Trigger Warning for this chapter- not sexual, but definitely some heavy situations- pretty much a temporary, semi-mild mind break. 

Harry scrubbed his hands through his hair, walking towards Draco's room feeling frustrated. Hermione had told her about her visit and how Draco didn't seem quite right and warned him to not directly apparate in like he had last time. She'd told him that she pushed boundaries and she knew he didn't mean it, but Harry didn't like it anyway. Rut or not, Draco shouldn't resort to childish taunts about blood status- that's not the Draco he wanted to date. Not the Draco that he wanted to like- and it was about time that they established boundaries.

Harry had asked Hermione where she'd gone the second she'd gotten back to their study period, and Harry didn't bother waiting till after dinner to go see him.

Draco looked excited to see him for all of three seconds before seeing the look on his face and immediately shrinking back slightly, tentatively holding up a piece of parchment. "I'm already working on my apology."

Harry huffed slightly, pointing at the cuffs, not saying anything. Draco sighed and stood, taking an anti-magic potion before he did so, leaving the parchment behind as he clipped both hands into the restraints, shifting uncomfortable as Harry cast the spell that would allow him to walk through the bars, solidifying behind him. 

"There are lines you don't cross, Draco," Harry started, crossing his arms over his chest. "Making fun of my friends? Already a line. Making fun of my friends blood status? So far over the fucking line you might as well have crossed into a new goddamn country!"

Draco flinched. "I... I didn't mean it."

"Does it matter if you didn't mean it? You still said it! You're lucky she understood you were on your rut and didn't take offense because there is one thing I do not tolerate and it's fucking with my friends. Had she come back upset in the least, I... Merlin, I don't know what I'd do!"

"If she's not upset then why do you care?" Draco asked, his voice low and far less understanding than before. "Why can't you understand like she did?"

"Because she's not the one dating you! She's not the one who has to live with the fact that her boyfriend was- and sometimes still is- a prejudiced, racist asshole!"

"So you just have to deal with me, huh?" Draco gnashed his teeth, leaning forward so far that his arms were pulled behind him as he glared at Harry, eyes flashing dangerously. "That's all I am and ever will be, your goddamn charity case!"

"You're not a charity case, Draco, don't be absurd."

"Absurd? I'm the one being absurd?" Draco tugged at the restraints, seemingly wanting them off. "You're the one berating me for something stupid! You aren't my goddamn mother!"

"If you keep insulting my friends I'll end up having to be!"

"Oh yeah? And what would you know about being a mother? Not like you had the best role model growing up!"

Harry felt into a stunned silence, but looking into Draco's eyes he could sense no remorse coming from the blond. It was purely anger and rut.

So, gritting his teeth, he simply turned on his heels and, with a flourish that would make Snape proud, disapparated as far away from Draco as possible.

-

Five hours later, Harry was sitting in the common room brooding about his fight with Draco. How were they gonna be three days into their relationship and already have a fight?

"- I was thinking about those cuffs and about if they could be used in the ministry with some adaptations. I mean, obviously the person can't get out unless they're released, but do you think it applies to just the one person or anyone who isn't currently cuffed?" Ron made an intelligent grumbling noise and shrugged. She rolled her eyes. "Harry? Do you think powerful wizards could get out of them without external foul play?"

Harry shrugged, similarly to Ron. "I don't think so. I think if they were cuffed and then left they'd be stuck there I-" Harry's eyes widened, abruptly standing. "I have to go. I'll be back."

He'd never uncuffed Draco, over five hours ago. Cursing, he found a spot he could apparate and did so quickly, landing in the center of Draco's cell.

"Draco, are you-"

Harry's eyes widened again, looking over at Draco, who was literally shaking from head to toe like a child in an ice bath. 

The second thing he noticed was the smell of urine.

He tried to ignore it, for the sake of Draco and his pride, but at the moment, Harry wasn't sure Draco had any of that left.

"I forgot about the cuffs," Harry whispered, his chest so tight it was difficult to breathe, yet alone speak, as he reached one hand up to the cuffs. Turning Draco's wrist over, he could see both the red raw spots the cuffs had left, alongside the scraping marks of fingernails, digging into his flesh around the cuffs, trying to get free. At a few spots, blood had dripped down his arms and scabbed over in small trails.

