Harry Potter - Series Fan Fiction ❯ Beneath a Shattered Fountain ❯ Falling in Love with the Cage ( Chapter 6 )

Falling in Love with the Cage

Days passed. Another of Harry's rages came and went, safely managed now that his veela knew how to deal with the mindless anger that turned into a frightening lust. His former costume was still nowhere in sight, and he didn't ask where it had gone. He didn't care. Harry showed no interest in taking him outside, preferring instead to keep him locked inside the bedroom where no one else could see. Usually at Harry's feet, Draco marked maps of forgotten magical locations, occasionally answering Harrys' questions about several pureblood families, including his own. He didn't know why Harry wanted to know about ancient lineages but his master never let him see the papers on top of his desk, so Draco didn't ask.

One morning after breakfast, Harry hooked his fingers in Draco's collar and gently tugged him toward the trapdoor. He didn't have to tug for long. By now, Draco knew the routine. Leaving his work on the edge of Harry's desk, Draco followed him and came down the ladder, crawling beside him down the hall. As usual, the castle air was cold and the rough floor hurt his hands and knees. He didn't know when Harry would end his punishment, but the discomfort and humiliation of crawling everywhere like an animal had made an impression. Even a Malfoy would balk at telling a lie if he knew this was his punishment.

The halls they passed through were always empty, although the floor and furniture were always clean and he sometimes heard voices echoing from far away within the castle. Harry didn't tell him how the wizarding world was doing without the Ministry or about his efforts to rebuild the world the way he wanted. Whenever Harry left the bedroom, sometimes for hours, he always came back in a dark mood that Draco had to soothe away. His veela side wanted nothing more than to comfort and prove useful to his mate, and while his Malfoy blood desperately wanted to know the political realities outside, he also recognized that worming his way into Harry's trust was even more important. Knowing everything about the outside world would be useless if Harry didn't let him do anything with that knowledge.

Finally Harry led him to a familiar room. For the first time since he arrived back at Hogwarts, the former prefect bathroom looked normal again. Black scorchmarks had been scrubbed from the walls and floor, the broken masonry had been swept away, and the shattered mermaid window had been replaced with colorful stained glass. The fixtures gleamed and the floor had been polished to a smooth finish. Thick towels hung from the walls and fine bathroom accessories probably pilfered from the Ministry or wealthy houses lined the pool. Instead of looking like it had been battered by war, at last the room looked like the private bathing room of a king and his favorite pet.

As had become his habit, Draco sat on the steps leading down into the pool so he could keep his wings out of the water. If Harry wanted to use him, then he could simply turn on all fours and use the steps for a more comfortable position. Today, however, Harry seemed in a far more pensive mood and didn't make any moves toward him except to help wash his hair. After a few minutes of wondering why, Draco worked up the courage to ask.

"Today's an important day," Harry said as he used a small golden bowl to rinse Draco's hair. "I have several meetings to hold in the great hall."

"Meetings?"

"Mm-hmm. I've decided it'd be best if I just take over everything like a king, but Hermione said that kings usually have vassals under them, dukes and lords and things like that. She said it makes running the kingdom a lot easier." From the sound of his voice, Harry wasn't too happy about having to delegate authority.

"It does make things easier," Draco agreed. "A king shouldn't have to run around the countryside collecting taxes or training armies. His vassals do that for him. They're your tools, and while you use them, you also take care of them. A good monarchy is better than any other system in the world."

Harry glanced sideways at him with a small smile. "I wouldn't have thought a Malfoy would like any system where he didn't have all the power."

"A king may have all the power," Draco said, leaning close to kiss Harry's shoulder. "But I'd rather be behind the king where it's safe and no one can touch me. All we Malfoys ever wanted was to serve a king who served our interests."

Harry's smile turned cold and his hand pulled Draco's chain at an odd angle, forcing his head up as Harry stood over him. "Just remember that you serve me. No manipulating the master, you understand?"

Despite the cold collar pressing into his skin, Draco smiled and stared up with half-closed eyes. "What would be my punishment be if I tried?"

"Nothing fun, I assure you. I don't think you want to test my imagination," Harry said. "I've let you stay hidden from the rest of the world. I don't have to be so kind."

The implications of that made a litany of humiliations and punishments sound in Draco's head and he lowered his eyes. Harry had kept him crawling on cold stone for days now without a glimmer of compassion. Draco had no intention of finding out the extent of his mate's cruelty.

A knock at the door nearly made him choke as he tried to look over his shoulder. As Harry lowered his chain and let him sink down into the water, the door opened and Hermione walked in, her arms full with a paper bag.

"I've got the clothes you wanted." She looked around and set her bag on the floor next to the wall. "Both sets. Plus a brush and a comb, and Harry, please use them. Your hair's even worse than usual lately."

"You're one to talk," Harry said. "I hope you plan on looking presentable today."

With a snort, she glanced over herself. Her robes were dusty and her pockets stuffed with loose pages and a quill. "I merely look like the smart one in our trio, and guess what? I am. And if anyone criticizes me, I'll just blast them out the window."

