Chapter 2 - Penetration
Summary: Harry returns to Hogwarts, unable to call Ron his best friend anymore. Meanwhile, Draco tries to execute his cunning plan.
Author's Notes: Relatively canon-compliant until right after Christmas, just without Ron in the picture.
As vernie_klein pointed out, Nathan is rather naïve in this chapter. Well, yeah :)
XXX
Baby, can't you see? I'm calling
A guy like you should wear a warning
It's dangerous, I'm fallin'
There's no escape, I can't wait
I need a hit
Baby, give me it
You're dangerous, I'm lovin' it
- "Toxic", A Static Lullaby
XXX
One last time this summer, Harry spends the night at Nathan's. His parents are away for business, have been on more than one occasion in the past few weeks, and they always made the best use of the opportunity.
Harry has been thinking a lot about how to broach the subject of his upcoming term. He doesn't think they have developed feelings for each other - whatever this is between them is mostly about sex and pleasure. They didn't have any deep, meaningful talks about their pasts, their feelings or aspirations. Their conversations never surpass trivial small talk before one of them looks at the other the wrong (or rather, the right) way, and they end up shagging each other crazy.
As far as Harry can tell, what they share is nothing more than fun between two consenting individuals. Still, Harry is slightly nervous as he watches Nathan stroke his chest after round one of that night.
"Nathan," he starts. The blond looks up, not ceasing his movements. "I'm back at school on Monday."
Nathan's forehead creases slightly. "The one without reception or a landline?"
Harry nods.
"So, this is our last night? For the summer? Or... for good?"
"I don't know," Harry admits. "I'll probably be back for Christmas but I don't know what my godfather has planned."
Nathan smirks, apparently happy with Harry's vague answer. "We can cross that bridge when we come to it. Just text me when you're back, alright? We can see if we find the time."
Relief floods Harry when it registers that there will be no hard feelings and he smiles, wide and genuine, before his smile turns wicked. "Since this is our last night, we better make it worth it."
XXX
On Sunday morning, Harry and Nathan share a few last hours of pleasure before Harry leaves to make it to lunch at Grimmauld Place.
Sirius chuckles as he barges into the kitchen at exactly one o'clock without a second to spare.
"I'm surprised he let you go at all."
"Good for me that he isn't into bondage, then," Harry smirks. It took him a while to become as laid back about how open Sirius and Remus have been talking about sex ever since Harry told them about Nathan but eventually, he came around.
Sirius throws his head back and laughs out loud, then he ruffles Harry's hair affectionately before he pushes a big bowl of salad into his hands.
"I'll miss having you around."
"I'll miss being here."
"I'll ask you about that again in two weeks when you've settled back in at Hogwarts," Sirius says with a wink, giving him a gentle shove out the door into the dining room.
Harry knows his godfather is right, but after what happened with Ron, Harry isn't as enthusiastic about his return to school as he usually would have been.
The prospect of studying under Slughorn isn't very enticing either. Harry knows first impressions can be wrong, but the greedy way the man considered him made his skin crawl. He knows there is nothing sexual about Slughorn's interest, yet the encounter left Harry feeling dirty nonetheless. Dumbledore owes him, he muses.
Later that night, a knock on the door startles Harry while he is packing his trunk. Well, if one can consider haphazardly throwing things into it packing...
"Come in," he calls and a moment later, Sirius pushes the door open. He carries a small cardboard box and wears a cocky smile.
"I can see our approaches to packing are quite alike," his godfather comments as he sets down the boy on Harry's bed between a pile of trousers and socks.
"Well, it works. What is that?"
"Something I found in the attic, somewhat of a treasure I'd believed lost," Sirius explains with an air of mystery. "It's your start of term present."
Warily, reminding himself that Sirius used to be a Marauder, Harry pulls the lid off, uncovering a stack of magazines. They look like normal wizarding magazines with glossy covers, though the fading colours attest to their age.
Intrigued, Harry glances up at Sirius, who motions him to go on. Harry picks up the one at the top and flips him open.
He is met with the sight of picture after picture of naked men, moving is rather intimate situations.
Sirius is giving him porn.
"Is this your old collection?" Harry asks, acutely aware how high his voice sounds.
Sirius grins. "The best part of it. I left them here before I moved into the Potter's house, though. Too much to pack. I guess Regulus found them and saved them."
Harry nods absently as he pours through the magazines, noting that not all of them are strictly vanilla. He raises an eyebrow at one particularly explicit BDSM photo strip, causing Sirius to chuckle.
"I tried everything at least once," he explains. "Keep them hidden, I'm not sure if pornography is allowed at Hogwarts."
"No idea... I guess I should listen to the list of banned artefacts this year, though?"
They share a laugh and Sirius gives him a quick hug. "Finish packing and go to bed. I have a feeling you didn't get much sleep last night."
Grinning, Harry does just that, leaving the box for last. He might as well take a closer look at them before he falls asleep...
XXX
The few moments on platform nine and three quarters are terribly awkward since Ron positively flees when his mother catches sight of Harry, the big black dog Padfood and Remus and she doesn't even mention it or ask.
Harry doesn't know whether he should be worried or not since obviously Mrs Weasley has no idea what is going on between Ron and him.
