Life Debt

Hermione sent a Patronus to announce their arrival the next day. She had no illusions that Harry and Malfoy weren't in some way sexually attracted to each other. With what Ron and Harry had told her, she knew that both of them had been subjected to repeated sexual assault over the nine months that Harry was kidnapped. It was bound to skew their perception of sex and relationships.

Neither Harry nor Draco had explained that Draco was bound to Harry before Harry made them bring him to Court, but it did make sense. Draco must have been ordered not to say anything, and Hermione wasn't sure why Harry hid it. She was concerned about how flippantly Harry had used the bond to bring Draco to heel. It was painful to watch, though she had no love for Malfoy. She kept her tongue, though, and stood by Harry. His use of the bond worked at the trial, but after, he effectively shut down Ron and her from accompanying him home.

She wasn't even sure they were at Grimwald place, but it was the best bet. Malfoy couldn't have suggested another refuge in the state that he was in when he left. He looked positively broken. Ron had expressed a similar view when he returned from witnessing an Auror condone and facilitate Yaxley raping Draco. Ron hadn't slept well since the trial and even cried a few times. He hated that he had just left Draco there to continue to be abused.

She didn't get a reply back from her Patronus, but she wasn't going to leave Harry to his own devices. Things were not settled. There was plenty to be discussed about what happened. Just because she helped Harry escape the hospital doesn't mean that he didn't need help... and it should be someone other than Draco Malfoy. She nodded to Ron and they Apparated to the front step of Grimwald Place. She knocked, waited, and hesitantly opened the door. She dispelled the Echo Charm Moody left for Snape and walked in with Ron.

"Harry? Malfoy?"

"Mione?" she heard from the den.

She walked carefully down the hall, Ron behind her with his wand drawn. "Harry?" she responded, unsure.

"In here," Harry muttered, quietly.

She rounded the corner and saw that Harry was curled on the couch. Malfoy was asleep on his chest. Harry put a finger to his lips for her to keep silent. He gently shifted Malfoy onto one of the frayed pillows and slipped out from under him. Harry Summoned his wand from the kitchen and Conjured a red, plush blanket for Malfoy. He tenderly tucked Malfoy in and stared at him to ensure that he was sleeping. Harry sighed, exhausted, then stood up and gestured for them to go to the kitchen. He put Muffliato up immediately.

"Oh, Harry... are you okay? Sorry for dropping in," Hermione said, as Harry slumped against the wall next to the door.

"It's okay. Draco fell asleep quickly, and he was practically awake since he was arrested. He needs sleep."

"And you? Did you sleep at all?" she asked.

He shook his head. "It's hard to sleep at the same time. We're so used to having one of us up and on guard, or at least he'd put up wards. But we couldn't risk getting caught. We never slept easy."

Hermione nodded to show she understood. "Harry... how are you doing? That was intense yesterday."

Harry snorted. "That was... a remanent of the old me. I had to play my part. I warned you I would."

She looked at Ron, who nodded. "You did. You didn't mention that Malfoy was bonded to you as a slave."

"It wasn't meant to be that. It was meant to remove him from Voldemort's control. I don't normally talk to him like that."

"Harry... you can't keep him in this position," she said, flatly.

"I know that," he snapped.

"Then...."

"Then what? Why haven't I released him!?" Harry cut her off. She was alarmed at his anger. "Well, that was one of the first things I talked to Draco about when we got back. He refuses to try to break it. He won't renounce me, and I... I can't just...."

"Just what?"

"I can't... disavow him."

Hermione looked at him. "Harry, just because you break your master-slave bond doesn't mean you can't... be together afterward! It's just making it...."

"I know!" he hissed, and looked angry by himself. "It's... hard. Just imagine that you have to look Ron or me in the face and tell me you want to break up our friendship... and mean it. Hermione... it's not just words. For it to work... Magic has to believe it."

Her mouth popped open. "But it's not real... it's just for the bond to break."

"I don't know if Draco can handle me saying those words... and I don't know if I can say the words. The bond is meant to be permanent. I felt Draco bind to me... it's...."

"Addicting?" Hermione offered.

Harry glared at her but then looked ashamed. "It's not...."

"Look, Harry, in the oh... fifteen hours since I started researching this bond... every book says that the master gets a power high off the bond, and the slave feels powerless and submissive."

Harry looked at the floor.

"Harry... I'm not stupid. You worded that magical oath in Court very particularly. Your 온라인카지노게임 to me... was also carefully worded. You said that Draco never did anything to you," she said, watching Harry's reaction.

He didn't meet her eyes. "I-He-We... we-we..." Harry stammered.

"Hey... Harry," Ron said, stepping in closer. "Hey... we aren't judging you... or him. We're your friends."

"I know. You-You don't understand... you can't understand," he said, rambling.

"I know we can't... but we are concerned... for you and him," Ron said, quietly. "Come on, sit down at the table and relax. We aren't grilling, yeh. Just try to explain."

Harry sat down at the table and buried his face in his hands. "I don't know how to explain."

"And I need to know that Draco's going to be okay with you," Ron said, pointedly.

Hermione gave Ron a look. She never expected those words to come out of Ron's mouth.

Harry didn't either. "You... call him Draco?"

"I walked in on him getting...."

"Raped?" Harry said bluntly, and Hermione flinched.

"Yeah... and he... he just accepted it... like it was normal."

Harry nodded and took Ron's hand. "It was... it was our normal. He had to watch me... be raped and tortured... and then I had to watch him. Weeks... months... every day. He... he taught me... let them have my body... and protect my mind."

Ron squeezed his hand and glanced at Hermione to keep quiet. "It's okay."

