The Unforgiven

Harry cringed slightly as a trickle of light entered the dark small cupboard. His cupboard under the stairs where he's stayed since he returned from Hogwarts 3 weeks ago. Since then his Uncle has tortured, beaten, and raped him endlessly, mercilessly. He pulled himself into a tight little ball trying his hardest to be as small as possible. Maybe if he was so small, so unnoticeable, he wouldn't hurt anymore. Unnoticed that's the key to survival. He heard a gasp of horror. He forced his dead green eyes open and glanced questioningly at the door. He saw a mop of beautifully and immaculately groomed blond hair. He tried to force his eyes closed. Thinking it was his uncle yet again. He didn't want him to hurt him anymore. No more hurt please.

"Harry,"

His uncle was missing the unnatural singsong voice he had when calling his name. He sounded almost like Draco Malfoy, who had become one of his best friends since third year. After he came out to his once best friends. They weren't as accepting as he hoped.

"Harry, it's going to be alright. I have to get Professor Snape."

Why was his uncle talking about Professor Snape? Did he murmur that in his sleep? Professor Snape his sarcastic savior. He had found him crying once in the halls after Hermione changed the password without telling him. He scooped him up and took him down to the dungeons and placed him gently on the couch in his quarters, only once leaving him to return with a blanket. Tucking him in he let Harry fall asleep before raising hell in the Gryffindor common room. He's never been back since.

"Potter, Can you hear me?" Professor Snape said tonelessly.

Harry clenched his eyes tighter; he was shaking, obtrusively in the tiny cell. Why was he hallucinating so vividly? Why couldn't his demons stay away?

"Potter… Harry! Harry, open your eyes, little ichigo."

Harry blinked slowly and opened hopeful jaded eyes. He saw Professor Snape crouched down at the door of his cupboard. He smiled brokenly. Four of his teeth were missing.

"Severus, How many times…." Harry wheezed pitifully "do I have to say" Wheezes yet again coughing a little. Blood trickles the side of his mouth. He could see Draco behind the Professor, eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I was hungry and you didn't fe…" Harry lost consciousness.

- New blood joins this earth-

Draco sat impatiently as his god father drove to Harry's relatives. He and his father finally convinced Dumbledore to allow them to check on Harry. Harry hadn't been writing or responding to letters at all this summer and that was odd. He watched as his two parental figures talked in soft tones in the front seat. He looked disdainfully at the muggle suburb, it was so uniformed, he shuddered. How Harry could deal with the cookie cutter atmosphere he would never understand. Why the hell wasn't his friend writing him back?

He jumped out of the borrowed AUDI and practically sprinted to the front door when they arrived at 4 Privet Dr. His father gave him a dark look and he immediately went back to acting like a Malfoy. Turning his sprint into a slight jog. He knocked at the door and heard some rustling in the background before the door was opened quite hastily by a boy that could easily be mistaken for a Sumo Wrestler. He straightened up and almost magically and air of arrogance and snobbishness permeated into his aura.

"I am here to see Harry" Draco said starkly to the Sumo Wrestler in training. The fat boy blinked twice and slammed the door in his face. Draco glared heatedly at the white wooden door. He knocked once more and the same person answered the door again. Draco glared down his nose at the boy, though he was quite a bit smaller then the fat blonde. The boy, whom he guessed was Dudley, Glanced over his shoulder and yelled "Dad!" In a rumble, during which he was sure houses four blocks away trembled, a man who was almost larger the sumo wrester that he could only assume was his son.

"Freaks are not permitted in this place, leave at once." The fat man said his face turning a fairly atrocious shade of purple. Draco raised an elegant pureblooded eyebrow and took a look at the car. Lucius, who had been talking to Severus, while sitting on the hood of the car immediately got up and stalked determinedly over to the door. He raised his wand subtly; his eyes ice cold as his voice. Severus stood behind him leaning against the door casually. He glanced at the huge males in the door and said quite offhandedly.

