bottom_draco

Title: Time in a Bottle
Author:

bottom_draco Fest #067 “Kissing in the rain”; Theme of fest: “Time”
Pairing(s): Harry/Draco
Summary: This is a love story
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I do not own any of this. It all belongs to JKR.
Warning(s): Fluff, schmoop, and more fluff. EWE.
Word Count: About 17,000
Beta(s):

emansil_08,

avenalanon
Author's Notes: This story was partially inspired by the Jim Croce song “Time in a Bottle” which can be heard here on youtube.
Link to Part 1

Draco wakes to the feeling of Potter running his fingers up and down his forearm. They are still spooned together. Potter’s soft flyaway hair is just under Draco’s chin. Draco has his arm wrapped around Potter’s chest, his fingers buried under the pillow that lies beneath Potter’s head.

Potter turns to look up at Draco, still softly massaging Draco’s arm and says, “Hi.” He smiles.

Draco can’t help but smile back. “Hi.”

The room is lighter now, daylight streams in from behind the curtains. A shaft of light falls across Potter’s face and he blinks in it. Draco wonders how much Potter can see without his glasses. Before he can stop himself or think about what he is doing, he leans down and kisses each of Potter’s eyelids.

When he pulls back, he doesn’t think he’s ever seen Potter smile wider.

After a few seconds, the eye contact is more than Draco can take. He swallows and looks away. “What time is it?”

Potter turns and reaches for the nightstand on the far end of the table. Draco takes his arm back to let Potter move.

“It’s half past nine.” Potter says, after he has turned the clock around to show the time.

“Ugh,” Draco grunts, rolling onto his back and rubbing at his eyes. “I have to go.”

Draco drops his hands from his face and sees that Potter has sat up and put his glasses on. He pulls his blanket covered knees up to his chest and rests his chin on them, turning his head slightly to the side.

“What are you up to today?” Potter asks.

Draco sighs, considering everything he needs to do, “Well, I have to go in to Gringotts to do security checks, that usually takes a couple of hours. Then I have a late lunch meeting with a potential donor for my foundation. And tonight is Teddy’s first piano recital and I promised him I would go.”

Potter smiles, “I’ll be going to that as well. I’ve missed so much of his childhood, being gone as much as I have. That was one of the reasons I wanted to come home. I have a lot of catching up to do.” Potter cocks his head to the side again and narrows his eyes almost imperceptibly. “Do you really have to go in to work on a Saturday?”

“I do.” Draco fiddles with the blanket. “I have to check on the weekend security team, make sure they have everything they need, make sure the wards are all holding up.”

“You take your job very seriously, don’t you?” Potter asks in a subdued voice.

Draco shrugs. “It’s the path I chose. I didn’t have a lot of options after Hogwarts. It seems that the Goblins don’t hold grudges the way the rest of the Wizarding World does. They were one of the only ones who accepted my internship application.”

“I didn’t realise,” Potter says, interrupting, a frown on his face.

Draco waves his hand in a dismissive gesture. “It’s fine. It turns out I am really good at what I do and furthermore, I enjoy it. So it’s all worked out in the end.” Draco smiles, trying to reassure Potter.

Potter smiles. “Bill wrote in one of his letters that you were one of the best Curse Breakers he’d seen since he’d been at Gringott’s.”

Draco is stunned. Bill had been his advisor when he first started at Gringott’s. That was before he moved to Ward Development. “Bill wrote to you about me?”

Potter nods. “Yes, he mentioned you a few times. He’s always been good about keeping me up to date on what’s going on at home with people we both know.” Potter palms the back of his neck and scratches lightly. He turns away from Draco the tiniest bit and says, “Also… I may have asked after you a time or two.” Potter looks down at the bed.

Draco sits up, entranced by yet another mysterious surprise from this man and reaches for Potter’s face. He lightly places his fingers under Potter’s chin and brings his head up so their eyes meet. “Why would you do that?”

Potter shrugs and tries to look away again, but Draco tightens his hold on his chin. He won’t let this go.

Potter sighs. “I guess I just wondered whether you would be okay after the trials and everything.”

Draco drops his hand to Potter’s knee and cocks his head. “You wondered.”

Potter interrupts. “You were so quiet during eighth year. So different.” Potter kisses Draco’s hand on his knee and says, “I just wanted to be sure that you were okay, that’s all.”

Draco is stunned. He doesn’t know what to say. After a moment of silence, Potter picks up the hand on his knee and squeezes it. He smiles sweetly and says, “I’m glad to know for sure now that you’re okay.”

Draco is not prepared for the feeling that this new side of Potter creates in him. He feels… warm… and things look slightly blurred around the edges for a moment.

Then Potter is on him, kissing him sweetly, tenderly, and Draco finds that this only causes the warm, fuzzy feelings to continue.

After several moments of long, lazy kisses, Draco remembers the time. He pulls out of the kiss and gently pushes Potter away with a hand on his cheek. “I really do have to go.”

Potter sighs. “Okay.”

Potter gets up slowly and stretches, Draco notices the marks on his back again as he does so. Draco wants to ask about them, but doesn’t know an appropriate way of bringing it up. He suspects it may lead into a longer conversation, so he saves it for another time.

Potter goes into the loo and Draco gets up to find his clothes. It takes a few moments to gather everything up from where it was dropped last night. He is almost fully clothed when Potter comes out of the loo.

Potter stands in the doorway, leaning against the door frame. He is completely starkers still and seems perfectly comfortable in his naked state. He appraises Draco’s dressed state. “I was going to offer the shower.”

Draco smiles as he hangs his tie around his neck, not bothering to do up the knot. “I appreciate that, but I don’t mind waiting until I get home. I’m just going to apparate straight there.”

Potter nods, walking over to Draco and places his hands on his chest, rubbing them up and down. Potter blinks up at him and says, “So, I’ll see you tonight?”