Judging by Ginny's confused and annoyed expression as she watches her brother run off, she also has no clue. She might, however, ask so Harry is more than glad when she excuses herself to find her spot next to Dean and Harry ends up sharing a compartment with Neville and Luna.
XXX
A Malfoy knows how to fade into the background just as well as he knows how to draw attention - a skill Draco is incredibly grateful for when his mother and he step onto platform nine and three quarters this year.
A few stares and some whispers are the extent of the effect their appearance has on the people amongst them and as quickly as possible, Draco scans the platform for any sign of Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy or Blaise.
His eyes, however, are drawn to a boy he only recognises because some sick part of his mind has memorised the way he moves.
Draco's jaw almost drops at the sight of Harry Potter. The boy has changed. He isn't wearing glasses (Draco has never seen him without the hideous things and now he finds that to be a travesty) and neither is he wearing those ill-fitting Muggle clothes that hid his body and looked like he bought them second hand.
Potter is all hard lines, accentuated by slim fitting, dark jeans and a tight, Gryffindor red shirt with a V-neck that exposes his collar bone which draws Draco's attention towards it. Draco knows from seeing him in Quidditch robes and school uniforms that Potter is fit but to see his broad chest and shoulders accentuated like that with tight fabric hugging his hips and arse... Damn.
"Draco, there you are!"
Pansy. His salvation. Draco turns, schooling his somewhat derailed expression into his usual sneer as he faces the girl.
Inwardly, his desperation mounts. How is he supposed to focus on ignoring Potter when that bloody boy choses this summer to undergo a sodding make-over?
XXX
"Petrificus Totalus!"
Malfoy's hex catches him completely unawares and Harry falls of the luggage rack onto the floor where he has no choice but to lie, immobilised.
"I thought so," Malfoy sneers down at him, pulling the Cloak off him. "I heard Goyle's trunk hit you. And I thought I saw something white flash through the air after Zabini came back... That was you blocking the door, I suppose?"
Harry tries his best to glare, even under the body bind curse. Unimpressed, Malfoy considers him from above, eyebrows slightly creased as though contemplating his options. For a brief second, Harry glimpses a spark of something, a fire in Malfoy's grey eyes but it's gone before Harry can put a proper name on it.
"You didn't hear anything I care about, Potter," Malfoy finally says. "But keep out of my business in the future or I won't be so lenient."
Malfoy grabs his trunk and opens the compartment door, stopping briefly to release Harry with a flick of his wand.
He sits up immediately, yet doesn't hurry after Malfoy. Let him think he is safe for now, but if Malfoy honestly thinks Harry will let it go after what he heard and saw, the Slytherin has another thing coming.
XXX
Mere hours later, his resolute mood has faded into depression.
Ron isn't even looking at him. Snape will teach Defence Against The Dark Arts. He should have stayed in Grimmauld Place, Harry mentally chides himself when he heads up to his dormitory and registers raised voices that undoubtedly belong to his fellow dorm mates.
Everyone falls silent once he opens the door which immediately confirms his suspicion that they were arguing about him.
"Harry, can you explain why Ron's acting like a daft git?" Seamus demands hotly. Neville only looks confused, Dean annoyed and Ron doesn't meet Harry's eye.
"What's going on?"
"Dear Ronald here wants me to change beds with him and he refuses to tell me why, just said you two had a fallout," Seamus explains, gesturing from Ron to the bed. "But there's no way I'll swap without a reason. A real reason, not just that you two had a little domestic," he adds, voice dripping in sarcasm.
Obviously Seamus doesn't believe this is anything serious and suddenly, Harry has a decision to make, whether he wants to or not. Does he tell the truth? His instinctual response is yes, but as his issues with Ron show, Harry might have misjudged his friends and their supposedly tolerant nature.
Still, he can't think of anything that might adequately explain the situation.
"Well?" Seamus presses on.
"Ron's not talking to me anymore," Harry finally says.
"Old news, lad, we need to know what the bloody problem is."
Harry takes a breath that is supposed to be calming but fails entirely at that. "I'm gay. Ron thinks it's unnatural, or sick, I don't know. I guess that's why he wants to change beds."
Harry is incredibly tense as he waits for his house mates' reactions.
Dean raises an eyebrow, asking "You're gay?" at the same time that Neville wonders, "Really?".
Seamus breaks out laughing and Harry doesn't know whether to be offended or relieved.
"Lad, stop pulling our legs. Tell me something real."
When Harry all but stares at him in confusion, Seamus' laughter fades into wide-eyed astonishment. "Wait, you're not pulling our legs?"
"No," Harry assures him.
Then, Seamus levels an icy glare at Ron and stomps towards him. "What the bloody hell, Ron? That's your best mate you're talking about! How can you say he's sick? What age are you from, anyway?"
Ron pales, completely taken aback, yet catches himself fairly quickly. "It's not normal, Seamus! And he's sharing our dorm! Our showers!"
"They're Harry's showers, too, you know," Dean cuts in, apparently trying to calm the situation and Harry feels an immediate rush of fondness for his fellow Gryffindors.
"Are you for real?" Seamus barges on but Dean's hand on his shoulder brings him up short. Instead of continuing to harass Ron, Seamus grabs his trunk and drags it to the bed next to Harry's in the corner.
"There you go, Ronald. I hope you'll be comfortable."
