HAPPY H/D HOLIDAYS, CHINAE!
Author: chyldofeternity
Recipient: chinae
Title: Something More
Pairing(s): Harry/Draco
Summary: "I'm sorry, Harry, but I can't do this anymore."
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended.
Warning(s): Flangst, but nothing major. And if you squint - possible exhibitionism
Epilogue compliant? Not in the least
Word Count: 3,741
Author's Notes: chinae, I hope this meets your expectations. I struggled with writer's block on this one from day one so I can only hope that you'll enjoy it. I tried to include as many of your preferences and prompts as I could. Big thanks to my last minute beta who's help made this piece actually worthy of being read by other people. I couldn't have done it without you, D!
"I'm sorry, Harry, but I can't do this anymore." Draco fought the urge to fold his arms over his chest. It was a sign of defensiveness, and he had to show that he was in control. If Harry knew how conflicted he really was...
"What do you mean? You didn't seem to have a problem with it the other day when we were -"
"Stop! Harry...I just...I need more." Clenching his jaw, Draco steeled himself against the urge to stop what he was doing.
It really was for the best; leaving Harry would make things easier in the long run. He would put this whole thing behind him. After all, Harry didn't love him. The Saviour of the Wizarding World was only doing this for the sex. 'Fuck buddies' was the crass term the black-haired wizard had used. Well...Draco wanted more than that now.
Picking up his bag, leather straps creaking in his tight grip as he clenched his fingers into a fist around the thick material, Draco started to walk towards the door. He paused while reaching for it with his other hand. Part of him was screaming to get out of there while he still could. The bigger part of him was praying that Harry would try to stop him.
"Fine, Draco. Go. It's not like you're the only one willing to warm my bed."
Clenching his hand around the straps again, Draco fought back the surprisingly strong wave of hurt that threatened to drown him. "Good, then at least you'll keep your heating bill down this winter."
Pulling the door open harshly, Draco stepped through before slamming it shut. Brisk, long strides carried him down the stoop past the anti-apparition wards around Harry's...no...Potter's house. As soon as he was far enough from the magical shields, Draco spun on the spot and disappeared with a loud crack.
****
6 months later
"Here are your files, Mr. Potter." Draco dropped the documents on top of Harry's desk, turning without a pause to leave the room.
Draco had managed to avoid spending too much time in the Auror Department after calling it quits with Potter. Unfortunately, his duties as the recently-promoted Chief Inspector for the Auror Internal Affairs Division meant that he had to spend a good deal of time preparing reports, which he had to personally deliver to the Head Auror. Damn Harry for getting promoted, too.
"Thanks, Draco." Harry glanced up at the blond wizard, his eyes studying the man's face. Draco looked good, and was definitely a sight that Harry had missed seeing on a regular basis. As the other wizard turned to leave, Harry stood up quickly and reached across his desk to grab Draco's wrist. "Wait. Can't we...can't we talk for a minute?"
Stiffening at the unexpected contact, Draco clenched his jaw before tugging his wrist free. "There is nothing to talk about, Potter."
"You shouldn't clench like that; you'll get a headache. Of course...if you wanted, I could rub your temples again...if you'd like..." Harry stammered slightly, fighting off the urge to blush.
"Sorry, Potter. I only let people I'm dating touch me that intimately...and you were never someone I dated, now were you?" Draco injected the appropriate amount of disdain into his voice, and knew he'd succeeded when he saw Harry flinch. He was a little puzzled as to why he felt bad, though.
"No...No, I suppose not." Twirling his quill in his hand, Harry kept standing behind his desk while looking at Draco. "I...I hear you're actually seeing someone else right now. That German exchange-wizard in the Accounting and Monetary Regulations Department, right?"
"Seriously, Potter, are you going to start asking me about my love life?" Turning slightly to look over his shoulder, Draco cocked one brow at Harry, while looking down his nose at the shorter wizard. "Make no mistake, Potter. We are not friends. We are not acquaintances. I was merely someone you...how did you put it? 'Used to keep your bed warm.' That means that when I decided to leave you, you lost all rights and privileges to act friendly."
"I didn't mean to pry; I just thought that since we'd be working together-"
"We are not working together. We are people that, by some circumstance of Fate, have to see each other two or three times a week. But that is it. I am not now, nor will I ever again, be 'working with you.'"
Turning away from Potter's desk, Draco started to stride out of the room.
"Draco! Wait! It's just...you looked happy. When I saw you with him in the cafeteria, I mean. Are...are you? Happy, that is?"
Pausing at the door after hearing the question, Draco bit back the answer he wanted to give.
