A/N: Hello there! I'm Aya, pleased to inform you that I have one heck of a story for you! So this is technically my first fanfic in the Harry Potter fandom so I hope I do not disappoint! Now I have kept everything true to the books and the disappointing epilogue, so this after the epilogue. So in order to to do a good job as a writer I did my research on the time periods and whatnot. this takes place in the year 2021. The years the kids are in go in this order: Lily-2nd year, Albus & Scorpius-4th year, and James-5th year. Well enough of me. Enjoy the story!
R&R appreciated!
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or "Over the Hills and Far away"by Led Zeppelin.
The Astringent Taste of Reality
PART ONE
"I'm sorry Harry, I just can't do this any longer." Stated the fiery haired woman in midnight blue robes, the soon to be ex-wife of the Boy-Who-Defeated-Voldemort.
"Can't do what Ginny? I don't understand, care to explain?" Replied the emerald eyed hero of the Wizarding community; Harry James Potter.
"Us. I can't deal with this anymore! The tension, the coldness between us, and hell we don't even sleep together! It's like we're not even married!" Ginevra Weasley-Potter declared sternly with an aloof look in her brown eyes.
"How can you say that!? Especially when I lo—" Harry began but was abruptly cut off.
"You spend more time working then with your own wife! And don't tell me you love me when you are married to your job! I bet Ron has seen more of you than I have these past few years." Ginny exclaimed austerely before continuing. "Harry, I'm leaving you. I'm in love with someone else."
Emerald eyes widened in surprise towards the sudden news, Harry could feel his heart shatter in his rib cage and his whole body became numb.
"Why?! What about our children!? What are we supposed to tell them?!" The dark haired man shouted in question as he felt his green eyes water slightly from the newfound information.
"I'm sure we can come up with an agreement." She answered nonchalantly while staring at her hands, unable to meet his eyes.
"Who is he?" Harry questioned as he turned around to not face her. "Who are you leaving me for?" He demanded.
"Blaise Zabini." The freckled red head answered softly. "We have been seeing each other privately for a long time now."
"How long?" Harry asked snappishly.
"Since Lily started at Hogwarts." Ginny answered casually as she shifted her seating position in her chair, as if she had suddenly become uncomfortable.
"Two years. Two fucking whole years! I don't care what you say about how rocky our marriage has been these past few years, but at least I remained faithful to you. What you have done does not have a remedy!" Harry affirmed as he turned around to face Ginny. "I understand now, this is all because you haven't had such a good fuck in a long time, who else to turn to but to sex addict Zabini?! I congratulate you Ginevra Weasley for your wonderful choice in men!" He seethed as his voice dripped with cynicism.
Ginny's cheeks flushed scarlet in irritation at his words but remained silent.
"Oh, look who's decided to be quiet now. After all it was you who wanted this talk, am I not right?" The dark haired man questioned her mockingly. "I was willing to fix everything for you, for the children. But it seems you aren't worth it. I'm going out for a drink; by the time I get home I hope to see you and all of your things gone." He finished as he grabbed his black cloak and walked out of the front door of Number 12, Grimmauld Place.
So many things ran through Harry Potter's mind as he took a brisk walk around the neighborhood. He kept asking himself where had things gone wrong or why they had turned out that way. And how he could not believe that out of all the liars in the world, his wife was the biggest one.
Well he was most definitely not going to arrive at the pub at the rate he was going, but he really needed to clear his mind and let go of the enflaming anger around him. Harry let out a profound breath and with a deafening noise, he apparated in front of the Leaky Cauldron.
The dark haired man walked in the door and sat at the bar where Tom, the bald headed bartender was drying out a few shot glasses with a ragged towel.
"Evening Tom." The scar faced man said as he fiddled with his accursed wedding band. 'Damn that woman…' He thought quickly as took off the ring and slipped it in his back pocket.
"What'll it be Harry?" The toothless man asked as he organized the shot glasses behind him.
"Beer. And keep it coming please." The green eyed savior responded as he pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose. A habit he never rid of since his old pair in his school days. Since the war he has had many more pairs of glasses, thankfully more fashionable and less round.
Harry took a huge swig of the beverage as soon as the bartender placed it in front of him, and he kept taking huge gulps until his second bottle arrived after finishing the first. As he was about to begin guzzling down a second bottle, the green eyed man felt a guest sit down beside him.
"Quite a bit too early to get wasted, isn't it Potter?" A familiarly arrogant voice stated before ordering a glass of scotch and water on the rocks.
