Rated R

Pairings: HP/DM HP/TR

Severus Snape floo'd into Riddle Mansion's main fireplace. He immediately heard a soft *pop* and turned around to see Gilly the house elf standing next to him. "The master is in the guest room. He is waiting for the healing potions for his guest's wounds now, sir." Severus nodded and walked out of the main hall.

Severus had been wondering all day who this 'special guest' was. Voldemort had refused to tell him, but seemed very excited over the past two days, practically begging for the potion to be ready in time for their arrival. It was clear that Lucius knew, as he smirked at him everytime he inquired about it.

**********************************

Lucius Malfoy sat down to dinner in his dining room with his lovely wife, Narcissa, and his beautiful son, Draco. "You should see him, Ciss," Lucius said, "he looks just like he did when we first met him, younger maybe."

Narcissa smiled softly at her husband, wiggling her eyebrows. "He was rather handsome at one time, if I remember correctly." Lucius rolled his eyes... women.

Draco stared at his father intently, wanting to hear more about Potter being there, than what the Dark Lord looks like now. "So, father, tell me what happened with Potter?"

Lucius laughed, and set his fork down on his plate. "He wrote Voldemort a letter asking him to kill him. Said he would be in London, outside The Leaky Cauldron. So he sent myself and Wormtail over to pick him up. He was just sitting there, on the side of the road." Lucius rolled his eyes. "What a fool. It was too easy, he didn't even fight back."

Draco was enthralled. "Did Voldemort kill him?"

Lucius shook his head. "No, I don't think he did, yet. After he drank that potion, he was in such great spirits, I doubt he'll kill the boy today. Maybe he'll wait until he's feeling a bit less... giddy."

Narcissa frowned. "Giddy? The Dark Lord was... giddy?"

Lucius smiled brightly and reached for his goblet of wine. "Who knows, maybe he'll keep him alive, since the boy wanted to die, and all. Might be a worse punishment. He sounded that way while we were in his chambers."

Draco laughed. "I'd like to see him, that is.. if he's still alive. It would just make my day." said Draco, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Lucius shrugged. "Maybe at Christmas. I'll arrange it with Voldemort." They continued laughing and joking throughout dinner.

****************************************

Voldemort rested Harry's head against the back of the tub as his body sunk into the warm water. He hissed as the water touched his back.

Frowning, the Dark Lord pulled the boy forward to see what the problem was. He sneered when he saw the numerous bruises and cuts, many appearing to be scratches, running up and down Harry's backside. "The muggle, your uncle, he did this?" he asked.

Harry shuddered, trying to block out his uncle's wrath and the fact that Voldemort was giving him a bath. "I survived it." he replied, bluntly.

He laid the boy back again. "Wash your hair, get the blood out." he said, handing Harry some shampoo.

Severus quickly knocked on the restroom door, anxious to see who was on the other side.

Voldemort looked over and told him to enter. "Help me bathe this boy, Severus. I'm no good at this."

Harry closed his eyes and a small cry escaped his throat at the sight of his potions master standing over him.

Severus looked down and gasped loudly. "Har.. Harry Potter." he said without blinking. He immediately snapped his mouth shut and looked at Voldemort, smiling.

Voldemort's eyes grew narrow, but said nothing.

Harry cringed and turned his head away from the two.

"Finish washing your hair, boy!" Voldemort shouted, as the boy glared down at the water, running his fingers back into his bloody scalp.

Voldemort grinned evilly. "Surprised, Severus? Let me explain." he began, watching Snape's eyes scan over Harry, his jaw muscles clenching and unclenching. "Harry wrote me a letter a few days ago, asking me to meet him outside of the Leaky Cauldron."

Snape's eyes flickered in shock. "Why would you do that, Potter?" he asked, as a slight sneer grew on his face.

"I wanted him to kill me." Harry said, bravely.

Snape shook his head softly. "Why would you do that? Why wouldn't you just.. I don't know.. kill yourself?"

Harry fumed. "Because I've gone bloody mad, ok? Fuck you, Snape..." He said back, staring eye to eye with the onyx-eyed man.

Voldemort chuckled, patting the boy’s shoulder. He signaled for Severus to sit on the edge of the tub, along side him.

Severus sat down reluctantly without taking his eyes off the boy. The ever mystery of that child would never be understood.

Harry looked up again at Severus and narrowed his brow, then looked away again quickly.

"Wormtail was touching and hurting my guest, Severus. I caught him in here a few minutes ago."