Draco nods as Potter gently fingers the hickey he left on Draco’s neck the night before. “I guess you will.”

Potter leans up for one last kiss and then pulls away, smiling sweetly as Draco apparates home.

*-*-*

Draco feels sort of like he is floating all day. Time ticks by quite fast at Gringotts, and his lunch meeting goes spectacularly. The gentleman he dines with is Gordon Alexander, an heir to an old pureblood family fortune. It’s more money than Gordon could ever spend in his lifetime and he has no children. It was Draco’s mother who recommended that he hit him up for a sizeable donation. By the end of the meal, Gordon has agreed to fund a Wizarding summer camp for Hogwarts students who don’t have any place to go during the summer holiday.

After lunch, Draco heads home for a brief rest and to change before he has to be at Teddy’s recital. For the first time in years, Draco actually struggles over deciding what to wear. It’s the most nonsensical display of insecurity he has experienced since he was a teenager. He was in Potter’s bed this morning, the man’s prick had been in his arse and yet he is worried about what Potter might think of his clothes!

In the end, he decides on Muggle attire; casual, but not too casual. He ends up in black slacks that he knows hug his arse just right, without being obscene; and a blue cashmere sweater that brings out the silver glints in his otherwise dull grey eyes.

Draco doesn’t get to talk to Potter before the recital because Potter manages to sneak in just as the show is starting. Draco seems to sense it when the door opens in the back of the little auditorium just as the first student begins to play. Draco turns around to see Potter slinking in and taking a seat at the back.

The recital is about as good as one would expect; little Wizards playing easy versions of famous songs to the best of their ability. Teddy does quite well. Draco is unable to distinguish any mistakes in the song he has heard practiced dozens of times while visiting Andromeda and Teddy. Draco feels his chest swell when Teddy stands up to take his bow and Draco realises he is quite proud of his young cousin.

After the show, the family decides to go out to the Leaky for dinner to celebrate young Teddy. Teddy seems a bit embarrassed by all the attention, but he is a good sport. Draco and Potter end up sitting next to one another and Draco finds it quite surreal to be sitting at a booth with his mother, aunt, cousin, and Harry Potter, like they are suddenly one big happy family. Looking around the table, he absorbs the friendly conversation and thinks maybe they are.

It is Andromeda who asks Potter about his most recent mission and Draco is pleased when Potter gives her the same answer he had given Draco, a wink and a reminder that it’s still classified. Andromeda then goes on to wax poetic about how nice it will be for Teddy to have both his Godfather and his cousin around to look up to as role models. Potter and Draco both blush at this, and Teddy smiles at them bigger than he has all night.

When Andromeda starts talking about the painting class that Teddy has just started, Draco feels Potter’s hand gently massaging his leg. He glances up to see that Potter is still looking intently at Andromeda, seemingly absorbed in the conversation.

When Andromeda is distracted upon realising that Teddy has fallen asleep with his head in her lap, Potter turns to look at Draco and gives him a knowing wink. Draco feels his face flush and hopes that no one else notices.

After this, they decide it’s time to call it a night. Andromeda needs to get Teddy home to bed and Narcissa is tired. As they are getting up to leave, Draco is about to tell Tom to put the meal on his tab, as he usually does when they all go out, but Potter beats him to it, asking Tom to put it on his tab. There is a brief moment of silent awkwardness, Andromeda and Narcissa seem to fear that Draco and Potter may be about to have a confrontation. They both heave sighs of relief when Draco just smiles and thanks Potter for the treat.

The all walk out into the floo hall together. After goodbyes, Andromeda carries Teddy to a fireplace and floos home with him. Draco kisses his mother goodnight and sends her off to the Manor in another fireplace and then Potter and Draco are alone together.

Potter reaches out and takes Draco’s hands in his. “Is it too soon to invite you to come home with me again?”

Draco laughs, but then feigns a serious tone and says “Yes.”

Potter’s face falls and Draco says quickly, “Because it’s my turn to invite you home.”

*-*-*

Moonlight streams into the bedroom when Draco wakes. He looks at his window and sees the moon through the glass that is exposed above the top of his curtain rod. It looks like the moon is full tonight.

He stretches his arms up over his head and turns to look at Potter, finding him awake and watching Draco.

Potter is lying on his side with his hand on the mattress. When Draco moves toward him, Potter lifts his hand and softly taps his finger tips on Draco’s cheek and then his lips.

Draco peppers Potter’s fingers with delicate kisses before grabbing the hand and holding it. “Have you been awake long?”

“Only a few minutes, the moon is beautiful tonight.”

Draco looks toward the window again. “It is.”

Draco likes the way the moonlight is flooding the room, Potter looks ethereal in the blue/white light. Again, Draco admires his face without the glasses. Potter must notice his gaze because he flutters his lashes a few times and swallows.

Draco drops Potter’s hand on the mattress and reaches his thumb up to rub over Potter’s eyelids and feels the softness of his lashes. When Draco stops, Potter opens his eyes and blinks several times.

“I don’t think you have any idea how beautiful you are.” Draco tells him.

Potter swallows and narrows his eyes a bit. “I could say the same thing to you.”

Draco shakes his head. “No, I know.” He touches the pads of his fingers to Potter’s lips. “But we are talking about you right now.”

Potter raises a brow. “Do you really think that?” He scrunches up his nose a bit. “Because I’ve always been told ‘ruggedly handsome’ was more my look.”

“Who told you that?” Draco asks, annoyed.

Potter laughs. “Witch Weekly.”

“Idiots, all of them,” Draco sneers. “They wouldn’t know a beautiful thing if it was lying in their own bed. I, on the other hand, know true beauty when I see it. And you, Harry Potter, are without a doubt, one of the most beautiful men I have ever seen. And I daresay the prettiest to ever share my bed.”

