fic for frulie!!!
Title: "Obligations"
By: ZS
Rating: R (preslash, you could say)
Warning: contains vampires. may contain traces of nuts.
Summary: desperate times; desperate measures.
Notes: a birthday present for the lovely frulie. Sorry it's late! I hope you enjoy it. *heart* I didn't expect to write this at all; it was a complete surprise. Inspired by the Feeding Time Challenge over at hpvamp.
Blindfolded, Harry could only see vague shapes moving against the candlelight and was dependent on the girl's cool hand on his arm to make sure he didn't misstep. All his attempts at asking questions had been met with exasperated silence. The blindfold had been part of the contract, for Harry's safety as well as the vampires', but knowing that did little to reassure him.
"Stay here," she said, and left his side.
Harry was well and truly alone. The vampires had wanted complete security as to their location. He didn't even know if he was still in Europe; he'd been blindfolded since he'd been picked up by carriage on the outskirts of Hogsmeade. Hours or days could have passed. He'd been Apparated from site to site and he was feeling relieved that they'd finally arrived.
His relief didn't last long, however. When he heard the girl's voice again, there were two pairs of footsteps instead of one.
***
"Malfoy?" The torchlight hurt his eyes when the blindfold was pulled away, but Harry would recognize that man anywhere. Instinct had his hand curling around his wand but Malfoy made no move toward him. "I thought you were-"
"Dead?" Malfoy smiled. "That's still funny, no matter how many times I hear it."
Now he approached, his footfalls harsh on the stone floor. Harry backed up, his hand seeking his wand inside his robes automatically.
A sudden hiss by Harry's ear made him freeze. The girl had moved to stand behind him and he could feel her breath on his skin.
"Shall I take his toy away from him?" she said, and Harry's skin crawled.
"As part of our agreement, Mr. Potter is permitted to keep his wand for the duration of his visit. He shall not, however, use it unprovoked."
"I'm getting pretty close to feeling provoked, Malfoy," Harry muttered.
Malfoy waved his hand and the girl sighed and stalked off, leaving Harry alone with Malfoy.
Malfoy circled him slowly. Harry glared back in return. Malfoy hadn't changed much in appearance. He still had the same blond hair and pointy chin. There was something, though, that prickled Harry's skin whenever he made eye contact with Malfoy.
"Potter," he said.
"What?"
"You're wearing a protective charm. You realize that's a breach of the contract."
Harry glared back. "No, I'm not. I wouldn't."
Malfoy stepped forward and took Harry's hand. He pushed back the sleeve, revealing a slim, braided loop around Harry's wrist.
"It's a bracelet. Hermione gave it to me on my birthday."
Malfoy raised an eyebrow, and Harry pulled his hand away.
"Look, it's a bunch of twine from a friend. You can have it if you want, okay?" He started scrabbling at the knot, which was pulled tight from months of wear.
"A bunch of twine and a single strand of her hair."
"What?"
"It isn't strong protective magic, but it does qualify."
Harry shook his head. "I didn't know."
Malfoy gave him a long look. "I believe you. Keep it."
"No." With a vicious tug, the bracelet came free, and Harry held it out. "I'm not going to compromise what I came here to accomplish."
After a moment, Malfoy held out his hand.
***
They walked down a long corridor lined with torches. The castle was filled with them, and Harry realized uneasily that he'd already lost track of their route.
"Just how much of the contract are you familiar with?" Harry wasn't exactly looking forward to meeting the leader of the vampires but he wanted to get a sense of how they were understanding the terms that they'd worked out.
"I'd better be familiar with the entire document, seeing as I negotiated it."
"You? But-"
"Nobody told you?"
A smirk curled the edges of Malfoy's mouth when Harry shook his head. Dumbledore hadn't mentioned any names.
"Would you still have agreed to come here?"
Harry fumbled for an answer, but Malfoy interrupted. "My predecessor had an untimely demise shortly before we contacted Dumbledore. The news of my succession hasn't reached many people."
"An untimely demise at your hands, you seem to be implying."
"Oh, no. She had an unfortunate reaction to some blood."
"Convenient, that. Just before you entered into negotiations."
"So it would seem."
"Why bother?"
"You mean, why bother, since the Dark Lord and vampires are such natural allies?"
"If you want."
"It was in the interests of self-preservation. It became clear to me that the Dark Lord has no intention of guaranteeing our safety or future should he prevail."
