Fran's Story Archive - Invitation
Yesterday I posted a story called 'Bath Time' and mentioned that I thought it had only ever been posted on FictionAlley Park. I've since found out that it was posted as part of a collection of vignettes under the title of Heaven Within when the story was called Return. Sorry to have mislead people.
Just to round off that particular story, I am posting Invitation, which is a continuation of 'Return'. It was also included in 'Heaven Within'. I've also renamed 'Bath Time'.
Invitation
The morning after Return. Draco wakes and wonders if he might have been dreaming.
A futurefic based loosely on the story Resolution
-*-*-
He was awake, but content to remain exactly where he was -- under the blankets, curled up against a warm leg. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was worried that if he moved he would find out everything had been a dream, that the leg would disappear and that the very distinctive Harry smell would be just a figment of his imagination.
Draco moved closer (if that was possible) and ran a hand lazily down the leg from thigh to ankle and lightly nipped at the flesh. No, he decided, the leg really was there and he really was awake.
“What are you doing?”
The voice came from somewhere outside the cocoon of blankets, familiar beloved tones which he had heard so little of recently. “Nothing.” The voice rumbled against Harry’s skin as Draco tentatively licked out for a taste.
“Good, because I’m busy with the post at the moment and I hate to think I was missing something.”
Something hit Draco on the head and slithered across his body. “Oww.”
He scrambled out from under the covers and sent the shower of envelopes Harry had just dumped on him to the floor. The collection of multi-coloured items settled on the carpet and around him on the bed. “All these for me?” He picked up the nearest. “Bill.” And tossed it to join the rest on the floor. “ ’Nother bill. Oh, this is interesting.” He opened the envelope and pulled out the sheets from inside. “I’ve won a quarter of a million pounds. Now I can retire.”
Harry took the letter from Draco’s fingers and scanned it. “Readers Digest. You have to buy loads of useless books and videos before you quality.”
“That’s not what it says. Anyway, why would I want all that money when I’ve got your fortune?” Draco turned back against Harry’s hip and allowed his hand to settle on the inside of Harry’s thigh. “Besides, how did they find out where I lived? I thought we were supposed to be deep undercover agents or something.” He began tracing a slow leisurely circle with a finger.
Shifting slightly, Harry sighed imperceptivity and leaned back against the headboard, still throwing the occasional letter to at Draco. “I can’t believe there is so much of this rubbish. How long have we been away?” He hissed as the fingers moved further up, and Draco kissed where the top of his leg joined his torso. “Are you listening to me?” Draco murmured something against his skin, the sensation making Harry shiver. He opened the last envelope and pulled out a piece of embossed card. “I take it you aren’t interested in your letters?” Another mumble. “Okay, I’ll be with you in a minute.” Warmth surrounded him and he closed his eyes momentarily as he felt the familiar mouth touch him.
Green eyes flickered open again as Draco gave him a particularly hard nip. “Hey, watch it.”
“Can’t, not unless you give me a torch, it’s dark down here.”
As if to prove a point, Draco shifted slightly, lining up his body with Harry’s legs.
Harry sighed and despite what was happened beneath the blankets, he looked at the card.
He froze, staring at the theatrical script adorning the ivory and gold card. “Draco.” He found himself struggling against the other. “Don’t. Not just now.” He pushed him away.
The blond fought his way into the daylight. Not making any attempt to hide the hurt and concern on his face, he pushed himself up on an elbow. “Harry?” He looked up at the face, taking in the shocked surprise and lack of colour on it. The annoyance at Harry’s lack of interest in him disappeared. “Are you all right? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I have.” The voice was tiny and Draco saw gooseflesh on Harry’s arms.
Sitting up, Draco took the card from his lover’s numb fingers. “It’s an invite to a wedding.” He tried to lighten the darkness that had settled on Harry. “Oh, does that mean we get to have new clothes? Can I pick something out for you again? Something in green and silver with tight trousers and no underwear.” He fell back against the pillows, matching Harry’s posture. “Do we know these people?”
“Read it.” Harry’s voice was blank.
“Okay, Mr and Mrs Malcolm Baatz...Request the pleasure of Mr Harry Potter And Partner... Do I count as ‘and partner’?” No response. “To the Wedding of their daughter Pia Elvira to Dudley Vernon Dursley.” There was a very long silence. “Oh.”
“Oh.”
“And this is Dudley the Cousin?” Harry nodded. “And they’ve invited you to his wedding?” Harry grabbed the card back and started to tear it in half. “No! Don’t do that!” Draco grabbed it back. “What are you doing?”
“Well, I’m not going am I. I don’t even know how they found me.”
“Why not?”
The face that met Draco’s looked stunned. “Why not? Draco, this is the boy who spent the first 17 years of my life tormenting me. I hate him. They would only invite me to make fun. ‘Oh, look, Sweet Dudders is getting married and look at you, who would want you?’”