"It's not okay... I was breaking... and I just-I just wanted... comfort. I never... been with anyone before. He just held me and it felt good. I wanted... feel something real," Harry rambled.

Hermione was really starting to worry that he'd crack, but Ron tried to help, "Okay... it's okay...."

"It was before... before the bond. I asked him to... and he wouldn't... he wouldn't do it."

"He let you... top?" Ron asked.

Harry looked at him and nodded. "He refused to top... cause... I was the one being tortured. It's always been that way. I don't make him... do it."

"Okay, Harry... I'm sorry we asked, but I need to make sure you're both safe."

"And talk about getting rid of the bond," Hermione insisted.

"No," a voice said, appearing in the doorway. Hermione looked and saw Draco had entered the discussion.

"Draco," Harry said, looking at him, and Hermione could see Harry visibly relax.

"This is between Harry and I," Draco said.

"Draco... it might have been... until Harry brought it up in front of the whole Wizengamot. They aren't going to let you keep it on."

Draco looked away. "Maybe... maybe not."

Hermione couldn't help but notice that Harry was now nonverbal, his head tilted toward Draco. Draco was protecting him. She pressed on. "It's illegal to have this bond."

"You know some magical way to dissolve the bond? That's not on us?"

"We can find someone to remove it."

"Who? And would we trust them? The Dark Lord was just destroyed. He had many allies."

"We won't leave you alone with them. There has to be a way!"

"Sure... go head and try to dissolve it then, but you heard that old Auror. It's permanent. And I'm not going to willingly do it!" Malfoy said, angrily.

"We aren't going to make you, but the Ministry can decide to intervene."

"And who are they going to arrest? Harry for casting it or me for swearing my absolute loyalty to him? Or both of us?" Draco sneered.

Ron stepped forward and grabbed Hermione's shoulder. "Mione... Harry's the one that will probably get in trouble. I think we will have to let them figure it out on their own. This is Grimwald Place... they are safe here."

She didn't look convinced. "It's wrong, though."

Draco looked to Harry, who lowered his head. After a moment, Harry whispered, "It's how we survived, Hermione. You can't rip us apart without hurting us. I need him... you know that. I told you when I was in the hospital. He keeps me here. Yesterday was... survival. I needed to play the part. I didn't break Draco... and Draco didn't break me. They broke us and we only had each other to latch onto."

"Harry... Draco... this power imbalance... it's wrong. You can't live like this," she stated.

Draco growled, "We did live like this! Weeks... months... spent healing and taking care of each other."

"You two can have a relationship without the master/slave bond," she argued.

"I can't break it. I gave my mind, body and soul to Potter. I didn't do it lightly or on a whim. It wasn't even just to escape the Dark Lord. It was done with my own free will... because I love him. I don't know if I could survive without him. I knew that before I said the words. I was his to command before he put his Mark on me. I was bound to him from the life debt bond, before he Marked me. So, now the difference is less internal arguing and more pain."

"How is that better?"

Harry grimaced. "I'm learning not to order him around. It's not good to do in a relationship, anyway."

"Harry... I don't think that Robards was right in what he said or how he acted, but... he did raise some good points in regards to your mental health. I know that you think that what you and Draco have is normal...."

"It's not normal, Hermione. We're not normal. I don't know if I can be 'normal', again! You know that there's only one person who has a chance to heal my mind, and that's Draco. I'll never let anyone else in my head," Harry said, staring at the floor. "You're right about the power of the master/slave bond. I recognize that. I've never used the power I have when we had sex."

Draco blushed and looked away. "You talked about that while I was sleeping?"

Harry shrugged. "But this is all so new... this freedom. The notion that people aren't going to torture us hasn't really left me. I haven't even accepted that I am free. Look... thank you for listening to me and standing by my side in the courtroom. It means a lot... and more to know that you came here for Draco's sake, as much as mine. Thank you for being so considerate of him.

"But we need time... give us some... let us heal. Come over every few days with food supplies and spend some time with us. You will see that Draco takes care of me... and I will take care of Draco," Harry finished.

Hermione looked at Ron, who nodded and said, "Alright, Harry... Draco. We'll send over some food and be back in two days with more."

"I can cook!" Harry said, happy at that idea.

"That sounds great, Harry."

"Thank you for your concern," Draco said.

As Harry walked them to the door, "Mione... thanks and would you...."

"Yes?" she asked, ready to give him the world if he needed it.

"Can you handle destroying the Minister and Aurors for what they did?"

Hermione's eyes flashed. "Of course. Destroying power-hungry fascists is my specialty."

Harry gave her a big smile and suddenly hugged her. She tentatively put her arms around him but embraced him. "I missed you... both of you. I didn't know what happened for the longest time. Thank you for believing in me and rescuing Draco."

"I love you, Harry. You can't imagine what it was like after the Battle and thinking you were... dead. I'm sorry I believed it. We could have...."

"There was nothing you could have down. Malfoy Manor was too heavily warded. It was a great deception. Voldemort covered all the bases. I don't blame you. Please don't blame yourself," Harry mumbled, letting go.

He couldn't look into her eyes too long before he turned to Ron to hug him, too. "Thanks for watching out for Draco... even without my asking."

Ron squeezed him harder and started sobbing. "Y-You're really alive. I-I thought... mate... I lost you, F-Fred, and G-Ginny. It was too much. We've been to a mind healer, but... it doesn't make it hurt any less."

"I'm sorry about Fred and Ginny. I... I never had time to really grieve for them. One day... will you take me to their graves? And Remus, Tonks and Snape?

Ron let out another snuffle. "Y-Yeah... yeah... we can do that. It'd be nice."

Harry patted him on the back, and Hermione led her fiancé out the door.