"Draco and Lucius Malfoy are two very influential people both in the wizarding world and in the muggle world. Not to mention that he." He points to Malfoy Sr "is the 6th deadliest wizard in the world, and he" he jabs a finger at Draco "is the 12th and he isn't out of school yet, should say something. That and the fact that I am the 3rd and you are currently withholding the 2nd I think you should move out of the way and let us through before we make you. Is that clear?" he said in his "You better do what I say right now before I skin you alive and feed you to a starving Runespoor" voice.

The two muggles paled at once and moved out of the way. Severus glared and allowed the Malfoys in front of him as he continued glaring at the Dursleys. Lucius had taken the up stairs and Draco the downstairs as the searched for their missing boy wonder. Apparently Draco was the first to find him. He gasped, quite loudly as he opened the door under the stairs. It had taken at least 10 minutes to get all the locks off. He peered inside the dark room and was instantly overwhelmed by the smell of blood, semen and pain. His eyes watered as the small human in the closet opened his eyes before closing them sharply.

"Harry," He whispered unsure of what he was seeing. There was no way they could have missed this. No way they could have missed all the tell tale signs of the abuse, or the pain Harry goes through during the summer holidays.

"Harry it'll be alright I'll get Professor Snape" He said unsure of whether or not Harry heard him. Harry just rocked back and forth mumbling about being unnoticed. He ran to the door and barely contained himself from both braking down and beating the shit out of the Dursley's. He turned to his Godfather and gave him the most heart wrenching look.

"He's in the cupboard Uncle Severus, as if he was some sort of creature, or pet." He whispered voice breaking from unshed tears.

Severus paled dramatically and glided to the door after giving the Dursley's a look that promised pain. He peered in the door just as Lucius descended they, as one unit, swooped down and saw the naked boy covered in blood semen cuts and a magnitude of other visual injuries. Lucius immediately stood and walked away from the scene. His eyes swirled with a black color as he stalks to the Dursley wand drawn in an attempt to do some pain.

"Potter, can you hear me?" He asked hesitantly. He wasn't sure if Potter was even breathing. He was immediately rewarded with shaking. At least the boy was alive.

"Potter….Harry! Harry, open your eyes, little ichigo" He said using the pet name h had adopted for Harry after catching him eating one of his decorative strawberries. He stared intently into beautifully pain filled emerald orbs. He smiled slightly and felt Draco crouch behind him to see his battered best friend.

"Severus, How many times…." Harry wheezed pitifully "do I have to say" wheezes yet again coughing a little. Blood trickles the side of his mouth. He resisted the urge to wipe it gently from his students face. Harry was more the a student to him, he was a friend, and to see him abused so severely, well he was a little out of wits at the moment. . "I was hungry and you didn't fe…" Harry lost consciousness.

He and Draco looked at each other before turning to where Lucius was toying with his muggles and was reminded as to why he was the 6th most deadly wizard alive. Severus pulled out his wand and picked up a random ornament that was set about the hall. He tapped his wand to it three times and whispered under his breath. He threw a hasty look at Lucius.

"Luc, Come now and leave the muggles be, they'll get theirs." He added lividly. "We have to get Harry out of here, now." Luc simple nodded from his spot and walked over with out a backward glance at the filth that even dared call themselves Harry relatives, as though if he looked at them he would lose all self control again. He took hold of the portkey and was gone.

Zzz

When Harry woke up next he was in the Hospital Wing. He remembered the events that lead to that. He had never seen Draco cry before. Not when his mother committed suicide. Not when he was on the battlefield and he got hurt, not even when the Crucio was cast. Never, not even a single tear. However there he was, tears falling freely as he watched his broken friend. It made Harry sad to know that he was what made Draco cry. He, Lucius and Severus had been his rocks during the war. Lucius joined the Light side finally. Lucius, true to the words he gave the Ministry at the time of his trial, had never been on the "dark" side. He had been bewitched and not, in his right mind, he aligned himself with Dumbledore. He and Severus had been his sidekicks during war planning and big battles. It was a simple trio, one was the stabilizer, one took action and fought offensively, and the other took on the defense of the group. Lucius was their stabilizer, while well versed and many sorts of magic, he balanced out the other two. Harry was the Offensive, he never went out of his way to hurt someone, as a matter of fact Harry hated to hurt people, but he was fierce once he was in battle and had the best offensive knowledge. Severus himself was the defense. He never gave to freely and what he gave he protected like the riches of riches. Their role fit their personalities so well.