"We aren't guaranteeing you anything, either."
"You're here, aren't you?"
Harry walked in silence for a while. He was surprised at the general warmth of the castle. He'd seen enough vampire movies to expect drafty, gloomy corridors and rooms, but this reminded him a lot of Hogwarts.
"Why am I here? Why me?"
"It's obvious, isn't it? It's a way of gauging your side's sincerity. As precious as you are to them, they were desperate enough to offer you up to us as a donor."
"They did not offer me up! You... you requested me!"
"And they agreed."
"With my consent."
Malfoy made an assenting noise low in his throat. "With your fully informed consent," he agreed, in a way that made Harry feel unsettled.
Malfoy pushed open a heavy door and walked through. Harry followed, his heart racing. Malfoy sat down at a table, and Harry took the opposite chair.
"It's just one drink," Harry said, wishing he sounded more confident.
"One night," Malfoy corrected. "Till dawn. Including one drink."
Harry stared at him. "Well? What are you waiting for?"
"Are you expecting me to drink from you now?"
"Why not?"
"You did do your homework, didn't you?"
"I did some reading..."
"So you know what kind of state you would be in after donating."
"Sluggish, light-headed, weakened..."
"And in no frame of mind to play chess with me."
From a cupboard, a game board floated down between them, followed by all the chess pieces in their precise places.
Harry gaped, trying to think of an appropriate response. "And what if I want to get it over with?"
"I'll leave the decision up to you, Potter. But really, would you rather spend the majority of the night in an unfamiliar castle among dozens of curious vampires in a post-bite haze, or as you are?"
Harry pushed down his anger. Malfoy had a point, but Harry was feeling bullied again, and he hated that. He took a deep breath and rotated the chessboard.
"White or black?"
***
"The first month was the hardest," Malfoy said.
Harry was relieved to have found a topic that Malfoy didn't object to answering beyond one word replies. He'd dodged the question of how he had come to be a vampire, and had outright refused to discuss his father's knowledge of his current situation. Harry felt a strange sort of sympathy, which surprised him.
"It was strange not feeling my heart beat. Until it wasn't there anymore, I didn't think it was something I'd miss. But I adapted. Now... now it's like a watercolor painting. Nothing is sharp or clean-edged anymore. Only blood. And the hunt."
"The hunt." Harry focused on the reassuring presence of his wand, still tucked away inside his robes.
"Metaphorically speaking, Potter." Malfoy sounded amused. "You'd be surprised at the number of volunteers we have."
"I think I would be. Why would anyone volunteer..."
"We treat them well. In exchange for small quantities of blood, they are afforded shelter, food..."
"And an Obliviate when their usefulness expires?"
"It's not the worst outcome, is it? Times are tough, Potter. I didn't think I'd need to remind you."
"You don't," Harry snapped, and Malfoy shrugged.
He stood and offered Harry a drink, which Harry declined. Malfoy took it in stride; the gesture seemed more to bridge the uneasiness between them than an actual offer.
"Would you like a preview of what awaits you? Since you seem so interested."
Harry blinked. "I didn't think it was something that was, uh, made publicly available."
"Not usually. I could make an exception. Sometimes our donors are more at ease after seeing a demonstration."
***
The vampire who'd been Harry's escort, and her human donor, were in the sitting room below. The upper floor stretched high enough to give Harry just enough of a sense of security from where he stood, leaning against the railing and trying to be inconspicuous. Curious vampires, Malfoy had called them. Harry had no desire to draw attention to himself.
Malfoy leaned on his elbows next to Harry. "Some say the experience is pleasurable."
"When you were bitten, was it pleasurable for you?"
"Every individual experiences it differently."
There were obviously some things that Malfoy was not going to answer.
Below, the couple embraced, looking for all the world like two lovers.
"She could choose his wrist, of course," Malfoy whispered, as the vampire stood, taking the man with her. "But I doubt she will."
"Why not?"
She smiled as the man exposed his neck.
"The neck is personal. Intimate. He's been in our service for three months, and we've become quite... familiar."
Harry turned to look at Malfoy, but all his attention was focused on the couple.
"Watch," Malfoy said, and Harry found he couldn't look away. "Watch his face."
Harry felt the exact moment that the vampire bit the donor. The man's body stiffened and for a moment, he was fighting her, struggling.