Glaring just as much as Seamus, Ron pulls his trunk across the room and begins to unpack.
"You alright there, Harry?" Seamus asks.
He nods, looking from Seamus to Dean to Neville. "Thanks."
Seamus just huffs. "Not at all. Ever heard of the Kinsey scale?"
"Not that again, Seamus," Dean sighs, choking whatever story Seamus had up his sleeve.
"How long have you known?" Neville looks curious, if Harry interprets his expression correctly.
"Since this summer. I met a Muggle."
"I doubt you could get it on with a wizard without the Daily Prophet covering the story," Seamus snorts.
Harry laughs, even if it is a little strained. "So you don't have a problem with this?"
Seamus just chuckles derisively while Neville shakes his head.
"You're not planning to hit on us, are you?" Dean asks.
"No worries. Besides, I don't want to attract Ginny's wrath," Harry jokes, which seems to put Dean at ease, finally.
Still, Harry doesn't get much sleep that night. Will the whole school know tomorrow? What would that mean?
More than a little queasy, Harry decides to ask his dorm mates to keep the information to themselves.
XXX
Harry's sixth year passes at surprising speed even without Ron's incessant presence at his side.
Hermione helps him with the sheer incredible amount of homework they have to deal with. Harry manages to receive detention with Snape by the end of the second week. Quidditch try-outs pass quite well, even though Harry doubts McLaggen will survive the entire year if he keeps pushing Harry like that. Lessons with Dumbledore are a definite improvement over Occlumency lessons with Snape...
And then, there is the trip to Hogsmeade with the Katie Bell incident, which Harry immediately attributes to Malfoy, but neither Hermione nor McGonagall seem to take his theory seriously.
He watches Malfoy more closely over the next few days but all too soon, the stress of the upcoming Quidditch match forces him to pay more attention to the field, respectively one Cormack McLaggen.
The last practise before their match against Slytherin is probably the worst Harry has ever experienced. It isn't that they are bad per se - the problem is that McLaggen makes everyone want to kill him, costing them vital energy.
"ENOUGH!" Harry bellows as McLaggen honest-to-God takes the bat out of Peakes' hands and demonstrates how one best hits a bludger. "ON THE GROUND!"
He is acutely aware of the few spectators on the stands, unfortunately also a group of young girls, one Romilda Vane amongst them and Harry wishes he had already outed himself to the entire school somehow, just to keep them off.
Once everyone has landed, Harry rounds on McLaggen, thrilled to see every other team member glare at their keeper.
"Care to explain why you were holding Peakes' bat?"
"He was holding it wrong-"
"And you've waited until today to point that out?"
"It's the first chance-"
"You couldn't have mentioned it after practice?"
"I-"
"How about the time you took the quaffle from Demelza because she was apparently also holding it wrong?"
"She was-"
"Stop interrupting me."
McLaggen's mouth snaps shut immediately. He looks incredibly annoyed but also somewhat intimidated.
"And stop acting like you're the bloody captain of this team. You are the keeper and it's your job to guard the posts and ensure that the rest of your team can concentrate on their jobs so that we, as a team, can win the match tomorrow and if you don't get yourself together this very second, tomorrow will be the last time you ever play for Gryffindor this year. Are we clear?"
A muscle in McLaggen's jaw twitches but he doesn't object. He looks decently chastised.
"Yes, we're clear."
"Then show me. Back on your brooms, everyone!"
The change in McLaggen is drastic to say the least. At the end of the day, Harry is optimistic that they stand a good chance against Slytherin.
XXX
Draco manages a solid zero hours of sleep before the day of the Quidditch match. He spent hours in the Room of Requirement, trying to figure out what still refused to work in the Vanishing Cabinet only to toss and turn from three to six willing his erection down, unwillingly thinking about Harry bloody Potter in his sodding tight Quidditch robes chasing after him on a broom the next morning.
At half six, the decision is made - no Quidditch, no Potter. That damn boy is like a disease that Draco can't shake.
It seems only fitting that he claim sickness to get out of playing in favour of spending yet more hours in the Room of Hidden Things only to reach yet another dead end.
Two entire months. Two months and nothing to show for. The necklace was a desperate and ill thought-out back-up plan as it is but every hope he had for the Cabinet has vanished and not returned - which is exactly the problem.
He is running out of ideas and he can't blame his sleep-deprived mind for it anymore.
Draco feels the familiar panic spread through his body at the thought of what the Dark Lord will do should he fail.
However...
What if he is meant to fail? What if the Dark Lord didn't mean to honour his devotion, what if all this is just a scheme to punish his father for the disaster at the Ministry?
Painful realisation hits Draco like the Cruciatus Curse and his knees give out. He slides to the bathroom floor in shock.
The task is meant to be impossible.
Draco and his parents are doomed.
XXX
"Draco? Draco! Are you listening?"
"What?" Draco blinks at Blaise who is sitting nearest to the fire, leaning back in his chair, obviously bored with his essay for McGonagall.
Not that Draco is making much more progress in his constant state of insomnia.
"Slughorn's party. I'm wondering who to bring."
"Take Pansy, she won't shut up about it."
Blaise rolls his eye while Pansy's light up and she turns to the boy with a seductive smile. Or what she calls seductive in her own, special world, Draco muses.