"Oh fancy meeting you here Malfoy." Harry retorted with a tone of sarcasm and distaste as he took another gulp of his beer. "What brings you here to the Leaky Cauldron anyways?" He asked the blonde fellow next to him with a roll of his verdant eyes as he ran his fingers through his untidy hair before pushing up his glasses on the bridge of his nose only to turn his head to face the profile of his rival.
Draco only harrumphed as he sipped his scotch and water delicately before facing Harry to answer, his stormy silver eyes meeting cloudy emerald. "Just fancied a drink, nothing more. May I ask the same of you?" He inquired as he rested his palm upon his pale cheek, examining his opposite's features.
Harry placed the dun tinted bottle onto the table and removed his dark framed glasses from his face and placed them in his pocket; making his emerald eyes more prominent.
Draco held his intake of air at the sight, nearly spilling his scotch. 'His eyes are quite remarkable…' He thought as he finished the rest of his beverage.
"I too fancied a drink. Only to forget." He replied with a melancholy expression upon his features. "Enough of beer. Tom, I'd like to have what Mr. Malfoy is drinking. Oh and please serve Mr. Malfoy another one please." He said with his back momentarily to his rival. "Don't worry, this one is on me."
"So pray tell me, what are you trying to forget?" The platinum blonde haired man questioned with a nod of thanks as Tom served the two glasses of scotch and water.
"A lot of things." Harry replied before taking a gulp of the harsh liquor, feeling its warmth burn its way down his throat.
"Well that is not very specific and quite unhelpful." The silver eyed man stated as he placed a few loose white gold strands behind his ear. "Why buy me a drink if you are not going to talk about the situation? Enlighten me or I will spill this scotch in your face." He said shortly after taking a mouthful of his drink.
Harry turned his head away from his rival's and stared blankly at the shelf that held all of the shot glasses and pints. "Alright then. But we'll need more to drink." He avowed with a soft tone of glumness as he gulped down the last of his scotch.
"I know one thing for certain; you sure can hold your liquor Potter." The Malfoy heir said with a small chuckle. "Dry martini, shaken please. I don't think I can handle another scotch." He ordered to Tom before finishing. "I would say we don't have all evening for you to tell the story, but by the look on your face it seems we do. So go on. And don't forget that you brought this upon yourself since you bought me a drink."
"Alright then. Though I must say that it is odd of me to be telling my supposed rival my problems tonight; promise me that you won't use it against me?" Harry asked as he turned back to face Draco, his emerald eyes holding a pained expression within them.
"I promise, because I declare tonight to be the night we are temporarily not rivals." Malfoy declared with a smirk as he picked the olive out of his martini that was served to him by Tom a few seconds ago.
"Okay." The savior of the Wizarding world inhaled deeply before continuing. "If I had to start anywhere, it would start with my marital problems with Ginny. You see things have been rocky for the past couple of years, apparently the root of all this was my full devotion to my occupation as an Auror. You of all people should understand how time consuming the life of an Auror is. Though you're currently partnered with… Zack Smith? I'm not sure, considering you have quite a flair for getting a new partner every couple of months."
At this Draco snorted with amusement before correcting the scar faced hero before him. "Actually, Zack got extremely pissed and has requested to dissolve our partnership, so as of today I am partner-less" just from hearing the news caused the dark haired man to laugh.
"What did you do anyways? Sleep with his wife or something?" He asked with a snigger before the Malfoy heir shook his head before responding. Not that anyone even knows about Zack's love life, it was just a guess after all.
"I'm not saying anything until you are finished with the story. Now, continue you were just saying that you and the Weaselette were having marital problems." He paused before adding on. "Though I feel for you on that type of situation, I had the same problems with Astoria right after she had Scorpius. Considering her duty was done anyways, since I never really had feelings for her. Well she filed for a divorce and we parted ways, leaving me with my cute little son. Now go on."
"Well it turns out my future ex-wife has been having an affair ever since our daughter started her first year at Hogwarts." Harry blurted out before swallowing half a glass of scotch. "And guess who she has been having this affair with?!"
"Why Potter, do tell me; since I am not in the mood for a guessing game." The white gold haired man stated bluntly as he sipped his martini.
"Blaise Zabini!" The green eyed hero exclaimed lividly. At this piece of information, Draco began to cough chronically on his martini.