Malfoy's voice seemed to crawl up Harry's back. "It always hurts a little."
The pain seemed to dissipate as quickly as it came. The man's expression changed to one of rapture. His hand curved around the vampire's back and his eyes closed.
Harry swallowed against the tightness in his throat. Before the night was over, he would be in that position. His hand would be twisting in Malfoy's hair.
Volunteers, Malfoy had called them. But Harry's choice in the matter had really been no choice at all.
His stomach clenched and rolled and his breathing hitched. He was taking a step backward before he even knew he was doing so.
Malfoy was watching him. "Potter-"
"I need some air," Harry said, and pushed past Malfoy before breaking into a run.
***
Harry pressed himself up against the side of a small alcove, trying to breathe. He crossed his arms around his body to keep his hands from shaking. He wasn't running away. He was having a small setback.
It will be more difficult and complicated than you could ever expect, Dumbledore had told him. There are intricacies and grey areas, and it will be hard to separate your emotions. Harry had nodded and had signed his name to the bottom of the parchment anyway.
Remus hadn't wanted him to do this, but he'd never outright voiced his opinion. Harry had known from the questioning look in his eyes every time they talked. But they needed all the allies they could get, and even Remus hadn't been able to bring himself to try to talk Harry out of his decision.
He wondered which of them had known it would be Draco Malfoy taking his blood, and why they hadn't told him.
With a long, deep sigh, Harry sank down into a crouch.
"Changed your mind?"
Malfoy's shoes appeared in Harry's line of vision. Harry dropped his hands and glared up at him. "I'm still here, aren't I? I'm not breaking our deal."
"You're overreacting. It's just a small amount of blood."
"You don't seriously believe that, do you? It's never just blood. Vold-" Harry exhaled and scrubbed his hands over his face. He couldn't afford to be reacting like this, especially not here, and not now. Especially not in front of Malfoy. "You wouldn't understand."
"Maybe. Maybe not. Come on, Potter. Let me show you the gardens."
Harry frowned as Malfoy pulled him to his feet. His hands were cool. "Are you being nice to me?"
Malfoy threw a quick smile over his shoulder. "I wouldn't dream of it."
***
"So I don't actually know what half of these plants are. I inherited them from my predecessor." Malfoy paused to pinch a fragrant white flower from its stem.
"Jasmine," Harry said quietly, and Malfoy nodded.
"I know which plants are poisonous and which you probably shouldn't get too close to, which suits me for now, until I get more settled in my new role. This one, for example? Interesting enough to look at, if you like that sort of thing. Touch it, though, and you'll have boils in places you wouldn't have thought possible."
"Fascinating," Harry said, this time not sparing even a look. He really wanted this night to be over. He wanted to go home, and make decisions that hadn't been tainted by other people's agendas. He would start with a cup of tea, and go from there. It wasn't too much to ask, was it?
He realized Malfoy had stopped rambling and was looking at him.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Malfoy's stare began to feel uncomfortable and Harry felt compelled to qualify his statement. "It's just... you... you're different. And I don't mean in the obvious way. It's how you speak. How you've been acting." Towards me, Harry finished in his head.
Malfoy shrugged. "It's mostly out of necessity. There are certain expectations for my behavior. Believe me, there are times when I wish I was back at Hogwarts, taunting Gryffindors, and sneaking off to Honeydukes to spend too much money on sweets. But I can't. You understand, I think."
"It's war," Harry agreed softly. "There are always sacrifices."
Malfoy nodded. "You won't believe me, but I've missed you, Potter. You remind me of when my life used to be simple."
"Simplicity is an illusion."
"This really is hard for you." Malfoy sounded surprised.
"Don't."
"And it's not about the blood. Not all of it, anyway." He tilted his head and Harry turned completely away.
"I said, don't."
Harry started walking away, but Malfoy grabbed his hand. "Potter."
"What?"
Malfoy's gaze raked over his, and for a moment, Harry's mind went entirely blank.
"Let's finish this."
Harry shook his head to clear it. "What? Now? I thought..."
"It'd be easier for you, wouldn't it?"
"Since when did you ever care about making things easy for me?"
His hand was still in Malfoy's grasp, and neither of them were letting go. "This is not about easy. This is about doing what must be done."
Malfoy pulled him closer, catching Harry with his gaze.