"No, you're no challenge," Blaise deflects with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I don't want someone easy."
"Yes, because you already snogged anyone who was willing," Draco sneers. "My personal favourite was that Hufflepuff fifth year."
"She was a surprisingly talented kisser," Blaise tries - and fails - to save his honour. Hufflepuffs. Really.
"Then why don't you ask her, then?" Pansy dares him, though he doesn't allow himself to be baited.
"She'd think I'm interested. Can't have that."
An idea strikes Draco - the perfect solution to how he can distract his friends from their ever growing worry about him, his dietary habits (or lack thereof), sleeping patterns (or lack thereof) and (deteriorating) grades.
"Why don't you turn it into a bet?" he suggests with a malicious smile. The last time they bet, Pansy had to spend two hours in the Slytherin common room clad only in panties and bra. Even Draco knows she is hot, but she had a lot of inhibitions to overcome before she dared leave of her dorm.
"About what?"
"About seducing someone. A challenge. For both of you. You can finally settle the dispute who has more game, or whatever you call it."
Judging by the spark in both their eyes, Draco has already won them over.
"Alright, what are the ramifications?" Pansy asks, turning towards him.
"Fifth to seventh year. Same house."
"Ravenclaw's out, then," Blaise grumbles, having already tried his luck with every Ravenclaw girl in those years.
"I'm not touching a Hufflepuff!" Pansy shrieks in horror.
"And Slytherins are too easy for fellow Slytherins, which leaves Gryffindor," Draco concludes. Now he only needs a boy and a girl who will present enough of a challenge to keep Blaise and Pansy off his back for long enough.
He allows them two minutes of protesting until they realise on their own that Gryffindor is the only house left to choose from and to settle on what the winner receives - carte blanche. He may dare or command the loser to do anything he or she wants. Which is a huge risk to take with a Slytherin, Draco muses.
"So, who is it then?" Blaise stares at him defiantly.
"Make it good, we want a challenge," Pansy adds, all of a sudden completely on board.
Draco thinks quickly. Lavender is snogging that Weasley, The one of the twins... Too easy. He has no idea who is in seventh or fifth year...Granger. Granger is perfect. Blaise can have a tough time with her and she will never ever give in to a Slytherin.
Pansy's challenge is easier.
"Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom."
"The Mudblood?"
"Bongbottom?!"
"You wanted a challenge."
It takes a while, but eventually both Pansy and Blaise have come around and are devising tactics.
"I'll just go alone," Blaise decides in the end. "I heard that Granger is going with McLaggen to get back at Weasley for not talking to Potter, and she will need rescuing."
Draco snorts. "A Slytherin saving a Gryffindor from another Gryffindor?"
Blaise shrugs. "Stranger things have happened."
That, Draco can but agree to.
XXX
On the twentieth, Draco deems it safe to continue his work without Crabbe and Goyle standing guard (who are inconveniently in detention). Most of the students are at Slughorn's sodding party anyway, and the rest are fantasising about their perfect holiday in their respective common rooms.
It is testimony to how exhausted he truly is that he failed to account for the possibility of Filch being about.
And of course, Snape has to step in and pretend he is a noble friend instead of an ambitious fellow Death Eater.
"Then why not confide in me, and I can -"
"I know what you're up to! You want to steal my glory!"
Snape pauses briefly, drawing a deep breath. "You are speaking like a child. I quite understand that your father's capture and imprisonment has upset you, but -"
Draco has heard enough. Of course the capture upset him but what upsets him even more is that the Dark Lord could have broken Lucius out weeks ago. Instead, he lets him rot.
And Snape... It's all very well for him, he is already the Dark Lord's right hand. He doesn't need to fear punishment or death when he fails.
He strides off, glad that he doesn't hear Snape's footsteps and barges into a bathroom between Slughorn's office and the Slytherin common room where he paces furiously, trying to tame his anger.
It's almost Christmas and he will be away from Hogwarts for two solid weeks during which he can't work on his task. Two weeks of looking his mother in the eye in the knowledge that he is holding her life in his hands. Two weeks of visits to Azkaban.
Draco punches the mirror in a desperate attempt to cool off but all it does is tear his knuckles open which sting viciously.
"Ow, why did you do that?" a voice - a female voice! - startles him.
Draco whips around and sees the ghost of a plump girl with big glasses float through the bathroom. Moaning Myrtle, he figures.
"None of your business."
"Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine." Myrtle just cocks her head and blinks at him. Can't that ghost take a sodding clue?
"You're bleeding. You look sad."
"So what do you care?"
A pause lets Draco hope he has finally chased her off, but no such luck. "I know what it's like. Having no friends."
"I have friends, thank you very much."
"Then why are you here instead of with them?"
Draco growls at her. Crabbe and Goyle are in detention. Draco saw Blaise flirting with Granger and she only looked mildly horrified. Pansy is trying to chat up Longbottom in the library.
"They're busy."
Myrtle huffs as if he has just proven her point. Annoyed, Draco grabs a paper towel to dab the blood away, bins it and flees the bathroom.
XXX
Thanks to being caught early, Draco gets more sleep that night than he probably managed in all of last week and the circles underneath his eyes are a bit less prominent.