"WHA-WHAT!?" He spat out as Potter began to pat on his back to try to alleviate the blonde's coughing. "W-Why… on… Earth would she go for…. Za-Zabini!?" He questioned ludicrously in between coughs. As soon as the coughs dissipated, Draco resumed. "Does she not know that he's a sex addict? And not to mention he has 10 girls on the side. I only know this because he has asked to borrow my country cottage way too many times to count. I said no to all of those. Because I lent it to him once. ONCE! And you know what I found when I took my little Scorpius there the next week?" The Malfoy heir paused as he shivered with a slight twitch. "Ugh, I didn't even know how to explain to my son what the hell a dildo was. Or what the strange red latex was. Hell, I don't even want to remember what a huge mess my cottage was!"
"Wow. Well I knew Zabini was not a great fellow, but this has completely convinced me." A shocked Harry said as nearly dropped his now empty glass of scotch.
"If it's her cup of tea, let her be. She'll just have to find out herself what total jackass he is." Malfoy said as he finished his martini. "Girls. Such a bother, thank god I don't deal with them anymore." He included with a snort, causing the green eyed hero to nearly choke on his new glass of scotch.
Now Harry knew he was starting to feel the alcohol, but this nearly put him out of his almost trance. "What do you mean by that? Are you implying that you are a pouf or something?" He inquired with his eyes wide with astonishment.
"To be blunt about it, I Draco Malfoy admits to fancying blokes. Does knowing that fact please you now?" Draco replied with a smug smirk as his eyes bore into Harry's. "If you want, I could please you in many more ways than the Weaselette ever could. That is, if you want me to." He added with a seductive wink.
"N-No, th-that's ok Mal-Malfoy." Harry stuttered as his cheeks reddened, though not from the excessive alcohol. "I-I don't fancy other blokes." He finished, causing his Slytherin equal to laugh heartily.
"Oh, calm down. I was only kidding. Hmph, as if I would actually sleep with you! Honestly, we've been rivals for years!" Draco stated with a chortle, not taking any more alcoholic beverages since he did not want to get plastered that evening.
For some odd reason, Harry felt a bit disgruntled at the Malfoy heir's statement; he hid his sentiment by laughing along with the Slytherin prince. "Ha, I should have figured you were joking. I don't know what I would have done if you were being serious! Hn, really. Me? A pouf? Never" The boy who lived declared as his speech became slightly slurred as he ordered a screwdriver.
Malfoy chuckled falsely along at the Golden Boy's heart jabbing testimonial. 'If only you knew the truth Potter…' He thought sadly as he gazed at the savior of the wizarding world drink himself into a stupor. 'If only you knew how long I've been in love with you.'
A few hours and a couple of drinks later…
"Hey ladyyy…" Harry said in a sing-song voice that seemed to be directed towards Draco.
The platinum blonde haired man's daze was broken by a now drunk Harry Potter who had begun to sing. 'Must be a muggle song.' He thought quickly as his stormy silver eyes were fixated upon Harry's emerald ones; and his hearing upon the handsome voice that began to serenade.
"…you got the love I need
Maybe more than enough.
Oh Darling, darling, darling... walk a while with me
Ohh… You've got so much. So much."
At this point Harry breathed deeply before continuing, not noticing the man next to him watching him in great fascination.
"Many have I loved - Many times been bitten
Many times I've gazed along the open road,"
Harry stood up, grasping an empty beer bottle near his lips as if it were a microphone. (But of course Draco does not understand the reason why Scarhead is holding the bottle like that.)
"Many times I've lied - Many times I've listened
Many times I've wondered how much there is to know,"
(Cue the weird glances from random people in the bar.)
"Many dreams come true and some have silver linings
I live for my dream and a pocketful of gold,"
After this, the dark haired hero began to hum the music that comes before the next lyric.
"Mellow is the man who knows what he's been missing
Many, many men can't see the open road,"
"Many is a word that only leaves you guessing
Guessing 'bout a thing you really ought to know, oh ooh oh.
You really ought to know..."
Amused at the man's antics, Malfoy smiled as he ran his fingers through his hair to smooth it back; he decided then and there that he liked a drunken Potter.
"Alright Scarhead, no more drinks for you. You are quite the performer, though I do not want to know why you are singing into that bottle." Draco drawled as he pried the bottle from his rival's hand, and forcing him to sit back down on his barstool.