"Yes, Potter. I am. Happier than when I was with you, at any rate."
Closing the door behind him, Draco didn't stay to see the other wizard's reaction. Besides, it wasn't like he was the one that started dating again first. Harry had been first to find someone else.
As he walked back to his office, Draco's mind flashed back to the article he had seen in the Prophet only a week after he had left Potter: 'Boy Who Lived Finds True Love' . Draco had been dumbfounded when he had seen Harry walking hand in hand with none other than Charlie Weasley in the picture. It had been at some post-war event that Harry had always told Draco he hated going to. Well, he hadn't looked upset in that picture, that's for sure.
He would never admit it to anyone, but Draco had spent days locked away from everyone, wallowing, before he pulled himself together. And, figuring that if Potter could throw this new 'boyfriend' in his face like that, then Draco could do the same to Harry.
Shaking his head to push the memories of his disastrous first few forays into dating out of his mind, Draco shut the door to his office. Just as he sat down behind his desk, someone knocked on his door.
"Enter." Grabbing the top file from his In-box, Draco didn't bother to look up at the person that walked in as he started to peruse the information it contained.
"Looks like you have an admirer, Sweetie." Draco recognized his secretary's voice instantly. She was a charming, elderly witch who had a bad habit of calling him pet names. She refused to address him by his title, or by his last name. Draco had even tried to get her to use his first name, but she refused. Eventually, he had given up and gotten used to the various things she'd call him.
"What makes you say that?" Glancing up, Draco froze when he saw the large bouquet of flowers she was arranging on the table near his fireplace. "Who are those from?"
"It doesn't say on the card, Dearie. It just says 'Thinking about you.'"
Stepping out from behind his desk, Draco covered the distance to the flowers in three strides. Plucking the card from Melinda's fingers, he was about to give his secretary yet another lecture on protecting his privacy, rather than invading it. At the look in her eye, Draco stopped himself just before he started.
"There's a good boy." Draco was dumbfounded when she reached up to pat him on the cheek before stepping around him to make her way back to her desk.
"Insane woman," the blond muttered to himself while looking down at the card. Sure enough, it only had those three words written on it. Shrugging to himself, Draco figured they must have been from Gustav. He'd have to thank the man later.
***
Draco shifted in his seat, stretching as he continued to pore over report after report. Stifling a yawn, he wondered again why he had allowed himself to stay out so late with Gustav the night before. They had gone to a nice dinner in Diagon Alley before heading back to Draco's flat for a glass of wine. He had sent the German home before anything fun could really get started. For some reason, Draco hadn't been in the mood to enjoy the man's attentions. He had not been able to get his mind off of those flowers that had come to his office.
Gustav had been adamant that he was not the one responsible for sending the flowers. Which meant that Draco either had a secret admirer or some crazed stalker. At this point, he wasn't sure which option would be better.
"My, my, someone is popular lately!"
Melinda's voice came through the door just before she entered Draco's office.
Looking up from his paperwork to see what she was going on about, Draco was surprised to see a box of chocolates in her hand.
"These are for you, Sweetums." The elderly witch plunked the box of chocolates down on the desk directly in front of Draco. Holding up the card, she tilted the paper this way and that while looking down her nose through her glasses to read it. "'Missing you lots. Want to see you again.' Well, isn't that sweet!"
Standing up slightly, Draco reached forward to pluck the card from the witch's hands. "It's positively enchanting, I'm sure...if it wasn't so disturbing."
Looking at the little card, Draco frowned while reading the message on it. "Do you have any idea who these are from? Who's been delivering them?"
"Well, I'm not quite sure I should be gossiping, Dear!" Melinda's gasp of outrage at the thought of being a busybody made Draco smile slightly.
"It is hardly gossip if I am asking you the question directly and you have some actual knowledge to share, Melinda." Draco put on his sweetest tone, buttering up the old lady by staring at her dreamily, his grey eyes big and wide in innocence while looking at her.
"Don't you be trying that look on me, you young upstart. I know that you use that one on all those pretty boys you get following you around." Shaking her finger at him, Melinda couldn't help but smile softly at the man's attempts. "And besides, I was told by Mr. Potter's secretary directly that Mr. Potter didn't want you finding out he was sending these things!" Reaching forward, Melinda opened the box of chocolates before plucking out one for herself. "Now, I do believe I'm late for morning tea with Gerty."
Draco sat staring after Melinda, as the woman slowly made her way out of his office. "Harry? No...it couldn't be." Frowning, Draco looked down at the card, scrutinizing it as if it would give him some insight or answers.
