It was exactly 5 years since the grand finale of the most destructive war the wizarding world has ever seen. Everyone had mourned and though some things would never be the same or even okay, the tremendous losses would never be amended. Some wounds would heal, but leave behind their nasty scars, figuratively and literally. All however seemed to come with coping mechanisms. All except for one, chosen one himself.
You see, Harry Potter was never in any position where he was allowed to take control of his own life and be happy. He had greatness thrust upon him like an unwelcome plague. There was nothing he could do about it now. Now, all his friends were settling down, marrying, getting jobs and although he was offered many different jobs even one as an Auror that was quite generously offered to him by the Minister of Magic, Kingsley.
How was Harry supposed to decide upon a career if he had no idea what he wanted? Bloody hell it took him years of pining after girls in Hogwarts to come to the conclusion that he wasn't even straight.
He'd always wondered it thought, but just thought it was natural to find other blokes attractive. It wasn't until after he sat watching one of Ginny's quid ditch games and had gotten quite drunk. He stumbled out of the stands to wait for his long-term girlfriend and another bloke who's shirt was in many states of disheveled and to a drunken Harry he looked irresistible, but as he looked back he cringed at the memory of his first male encounter. To make a long and painful story short Ginny had met up with him after the game, only he was void of any clothing and pressed against the wall emitting all sorts of intangible moans, according to Ginny who he believes had embellished the tale. No one had any proof of this of course the only confirmation of the story Harry had was the fact his arse was a near burning hell the next day.
It was no question after that that Ginny had broken up with him, but on the best of terms. This was also a year ago so they've had their healing time and remain the better version of friends. She had already moved on and was very serious about some bloke who was 3 years older than us and was sorted into Slytherin. At first Harry was suspicious of this mysterious snake, but after many encounters with him it was clear to all he made Ginny happier than she'd ever been in the past with anyone, including him.
Harry had his various flings with various men, but nothing that seemed to stand out to him as anything more than just a fling. Harry didn't want someone who would bend to his each and every whim he wanted an enigma. He wanted passion. He wanted someone to test his very boundaries.
He was deprived of everything growing up and who he would settle down with was just one thing he was not willing to sacrifice. He wasn't going to settle he was going to finally be happy. He needed someone who didn't swoon over the mere name of 'Harry Potter' or simply bed him because he was extremely rich.
Perhaps his standard were a bit high, but why shouldn't they be with all he's endured? Should he be entitled to a tiny bit of simplicity.
However finding a soul mate like that might be hard if he was still indecisive on a career. How would be find a stable relationship if his life was being balanced on a toothpick?
With the pent up anxiety of his life he was very grateful to his friends and their weekly hangouts. Hermione had the "brilliant" idea of having a game night this week. The only problem was that they had an uneven number of players for teams.
Ron and Hermione, Luna and Neville, Ginny and Damien, then there was Harry. Poor alone, insufferable, Harry Potter. However to his dismay Ginny claimed her and Damien had a single friend who wasn't very sociable who they thought would be perfect to Harry's potter and he has a history of sleeping with men as well as women so if something were to spark between them it would be good as well. To harry this sounded like a much too preplanned set up and he rejected the idea multiple times. Until finally obliging to his friend's pleading antics.
So here he was on Friday night staring at himself in the mirror with his casual muggle clothes on giving himself one last look making sure that he looked alright. Attractive, but just the right amount of nonchalance as if he didn't try to look this way at all.
With one finally wink at himself in the mirror and a solemn laugh he apparated to Ginny and Damien's shared flat and knocked on their door.
Ginny answered with a huge smile and a chaste kiss to his cheek, "Harry! We were half thinking you wouldn't show up!"
He followed her in with a mere laugh and couldn't help the cringe as he always did when he saw the slytherin color scheme of the living room. We were far out of our years in Hogwarts, how was there still so much house pride installed in these two.
The rooms alternated between Gryffindor colors and Slytherin making the overall appearance of the home put a sour taste in his mouth. How anyone could live in such an atrocity he had no idea.
Ron and Hermione were seated on the floor as Hermione set up the muggle board game and Ron chatted with Damien who was on a small chair. Ginny walked up and sat on her boyfriend's lap Harry took a spot on the empty coach.
After much small talk Neville and Luna arrived and they were only waiting for Harry's mystery partner that everyone else had neglected to tell him.
There was a knock at the door and Harry's face flushed out of nervousness. He wondered if his mystery partner was told who he was. He wondered if Harry looked alright.