"I'm tired of doing what has to be done," Harry said, not knowing why he was saying these things to Malfoy that he couldn't admit to anyone, not Ron, not Hermione, not anyone else. Sometimes not even himself. "Lately all I've wanted is an excuse to let go."
As Harry watched, Malfoy rubbed Harry's wrist against his cheek. He turned Harry's hand and then, without breaking eye contact, slowly brought it to his mouth. Harry felt the press of Malfoy's lips first, plush and soft, and then his tongue.
Harry's pulse jumped at the small caress and-oh-Malfoy felt it too, making an appreciative noise in the back of his throat. Harry could barely breathe.
"I can give you that."
The sharp pain was almost unexpected. Harry whimpered and pulled away instinctively as Malfoy's fangs punctured skin and blood vessels and brushed nerves. It hurt, as Malfoy had promised, and this was crazy, what had Harry been thinking when he'd agreed to do this?
But Malfoy was staring at him again, long and unfathomable, and the pain was borne away. He barely noticed sliding to his knees, only that Malfoy was holding him upright. The scent of jasmine was very close now and he felt beautifully detached from the world, anchored only by the weight of Malfoy's gaze.
***
"You'll be drowsy and weak for a few hours," Malfoy was saying, and Harry realized he'd been listening to Malfoy talk to him for a short while now as he regained awareness. "It's normal. The bite itself will be tender for maybe a day, but will heal without a trace."
Harry opened his eyes and found himself being set down carefully on the grass. They were outside, and the landscape looked markedly different. Malfoy had likely Apparated both of them to the predetermined meeting place. He looked up at Malfoy and couldn't read his expression.
"They'll be coming for you shortly. As for the contract, your obligations have been fulfilled; when the time comes, you can expect the same of ours." He made to stand up, and Harry only barely managed to snag his robe.
"What happened?" he said. His head was swimming but he felt curiously peaceful. "Afterwards?"
Malfoy touched his hand. "You slept." Kneeling down again, Malfoy retied the bracelet he'd taken around Harry's bandaged wrist. "Should we meet again, perhaps it will be for pleasure, and not business. I think I'd like that."
"Same," Harry whispered, but Malfoy was already leaving, a dark shape limned against the lightening pre-dawn sky.
The End.
By: ZS
Rating: R (preslash, you could say)
Warning: contains vampires. may contain traces of nuts.
Summary: desperate times; desperate measures.
Notes: a birthday present for the lovely frulie. Sorry it's late! I hope you enjoy it. *heart* I didn't expect to write this at all; it was a complete surprise. Inspired by the Feeding Time Challenge over at hpvamp.
Blindfolded, Harry could only see vague shapes moving against the candlelight and was dependent on the girl's cool hand on his arm to make sure he didn't misstep. All his attempts at asking questions had been met with exasperated silence. The blindfold had been part of the contract, for Harry's safety as well as the vampires', but knowing that did little to reassure him.
"Stay here," she said, and left his side.
Harry was well and truly alone. The vampires had wanted complete security as to their location. He didn't even know if he was still in Europe; he'd been blindfolded since he'd been picked up by carriage on the outskirts of Hogsmeade. Hours or days could have passed. He'd been Apparated from site to site and he was feeling relieved that they'd finally arrived.
His relief didn't last long, however. When he heard the girl's voice again, there were two pairs of footsteps instead of one.
***
"Malfoy?" The torchlight hurt his eyes when the blindfold was pulled away, but Harry would recognize that man anywhere. Instinct had his hand curling around his wand but Malfoy made no move toward him. "I thought you were-"
"Dead?" Malfoy smiled. "That's still funny, no matter how many times I hear it."
Now he approached, his footfalls harsh on the stone floor. Harry backed up, his hand seeking his wand inside his robes automatically.
A sudden hiss by Harry's ear made him freeze. The girl had moved to stand behind him and he could feel her breath on his skin.
"Shall I take his toy away from him?" she said, and Harry's skin crawled.
"As part of our agreement, Mr. Potter is permitted to keep his wand for the duration of his visit. He shall not, however, use it unprovoked."
"I'm getting pretty close to feeling provoked, Malfoy," Harry muttered.
Malfoy waved his hand and the girl sighed and stalked off, leaving Harry alone with Malfoy.
Malfoy circled him slowly. Harry glared back in return. Malfoy hadn't changed much in appearance. He still had the same blond hair and pointy chin. There was something, though, that prickled Harry's skin whenever he made eye contact with Malfoy.
