A Christmas Homecoming by HPFangirl71

Part 2:Harry's Hidden Desire

Harry couldn't believe it was actually him; the sight of Draco drinking at the bar had been like a haunting vision from the past. He'd seen neither hide nor hair of the man in years except for the occasional article in the society pages of the Daily Prophet; he was a Malfoy after all…

As Harry approached the man from across the room, he filled with sudden nervousness. Harry wasn't certain if Draco even wanted to talk to him after everything that had happened during the war but decided to approach him all the same. It was best not to give a Malfoy a choice in these sorts of matters so instead Harry planted himself firmly down on the barstool next to Draco and ordered himself a drink.

As he sipped the screwdriver the bartender had handed him, he eyed Malfoy surreptitiously from the corner of his eye. He looked the same, same neatly kept hair, same impeccable style of dress, same air of indifference, but still there was something different this time that Harry couldn't seem to pinpoint. Harry tried making small talk but knew he was drastically bumbling it as he always did.

"So Malfoy, some reason why you're staying hidden these days?" he asked in a nonchalant sort of manner.

"Yeah well not all of us crave the attention and stardom of being a hero." Malfoy said with a halfhearted sneer.

Harry looked down at his drink. He knew Malfoy hadn't been around much lately but he should know from the papers how not true those words really were. The public had hounded Harry within the aftermath of the war and it had nearly driven him over the edge. If not for his dearest friends, he wasn't sure how he would've made it through. Not everything had survived the drama, his engagement to Ginny broken off, his Auror training incomplete, he'd only recovered after many years of intense magical therapy.

The realities of his therapy were that he hadn't really wanted to be an Auror after all but had only really thought it was what everyone expected of him. Disappointingly, at least in the public eye, he had gone to work for George at the store instead. He'd also realized that Ginny really hadn't been what he'd wanted either; she'd merely been a means to join the Weasley family. A means he'd never really needed since they already considered him family and always would no matter what. He and Ginny had parted amicably and her friendship meant a lot to him. He looked shyly over at Malfoy, remembering the day he'd suddenly realized that his obsession with Malfoy hadn't been just a mere obsession but also a fatal attraction of the worst kind.

"It's not always easy being the hero." he stated simply instead of delving into all that past drama.

Draco took a sip of his drink and looked at Potter with a knowing smirk. It was that sexy smirk which Harry always found quite alluring, that same smirk that always gave him an instant hard on. He knew he had to contain himself. This was Draco bloody Malfoy and he would never consent to being with someone like Harry. Harry had known this all along. He often thought that knowledge was the reason his passion for the sexy Slytherin had always come out as rage rather than the desire he actually felt. It was probably what had taken him so long to admit his true feelings for the snotty git, and it was the reason why Harry kept himself well guarded even now.

The men continued to chat about mundane things that didn't really seem altogether important. Harry felt the uncomfortable chill in the air but surprisingly they kept themselves unusually civil toward one another. They talked about their respective jobs and the upcoming holidays. It seemed Malfoy was in town for family reasons and after a chilly reception in Diagon alley, he was quite anxious to have it over with so he could go back to Italy and his playboy lifestyle. It was something Harry could relate to, the reasons behind the stares and comments were terribly different but the resulting embarrassment much the same.

The evening progressed and the two men closed the bar in one another's company. Harry eyed the candles on the bar that had melted down to practically nothing since he'd first approached Malfoy and took a last swig of alcohol before pulling himself off the barstool. Malfoy seemed surprisingly tipsier as he tried to gather himself in the manner befitting a pureblood and failing miserably. Harry couldn't help but chuckle at the man. Finally, he offered him his hand and asked if he just wanted to crash at his place for the night.

"What… that anxious to get me out of my y-fronts are you Potter?" his words slurred slightly, he leered meaningfully at Harry.

Harry's face got pink with embarrassment as he realized the innuendo of his words.

"No… I… I… That's not what I meant and you know it!" he finally stammered.

Malfoy gave him another of those incredible smiles as he laughed at Harry's obvious embarrassment. As quickly as the laughter had escaped him lips, a serious looked replaced it upon his face.

"Actually I'm grateful for the offer Potter; mother would be mortified to see me like this."

Malfoy paid the bartender by throwing a handful of muggle bills upon the counter. He then threw an arm around Harry's shoulders and proceeded to steer the man towards the door.

"Lets say you and I go back to your flat and have a few more drinks shall we?" Malfoy said with excessive cheer.

Harry looked at the man, knowing all too well that he'd already had far too much to drink already but at the same time enjoying the warm feel of Malfoy's arm across the back of his neck. He hadn't meant to take Draco Malfoy home with him tonight but he was quite sure the events of the night weren't quite over with yet…