***
The sound of the Manor's owls hooting repeatedly was the only sound to break the silence as Draco paced back and forth inside his study. He hadn't managed to get any work done after Melinda left his office, his mind running in circles at the thought of Harry sending him those gifts. He was so deep in thought that he didn't even notice the fire in the fireplace flare up and turn from orange-red to bright green.
"Draco? Draco, are you there?" The sudden sound of his own name had the blond wizard jumping silently as he was pulled from his thoughts.
"Harry?" Turning to look at the fireplace, Draco was surprised to see Harry's visage in the green flames. "What are you doing flooing me at this hour?"
"Can I come through? It's important."
Studying the other man's face, Draco could spot the lines of worry around Harry's eyes. Nodding his head, he waved his wand at the fireplace to unlock his floo to the other wizard. Stepping back from the area, he gave Harry room to come exploding out of the floo like he usually did...or at least how he used to.
Sitting on the sofa, Draco arranged his robes comfortably and plastered that passive expression on his face that he had mastered when he was still a child. He was a bit surprised, however, when Harry managed to step neatly through the floo, instead of his usual tripping and stumbling exit.
"You've gotten a bit more graceful at the network, I see." Draco kept his voice monotone as he waited to find out what Potter wanted.
"Are you okay?" Harry whipped out his wand, looking around quickly, as though he was expecting an attack. "How are your wards? Are they still up? Never mind, I'll test them myself." Harry was off around the room, casting silent spell after silent spell.
Draco could feel the pull on the wards as Harry poked and prodded at them.
"Potter, what in Merlin's name are you doing? It's the middle of the night and you're acting like a madman. Sit down, and tell me what is going on."
"Well, it's just that...I didn't send you any flowers or chocolates, Draco. And apparently there's this rumour going around that I did. But I didn't!" Harry's rambling started to become more and more agitated as the wizard continued to look around the room, peering around curtains to survey the dark landscape of the manor grounds. "And so I got worried, you see, because I didn't send those. So I thought that maybe it was someone that might be out to hurt you. So I wanted to make sure you were okay, you see, and-"
"POTTER!" Draco shouted to make himself heard over the man's energetic run-on phrases. "Come over here, sit down, and tell me what in the world you are going on about."
Pausing mid-step, Harry looked slightly chagrined when he stopped and realized how he had been behaving. "Er...right." Quickly making his way over to one of the wing-back chairs, Harry sat down stiffly, still looking around, green eyes flickering from object to object rapidly. "Well, you see, my secretary had mentioned that you were getting these romantic gifts from a secret admirer. Apparently, all the secretaries find it very romantic. That German bloke's secretary said she only wished her boss was that romantic, but that he'd never think of something like that. So when Melody told me that, oh - that's my secretary's name, Melody."
"Get to the point, Potter. I'd like us to be able to get to bed some time tonight." Draco sighed before realizing what he had said. "Separately, I mean. As in I'd go to...oh, just get on with it."
"Er..okay. Anyways, when Melody told me that, I did some digging around of my own. Turns out that those gifts weren't from that German guy, after all. They were really bought anonymously. And then I remembered after the war, when the Death Eaters were after your family and they sent anonymous gifts to try and kill all of you, and so I was worried that they might be after you again, so I had to come over, you see! I had to make sure you were okay!"
"Potter...your Aurors put the last of the suspected Death Eaters in Azkaban over three years ago. Now, don't you think you should be running back to your boyfriend? Surely Weasley doesn't appreciate having his lover run off to random men's houses in the middle of the night."
"Ron's not my boyfriend. He's married to Hermione." Harry's faint look of disgust at the thought of being involved with Ron almost made Draco laugh.
"Not the Weasel. The other one. That dragon tamer."
"Oh, Charlie? He's not my boyfriend. He's just a friend." Harry's look of disgust turned into one of confusion. "What would make you think he's my boyfriend?"
"Okay, so he's not a boyfriend. Another fuck buddy then?" Folding his arms over his chest, Draco crossed one leg over the other, while looking at anything but Potter. "Still, I bet he doesn't like you running off in the middle of the night. Or is he still at home, as you put it, 'keeping your bed warm' while waiting for your return?"
Harry winced at the venom in Draco's voice as he heard those stupid words he had spoken the last day they were together. "I...I never meant that." His voice was quiet, so quiet he wasn't even sure that Draco could hear it. "I was upset...that you were leaving. I wanted to hurt you."
"Yes, well, Potter, as you can see I am doing fine on my own. Gustav is a wonderful boyfriend and I'm as happy as I could ever be." Tilting his chin up a bit, Draco continued to avoid looking at Harry.