With that Draco leans over and kisses Potter. It is a soft, chaste kiss. Draco feels Potter’s hands go around his neck and his lips begin to open, but Draco pulls back. He takes Potter’s hand from around his neck and examines them in the moonlight.

Potter watches this curiously.

“How did you get all of these little scars?” Draco asks, running his fingers over the tiny white lines on Potter’s hands.

Potter swallows. “Shattering hex. It shattered the windows I was hiding behind. I threw my hands up to protect my face.”

“But you didn’t heal them?”

Potter shrugs. “It was dark magic. I healed them as soon as I could, but it was a long battle and by then it was too late to prevent the scarring.”

Draco pulls Potter’s right hand to his mouth and begins to lick and kiss over every single tiny white line. When he is finished, he moves on the left hand and does the same thing.

Once Draco feels he has sufficiently attended to Potter’s hands, he places them back on his neck and leans in for more sweet kisses.

Draco threads his hands through Potter’s hair. He can’t understand how his hair can be so unruly and so soft at the same time. He pulls back for a second just to look at the strands in his fingers. The way the moonlight glints on the black locks, it looks like he is holding black diamonds in his hands.

Then Potter is arching forward, demanding that the kisses continue, and Draco gives in to his command quite happily.

*-*-*

Draco wakes to a room filled with light. There is steam coming out of the door to his en suite bathroom, which is slightly ajar. He looks around to see Potter’s clothes still littering the floor and smiles.

He sits up, yawning, and looks at his clock to see that it is almost nine. Just as he considers joining Potter in the shower, he hears the water go off. Potter comes into the room with one of Draco’s royal blue towels slung around his waist. He leans into the door frame grinning at Draco. “I hope you don’t mind I used your shower.”

“Not at all,” Draco says, struggling to get the words out as his brain processes the delicious sight before him.

Potter towels his hair and then shakes his head like animal. The same way he did in the rain on Friday night.

Draco watches the water droplets come off his hair and litter the oak floorboards. Then he sees Potter’s feet stepping in the drops as he walks to the nightstand by where Draco sits, picks up his glasses and puts them on.

Potter stands still now, leaning into the bed and looks down at Draco. He brings his still slightly damp hands to Draco’s face and runs his fingers through the strands surrounding it. He leans down for a long, slow kiss. Potter’s tongue explores Draco’s mouth, taking it’s time and savouring.

Draco runs his fingers up and down Potter’s chest, giving him goose pimples and Potter pulls his tongue back and smiles against Draco’s mouth. Without moving his mouth he says huskily, “Have breakfast with me.”

Draco sighs, dropping his hands and leaning back on the bed. Looking up at Potter he says, “I can’t.”

Potter’s face is flat as he brings himself upright again.

Draco brings his hands back up to Potter’s belly, running his fingertips around in the moisture and dark hairs there and explains, “I always have brunch with my family at the Manor on Sunday mornings.”

“It’s fine,” Potter says unconvincingly. “I am actually supposed to go over to the Weasley’s today.”

Draco drops his hands again, nodding, but keeps his eyes on Potter’s face. “You must have really missed them.”

Potter shrugs, breaking eye contact to look down at the floor and begins gathering up his clothes. “Actually, I didn’t really miss them at all for the fist couple of years.”

Potter sits down on the bed next to Draco now, his clothes in a pile in his lap. Draco touches Potter’s arm gently and he turns to look at Draco. Draco raises an eyebrow in question.

Potter blows out a puff of air. “The first couple of years being away were wonderful. I started in Anchorage, it’s really beautiful there. I just remember getting up each morning and breathing in the air. It was the first time in my life that I really felt free.” Potter fiddles with the belt he’s holding in his lap. “It’s only been in the last year or so that I have really missed anyone. This last mission was… rough.”

Draco rubs his hand up and down Potter’s arm. “Well, I am sure the Weasley’s are happy to have you back.”

Potter nods and stands to begin dressing. “They are. It will be good to spend some time with them today.”

Draco is relieved to know that Potter has plans, so he doesn’t have to feel guilty for turning down the breakfast offer.

Potter shakes his shirt out and pulls it on over his head. Draco just sits and watches as Potter dresses. Potter knows Draco is watching him and every few seconds meets his eyes and gives him a little smile.

Once Potter is dressed, he stands in front of Draco again and picks up Draco’s hands, threading their fingers together. “So, it’s a cheesy line to say ‘When am I going to see you again?’ right?”

Draco smiles. “It may be cliché, but it’s still a legitimate question.” Draco unthreads their fingers and turns Potter’s hands over, palms down. He looks down as he rubs his thumbs around on the backs of Potter’s hands for a moment before continuing. “I don’t really know. My time is somewhat… limited.” He turns his face back up to Potter to asses his reaction.

Potter pulls his hands out of Draco’s and plants them on either side of Draco’s face, applying firm pressure. “Well, my time is not so limited. This new position is going to be much calmer than what I am used to and that will mean being able to set my own schedule on some days.” Potter is running his thumbs up and down Draco’s cheeks as he speaks. “So, you just let me know what works for you, and I will do my best to accommodate, okay?”

Draco nods silently and Potter leans down, his forehead resting against Draco’s. Potter’s voice is soft when he speaks. “We have all the time in the world, Draco. We really do. I know you are busy, but I won’t let that get in the way of what is happening between us because it’s good.” Potter whispers now, “And I want it. And I want you… in my life.” And then Potter is kissing him so tenderly, Draco feels like he might break if Potter pushes too hard.

When Potter pulls back, he is smiling. “Owl me when you know when you’ll next have a free night.”

Draco nods again and watches Potter spin to Apparate away.

Draco sits on the bed for quite a while after Potter leaves, considering what has just transpired. He is not completely convinced that he wants what Potter is offering, but at the same time, he can’t imagine walking away from it.

