Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.
Challenges listed at the bottom.
Word Count - 1204
Knew You Were Trouble
It started, as most things do, by accident.
Harry hadn't intended to get drunk. He hadn't intended to go home with the hot bloke he didn't care that he recognised. And he certainly hadn't intended to wake up next to Lucius Malfoy.
He'd thought it would be a one off. A mistake to be written off and never mentioned again, but then Lucius had turned up outside Harry's house on a silver and black motorbike and Harry had no chance of saying no.
It was a secret.
It was supposed to be simple. Just sex, no feelings involved, an outlet for each of them without the messiness of a relationship.
Harry didn't know the first thing about how to be in a real relationship and Lucius was just coming out of one that had lasted over half of his life.
Of course, it couldn't remain uncomplicated.
Harry's life never did.
…
Harry jumped when Merlin landed on his knee. He hadn't even realised the cat was in the room, never mind that he wanted attention.
"Hey Merlin," he greeted, tickling the cat's neck. "Look at this, Ministry messing things up again. You'd think they'd have learnt, wouldn't you?" He rolled his eyes at himself. Of course they wouldn't learn. "Listen to me. The human world is a mess. Be glad you're a cat."
Merlin purred under Harry's hands.
Throwing the paper onto the coffee table, Harry lifted Merlin up for a moment, pulling his legs up onto the chair, before he settled the cat back down, stroking him into sleep. He lay his head back against the back of the chair, thinking that taking a nap might not be a bad idea.
He hadn't been sleeping well lately, and even though it was barely nine at night, he was already exhausted.
"How you defeated the Dark Lord I have no idea."
Harry startled, turning to find Lucius standing in the doorway to the living room.
"You scared me to death!" he gasped, his hand resting on his rapidly beating heart.
"You're not dead, so I didn't achieve anything," Lucius drawled, walking further into the room. He sat down in the armchair opposite Harry's.
"I am not comforted by that attitude," Harry muttered, sitting upright in his chair. Merlin meowed a complaint at the movement, but settled down quickly enough.
Lucius shrugged.
"Aren't you going to offer me a drink?"
Harry shook his head. "Wasn't planning on it. You know where it is."
Rolling his eyes, Lucius got up, muttering, "heathen," under his breath.
Harry smiled when moments later, he reappeared with two filled tumblers. He accepted the one handed to him and raised his eye at Lucius when he saw back down.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, seeing no reason to beat around the bush.
"I want to ravish you," Lucius replied. "You are addictive, and it's driving me insane."
Harry choked on his drink.
"Excuse you?"
As much as they were passionate when they were together, they'd never actually spoken about what was happening between them. Hearing it said out loud was a shock to Harry's system.
"Hmm. Persuasion is a talent of mine, and I'm fairly certain you won't need much to abandon whatever riveting plans you have for the evening and allow me to take you to bed."
Harry was burning up as though he had a fever, and Lucius was eyeing him like he wanted to consume him whole.
This was new, though, he thought to himself. Lucius didn't usually admit to anything, and yet, he'd called Harry 'addictive.'
Standing up, Harry placed his still full tumbler on the table and put Merlin on the chair to curl up. Then he held out his hand to Lucius who took it immediately.
Harry offered him a small smile. "No persuasion necessary."
He wouldn't tell Lucius that he was hoping the man would stay. He always slept better with Lucius beside him.
…
Lucius was gone when Harry woke up. Their coupling had been rough, as it often was, but for the few moments between orgasm and sleep, Lucius had held Harry close to his chest and stroked a gentle hand through his hair.
As he lay in bed, Harry realised that was what he wanted. Of course, the sex was great and he enjoyed it immensely, but it was the affection he craved.
Merlin hopped up on the bed, crawling up Harry's torso to settle under his chin.
"He doesn't care, Merlin," Harry whispered, into the silence. "Maybe it's time I found someone who does."
He stayed where he was for a few minutes, stroking Merlin as he wondered on his best course of action. He could allow Hermione to set him up. She'd been on his case for months about dating, she'd be overjoyed. And of course, he'd have to stop seeing Lucius.
Shaking his head at himself, he got up, throwing his clothes, still spread across the floor, into the laundry basket, before he went to shower.
Something had to change, he thought, as the spray hit his skin. He just wasn't altogether sure what.
…
"Another bad date?"
Harry blinked. He wasn't expecting to come home to find Lucius in his living room.
It had been over a month since he'd seen him, after he'd told him that they couldn't continue seeing each other. Lucius had accepted it with his usual arrogant sneer and dismissed Harry with nary a thought.
"Why are you here?" he asked, glancing down at Merlin, who was curled up on Lucius' jacket, beside him. Little traitor.
With the air of someone about to make a confession, Lucius looked away and took a deep breath.
"I missed you," he finally said, turning his eyes back to Harry. "I don't know when, and I don't know how, but you've gotten under my skin, Harry Potter, and I don't quite know what to do with that."
"I told you," Harry replied tiredly, gesturing a hand between them. "I can't take anymore. The sex is amazing Lucius, but I need more than amazing sex."
"What is it that you need, Harry?"
"I need… I need a real relationship. I need affection and companionship. I need dates and nights in front of the fire. I need… I need someone who can love me."
Lucius stood up, being careful not to dislodge the cat laying beside him, and stepped towards Harry. "I can do affection," he murmured, stroking a finger over Harry's cheek. "And I can do dates, and companionship and nights by the fire."
Harry couldn't stop himself from leaning into the touch.
"And I already love you. So I believe, that means I tick all of your boxes, Mr Potter."
"You love me?" Harry asked, his hands itching to reach out and touch Lucius.
"Hmm," Lucius agreed with a nod. "I am deeply, passionately, unequivocally in love with you. Which I believe means I'm in trouble."
Harry nodded. "Trouble usually finds me," he agreed.
"Want to get into trouble with me?"
Harry nodded again. "I feel like I'm already in trouble."
With a wicked smile, Lucius, leant down to whisper in Harry's ear, "You've been in trouble since the moment you walked into that bar."
Written for;
Creativity Month - HarryLucius - P3. "You scared me to death." / "You're not dead, so I didn't achieve anything."
Character Appreciation - 33. Arrogant
Book Club - Miles Ritcher - Jacket / Cat / Arrogant
Disney - C4. Sebastian - "Listen to me. The human world is a mess."
Showtime - 2. Funny Honey - "He doesn't care."
Days of the month - True Confessions Day - Someone confessing something
Buttons - O1. Basket / D3. "I can't take anymore."
TV Show of the month - Spike - Lucius / Motorbike / Drinking
Sophie's Shelf - 14. Persuasion, Fever, Ravish, Consume, Rough, Addictive.