"That reminds me," Harry said, "the piles below the windows are getting rank. You need to clean up your messes."

"Right, right..." she said, waving her hand as if it was an old topic. "I'll get rid of them tonight."

While the two of them spoke, Draco sank so low into the water that only his eyes showed, and even then he sidled up as close as he could to Harry, trying to keep his wings both tightly curled and above the water. He figured he looked ridiculous but it was better than sitting naked in front of a crazed Gryffindor. As he cowered behind Harry, he felt his mate's damp hand rest on top of his head, gently stroking his hair. The touch was reassuring and he leaned his face on Harry's hip, closing his eyes.

"You really do have him tamed, don't you?" Hermione said, raising an eyebrow. "Is he purring?"

"I don't think veelas can purr," Harry said. "And he's not tame yet. It'll be awhile before I let him off his leash."

Malfoy frowned. Being treated like an animal was one thing, but he really hated being chastised in front of her. But Harry's hand pushed away his wet hair and brushed his cheek, and Malfoy didn't try to stop himself from nuzzling his master's skin. Veela blood, he decided, could be a nuisance or a delight. There would always be time for schemes and plans. Right now giving into those urges made him feel much better and made it easier to ignore the mudblood.

"Well, go on," Harry murmured. "You can't do that and expect not to finish me off."

Draco glanced up and found that his ministrations had had an effect. He moved around in front of Harry and sank under the water, wrapping his mouth around the erect shaft. It didn't bother him that he couldn't breathe.

After a moment, Harry grabbed the edge of the pool as he panted, hips thrusting uncontrollably into his veela's mouth. Draco put his arms around Harry, digging his fingers into his ass so he wouldn't fall, and in a few seconds he was pressed up against the wall as his master came, shuddering once. While Harry leaned against the edge catching his breath, Draco waited underwater, his mouth still around Harry as his lungs started to burn.

Finally Harry withdraw and pulled Draco back to his feet, holding him still and not letting him wipe the water from his face, preferring to do that for him. "I forgot you couldn't breathe down there."

"I'm all right," Draco said. "You said...you said you'd never hurt me. I trust you."

"Good veela," Harry said, his mouth quirking into a wry grin. "I know you don't like being treated like a pet, but you make it so easy. Right, Hermione?"

With a frightened gasp, Draco remembered why he'd huddled so close to Harry in the first place and whirled. Instead of her mocking face, though, the door was closed and the room empty except for themselves. He breathed out shakily and yielded as Harry turned him back around.

"I wouldn't use you in front of others," Harry whispered, curling his hair behind his ear, "not since you've been good. But you understand what I mean about punishments now?"

When Draco nodded, Harry kissed him and walked out of the pool, picking up one of the towels and drying off as he went to pick up the paper bag. He smiled when he looked inside and dropped the towel, patting his hip to call his veela over.

Crawling on all fours up the steps, Draco winced as he crossed the floor. Cold and rough, the bathroom floor hurt worse than any other part of the castle. His wet wings added several pounds onto his hands and knees and made his punishment for lying hurt even more. Knowing that it was cheating, he crawled all the way onto the dropped towel, using the thick cloth as a brief respite from the stone.

"You've been crawling for almost two weeks," Harry said. He reached down and put his fingertips under Draco's chin, tilting his head back so he could look into his eyes. "Two weeks for one little secret. Have you learned your lesson?"

Draco nodded once.

"And you won't ever tell lies or keep any more secrets, correct?"

Another silent nod.

"Good. Stand up."

After so long, it felt strange to have stone under his feet again, to be able to look down at Harry instead of arching back to glance at him from several feet below. The long hours spent with his head hanging made him accustomed to keeping his head bowed, and he wondered if Harry had done that intentionally.

"Don't do anything bad and I won't have to punish you again," Harry said, stroking his face. He paused for a kiss, then smiled and looked into Draco's eyes. "But of course you will."

"I might not," Draco said, but he didn't sound confident to himself.

"You're a Malfoy. You can't help it."

Without waiting for a reply, Harry turned and pulled a black outfit from the bag. "Put this on and turn around."

Draco took what turned out to be a dark match for his white costume and stepped into it, slipping his arms into the sleeves and waiting for Harry to tie the strings in back. The only difference was that it was more modest, coming down to his knees.

"I had Madame Malkin make several of these for you," Harry said, kissing the back of his throat as he tied a bow. "I didn't think you'd like being in public in your white outfit."

So Harry was going to parade him in front of the world regardless of punishments. At least he wouldn't be completely humiliated. Draco lowered his head. "Thank you, master," he mumbled.

"Oh, don't be like that," Harry said. "I want everyone to see my veela, but I especially want them to see the Malfoy family at my side."

"The powerful Malfoys in chains at your feet," Draco whispered. "I understand."

