The Afflicted Pretty Boy ~ Book 3 of the Pretty Boy trilogy

Chapter 1

The transition was horrible. Remus said it reminds him of a drug addict going through detox. A straight week of vomiting, diarrhea, hallucinations, aching bones, constant tremors and sniffling, insomnia, paranoia, etc.

It's currently a week before school starts when I step through the floo tube, piss drunk and still carrying a bottle as I smoke a fag.

"Draco?" Lucius asks as he steps down the stairs. He gives a nervous look "I didn't think you would be back so soon."

I shrug, before taking a swig of jagermeister "I came, I saw, I came." I remark and he takes in a shakey breath "What?"

He holds his hand to my chest and declares "He needed to grab a couple of things, and I didn't think you would be back, so I told him he could-"

Harry steps off the stairs and gives a weak smile "Hi."

In that moment, I'm stone cold sober. I give him a weak smile "Hi."

He holds up the box in his hands and declares "I was just grabbing a couple things I left behind. A pair of shoes, a couple of books."

I nod, before insuring "That's alright." The candlelight catches on something, and I look down to find he wears his necklace. I can see the rim of his Malfoy jumper poking out of his mammoth sized jumper. He looks tired and his eyes are swollen.

He looks down and gives a weak smile, before placing down the box and pulling it over his head "Here's your necklace."

Reluctantly, I take it from him, and look at the little H and D. As he heads for the floo tube, I call after him "Wait!" When I stride towards him, I can hear his heart pounding. Carefully, I put it back on him and declare "I don't have any other Harrys in my life."

He gives a weak smile "I don't have any other Dracos in my life."

I shrug, before looking towards the ground and taking in a drag of the cigarette "Well, if you don't want it, you can pawn it, or toss it out, or something. I can't keep it."

He gives a weak smile, before looking me over "You look different." I scoff and he states "Less like yourself and more like yourself. Almost unrecognizable."

I give him a weak smile, before taking a swig of jagermeister "I don't recognize the person I see in the mirror." I shrug "But then again, that may be a good thing."

He gives a weak smile and I can tell he's on the verge of crying. Seeing him like that, upsets me, and I motion towards the stairs "I should probably get some sleep. I've got an early morning tomorrow."

He nods and I start to walk away. I only stop at the stairs to tell him "I'm sorry, Harry."

When I reach my room, I can hear Lucius speaking to him. He insures that I'm doing alright, while Harry cries softly.

I take in a deep breath, before taking in the scent of Harry. I can tell he held Pin Cushion for a while, just because it reeks of him.

With a sigh, I strip down, and crawl into bed.

~

The next morning, Remus open my curtains wide and insists "Rise and shine, Draco! You've got to get used to waking up earlier!"

I grown and cover my face with my pillow "I don't want to get up!" I insist and he pulls the pillow away from me.

He shrugs "Too bad!" He hands over my wolfsbane potion and declares "I know the potion makes you want to sleep, but you've got to get up!"

I sit up, careful not to flash him. After taking the potion, I sigh as he sits at the foot of my bed "What time is it?"

"Seven." He tells me, before declaring "We're going for a run, then we're boxing, then we're lifting."

I grovel, before whining "I don't see why we have to do this!"

He looks me over "You've got a lot more energy than you used to, and if you don't exercise, people are going to figure out that you're acting squirrelly. It's only until you get used to it."

I scratch my forehead and declare "The sun is hurting my head." He hands me a pair of sunglasses and I put them on.

He stands, before ordering "Get dressed and meet me downstairs."

~

After three hours of exercise, I'm allowed a shower. When I get out of the shower, I get a good look at myself.

Because of the exercise, and the bum of protein in my diet, I'm muscular again. I have a doglike frame, go figure. My muscles are tight and I appear slender. My bite scar is so white that it appears grey. My hair is brighter than ever, and my skin is paler than ever. No amount of sun will change it.

When I come down for lunch, Lucius looks me over "We're heading into London today. More specifically, Knockturn Alley. You've got a suit fitting."

I give a short nod and we slip into silence as we eat. Lucius has been extremely kind and caring about it, but I can tell it bothers him. I know I'm a burden.

Every once and awhile, I look up from my plate to find he stares at the pile of raw meat on it.

Don't get me wrong, that's not the only thing I eat. But during the three days of the moon cycle when the moon is the most full, I can't keep anything else down.

And I know he pitys me.

"Draco?" Lucius asks and I hum. He gives me a weak smile "I'm sorry about Harry being here last night."

I shrug, before telling him "It's alright. I was going to have to see him, eventually."

He gives a weak smile, before stating "The full moon is tomorrow." I hum and he asks "Did Remus explain what will happen when you go back to school?"

I sigh and count off on my fingers "Don't pick fights, don't eat at the table, don't let anyone see me eating, don't swap saliva. Got it."

Lucius continues "You're also going to be irritable, tired, and slightly manic. You may not feel anything, emotionally."

I scoff at him, coldly "Lucius, I know much more about this than you do. Don't suggest that you know what I'm going through."

He presses his lips into a fine line and I stand up and walk off.