He is still one of the first Slytherins at breakfast except for Theo. Blaise strolls in half an hour later with a broad grin on his face.
"I had a very promising evening, contrary to some people," he sneers and launches into his mission report. "McLaggen was indeed appalling and Granger spent most of the night dodging him. I offered to hex him for her so that no one would ever know. She didn't believe I would so I proved it to her-"
"Did he end in the hospital wing?"
"No, he just suffered from a rather embarrassing rash all of a sudden," Zabini explains with a wink. "After that she was still reserved but not as hostile anymore."
Pansy's laugh alerts them to her presence. "Amateur. I bonded with Longbottom over Herbology."
Draco shudders at the thought and allows his thoughts to drift. Knowing Pansy, she will recount the events in minute detail.
An uneasy feeling alerts him to someone watching him. He scans the room as covertly as possible until his eyes land on none other than Potter, who is wearing a thoughtful expression.
Draco doesn't hide the fact that he caught him which doesn't, however, make Potter look away. Instead, he narrows his eyes and considers him with an intense focus as if he is trying to open him up and take his secrets apart with his bare hands.
It makes him feel strangely on edge, though Potter's eyes on him always also have something erotic. More so without the glasses. Why do his eyes have to be so bloody green? And why does that boy be so bloody fit?
Cursing himself, Draco averts his gaze, focussing his attention on Pansy again who is just concluding her story.
Draco can feel Potter's eyes on him for the rest of breakfast.
XXX
Malfoy doesn't leave Harry's mind for the remainder of the day and he is still contemplating what he saw after a comfortable evening with Sirius and Remus who picked him up from King's Cross.
Malfoy has a mission. Snape swore an Unbreakable Vow to help him. But what is it?
It has to be something difficult and dark. Harry hasn't spared Malfoy much attention between lessons, homework and the hours in Dumbledore's office so he can't say for sure when Malfoy started looking so... exhausted.
There were bags under his eyes and he looked thinner than Harry remembers. Something else has changed but Harry can't quite put his finger on it.
Sirius and Remus both doubt that Malfoy has succeeded his father as a Death Eater but they can't deny something fishy is going on.
Harry needs more information.
Well, he has two weeks to figure out exactly how he will find out more...
XXX
Harry finally gathers his courage and texts Nathan on Monday afternoon.
Glad ur back! Wanna come over? – N
A rush of arousal washes over Harry and he fumbles eagerly with the keys which results in an excessive use of the backspacing key until he finally produces a readable message.
Be there in 30. – H
It has been too long since he last had sex with anyone other than his right hand, Harry notes as he quickly packs his usual "Nathan bag" - a change of clothes, pyjamas just in case, condoms, lube - and is half-hard once he is finished.
Sirius smiles indulgently when Harry asks permission and allows him to go and stay for the night if Nathan offers.
"Do you have condoms?"
"Yes," Harry answers and tries tying his shoes faster to escape further questions.
"Lube?"
"Yes!"
"Change of clothes?"
"Yes, now can you stop?"
Sirius smirks. "Come now, let me enjoy you being back."
Harry blushes faintly and steps forward to hug his godfather. "I'm glad, too."
Affectionately, Sirius ruffles his hair (not that it could get any messier) and shoos him out of the door.
Nathan's house looks just like he remembers it, only with a lot more colourful lights. The overall effect of the decoration is almost nauseating so Harry swallows his nervousness and rings the bell.
Nathan opens three seconds later, wearing black jeans and a tight black jumper which hugs his body in a way that Harry can't wait to tear it off.
Nathan smiles and lets him in. "Finally! I've been half-hard ever since you texted!" As if to prove his point he pushes Harry against the now closed front door and rolls his hips deliciously. Harry can feel Nathan's erection through the layers and his own cock stirs again.
"Your parents?"
"Conference in Glasgow. Until tomorrow afternoon..." He trails off, raising an eyebrow and Harry lifts his bag. "Perfect," Nathan purrs and draws Harry forward, through the kitchen into the main living room.
It is brilliant how easily they fall back into this. Harry can still remember every spot that makes Nathan gasp just as Nathan manages to push all of his buttons.
Nathan's grip in Harry's hair tightens and he pulls his head back abruptly, forcing Harry to bare his throat to him.
Harry hasn't realised how much he missed this; a lithe body pressed against his, the tingling of pain from where Nathan's hand is fisted in his hair, the press of his cock against his hip and one hand sneaking underneath his jumper to play with a nipple.
There is an urgency to all their movements and the foreplay lasts considerably shorter than it used to but Harry doesn't care. They have about 18 hours so the first round may as well be fast and dirty.
Harry throws his jumper to the side, pulling at Nathan's to get it off, too, then starts with his own fly and zipper while Nathan is mirroring him.
As soon as they're naked, Nathan is on him again, hips thrusting forward, rubbing their cocks together and Harry can't help the moan that escapes his throat.
"Lube," Harry gasps, "now!"
Smiling wickedly, Nathan sits back on his heels and grabs Harry's bag. Harry stored the lube where he always does, ensuring they will find it immediately. His plan works and soon, Nathan has two fingers inside him.
Harry throws his head back against the sofa cushion, his hips moving to meet Nathan's thrusts but he can feel his orgasm coming and he wants, he needs Nathan to be inside him this second.
