Chapter-1

Regrets

"Hey, give it here." Harry glared at Blaise who only raised an eyebrow in response.

"You are drunk enough for tonight." The man said in his usual lazy drawl. It was surprising to see how far they had come. Harry had met Blaise at a pub four years ago at the club he was standing in right now. Blaise was with a date. She was lean and short and very slim and a brunette with short hair. Harry was alone and was drowning himself in alcohol to avoid thinking about Draco, his husband, ex-husband, whatever. Technically, they weren't divorced but then they hadn't spoken to each other even once in the past four years.

"But it's my birthday." Harry whined and reached for the glass. It was Saturday night and the club was packed and it was his birthday. He was fortunate that at least Blaise had stuck with him. Hermione and Ron had quit a year ago.

"No. It's enough. We're going home." Blaise murmured.

Harry glared at the man and got only a snort in response.

"Come. I'll drop you home." Harry stood up, stumbled and fell down and then got up again.

He nodded and Blaise dragged him out of the club and apparated him to his house- empty house with empty rooms but a very nice bar where he could drink to his heart's content.

"Where are the keys, Potter?" He asked. Harry wondered why the other man insisted on using his last name after all these years.

"Right pocket." Harry muttered and leaned against the wall so that he won't fall down.

"This can't go on." Blaise muttered and switched the lights on while Harry tried to walk properly. He nodded and sat down on the sofa, staring at Blaise. Blaise was a bi and single and had no plans to settle down any time soon. At least that was what he told Harry. Harry had a sneaking suspicion that Blaise had a huge crush on someone although he didn't who that person was.

"Now, shall i take you to your bedroom?" Blaise asked and sat down across him on the other sofa. Harry shook his head silently and laid down.

"I'm good. Thanks." He answered and closed his eyes.

"Don't drink again tonight." Blaise insisted and Harry nodded before replying, "Yes. Okay. I won't. Not tonight."

And then it became really silent and a few moments later, he heard a door close. Presuming that Blaise had left, Harry opened his eyes only to find the other man crouched right in front of him. His dark eyes were dark and angry but he didn't say anything.

"I'll not drink. I promise." Harry said quietly.

Warm fingers wrapped around his own and the man's eyes softened as he murmured, "See that you don't. You can't miss the practice tomorrow if you want to play professionally."

Harry nodded and Blaise sighed. Both of them knew that Harry would break the promise right after Blaise left and there was nothing Blaise could do about it. The man stood up and without sparing him another glance, walked out of the house. Harry sat up and after ensuring that Blaise won't return, he headed towards his bar. He poured a glass of wine and stared blankly at the recliner Draco had been sitting on while waiting for Harry that night and couldn't help the memory that hit him.

Harry unlocked the door and went along silently on tiptoe so as not to alert Draco. It was annoying to sneak into his own house like a thief but it was even more irritating to argue with Draco over being late when all he wanted to do was sleep. Teaching the art of duelling to students was tiring and he was working on a book too.

Draco was possessive and jealous and didn't trust him at all. He had married Draco because he had believed that he was in love with him and sometimes he wondered if it was a misjudgement on his part.

It was completely dark. Harry breathed a sigh of relief and locked the door.

"WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU?" Draco shouted out of nowhere and Harry jumped, startled. The whole room suddenly got bright with light and a wine glass came flying towards him. Harry barely avoided it by a millisecond. Stunned and furious, Harry glared darkly at Draco who had been sitting on his recliner, waiting for him.

"Where were you?" The blonde glared back at him, his fingers clenched into tight fists. Silver eyes flashed at him. He was beautiful, even like this, furious and red-faced but Harry did not appreciate being treated like this- like he was obliged to report to Draco every-time he was late.

"You are not my keeper." He stomped towards Draco and crossed his arms before leaning slightly forwards.

"I'm sure you were with your co-instructor." Draco sneered at him and Harry sneered back "What if I was."

Draco stared at him, stunned for a couple of minutes. Harry shook his head and walked away from him.

"I AM YOUR HUSBAND." Draco shouted and continued in a low voice, "Sometimes, I wonder if you even love me."

"I've been wondering the same for sometime now." Harry murmured and by this point, he was so angry that words just tumbled out of his mouth.

"I should've married someone else and settled in Britain, someone who deserved me."

"You really think so? You really think that I don't deserve you." His husband spoke softly, his broad shoulders hunched and eyes dull.

Harry snorted cruelly, "What have you ever done except sitting at home and spending my money. Your clothes, your blanket, your food, everything comes from what I earn. This is how you pay me back, by shouting at me, by quarrelling with me over pointless matters. You don't even deserve all this. All you do is sit at home and brood uselessly, or make plans to annoy me to hell. When did I ever ask you to wait for me?"

"I had started brewing potions again. I am-" Draco bowed and started in a small voice.

"Potions, for which ingredients are purchased from my hard earned money. Have you even sold a single potion till now? It makes one think whether you are even talented in potion making, Draco. Perhaps, your father was right. You are good for nothing. You are a parasite." Harry sneered at him angrily. He should have stopped when he noticed Draco's shoulders quivering but he did not stop.

"I don't have any problem with spending money on you, Draco. However, seeing that I'm the only earning member of this house, you should atleast be thankful to me. But no, you shout at me, throw things at me, expensive things that I have purchased, might I add."

"I'm sorry." Draco's voice was so small that it could barely be heard any longer. The blonde was still looking at the floor, his shaking hands in his pocket and his quivering shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Being a parasite is not enough for you. No, you have to be a bloody nuisance and ask my co-instructors to stay away from me. What do you think of yourself? It was so embarrassing. Why don't you mind your own business? Even better, why don't you get out of my house? Since you have so many issues with me and my habits, my co-instructors, my friends and frankly speaking everything, it would be better to get out and stay away from me. Just leave me alone." Harry finished his rant.

When Draco looked up and met his eyes, he knew that it was over. They were bright with unshed tears, tears of humiliation and pain. With a jerk, he realised what he had said.

A knock on his door brought him back from his reverie and he hiccupped and tried to stand up. That, however, proved to be difficult because his head was spinning and his eyes were drooping. Not more than three seconds later, his knees gave up and he fell down. He tried his best to stay sober but couldn't and gave in to the darkness that was hell bent on enveloping him. The last thing that he had in mind was that Hudson would definitely kick him out of the team now. This would be the tenth time, maybe eleventh or thirteenth Harry would miss the practice. They had a match just next week and they couldn't afford to loose it.