Disclaimer: I do not claim to own Harry Potter...and I have no intention of doing it in the near future either, so don't hold your breath.
Just a short story I felt like writing. Still writing Elemental of course, but I felt like a bit of a rest.
HPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMH
"I think Kingsley's a genius for pairing me with the Saviour of the Wizarding World on this one. It will do wonders for my Auror reputation. The others are probably green with jealousy right now...and not just because I slipped those Weasley products into my secret sweet stash. Serve them right for stealing my sweets all the time. I mean, it's called a secret sweet stash for a reason."
Oh God, if Malfoy didn't shut up Harry was going to murder him. And not in a merciful way either. It would involve lots of sharp objects, handcuffs and Witch Weekly's most fanatic fans. Harry clenched his wand tighter and squeezed the bridge of his nose. What had he ever done to deserve stakeout with Malfoy?
"Hmm, kinky Potter. Not so much the Witch Weekly fans...but the handcuffs sound nice. Your place or mine?" Malfoy purred from somewhere to Harry's left. Harry couldn't see him due to the Disillusionment spell, but he could just imagine the wink Malfoy was sending in his direction.
Harry blinked once in surprise. Had he said that last threat out loud? Merlin, he was more tired than he had originally thought. They weren't going to catch any criminals at this rate, let alone illegal potion smugglers. "No Malfoy. Not your place and not mine either." He replied through gritted teeth. The cold rock beneath his backside was making it go numb.
There was silence to his left and Harry sighed, hoping that Malfoy was finally going to get serious.
"So right here then? Bloody hell Potter! I know I'm hot but try and keep your mind on the job!" Malfoy sounded mock scandalised now and Harry barely restrained the urge to hex anything in the immediate ten metre radius just in case he managed to hit Malfoy with something. But, that wouldn't really help them sneak into the underground illegal potion base...so Harry refrained. Just.
"For fuck's sake Malfoy! You and I aren't going to be doing anything but catching these idiots so I can go home! I don't like you and I don't trust you, so why the fuck would you think I'd have sex with you?!" he hissed angrily to his left. He knew Malfoy wouldn't be able to see him, but he glared to his left anyway. It made him feel marginally better.
"...because I'm fit and you know it?" came the infuriating reply to his rhetorical question. Harry could definitely hear the smirk in that sentence this time. He let out a growl and tucked his hands into his pockets, lest he give in to temptation. And no, not the temptation Malfoy was on about. He had no intention of giving into that temptation ever.
Not that it was a temptation, because if it was a temptation that would mean that Harry had thought about it... and he hadn't. Ever.
Bloody Malfoy.
"Just shut the hell up, would you?" he ranted, "We're meant to be doing an undercover surveillance operation here, and you nattering on all the time isn't bloody helping!" He wanted to stamp his foot angrily on the ground, but he knew that would make him look juvenile.
Even though Malfoy started it.
Harry smacked a weary hand to his forehead. "What the hell was Kingsley thinking when he made Malfoy an Auror" he muttered under his breath.
"Probably the same thing he was thinking when he made you one: 'wow, he's good at his job'" Malfoy said seriously very close to Harry's left ear. He jumped at the closeness and then covered up his gasp with a cough. Harry wouldn't know if Malfoy was good at his job, considering he had avoided him the entire three years they had been working on the same squad. At least Malfoy was being serious now.
"...and bloody hell isn't he handsome?'" Malfoy continued equally as seriously. He trailed a hand up Harry's arm flirtatiously. Harry batted it off with a little more force than was probably necessary.
"Can't you just be serious for one minute?" he growled, "I would have preferred Colin Creevey as a partner to you!"
Malfoy gave a horrified gasp, before poking Harry lightly on the chest. "That's rather offensive Potter. I'll have you know Creevey almost managed to knock me out yesterday with that horrible Muggle contraption of his! I fully intend to sue his Amateur Photographer arse."
Harry rolled his eyes. "How the hell do you keep touching me by the way? I can't see you anywhere" he answered, completely unsympathetic to Malfoy's plight. Well...it wasn't really a plight as such. Just Colin being his usual clumsy self. Harry vaguely wondered what Malfoy hexed him back with, but told himself firmly he didn't want to know.