"Really?" Harry's head came up a bit, his eyes studying Draco's posture.
"Er...then I suppose I'm happy for you. Maybe I should just go." Standing up, Harry started to make his way to the fireplace. Picking up a pinch of powder from the urn hovering in the air beside the fireplace, Harry paused just short of tossing it into the fire. "You know what? This is all your fault." Turning around, he pointed at Draco.
"My fault? What's my fault?"
"It's your fault that we broke up. And it's your fault that I haven't dated since you left me." Harry started to walk towards the blond, not caring about the couple of grains of powder on the floor that had slipped from his fingers.
"My fault?! You were the one who was only looking for some random bloke to shag!" Standing up, Draco took at step towards Harry, jabbing the man in the chest with a finger. "You're the one who wasn't looking for a relationship. And you're the one that started dating a Weasel just after we broke up!"
"I didn't date Charlie! He was in town so he came with me to the event! Merlin, Draco! I told you, I wasn't ready to settle down then - but that didn't mean I wanted to let you go!"
"And another thing! You're - what?" Draco paused, mid-jab into Harry's chest, when the other man's words sank in. "What do you mean...you didn't want to let me go?"
Harry paused, hands fidgeting for a moment before he brought them up to grip the front of Draco's robes and haul the man in for a hard kiss. He pressed his mouth to Draco's, his teeth nipping and gnawing at the man's lips until he was able to work his tongue between them to plunder the blond's delicious mouth. Groaning into the kiss, Harry pulled Draco closer to him, while pressing harder into the other's responsive mouth.
Draco was floored. Potter was one damned fine kisser. His hands gripped Harry's biceps, pulling the man's body closer to his own as he pressed back into the kiss. He wasn't about to take this passively! He'd show that Auror who was really in charge! Pushing forward, he wasn't paying attention to where they were going until they were tumbling into the fireplace.
The loud whoosh of green flames enveloping them made Draco's ears ring, the powder Harry had still had in his hand having activated the floo network without them giving it a specific destination. Their bodies bumped and jostled against each other, causing Draco to wriggle and writhe against Harry's hard body in a surprisingly thrilling way. His mouth was still sealed against the other man's, and he could feel Harry's hard arousal digging into his hip as their bodies ground together while spinning in the floo's vortex. All he could think about was Harry - the taste, the feel, the sounds, the sensations. Merlin, how he wished they were back in Harry's bedroom so they could get to the point.
Harry's arms wrapped tightly around Draco once he realized they were inside the floo network, his body grinding and humping against the other man's. Right now, Harry didn't care that they were possibly visible to anyone else travelling the network; all he cared about was the pressure of his mouth on Draco's, and the feel of his trapped erection grinding into the other man's. Fuck, he wished they were back in his bedroom, so they could get naked and he could show Draco just how much he really had missed the man.
The sound of the floo abruptly died as they were flung from the fireplace into a room. Rolling their bodies, Harry stopped their momentum when he had Draco effectively pinned beneath him. A brief separation of mouths allowed Harry to determine that they were back in his bedroom...what had once been their bedroom. As soon as he had gotten his bearings, he dropped his mouth back onto Draco's and continued to tongue-fuck the man's mouth while he ground his hips into the blond's. He was close to coming, but he wanted to bring Draco with him, remind the man of all the good things they did together. Harry managed to hold off on his own climax until he felt Draco start to tremble beneath him, then all bets were off. Gasping and panting into their kiss, Harry rode out his own orgasm just behind Draco's, his pants becoming soaked with his release, as he remained on top of the slender wizard.
"I've never stopped wanting you, Draco." Harry panted heavily, his lips pressed to Malfoy's ear. "I've always wanted you, and I've been kicking myself every day for not giving you what you needed before. Please...please give me another chance. I promise I'll be everything you've ever wanted and needed, and I'll never let you down ever again."
Panting softly, Draco paused before turning his head to look at Harry.
"Gustav...is my cousin. Not my boyfriend. I...I just wanted to make you jealous."
"It worked." Harry grinned softly, turning his head to press another kiss to Draco's lips. "Every time I was in the lifts with him, I was tempted to find a way to dispose of him. And let me tell you...as the Head Auror...there's quite a bit I could get away with. Especially if I was distracting the Chief Investigator of the AIAD."
Before Draco could make a protest about being able to do his job, Harry occupied that tantalizing mouth with a more interesting task, being mapped out by his tongue.
****
"Good morning Melinda!" Draco waved cheerfully to his secretary as he made his way past her and into his office.
Glancing down at her desk from the corner of his eye, he paused, and then grinned as he caught sight of the papers on her desk.
