Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the associated characters or locations.
Hope you enjoy!
Of Cigarettes and Cakes.
It was one of those life changing moments. An experience Neville Longbottom was not going to forget in a hurry. The beginning of the day however was painfully average. He had woken up, showered, dressed in that horrible uniform, dried his hair, eaten a hasty breakfast of toast and ran out of the door, knowing he could not have another late on his record.
Behind the counter of the bakery he worked in, Neville tapped his foot uneasily. After the rush of builders and schoolchildren, the hours between 9 and 12 were always slow. Not a single customer until the steady trickle of elderly people and those who worked in the shops around signalled lunch time.
Generally his co-workers tended not to talk to him. Nothing particularly wrong with him but he did not have the same ease of conversation, he was still a little too wary of muggles. Despite his extensive knowledge of herbology, Neville struggled to land any type of job in the wizarding world without his NEWTs and this was the last result. For years he had been telling himself it would not be much longer but he could see himself becoming one of those women with the saggy faces who have worked here for centuries.
He took a smaller lunch break than anyone else, just eating his lunch quickly to avoid awkward stares and conversation. When no one was looking he would grab his share of the deformed cakes and hurriedly devour them in the toilet, icing and chocolate sauce smeared around his lips. The guilt would swallow him once he left but sometimes filling that black hole in the pit of his stomach for even a second was worth it.
But then it happened.
The same as he was before. Blond hair, grey eyes and sharp, pale features. Dressed smartly, in clothes Neville could never hope to fit into or even afford. There was a paranoia in his gait, the way his eyes darted about until the lingered on Neville. He hoped that he would not recognise him, this was the one person who he did not want to see him here. It would just prove the insults he shouted across the corridor, that Neville Longbottom was terminally useless.
"Can I help you?"
"Yes."
"Okay?"
He placed a wrapped sandwich on the counter together with a bottle of water. Low fat and full of salad. Neville could feel a stab in his chest. It was almost as though he knew.
"£2.50 please."
Uneasily he reached into his pocket, his jeans were so tight he could barely squeeze his thin hands in. Finally he pulled out various coins and looked at them confused.
"Give me too of the gold ones and the big silver one," Neville whispered over the counter.
He smiled, pressing the coins into Neville's damp palm. A smell of expensive cologne, the undertone of cigarette smoke and new clothes. Like a lovestruck fourteen year old he watched him leave, beautifully tight jeans displaying that man's heavenly buttocks.
At first, the strange encounter satisfied his hunger but then overly rude customers, the realisation that all that was waiting for him at home was a second-hand couch and an overweight cat, melted the cork filling the hole. He was hungry again.
Eventually it was closing time and as always he grabbed the cakes which could not be sold the next day and put them in a shop carrier bag. Sighing Neville walked to the bus stop, dissecting carefully the events of the afternoon and wondering where he had come from and why he was buying muggle food in a muggle town centre.
Stuck in the flurry of his thoughts, he managed to walk straight into someone sending the bag he was carrying flying. Unaware of the other person, he reached for his bag and concentrated on the burn in his chest when he saw them spread across the pavement.
"You alright Longbottom?"
It was Malfoy and Neville could feel the bile rising in his throat, the embarrassment flooding his face.
"God you having a party or something? How many cakes does one guy need?" he asked laughing.
Neville wanted to cry, run away and hide. Why was it impossible for him not to be an object of hilarity? And then he realised, Malfoy wanted him to laugh but he couldn't. He was never going to stop being the idiot, the joke.
Finally Malfoy realised exactly who would be eating those cakes and then it was sympathy which was much worse than contempt. The cakes symbolised his failure, his loneliness and how he has become exactly what they all thought he would.
"If you want I could get you some more?"
This was painful, Neville could feel millions of tiny pinpricks on his skin as Malfoy waited for his reply. But the word were not coming, instead he just stared into those eyes and prayed for something rather than this pity.
"I'm fine."
Malfoy smiled oddly at him, a crooked smile which revealed white but not quite perfect teeth. Unconsciously, Neville ran his tongue over his own teeth, almost proud of their square regularity. It was then he realised Malfoy was asking him something.
"What?" he said, blushing.
"How are you getting home?"
"I'm getting the bus."
The word bus made Malfoy's face wrinkle in horror. Neville could not quite blame him.
"How are you?"
"Bus," Malfoy replied, his eyes odd.
Neville nodded and opened his mouth to answer a question but it would not form. Walk with me, walk with me, walk with me...
"We could walk together?" Malfoy offered.
Never before had Neville been in this type of situation. He realised this did not denote romantic intention but it was the closest thing to romantic intention he had never received so he knew it was special. Malfoy did not talk much but rather they appeared to just enjoy each other's company.
At the bus stop they stood, talking amicably about work and cooking, carefully avoiding any of the past and particularly the world they both seemed to have rejected.