*-*-*

It’s Tuesday before Draco has a moment to even think about owling Potter. Sunday brunch with his parents lasted hours, as usual. By the time he returned home on Sunday evening after running errands, he was so exhausted from two nights in a row of sex with Potter that he actually skipped dinner, opting to go straight to be instead.

Mondays are always a terribly busy day at Gringotts. Many people like to withdraw all of their money for the week on Mondays. It makes the main hall much more crowded and busier. It’s a prime time for petty thieves and pickpockets trying to get lost in the crowd. Draco always has to station extra guards in the front room, especially in mid-day when everyone is running errands on their lunch breaks.

Draco didn’t dine at the Leaky last night, as that is his usual night to have dinner with Pansy. She could tell immediately that something was going on with Draco and wouldn’t rest until he told her the whole story about Potter. To Draco’s surprise, she was quite enthusiastic about it, even telling Draco he’d be a fool not to pursue it.

Now it’s Tuesday afternoon and Draco is just starting to feel like he can catch his breath. He knows the feeling won’t last long, though, because he has a Goblin meeting coming up in just under an hour. However, he did most of his preparation for the meeting in the wee hours of the morning, so he feels okay about taking a few moments to compose an owl to Potter.

After consulting his schedule for the rest of the week, he decides that the best night to see Potter again would be Wednesday. In the letter, he apologizes that it’s only a day’s notice and hopes that Potter can make it, but understands if he can’t.

After sending the note off with his Eagle owl, Draco allows himself a few moments repose to think about Potter. He leans back in his chair, folds his hands behind his head and closes his eyes. He still gets chills, even days later when he remembers some of the things that Potter can do with his tongue. He drops one hand to his neck to finger the love mark that is slowly fading under his collar and smiles.

Draco can’t imagine trying to fit a real relationship into his life right now. But he has thought a great deal over what Potter said on Sunday and has come to the conclusion that if Potter is willing to work around his schedule, then he would be a fool not to at least try to give this thing with him a go.

Draco is fascinated by Potter and also quite enamored by him. And he can’t remember ever having sex as good as he’s had with Potter. He knows that to walk away from this potential happiness would be a monumental mistake. As unlikely as it seems that it will ever work, Draco knows that he has to try. He couldn’t live with himself if he didn’t.

*-*-*

Draco fiddles with his pocket watch while he waits for Potter at the table. He is at Chez Nous seated at a lovely table that Potter has reserved for them.

Potter owled Draco back immediately yesterday and asked if Chez Nous would be okay. Of course Draco answered that it would be wonderful, he was quite impressed that Potter suggested such a high-brow place for their first actual date. When Potter replied, he said that he would take care of the arrangements for the reservation and that Draco was to meet him at the restaurant at 8:30.

Now Draco waits, it’s only 8:32, but he was five minutes early. Arriving early for everything is an annoying habit that he has picked up from the Goblins, as it usually means that one is forced to wait.

Draco runs his hand through his white-blonde fringe before placing it behind his ear. When he looks up, he sees Potter walking toward him with a blindingly beautiful grin on his face.

Potter slides into the seat across from him and reaches to take Draco’s hands in his. “Have you been waiting long?” He asks, still smiling.

“A few minutes, but I was early.” Draco can’t help but smile back.

Potter squeezes Draco’s hands gently before bringing them to his mouth and kissing them. “I’m so glad you were able to find time to come out with me so soon. I just realised yesterday when you owled me that this is our first proper date.”

“I was thinking the same thing.” Draco pulls his hands back reluctantly when he sees the waiter approaching.

“Will you be having wine with dinner tonight?” The waiter asks.

Potter orders a pricey bottle for them and as soon as the waiter is gone, he reaches across the table again for Draco’s hand. Once their fingers are clasped together, Potter says, “This probably makes me sound desperate, but ever since leaving you on Sunday, I’ve been looking forward to when I could touch you again. Now that I am, I don’t want to stop.”

Draco shakes his head. “It doesn’t sound desperate at all. It sounds… honest actually.” Draco runs his fingers through his fringe behind his ear again. “It’s refreshing. I rarely get to be around people who share their feelings so openly. It’s …nice.”

Potter nods his head as he speaks. “I don’t typically have a reason to share feelings and somehow, with you, the last thing I want to do is keep them to myself.” Potter pauses and looks thoughtful, as if he is searching for words. “There is something about you, Draco that catches me off guard and makes me want to tell you…things. I don’t know what it is.”

Draco doesn’t know how to respond to this. This assessment makes me him feel flattered and uncomfortable at the same time. As is his usual course, he deflects the discomfort with a question. “What kinds of things do you want to tell me?”

Just as Potter opens his mouth to answer, the waiter appears to take their orders. Draco realises that neither of them have even taken a moment to look at the menus. However, Potter asks if he can order for them and Draco agrees. He is impressed when Potter orders Chateau Briande for them both. Before the waiter leaves, he uncorks their wine and pours a glass for each of them.

Once the waiter is gone, Potter lifts his glass and asks, “What shall we drink to?”

Draco ponders for a moment before answering. “To taking a chance?” he hopes that doesn’t seem negative. Potter’s features gradually form a smile, though, so it must be okay.

“To taking a chance,” Potter says.

They clink their glasses and drink.

*-*-*

They are in the middle of their Crème Brulèe when Draco remembers his question to Potter from earlier. After they toasted, Potter quickly asked Draco about his work at Gringotts. Much to Draco’s chagrin, Potter had dozens of good questions to ask and managed to keep him talking about his job for almost the entire meal.

But now neither of them is talking as they savour their dessert and Draco decides it needs to be Potter’s turn to talk for a while. He sets his spoon down and considers Potter for a moment before speaking.

Potter sees him looking, “What?” he asks.

