Notes: Possible OOC. Short-tempered Harry. Confusion. Longing. Angst. Magical tattoos. Moving Art. Fluffy ending. Made up Pureblood rituals, and some magic history. (Also, not sure if I should warn for: UST)
Word Count: ~45,000 (total fic) / Chapter One: ~9500
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.Author's Notes: Originally, I wrote this entire fic in a month for a fest but due to unforeseen circumstances, I had to drop out. So it's a bit rough around the edges but it's something I love dearly. The plot is adapted from an original m/m fictional story titled Adorned, however it has been changed drastically to fit into the Harry Potter universe. No copyright infringement of any kind is intended. (Also, if you know anything about Adorned, please know, that the ending is totally different, and so is a lot of the characterization of all the side-characters.) I basically took the idea of a tattoo artist and a down and out man who had no choice, and ran with it. I owe everything to anemonen, nia_kantorka for reading as I wrote this fic and cheerleading and finding plot holes; and Josephinestone for the last bit of overview. All the remaining mistakes (as I'm sure there are) are mine. I hope you like the story! It will be posted in chapters every couple of days.
Summary: It is said that...sometimes the worst idea in the world is the best option you've got. Draco has no other alternative. It's been ten years since the war and he's flat broke. He only has one choice, and there's only one man that can help him."I'm going to need you to remove your clothes."
Potter's husky voice nearly echoed in the empty room as Draco's head shot up from staring at his feet towards him.
"I'm sorry. What?"
"I have to inspect your body-" Potter hesitated for a second. "The canvas. I need to see if I can work with it."
Draco turned away from Potter as he started to unbutton his shirt. It wouldn't have really mattered, anyway, since Potter was asking to see him in the buff, still, he needed to do that. He couldn't look at Potter while he was undressing. When they both knew what Potter was going to see. The scars on Draco's chest-the scars Potter has placed there nearly ten years before.
"It isn't too late to change your mind," Potter said.
"I don't really have a choice, do I?" Draco asked in return. Why beat around the bush under false pretences? Draco needed a job. No one would hire him, so this was the only thing he could do.
It had been ten years since the war, and Draco had been resourceful enough to survive off what little of the Malfoy fortune had been left to him. He was careful with his money and his spending, but he had also not managed to secure employment in ten years. Ten Years, and still no one would hire the former Death Eater, and eventually Draco had lost everything. His money, his house, everything.
"We always have a choice," Potter said.
"Fuck you, Potter," Draco snapped almost immediately as he turned to face Potter in nothing but his briefs. He wondered if Potter needed him to remove those as well. He hoped not.
Potter raised an eyebrow and Draco nearly panicked. "I'm sorry," Draco said almost immediately. The man that had brought Draco to Potter's tattoo shop had said that he was to always refer to the owner as "Sir," but Draco struggled to oblige. He was willing to participate in the formality of the situation until he'd realised that the man he was meeting, his new-for lack of a better word-master, was none other than Harry Potter.
"It's alright, I'll let it slide this time." Potter spoke with ease. Draco noticed that Potter was examining his body and analysing whatever he needed to, to make his decision.
Draco's thoughts returned to wondering why he was standing there? Why was he standing at a Muggle tattoo shop in London and being assessed by Harry Potter-to be his canvas?
A week before, Pansy had owled Draco saying that she'd found him a work opportunity. She knew a man who was looking for someone for an art project. "An art project," that's what she'd called it. Draco had no idea what he was signing up for. The man met with Draco and told him that he was willing to salvage some of his possessions from the manor if Draco agreed to sell his services to him.
At first, Draco had thought that the man wanted to have sex with Draco, but he was mistaken. Well, he wasn't entirely mistaken, the man did want to have sex with Draco, but those weren't the services he'd talked about. The man, Jacob Kaminas, was going to purchase all of Draco's mother's paintings and store them for Draco if Draco agreed to be his property.
Kaminas wanted to take Draco to a wizard tattoo artist who was looking for eager human canvases. It seemed, from what Kaminas had told Draco, that the art of Muggle tattooing was all the rage in the wizarding world and this wizard was prepared to pay good price for the right canvas. Kaminas thought that Draco would make the perfect canvas.
"Think of it this way," Kaminas had said, "if the tattoo artist really likes you and turns you into an art piece, the wizarding world won't be able to look away. All those men that never gave you a second glance for being a Death Eater will be paying good money to attend parties where you'd be put on display!"
The thought was intriguing, Draco reckoned. It was a lot better than selling himself for sex.
"I'll do it!" Draco had said almost immediately. He really should have thought it through, but the idea seemed too promising.
Kaminas had informed Draco that if the tattoo artist liked him, he'd buy Draco's services as a human canvas for three years, and in those three years, he'd adorn his art on Draco. After the three-year contract, when the artwork would be finished, Draco could pledge to be the artist's living art-piece and be paid for being put on display. The income he'd earn from all the willing wizards would set Draco up for life. He'd be able to purchase back the salvaged art from Kaminas and live a content life.
Draco remembered several Pureblood parties from when he was a child. There were always guests that were hired to simply come in and mingle with the guests. They were considered entertainment, and he even vaguely remembered half naked wizards and witches that walked around and everyone gawked at them with adoration and what he reckoned was desire. He was too young at that time to have realised that the gleam in their eyes wasn't simply fascination but also vehement lust.
"What if he doesn't want me because I'm a Death Eater?" Draco had asked as soon as he'd agreed to the service-bond.
"The master tattoo artist won't bother with such conventions," Kaminas had said. "He is a world known artist, both Muggle and wizard, and people pay good money to see his works. If anything, he'd welcome the scandal."
"Who is he?" Draco had been so curious. He imagined what the man looked like, if he too had tattoos up and down his body and what kind of a wizard was so interested in a scandal?