Paper...which was identical to the kind on which the mysterious notes had been written.
Recipient: chinae
Title: Something More
Pairing(s): Harry/Draco
Summary: "I'm sorry, Harry, but I can't do this anymore."
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended.
Warning(s): Flangst, but nothing major. And if you squint - possible exhibitionism
Epilogue compliant? Not in the least
Word Count: 3,741
Author's Notes: chinae, I hope this meets your expectations. I struggled with writer's block on this one from day one so I can only hope that you'll enjoy it. I tried to include as many of your preferences and prompts as I could. Big thanks to my last minute beta who's help made this piece actually worthy of being read by other people. I couldn't have done it without you, D!
"I'm sorry, Harry, but I can't do this anymore." Draco fought the urge to fold his arms over his chest. It was a sign of defensiveness, and he had to show that he was in control. If Harry knew how conflicted he really was...
"What do you mean? You didn't seem to have a problem with it the other day when we were -"
"Stop! Harry...I just...I need more." Clenching his jaw, Draco steeled himself against the urge to stop what he was doing.
It really was for the best; leaving Harry would make things easier in the long run. He would put this whole thing behind him. After all, Harry didn't love him. The Saviour of the Wizarding World was only doing this for the sex. 'Fuck buddies' was the crass term the black-haired wizard had used. Well...Draco wanted more than that now.
Picking up his bag, leather straps creaking in his tight grip as he clenched his fingers into a fist around the thick material, Draco started to walk towards the door. He paused while reaching for it with his other hand. Part of him was screaming to get out of there while he still could. The bigger part of him was praying that Harry would try to stop him.
"Fine, Draco. Go. It's not like you're the only one willing to warm my bed."
Clenching his hand around the straps again, Draco fought back the surprisingly strong wave of hurt that threatened to drown him. "Good, then at least you'll keep your heating bill down this winter."
Pulling the door open harshly, Draco stepped through before slamming it shut. Brisk, long strides carried him down the stoop past the anti-apparition wards around Harry's...no...Potter's house. As soon as he was far enough from the magical shields, Draco spun on the spot and disappeared with a loud crack.
****
6 months later
"Here are your files, Mr. Potter." Draco dropped the documents on top of Harry's desk, turning without a pause to leave the room.
Draco had managed to avoid spending too much time in the Auror Department after calling it quits with Potter. Unfortunately, his duties as the recently-promoted Chief Inspector for the Auror Internal Affairs Division meant that he had to spend a good deal of time preparing reports, which he had to personally deliver to the Head Auror. Damn Harry for getting promoted, too.
"Thanks, Draco." Harry glanced up at the blond wizard, his eyes studying the man's face. Draco looked good, and was definitely a sight that Harry had missed seeing on a regular basis. As the other wizard turned to leave, Harry stood up quickly and reached across his desk to grab Draco's wrist. "Wait. Can't we...can't we talk for a minute?"
Stiffening at the unexpected contact, Draco clenched his jaw before tugging his wrist free. "There is nothing to talk about, Potter."
"You shouldn't clench like that; you'll get a headache. Of course...if you wanted, I could rub your temples again...if you'd like..." Harry stammered slightly, fighting off the urge to blush.
"Sorry, Potter. I only let people I'm dating touch me that intimately...and you were never someone I dated, now were you?" Draco injected the appropriate amount of disdain into his voice, and knew he'd succeeded when he saw Harry flinch. He was a little puzzled as to why he felt bad, though.
"No...No, I suppose not." Twirling his quill in his hand, Harry kept standing behind his desk while looking at Draco. "I...I hear you're actually seeing someone else right now. That German exchange-wizard in the Accounting and Monetary Regulations Department, right?"
"Seriously, Potter, are you going to start asking me about my love life?" Turning slightly to look over his shoulder, Draco cocked one brow at Harry, while looking down his nose at the shorter wizard. "Make no mistake, Potter. We are not friends. We are not acquaintances. I was merely someone you...how did you put it? 'Used to keep your bed warm.' That means that when I decided to leave you, you lost all rights and privileges to act friendly."
"I didn't mean to pry; I just thought that since we'd be working together-"
"We are not working together. We are people that, by some circumstance of Fate, have to see each other two or three times a week. But that is it. I am not now, nor will I ever again, be 'working with you.'"
Turning away from Potter's desk, Draco started to stride out of the room.
"Draco! Wait! It's just...you looked happy. When I saw you with him in the cafeteria, I mean. Are...are you? Happy, that is?"
Pausing at the door after hearing the question, Draco bit back the answer he wanted to give.
"Yes, Potter. I am. Happier than when I was with you, at any rate."