There was a slight noise of material on stone, but then Malfoy snorted delicately from Harry's right this time. "Simple Auror training, Potter. Try paying a little more attention to your surroundings" he answered condescendingly.
Harry gritted his teeth again. See there was the Malfoy from Hogwarts he knew and hated. Harry didn't know what he was trying to achieve before by pretending to flirt with him. Bloody arrogant prat probably finally realised that not everybody would jump willingly at the chance to sleep with him.
"I pay full attention to my surroundings, Malfoy. For example, I'm perfectly aware I'm sitting next to a massive prat right now!" he retorted annoyed. Sure, he knew he was being childish, but so was Malfoy.
"Really, Potter" Malfoy said, suddenly quiet, "then how come you didn't realise someone's approaching the building?"
Harry immediately snapped to attention, his ears pricked for the slightest noise. Malfoy was right, there were footsteps coming up the path to their right. Harry and Malfoy were currently crouched on a couple of wide rocks in front of the practically desolate house. Harry would never have guessed that underneath it, thousands of illegal potions were being brewed and boxed, ready for shipping to shady places in Knockturn Alley. He supposed that's what made it such a good hiding place. All he and Malfoy needed to do was collect some evidence and then the Ministry could send an Auror team to arrest them.
The footsteps were coming closer now and Harry tensed. Malfoy had fallen quiet next to him, so quiet Harry couldn't even hear him breathing. But, as they had both been trained to minimise the amount of noise they made, he wasn't too worried.
Not that he would be worried about Malfoy anyway.
A dark figure was making their way towards the house now, their head ducked and their body cloaked. They weren't distinguishable in any way and this made Harry uneasy. He knew the group of criminals running this operation weren't stupid, but they had tended to stick to uncreative methods. The only reason the Ministry hadn't been able to collect evidence on them so far, was there seemed to be someone with above average intelligence running the operation.
The other criminals, of course, were as stupid as bricks. Or Death Eaters. Take your pick.
The figure reached the door and pulled out his wand. Harry immediately withdrew his, but pocketed it again as the figure just pointed it at the door. As long as they were quiet the figure wouldn't know they were there, and then they would be able to get their evidence and be out of there.
A weight slammed into his right side and threw him to the ground, almost at the exact same time as the figure triggered a ward to sweep the area. It swept over towards Harry-and Malfoy, he supposed, because who else would have known Harry was there to protect him?
Harry raised his arms in self defence, but didn't have time to withdraw his wand to cast a shield.
Just as the ward was about to reach Harry, a shield sprung up in front of his face. He gaped in surprise as the ward dissipated as it hit the barrier. He stared in shock as Malfoy slowly faded into view, most probably too exhausted from blocking the ward to sustain the Disillusionment spell any longer. It didn't matter anyway. The lower level criminals may be stupid, but even they'd notice a shield apparently appearing from mid air blocking the ward. And even they would come to the conclusion that a wizard would have been the one to cast it.
"An Auror!" the wizard at the door yelled gruffly, shooting red sparks into the air.
They apparently didn't know Harry was there. That could work to his advantage.
Cracks filled the air as the other criminals inside the house apparated outside. Harry withdrew his wand and quickly pushed himself up from the ground. Malfoy was in front of him, already casting spells left, right and centre. Harry surveyed the area quickly, before stunning some of the more oblivious looking people hanging around the edges. He managed to catch a few off guard...but apparently they were feeling slightly cleverer than usual today and quickly caught on to what Harry was doing.
"There's someone else there!" a bald wizard shouted, pointing vaguely to a spot next to Malfoy.
Oh shit.
Harry moved closer to Malfoy, who was actually stunning in battle. He was shooting off curses and hexes just on the edge of legal. He was blocking and hexing simultaneously; something even Harry found a little difficult now and then. Harry moved closer to Malfoy, still invisible, and hissed into his ear.
"Malfoy, we're going to have to Apparate out. There are too many of them. We'll come back another time to get the evidence." Harry's tone was urgent but Malfoy ignored him.
Harry let out a huff of breath before turning around...
...and looking straight into the face of a stunner.
Harry managed to catch a flash of red before darkness licked at his vision. He could see in his peripheral vision, his body flickering into view.
He cursed the wizards for managing to catch him unawares as he sunk into unconsciousness.
HPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMH
I think this will have another chapter. Tell me if you like :)