"All in good time," Kaminas had answered and in hindsight, Draco realised that he really should have pushed the man for more details.
"Well, your diet certainly needs to change."
Draco was jerked awake from his memory of how and why he'd got there. He was too busy scowling internally at why he was standing naked in front of Harry Potter, being judged for his imperfect physique.
"My diet?" Draco asked.
"You're too thin," Potter answered. "There are bones sticking out of places you need to have some meat. If I put you under the needle today, you'd faint in a moment's notice and your wounds would never heal properly. It'll be a waste of my time and effort. Not to mention, money."
"So you've bought the contract, then," Draco said, "from Mr Kaminas?"
"Just about. I told him that I do need to evaluate the-your body. Like I said, you just seem malnutritioned, but your skin is fair enough and nearly spotless. The colours would-" He drifted off and returned to his drawing table to look through some papers.
Potter was facing Draco's back when he'd made the last comment so Draco turned and glared at him. "What about this?" he asked, pointing at the scars on his chest. The scars that had barely faded in the past twelve years.
Potter cleared his throat and was visibly uncomfortable. "Like I said, the ink would work wonders on your skin tone, and I can work with designs that will hide the scarring if not fuse into them."
"You sound very sure of yourself," Draco said. He wasn't really sure why he was pressing Potter's buttons. He needed this contract; it was his last chance at survival.
Potter chuckled. He was very sure of himself. A remark like what Draco had just made would have had Potter lashing out if this were their Hogwarts years, but now, Potter looked like the dart barely grazed him.
"You can dress now."
Potter turned towards his drawing table again, and Draco watched him as he dressed. He saw the vein in Potter's neck pulsating, like he was very aware of Draco's eyes on him. Otherwise, the man barely flinched.
"Do you have any tattoos?" Draco asked after he zipped up his trousers and was stepping into his shoes.
Potter's attire was the first thing Draco had noticed immediately after he'd realised that his new employer, his tattoo master, was the Saviour himself. Potter wore a long-sleeved black shirt that was buttoned all the way up and his jeans fit loosely. He was barefoot, but the man didn't display any ink on his feet.
"Some," Potter answered without looking up. "All artists that apprentice under a wizard tattoo artist are required to ink themselves. It's sort of a rite of passage, but, otherwise, I never really had any interest in decking myself. I like to draw on other people."
"Why did you want a wizard for your human canvas?" Draco shifted his weight as he spoke. He was bloody tired, but Kaminas had instructed him that he was to stand straight the entire time he was in the room with the tattoo master, unless directed otherwise.
Potter must have seen the discomfort on Draco's face and gestured for him to sit. He spotted a leather chair behind him and sat down; the back seemed to recline a bit. Draco wondered if this is where people sat while Potter inked them.
"Muggles treat tattoo art as an assertion of themselves, and so do many wizards, but they don't understand an artist's need to express his or her own feelings on to a canvas. It's easy with a painting or a photograph but needles and ink that's-that's something personal. People want to give their own ideas, because it is ultimately their body and you're going to have the art forever. I realised that I liked the idea of creating my art on a human and putting that on display. I find the idea of having people judge, comment, or marvel in it fascinating..." He sighed for a brief moment, as if he was overwhelmed with emotion. "And, with magic, it's just something so much more-You know?"
Potter's eyes looked like they were on fire. He was no longer the cold and stoic man Draco had encountered a half an hour before, and he reckoned that Potter rarely expressed himself so openly to everyone. He must have really decided to acquire Draco's contract from Kaminas if he was sharing his ideas, his passion with him so freely.
Draco knew that his face was still impassive and Potter turned abruptly and walked towards the door. Potter surely took Draco's non-reaction as disinterest but it was too late now, Potter's cold hard exterior was back and his voice had changed back, guarded.
He opened the door slightly and called out: "Send in Mr Kaminas." Draco heard the brief sounds of electric needles as other tattoo artists that worked under Potter in his shop were going about their day.
He remained seated on the comfortable leather chair as he watched a blubbering Kaminas drop compliment after compliment to Potter, eventually thanking him for trusting "his investment." "He would take the ink well, won't you say?" he'd asked Potter who'd nodded curtly.
Draco rolled his eyes but made sure it was when neither man was looking at him. Potter was clearly putting up a front of being icy and aloof, and Kaminas was nothing but a greedy businessman.
"Good luck, Mr Malfoy," Kaminas said as he approached Draco to shake his hand. Draco was about to stand up when he caught Potter's gaze and Potter shook his head. He remained seated. "I shall keep your property safe in my Gringotts vault and they are yours when you are ready to purchase them from me."
Draco smiled curtly and nodded. "That's very kind of you," he mustered up and the man shook Potter's hand again before leaving.
The room was once more eerily quiet and Draco felt that if either one of them spoke, it would be sure to echo again. When the silence was too much for him to bear and Potter returned his attention to his drawing table, Draco stood up.
"Where shall I be staying?" he asked; partially to break the silence, and partially because he was tired and hungry. He wanted a bed. He wanted to sleep. Forever. Potter could tattoo him in his sleep and Draco wouldn't care.
"Your things?" Potter asked, looking confused. His voice however, was still impersonal.
"I have none," Draco answered, honestly. The only thing he had were the clothes on his back. Everything else that mattered was under Kaminas' jurisdiction.
"Very well, let me show you the way."*Potter and Draco travelled one flight of stairs up and Draco felt the magic in the room. So far, Draco hadn't realised the existence of magic in the tattoo shop but noticed that one floor above Potter's Muggle studio was his magical one.