Draco wasn't talking. He wasn't even looking at Harry. He stared at a spot at the other side of the room, completely unwavering. 

Hesitantly, Harry unclasped the second cuff, half expecting Draco to lunge and rip his throat out for putting him in such a painful and humiliating position, and for so long. 

But Draco didn't. Harry backed up so Draco could slowly stand, wincing as every bone in his body seemed to crack. He didn't look at Harry still- just turned and entered the small bathroom, shutting the door behind him with a soft click.

Moments later, Harry could hear the rush of water as the shower was turned on. Feeling the harrowing pit of guilt set in, he decided to busy himself with scourgify-ing every bit of Draco's bed he could, until the scent of urine went away, as well as some of the color on the sheets. Harry just figured that meant he was doing an OK job.

He paced for another ten minutes, occasionally glancing at the bathroom door. The shower was still running, but Harry hadn't heard any noise- not even the shifting of water being dropped to the floor with movement, so Harry got concerned. 

He knocked. There was no answer. 

He knocked again. "Draco? Are you okay?"

Again, no answer. Finally, Harry gave up and twisted the door handle, pushing the door in a bit. "Draco? Can I come in?"

Once again, no answer, and Harry sighed, pushing the door fully open so that he could slip inside. Draco was sitting on the floor of the shower, head hanging between his knees, arms wrapped around his shins almost protectively. 

"Hi," Harry spoke cautiously, sitting down on the floor next to Draco's shower. The blond kept his eyes fixated on the ground. "I'm sorry," he spoke again, watching as water cascading down his hair and into his face, some of it pooling on the tip of his nose until it eventually gained enough weight to drop, landing on the floor with a barely audible splash.

Draco cleared his throat slightly. "I know."

His voice was raspy, and it took Harry a moment to realize that Draco's eyes were bloodshot, and that some of the water dropping from Draco's face wasn't just water- it was tears.

"I-... I didn't mean-"

"To leave me there for hours, unable to call for help or move? To do anything? All that pent up energy... Do you even know how many-..." Draco cut himself off, closing his eyes. Harry saw the tears flood to the tip of his eye lashes, catching the light for a half second before falling, joining the rest of the water to be taken by the drain. 

"Hermione said.." he finally spoke again, his voice low, "she said that you like me. That you'll come around." He turned his head, finally looking Harry in the eyes, his own silver eyes bloodshot and dark, not shining like they usually did. "I think she's wrong."

"Draco-"

"No." Draco cut him off, never breaking eye contact. "You know what I think, Harry?"

"I'm not sure I do."

"I think that you found out you were into men. Wanted to experiment. Had me, vying to be there, hanging on by just my fingertips. Realized I would never, ever leave you, and saw me as your best bet for experimenting and fun. Then you liked what I could do for you. You liked that I bought you things and did everything I could for you. But you never, ever, liked me. Did you?" It was a challenge. Harry knew that much.

"That's not true. I do-"

"If you liked me, why would your first instinct be to scold me over something that didn't even bother her? At least she had the brains to understand that I didn't have control over what I was saying. You wanted any excuse to shove me under and rub my nose in the dirt. Not only that, but leave me for hours, cuffed to a fucking bed!"

"I didn't mean for that to happen! I got mad and left! It's not like I did it to punish you! I just... I forgot!"

Draco grimaced, tearing his eyes away from Harry's and looking down the shower drain. "That's the problem, Potter. I'd never forget you. That's not what you do for people you care about."

"I... I do care. I'm just... I..." Harry fought for the right words, eventually just letting out a frustrated groan and standing. "I don't know what you want me to say. I said I'm sorry, I know it was shitty to leave you like that even unintentionally, I... What do you want?"

Draco let out a humorless laugh. "Something I'll never get."

"Well?" Harry pressed, leaning forward. "What is it?"

Draco finally met his gaze again, his stare eerily calculating, even with bloodshot eyes and messed up, soaked hair. 

"I want you to love me back."