Chapter 4

Harry sighed as he trawled his way through what seemed like an endless mountain of paperwork. He had brought it home with him in a bid to spend a little less time in the office, but it had resulted in him feeling that now there was no escape from the red tape that felt like it was strangling him.

He wasn't sure how much more he could stand. If he thought that he was making a difference, that the things he did were helping then he could have gritted his teeth and put up with it. As it was, he felt as though he was contributing to a system that caused more problems than it solved.

He was tired and fed up, and hadn't felt this disillusioned since Sirius had died. He threw his quill down and decided to call it a night. He rubbed at his face tiredly and wondered when the last time was that he managed to get a decent night's sleep.

He wondered if Severus was in the house; perhaps he could spend the evening with him. They hadn't seen all that much of each other lately what with both of them frequently working late. Severus was caught up in his research project and hadn't been home before ten for the last week or so and when he had been around, Harry was either up to his neck in paperwork or was too tired to do little else than offer a cup of tea and make the most meagre of conversations.

He padded down the stairs and checked a couple of rooms before he found Severus in the library perusing the bookshelves. He was smartly dressed, not in his usual brewing gear, and it occurred to Harry that Severus probably had plans.

"Hi," he said, shifting into the room quietly.

"Oh hello, I didn't realise you were in the house," Severus said, casting a glance in his direction.

"I've been stuck doing paperwork. I've just come down for a break, I was wondering if you wanted to have some dinner…or perhaps go for a drink maybe?" Harry asked, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"I'm afraid I have a prior engagement," Severus said, replacing a book on the shelf and turning around to face Harry. "You should have said something."

"I didn't think I had to make an appointment to have dinner with my own husband," Harry said, unable to stop the note of petulance in his voice.

"Casual arrangement, remember?" Severus said, folding his arms. "No strings, your very words."

"Well yeah…and I meant it. I'm not looking for some sweeping romance," Harry said, sticking his chin out in defiance. He hated having his own words thrown back at him, and while it was true that he had meant what he'd said, it didn't mean that a little something besides sex wouldn't be nice once in a while.

"So…where are you off to?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"To see a friend," Severus replied smoothly, and something in his voice made Harry's stomach clench.

"A friend?" Harry echoed, one eyebrow arched. "Doesn't seem your kind of thing."

Severus smirked and said, "He's what I believe young people call a 'friend with benefits', exceptional benefits as a matter of fact."

"Oh," Harry said quietly, feeling as though the wind had been knocked out of him. "I didn't realise you were…seeing other people."

"Well," Severus said calmly, "are you expecting me to remain faithful?"

Yes, Harry wanted to say firmly, yes I bloody well am. He couldn't though; he had promised Severus that this would be nothing but fun, that it was just a marriage in name only and that they could live separate lives. Still, he had thought that if nothing else, their sex life was enough to keep Severus interested. It rather stuck in his throat that Severus felt he had to go elsewhere to keep himself satisfied.

"No," he said eventually. "Of course not. This is…this is just a bit of fun, isn't it? What you do has absolutely nothing to do with me. I hope you have fun tonight."

Something in Severus' eyes flashed for the merest moment and Harry thought perhaps the man would stay, that they could have a pleasant evening in together. He didn't realise how much he wanted it until it seemed like a total impossibility.

"I shall. Don't wait up," Severus said, sweeping past him out of the library.

Harry watched him go, feeling more deflated than he had done in a while. He was reminded of the conversation he had had with Ron at the Ministry function a few weeks ago when his friend had asked him if he and Severus spent any time together. He hadn't thought that he needed much else besides the sex he and Severus had been enjoying, but seeing Ron and Draco together made him reconsider.

He'd put himself in this stupid situation, he'd been the one to suggest this ridiculous marriage and now he was regretting it. Why couldn't he and Severus have just embarked on a relationship like normal people? Perhaps then he and Severus could be enjoying a nice dinner together and Severus wouldn't be out shagging other people.

He tried to tell himself that it was just the fact that he was feeling so wretched about work, that it was because he was tired and fed up that was affecting him so much. As he made his way back to his bedroom alone, he knew he was failing to convince himself.

"I hate my bloody job," Draco growled as he stepped through the floo.

Ron looked up from his notes to see his husband standing in the middle of the room, dusting floo powder from his clothes. He looked shattered, his blond hair dishevelled.

"Bad day?" Ron asked, putting his work aside and getting up from the sofa to wrap Draco up in a hug.