Closing the door behind him, Draco didn't stay to see the other wizard's reaction. Besides, it wasn't like he was the one that started dating again first. Harry had been first to find someone else.
As he walked back to his office, Draco's mind flashed back to the article he had seen in the Prophet only a week after he had left Potter: 'Boy Who Lived Finds True Love' . Draco had been dumbfounded when he had seen Harry walking hand in hand with none other than Charlie Weasley in the picture. It had been at some post-war event that Harry had always told Draco he hated going to. Well, he hadn't looked upset in that picture, that's for sure.
He would never admit it to anyone, but Draco had spent days locked away from everyone, wallowing, before he pulled himself together. And, figuring that if Potter could throw this new 'boyfriend' in his face like that, then Draco could do the same to Harry.
Shaking his head to push the memories of his disastrous first few forays into dating out of his mind, Draco shut the door to his office. Just as he sat down behind his desk, someone knocked on his door.
"Enter." Grabbing the top file from his In-box, Draco didn't bother to look up at the person that walked in as he started to peruse the information it contained.
"Looks like you have an admirer, Sweetie." Draco recognized his secretary's voice instantly. She was a charming, elderly witch who had a bad habit of calling him pet names. She refused to address him by his title, or by his last name. Draco had even tried to get her to use his first name, but she refused. Eventually, he had given up and gotten used to the various things she'd call him.
"What makes you say that?" Glancing up, Draco froze when he saw the large bouquet of flowers she was arranging on the table near his fireplace. "Who are those from?"
"It doesn't say on the card, Dearie. It just says 'Thinking about you.'"
Stepping out from behind his desk, Draco covered the distance to the flowers in three strides. Plucking the card from Melinda's fingers, he was about to give his secretary yet another lecture on protecting his privacy, rather than invading it. At the look in her eye, Draco stopped himself just before he started.
"There's a good boy." Draco was dumbfounded when she reached up to pat him on the cheek before stepping around him to make her way back to her desk.
"Insane woman," the blond muttered to himself while looking down at the card. Sure enough, it only had those three words written on it. Shrugging to himself, Draco figured they must have been from Gustav. He'd have to thank the man later.
***
Draco shifted in his seat, stretching as he continued to pore over report after report. Stifling a yawn, he wondered again why he had allowed himself to stay out so late with Gustav the night before. They had gone to a nice dinner in Diagon Alley before heading back to Draco's flat for a glass of wine. He had sent the German home before anything fun could really get started. For some reason, Draco hadn't been in the mood to enjoy the man's attentions. He had not been able to get his mind off of those flowers that had come to his office.
Gustav had been adamant that he was not the one responsible for sending the flowers. Which meant that Draco either had a secret admirer or some crazed stalker. At this point, he wasn't sure which option would be better.
"My, my, someone is popular lately!"
Melinda's voice came through the door just before she entered Draco's office.
Looking up from his paperwork to see what she was going on about, Draco was surprised to see a box of chocolates in her hand.
"These are for you, Sweetums." The elderly witch plunked the box of chocolates down on the desk directly in front of Draco. Holding up the card, she tilted the paper this way and that while looking down her nose through her glasses to read it. "'Missing you lots. Want to see you again.' Well, isn't that sweet!"
Standing up slightly, Draco reached forward to pluck the card from the witch's hands. "It's positively enchanting, I'm sure...if it wasn't so disturbing."
Looking at the little card, Draco frowned while reading the message on it. "Do you have any idea who these are from? Who's been delivering them?"
"Well, I'm not quite sure I should be gossiping, Dear!" Melinda's gasp of outrage at the thought of being a busybody made Draco smile slightly.
"It is hardly gossip if I am asking you the question directly and you have some actual knowledge to share, Melinda." Draco put on his sweetest tone, buttering up the old lady by staring at her dreamily, his grey eyes big and wide in innocence while looking at her.
"Don't you be trying that look on me, you young upstart. I know that you use that one on all those pretty boys you get following you around." Shaking her finger at him, Melinda couldn't help but smile softly at the man's attempts. "And besides, I was told by Mr. Potter's secretary directly that Mr. Potter didn't want you finding out he was sending these things!" Reaching forward, Melinda opened the box of chocolates before plucking out one for herself. "Now, I do believe I'm late for morning tea with Gerty."
Draco sat staring after Melinda, as the woman slowly made her way out of his office. "Harry? No...it couldn't be." Frowning, Draco looked down at the card, scrutinizing it as if it would give him some insight or answers.