He heard Ginny's greeting but missed the name. He heard the chuckle and a form of nostalgia overwhelmed him. He heard that chuckle before, but it had been years.
Then he heard the great sigh and the words that mirrored his very thoughts earlier, "Gin, I love you and Dame, but no matter how many times I come over it will never seize to amaze me how you two live in such an atrocious home."
They were almost his exact thoughts word for word, bu that's not what shocked him. What made him stand up and spun on his heals to confirm that the snide smooth voice belonged to the very blonde who he thought it had. And it most certainly did and by the look he was giving Harry with his steal eyes it was obvious he had no idea he would be the one he was going to be set up with either.
Suddenly his gaze shifted to the fiery smirking red head who had set this up, "Bloody Malfoy Gin? You set me up with Malfoy?!"
"No I merely suggested you to partner with him for a GAME , Harry. Stop being so melodramatic and what's so Wrong with Malfoy?"
"What's so wrong with MALFOY?! Do you hear yourself Ginny? What isn't wrong with Malfoy?" He was yelling now his eyes bulging.
Draco stepped in front of him directly. He was calm and collected and said, "No, I would would like to know exactly what you think is wrong with 'Malfoy'. If you don't Mind."
Taken slightly off guard by the forwardness of him, but none the less Harry continued, "You are arrogant, stubborn, you tormented us our entirety of our years at school. You probably sit around spoiled as ever living off your father's money in your father's bloody house being pampered as ever. Your goal here is probably to pounce on me and dual me again as you always did in Hogwarts and always lost."
Draco had grown visibly angry as he advanced on potter, "I happen to live in my own flat my inheritance has been left untouched for years in gringotts. I pay for my flat, my clothes, and my food with a steady paycheck I receive from the ministry from my duties as a well respected Auror. Something you'd know if you weren't so pompous and believed because you defeated some bad wizard you can mope around spending your savings willy nilly. So you know what potter, try and dual me see how you withstand against auror training and years of field experience. I dare you." His sneer was piercing Harry's soul as he struggled for words to say.
" You're not a bloody auror." Was all Harry could muster in disbelief.
"You know what? Perhaps it is I who should be offended that my dear friend Ginevra had decided to set me up with such an infuriating man who still lives off of preconceived notions of my character. Perhaps I am the one who should be offended to be paired with someone so ignorant."
Harry was now utterly speechless and gaped at the cold wizard in front of him. It was evident that Harry had actually hurt him and perhaps he had some points, but surely Draco Malfoy had not matured this much over just a few short years. However the war did change us all.
To his silence a deliciously seductive smirk played across his lips and he gave Harry a once over, "Lost your courage to keep up the heavy banter? Perhaps Voldemort left some slytherin behind in you after all? Very well. Are we going to play or not?" and with that Draco walked to the couch and took a seat across from Hermione and smiled at her with such a sickeningly sweet tone that did not bode well on his normally sneering features. This smile was obviously romanticized for the effect of Harry, he knew this and it had its affect.
"Nice hair, Granger." He said in all seriousness.
To which Hermione noticeably blushed and responded, "Why thank you malfoy. It was you however that gave me this bottle of sleek easy. Heavens, I wish I would have found out about it during Hogwarts years." She laughed and joked with Draco so easily as if they were long term friends. As if everyone in the bloody room was bloody best friends with him except Harry.
"Hermione how often do you talk with Malfoy. You seem rather chummy." Harry snarled and sat begrudgingly down.
"Honestly Harry, you are acting so childish. Malfoy and I both work at the Ministry. One day I saw Ginny, Damien coming to ask malfoy for lunch they stopped in to see me as well and I decided to go. Ever since Ronald and I have on multiple occasions hung out with the three of them." Hermione said without making eye contact with the green eyes she knew contained hurt and betrayal. He was always so melodramatic.
Gasping at the new found information and how little credit his friends gave him he blurted out, "Well thanks for the invitation."
Hermione cringed and Harry smirked, at least his friends somewhat cared about them.
However Draco was having very little of that. Perhaps the rest would put up with poor wounded, poor golden boy's antics, but Draco never had and he certainly wasn't going to start.
"Well can you blame them Potter?! With how you are currently reacting why would they invite you. They were kind enough to invite you now. So are you going to throw a temper tantrum and demand me to leave further proving their sneaking and neglecting to tell you a good decision or… Or will you prove them wrong and sit down playing a civilized game with us." Draco remarked blatantly and raised an eyebrow at a very conflicted Harry.