"This level is sentineled from Muggles. I've placed a Muggle-Repelling Charm and there's no technology in this room." Potter pointed towards the fireplace in the corner. "You'll Floo here when you're needed and we will work downstairs in my studio. When you are ready for the second phase, we will move up here. Until then this room is simply a bridge for us to travel to the shop."
"The second phase?" Draco asked.
"Magic," Potter answered without looking at Draco and they stepped into the Floo. "Number twelve, Grimmauld Place!" Potter announced as he threw the Floo powder and the flames roared.
When they arrived at Potter's home, a stout old woman with caramel skin and dark amber eyes came rushing to the Floo, and she was followed by a tall man whose skin was paler than Draco's and a beard so dark; he looked like a ghost. They were both dressed in black as if they were in uniform and they looked curiously at Draco as if they were trying to place him.
"Asha, Bhim, this is Draco Malfoy," Potter said with an authoritative tone that he'd used with Kaminas earlier. "Malfoy, this is Asha Sarchan, and Bhim Alexis. They live here with me and see to the everyday affairs of the household. If you need anything, you can direct your enquiries to them and they are to be treated with the utmost respect."
Draco nodded at Potter's words and then smiled at the two people standing in front of him. He thought it rather unnecessary that Potter needed to state that Draco is expected to show them respect. Draco was fully aware that he was a guest at Potter's house and that he would be respectful to anyone that lived there, as well. He supposed that being Pureblood and a Death Eater, Potter just assumed that Draco would be arrogant towards what was obviously the help. Of course he would be respectful, Draco had a lot of time to think about the ways of his family and other Purebloods that he'd grown up around, he wasn't the same person anymore. Except, no one really bothered to get to know him, anymore.
"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Draco said, trying to sound as humble as he could.
"Oh, enough with the formalities!" the woman, Asha, said. "Let me show you to your room." She pulled on Draco's arm and started to drag him towards the stairs when she stopped and looked at Potter.
"Mr Potter, the-"
"Second room on the first level shall do, Asha. Make sure that Malfoy has clean clothes from the wardrobe in the attic, and draw him a bath with tea tree oil, please."
"Dinner, Sir?" the older man asked as Potter turned to step into a room on the side of the hall.
Potter looked like he was about to dismiss the man when he spoke again. "Ms Naya is due to return tonight, Mr Potter," Bhim Alexis informed Potter who looked a bit taken back for a moment then a glimmer of contentment emerged in his eyes.
"Oh, she is," Potter said, keeping his tone even. "Alright then. I trust you've already prepared her favourite?"
Asha Sarchan nodded with enthusiasm and Bhim Alexis looked proud of himself as well. Potter displayed a hint of satisfaction as his lips slightly curled up. "You two really do spoil her. Very well, then. I will be down for dinner. Please make sure Mr Malfoy also joins us." Potter nodded at his staff of two and disappeared into the room.
Draco looked around the house that once belonged to his bloodline and thought it was a lot different than how he remembered it. He'd been at Grimmauld Place once as a child and was freaked out by the heads of the dead house-elves by the staircase. He was glad that they were no longer there, and he wondered if the infamous portrait of Walburga Black was still around. He remembered reading an article by a reporter who did a tour of Grimmauld Place after the war and had written paragraphs on the screaming obscenities of his great aunt.
Asha led Draco to his bedroom and handed him a towel. "Well, you better start undressing. The bathroom is just down the hall. I'll draw you up a bath and then fetch you some fresh clothes from the attic, alright?"
He nodded and started to unbutton his shirt. "Ms Sarchan-"
"Oh, dear child. Call me Asha, Mr Malfoy."
"Please, call me Draco." Draco smiled at her before speaking. "Asha, who is Ms Naya?"
"Oh, Avi?" she asked as she beamed with happiness. "Avi is Mr Potter's oeuvre."
"Oeuvre?" Draco was confused.
"Just like you!" Asha said, smiling. "She's been with us for two years, now. Usually Mr Potter only takes on one oeuvre-a canvas for his art-at a time. But, he must have seen something in you that he decided to-"
"He said that I need to change my diet. He looked really displeased with me as a canvas, I doubt he'll be working on me any time soon," Draco said, dryly. For some odd reason, Draco was disappointed that Potter didn't seem all that pleased with him. Additionally, Draco had no idea that Potter already had had canvases, oeuvres, before.
"Oh, hush. He must have seen something if he drew up a service-bond for you to work with him."
"I haven't signed anything yet," Draco replied.
"Well, all in good time, yes? It's only been a day. Maybe he thinks you'll refuse."
"I don't exactly have the luxury to refuse."
She gave Draco a sympathetic smile. "I'm sure you can work something out. Are you against the idea?"
"The idea of what?"
"Of becoming an art piece?"
"No, I thought it sounded rather promising." Draco had nearly undressed by this time so Asha turned around to grab a dressing gown and handed it to him.
"Well, I can see what he meant by your diet. My dear child, you're dwindling away!"
"I've always been like this," Draco answered feeling self-conscious. He wrapped the dressing gown around him and removed his briefs.
"You'll certainly need to change that if you are to go under the needle eventually and then parade around showing your body." She bent down to grab Draco's clothes and bundled them up.
"You sound like you don't approve."
"It isn't my place to approve or disapprove." She smiled again and decided to take her leave. "Now, the bath will be ready in ten minutes so rest here for some time. Dinner is in an hour when Avi arrives so we must not be late!"*Draco soaked in the warm bath for a very long time. It had been a while since he'd had the luxury of someone drawing him a bath and he not having a worry in the world. He closed his eyes and relaxed as he thought about the woman he was going to meet later. Avi Naya. Everyone in the house seemed to love her and the mention of her name had brightened Potter's face.
Draco wondered if he would love her, too. What if she hated him? Surely, she wouldn't think of Draco as competition? If Potter was going to go from having one human canvas, or oeuvre, as Asha had called it, to two, his attention would be divided.