Draco pulled Harry into his arms, holding him against his chest; suddenly aware of how fast Harry’s heart was beating. “I want you. You do know that don’t you?” He felt Harry give a small nod. “They are your family.” His voice was quiet as he stroked the dark hair.
“Now you sound like Dumbledore. That’s why he kept sending me back every summer. Because they were family.” Harry picked up the card and looked at it again. “They made me sleep in a cupboard under the stairs for years.”
The stroking hand stopped. “Really? I thought... well, I always thought it was a story, that you were... maybe... exaggerating.”
“No.” Harry’s arm moved round Draco’s body and he suddenly held him tightly as though the blond boy might run away and leave him. “No. They would lock me in there -- in the dark.”
Draco pulled him closer, suddenly realising what Harry’s nightmares were about and why there was normally a light left on. “Oh, Harry.” He turned the face upwards toward him and gently kissed the sad lips. Then he did something he rarely did. He removed Harry’s glasses. They were Harry’s shield against everyone, including Draco and their removal was always a sign of Harry’s trust in a person. Even after everything they had been through, taking them off was still a major moment of the trust between them. For Draco to remove them, even more so. Draco carefully kissed each eye, then brushed the heavy hair hair from his lover’s forehead and placed a third kiss on the zigzag scar. “Harry.” He kissed the mouth. “You don’t have to go anywhere you don’t want to. I’m your family and I will never leave you. You don’t need them. And if I ever get the chance I will make them pay.”
The response was electric and the card dropped from Harry’s fingers. They tangled in Draco’s blond hair, holding on so tightly it hurt.
~*~*~*~*~*~
“Harry.” Aunt Petunia’s voice dripped a hatred that was matched by the gaze in her nephew’s eyes. “We didn’t think you would be able to make it.”
Standing stiffly beside Draco, Harry gave a strange, strangled smile. He wanted to grab hold of Draco’s hand for support, wanted to be anywhere but here. “Aunt Petunia,” he finally managed to muster a voice. “This is...” The touch of Draco’s slim fingers on his arm silenced him.
Draco smiled one of his most devastating smiles and stepped forward. He took the amazed woman in a hug and planted a kiss on her cheek. “I’m Draco Malfoy and I’m Harry’s lover.” The face, a few inches from his own was a picture of horrified shock and he favoured her with a look of withering ice. He leaned closer until his lips brushed against her ear. “And I’m a wizard and I know what you did to him....”
---
February 2002
Just to round off that particular story, I am posting Invitation, which is a continuation of 'Return'. It was also included in 'Heaven Within'. I've also renamed 'Bath Time'.
Invitation
The morning after Return. Draco wakes and wonders if he might have been dreaming.
A futurefic based loosely on the story Resolution
-*-*-
He was awake, but content to remain exactly where he was -- under the blankets, curled up against a warm leg. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was worried that if he moved he would find out everything had been a dream, that the leg would disappear and that the very distinctive Harry smell would be just a figment of his imagination.
Draco moved closer (if that was possible) and ran a hand lazily down the leg from thigh to ankle and lightly nipped at the flesh. No, he decided, the leg really was there and he really was awake.
“What are you doing?”
The voice came from somewhere outside the cocoon of blankets, familiar beloved tones which he had heard so little of recently. “Nothing.” The voice rumbled against Harry’s skin as Draco tentatively licked out for a taste.
“Good, because I’m busy with the post at the moment and I hate to think I was missing something.”
Something hit Draco on the head and slithered across his body. “Oww.”
He scrambled out from under the covers and sent the shower of envelopes Harry had just dumped on him to the floor. The collection of multi-coloured items settled on the carpet and around him on the bed. “All these for me?” He picked up the nearest. “Bill.” And tossed it to join the rest on the floor. “ ’Nother bill. Oh, this is interesting.” He opened the envelope and pulled out the sheets from inside. “I’ve won a quarter of a million pounds. Now I can retire.”
Harry took the letter from Draco’s fingers and scanned it. “Readers Digest. You have to buy loads of useless books and videos before you quality.”
“That’s not what it says. Anyway, why would I want all that money when I’ve got your fortune?” Draco turned back against Harry’s hip and allowed his hand to settle on the inside of Harry’s thigh. “Besides, how did they find out where I lived? I thought we were supposed to be deep undercover agents or something.” He began tracing a slow leisurely circle with a finger.
Shifting slightly, Harry sighed imperceptivity and leaned back against the headboard, still throwing the occasional letter to at Draco. “I can’t believe there is so much of this rubbish. How long have we been away?” He hissed as the fingers moved further up, and Draco kissed where the top of his leg joined his torso. “Are you listening to me?” Draco murmured something against his skin, the sensation making Harry shiver. He opened the last envelope and pulled out a piece of embossed card. “I take it you aren’t interested in your letters?” Another mumble. “Okay, I’ll be with you in a minute.” Warmth surrounded him and he closed his eyes momentarily as he felt the familiar mouth touch him.