He hated feeling left out, but if he sat down Malfoy would be proven right. How could he give in to Malfoy? But if he left or demand malfoy leave, Malfoy would also be right. He hated this conundrum.
He grumbled and sat down after a few moments of Hermione explaining the directions he already knew how to play he said, "I call being blue."
"You mean we call blue, Right Potter?" He said mocking him obviously enjoying the state of utter turmoil harry was in. A smirk played out along his snake-like features. That was the malfoy face he knew. Suddenly he realized how much Draco had changed. How dim he was that he realized it last of his friends.
This smirk he used to make after her knew he seriously hurt one of us. When he took pleasure in our pain. But now he took pleasure in good natured teasing. Perhaps it wasn't the action that should have made him realize it. Perhaps it was pathetic, but none the less he was beginning to see Malfoy in the light his friends did, and very suddenly.
Malfoy noticed his staring as he picked up the blue figurine from the box and then said simply,
"If I didn't know any better Potter I'd call you bipolar. Your sudden mood swings are going to give me whiplash, You from yelling bonkers to staring as if your about to snog me."
Harry's face reddened and he simply stuttered, "I'd . Snog you Malfoy."
Malfoy chortled, "I'd say likewise, but that statement would be false."
Harry only gaped at the statement green eyes wide with the new found confirmation.
This time Malfoy let out a genuine laugh and smile that practically lit up his face giving him this jovial glow. Harry couldn't help but appreciate the authenticity of it compared to the one he wore earlier.
"For Merlin's sake Potter close your mouth, you look like a cod fish."
Harry couldn't stop the smirk creeping onto his face, "You're a git."
Draco only nodded, "Now that, I actually am."
So continued the game between the 4 pairs of friends. Ginny thought it best halfway through ought to bring out the rather large supply of liquor and like she suspected within ten minutes they were all slurring their words the mood was much more jolly. And not a single pair was more than two inches from each other. There was a moment when Harry leaped up and even hugged Draco. Draco however was the only sober one, having only 2 drinks so far. He made it his duty to be the person to make sure they would all get home safely.
However things were starting to get heated when Hermione smacked ron's hand for attempting to cheat and sneak a card.
"Ronald!" She scolded with a slight stir of her words. She was only a tiny bit drunk she liked to think herself somewhat responsible. "We Will NOT. Dis'bey the rules!"
His head was now resting on her lap and he looked like a pathetic old dog pretending to be a puppy, "BUT, Mione we are losing! We are in the very last place by 200 points!"
He sprung up from her lap and pointed an accusing finger at Damien and Ginny. Ginny was currently sitting on Damien's lap and he held her close his head nuzzled into her neck. Even drunk they were extremely happy.
Ron pointing to them exclaimed, "Them! They haven't stopped pocketing the cards! They even took some of ours!" His eyes widened for effect and he got close to Hermione's face, "I SAW IT!"
Damien shook his head and ginny couldn't stop giggling, "hey, now, now now. Perhaps I wasn't successfer in stopping this little fireball from stretching the rules a bit. But! I'll have you know no one has cheated here more than Nev and Luna!"
For some reason Ginny found that utterly hilarious and threw her head back on Damien's shoulder and burst into a fit of giggles that he stopped with a perhaps too deep for company kiss.
Neville's eyes grew wide as if he were generally hurt by this accusation, "I'll have YOU know that me and my honey bunny," Draco chuckled at the drunk nickname, "Have not once been unfaithful to the rule book. Besides why attack each other we aren't even in the lead! Harry and Draco over there are winning!"
Damien broke apart from Ginny's lips long enough to say, "Awe shove your excuses up your arse Longbottom!"
It was now Harry's turn to yell in the drunken circle of people Draco called friends.
"THAT! That is offensive to those who like to shove things up their arse." Harry said trying to seem steady.
That was enough to make Draco bark in laughter, "Oh and do you like shoving things up your arse Potter?"
"Well," His eyes fluttered in the most adorable fashion and Harry leaned his head on Draco's shoulder his green eyes covered in a drunken haze as he locked eye contact with Draco, "Not me personabalably, I prefer others to do such… things."
Draco cleared his throat as well as attempting to clear his mind, Harry was clearly intoxicated enough if he was openly saying such crude things in front of his friends.
"I think it is time we get you home." Draco said matter of fact.
Harry jumped into Draco's lap wrapping his arms around his neck and said, "that a boy! Take me home!"