"Long fucking day," Draco groaned into his shoulder. "Just because peering into a cauldron all day is Severus' idea of fun he thinks everyone should be thrilled by it too. He's quite happy to work all day without stopping for a drink or for lunch, and he thinks I should be prepared to work late because he does. I don't bloody get paid for working late."

"Come on, sit down. I've kept dinner warm for you," Ron said, leading the man to the sofa.

"Thank you," Draco said with a sigh, allowing himself to be taken care of.

He ate and told Ron all about the day he had had while Ron listened sympathetically. Severus was turning into a bit of bastard to work for, perhaps unsurprisingly. As Draco had said, he expected the same level of dedication that he himself exhibited, but Draco didn't want his every waking moment dictated by potions.

On the whole Ron knew that Draco enjoyed the challenge the work presented, and a regular, decent wage was long overdue after the struggles he had faced. Still, Severus' attitude grated on him and he was beginning to feel overworked and under-appreciated.

"Let me help you relax," Ron murmured after Draco had finished eating.

"I'd love to," Draco said with a tired smile, "but I'm absolutely knackered."

Ron chuckled softly and began to undo the buttons of Draco's shirt. "Not everything leads to sex," he said, letting his fingers dance over Draco's soft skin. He positioned himself behind Draco and began to knead the muscles of his neck and shoulders gently. "I'm going to help you unwind, then you're going to slip into a nice a warm bath with a glass of wine and forget all about this shitty day," he murmured into the blond's ear and he worked the tension from Draco's body.

"You're so good at this," Draco said, sounding much more relaxed than he had done moments ago.

He had done this a few times for Draco and had relished it every time. He loved having his hands on the man's body, whether it was sexual or not. He had found out quite by accident that Draco's hands were previously undiscovered erogenous zones.

The man had come home after a day of chopping and grappling with ingredients, complaining that his hands were aching, and Ron had given him a hand massage to try and help. The moans that were soon escaping Draco's lips were nothing to do with relaxation and Ron found himself on his back receiving the most spectacular blowjob he had ever had.

This time though, was strictly about helping Draco unwind, showing him that not all touches meant sex. He knew Draco knew it of course, they hugged and kissed without ending up in the bedroom, but it was important that he knew he could say no if he needed or wanted to, that Ron would respect his boundaries while still being able to touch him in a more chaste manner. He felt responsible for Draco's relationship with intimacy as he was the man's only lover, and he hoped he was cultivating a healthy attitude towards all things pertaining to sex and affection.

"That feels so good," Draco murmured as Ron worked out the kinks and knots in his neck. "I'll have to learn how to do this so I can pay you back."

"Well, actually I was already thinking of a way you might do that."

"Oh yes?" Draco said, sounding so relaxed that Ron could have asked him to run through the streets of Bath naked and he probably would have complied.

"Next weekend…there's a party at my parents' house. It's their wedding anniversary and everyone's going over there to celebrate."

"You don't want me to sing, do you?" Draco asked with a smirk.

"No, you prat," Ron said with a laugh. "I just wondered if you'd come with me."

"Of course I will," Draco said without hesitation.

Ron's hands stilled slightly, and he said, "I'd expected more resistance."

Draco turned around to face him and said with a smile, "They're your family, of course I'll be there. I'm your husband, it's only right. Besides, it sounds like fun."

"A party at my parents' house sounds like fun to you?" Ron asked sceptically.

"Spending time with you in the countryside on a sunny day with food and drink and the opportunity to forget about work sounds like fun to me. You disagree?"

No, Ron thought with a smile, he couldn't disagree with the fact that spending any time with his husband was better than he had ever thought it would be.

The weekend rolled around and the weather thankfully smiled on them. The Burrow was full with all the Weasleys as well as friends of his parents, which just happened to include Healer O'Brien, who had known his father for a number of years. Ron wasn't exactly thrilled to be seeing her outside the realms of the hospital, but he was keen for Draco to meet her, knowing that the man would make a good impression.

He couldn't help but be worried that Draco would find himself lost in a sea of Weasleys, but his family were polite and welcoming, and Draco was charm itself. Ron felt a swell of pride as he watched his husband speak to Bill about his work with Gringotts, or when he saw him laughing easily with Ginny.

He helped Molly with the dishes and acted as her sous-chef for much of the day, doing his bit to take the pressure off, making sure the guests always had full glasses of wine, or hot cups of tea. He took Victoire from Fleur who was seven months pregnant with her second child and was exhausted, grateful for the respite that Draco provided. He played with the little girl and with Teddy, who seemed thoroughly captivated by his cousin, and sought him out for the entirety of the party.