Green eyes flickered open again as Draco gave him a particularly hard nip. “Hey, watch it.”
“Can’t, not unless you give me a torch, it’s dark down here.”
As if to prove a point, Draco shifted slightly, lining up his body with Harry’s legs.
Harry sighed and despite what was happened beneath the blankets, he looked at the card.
He froze, staring at the theatrical script adorning the ivory and gold card. “Draco.” He found himself struggling against the other. “Don’t. Not just now.” He pushed him away.
The blond fought his way into the daylight. Not making any attempt to hide the hurt and concern on his face, he pushed himself up on an elbow. “Harry?” He looked up at the face, taking in the shocked surprise and lack of colour on it. The annoyance at Harry’s lack of interest in him disappeared. “Are you all right? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I have.” The voice was tiny and Draco saw gooseflesh on Harry’s arms.
Sitting up, Draco took the card from his lover’s numb fingers. “It’s an invite to a wedding.” He tried to lighten the darkness that had settled on Harry. “Oh, does that mean we get to have new clothes? Can I pick something out for you again? Something in green and silver with tight trousers and no underwear.” He fell back against the pillows, matching Harry’s posture. “Do we know these people?”
“Read it.” Harry’s voice was blank.
“Okay, Mr and Mrs Malcolm Baatz...Request the pleasure of Mr Harry Potter And Partner... Do I count as ‘and partner’?” No response. “To the Wedding of their daughter Pia Elvira to Dudley Vernon Dursley.” There was a very long silence. “Oh.”
“Oh.”
“And this is Dudley the Cousin?” Harry nodded. “And they’ve invited you to his wedding?” Harry grabbed the card back and started to tear it in half. “No! Don’t do that!” Draco grabbed it back. “What are you doing?”
“Well, I’m not going am I. I don’t even know how they found me.”
“Why not?”
The face that met Draco’s looked stunned. “Why not? Draco, this is the boy who spent the first 17 years of my life tormenting me. I hate him. They would only invite me to make fun. ‘Oh, look, Sweet Dudders is getting married and look at you, who would want you?’”
Draco pulled Harry into his arms, holding him against his chest; suddenly aware of how fast Harry’s heart was beating. “I want you. You do know that don’t you?” He felt Harry give a small nod. “They are your family.” His voice was quiet as he stroked the dark hair.
“Now you sound like Dumbledore. That’s why he kept sending me back every summer. Because they were family.” Harry picked up the card and looked at it again. “They made me sleep in a cupboard under the stairs for years.”
The stroking hand stopped. “Really? I thought... well, I always thought it was a story, that you were... maybe... exaggerating.”
“No.” Harry’s arm moved round Draco’s body and he suddenly held him tightly as though the blond boy might run away and leave him. “No. They would lock me in there -- in the dark.”
Draco pulled him closer, suddenly realising what Harry’s nightmares were about and why there was normally a light left on. “Oh, Harry.” He turned the face upwards toward him and gently kissed the sad lips. Then he did something he rarely did. He removed Harry’s glasses. They were Harry’s shield against everyone, including Draco and their removal was always a sign of Harry’s trust in a person. Even after everything they had been through, taking them off was still a major moment of the trust between them. For Draco to remove them, even more so. Draco carefully kissed each eye, then brushed the heavy hair hair from his lover’s forehead and placed a third kiss on the zigzag scar. “Harry.” He kissed the mouth. “You don’t have to go anywhere you don’t want to. I’m your family and I will never leave you. You don’t need them. And if I ever get the chance I will make them pay.”
The response was electric and the card dropped from Harry’s fingers. They tangled in Draco’s blond hair, holding on so tightly it hurt.
~*~*~*~*~*~
“Harry.” Aunt Petunia’s voice dripped a hatred that was matched by the gaze in her nephew’s eyes. “We didn’t think you would be able to make it.”
Standing stiffly beside Draco, Harry gave a strange, strangled smile. He wanted to grab hold of Draco’s hand for support, wanted to be anywhere but here. “Aunt Petunia,” he finally managed to muster a voice. “This is...” The touch of Draco’s slim fingers on his arm silenced him.
Draco smiled one of his most devastating smiles and stepped forward. He took the amazed woman in a hug and planted a kiss on her cheek. “I’m Draco Malfoy and I’m Harry’s lover.” The face, a few inches from his own was a picture of horrified shock and he favoured her with a look of withering ice. He leaned closer until his lips brushed against her ear. “And I’m a wizard and I know what you did to him....”
---
February 2002