“You said earlier that something about me makes you want to tell me things. I asked what things you want to tell me, but you never got to answer. I would still like to know.”

Potter looks thoughtful as he takes his last bite of Crème Brulèe. He leaves the spoon in his mouth for an obscenely long time and Draco can see his tongue swirling around it, getting the last little traces off of it as he finally removes it and sets it down.

Potter wipes his mouth with his napkin and lays it on the table before answering. “I suppose I want to tell you lots of things. I want to tell you my thoughts and ideas, my dreams and wishes.” Potter looks down. “It sounds silly, I know.”

“No, it doesn’t sound silly at all.” Draco reaches across the table so that they can join hands again. “I guess I am just surprised that you want to tell me. Don’t you have other friends that you can talk to about these things?”

Potter shrugs, his eyes become clouded. “Not really. I used to be able to talk to Ron, but we haven’t worked together since before my last assignment. Now that he and Hermione are married, they have their own life.”

“But they still care for you, I’m sure,” Draco reasons.

“Oh, they do, it’s just… this last assignment… I feel I am… different from it.” Potter pulls a hand back from Draco and scratches the back of his neck. “I know I can’t tell anyone about it and that’s fine. I am used to that. It’s just that there are so many big parts of me that they don’t know anymore.” Potter drops his hand to the table. “I don’t feel like I am being really genuine when I am around them.”

Draco nods, understanding setting in. “I imagine that the more time you spend with them, the more opportunities you will have to show them new sides of yourself. With time, you will begin to feel more comfortable.”

“You think so?” Potter looks unsure.

“I do. I think they are probably feeling just as awkward as you are. You have missed out on the last two years of their lives too, after all.”

“Hmm. I hadn’t thought of it that way.” Potter puts his hand back in Draco’s as he begins speaking again. “Sunday was pretty stressful for me at the Weasley’s. I mean, it was enjoyable, but… different after being gone so long.” Potter bites his lip a little bit as he considers his next words. “I realised today that maybe the reason I feel so comfortable with you is that you don’t seem to expect me to act in any certain way. At this point, we are practical strangers… or were… before Friday night.” Potter smiles at this and continues, “So I don’t feel like there have to be any pretenses between us. You seem to be interested in finding out who I am now, not continuing to focus on who I have been. At least, that’s how you come off. Am I getting that right?”

Draco finds Potter’s sudden uncertainty adorable. “Yes, you are right.” He nods. “I feel the same thing coming from you.”

Draco can’t think of anything else to say. He and Potter continue smiling at one another until they notice the bill on the table and realise they have no idea how long it has been there.

*-*-*

Against Draco’s better judgment, they end up back at his place that night. Potter invited him home, but Draco knew he really needed his early morning work time the next day, so he declined and invited Potter to his flat instead.

Draco Apparates them straight into the bedroom. He makes no pretenses about his intentions by offering a drink or any other such thing. He approaches Potter immediately and pushes his cloak back off his shoulders. Draco’s hands pause for a moment on Potter’s shoulders, massaging in circles for a few seconds before coming down to Potter’s waist and pushing the cashmere sweater up to reveal his bare belly.

Draco drinks in the look of it before continuing, the dark hairs that litter his belly and chest, much softer and finer than they have any right to be. As he pushes the sweater up, he stops to tweak each of Potter’s nipples, making the other man gasp. Draco smiles and leans down to give each bud a long swipe of his tongue and a gentle nibble before continuing to pull Potter’s sweater off. “Arms up,” he says, and Potter obliges, raising his arms up over his head so that Draco can disrobe him.

Potter moves in for a kiss, but Draco stops him. “Just wait,” he says. Potter looks dismayed at this, but does as he is told. Draco divests Potter of his trousers and pants now and instructs Potter to lie down on the bed on his belly and take off his glasses.

Potter looks unsure, but follows directions anyway. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to violate you.” Draco tells him.

Potter looks back over his shoulder as he watches Draco remove his clothes and settle on the bed over him. “What are you going to do, then?”

Draco leans down and whispers into Potter’s ear, “I’m going to pleasure you.” Draco begins methodically licking each portion of Potter’s ear after he says this and Potter shivers. Draco can feel goose pimples breaking out all across Potter’s flesh and he is pleased, he loves the reactions he is able to get out of him. He smiles against Potter’s ear and hums.

Potter reaches back and tangles his hand in Draco’s hair. He turns his head back as he pulls Draco’s down so that their mouths meet. Potter tongue is aggressive at first, but then he pulls back just enough to speak. “Draco, I-” He starts.

“Shhh…” Draco says, “If you don’t like it, I’ll stop.”

Potter is still for a heartbeat. He swallows, nods minutely and says, “Okay.”

Draco smiles. “You won’t regret it.” He says, before returning to Potter’s mouth.

They kiss like this for several moments. Their tongues tangled and teeth clacking because of the awkward angle. Finally, Draco has had enough. He pulls back and pushes Potter’s head down into the mattress gently.

When Draco moves back, he notices the scars on Potter’s back again. He doesn’t want to ruin the mood or lose Potter’s tenuous trust, so he resists asking about them. Instead he ghosts his fingertips over them. When Potter doesn’t respond in pain or discomfort, Draco leans down and plants light kisses on each mark. Somehow, he feels like he wants to kiss away all traces of past pain.

Now Draco eyes his ultimate prize. Potter’s arse.

Two perfect pale globes. Muscled, and yet soft and supple.

Draco begins by massaging them gently. The more pressure he adds, the more he can feel the tension leaving Potter’s body. He does this just long enough to relax Potter, but not so long that he might start to feel sleepy.

Finally, he moves his hands down to the bottom of Potter’s arse and gently squeezes up and out to separate the globes. Potter’s breath catches as he feels his hole exposed to the air and Draco’s eyes. Draco blows out a long stream of air over the hole and feels Potter shudder.