"No," Harry said, coming around to face him. "A Malfoy who knows everything about wizard society, knows all the wealthiest families and their agendas, things that they might have hoped to slip by me. A Malfoy who will hold no secrets from me. They will see you and fear me even more not because you're in chains but because all of your knowledge belongs to me."

Draco blinked. "How did you come up with that?"

Harry smiled and idly circled Draco's collar with his finger. "I have more people working for me now than just the ones you've seen."

"Who?"

"You'll see." Harry's smile spread and he clasped Draco's chains like a leash. "Come on. I want you to see the great hall before anyone arrives."

Draco spotted no one else as they walked out into the hall, but the castle was much changed from when Harry had saved him from the Ministry. Scorches and blood stains had been scrubbed off the walls and all of the portraits had been removed. In their place were long, luxurious drapes of red velvet with gold trim and sashes, but they didn't feel as if they'd been picked because they were Gryffindor colors. The red swallowed up the gold and blocked out the windows so that the whole castle stayed dark. The scant few lamps along the stairwell and along the halls only seemed to scatter shadows along the wall.

"Is it cloudy outside?" Draco whispered.

"No, it's bright and sunny," Harry said.

"It doesn't feel sunny."

"Just wait until you see the great hall."

They went down the steps and avoided the main entrance, going instead through the small door where the teachers used to come through. Draco breathed in sharply and stopped, looking around at what used to be the eating hall and what was now very obviously a throne room. Rich red tapestries lined the walls and any remaining stone was covered by the same deep red drapes from the hallways. Sheer drapes covered the windows to make the room as gloomy as the rest of the castle. White lamps lay spread along the walls to give the room a soft glow, but they didn't reach the dark ceiling that no longer looked like the sky. There were no chairs except one, a tall throne ornately carved of wood in the center of where the teachers used to eat. A red cushion lay beside it. Draco wondered if it had fallen off the throne.

"Do you like it?" Harry whispered.

"It's..." Draco put his arms around himself. He didn't want to say what he really felt but he was finally standing straight at Harry's side again. "It feels cold. It's almost like a tomb."

"It is, isn't it?" Harry kissed his cheek and led him inside. "Good veela. I know you were scared of telling me the truth. See how your punishments are really just discipline?" He didn't wait for a reply and continued.

"You don't know how I was raised. You always assumed I was fawned over like a king by my muggle relatives. The truth is the kept me locked in a tiny closet for years and treated me like less than an animal." He smiled and looked over his empty court with satisfaction. "I look forward to giving the good little wizards and witches of this world a taste of that torment."

"Locked in a closet?" Draco asked. "How did you survive?"

"Dumbledore made sure they were scared enough to feed me and give me their son's worn out clothes."

"That's it?" Draco snorted. "I'm surprised you didn't kill Dumbledore yourself."

Harry didn't answer. He pulled Draco over to the throne and sat down, forcing his veela on his knees beside him. Holding the arm of Harry's throne to steady himself, Draco sat and positioned himself on what he now realized was his cushion. While all the wizards of the land would be forced to stand in Harry's presence, the royal pet was allowed to recline.

Since no one was inside yet, he leaned over and kissed his mate's fingertips, arching in pleasure as Harry stroked his hair and down between his shoulders, scratching the spot between his wings. His wings spread out involuntarily and curled around the throne.

"Thank you for the seat," Draco whispered.

"You're quite welcome," Harry said, pleased that Draco had noticed and appreciated it. "I suppose if you misbehave a little, I could always take it away as a punishment."

"Then I hope I don't misbehave."

"You're a Malfoy," Harry said with a shake of his head. "You can't help it."

Deciding not to argue, Draco shrugged and sighed when Harry stopped scratching. He stayed on his knees and leaned on the throne, nuzzling his master's shoulder.

"So you have your Malfoy," he murmured around his kisses. "Am I to sit here and look pretty?"

"You do that anyway," Harry said. "But when everyone comes in, I want you to tell me who is who, what they want, and if they're lying. Just whisper in my ear so they don't know who you're talking about."

Now Draco understood why Harry hammered in his punishment about not lying so thoroughly. Harry knew he could trust everything his veela said simply because Draco didn't want to crawl again.

"They'll stare at me," he mumbled.

"They'll do that anyway. Don't feel bad about it. You're afraid of being punished. They're afraid of being killed or exiled and all their possessions taken." Harry pressed a kiss to his forehead and put his arm around Draco's waist, holding him snug against the throne. "They'll wish they were in your place."

But at least they would be free, Draco thought. Raising the chain that ran from his wrist to his throat, he took it between his teeth and ran his tongue over the links. He took a little satisfaction in hearing Harry's breath hitch and continued to suck on the chain.

"I doubt they'll be all that envious," Draco whispered.

Not answering, Harry put his fingertip on the chain and followed it up to Draco's mouth, tracing his lips idly. He knew Draco hated wearing those chains, but that only seemed to enhance the effect, like a bird falling masochistically in love with its cage. One day when those chains came off, Harry imagined how Draco would spread his wings and yet still remain at his side, trained to stand by him as if still collared in steel.

End