Draco chuckled, "that is not what I meant." He stood up and placed Harry on his feet, but when Harry attempted to walk he stumbled and would have fell if not for Draco's reflexes.
Draco then picked Harry up again realizing he was much more drunk than he first assumed Harry was.
"Alright home for you, Potter. Say goodbye to your friends." Draco told him as he would speak to a small child.
Harry however was too distracted by the close proximity of Draco's face.
His pale but very smooth skin, the gentle slope of his nose. The rough edges of his jaw line. His beautifully pointed chin. There was not a flaw to his face.
His light grey eyes that held a hidden concern for his well being. Harry inched close to Malfoy's ear and whispered seductively, "I don't want to go to my home Malfoy."
They were out of the door now and Draco rolled his eyes, "I'm not going to shag you Harry."
Harry pouted and crossed his arms while still being carried, "Well I won't unlock my doors. You'll just have to leave me wondering around helpless for some strange bloke to take advantage of me…. Ort" Harry leaned in close to Draco studying his eyes, "You could take advantage of me."
Harry's breath smelled of alcohol, so much alcohol it drowned out the part that smelled like Harry.
Very well, but I am not responsible when you near kill me when you wake up in the morning. Draco aparated them to his flat and once inside Harry leaped out of his arms.
HE jumped in the air and giggled, "Malfoy's home! How exciting!"
The sly git tricked him into carrying him. He could walk after all. Despite the fact he still was very drunk.
Despite being shorter than him he was still quite strong even with his drunkenness.
Harry advanced on Draco pushing him on the back of the door.
"Do you honestly not want to do anything with me malfoy?" Harry looked up at him with a small pout. He successfully looked like the most innocent puppy in the world.
Did Draco want to do anything to Harry? Merlin yes. He was so hard beneath his trouser at the mere thought of it.
He's dreamt of getting Harry in his bed for years now. His feelings went way back, however that was a different story. That was the story of some muggle romance movie. The plotline to some ridiculous story. Bottom line was Draco did not deserve Harry Potter.
But if by chance Draco ever got the chance to sleep with the boy who filled his dreams since he was 11, why not do it?
It was that reasoning that Draco bent down his head to capture his drunken lips. He didn't cringe when all he tasted was alcohol. Or shudder because of the rushed and sloppy nature due to the other's drunken state.
He simply heaved Harry's legs around his waste and without even breaking the kiss carried him to Draco's bedroom.
Draco was not ashamed that he had done that very thing to various men. Carried their drunken bodies just like he did to all of them and laid them on his bed.
He broke the kiss to look at them as he always did.
Harry looked up at him with lust like they all did.
But he always thought if he got Harry here he'd see something more in Harry's eyes. Harry would whisper words of love instead of trying to hastily undress him like all the others.
He closed his eyes and was looking past all those things. He wasn't listening to the voice screaming in his head that this was wrong. Wasn't listening to his cringing heart because of Merlin Harry's fingers were sliding against his chest making their way to his belt buckle.
Then Harry made the mistake. He spoke, "What's wrong? Don't you want to fuck me Malfoy?"
He always told himself that if he got to sleep with Harry. He would call him by his name and in return Harry would call him Draco.
He withdrew from Harry and Harry's arms fell.
"No, I do not want to fuck with you, Potter." Which was true. He didn't want to fuck him. He wanted to slowly make love to Harry as hufflepuff as that may sound. He also didn't want it to be with Potter. He wanted it to be with Harry. Before he sleeps with him he wants to be friends. He wanted Harry to love him .To feel for him as he did for the green eyed boy as he always had.
So it was with a heavy heart he stood up and put the blanket they discarded over Harry.
"Get some rest, Potter." He offered a slight smile.
Harry nodded and spoke softly, "I hope I remember this tomorrow, Malfoy."
"Why's that?"
"You are awfully kind. It's like the set up to some sappy romance movie." Harry said beaming up at him hopefully.
"If I should be so lucky. Now Goodnight, Potter. " Draco said before closing the door behind him and groaning. Looks like he'd be sleeping on the coach because of his bloody conscience and his bloody heart.
It's all Harry Potter's fault. It always was him. Always. Creating feelings and problems he never asked for. Now he had Harry lying undefended in his bedroom and he wasn't man enough to do anything. Draco fell asleep on the couch not only feeling stupid, but pining over a boy who was within a few short feet behind a door that he will never seem to open.
Welp be honest what do you think? Please? Review? Love me? Please?