For a moment, Draco just sits, mesmerized by the beauty before him. Potter’s arse is so fucking tight. It wouldn’t shock Draco to learn that no one else has been in this place before.

At that thought, Draco looks up to see Potter’s face smushed into the mattress. His eyes squeezed tightly shut, his mouth hanging open, breath coming in gasps. But Potter makes no protest. So Draco goes back to his work.

He pulls Potter’s arse cheeks farther apart still and leans down to lay one long lick across Potter’s hole, licking in a stripe from bottom to top. Potter’s hole clenches at the anticipated intrusion and Draco backs off.

He puts one hand on the small of Potter’s back and begins rubbing in slow circles. “Just relax, I promise I am only going to make you feel good.” Draco desperately wants to show Potter a new kind of pleasure, give him something that no one else ever has.

Potter nods. He doesn’t open his eyes, but he does let out a long slow breath. “That’s right,” Draco says. “No need to hold your breath. Just try to let yourself enjoy this. It will feel good if you let it.”

Draco leans back down again, with his hands separating Potter’s arse cheeks, his tongue goes to work. First, he slowly just licks in a circle around Potter’s entrance, not penetrating yet. He gets the hole good and wet, continues licking until his spit starts sliding down to pool at the underside of Potter’s balls.

He massages Potter’s arse softly with his tongue until more goose pimples start to appear and then, quickly, he darts his tongue into his hole. Potter clenches around Draco’s tongue, but only for a moment. Draco hears him let out another breath and then he trembles for just a second before letting go and relaxing, allowing Draco’s tongue access to his most intimate place.

Draco revels in being allowed to do this. Potter tastes amazing. He is bitter and acrid and it’s the most delicious things Draco’s ever tasted. The musky scent fills his nostrils as he works his tongue in and out of Potter’s hole, taking his time to set up a good rhythm. It takes him a little while to determine what Potter likes best. Soon, though, he can feel all of the stress leaving his body. Soon, Potter is boneless, his flesh like liquid in Draco’s hands.

Once this happens, Draco backs off only slightly. Just enough to motion for Potter to get up onto his knees a little bit. Potter complies and Draco is thrilled to discover that his cock is already half hard.

Draco leans down, his tongue going back to work on Potter’s hole, and one hand holding his arse open. The other hand finishes stroking Potter’s cock to life. Draco’s tongue stops just long enough for him to whisper a lubrication charm and Potter laughs quietly as he feels the silvery magical liquid coating his cock and balls.

Draco tongues Potter’s hole again as he massages Potter’s balls, gently at first, and then a bit more firmly. He does this for several minutes before returning to stroke Potter’s prick. He runs his fingers over the slit and feels the leaking precome, then he begins to wank Potter in earnest. His strokes keep time with his tongue still thrusting in and out of Potter’s arse. His tongue is buried as deep into Potter’s arse now as he can possibly manage and he feels all of Potter’s muscles begin to tighten. He speeds up his strokes and adds a slight twist to the end of each until, finally, Potter comes. His spunk streams out of him, covering the bed and Draco’s hand. Draco continues to milk Potter’s cock through the aftershocks and leaves his tongue buried deep in his arse until Potter’s legs begin to shake and then finally give way as he collapses onto the mattress.

Potter’s body is still convulsing as Draco lies down on top of him. He leans down and plants kisses on Potter’s shoulders until he feels Potter lift a weak arm and tangle his fingers in Draco’s hair again. He looks up to see Potter looking back at him, his neck arched as he half turns his body. “Kiss me” Potter chokes out.

Draco doesn’t need to be asked twice. He rolls off Potter, so that they are lying face to face and he leans in for the kiss. He lets Potter take the lead. The kiss is slow and lazy and seems to go on forever. Draco tries to seal this moment in his mind so that he can always remember exactly what Potter kisses like just after Draco has brought him to the edge of ecstasy and back.

Potter doesn’t use his hands at all to hold Draco into the kiss. His body likely still too exhausted from his orgasm. Draco finds Potter’s hand on the mattress and gently threads their fingers together.

Draco continues kissing until Potter finally pulls back. When he does, his eyes are shining. He smiles. “Thank you, Draco,” he says softly.

Draco goes to respond, but Potter shakes his head, raising a hand to place a finger over Draco’s lips.

“Thank you,” he says again. Then he pulls Draco’s head into his chest, running his fingers through Draco’s hair over and over again. Draco licks across Potter’s collarbone several times, before finally resting his head there and closing his eyes, enjoying the sensation of Potter’s fingers in his hair.

*-*-*

It’s thoughts of those fingers running through his hair that keep distracting him in the morning as he tries to work.

After falling asleep for a little while in a sticky mess the night before, Potter awoke and used cleaning charms on them both before slowly kissing Draco back into wakefulness. They made love slowly and gently, twice more before finally succumbing to sleep.

Draco managed to get up at his usual time this morning and get out of bed without waking Potter. Now he sips his coffee and yawns, running his fingers up and down his scalp, remembering how Potter kept holding his face close to his while they made love last night. Draco remembers all of the things Potter kept whispering into his ear, making him shiver, making him crazy. “So fucking good, Draco.” “I love fucking you so much, so tight, so hot, so good.” “I love the way I can feel your arse clenching around my cock, holding me in, dragging me deeper.” “Look at me,” Potter would say. And it was almost too much, Potter’s eyes, their intensity, practically glowing green as they bored into Draco’s. Draco remembers blinking just as he felt Potter coming deep inside him. Then Potter whispered different things in his ear as he came down. “So fucking pretty. Pretty blond hair and white lashes, eyes only for me.” “So sweet, so hot, so perfect.” Then Draco came with these words whispered in his ear. No one had ever held him quite so tenderly like that after sex before. He had never felt so adored by a lover in his life.

