The gravitational interaction of the system of galaxies and the ICM are treated by fluctuation theory. Fluctuation theory seems to be more adequate to describe the gravitational interaction than local theories used up to now, because gravitation is a long-range force. Therefore, the dynamical friction and energy transfer depends mainly on the global structure of the gravitational wakes induced by the galaxies in the ICM. The ICM is described hydrodynamically by a nonpolytropic gas. The heating rate is derived as a local quantity on scales characteristic for cluster properties in quasi-linear approximation. The parameter dependence is given explicitly. The Coma cluster is taken as an example to show that mechanical heating by fluctuations may be essential for the structure of the cluster halos and cooling flows. 19 refs.