Title
: BruisesWhen Lucius Malfoy discovered his son was gay, he was disgusted. The Dark Lord, however, was delighted. Voldemort had a few spies at Hogwarts, but none of them would be able to do what Draco could. It was a well known fact that Harry Potter preferred his own gender, and not even Crabbe or Goyle were willing to do *that*.
Draco really wasn't given a choice in agreeing to Voldemort's plan. They used Imperious on him to apply the Dark Mark, and Lucius took great pleasure in his role, which involved causing as much pain to Draco as possible without breaking any bones.
He wasn't faking his tears when Harry found him in the broom shed. "Christ, Malfoy, what happened to you?"
Draco dragged a hand across his bloody lips. "What does it look like?"
"It looks like you spent most of Christmas getting run over by a truck." Harry lifted his lantern. "Make that two trucks. Are you... are you okay?"
"Why should you care?" Draco slipped into the role he'd been instructed to play. //There's no way a white hat like Harry Potter will be able to resist breaking through your tough exterior. And you will let him, boy.//
"Because you're bleeding all over the floor." Harry knelt down next to Draco, and noticed that not only was there blood everywhere, it was coming through the sleeve of his right forearm. "Bloody hell. They..."
"They fucking tortured me, alright?" Draco shut the other boy up. //Make him feel sorry for you. Make him need to help you, and in the end, he'll just need you period.//
"You need to go to the Infirmary." Harry couldn't take his eyes off that bloody sleeve. He was sure it was the Dark Mark.
"Might be a good idea." Draco pushed himself to his feet, but he could hardly stand let alone walk. "A little help, Potter?"
He slid under Draco's left arm, and supported him. "Should I conjure a stretcher?"
//Just remember you are a Malfoy. He knows this. Don't act weak, he'll suspect something.// Draco shook his head. "No need." He let a little sarcasm slip into his voice. "Did you have a nice holiday, Potter?"
"Actually, no. Ron went home for the holidays, so it was just me and my nightmares." They had almost reached the Infirmary by that point. "I set a new insomnia record."
//He's got a horrible pain in his soul. The death of his parents, not to mention Cedric Diggory weigh heavily on him. I took great pleasure in causing it, but in order for his destruction to be complete, he must utterly trust you before you betray him. Heal him, just enough to have faith in you, trust in you.// "Thanks, Potter."
"I think dragging your bloody body halfway across the school puts us on a first name basis." Harry helped him into a chair. "So, Draco, what happened to you?"
Draco looked at the ceiling as he spoke, as if he couldn't bear to look Harry in the eyes. "My father doesn't fancy having a queer son." //I made a single mistake in all the other times I have tried to destroy him. Love, in whatever form, has always saved him. His mother, his friends, that damned bird. You will not have this problem, because the love he'll have for you, will destroy him.//
Harry didn't say anything, but rolled up his pant leg. "Did you ever wonder why Kyle broke up with me?"
Kyle Stuart, a Ravenclaw in the year behind them had been with Harry for most of sixth year, but they'd broken up at the beginning of the term. And he had wondered constantly, wondered what perfect Harry Potter had done to get dumped the second day of school. Of course, he wasn't telling Harry that. "Not really, but enlighten me." He'd even asked Kyle, and the boy had just smiled sadly, and said he wasn't making a martyr out of the Boy Who Lived.
A few thin red scars ran along the back of Harry's thighs. Draco's jaw dropped. Harry had no expression on his face as he spoke. "I didn't put any magic on my journal, since I wanted to write in it. I just got a really good lock. Do you know what my uncle does for a living, Draco?"
"No." He couldn't take his eyes off those scars.
"He manufactures drill bits. They didn't much like what they found when they opened it. I probably owe Pig my life. He came to deliver a letter, and saw what was happening. Madame Pomfrey managed to heal most of it without a trace, but the some of the lashes on my legs were a little too deep. My Uncle's sister had given him a cane to use on me." Harry let his pant leg drop. "Kyle broke up with me as soon as he saw them. Threw me right out of bed, said the last thing he needed to do was fall in love with someone who would only get hurt by it."
//If you think Harry has had a happy life, you're mistaken. He's just as bruised as you are, and that is why he'll come to trust you. A couple of kicked puppies against the world.// He managed to look away. "I didn't know."
"Of course not. You weren't looking. No one was." Harry suddenly sounded very old and tired. "We aren't enemies anymore, are we? It's so hard to fight someone when you find out you're exactly alike."
Madame Pomfrey was coming, they didn't have much time. "No, I don't think we could be."
"Good, I don't need anyone else trying to kill me." Harry brushed a finger across a bruise on Draco's face. "If you ever need someone..."
"I know where to find you."
*****
Before today, Draco had never been in Dumbledore's office. He was nervous, his arm hurt, and he was pretty sure he was about to become a double agent. Dumbledore just relaxed in his chair. "What can I do for you, Mr. Malfoy?"
"I have some information for you." Draco's throat suddenly felt very dry. "Tomorrow night there's going to be an attack at The Three Broomsticks."
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "It seems Harry wasn't mistaken when he said you'd joined the Death Eaters."
"Harry has a big mouth." //Go to Dumbledore, tell him about the attack Sunday night. I have quite a few disloyal Death Eaters to get rid of in the coming months. You, young Malfoy, will be able to both aid me, and gain Potter's trust.//
"You're sure of this information? I'd hate to disappoint the Aurors."
"I was supposed to be in the raiding party, but I have a Potions test Monday. Snape asked my father to get me out of it." It was actually mostly the truth.
"I see. Tell me, Draco, why give us this information? You're putting yourself at great risk." Dumbledore leaned back, and folded his hands.
//Dumbledore will not trust you at first. My betrayal cuts him very deeply. This is why you must suffer, Draco, otherwise he will never believe.// "I'm guessing Harry didn't tell you everything." Draco held out his hands. Even with Madame Pomfrey's magic, there were still deep rents in his wrist from manacles.
Dumbledore went very pale. "I'll call the Ministry."
End of Chapter One
Author's Note: Conversation in // are Draco remember a past conversation with Lord Voldemort. Also, I am a Slytherine with He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named as her top match. Be warned.