Kaminas had told Draco that inked wizards relied heavily on public appearances to be able to afford their lifestyle. If Potter didn't complete Avi Naya's artwork, would she hold it against Draco?
"Draco, are you just about done?" Asha knocked on the bathroom door and startled Draco. Ten years of near solitude, and now in one day, Draco was being sought after constantly.
"Yes. I'll be right there," he answered and stood up to dry himself. He wrapped himself in the dressing gown again and made his way to his bedroom. When he arrived at the room, he noticed that Asha had changed the linens on his bed and laid down a new shirt, a pair of trousers with underwear and socks. It was embarrassing really, that this older woman, who wasn't his mother, was treating him like he was a schoolboy.
Uncomfortable, and feeling like a twelve year old boy, Draco dressed himself. He wore the pair of house sandals that Asha had left on the floor by his bed and followed her downstairs to the dining area.
Bhim Alexis walked through the door letting the chilly October wind in and Draco shivered. "Word to the wise," Asha leaned in towards Draco and whispered. "When waiting for guests at Grimmauld Place, make sure to place a warming charm on yourself. You could be waiting for a while with the door open." She winked at him and returned his attention towards the door.
Draco heard footsteps and he turned to see that Potter was making his way down and that he too, had changed. He wore a casual half-sleeve shirt with the top buttons loose and Draco wondered if he'd have the opportunity now to see Potter's ink.
He didn't want to stare so he removed his gaze from Potter and waited by the door with Asha. Two minutes later, a woman with flowing blond hair, perfectly groomed eyebrows that arched beautifully and showed off her deep blue eyes walked in through the door.
Draco was nearly floored. The woman was astonishing. He wasn't interested in women, not like that, but her beauty was definitely something that would turn heads no matter one's sexual orientation. She was tall. Not taller than Draco but with her build and the way she presented herself, she looked as if she could tower over him.
"Welcome home, Ms Naya," Alexis said as he released her hand and closed the door behind them.
"It's good to be back," Avi Naya said, beaming as she and Asha hugged.
"It's brilliant to have you back," Asha told her and all but dragged her into the house where she walked right past Draco and greeted Potter.
He smiled at her as she bowed to Potter. "Mr Potter." Her voice was sweet and her tone reflected nothing but respect.
"Ms Naya," he said and took her hand in his and kissed it.
A surge of envy dashed through Draco's body. He wasn't sure what he was jealous of. The amount of attention everyone was giving this woman, her beauty itself, or the fact that Potter smiled at her in a way that he'd never seen him smile before. Not even when they were in Hogwarts together and he'd dated both Cho Chang and Ginny Weasley. He never smiled like that at them.
Potter continued to hold the woman's hand as she turned to greet Draco next. "I must apologise for my rude behaviour, but I did wish to say hello to Harry before I learned all about you," she said. There was no malice, or rudeness in her voice, but that didn't surprise Draco. She was in the company of her composer, her ink-master, she couldn't be rude if she wanted to be.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms Avi Naya," Draco said and bowed at her courteously.
She smiled at him when he looked up and Draco briefly glanced at Potter who had another strange look in his eyes. It was almost as if he was proud of Draco. Draco wasn't sure if he should have been offended at how little Potter thought of him that every action of normality seemed to release a look of shock from Potter.
"Avi, this is Draco Malfoy," Potter said.
"Of course, I know who Mr Malfoy is," she said, almost rolling her eyes. It seemed that all formality had now ended and she was acting like she was amongst friends. "Please call me Avi, none of this Ms Avi Naya business in the house."
"How do you know me?" Draco asked. They were still standing in the hallway of the house and everyone else around them, including Potter had begun to walk away. Yet, Avi still stood there, looking fascinated with Draco.
"I was a first year at Hogwarts during-during the war," Avi answered. "I was too little, too unimportant to ever be on anyone's radar, but of course I know all about the war, and your-" she hesitated.
"My family's involvement," Draco said unenthusiastically.
"And your positive part in it. Harry's told me all about it. How you saved his life, and then he saved yours, it's stuff of legends."
"It feels like a different life," Draco answered.
"Avi..." Asha whispered her name, and Avi's attention went from Draco to Asha in an instant.
"Dinner, of course!" Avi said as if the idea of speaking to Draco was just so preposterous. "Let's talk more over dinner, shall we? I must change into something more comfortable!"
He watched her walk up the stairs and followed Asha into the dining room. Potter was already seated at the head of the table and was reading the Prophet. He barely gave Draco a glance as Asha told him to sit at the chair next to Potter's.
"Wine?" Alexis asked and Draco looked at Potter who nodded at Alexis.
"Which one is it today, Bhim?"
"Huntaway Reserve Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, Sir," Alexis said and shook his head as though he was expecting Potter's answer.
"So that's white?" Potter asked.
"Yes, Sir. That's white," Alexis replied, sounding almost exasperated. "Tell me, Mr Malfoy, what do you make of it?" He turned to Draco and poured him a taste.
Draco swirled the glass around, smelled the wine and took a sip.
"Very herby, and strong sweet tropical fruit aftertaste. It'll probably go well with a salmon dish or perhaps some pilaf," Draco answered and looked up for a response. He'd also smelled similar things cooking in the kitchen so he'd ventured a guess. He found Alexis gaping at him.
"That's bloody brilliant, my boy!" Alexis said, clearly impressed. Draco felt his cheeks flush and he tried, but couldn't help looking towards Potter. Potter had an impassive look about him. "See, Mr Potter. This is what I've been waiting for all these years! Finally someone in the family that can speak my language!"
