Third Place - Angst

The dungeons were a bit more damp then usual. He wondered if Peeves had been messing with the plumbing again. The walls almost dripped and there was definitely a chill. Perhaps he should go up to look for Malfoy instead of waiting down here for him. Harry turned around and started heading back the way he came when he spotted someone just down the corridor. They locked eyes and stared at each other, both coming to a standstill at each end of the hallway.

"Mr. Potter. Aren't you supposed to be hidden away in your tower weeping about your lot in life?"

"I've decided against that, actually."

"Ah, so you have chosen to go on courageously in the face of adversity."

"You know, why don't you come a bit closer and say that."

Professor Snape narrowed his eyes at Harry's challenging tone. "You have decided to go about alone so that you can prove how mighty you are, oh Great Wizard? Perhaps provoke the beasts into showing themselves so that you may vanquish them."

"Nope. You'll be glad to hear this, sir." Harry spread his arms out wide. "I am embracing my animal like tendencies. I am going to be a good little submissive whatever and settle down to a life of compliance and degradation. No more rule breaking, no more free will. It'll be great. So, do you want me or should I just keep looking for Malfoy?"

Snape's brow lowered at the obvious carelessness in the boy's voice. For once he wished he were out of his dungeons so that he could see Harry's face a bit better to gauge the emotion in it. The lighting in the hallways left something to be desired, but he certainly was not going any closer for a look.

"So," Snape said slowly, "you are giving up?"

"Is there any another option? Is there some way to change the circumstances I am in?" Harry asked flippantly.

"No."

"Then yes, I am giving up."

Snape could not for the life of him think of anything to say. The young man had stripped everything down to its brass tacks. There really was no other solution. Lucius was arranging surveillance of the school and Hogsmead at this very moment. Harry would not be able to run without being followed. Draco was wholeheartedly refusing to ever go back on the potion and Dumbledore was hitting brick walls dealing with the Ministry. In the end it would come to this. He was simply amazed that Harry would accept that in less than twenty-four hours. It was even a bit disconcerting.

"Have you any idea of what will be expected of you? Of what you are to expect?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "No, but when have I ever?" The boy had a point.

Snape had not expected to have to deal with this in his lifetime. There was a strong compulsion to step closer, to just take the few steps closer that would allow him to bathe in the scent. The scent that Draco had forced him to become aware of last night. It had been staggering and Snape strongly wanted it again. Just a few steps and the boy would be his, would do what ever he wanted and that was almost too much to conceive of.

Snape took a step back.

He was a teacher. He was going to hold to the rules and ethics of his profession and not molest his students. He would stay away from Potter and count the days until that damn root was harvested. Spinning on his heel, Snape walked away.

Harry watched the black-clad figure disappear deeper into the dungeons. Shrugging his shoulders he turned towards the stairs and made his way back up. McGonagall had mentioned a private garden which meant that Malfoy's new room was probably up here anyway. Dinner had only ended half an hour ago which meant it was still early enough for students to be up roaming around. Checking down a few corridors Harry started to laugh to himself. Now it was him chasing Malfoy!

"Off without your bodyguards?"

Harry stopped and turned to his right. There stood his quarry just stepping through a doorway about fifteen feet away. Harry waited but he still felt like himself so he decided he had better get things out of the way while he still could.

"Hello, Malfoy," he greeted cordially.

Malfoy raised an eyebrow. "Hmm. Ok, then. Hello, Potter," he said sardonically. He took a step forward and Harry took a quick step back holding his hands up.

"Wait."

Draco stopped and cocked his head to the side, a questioning smirk on his face. "Yes?"

"Look, I'm here to make a deal with you."

Draco narrowed his eyes, considering Harry with a heatedly intent look before visibly relaxing himself. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the doorjamb. "Fine. I'll humor you." Harry took a deep breath and began.

"Ok. Here's the deal. I'm willing to walk over and get this over with if you promise a few things." Draco negligently waved his hand for Harry to continue. "First, you promise not to make me do anything humiliating in front of my friends or anywhere that they may show up or anywhere that they may hear about it."

Draco looked at him a moment and then nodded his head. "Fine. I agree. But you should have defined 'humiliating'. Anything else?"

"That if we have any," Harry made a back and forth gesture between them, "you know�kids, then you promise that you won't hurt them or humiliate me in front of them either. And by humiliation, I mean things that are degrading to anybody's sense of self worth. I can't even begin to think of what you might do so I can't make a list." Harry paused and then thought of something else. "Oh, and you can't take them away from me. The kids, that is." Draco's eyes narrowed.

"The idea that I would hurt a child of mine is beyond insulting, Potter." He spit out.

"Ok, well, I just wanted to be clear," Harry said. "So then you agree?" Draco's face relaxed into contemplation.

"So, let me get this straight. You don't mind being humiliated as long as your friends don't know about it. So you can protect their feelings? Their sad little sensibilities? And then you want me to be nice to you in front of any children of our union and again protect their sensibilities as well?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Gods, Potter!" Draco uncrossed his arms and straightened. "A selfless hero till the end. You just can't help it, can you?" Harry just shrugged. "Fine. I agree to your terms. Of course, you have no guarantee that I shall keep our bargain."

"No, I don't. But at least I'll feel like I tried."

"So you really are intent on ending the chase now, then?" Harry nodded. Draco shook his head in wonder. "You are just going to accept it completely? The complete domination, the loss of identity, the loss of your manhood?"

"We're genderless on the inside," Harry pointed out. "At least, that's what Hermione says."

"Yes, we are. The only difference between us is that I am top and you are bottom." Draco dropped his voice to a seductive purr. "I am the dominant and you are the submissive. Do you understand that, Potter?"

Harry stared at Malfoy. Nothing was more crucial to his future than this moment.

"Yes."

"Then come here."

Harry walked to Draco.

Indago - Chapter 12

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