***
The sound of the Manor's owls hooting repeatedly was the only sound to break the silence as Draco paced back and forth inside his study. He hadn't managed to get any work done after Melinda left his office, his mind running in circles at the thought of Harry sending him those gifts. He was so deep in thought that he didn't even notice the fire in the fireplace flare up and turn from orange-red to bright green.
"Draco? Draco, are you there?" The sudden sound of his own name had the blond wizard jumping silently as he was pulled from his thoughts.
"Harry?" Turning to look at the fireplace, Draco was surprised to see Harry's visage in the green flames. "What are you doing flooing me at this hour?"
"Can I come through? It's important."
Studying the other man's face, Draco could spot the lines of worry around Harry's eyes. Nodding his head, he waved his wand at the fireplace to unlock his floo to the other wizard. Stepping back from the area, he gave Harry room to come exploding out of the floo like he usually did...or at least how he used to.
Sitting on the sofa, Draco arranged his robes comfortably and plastered that passive expression on his face that he had mastered when he was still a child. He was a bit surprised, however, when Harry managed to step neatly through the floo, instead of his usual tripping and stumbling exit.
"You've gotten a bit more graceful at the network, I see." Draco kept his voice monotone as he waited to find out what Potter wanted.
"Are you okay?" Harry whipped out his wand, looking around quickly, as though he was expecting an attack. "How are your wards? Are they still up? Never mind, I'll test them myself." Harry was off around the room, casting silent spell after silent spell.
Draco could feel the pull on the wards as Harry poked and prodded at them.
"Potter, what in Merlin's name are you doing? It's the middle of the night and you're acting like a madman. Sit down, and tell me what is going on."
"Well, it's just that...I didn't send you any flowers or chocolates, Draco. And apparently there's this rumour going around that I did. But I didn't!" Harry's rambling started to become more and more agitated as the wizard continued to look around the room, peering around curtains to survey the dark landscape of the manor grounds. "And so I got worried, you see, because I didn't send those. So I thought that maybe it was someone that might be out to hurt you. So I wanted to make sure you were okay, you see, and-"
"POTTER!" Draco shouted to make himself heard over the man's energetic run-on phrases. "Come over here, sit down, and tell me what in the world you are going on about."
Pausing mid-step, Harry looked slightly chagrined when he stopped and realized how he had been behaving. "Er...right." Quickly making his way over to one of the wing-back chairs, Harry sat down stiffly, still looking around, green eyes flickering from object to object rapidly. "Well, you see, my secretary had mentioned that you were getting these romantic gifts from a secret admirer. Apparently, all the secretaries find it very romantic. That German bloke's secretary said she only wished her boss was that romantic, but that he'd never think of something like that. So when Melody told me that, oh - that's my secretary's name, Melody."
"Get to the point, Potter. I'd like us to be able to get to bed some time tonight." Draco sighed before realizing what he had said. "Separately, I mean. As in I'd go to...oh, just get on with it."
"Er..okay. Anyways, when Melody told me that, I did some digging around of my own. Turns out that those gifts weren't from that German guy, after all. They were really bought anonymously. And then I remembered after the war, when the Death Eaters were after your family and they sent anonymous gifts to try and kill all of you, and so I was worried that they might be after you again, so I had to come over, you see! I had to make sure you were okay!"
"Potter...your Aurors put the last of the suspected Death Eaters in Azkaban over three years ago. Now, don't you think you should be running back to your boyfriend? Surely Weasley doesn't appreciate having his lover run off to random men's houses in the middle of the night."
"Ron's not my boyfriend. He's married to Hermione." Harry's faint look of disgust at the thought of being involved with Ron almost made Draco laugh.
"Not the Weasel. The other one. That dragon tamer."
"Oh, Charlie? He's not my boyfriend. He's just a friend." Harry's look of disgust turned into one of confusion. "What would make you think he's my boyfriend?"
"Okay, so he's not a boyfriend. Another fuck buddy then?" Folding his arms over his chest, Draco crossed one leg over the other, while looking at anything but Potter. "Still, I bet he doesn't like you running off in the middle of the night. Or is he still at home, as you put it, 'keeping your bed warm' while waiting for your return?"
Harry winced at the venom in Draco's voice as he heard those stupid words he had spoken the last day they were together. "I...I never meant that." His voice was quiet, so quiet he wasn't even sure that Draco could hear it. "I was upset...that you were leaving. I wanted to hurt you."
"Yes, well, Potter, as you can see I am doing fine on my own. Gustav is a wonderful boyfriend and I'm as happy as I could ever be." Tilting his chin up a bit, Draco continued to avoid looking at Harry.
"Really?" Harry's head came up a bit, his eyes studying Draco's posture.