"That's my bus."
"Me too," said Malfoy smiling.
Neville hopped on first, hoping to avoid the embarrassment of choosing seats. Would he sit next to Draco or should he sit on his own? He opted to sit on the inside seat, leaving space for Malfoy should he wish to sit down. Inside his head Neville prayed he would.
And he did. With another smile.
More conversation which was becoming easier and easier by the second under it was almost as though they were not quite themselves any more. Or at least not the selves who walked the halls of Hogwarts.
Unfortunately, bus journeys do not last forever and Neville had to jump off. He was just going to ask Draco to stand up when the man himself stood up, saying he had to get off. Neville laughed and said he had too. Hoping Malfoy did not think he was stalking him.
"Which way?" Malfoy said.
He pointed to the left.
"Ah I go to the right."
Neville smiled.
"But I will see you tomorrow. If you are working that is."
"Yeah, see you."
The rest of the way home found Neville feeling fuller than he had in a while.
But Malfoy did not come into the shop for lunch the next day and this found Neville sitting on a toilet, one hand guiding an eclair to his mouth with his other tapped irregular rhythms on his knee. This was humiliating even if only he knew about it. The hope he had been flooded with was transforming to a dull burn. Stupid, stupid Neville.
Finally five o'clock came round and Neville picked up his carrier bag of treats, trying not to think about how much more pleasant last night's journey home was.
"Hey," Malfoy said.
He was waiting outside, bag slung over his shoulder and a cigarette in his hand. It was not the most attractive habit but it almost added to Malfoy's mysterious charm if you ignored the smell.
"Sorry, bad habit I know," he said laughing.
Once finished he stubbed the end out on the top of a rubbish bin and popped a mint into his mouth. Neville tried not to think about the connotations.
They hopped off the bus and Neville was prepared to turn the corner on his own when Malfoy came up behind him.
"How about I walk you home?"
Neville was confused. Unsure as to why he would want to take him home but delighted by the thought of it made him accept. But the uncertainty, the worry this was an elaborate joke, a plan or even a dream tainted the leisurely walk to his house.
They stopped outside and Malfoy smiled but he stopped talking. Facing one another on that empty street where Neville could feel the beat of his heart in his fingertips.
"This is forward I know but what do you expect from a Malfoy, may I come inside?"
"Yeah, sure, erm...come in then."
Malfoy was just smiling, grinning almost as he followed Neville inside, He thought carefully about whether he left his underwear any obvious place or his toothbrush on the coffee table or if the mug he drank out of this morning was still on the mantel.
"Wow this is really clean Longbottom," said Malfoy.
"What were you expecting?" Neville said, telling himself not to be offended.
"My place is a state! Remind me not to invite you round until I have cleaned up."
Neville laughed and offered a drink, to his surprise Malfoy said he did not drink coffee and took tea. They chatted aimlessly the way they did in the bus but he sat suspiciously close, his eyes always glued to Neville's and he genuinely looked interested when he was talking about plants. This had to be his imagination and he would wake up, cold and alone in his bed.
But it all happened so quickly. Leaning over, he placed his mug on the table and then he just smiled again. His hands, thin and pale, came up and captured both Neville's cheeks. Beautiful, pink and plump lips descended over his and Neville was so warm, sweat was forming on his skin. But he was being kissed by someone, a beautiful someone who had other options. Neville had not been kissed since he was sixteen and that had been a pity peck from Ginny. This was wonderful, warm and wet and Malfoy's hands slid from his cheeks to his waist. Then he was leaning over his, one arm supporting Neville's head as he lowered him to lie flat.
He broke away and smiled, widely. Then he made a contented sound and buried his nose into the gap between Neville's shoulder and neck. Neville savoured the warmth, Malfoy's breathing body. His face pointed back up, still painfully smiling. Pushing up he kissed Neville again, this time he parted his lips with his tongue, sliding in with a contented sigh. But then he left but there were kisses pressed into his neck and then hand disappeared under his horrible work polo shirt. Cool fingers dancing over heated skin until a small whimper escaped.
Malfoy groaned and pulled away, standing up he winked at Neville and with deft fingers unbuttoned his shirt. Dropping it on the floor, he perched on the edge of the couch, forcing Neville to sit up right and pulled his polo shirt off his head, throwing it on the floor to lie with his shirt. This time Draco kissed down Neville's chest, pausing to lap at his nipples, then continuing his path to nip gently at the soft part of Neville's belly.
Under normal circumstances Neville would be mortified by his wobbliness, especially when compared with Draco's smooth, flatness but this was much too pleasurable. Hands were suddenly fumbling with his zip and button and his hips were forced up while Draco slid his trousers off. Neville prayed he was wearing nice underwear.