"Why are yooh takin' my microphone?! Do yooh know whooo I am?" Harry whined incoherently as he began to make strange hand gestures. "Prettyyy lady, I am 'Arry Pooter! Destroyer of Lord Moldywarts!" He said as he proudly puffed out his chest.
"Excuse me, but who are you calling a lady?" Malfoy questioned the smashed man in a threatening tone.
Harry's cheeks flushed in intoxication reddened deeper as he turned his face away from Draco's calculating stare. "W-Wellll. Yooh are just soooooo pretty." Harry rambled as he shifted in his seat.
The compliment caught the Malfoy off guard and he muttered a thank you as his pale cheeks were colored light pink. 'That compliment does not mean anything though. He does not know what he is saying…' He thought as his eyes took a cursory glance upon the clock. 'It is getting to be very late. What do I do about Potter?' He continued as he struggled to find a solution. 'I just can't leave him here in this state…' At that moment his musings were cut abruptly as he felt a pair of strong arms wrap around him, and a warm breath fan against his cheeks.
"I always thought Drakey was the prettiest person I'd ever known." An inebriated Harry stated as he leaned forward to snuggle in the crook of the Malfoy heir's neck.
"H-Hey. Quit it. You're not in the correct state of mind, hell you don't even know what you're doing!" A flustered Malfoy said as he gently nudged the drunken hero off of him. This action only encouraged the scar-faced man get even closer.
"Oh, I'm pretty sure I know what I'm doing." Harry replied huskily as he cupped Draco's chin, nearing his lips to his rival's.
It is often said that the state of inebriation can bring out the true sentiments and intentions of a person; though sometimes this theory could be wrong, considering that some drunks flirted with any object in their peripheral. Draco was not sure which theory applied to Harry, but he was damn sure that he was not going to take advantage of the hero's current condition. Even though he really wanted to taste the plump lips of the savior of the wizarding community; it was going to be tough to resist, but he'd do it.
"No, you don't." Draco stated as he placed his hand over Potter's face to shove it away from his own.
"Come on Drakey, just a kissss! I'm goooood." Slurred the scar-faced hero as he gulped down another screwdriver, only to find the unfinished glass was taken away from him.
"Tut tut, no more drinks for you Mr. Potter. In fact I think we ought to be leaving, I'm pretty sure Tom wants to go to sleep now." Malfoy declared as he left a few galleons on the bar table. "Come on Harry, I'm not leaving you alone in this state. Plus we have work in the morning, hm I sure hope you drank hangover potion before imbibing." He added on as he dragged Harry out of the pub with him.
"I'm warning you ahead of time just so you don't get dizzy." Draco said before realizing that Harry had already passed out. "Oh well, this makes side apparating easier then." He finished as he apparated with the unconscious Potter to his family home in Wiltshire.
With a yawn, Malfoy carried Harry over his shoulder up the stairs to his bedroom. 'If I can't get up for my partner re-assignation meeting in the morning, you're a dead man Potter. I don't care how sexy you are, you will die.' His thoughts mused as he placed the out cold body on the mattress, undoing and placing the crisply tended sheets and comforter over the snoozing auror.
Draco stretched his arms upwards as he padded into his washroom to prepare for bed; washing his face, brushing his teeth, changing out of his soiled clothes for his smooth silvery silk pajamas with the Malfoy insignia stitched on the breast pocket.
Thus the fatigued Malfoy heir trudged to other side of the bed, only to fall asleep the moment his head hit his pillow.
The next morning came quickly and before he knew it, Draco found himself awakening to the loud ringing of his clock. Not to mention that his blanket felt heavier than usual, thoughts of the night before did not come to mind until the white golden haired man began to struggle to sit up. He detangled and lightly pushed himself out of the arms of Harry Potter hastily as he realized the time.
'7:30 am! Damn I am late!' He thought as he rushed to his bathroom to cast cleaning charms on himself, for there was no longer time to shower. Just as he speedily dressed himself, Draco nearly forgot one important thing. 'I almost forgot to wake Harry! Damn, if he doesn't get in for work, he'll skin me alive for sure! Damn workaholic.' He thought as he nearly slapped himself on the forehead and he tore the sheets off of the slumbering Harry and tugged the curtains open. At this Harry only turned over and snuggled deeper into the satin sheets.