"What are we having?" Avi asked as she entered the room and sat across from Draco on the other side of Potter. She looked relaxed in a long-sleeved tunic and black cotton trousers. When she'd entered the house, she had been wearing heavy wizarding robes and now she almost looked like a completely different person.
"Wine," Potter answered her dryly without looking up from the paper.
"White or red?" she asked.
Potter snorted. "Ask Malfoy."*Dinner had been a quiet affair. Quiet, in the sense that Draco gathered that no one talked shop around the dinner table. Bhim Alexis told a story from his childhood about growing up in South Africa and silly pranks he and his brothers pulled on their stepmother.
Asha talked about growing up in Kenya, and her cooking instructor who made her fall in love with all the varieties of lentils that were brought into the country via trade from India.
Draco wondered how two of-what sounded like-the world's most travelled individuals ended up in wizarding London and working for Potter. From the sounds of it, they were well in their thirties during the second wizarding war, and he had so many questions for them that he felt like his mind was going to explode.
Regardless of the number of inquiries he had for every statement Bhim and Asha made, Draco kept quiet. From time to time he would look at Potter whose face was almost always expressionless, to Avi, who was beaming with delight.
Every time Draco placed his fork down on the plate, Potter eyed him almost intrusively. It was as if he was keeping tabs on how much Draco was eating.
Potter excused himself from the dinner table first, claiming that he had work to do. He asked Asha to drop by later with the menu for meals the next day, and Draco supposed it was because Potter wanted to put him on a special diet.
After Potter left the room, Draco felt like the tension in the room eased up. He wasn't sure if that was just the feeling he was having, or if everyone else around also felt the same way. Avi offered to help clean up so Draco followed suit.
It wasn't until Avi had rolled up her sleeves to carry the dishes from the dinner table to the sink that Draco noticed some of her artwork. He'd stopped mid-step and was sure that he was gawking at her.
"Can I?" Draco asked as he touched Avi's sleeve and she rolled it up some more.
On her right arm, from the start of her wrist and up her forearm, Draco traced peacock feathers. They looked almost life-like and as she continued to roll up her sleeve, Draco saw the formation of a gorgeous bird.
"Touch the nape," she whispered and Draco wasn't sure if he should have. "Come on, don't be scared."
Draco obliged and caressed the nape of the bird and suddenly what seemed like a dormant bird came to life with the feathers flying up Avi's arm. Draco nearly shrieked with the vibration.
Avi laughed. "That happens to almost everyone the first time."
"Wizards?"
She nodded. "The magic doesn't work with Muggles. If they touch the tattoo, it stays dormant. You need magic in your blood to make them come alive."
"What about the other side?" Draco asked curiously and turned Avi to look at the other arm.
"It's his other half," she answered. "It's better when peafowls travel in packs. So they don't get lonely."
Draco was still shell shocked from the initial encounter with the ink and was about to ask another question when Avi interrupted him.
"Alright, it's time for bed. I'm sure you'll have plenty other questions for me, and I will answer them all-we'll be spending a lot of time together, you know-so I'll see you in the morning, Draco."
Draco nodded at her as she kissed him on the cheek and wished him a good night.*When Draco returned to his room, he was beginning to get excited about what his new life was going to bring him. Short of Potter barely looking at him over the course of the evening, his bizarre day had turned out to be quite alright. As he lay in his new bed, he marvelled in the comfort of the cotton sheets, the soft blanket and the freshly laundered pillow cases. He'd not slept well in a very long time and barely at all after he'd lost the manor.
His friends had been kind enough to let him crash with them but after a month of bumming around with Pansy, Blaise and Theo, Draco knew that he needed to fix his life and it was finally starting to feel like he might be well on his way there.
Working with Potter, even though it was not the most ideal situation, wasn't the worst thing in the world. Anything was a step up from living under the same roof as the Dark Lord, or living alone in a house that haunted his dreams. He'd lost his parents years before, and every night when Draco had gone to bed, he'd wondered if it would be his last night there.
He hoped that finally, the nightmares would stop, and that he could be at peace. At least for a little while.
Draco's last thought that night was a happy one and he felt the smile on his face as he drifted off.*The nightmares hadn't stopped. Draco had been a fool to think that it would all end so quickly. He woke up frantic, sweaty, and hot. He yanked the covers away from him and jumped off the bed.
For a minute, he couldn't remember where he was and he thought that he was still dreaming. He stumbled out of the room and knocked the side table as he exited through the door.
"Shite!" he swore under his breath and bent down to pick up the things scattered on the floor, but the room was too dark and he'd left his wand by the bed.
"Malfoy?" Potter's voice was hushed and still it scared Draco.
"I..." Draco was panting and unable to form a coherent sentence.
"Lumos." The light from Potter's wand brightened the hallway and Draco finally managed to grab the small table he'd knocked over along with its contents. "Are you alright?"
Draco nodded and he looked at Potter, sure that he probably looked like a frantic madman. His thoughts were distracted, though, when he realised that the buttons on Potter's shirt were open and Draco could see his chest and dark designs, swirly lines on his neck and chest.
"Malfoy," Potter said sternly and Draco snapped out from staring.
"Sorry. I had a nightmare and I forgot where I was; I panicked-"
"It's okay," Potter said, placing a hand on Draco's shoulder. He started to move his hands in circles as if he was trying to soothe him.
Draco inadvertently closed his eyes and he felt as though he was about to lean into Potter's touch when Potter stopped. He removed his hand quickly and stood up.
"Are you alright now?" Potter asked, his voice losing the tone of tenderness he'd just expressed.
"Yes. Thanks for- Sorry for waking you."
"It's fine," Potter answered. "I wasn't asleep. I was just on my way back from the library-"
"The library?" Draco asked, confused.
"Yes. We have a library in the house. It's not much, mostly stocked by Hermione...anyway, I was looking for a book for the night as I have trouble sleeping and I heard-you."
