"I'm afraid your dinner will have to wait, Nagini. I will give this one a chance to pay for his father's failures. Does that sound fair, Draco?" his master hissed, like his pet.
"Thank you for your mercy, master," he whispered, barely moving his lips. Finally, the snake slithered away to terrorize someone else, and Draco waited for his torturer to tell him what to do.
"Get on your knees."
Merlin, Draco hated that phrase, but he did as his master commanded. There was no help coming, not even from his mother. She knew defiance meant death, for both of them. 
"Hold out your arm. It's time to take your father's place at my side," he declared.
Draco shook and felt the blood drain. This can't be happening! He wasn't even of age, yet. But the Dark Lord raised his wand and pointed it at his arm. He didn't hear the incantation, but he felt the searing, binding pain of the Dark Mark being branded into him. He screamed and cradled his arm to his chest. The Dark Lord flung him into the wall with his wand.
"Stop whimpering!" he ordered, viciously. 
Draco had to beat back his tears and get up, unable to let go of his forearm. His right hand covered the blackened Dark Mark like it would undo what had been done. He stared up at his master in fear as it was never over with him.
"Draco... you are mine, now. Mine forever... and you will obey me. You have a new family, now, and you can never leave."
Draco sucked in a breath at his words as he pulled his cursed arm tight to his chest. Tainted is what he was. The Dark Lord's vision of family and brotherhood was beyond twisted. A calling that he could never escape from. Marked by more than brand... Draco knew he was now part of a cult that he could never be rid of. He would always be identified by his new family of killers and torturers.
"Draco!" a loud voice called out and the dream swirled.
He opened his eyes. He was on the floor, Gus was on his chest, Shadow was next to him, and Harry was kneeling at his side and looking down at him.
"Draco? Are you out of it? Gus was barking like crazy. He couldn't wake you up," Harry explained. 
Draco was still cradling his arm, covering it. Though the mark was nearly gone, it was still there like a stain forever tainting him. It was always there. It would always be there. Tears came out of his eyes, and Gus licked his nose, trying to reassure him.
Harry gently touched his shoulder. "It's okay, Draco. You're safe here. You're not back there. You're free."
He choked and turned his head away from all of them. He could never be free of it. It was permanent. Harry didn't say anything, but reached down to slowly pry Draco's fingers off his own arm. He didn't easily let go, but Harry managed it, and one of his hands took his, and the other rested on his curse mark. Draco was shaking and starting to panic. The Dark Mark was the symbol of everything he did wrong.
"Draco, breathe, okay? Big, deep breaths."
Draco slowly did, but was still looking away from him. He felt just as open as he was when he was attacked. He was waiting for the rejection, the rebuff from Harry, who was tracing his thumb over Draco's mark. He was going to remember what family Draco really belonged to.
Harry frowned and he just knew what he was thinking about. His voice was soft, "Taking this... wasn't your choice, Draco."
Draco cringed and shook his head. It didn't matter. He was a marked traitor to all wizardkind, and he wouldn't be accepted back. He tried to pull his arm away, but Harry didn't let go.