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

Chapter 13

The next morning, I awaken to the cage bars rattling. I groan and sit up on the cot. My back aches and my head pounds, as the Weasley-Malfoy-Granger-Tonks-Lupin-Zabini-Wood-Snape fuckfaces stare in at me.

My temples pulse and I grip them "My head!" I grunt, before swinging my legs off the head "Anyone have an aspirin?"

Remus gives a weak smile "That won't help." I furrow my brow and he states "Normally, you take your potion the day before the first night. Your body knows you're going to transition, tonight."

I shield my eyes from their lanterns and ask "What time is it?" The door opens and Hermione hands me a glass of water.

"It's ten." Blaise states as he places a bucket of raw meat in front of me "Eat up."

As I rip off little bits, Lucius asks "So, you're dating another Gryffindor? A Colin Creevey?"

I shrug, before telling him "Jury is still out on if I like him, or if I'll nail him and tell him to bugger off."

Tonks scoffs "Well, aren't you a proper bloke, Draco?" I give her an unamused look, before she she mimics me.

Fred and George sit on either side of me and Fred leans into me "You look like shit, you know?"

I furrow my brow and declare "If you don't watch it, I might skip the bucket and go for white meat."

He rests his head on my shoulder and jokes "I thought you loved me." I elbow him off.

George scoffs "No, he just wants to sleep with us, then tell us to bugger off, don't you Draco?"

I narrow my gaze at him and Molly calls out "Boys, that's enough! Leave Draco alone!"

As they climb off the bed, I ask "When does the moon come out?"

"Nine." Bill states.

I nod, before asking "Can I just sleep until I have to get up?" Remus nods and I wipe my hands.

When I lay back, they let me be.

After about five hours of tossing and turning, I give up and turn on my lantern.

As I do some burpes, I can hear the dungeon door open, and I can smell them all step back in. When Remus leads them in, he gives me a confused look and declares "I thought you were sleeping."

I shake my head, before laying flat on the ground, sweat pouring over my forehead "Around three, I gave up."

He nods, before shrugging "Whatever works." He opens the cage and declares "We've got an hour until the moon comes out. We should get you into your chains."

I nod, before walking towards the chains and the twins remove the cot. After I take off my shirt and pants, Remus sighs "I'd suggest the underwear, too, but you might be slim enough to keep them."

I nod as he shackles me in. Once he's done, he pats my shoulder and I give a weak smile "Thanks."

"Don't think me yet." He sighs, before motioning towards his head "While you're in the beast form, you'll feel a lot of things that you won't understand, okay? You'll either feel free, or a slave in your own head, okay?"

I give a confused look "Which do you feel?"

He gives me a knowing smile "Both." When I furrow my brow, he explains "When I'm doing something that I know I shouldn't, I feel a slave. But when you're out in the middle of nowhere, with nobody to hurt, you feel weightless."

I take a deep breath and he pats my shoulder "Just because you have a few bad days, it doesn't make you a beast."

I look him in the eyes and declare "And a few good days don't make me a man."he chuckles and I ask "What?"

He looks me over, before telling me "You're not the monster, Draco." I clear my throat and he looks me over "If the beast influences you, it doesn't make you a monster. That's what makes it an affliction, not an ability."

I take a deep breath and ask "What if I influence the beast?" He gives me a knowing look and I nod.

He shrugs, before explaining "There are a few people, with the affliction, that can embrace their evil counterparts."

I scratch my forehead, which causes the chains to rattle "What is that supposed to mean?"

He holds up his hand and explains "They can use their claws, teeth, and voice, whenever they've taken their potion, or whenever it's not the full moon. Anytime, day or night. And they keep the rest of their human characteristics, even their consciousness."

I furrow my brow and asks "Have you met any?" He shakes his head and I sigh "A fable?"

He shakes his head, before explaining "It's just very rare for the afflicted to also be able to use it as an ability."

I give a disbelieving look, before asking "How long until I'm back, after I'm gone?"

He shrugs "About six hours. You'll be back around three." I nod and he sighs "We'll be in the next room, until you start to detransition."

I sigh, before looking everyone over "I've got this." Remus gives a confident scoff, with a smile. I furrow my brow and asks "I've got this, right?"

He nods, before declaring "Yeah, you've got this." He checks his watch, before declaring "Well, we're going to leave you be, in case you're an early bloomer."

I nod, before he walks out and locks the door. And only fifteen minutes of awkward small talk later, my back starts to burn with a throbbing ache.

As it gets worse, Lupin calls out "Draco, you got to talk to us! Come on! The first was is the longest!"

I groan out as my back pops thirty times over, one at a time. As I drop on my hands and knees, he looks and and explains "Okay, you're spine just expanded, and your vertebra popped towards the outer part of your body, to get more room!" He explains over my agonized screams.

My arms and legs twist and pop the the same pain as my back. He waves it off and tells the other "That was his arms and legs."

My brain feels like in on fire and my jaw pops "Now he's almost done."

Every inch of me aches and I whimper as I curl into a ball. With one last crack to pull everything together, he sighs "And Draco has officially transitioned for the first time."

"That's Draco?" Colin asks and I can hear shuffling in the other room.

I can't stop myself from standing up and seeing them as food. As I howl at them, they look back to me and I stare at them like a predator.