Non magic story.

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Harry Potter, unfortunately.


Draco's POV

"Keys, wallet, phone." I muttered to myself as I patted down my pockets, checking I had everything before I headed to work, "Oh, and the flyer."

I grabbed the flyer I had printed earlier off the kitchen counter, and folded it into my pocket. I'd stick it up beside the bar as soon as I got to work. I gave myself one last look over in the mirror by the apartment door before I left. I was wearing my usual uniform, black wife beater over loose jeans, a short black apron tied around my waist.

I walked the short way to the nearest underground station, passing my Oyster card over the terminal. I double checked the time on my phone, five o' clock, I had a good half an hour to get to work on time. The tube was packed as usual, and the hand rail dug into my side as I squeezed myself in between two arguing men. I endured their petty verbal sparring until it was my stop. I pushed my way through the crowd and just made it onto the platform before the doors closed.

It was a warm July evening and I enjoyed the quieter walk to Merlin's, the gay nightclub I bar tended at four nights a week. It was too early for the bouncers, Vinny and Greg to be manning the front doors, so I used the staff entrance, down the small alley to the right of the club. Luna and Dean, my fellow bartenders were already there. Luna was polishing glasses and Dean was sweeping the remants of last night's broken glasses from the dance floor. I greeted them with a wave as I signed in, quickly keying in my code then allowing the machine to scan my thumb print.

I sellotaped my flyer to the pillar at the corner end of the bar, smoothing it and making sure the print was clear and visible.

There was plenty to be done before nine o' clock, opening time. I set to work on loading trays of dirty glasses into the dishwasher. As I leaned on the bar top, waiting for the washer to complete it's cycle, Luna sidled over to me. She wore the same uniform as Dean and I, though she wore denim hot pants and sky high wedges instead of the loose jeans and plain black Vans I favoured. She had also accessorised her uniform with glitter green eye shadow and several bangles.

"Hey Luna, good night last night?" I smiled at her as I bent down to pull the glasses back from the machine. Luna had been a customer rather than an employee at Merlin's last night, and I'd seen her lead a pretty brunette to a taxi as I was locking up.

She sighed, "It was okay I guess, I took home this girl, Susie, but she was half asleep by the time we got to my place. I mean, I got a lick out this morning, but I was more in the mood for it last night, you know?"

I nodded, it happened.

"But I've arranged a date for this Sunday afternoon, I'm really looking forward to it." She absent mindedly braided the ends of her hair as we chatted, "Her name's Hannah, and she's so sweet."

"Good luck with that." I said, grabbing a rag and setting to work on polishing wine glasses.

Dean joined us then, stowing the sweeping brush behind the bar, "How's things Draco?"

"Not too bad, yourself?"

"Can't complain." Dean smiled, his usual easy going self. I sometimes thought that if Dean wasn't in a long term relationship, he and I would have really hit it off.

"Will Seamus be making an appearance tonight?" I asked, in reference to his partner.

"No, he's in Ireland for the weekend, it's his brother's birthday. I couldn't get the whole weekend off unfortunately, and there'd be no point in flying over just for one night." Dean explained, "How're things with you and Blaise?"

I grimaced, "Over. He moved out last week." I nodded my head to my flyer, "I'm in the market for a new roommate."

"I'm sorry man." Dean said, patting me on the back.

"It was for the best, we just wanted different things." I thought this was the gentlest way of phrasing the fact that I wanted to continue fucking other guys, whilst Blaise wanted total commitment. I didn't think he was being unreasonable, I just wasn't ready, I'm only twenty two after all.

At that moment, Sirius, the bar's manager and co-owner strode in, "Hey team!"

I always liked Sirius, he wasn't like a boss at all, he was like our mate. He and his best friend Remus had bought this place eight years ago when it was just a heap, and transformed it into one of the hottest gay clubs in London. I'd wondered when I'd first started if he and Remus were together, but Dean had told me that Sirius' partner James, had been killed ten years ago in a car crash, along with Remus' wife Lily. With the life insurance they'd received they bought the bar. It was a therapy for both of them in a way, a metaphor for rebuilding their lives, it gave them a focus. Neither Remus nor Sirius had dated since, they lived together as best friends, and that was enough.

"I just got a call from Colin, he'd won't be coming into work tonight, he's 'sick'." Sirius made air quotations as he said that, "So things will be tough tonight, but I'll lend a hand, so we'll just do our best.

Luna, Dean and I groaned in unison, "Just fire him Sirius!" Dean said, "He's rarely in, and if he is, he's late. He breaks things and he's so slow behind the bar."

"I know, I know, but you'll have to take it up with Remus, I don't have the heart to fire anyone."

We all rolled our eyes.

We continued with our work for the next few hours, changing the kegs in the basement an restocking the fridges, making sure all the taps were clean and that there was plenty of round trays slotted behind the cash register. Vinny and Greg turned up a half nine as usual, their red jackets marking them out as security. They unlocked the doors and slow stream of people began to trickle in.

I took my place behind the bar, checking my hair in the long mirror that ran along the wall. Looking good.