"Right, sorry again, Potter. Have a good night."
"You too, Malfoy."
Potter waited with his wand lit by the doorway to Draco's bedroom until Draco got back in the bed and pulled the covers on him. His body temperature had reduced to normal and he was beginning to feel chilly again.
He turned to look at the door and Potter nodded at him and then closed the door to Draco's bedroom. Draco was back in the darkness, and he hoped that this time, the nightmares wouldn't return.*The next morning Draco was awoken by the smell of bacon that seemed to have spread throughout the entire house. He glanced over at the clock and realised that it was half past ten. He'd slept in. He'd overslept!
His first night at his new place of service and he'd overslept! He wondered why Asha hadn’t woken him up. He'd half expected for Asha or Bhim to come knocking on the door at half seven.
Unsure of whether he should shower before making his way downstairs or simply change, Draco almost had a panic attack.
"Hey, you're up!" Avi opened the door slowly and peaked in the room. "I was just coming to check on you if you hadn't actually slipped into a coma."
Draco laughed and got up off the bed to greet his housemate. "Sorry, I don't know what got into me. I usually wake up in the morning without a problem."
"It's probably the comfortable bed," she joked. "But don't get used to it. When you're ready to start getting inked, you'll be expected to wake up before Harry and if you don't-well then, you don't want to know!"
"Is he here?" Draco asked.
"No, he went in early today. Something about supervising one of the Muggle tattoo artists. He told us not to disturb you and to let you sleep-in as much as you needed. Up until a reasonable hour, of course."
"He did? Did he tell you about last night?"
"He said you had a nightmare and you almost took the house down with you." Avi laughed as she placed her hand on Draco's shoulder and squeezed it. "This is why I sleep with a silencing charm on my door." She winked and then grabbed his arm dragging him out the door.
They made their way down the stairs and into the kitchen where Asha had a plate of breakfast ready for him. "Mr Potter has given me strict instructions on your breakfast. He says I need to focus on protein and carbs. He's also told us to keep you hydrated and let you sleep-in for the first week at least. He wants to make sure that you get enough rest with the proper foods. He's heavily devoted to his investments."
Draco couldn't help but find the entire thing tiringly ironic. Granger had recruited Potter after the war to help with her venture of freeing the house-elves as they shouldn't have been considered property, but now here he was, Potter's property, and being instructed on how to keep it sustained.
"He cares," Avi said almost as if she'd read Draco's mind.
"About what?" Draco asked taking a bite of bacon and enjoying the succulent taste of it.
"It's not that you're his property. He cares about all of us. He wants to make sure we have everything we need. When you see him tomorrow about your contract, he'll tell you this. He'll also tell you that your room is your own and you're allowed to decorate it how you wish. You'll have a spending budget and everything."
It was clear that Avi was a bit taken by Potter, and he knew better than to argue with a woman about her knight in shining armour. Potter certainly was not that for Draco. He was a man who bought him-his services-from another man who wanted to use Draco for his own benefit.
Draco was nothing but property being tossed around to the next highest bidder. You could decorate the prison however you wished, it was still a prison, and Draco was most certainly trapped. At least for the next three years.
"I'm going to take a shower," Draco said after he finished his breakfast. Most of his breakfast. Asha frowned at him when she saw that a quarter of his plate was left untouched. "If I start overeating from day one, I'll only end up vomiting it," Draco told her. "One step at a time, okay?"
She nodded and took his plate off the table. "I'll have to tell Mr Potter."
"I wouldn't expect anything else from you," Draco said and smiled at her. She scowled at first but then broke into a heart-warming smile that had Draco almost choking back tears.
He all but ran out the door because he didn't want Asha and Avi to see him crying.
"Harry told me to show you the library, so maybe we can spend some time there when you're done with your shower," Avi called out after him.
"Okay," he said but didn't turn to look at her. He wasn't going to cry, not really, but he knew that his eyes would give him away and he couldn't have that. He barely knew these people and he wasn't going to open his heart out to them.*The hot water was soothing and Draco knew that, again, he was in the shower for longer than it was really necessary. But, he was avoiding-everything. He still couldn't believe that he was living in Potter's house, under Potter's care, being fed what his kitchen-staff made, and was going to befriend a woman who practically kissed the ground Potter walked on.
He wondered what Avi's situation had been that she'd ended up under Potter's wing as his canvas. Was her situation similar to his? Had her family supported the Dark Lord as well or maybe she just wanted to become an art piece. It was an easy way to make money once you were completed. He remembered the way Avi and Potter had greeted each other last night and he couldn't help but wonder if there was anything going on between them. Instead of coming from the library last night, he was actually come from her room and he'd just said library because he didn't want Draco to know.
Draco wondered if Asha or Bhim knew what was happening between Avi and Potter.
When he stepped out of the bathroom and into his bedroom, Draco found a new outfit waiting for him at his bed, which was perfectly made. He turned to look inside into the closet and found a whole set of new clothes hanging there. They weren't new, really, but new to him. Perhaps the last person who stayed here under the service-bond had worn them and now they belonged to Draco. Perhaps the last person who'd worn them was also just as destitute as Draco was.
"Draco, are you just about ready?" Avi walked into Draco's room without knocking and he welcomed the distraction. Draco wasn't ready to go down the sad path of self-reflection again.
Avi was wearing a sleeveless tunic with a long flowy skirt that had slits up to her thighs. It was October, right? Draco wondered. Warming charm or not, Draco thought that Avi looked as though she was ready to stroll down a summer farmer's market. He missed his mother immediately.