Draco inhaled deeply before shouting. "Wake up, oh great savior of the wizarding world! Its time to go to work! Your favorite past time if I may recall!" As shouting did no good, he conjured up the steaming hot plates of breakfast that his house elves cooked in the kitchen. 'Maybe he prefers to wake up to the smell of hot coffee and food…' He ruminated as he grabbed the nearest tray (hey, a Malfoy once in a while has breakfast in bed) and placed one floating mug of coffee and plate of eggs on it to set it in front of the snoozing man.
"Harryyyy, look what my house elves have cooked for you! It's a nice lovely breakfast! Now if you wake up, you'll get to eat it. If you don't not only will we be late to work… You won't get to eat it." Draco stated with a coo that slowly transformed into a venomous tone. "Wake up." He added on before continuing with a shout. "God dammit Harry, wake up!"
Malfoy sighed in irritation at the sight of a still asleep Harry. "That's it! I don't care how much this is going to hurt because you have just made me late for my meeting! I'm sorry but, you asked for it Potter!" He boomed as he grabbed Harry's ankles and yanked the dark haired man off his bed. With a loud thump, Potter fell to the ground.
Verdant eyes fluttered open with a wince in pain, a now fully awake Harry rubbing his head as he spoke. "Ow! Couldn't you be a tad gentler with the wake up ca--" The dark haired man paused in mid-sentence as he realized his whereabouts. "Mal-Malfoy?"
"Yes, sleeping beauty?" A glaring Draco replied cynically as he waved his wand to tend his bed, putting all the blankets and pillows in place. (The tray was set in front of Harry.)
"How did I get here? What happened last night?" Harry questioned Draco rapidly as he grabbed the mug from the tray. "What's this?" He added on as he sniffed the mug suspiciously.
"For Merlin's sake Potter its only coffee, and don't look at me like that its not poisoned. And what is this, 21 questions? We don't have time to play this silly game, now drink that coffee and get ready. We are already late for work!" An exasperated Malfoy declared as he himself scarfed down his own breakfast.
The moment the words 'late for work' reached the ears of a certain Harry James Potter, the emerald eyed man immediately gulped down all the coffee and stuffed the eggs and croissant in his face. Then just as Harry was about to reach the bathroom, realization hit him; he had no clean clothing with him. 'Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit!!! I can't be late for work! I don't have time to apparate home to get dressed!' The dark haired man thus peeked his head out of the bathroom.
"Malfoy?" He inquired as he quickly cast every type of cleaning charm on himself.
"What is it Potter?" Malfoy responded with a tinge of annoyance in his voice.
"I have no clean clothing, do you thin you co--" But before Harry even finished his sentence, Draco had already thrown clothing in his face. (Which each shirt and pair of boxers had the Malfoy insignia on it.) "Thanks. But what about th--"
"Don't complain; just be grateful I'm being nice to your sorry ass. And for the love of Morgana, hurry the fuck up!" At that moment, Malfoy felt like eating his words because Harry had already left the bathroom, clean, well groomed, and clothed. 'Gods, he looks even more handsome in my clothing… In my bathroom.' Malfoy thought as his eyes roamed cursorily over the appearance of Harry.
"Earth to Malfoy!" Harry exclaimed, and at hearing this Draco snapped back to reality and turned around to hide his evident blush. "You said we were late right?" Potter asked as he took his glasses out of the pocket of his trousers, when suddenly a round golden glimmer fell to the carpet and rolled by Draco's foot.
"Yes. I did say that didn't I? Well let us get going then!" The Malfoy heir answered as he bent over to pick up the ring on the floor. "You dropped this by the way." He added on as he turned around to hand it to him, but was stopped.
"Don't worry about that thing, its worthless piece of junk." Harry said as he snatched it out of Malfoy's hand, only to toss it into the nearest waste basket. "Oh by the way, did you have the elves put hangover potion in my coffee?" He inquired as he placed his dark rimmed glasses upon his face.
"U-Uhm… Ye-Yes." Draco answered with a stutter.
"Thank you, I feel better now." Harry replied with a grin, causing the Malfoy heir's cheeks to redden slightly. "Well are we going to go now or what?"
"Y-Yes!" The white golden blond haired man responded as he led the way to the nearest fireplace in his home. Thus he grabbed a handful of bottle green powder and tossed it into the flames. "I'll go first." He said as he stepped into the emerald flames before shouting. "The Atrium of the Ministry of Magic!"
And in that instant, Draco disappeared; only leaving Harry to do the same.
A/N: This was originally going to be a oneshot, but this was a good place to stop for this part. I will post the second part whenever I finish it. Not sure when....But I will. Thanks for reading. =D