Harry jumped a little as he felt someone move. He shifted and saw Lucius with his hand in his as he snoozed softly, long golden locks cascading down his face. It shone brightly in the early morning dew ridden sunrise shifting as he exhaled. Harry blinked green eyes up at him. He reached a thin arm to push the strands behind his ear. The hair was so soft. He sagged into his sheets and sighed. He was reminded that as much as he admired Lucius and Severus, they would never be more than mentors, than friends. He felt tears well up in his eyes at the unfairness of it all. He suffered silently for as long as he could remember, and he never got anything in return. Did he even deserve happiness?

He shook his head violently, before swallowing a scream of pain. Realizing he was still in so much pain he whimpered under the covers. Severus entered the room silently holding three potion bottles. He stopped at the bed and black met green for a few seconds.

"Awake at last," He sighed in relief.

"How long have I been out?" He asked voice scratchy and abused. As though he spent a few days screaming at the top of his lungs.

"4 days" He replied slowly. Harry noticed that the potions master looked s though he hadn't slept in that time.

"When was the last time you've slept?" Harry asked knowing that Severus more than likely had been up the whole 4 days tending to him and taking care of him. Just as he had during the war.

"Don't worry about it, Are you ok." He asked diverting the attention from himself.

"Don't worry about it? Severus Kiyoshin Snape you better have slept in the last four days or so help me…." Harry trailed off.

"And if I haven't?" Severus challenged Harry growled at the stubborn man. Severus sighed. "I promise I'll sleep in a few minutes I just had to make sure you were ok."

"I'm fine Severus. Just a little sore but that can easily go away. Go to sleep now Yamanai" Harry said soothingly using the nickname he had for Severus. Severus hesitated. "You can sleep here, like Hikari, if you would like." He said referring to Lucius's sleeping form.

Severus took a seat on the other side of Harry placing his hand in Harry's and giving it a tight squeeze. He sighed again eyes losing focus as he stared at the younger man.

"I was so afraid" He said suddenly, and distantly. "I was so afraid I'd lose you. You looked so small and frail in that little cupboard. You were shaking, violently. It reminded me so much of the night I removed you from that hallway in Gryffindor Tower."

Harry looked at him, taking in what Severus was saying, understanding where the man was coming from. Understanding how close he had come to dying. How worried the man must have been. Even if he'd never love Harry the way Harry loved him, he still cared, and he still worried.

"I was also so angry. I couldn't understand how we could have missed it. How we missed the signs you kept throwing at us. How stupid we must have been. It was a plain as day. I guess we had the same blinders on as the rest of the world. We thought that you were invincible, unbreakable. How wrong we were. There you were, broken, shaking, naked, bleeding, and raped in that little confinement." Harry could hear the tears in Severus's voice. But he remained silent unwilling to break the little admission. Needing to know how he felt. He felt his own tears leak down his face, as the reality bit into him like a knife. His family had abused him, had been doing so since he came to live with them.

"When did it start Harry, When did they start hurting you? How long have you been in pain little ichigo, how long."

Harry closed his eyes tightly trying to block out what Severus was saying, trying not to answer, and trying not to remember. But he knew he had to say something, He had to or it's eat him up inside. He felt the hand in his other had squeezed his. He looked up and Lucius blinked beautiful pale blue eyes at him, worry and curiosity exuding from their orbs. Harry took a deep breath.

"I was 2 when I first remember being hit. I was too small to reach the counter and I was so hungry. So I levitated the food down to me. My aunt came in and saw. She smacked me hard across the face many times, before throwing me into the cupboard. My uncle came home later that day and he wasn't happy at all. He beat me with an old wooden spoon. I didn't eat for three days afterward."

He could practically feel the sorrow and anger rolling off the two men. He closed his eyes and relished in the closeness of the two bodies. Two people he was sure would protect him no matter what. He collected his wits and continued on, not wanting to stop for too long and not be able to finish.