Severus' eyebrows shot up into his greasy, black hair. "You don't say?" he replied. "Whatever are you to do with him then, my Lord?"

Voldemort smiled. "I was thinking about letting sweet Harry here decide his fate." He then gestured towards the boy, who looked back at him with wide eyes. "He does so seem to hate the man, and it might be interesting to see what dark thoughts lie beneath that innocent face."

Harry's mouth dropped open and his eyes refused to blink as he soaked in what was just said.

***********************************************

Draco Malfoy signaled his house elves to take his belongings out to the main hall once he finished packing. He removed his robes and climbed into his large, four poster bed, sliding into the soft, satin sheets. "Nox!" he said and the lights in his room dimmed down to a soft glow. He wanted to get an early start for tomorrow. He loved the train ride on the Hogwarts express.

He loved to torment Potter and his odd friends. Draco frowned. No Potter this year. That damned Weasel and the mudblood wouldn't be as fun to torment without Potter. He was the main reason he even bothered speaking to any of them.

Draco shifted around in bed to get comfortable, suddenly feeling a bit empty. 'I wonder how the mudblood will react when she can't find Potter on the train.' he thought. 'The Weasel will come looking for me, I'll have to act as innocent as possible. Well.. maybe not too innocent, they'll suspect something if I deny everything.'

Draco shrugged the thoughts away and concentrated on quidditch. 'Hmm.. no Potter as seeker anymore.' He frowned again. What fun would chasing the snitch be if you can't humiliate and attack Potter while doing it? Practically every fun thought of being at Hogwarts involved Potter in one way or another. Draco sat up in bed and pulled his knees to his chest. 'I actually miss the big prat!' he thought. This isn't good, this is bad, very bad. 'No no, clear out! Potter should only be masturbation material, and that's that.'

Draco climbed out of bed and walked over to his mirror. "Lumos." he said, and the lights in his room returned bright. He ran his thin, pale fingers through his silver-blond hair softly. "He's pretty, but I'm gorgeous." he said to his reflection. His grey eyes stared back at him and he grinned at himself. "He's

still a boy, I'm a man now."

Draco, indeed was a man now, standing tall and broad in the chest. "Damn..." Draco frowned, turning away from his mirror. "Why in the fuck did you turn yourself in, you idiot! So stupid..." Draco flung himself on his bed and curled up under his sheets. Maybe he could see Potter again, sneak over to Voldie's place and.. 'What am I thinking? Sneak over to the dark lord's home to see Potter? Have I finally lost it?' Draco kicked himself mentally.

***************************************

Harry flinched as Voldemort finally shouted "Blink!" at him. He blinked many times and gasped as the Dark Lord reached over and closed his mouth for him.

Severus covered his laugh with a sharp cough. "Well, Harry? How would you punish the rat?"

Harry clenched his teeth. "I'd send him to the Ministry of Magic and have him kissed." he replied.

Voldemort frowned. "That's too easy. Wouldn't you like to see him cursed, or beaten, or both?"

Severus interrupted. "I believe he's thinking about his godfather, my Lord. Sirius Black."

Voldemort nodded. "Ah yes, he's your godfather, that's right. Still on the run, eh?"

Harry nodded. "You said yourself you don't like others taking credit for your work. Sirius should be free. He's suffered long enough."

Voldemort laughed long and hard, causing Harry to see red. He dug his fingernails into his hips to calm his anger, threatening to flood over. "Harry, my boy, as much as I'd love to see Wormtail suffer under the kiss, I'm afraid I do not send my people to the other half. Think of something else."

The calming potion Harry drank began to wear off, and the trembling returned full force. Severus, ever the watchful one, noticed the effects immediately and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small flask and uncorked it, holding it to Harry's lips. "Drink this, Potter." he said, tipping it up. "What are his injuries, my Lord?" Severus asked.

"Oh yes, I almost forgot. He has a lot of marks on his backside. Then Wormtail bashed his head on the tub, he looks like he has a concussion, or something." Harry sank down in the tub to wash the suds from his hair. When he came back up, Voldemort handed him a bar of soap. "Scrub all that filth off your body, boy. Severus needs to check you over for other injuries." Harry sighed, just wanting to die.

Voldemort walked from the restroom to the bedroom, and sat in the overstuffed chair. Thoughts of Harry lying on the floor clouded his mind. 'He's a weakness,..' he thought to himself, 'but all dark lord's need a weakness, don't they?'