"I'm ready, just come on, fuck me already," he gasps, looking up into Nathan's stormy blue eyes. They darken at his request and within moments Nathan has put on a condom.
"Are you sure you're ready?" Nathan asks when he has positioned himself, one hand on Harry's hip and one on his own cock.
"Yes, come on, I won't last long as it is."
Without further hesitation, Nathan pushes in slowly, inch by inch and Harry can feel every single one of them. He wills his body to relax but it still hurts. Somehow, it makes Harry even harder. His cock is leaking against his abs and he meets Nathan's shallow thrusts, even digs his heels into his lower back.
Once he is fully sheathed, Nathan stills for a moment to catch his breath.
"Bloody hell, you're tight." He is panting, obviously trying to hold himself back but Harry doesn't want any of this.
"Come on!"
Finally, Nathan moves. His thrusts are slow and controlled at first but as soon as Harry digs his nails into his back, Nathan's hips stutter and he pushes into Harry at a painful rhythm that has Harry writhing, gasping and moaning underneath him.
Nathan crashes their lips together in a bruising first kiss of the holiday, then latches onto Harry's throat, sucking and biting, fully aware of how it makes Harry crazy. The next bite hits Harry's shoulder, hard and unrelenting and only takes one more thrust and Harry is gone, crying out as he finds his release without one hand on his cock.
Yes, he should own up to a slight preference for rough sex.
Harry's hands dig in deeper into Nathan's skin and seconds later, his rhythm falters as he comes deep within Harry who kisses him through the aftershocks until Nathan collapses onto the sofa next to him.
Nathan's smile is crooked in his post-orgasmic state, not that Harry believes he looks much different.
"Please tell me your godfather isn't taking you on a week-long holiday," Nathan says when he finally finds his voice again.
Chuckling, Harry rolls onto his side so he can see Nathan better. "No. What about you?"
"Four bloody days in America around New Year's. At least they're gone from Boxing Day till then."
Harry smirks. "I guess we'll have to make the best with what we've got, then."
"Oh, you have no idea what I've got planned..." Nathan leans in closer and meets Harry's lips in another kiss.
XXX
The holiday is over before Harry knows it. He spends a lot of time with Sirius, just talking about his term at Hogwarts, his lessons (he pointedly leaves out the Half Blood Prince's book, though) and Quidditch.
They have been writing letters but there is still so much to tell. Remus sometimes delivers news from the Order, informs them about suspected Death Eater attacks and takes them out for supper more than once.
Christmas Day at Grimmauld Place is a cozy affair with presents, punch, visits from Hermione, Fred and George, owls from Neville and Luna, the greatest meal Kreacher has ever prepared (at least in Harry's memory) and even more presents.
Every free hour Harry can find during those two weeks he spends over at Nathan's. They are constantly experimenting, pushing each other's boundaries as far as they will go, which is not a problem in itself but does lead to a few awkward moments.
For example when Sirius stops Harry's hand as he reaches for the tea after one particularly memorable nights (Nathan bought rope and they have been taking turns).
"Is there a reason for the rope burn on your wrist?" Sirius asks. His voice lacks the usual lightness from when he jokes about the bite marks on Harry's neck.
"Because there was rope around my wrists last night?"
Sirius' eyes narrow. "And that's what you wanted?"
Harry nods, suddenly uneasy. Why is Sirius so different all of a sudden?
His godfather sighs. "Just because your partner wants to try something doesn't mean you have to say yes."
"I know! I wanted to try it, too."
"Despite your history?"
Harry swallows. The thought has occurred to him that, given his personal experience with being restrained in life-threatening situations, he might want to avoid bondage in the bedroom.
The problem is - Harry enjoyed it. And he is not thinking about the deeper meaning of it, or he at least he wasn't until Sirius brought it up.
He meets his godfather's searching gaze, fully aware of the colour rising in his cheeks. "I know, Sirius. I thought I shouldn't but... I liked it. I really did. More than I should have probably. I know this probably means my head is completely screwed up..."
Sirius considers him for a few long seconds before he sighs. "You're not screwed up because you like bondage, Harry. It's alright to like such things. I just don't want you ignoring your own likes and dislikes for Nathan's sake."
"What, after the speech you gave me?" Harry jokes in an attempt to change the subject which Sirius thankfully allows.
"Good to know you're listening. More porridge?"
Smiling, Harry shakes his head and finally pours himself another cup of tea.
XXX
Draco is almost glad to be able to return to Hogwarts. Having had to deal with his worrying mother and frequent visits to Azkaban to see Lucius was hellish; at least when he spends his night in the Room of Hidden Things he is being productive and not uselessly trying to fall asleep in Malfoy Manor.
Narcissa kisses his cheek in good-bye and squeezes his shoulder so tight it would hurt if Draco weren't feeling numb. He blames his insomnia for the lack of feeling he is experiencing - with the notable exception of stupid fantasies of Potter which leave his sheets soiled and himself sweating.
And because his life just wants to beat him down until he can't get up anymore, the first person Draco spots is the Boy Who Bloody Lived. Potter isn't looking his way but turning around to greet that Weasley woman.
That's when he sees it.
The collar of Potter's shirt shifts because he turns to face Mrs Weasley and it exposes a dark bruise on his neck. A bite mark someone left in the heat of passion.