A year before she'd passed, Draco and his mother would take what little money they had and go to the farmer's market every Sunday. They'd Apparate to a small village where barely anyone recognised them immediately and mother and son spent the day together, looking at flowers and eventually buying small pots or flowerets or seeds to grow in the garden at the manor. That seemed a lifetime ago, now.
"Where are we going?"
"I thought we could spend the late morning in the library until it's lunch time. Then perhaps we can go out for a walk after?"
"A walk?" he asked incredulously.
"We have to stay fit," she said, as if it was so obvious. "A healthy diet and exercise, but not over exerting ourselves. We have to keep our bodies fit. I'm really surprised that-" Avi stopped herself from speaking her thought.
"What is it?" Draco asked instantly.
"Nothing, sorry I said anything." She took a step back and turned to leave Draco's room.
Draco chased after her; he didn't understand. "What is it, Avi? What are you surprised about?"
"Well," she drawled, carefully choosing her words. "Most ink-masters, when they pick a canvas, tend to pick someone..." She paused for a moment "...younger. I just know that you're the same age as Harry-I'm just surprised that he didn't pick someone else that was closer to my age."
"Oh," Draco said, unsure, and a bit hurt. "Mr Kaminas said that I looked younger for my age and that-well-perhaps Potter was desperate for another canvas."
"Perhaps," she said and continued walking. "But...to choose an oeuvre after a single meeting..." She trailed off sounding like she was still in disbelief. This was the first time Draco and Avi had been alone, and Draco couldn't help but wonder if her kindness was only a show for Potter and the others, and if she really did detest Draco as he'd first feared.
They arrived at a room down the hall and the door seemed to be locked. Avi flicked her wrist and tapped her wand at the door handle, it opened slowly.
Draco was instantly mesmerized by the room as they entered. The library, was for lack of a better word...breathtaking. The entire room was covered in books and he didn't know where to start. He glanced over at Avi and the kindness in her eyes had returned as she watched him react.
"I know," she said softly. "I was taken aback the first time, as well. It is where we spend most of our free time and I think Harry knows how to take care of his patrons." She smiled at him again and took a seat at one of the leather chairs in the middle of the room. She gestured for him to sit across from her. "Do you play chess?" she asked and when Draco nodded, she grabbed a small box from under the coffee table that was in between the chairs and set up the chessboard. "Let's see how good you are, then."
A minute later, Asha had entered the room and brought them tea and snacks. Avi seemed surprised to see Asha and Draco reckoned that the snacks brought to them must have been on Potter's request as part of Draco's diet plan. He tried not to react or show any recognition of the fact. Avi had decided to be friends again and he wasn't in the mood to make her get all cross again.
After lunch, Avi and Draco had gone for a walk in the neighbourhood. It was a quiet afternoon, and neither of them talked much. They returned to the house and to the library.
After spending the afternoon playing chess with Avi and then browsing through the library, Draco returned to his room to prepare for dinner. When he arrived, he saw that Asha had placed a small basket of items on his bed along with a new dressing gown. The basket contained several different types of cleansing soaps and creams that Potter no doubt had had Asha purchase for Draco. Draco supposed that the ink-masters knew what was best for the body of a human canvas, but Draco felt humiliated, nonetheless. He hated that he didn't seem to have any control on his lifestyle anymore and that, of all the people in the world, it was Potter who was dictating all the sovereignty.
He undressed and then dressed himself in the gown before heading to the bathroom; there was no use delaying the inevitable.*"Don't you look fresh?" Avi asked as Draco entered the dining room for dinner. Everyone except for Potter was already there.
He looked at Asha who smiled softly at him and gestured for him to sit. Dinner was served quickly, yet there was no sign of Potter. "Where is..." Draco had all but whispered his half a question when Asha answered him.
"Mr Potter will not be joining us tonight. He said that he'd had a long day and wanted to simply rest. Draco, he's asked for you to stop by his office once we are done with dinner. I reckon he needs you to sign off on the legal document."
Draco looked over at Avi who didn't look up from her plate as she put a forkful of rice pilaf in her mouth. There was wine served but no banter was attached to it. Draco figured it was more of a Potter and Alexis thing than anything else.
They ate in silence as Asha and Alexis talked about their day, the market, and the weather. Draco only nodded when something was directed towards him, and as soon as he was done, he took his leave.
"Do you want me to come with you?" Avi asked as he left his room to head up to Potter's office. It was like she'd been lurking outside his room waiting for him to come out.
"Oh," Draco responded, almost startled. "Do you think that'll be alright?"
"Sure," she said and smiled at him as she grabbed his arm and led the way. Draco only obediently followed.
They arrived outside the door to Potter's office and Draco knocked.
"Who is it?" Potter spat out.
"It's Draco," he answered.
"Come in." Potter's voice rolled through the door and out into the hallway. Draco glanced over at Avi who looked a bit fearful for him.
"Maybe you should go in alone," she said. "It doesn't sound like he's in a good mood."
"So you're abandoning me because Potter's upset?" Draco asked, attempting a joke.
The door opened and both Draco and Avi jumped at the abruptness of it. "I thought I told you to come in," Potter said, and then looked over at Avi. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to offer Draco support," she answered, her voice kind.
"It's not necessary, this won't take that long," Potter said and turned to walk away. Draco followed him. "Close the door behind you," Potter added and Draco followed suit.
Draco looked around Potter's office that had artwork hanging all over the walls. The paintings weren't framed and they hung on giant pieces of parchments, some taped, and some nailed on. Potter's desk was cluttered with paint brushes, open vials of paint, and more parchment. Draco wondered how the man could find anything there, but chose to keep his thoughts to himself.
They stood in the room quietly. After Potter had found whatever he was looking for, he was waiting for something, but he didn't tell Draco what it was. A moment later, Bhim Alexis walked into the room and Potter nodded at him.
