Chapter Two
Magically Captive

When Harry came to, he was riding upright on a chestnut mare with his hands tied to the horn of the saddle. The burning on the inside of his wrists had subsided, only to be replaced with rope-burns on the outside, which stung with every step the horse made. Draco rode a pure-white horse in front of him, and his emerald jacket shone as it was hit by the sun's rays.

Shaking away the bedazzled feeling, Harry tested the ropes, tugging slightly at his wrists.

"Hey. Draco." He said, his tone clearly annoyed. "I'm awake now, so could you untie me?"

To his undying fury, the blonde glanced back and smirked at him.

"Why should I?" His voice practically dripped condescension, and Harry's fingers gripped white on the saddle horn.

"…Because the rope is hurting my wrists?"

"You'll live."

"Oh, come on!"

Finally Draco paused, pulling his snowy mare back until he was riding beside Harry. He reached a hand over, placing it on top of Potter's bonds; when he took his hand back, the rope was untied. Harry's eyebrows rose at Draco, who lifted a single brow in response.

"How did you do that?"

"Do what?" Harry scowled at the blonde's carefully blank face.

"You know what."

"Nonsense. I haven't the faintest idea." Draco smirked at the angry flush that was spreading across the dark-haired man's cheeks. "Come on, we're almost there."

Harry wanted to ask where they almost were, but Draco sped up and he had to enthusiastically spur on the horse to keep pace with him.

"So where are we?" The cave they were in had come out of nowhere, randomly jutting up from the desert landscape, defying any and all natural laws of formation. Water dripped from the roof and pooled in puddles on the floor.

"A cave." Draco was busy pulling bags off of his horse and didn't even bother to throw a smirk at the simple man.

Harry bristled regardless. "I can see that!"

"Then why ask?" This time, Draco did smirk, and Harry grit his teeth in frustration. "Look, here's your sleeping mat. Just lay it out and cover up—it'll keep you dry."

Harry caught the blanket Draco threw at him and watched him lay out his own, copying Draco's movements.

They fell asleep to the sounds of the desert at night.

Harry peeked cautiously outside the cave, careful not to step on the loud, splashing puddles and skittering rocks.

Quiet nighttime animals like snakes and scorpions came out and whispered over the sand. The air was chill and the starry sky was clear. The moon was nearly full, so Harry could see the whole expanse of tumbleweed desert up to the distant horizon.

As he stepped out of the cave and into the sand, his boots made the softest of crunching sounds against the gritty dirt. He paused, checked to see that his captor was still asleep. The statuesque blonde man stayed still, presumably still asleep. he took another quiet, crunching step and suddenly got an urge to go back inside the cave. Harry frowned, unable to find the logic in wanting to go back to a man that had branded his wrist. Shaking off the unsettling feeling, Harry took another step--and fell to his knees as a sudden pain seared throughout his body.

"Ah--!" His skin felt as if steel wool was being scraped against his skin, over and over and over, until he was sure he must be bleeding.

And then the feeling stopped. Harry closed his eyes and curled up against the dull throb that still remained. When the feeling abated enough for him to debate getting up, Harry opened his eyes to find Draco standing over him, watching with an unreadable expression.

"You see why it's bad to leave your owner?" Draco smirked and bent to pick him up. Harry didn't even try to resist as the thin man lifted him and settled him back into the sleeping bag he had set out earlier. "Now don't try to get away again," The man said quietly as he tugged the cover up to Harry's chin. "The same thing will happen each time. I have made sure that you won't leave unless I release you, you see. Otherwise, branding you would have been all but pointless."

"Witchcraft," Harry weezed, clutching the soft, warm material that surrounded him.

Draco only smirked. "Only if you chose to view it as such."

Harry narrowed his eyes and glared as Draco settled back into his own bedding.

Convinced that he would be unable to escape that night, Harry fell into an uneasy sleep.