Draco is lost in these thoughts as he begins to notice the light in the room turning to pre-dawn grey. He looks out the window and realises how much time he’s lost to his thoughts. He shakes himself and goes back to revising the report he’s working on.

*-*-*

Draco has just finished his report and is putting it away in his briefcase when he hears footsteps. He smiles as he feels hands on his shoulders; then a head on top of his own. He feels Harry turn his head and bury his nose in his locks and sniff. It makes him laugh. “Good morning, Harry.” He says.

He feels Harry still for a moment. Draco reaches up and puts his hands on Harry’s arms, rubbing them up and down the strong muscles slowly. When he still doesn’t move, Draco shifts and turns to look at him. “Everything okay?”

Harry is smiling. “Yeah,” he says. “Everything is perfect.”

Draco raises an eyebrow in question.

“It’s nice to hear you say my name.”

“Ah” Draco says, before leaning in for a soft morning kiss.

Harry stands up and goes to sit down on the end of the couch nearest Draco’s desk. “Do you always get up so early?” He asks.

“On weekdays, yes.” Draco stands and stretches. “I always have far more to do in a day than I can possibly get done during business hours. I’ve found that getting a head start helps keep me from getting behind.”

Draco walks over and sits down next to Harry on the couch. “That’s why I needed you to stay here last night. So I could still get up and work.”

Harry pulls Draco’s hands into his lap. “Won’t you be tired today, though?”

Draco shrugs. “Tired is my natural state, I think. Long hours are nothing unusual at Gringott’s. I’m quite used to it.” Draco leans into Harry and runs his hands over his chest and shoulders. “But today will be easier. Because today, whenever I feel tired, I will simply shut my eyes for a second and think about making love with you last night and suddenly the lack of sleep will all seem worth it.”

Harry’s eyes light up as Draco says this and suddenly his hands are at the back of Draco’s neck, pulling him in for a hungry kiss.

Draco pulls out of the kiss sooner than Harry would like and Harry practically growls as their mouths separate. “We both have to get ready for work.” Draco admonishes. “It’s getting late.”

Harry sighs, sitting up and stretching, working out the kinks in his neck and shoulders. Draco watches this and finds himself becoming instantly aroused as he notices the way the tendons move in Harry’s neck and shoulders as he stretches.

Draco stands and looks down at Harry with a saucy grin, “Race you to the shower?”

*-*-*

It’s almost a week before they spend the night together again. Draco worked overnight on Friday, filling in for one of the night guards who was ill. Then he slept all day Saturday.

Sunday, Harry was with the Weasleys and Draco was with his family. They did manage to meet up for a quick dinner at the Leaky on Sunday, but said goodnight after eating, as they were both quite tired.

Monday evening’s dinner with Pansy consisted of her lecturing Draco on how he needed to make time in his schedule for Harry, or else he would lose him. Draco listened half-heartedly. He understood Pansy’s concern, but there wasn’t much he could do about it. Harry knew how busy Draco was. He knew what he was getting into. He had to understand.

Now it’s Tuesday. Harry owled Draco earlier in the day; Not trying to bother you if you are busy, but I will be having dinner at the Leaky after work tonight. Hope to see you there. Bother me? Draco laughed at that. Harry could never be a bother. He had quickly penned a note back to Potter; I’ll be there.

They had a quick dinner, not wasting time to chat in the pub after eating, before Apparating back to Draco’s flat.

The sex was quick and dirty at first, slow and sweet later. And now they lay a tangled mass of sweaty limbs, slowly cooling against Draco’s Egyptian cotton sheets.

Draco closes his eyes as he feels his breath slowly returning to normal. Potter is spooned up behind him, his back against the down pillows. Potter’s hands are making lazy circles on Draco’s chest and belly, causing Draco to giggle a little bit as they occasionally skirt too close to the sides and tickle.

The hands stop and lay flat on Draco’s chest now with gentle pressure. “Come away with me.” Harry says.

Draco places his hands atop Harry’s, “Excuse me?”

“Come away with me, for a weekend.” Harry raises his thumbs up to rub over Draco’s. “Anywhere you want to go.”

“I don’t think” Draco starts, but then Harry moves his hand to cover Draco’s mouth.

“Shhh. Just listen. It doesn’t have to be right away or even that soon. We can plan it in advance so you can find someone to cover for you at Gringott’s”

Draco tries to talk from under Harry’s hand, but it is all garbled. Finally, Harry moves his hand down, so that it is cupping Draco’s neck gently. “No one else can do that job, Harry. There isn’t anyone who can fill in for me. I’d have to apparate home to do the security checks and then apparate back to wherever we go.”

Harry is undeterred. “Okay, so we go someplace within apparating distance.”

Harry’s turns his hand over and begins slowly rubbing up and down Draco’s neck with the backs of his fingers.

“My parents will miss me on Sunday.”

Harry’s hand stops. “They can live without you for one week, I think.”

Draco moves his hand up to Harry’s hand on his neck and threads their fingers again. “I suppose it would be all right if I had dinner with them on a week night instead to make up for it.

Draco can feel Harry nodding. “So, it’s no problem then. We just need to decide where we want to go and pick a weekend.”

Draco feels himself nodding as a strange sensation begins to fill his chest. It’s something like… excitement. A slow smile spreads across his features and he can’t help but laugh a little. He can’t remember the last time he had something to look forward to that wasn’t related to work, family, or his foundation.

Harry tightens his arms’ hold against Draco and rains forceful kisses down into his hair. “It will be good, Draco. I promise.”

And Draco nods again. “I know it will, Harry. I know.”

*-*-*

They decide to go to Wales; to a spa resort in an old castle there. Draco has read about this resort for years and has always wanted to go, but never had a reason.

It’s Friday night and they are sitting at dinner. The restaurant is lovely; it’s rustic and refined at the same time. Harry wanted a table by the fireplace and by making their reservation so far in advance, Draco was able to get them one.