More kissing, dotted down his thighs and down to his calves and quick pecks on the length of his foot. With a giggle, he licked from Neville's ankle to the top of his thigh. Neville shivered and closed his eyes, this had to be a dream. Hair tickled the insides of his thigh and Draco nuzzled the skin, Neville briefly considered how flabby his thighs were but this seemed a minor point with soft, pink lips caressing his skin.
The heat was suddenly gone and Neville looked up, Malfoy was shameless standing there yanking his tight jeans off to reveal he was not even wearing underwear. Neville had not seen another man's body since the awkward boys showers in the dormitory and never in this type of circumstance. Much to his surprise Malfoy was erect and flushed. This couldn't be about him.
"Underwear Longbottom," he said laughing.
Neville stood up on shaky legs and pushed them down, eyes focusing on the wall behind Malfoy, he did not want to see his reaction.
"Where is your bedroom?" Malfoy whispered, dotting kisses across Neville's shoulders.
"There," Neville said.
Malfoy took his hand and led him through the door. Neville blushed, his bed with unmade and a mug with stale coffee sat on his bedside table. The towel he had used for his shower that morning was lying across the bed and his underwear and clothes from yesterday were on the floor.
"Now this looks more like my room," laughed Malfoy.
Neville laughed back, the other man's smile just melting his fear. Then more kissing and then they were lying on the bed and then Malfoy's erection was brushing against his, sending shocks of pleasure through his entire body.
"I don't know...how far do you...wanna go?" Malfoy panted, one of his hands on Neville's erection and the other in his hair.
"What?"
"Well this is nice...but...do you wanna...you know," Malfoy said, blushing.
God he looked beautiful like that, all pink and flushed and he looked so hopeful Neville could not say anything but yes.
"Lube?" Malfoy said.
Neville leaned over, fumbling through his drawer and yelped in surprise when Malfoy's hands settled over his buttocks and squeezed. More laughter but his voice was deeper, less controlled. With a slight blush across his cheeks, Neville pressed the small tube into Draco's hands.
Kissing and touching once again but Malfoy's hands were more determined, one daring finger slipping inside Neville while he squirmed against the other man. Soon enough he had managed to work himself to three fingers and Neville was rubbing against him shamelessly.
"You're so..." Malfoy groaned and Neville desperately wanted to know but the other man was distracted with coating his erection in the cool gel.
And then Draco Malfoy was inside Neville Longbottom and the whole world order seemed to shift. Everyone person they had went to school with would never believe this was possible, he did not even believe it was possible and that it was happening.
But pretty soon thoughts were impossible and Neville was consumed by Malfoy's regular thrusts which just made stars explode behind his eyes. Malfoy moved above him easily, the occasional moan slipping from his closed lips but Neville couldn't look at his face. He was steadily approaching his climax but was worried if he opened his eyes all he would find would be his own hand moving up and down his erection.
"Look at me," Malfoy whispered into his ear.
Neville was frightened but how could be deny that voice anything? Malfoy was smiling but sweat was forming on his forehead and arms. His teeth were digging into that beautifully plump bottom lip and his hands were squeezing the sheet around Neville's head. Suddenly Neville noticed he had stopped moving.
"Everything okay?" Neville finally managed.
"Mhm, just wanted to savour the moment," he said, his smile making Neville light-headed.
"Oh."
Sweet laughter again and more kisses and then thrusts. And oh I'm close Neville and me too Draco and then just a little bit more and then...Oh!
One gentle kiss to his shoulder, a dreamy yawn and then Malfoy was asleep on Neville's arm. Neville smiling with an odd feeling of satisfaction and not because of the orgasm.
He woke unsurprisingly alone but where Malfoy had slept with not quite cold. Sighing he told himself what did he expect, to be woken by kisses and cuddles. He should be grateful for what he had received and not wish for more, how many people who looked like Neville ever got an opportunity to be with someone as beautiful
Pulling himself out of the comfort of his sheets Neville staggered into the kitchen, ignoring the slight ache, and popped the kettle on. He leaned on the worktop and told himself not to cry.
And then two arms wrapped around his waist and a set of lips on his neck, soft beautiful kisses with the smell of smoke.
"You're killing yourself doing that," Neville said, the bitterness at being alone escaping his mouth.
"And you think those cakes you stuff yourself with are any better?"
He had a point but he kept kissing his neck, affectionately.
"I like the feeling of your belly, I don't care about what you eat or how you eat it," he said finally, his voice softer.
"You don't mean that."
"Neville, I have spent my life not meaning things."
"I've spent my life eat things."
Draco laughed but Neville didn't think it was funny.
"I know smoking isn't good for me. But what else do I have?"
You could have me, Neville thought.
"But I guess I could have you."
Neville smiled and leaned back into the embrace, placing his hands over Malfoy's.
Review please, I would like to know what you think.