Potter moves and in the last second Draco darts forward, climbing onto the train as to not be caught staring. Because that is what he did, there is no way around it.
Damn. Draco's fantasies have just become even hotter. An experienced Potter under Draco's body, moaning for more?
Draco shakes his head, desperate to find the compartment Blaise is probably already lounging in.
XXX
Harry catches a mop of blond hair before Malfoy disappears into the Hogwarts Express and Harry smirks. He has a plan, inspired by Kreacher's presence on Christmas Day.
As Sirius' godson, he has a right to order Kreacher around as well. And if Kreacher following Draco Malfoy around Hogwarts is his wish, Kreacher has to comply.
XXX
Exactly a week later on Sunday 12th, after Harry spent a lot more time than is probably healthy following Malfoy's dot on the Marauder's Map, Kreacher and to his surprise Dobby appear in the middle of the table Harry and Hermione are using to do their homework. Well, until two house-elves dropped by with a loud 'Crack'.
"What is this?" Hermione asks, confused and a tad irate. "What's going on?"
"Well, they've been following Malfoy for me."
"Night and day," Kreacher croaks and with big, proud eyes, Dobby adds, "Dobby hasn't slept for a week, Harry Potter!"
"You haven't slept, Dobby? But surely, Harry, you didn't-" Hermione begins in the voice she uses whenever lecturing him.
"No, of course I didn't! Dobby, you can sleep, alright? But has either of you found out anything?" he adds before Hermione can plunge into a speech about SPEW...
It only takes a little bit of soothing out Dobby's old habits until the elf speaks the words that lead to Harry's epiphany.
"He has been making regular visits to the seventh floor with a variety of other students, who keep watch for him while he enters-"
"The Room of Requirement!"
Brilliant, absolutely brilliant. Why hasn't Harry thought of the room before whenever he couldn't find Malfoy on the map?
He shrugs mentally, sends Dobby and Kreacher off to sleep and starts pacing next to the table, talking to Hermione (or rather 'at' since she doesn't seem to share his enthusiasm for the news) and bouncing off ideas until he has it all figured out.
Malfoy stole Polyjuice Potion from Slughorn's cauldron and is using Crabbe and Goyle, in the disguise of someone else's bodies, as lookouts while he is executing whatever plan he has forged in the Room of Requirement. Showing those two doofuses the Dark Mark should have be enough to intimidate them into following his orders.
Now the only thing missing, is proof. And Harry knows exactly how to get that.
XXX
Draco's skin tingles as he exits the Room of Requirement on Wednesday.
He has been feeling as if someone is watching him more than once lately, but whenever he looks around - nothing. Crabbe and Goyle haven't seen anyone either.
There always is something familiar about it, though, as if he should know who or what is watching him.
Did Dumbledore figure out what Draco is up to? Has Snape found a new way to spy on him unnoticed?
Only one way to find out.
Draco sneaks around a corner and disappears into an unlocked classroom. He leaves the door ajar enough for a person to peer into the room but not enough for them to actually step through without making noise. He finds himself in one of the Charms classrooms with windows that look out over the lake, giving him a beautiful view over the grounds in the moonlight.
The seconds trickle by while Draco contemplates whether his insomnia is making him paranoid or who else might have a knack for following him to... Of course! Realisation hits him just as the door creaks, identifying an unwelcome presence in the room.
"I thought I told you to keep out of business that is of no concern to you, Potter," he tells the intruder as coldly as he can manage with his pulse rocketing as it always does when Potter is in the vicinity.
Silence. Either Draco is imagining things or Potter is shocked to have been caught. Really. Who does he think he is, a cunning Slytherin?
Draco hears the shuffling of a cloak and the door clicking shut and smirks in triumph.
"I know what you're up to, Malfoy," Potter growls.
Draco turns around, raising an eyebrow. "I doubt that."
Potter rises to the bait, walking up towards him, the cloak Draco saw on the train bundled in his left fist. "You attacked Katie Bell in Hogsmeade - you gave her that necklace! We saw it at Borgin and Burkes."
Draco covers his guilt with a chuckle. "I'm surprised you of all people frequent Knockturn Alley."
"I was following you, you wanker."
"On what grounds?" Draco forces his pulse to calm. Potter in touching distance is rather distracting from the situation at hand, which in turn threads into dangerous waters. How much does Potter really know?
"Madam Malkin's. You jumped across the room when she pinched your arm. Your left arm."
Potter's face is set in an angry scowl, his green eyes shining in the moonlight falling in through the window at Draco's back.
Draco raises an eloquent eyebrow. "So?"
"You know exactly what I mean, Malfoy!" he snarls and Draco laughs as loudly as he dares at this time of night.
"Really, Potter? The Dark Mark? Me? I'm sixteen, Merlin! The Dark Lord doesn't need children."
Potter seems momentarily surprised as if he was expecting Draco to boast about his new tattoo to the Boy Who Lived who would turn him in to Dumbledore before Draco could stun him.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, Potter, I was having a moment with the moon." Draco steps back, careful to keep Potter in sight, as he puts some distance between them.
"Screw you, Malfoy!" Potter swears. "I know you spend most of your time in the Room of Requirement. You bought something from Burkes, you threatened him with Greyback." Potter is in his personal space before Draco can prevent it, gripping him by the collar of his shirt. "What are you up to?!"