"Potter," he said.
"What?"
"You're wearing a protective charm. You realize that's a breach of the contract."
Harry glared back. "No, I'm not. I wouldn't."
Malfoy stepped forward and took Harry's hand. He pushed back the sleeve, revealing a slim, braided loop around Harry's wrist.
"It's a bracelet. Hermione gave it to me on my birthday."
Malfoy raised an eyebrow, and Harry pulled his hand away.
"Look, it's a bunch of twine from a friend. You can have it if you want, okay?" He started scrabbling at the knot, which was pulled tight from months of wear.
"A bunch of twine and a single strand of her hair."
"What?"
"It isn't strong protective magic, but it does qualify."
Harry shook his head. "I didn't know."
Malfoy gave him a long look. "I believe you. Keep it."
"No." With a vicious tug, the bracelet came free, and Harry held it out. "I'm not going to compromise what I came here to accomplish."
After a moment, Malfoy held out his hand.
***
They walked down a long corridor lined with torches. The castle was filled with them, and Harry realized uneasily that he'd already lost track of their route.
"Just how much of the contract are you familiar with?" Harry wasn't exactly looking forward to meeting the leader of the vampires but he wanted to get a sense of how they were understanding the terms that they'd worked out.
"I'd better be familiar with the entire document, seeing as I negotiated it."
"You? But-"
"Nobody told you?"
A smirk curled the edges of Malfoy's mouth when Harry shook his head. Dumbledore hadn't mentioned any names.
"Would you still have agreed to come here?"
Harry fumbled for an answer, but Malfoy interrupted. "My predecessor had an untimely demise shortly before we contacted Dumbledore. The news of my succession hasn't reached many people."
"An untimely demise at your hands, you seem to be implying."
"Oh, no. She had an unfortunate reaction to some blood."
"Convenient, that. Just before you entered into negotiations."
"So it would seem."
"Why bother?"
"You mean, why bother, since the Dark Lord and vampires are such natural allies?"
"If you want."
"It was in the interests of self-preservation. It became clear to me that the Dark Lord has no intention of guaranteeing our safety or future should he prevail."
"We aren't guaranteeing you anything, either."
"You're here, aren't you?"
Harry walked in silence for a while. He was surprised at the general warmth of the castle. He'd seen enough vampire movies to expect drafty, gloomy corridors and rooms, but this reminded him a lot of Hogwarts.
"Why am I here? Why me?"
"It's obvious, isn't it? It's a way of gauging your side's sincerity. As precious as you are to them, they were desperate enough to offer you up to us as a donor."
"They did not offer me up! You... you requested me!"
"And they agreed."
"With my consent."
Malfoy made an assenting noise low in his throat. "With your fully informed consent," he agreed, in a way that made Harry feel unsettled.
Malfoy pushed open a heavy door and walked through. Harry followed, his heart racing. Malfoy sat down at a table, and Harry took the opposite chair.
"It's just one drink," Harry said, wishing he sounded more confident.
"One night," Malfoy corrected. "Till dawn. Including one drink."
Harry stared at him. "Well? What are you waiting for?"
"Are you expecting me to drink from you now?"
"Why not?"
"You did do your homework, didn't you?"
"I did some reading..."
"So you know what kind of state you would be in after donating."
"Sluggish, light-headed, weakened..."
"And in no frame of mind to play chess with me."
From a cupboard, a game board floated down between them, followed by all the chess pieces in their precise places.
Harry gaped, trying to think of an appropriate response. "And what if I want to get it over with?"
"I'll leave the decision up to you, Potter. But really, would you rather spend the majority of the night in an unfamiliar castle among dozens of curious vampires in a post-bite haze, or as you are?"
Harry pushed down his anger. Malfoy had a point, but Harry was feeling bullied again, and he hated that. He took a deep breath and rotated the chessboard.
"White or black?"
***
"The first month was the hardest," Malfoy said.
Harry was relieved to have found a topic that Malfoy didn't object to answering beyond one word replies. He'd dodged the question of how he had come to be a vampire, and had outright refused to discuss his father's knowledge of his current situation. Harry felt a strange sort of sympathy, which surprised him.