"I'm to be a witness to the signing of the contract," Alexis informed Draco, and Draco wondered why Potter couldn't tell him that himself.
Potter cleared his throat and began. "The date on the bond marks the beginning of your three year commitment," he said, without looking up at Draco. He seemed to be searching for something on his desk, again. Draco thought the man needed a secretary more than he needed an oeuvre.
"In those three years, you are to stay at my house, and follow the rules that are expected of all would-be-oeuvres."
Draco nodded.
"Until I am done with you, your skin will belong to me. That means I have say over all that could impact it. Your eating habits, your coming and going, even your bathing regiments-anything that could affect the 'art'. Do you understand?"
Draco nodded again.
"Once I have begun the tattoo work on you, there might be social gatherings that you'd be invited to, those are most of the time, paid by the individual who has summoned your viewing. Any money that is made from that is to pay for your room and board. Anything left over will be put into a private account and it will be yours to collect at the end of the three years. Bhim?"
Potter turned to look at the other man in the room who had stayed eerily quiet. Alexis nodded and started to speak.
"Any action you take that will compromise your ability to show this art will have repercussions. Your contract can end early or it can be sold to a third party, if we feel that we-all of us-are not a good match."
Alexis hesitated a bit before saying the last bit. "We will need you to undress again."
"What?" Draco nearly choked at his question. He could see the awkwardness on Alexis's face as he said the words. Surely, neither one of them wanted this but, did he have another choice?
"I realise this is uncomfortable, but the contract demands that the witness is there as I inspect the canvas officially before we are to sign it and you are bound to me for the next three years."
Uncomfortable, Draco nearly scoffed. That's one word for it. "Everything?" he asked, struggling to keep his face impassive.
"Just the trousers and your shirt will do," Alexis answered before Potter could, and Draco sighed with relief.
He undressed as fast as he could, because if he were slow, this would seem wrong. It was all wrong, anyway. Why, was Draco all of a sudden so nervous to undress in front of Potter?
What if Potter changed his mind? Was this all a joke? Could the world be so cruel to Draco?
Of course it could.
He closed his eyes as he waited for Potter to approach him. He felt Potter's warm body around him, and struggled to not start when his hands, his rough fingertips brushed slightly over the pattern of skin on his chest. His scar.
Draco held his breath.
Potter grabbed his arms and lifted them up, turning them this way and that.
"Do you burn easily?" Potter asked and Draco nearly shivered at the feeling of Potter's warm breath on his shoulder.
"What?" Draco asked again. It seemed to be his favourite word of the night.
"Do you burn badly?" Potter asked, quietly.
Draco opened his eyes and looked at Potter. "Um...not more than usual," he answered. He had spent a lot of time in the gardens at the manor with his mother. They hadn't always used a sun shielding charm so he knew that he could spend long periods of time outside without any trouble.
Remembering the sun in the gardens only reminded Draco of how long it had been since he'd gone flying and his heart ached for it. He missed flying.
"There's already been an improvement in your skin since you've started to live here," Potter said, startling Draco again. His tone was cool and cut off; he just sounded so sure of himself. Draco felt another rush when Potter's fingers brushed on the hollow of Draco's back.
When Potter walked around and stood next to Alexis again, Draco saw the look of appreciation in his eyes, regardless of the cold tone of his voice. This look hadn't been there the first time Draco had faced Potter in his tattoo shop. Then he was guarded, and now, now he must have realised how desperate Draco really was.
"You may put your clothes back on," Potter said in a commanding tone. He turned towards his desk again and started to rumble through the papers. Draco thought that he really was just doing that so he wouldn't look at Draco again.
Which was all good and fine with Draco.
"You will be liable if you are hurt duelling someone, or harm your body on purpose." Alexis continued to speak again. "After the term of your stay is over, you are free of such restrictions. Additionally, for your stay at Mr Harry Potter's home at number twelve Grimmauld Place, anytime you leave the house, you must be accompanied by one of the inhabitants. That would be: myself, Bhim Alexis, Ms Asha Sarchan, Ms Avi Naya, or the head of the household, Mr Harry Potter, himself."
Draco looked at Potter whose expression was unreadable, and then looked at Alexis again.
"Under no circumstances are you to leave this home unaccompanied," Alexis said firmly and the only thing Draco thought in that moment was that clearly there was a story there.
"Those are the terms of the bond," Potter said and Draco nodded.
"Do you accept, Mr Malfoy?" Alexis asked.
"Yes. I accept. I will stay here, I will not leave the home alone. I will not harm my body. I will eat and drink whatever Potter orders me to. This contract is for three years and after that I am-"
"Free to do whatever you please." Alexis smiled warmly. Obviously, he wasn't the one who was being bound to the house. He was allowed to go wherever he pleased.
"What about visitors?" Draco asked. Surely, someone would want to come and see him, someday.
"As long as they are announced twenty-four hours in advance, and there is someone in the room that sits with you."
"I'm not even entitled to some privacy?" Draco almost snarled at the fact.
"When your guests arrive, they will wait for you in the sitting room. You will be accompanied by Asha or myself, unless the visitor is here for Ms Naya, as well. We are not to leave the room until the guest has left. That is the rule of the house." Alexis crossed his arms and stared at Draco, making sure he understood.
Potter opened his mouth to say something but Alexis cut him off. "Those are the rules," he said.
"The same rules apply for Avi?" Draco asked.
"Yes. When she has a visitor, Asha stays in the room as well," Potter answered.
"Do you accept the rules, Mr Malfoy?" Alexis asked.
"Yes," Draco answered.
Alexis handed him the piece of parchment that the contract was drawn on. Draco glanced over it, and then signed it above the line that stated: Human Canvas. That really was what he was. Nothing else. A human canvas for Harry Potter. CHAPTER TWO