Draco saw the attack coming and defends himself as best as he can - not that he has much skill in non-magical duelling. He manages to surprise Potter though, but also to throw both of them off balance with his antics.
They crash onto the ground, Potter arse-first, Draco landing on top of him with enough force to knock the air right out of them both.
Their bodies are touching and Draco's brain immediately derails his train of thought in a completely different direction as he braces himself on his hands. He stares into Potter's eyes for perhaps a second before his eyes dart to the boy's lips, then up again.
To his surprise Potter's eyes don't widen in horror - they dilate.
The decision is hardly conscious; Draco knows he needs to distract the Chosen One or else he will grow even more suspicious of Draco and his actions. Which is his excuse for what he does next.
Draco closes the distance between them and presses their lips together long enough to give Potter time to gasp, whether in shock or surprise doesn't matter, because the second his mouth opens, Draco licks inside, claiming Potter's mouth in a fierce kiss that sparks little fires all along his body when Potter actually kisses back.
Draco draws back enough to bite Potter's bottom lips and feels the boy's hips jerk. Intrigued, Draco shuffles a little on top of the Gryffindor until he can press his hips down.
Potter is half-hard, he realises with a start.
Draco opens his eyes to see the boy's face but Potter's eyes are closed against his scrutiny. His cheeks, however, are viciously red.
With an evil chuckle that is more mental than physical, Draco scrapes his teeth along Potter's jaw line and his throat until his tongue reaches Potter's pulse point and he sucks, hard.
Potter arches his back into Draco's body, pressing their groins together. Draco bears down, pinning Potter to the floor and rolls his hips in a steady rhythm that sends sparks through his body.
It might look like any other fantasy Draco has entertained since he first started thinking about sex with Potter but this time, it's real. When Draco touches, he feels the hard muscles underneath Potter's shirt, can feel the Chosen One's strong hands on his sides, holding onto fabric and skin, can feel his cock through too many layers of clothing.
Draco brings his hands to Potter's shirt buttons, opening them with surprisingly steady movements, never once ceasing his administrations to Potter's skin.
Now he can reach his nipples and nothing in the world could have stopped Draco from leaning in an sucking while his left hand is rolling the other one between his fingers and his right hand starts unbuckling Potter's belt.
When Draco bites the nipple, Potter can't hold back a deep moan. Draco raises an eyebrow, more to himself than anyone else, and bites the left nipple which makes Potter arch his back into the touch except pull from away.
Grinning maliciously and feeling his cock twitch inside his pants, Draco finally opens Harry's fly and pushes the trousers down along with the pants. Potter lifts his hips to help and then his cock jumps free, flushed and hard, leaking precome against Potter's incredible abs.
Draco opens his own trousers and sits back enough to be able to push them and his pants down over his arse, bringing out his erection.
When Potter feels Draco's cock brush against his own, his eyes fly open, searching for Draco's. They lock eyes for a second, then Draco wraps his hands around both of their erections, drawing a gasp from Potter. Draco wipes his thumb across the slits, spreading the fluid gathering there to use as lubricant since he is not going to draw a wand on Potter, not even in this state, and moves his hand.
Potter's right hand comes up from Draco's side to tug at his Slytherin tie, pulling him down and Draco allows it, accepts the bruising kiss, all tongue and teeth and incredibly filthy.
Draco varies pressure and rhythm, angle and speed and soon has figured out what rips the most delicious noises from Potter's throat. Draco returns to Potter's chest, this time teasing the collar bone with his teeth, biting down in unpredictable intervals and soon Potter is nothing but a writhing, gasping mess and the hottest thing Draco has ever seen.
He feels a familiar heat gather in his groin but wills himself to wait. He wants to see Potter come completely undone, he wants to be the one to drive him over the edge so Draco buries the nails of his left hand in Potter's side hard enough to draw blood.
Potter cries out, muscles contracting in the moonlight, and then he is coming, hot and fast between their bodies, coating both Draco's hand and his own skin. Potter on his back, panting, with come on his body is a sight that Draco tries to commit to memory before he can't hold back any longer and follows Potter over the edge, adding his own come to the mess on his stomach.
For a few moments they do nothing but catch their breath in the post-orgasmic haze. One it fades, Potter's eyes are still half closed but he is watching Draco, clearly unsure of what he can expect.
Smirking, Draco leans down and licks a path up Potter's incredible body, tasking their mixed releases and the sweat on Potter's skin without ever breaking eye contact. He hears Potter's breath hitch and sees his eyelids flutter at the sight.
Potter's next kiss is rough, demanding and dangerous, holding the promise for so much more but when they inevitably break apart, Draco rises to his feet.
He smiles down at Potter who looks utterly debauched as he lies, half naked, on a random classroom floor, and tugs his shirt back into his trousers, closing the fly.
Then, Draco crosses the room, opens the door and finally breaks eye contact as he leaves the room.
XXX
End Notes: The entire story is complete over at AO3 already. I will post the remaining chapters here shortly but if any of you want to read on right away, go to Archive of our own . org - sorry, ffn always messes up the link I put in here! User name is JayEz, same story title. Feel free to comment and say you're from ffn :)