A dark haired guy approached the bar, I nodded to him, "What can I get you?"

"Pint of Bulmers please, with ice."

I grabbed a glass, throwing it and catching it once before opening the tap, I tipped some ice cubes into it with practiced speed and slid it across the counter to him, "That's three pounds twenty love."

He raised an eyebrow at the term of endearment, properly drawing my attention to his face for the first time. He was hot, really hot, he had that sexy 'just out of bed look' from his tousled hair and wide green eyes. I was so busy examining the curve of his lips that I didn't notice the five pound note until he shook it at me. I winked as I took it from him. I was a shameless flirt.

When I turned back from the register with his change, not twenty seconds later, he had disappeared into the growing crowd. I pocketed it as a tip and didn't even have time to look for his face again, as there were several waiting customers. I was really feeling the heat as I uncapped bottle after bottle, I'd fire Colin myself if Remus didn't.

The music was blaring and my hips moved independently to the beat. I glanced over at Luna as I pulled another pint, there must be a big lesbian crowd tonight because she was raking in the tips, notes disappeared into those tiny hot pants almost continuously.

In a rare moment of calm at the bar, I took to scanning the bar for the mystery man again, but he was nowhere to be found. I saw Dean punch a guy that slapped his ass as he roved between tables, collecting glasses. When he returned to the bar I grabbed a round tray of my own and used one hand to help me jump over the bar top. I thought picking up empty glasses was an excellent excuse for a more in depth search for the dark haired stranger.

I eventually saw him, leaning against the wall near the toilets, chatting up some guy. My fists clenched involuntarily and I thought it was best to head back to the bar before I interrupted in a rather physical fashion. This is crazy, I chided myself as I shoved the empty glasses haphazardly into the dishwasher, you don't even know his name!

The night passed in a busy, stressful blur and before I knew it it was an hour before closing and mystery man was back at the bar. He was pretty drunk and I assumed that either Luna or Dean had been serving him, or his new admirer had been buying.

"Double Jack Daniels." He ordered, taking a seat on one of the now vacant stools.

"Moving on the hard stuff?" I teased, a smirk lifting the corner of my mouth.

"Just leave it, I'll buy the bottle." He said with a wave of his hand as I went to restore the bottle to it's place on the shelf.

"All right." I said, racking up the rather large charge on the register.

He dipped his hand into his pocket and handed me a few notes.

"Rough day?" I asked, leaning my elbows on the bar top.

"I guess." He was quiet for a few moments then, "My best mate left for Australia today, off for the year. I'll really miss him."

"Oh." I said, not knowing what else to say.

He nodded towards the flyer I had put up earlier, "You don't know who put up that flyer do you?"

"Personally." I smirked, deciding to tease.

"What are they like? Because now Ron's gone I can't go on living in our old apartment, I can't afford a double rent."

"He's really hot, great body, wild in the sack."

That definitely got his interest, then he seemed to physically deflate, "You don't sleep where you eat."

That put a spanner in the works, "Just call the number, try it out. He'd be more than willing to . . cooperate." I flicked my tongue against my teeth, giving him the eye. What was wrong with me? I never chased, I got chased.

He tapped my number into his phone and I did a little dance on the inside.

He had no choice but to leave shortly after that, as the bar was closing up. He staggered slightly as he walked out, the empty bottle of Jack swinging from his hand. I couldn't believe I was so hung up on this guy after two drinks orders and a five minute conversation that was unknowingly about me.

Sirius let us go early without cleaning up completely, saying he and Remus would finish off and lock up. There aren't any tubes at this time of the night, so Luna and I got a lift home with Vinny as usual. Greg drove Dean home as they lived in the opposite direction. Vinny dropped me off at my apartment first, I was exhausted after the hectic day and barely had the energy to fit my key into the lock and turn it.

I didn't miss Blaise's presence in the apartment, I truly was better off without him. Though I would miss his cooking. I tossed my keys onto the counter and shrugged my jacket off, leaving it on the back of the two seater couch.

I was surprised to see that I had a new message on my answering machine. I pressed the button and my stomach lurched as I recognised the mystery man's voice.

"Hey Draco? Am I pronouncing that right, Draco? Anyway, I got your number from a flyer in Merlin's, it said you were looking for a roommate and I know it's late but I heard from a souce that you were pretty great to live with - "

I snorted, a source? Subtle.

"- So I wanted to get in before you'd given the room away. My name's Harry Potter - "

Harry Potter. His name is Harry Potter.

" - And if you could just give me a ring back in the morning, my mobile number is - "

I was too zoned out putting the name and the gorgeous face together that I missed the number and had to replay the message again, hastily scribbling it down on the back of a take out menu.

I would definitely be calling him first thing in the morning.


AN: So, what do you think? Please leave a review, anonymous or otherwise! I've got big plans for this story, and you can expect some sexy scenes in the next chapter, I just don't want to rush into it without establishing Draco's way of life.

Also, while Draco may bartend by night, he's got another job on the side, a much more . . explicit one, just to keep himself comfortable! Can you guess what it is?

- C