"Er...then I suppose I'm happy for you. Maybe I should just go." Standing up, Harry started to make his way to the fireplace. Picking up a pinch of powder from the urn hovering in the air beside the fireplace, Harry paused just short of tossing it into the fire. "You know what? This is all your fault." Turning around, he pointed at Draco.
"My fault? What's my fault?"
"It's your fault that we broke up. And it's your fault that I haven't dated since you left me." Harry started to walk towards the blond, not caring about the couple of grains of powder on the floor that had slipped from his fingers.
"My fault?! You were the one who was only looking for some random bloke to shag!" Standing up, Draco took at step towards Harry, jabbing the man in the chest with a finger. "You're the one who wasn't looking for a relationship. And you're the one that started dating a Weasel just after we broke up!"
"I didn't date Charlie! He was in town so he came with me to the event! Merlin, Draco! I told you, I wasn't ready to settle down then - but that didn't mean I wanted to let you go!"
"And another thing! You're - what?" Draco paused, mid-jab into Harry's chest, when the other man's words sank in. "What do you mean...you didn't want to let me go?"
Harry paused, hands fidgeting for a moment before he brought them up to grip the front of Draco's robes and haul the man in for a hard kiss. He pressed his mouth to Draco's, his teeth nipping and gnawing at the man's lips until he was able to work his tongue between them to plunder the blond's delicious mouth. Groaning into the kiss, Harry pulled Draco closer to him, while pressing harder into the other's responsive mouth.
Draco was floored. Potter was one damned fine kisser. His hands gripped Harry's biceps, pulling the man's body closer to his own as he pressed back into the kiss. He wasn't about to take this passively! He'd show that Auror who was really in charge! Pushing forward, he wasn't paying attention to where they were going until they were tumbling into the fireplace.
The loud whoosh of green flames enveloping them made Draco's ears ring, the powder Harry had still had in his hand having activated the floo network without them giving it a specific destination. Their bodies bumped and jostled against each other, causing Draco to wriggle and writhe against Harry's hard body in a surprisingly thrilling way. His mouth was still sealed against the other man's, and he could feel Harry's hard arousal digging into his hip as their bodies ground together while spinning in the floo's vortex. All he could think about was Harry - the taste, the feel, the sounds, the sensations. Merlin, how he wished they were back in Harry's bedroom so they could get to the point.
Harry's arms wrapped tightly around Draco once he realized they were inside the floo network, his body grinding and humping against the other man's. Right now, Harry didn't care that they were possibly visible to anyone else travelling the network; all he cared about was the pressure of his mouth on Draco's, and the feel of his trapped erection grinding into the other man's. Fuck, he wished they were back in his bedroom, so they could get naked and he could show Draco just how much he really had missed the man.
The sound of the floo abruptly died as they were flung from the fireplace into a room. Rolling their bodies, Harry stopped their momentum when he had Draco effectively pinned beneath him. A brief separation of mouths allowed Harry to determine that they were back in his bedroom...what had once been their bedroom. As soon as he had gotten his bearings, he dropped his mouth back onto Draco's and continued to tongue-fuck the man's mouth while he ground his hips into the blond's. He was close to coming, but he wanted to bring Draco with him, remind the man of all the good things they did together. Harry managed to hold off on his own climax until he felt Draco start to tremble beneath him, then all bets were off. Gasping and panting into their kiss, Harry rode out his own orgasm just behind Draco's, his pants becoming soaked with his release, as he remained on top of the slender wizard.
"I've never stopped wanting you, Draco." Harry panted heavily, his lips pressed to Malfoy's ear. "I've always wanted you, and I've been kicking myself every day for not giving you what you needed before. Please...please give me another chance. I promise I'll be everything you've ever wanted and needed, and I'll never let you down ever again."
Panting softly, Draco paused before turning his head to look at Harry.
"Gustav...is my cousin. Not my boyfriend. I...I just wanted to make you jealous."
"It worked." Harry grinned softly, turning his head to press another kiss to Draco's lips. "Every time I was in the lifts with him, I was tempted to find a way to dispose of him. And let me tell you...as the Head Auror...there's quite a bit I could get away with. Especially if I was distracting the Chief Investigator of the AIAD."
Before Draco could make a protest about being able to do his job, Harry occupied that tantalizing mouth with a more interesting task, being mapped out by his tongue.
****
"Good morning Melinda!" Draco waved cheerfully to his secretary as he made his way past her and into his office.
Glancing down at her desk from the corner of his eye, he paused, and then grinned as he caught sight of the papers on her desk.
Paper...which was identical to the kind on which the mysterious notes had been written.