"It was strange not feeling my heart beat. Until it wasn't there anymore, I didn't think it was something I'd miss. But I adapted. Now... now it's like a watercolor painting. Nothing is sharp or clean-edged anymore. Only blood. And the hunt."
"The hunt." Harry focused on the reassuring presence of his wand, still tucked away inside his robes.
"Metaphorically speaking, Potter." Malfoy sounded amused. "You'd be surprised at the number of volunteers we have."
"I think I would be. Why would anyone volunteer..."
"We treat them well. In exchange for small quantities of blood, they are afforded shelter, food..."
"And an Obliviate when their usefulness expires?"
"It's not the worst outcome, is it? Times are tough, Potter. I didn't think I'd need to remind you."
"You don't," Harry snapped, and Malfoy shrugged.
He stood and offered Harry a drink, which Harry declined. Malfoy took it in stride; the gesture seemed more to bridge the uneasiness between them than an actual offer.
"Would you like a preview of what awaits you? Since you seem so interested."
Harry blinked. "I didn't think it was something that was, uh, made publicly available."
"Not usually. I could make an exception. Sometimes our donors are more at ease after seeing a demonstration."
***
The vampire who'd been Harry's escort, and her human donor, were in the sitting room below. The upper floor stretched high enough to give Harry just enough of a sense of security from where he stood, leaning against the railing and trying to be inconspicuous. Curious vampires, Malfoy had called them. Harry had no desire to draw attention to himself.
Malfoy leaned on his elbows next to Harry. "Some say the experience is pleasurable."
"When you were bitten, was it pleasurable for you?"
"Every individual experiences it differently."
There were obviously some things that Malfoy was not going to answer.
Below, the couple embraced, looking for all the world like two lovers.
"She could choose his wrist, of course," Malfoy whispered, as the vampire stood, taking the man with her. "But I doubt she will."
"Why not?"
She smiled as the man exposed his neck.
"The neck is personal. Intimate. He's been in our service for three months, and we've become quite... familiar."
Harry turned to look at Malfoy, but all his attention was focused on the couple.
"Watch," Malfoy said, and Harry found he couldn't look away. "Watch his face."
Harry felt the exact moment that the vampire bit the donor. The man's body stiffened and for a moment, he was fighting her, struggling.
Malfoy's voice seemed to crawl up Harry's back. "It always hurts a little."
The pain seemed to dissipate as quickly as it came. The man's expression changed to one of rapture. His hand curved around the vampire's back and his eyes closed.
Harry swallowed against the tightness in his throat. Before the night was over, he would be in that position. His hand would be twisting in Malfoy's hair.
Volunteers, Malfoy had called them. But Harry's choice in the matter had really been no choice at all.
His stomach clenched and rolled and his breathing hitched. He was taking a step backward before he even knew he was doing so.
Malfoy was watching him. "Potter-"
"I need some air," Harry said, and pushed past Malfoy before breaking into a run.
***
Harry pressed himself up against the side of a small alcove, trying to breathe. He crossed his arms around his body to keep his hands from shaking. He wasn't running away. He was having a small setback.
It will be more difficult and complicated than you could ever expect, Dumbledore had told him. There are intricacies and grey areas, and it will be hard to separate your emotions. Harry had nodded and had signed his name to the bottom of the parchment anyway.
Remus hadn't wanted him to do this, but he'd never outright voiced his opinion. Harry had known from the questioning look in his eyes every time they talked. But they needed all the allies they could get, and even Remus hadn't been able to bring himself to try to talk Harry out of his decision.
He wondered which of them had known it would be Draco Malfoy taking his blood, and why they hadn't told him.
With a long, deep sigh, Harry sank down into a crouch.
"Changed your mind?"
Malfoy's shoes appeared in Harry's line of vision. Harry dropped his hands and glared up at him. "I'm still here, aren't I? I'm not breaking our deal."
"You're overreacting. It's just a small amount of blood."
"You don't seriously believe that, do you? It's never just blood. Vold-" Harry exhaled and scrubbed his hands over his face. He couldn't afford to be reacting like this, especially not here, and not now. Especially not in front of Malfoy. "You wouldn't understand."
"Maybe. Maybe not. Come on, Potter. Let me show you the gardens."
Harry frowned as Malfoy pulled him to his feet. His hands were cool. "Are you being nice to me?"
Malfoy threw a quick smile over his shoulder. "I wouldn't dream of it."