"I was four when I realized my uncle had a weird fascination with me. In the beginning he wouldn't touch me if he could help it. By then he would touch me unneeded. He would drag me by my hair or clothed to my cupboard, and he'd remove my clothes to punish me. I didn't understand what it meant until later.

One night I woke up from a weird dream that I can't exactly remember to see my uncle at the doorway to my cupboard. He was touching himself as I slept. I thought it was weird then he never came near my cupboard unless he wanted to hurt me. I woke up every night since then, and he was always there touching himself. I was caught when I was five. I woke up and he saw my eyes. I expected him to be angry, but he wasn't really. He spoke to me in this low voice. He told me to…" Harry paused as though what he was about to say next would make it all the more real. And for Harry it probably would. Severus and Lucius released his hands briefly, kicked off their shoes and slipped in the bed on either side of Harry. Harry buried himself in Lucius's shirt as they cuddled. Severus played with his hair, petting him and effectively calming him down. He opened his mouth to continue.

"He told me to take off my clothes. At first I thought he was going to hit me again. And then he touched me, not roughly but kind of softly like he was reveling in my skin. It made my skin crawl and I shivered. He immediately took my hand in his and made me touch him. His hand guiding mine. I didn't know any better, I though it was what people who were family did so I kept on. It happened every night until I started Primary school a year later. Then he upped the program. He didn't start raping me until I was seven. By then I had a little understanding on what had been going in those 2 years. I might not have known a name or anything but I was sure it was wrong. That was the first time I tried to fight back. I hit him and bit him and tried to scream. It didn't any good though. He held me by my neck and took what little of me that I had. And it hurt, hurt so much. There was so much pain so much blood. I thought I was dying." He sobbed helplessly into Lucius's chest the cuddled closer to him, comforting and soothing his frayed nerves.

"Why didn't you tell anyone Yami?" Lucius asked speaking for the first time since Harry awoke.

"I couldn't. My uncle said that he'd kill me if I did. At the time I knew he would. After that it didn't seem like it mattered compared to the fact the Voldemort was on the loose it seemed to take a back seat to me. I had been suffering for years in silence; it could wait a few more I kept telling myself."

"You could have told one of us Ichigo, we would have cared. We would have dropped anything to save you from them."

"I know, but I didn't want you guys to worry, like you are now." Harry said softly.

"Well next time just tell us if something happens. Don't keep secrets from us please." Harry nodded silently at Severus's words. Lucius looked sharply at him for a second. Severus returned the look with a silencing glare. "You need to sleep now ichigo" He handed the young man some potions. Harry nodded in thanks and took them immediately, and proceeded to fall asleep.

"You'll have to tell him eventually Sev. I don't know what you think you're sparing him from but it'd be better if he knew." Lucius said over Harry's sleeping form. Severus sighed heavily.

"I don't see why it's of any importance. If we don't tell him we aren't hurting him, and if we do, well it doesn't matter either way now does it? He's been through a lot, let not become an added weight ok?" Lucius glared heatedly at him. His eyes softened some at a realization.

"You think your sparing him from things to come don't you? "

"You can see the conflict in his magic the same as I can. I'd rather not be the cause of any more damage, if you would like to tell him so much; you're free to do so."

"Do you love him?" Lucius asked suddenly, his hand petting the slumbering young man. His fingers traced the soft full lips. He sighed at the contact. Then shook his head. He looked icy blue eyes at Severus who had his eyes closed, he himself rubbing soothing circles into the youths back.

"If I did, it wouldn't matter. He's Draco's age Lucius and deserves so much better." Severus mumbled uncharacteristically. Lucius leaned over the body separating him from Severus and gave him a brief kiss on the lips.

'You'll always have me Kitsune always and forever." He said drifting off into another sleep. Severus opened his black eyes and looked at the two slumbering forms in the bed. They'd be perfect, the three of them. Of that he was sure.

Authors notes: What started out as a brief hurt comfort romance, turned into an epic in a blink of my eyes. There is so much more going on then this prelude gives off. I need a Beta Reader so I'd so love volunteers.

Ichigo- Strawberry, Yamanai- Unstoppable, Kitsune- well that will come up later, Hikari- literally Light in this fic it means Light One. Anyway I'd love reviews. Love

-Kagara- The Taskmaster