The fire crackles as the waiter pours their wine and Draco feels warmth spread through him. Not just from the fire, or even the perfect setting. But from the way the firelight dances across Harry’s face. It keeps highlighting his cheekbones and Draco is mesmerized. He can’t look away for a second, even to blink.

“What?” Harry asks, looking around self-consciously.

“Just you, that’s all.”

“Just me? What do you mean?”

Draco sighs, “It’s just… sometimes I wonder if you are even real. Sometimes it feels like… like we fit so well.” Draco rubs his hand over his face, he doesn’t know what he’s trying to say. “I feel like you are the puzzle piece that was missing from my life, but… but I didn’t even know you were missing until you showed up.” Draco feels Harry pulling his hand down from his face and cradling it in his own. Something in Harry’s eyes makes him go on. “My life was full and complete before you came into it. I… didn’t think there was room for anything else. And now… now it’s just overflowing. Sometimes I look at you and I just feel so damn happy, I can’t even take it.”

Draco closes his eyes. He doesn’t know why he’s just said all that. He feels Harry take both of his hands now and rub his thumbs around on Draco’s palms.

“Open your eyes, Draco.”

Draco does. And when he does, he sees Harry looking at him with an expression so much like love that he almost fears he will break. “I am real.”

“I know.”

Harry considers Draco for a moment before continuing. “I am real. Did it ever occur to you that maybe I feel the same way?”

Draco shakes his head, “But you came back to London looking for something, right? You wanted change in your life. I never…”

“I didn’t know, Draco.” Harry leans in closer now. “I didn’t know I was looking for you until I found you. And now that I’ve figured it out, I’m not letting go.” Harry tightens his hold on Draco’s hands. “Not for anything.”

A slow smile spreads across Harry’s face and he pulls his hands back and lifts his wineglass. “Now, what are we drinking to?”

Draco searches his mind and thinks about how he is here in a resort he’s always wanted to visit, but never actually expected to see the inside of. “To wishes coming true,” he says.

Harry laughs a little at this, but not mockingly. “To wishes coming true.”

*-*-*

The next day is the loveliest Draco has seen in years. He gets up early and Apparates to Gringott’s. He rushes, but still does a thorough job with the security checks and is back in Wales by 10 AM.

The day is bright and full of sunshine. It is early spring and wild flowers are just beginning to blossom on the hills by the castle. He and Harry decide to have a picnic on the resort grounds. Draco loves being outside. He always laments that he doesn’t have more time to be outside as part of his regular routine.

The resort stocked their lunch basket with delicious cold chicken sandwiches, which they eat slowly, not talking. They’ve actually done very little talking today, both so taken with the beautiful scenery.

When Harry finishes his sandwich, he lies down on the blanket and pats the space next to him for Draco to lie down too. Draco does, he lies down on his back, using Harry’s arm as a pillow and looks up at the sky. There are only high, wispy clouds today, not even the kind that you can say look like anything. Draco closes his eyes and nestles his body in close to Harry’s.

“I want to tell you things,” Harry says suddenly.

Draco is startled. “Okay.” He doesn’t know how he should reply. He finally says, “I want to listen.”

“On my last mission, I would often have to go weeks at a time without talking to anyone. I thought I would go mad. I couldn’t even talk to myself. It was a stakeout mission and I was hiding, so I couldn’t risk being heard.”

“Should you be telling me this?” Draco is slightly concerned.

Harry waves his hand. “It’s fine. The mission was declassified yesterday. I’ve been waiting to tell you about it. I still can’t tell you all the details, but this is fine.”

“Where were you?” Draco asks immediately, he has wanted so desperately to know. For over a month now, he’s been wondering.

“I was in Nigeria.”

“Oh.” That’s not at all what Draco was expecting.

“How did you get those scars on your back?” Draco has to ask this now too, it’s been bothering him for so long.

Harry pulls Draco closer into himself, so that the arm pillowing his head now wraps tightly around his shoulder. “Fiendfyre fight.”

“Oh.” Draco’s mind is filled with so many questions now, but he doesn’t want to commandeer the conversation until Harry’s said all he needs to. “Okay, go on. You were saying?”

“Right. Well, I couldn’t talk to anyone and I started to feel like I was going a little bit crazy. You see, I spent all of my Auror training building up walls. We were taught this. We had to learn how to be completely self-sufficient, how to never rely on other people. This is supposed to make us more equipped to take on assignments where we have to be completely self-reliant. It makes sense.”

Harry is quiet for a moment and Draco reaches for his hand. One thing the two of them have discovered is that when talking is hard, somehow, holding hands makes it easier.

Harry continues. “So I was going crazy and I kept thinking about my training and I knew that I didn’t need to talk to anyone, I just wanted to. In those long weeks of silence I made a promise to myself. I swore to myself that when I got back to London, I would find someone I could talk to, someone who would listen and talk back.”

Suddenly Potter is looming over Draco, his eyes big and earnest. “I found you, Draco.” Potter places his fingers gently on Draco’s lips. “I found you.”

Then Potter closes his eyes as he leans down for the deepest kind of kiss. The kind of kiss where you feel like your heart must be in your throat because you can feel the kiss there. You can feel it in the places where your feelings come from. And for just a second you fear that if you think about it too much it might break you. So you don’t think about it. You just kiss back. You just kiss back and hold on tight and hope that you are still all in one piece when it’s over.

When the kiss breaks, Harry lies back again and pulls Draco on top of him. Draco rests his head on Harry’s chest and listens to his heartbeat. Harry settles his hand on the back of Draco’s neck and leaves it there, a gentle weight that Draco relishes. As Draco’s breathing begins to match up with Harry’s, Draco thinks that if there was ever a day, a moment that he would want to live over and over again, it would be this day. It would be this moment.