***
"So I don't actually know what half of these plants are. I inherited them from my predecessor." Malfoy paused to pinch a fragrant white flower from its stem.
"Jasmine," Harry said quietly, and Malfoy nodded.
"I know which plants are poisonous and which you probably shouldn't get too close to, which suits me for now, until I get more settled in my new role. This one, for example? Interesting enough to look at, if you like that sort of thing. Touch it, though, and you'll have boils in places you wouldn't have thought possible."
"Fascinating," Harry said, this time not sparing even a look. He really wanted this night to be over. He wanted to go home, and make decisions that hadn't been tainted by other people's agendas. He would start with a cup of tea, and go from there. It wasn't too much to ask, was it?
He realized Malfoy had stopped rambling and was looking at him.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Malfoy's stare began to feel uncomfortable and Harry felt compelled to qualify his statement. "It's just... you... you're different. And I don't mean in the obvious way. It's how you speak. How you've been acting." Towards me, Harry finished in his head.
Malfoy shrugged. "It's mostly out of necessity. There are certain expectations for my behavior. Believe me, there are times when I wish I was back at Hogwarts, taunting Gryffindors, and sneaking off to Honeydukes to spend too much money on sweets. But I can't. You understand, I think."
"It's war," Harry agreed softly. "There are always sacrifices."
Malfoy nodded. "You won't believe me, but I've missed you, Potter. You remind me of when my life used to be simple."
"Simplicity is an illusion."
"This really is hard for you." Malfoy sounded surprised.
"Don't."
"And it's not about the blood. Not all of it, anyway." He tilted his head and Harry turned completely away.
"I said, don't."
Harry started walking away, but Malfoy grabbed his hand. "Potter."
"What?"
Malfoy's gaze raked over his, and for a moment, Harry's mind went entirely blank.
"Let's finish this."
Harry shook his head to clear it. "What? Now? I thought..."
"It'd be easier for you, wouldn't it?"
"Since when did you ever care about making things easy for me?"
His hand was still in Malfoy's grasp, and neither of them were letting go. "This is not about easy. This is about doing what must be done."
Malfoy pulled him closer, catching Harry with his gaze.
"I'm tired of doing what has to be done," Harry said, not knowing why he was saying these things to Malfoy that he couldn't admit to anyone, not Ron, not Hermione, not anyone else. Sometimes not even himself. "Lately all I've wanted is an excuse to let go."
As Harry watched, Malfoy rubbed Harry's wrist against his cheek. He turned Harry's hand and then, without breaking eye contact, slowly brought it to his mouth. Harry felt the press of Malfoy's lips first, plush and soft, and then his tongue.
Harry's pulse jumped at the small caress and-oh-Malfoy felt it too, making an appreciative noise in the back of his throat. Harry could barely breathe.
"I can give you that."
The sharp pain was almost unexpected. Harry whimpered and pulled away instinctively as Malfoy's fangs punctured skin and blood vessels and brushed nerves. It hurt, as Malfoy had promised, and this was crazy, what had Harry been thinking when he'd agreed to do this?
But Malfoy was staring at him again, long and unfathomable, and the pain was borne away. He barely noticed sliding to his knees, only that Malfoy was holding him upright. The scent of jasmine was very close now and he felt beautifully detached from the world, anchored only by the weight of Malfoy's gaze.
***
"You'll be drowsy and weak for a few hours," Malfoy was saying, and Harry realized he'd been listening to Malfoy talk to him for a short while now as he regained awareness. "It's normal. The bite itself will be tender for maybe a day, but will heal without a trace."
Harry opened his eyes and found himself being set down carefully on the grass. They were outside, and the landscape looked markedly different. Malfoy had likely Apparated both of them to the predetermined meeting place. He looked up at Malfoy and couldn't read his expression.
"They'll be coming for you shortly. As for the contract, your obligations have been fulfilled; when the time comes, you can expect the same of ours." He made to stand up, and Harry only barely managed to snag his robe.
"What happened?" he said. His head was swimming but he felt curiously peaceful. "Afterwards?"
Malfoy touched his hand. "You slept." Kneeling down again, Malfoy retied the bracelet he'd taken around Harry's bandaged wrist. "Should we meet again, perhaps it will be for pleasure, and not business. I think I'd like that."
"Same," Harry whispered, but Malfoy was already leaving, a dark shape limned against the lightening pre-dawn sky.
The End.