Draco seemed to have infinite patience for the little boy's enthusiasm, and Ron watched with a smile as his husband was roped into playing yet another game of hide and seek. He would never have imagined the spoilt, arrogant child he had once known could have turned into such a gentle, warm person. It felt oddly right being in his childhood home with the man, and he realised with a jolt that he wanted to repeat the occurrence.

"Here's a cold one, mate," said Harry, handing him a fresh beer.

"Cheers," said Ron, uncapping it and taking a swig. "I forgot how knackering being with the whole family can be," he said with a laugh.

"Bit full-on isn't it?" Harry said with a grin. "Still, it's been a nice day. Your parents look so happy."

"Yeah, they're still sickeningly in love all these years later."

"Won't be us eh?" Harry said with a wry smile.

"What do you mean?" Ron asked, frowning at his friend.

"Well, we're hardly going to be standing here in 30 years' time with Sev and Draco, are we?"

Ron's stomach clenched uncomfortably and he pushed the thought from his mind, taking another swig of his beer and saying, "So, Severus didn't come with you today then?"

"Nah," said Harry shaking his head. "I did ask him…but he said he was busy."

There was something about Harry's expression that told Ron perhaps his friend wasn't as lackadaisical about the situation as he had once been. "Everything ok?" he asked gently.

"Yeah…yeah fine. Just…you know…it is what it is I suppose. It's not a real marriage is it? It's not like we really need to spend any time together…and he's really busy with work and…other things."

"Other things?" Ron asked, noticing just how unhappy his friend looked.

Harry shrugged, looking down at his feet. "He…sees other people, it's no big deal."

"And…you're ok with that?" Ron asked carefully.

"We don't have a fidelity clause in the marriage contract, and he says he's discreet. Like I say, it's not a real marriage," Harry said, kicking at the stone beneath his feet with the toe of his shoe.

"Still…it must – "

"Honestly Ron, it's fine," Harry said a little too quickly. Ron knew his friend well enough to know not to push it, but he couldn't help but think that Harry was far less happy with the situation than he was letting on.

He had always been able to do casual sex a lot more easily than Ron had. After the war Harry had taken to going out to muggle clubs where he had total anonymity, going home with a different bloke every weekend. He had enjoyed it, and while Ron never judged him, he himself simply couldn't have sex that way. He needed a connection with someone before he jumped into bed with them and there, Ron sensed, might have been the problem with Harry and Severus.

There was a connection there, there always had been. He knew that the underlying attraction had been the mainstay of their relationship for the last couple of years, but there was a lot of history between them, and Ron had always wondered if Harry cared a little more than he let on.

"Ok, well I'm just going to go and see if Draco needs rescuing, I haven't seen him in a while. I'll come and find you later, ok?"

Harry nodded and shuffled back inside the house, accosted by Hermione on his way. No doubt she had questions of her own to ask, although he doubted the woman would know when to let the matter lie. When it came to books, no one could rival Hermione's intelligence, but there was something slightly lacking when it came to emotional intelligence.

Ron took a quick scan of the garden and couldn't see Draco anywhere. Teddy was napping on a squishy old recliner so it was obvious that his husband wasn't being held hostage by the little boy. "Bill," he called as he passed his brother, "have you seen Draco anywhere?"

"I think I saw him heading over to the garage with Dad," Bill said as he tried to appease his crying daughter with a slice of cake.

"The garage? What the bloody hell would he be doing there?"

"I don't know mate, I'm not psychic," Bill said exasperatedly, clearly not in the position to speak to Ron at that moment.

Ron rolled his eyes and made his way around the back of the house towards the garage. The doors were open, and as he neared Ron was able to see that the car had its hood up and his father and his husband were bent over examining the inside.

"See, your hose has collapsed, it's blocking the return path to the sump. A new valve and a new hose should sort it, it's a pretty straightforward fix," he heard Draco say as he approached, and he stood in the doorway wondering if he had stumbled into an alternative universe.

"Um…everything ok?" he asked with bewildered amusement.

Both men looked up and Draco smiled, wiping his hands on the rag that Arthur passed him. "Fine, I was just taking a look at your dad's car."

"I can see that," Ron said, failing to stop a grin from working his way onto his face.

"I've taken up enough of your time Draco," Arthur said genially. "You go off and get yourself something to eat. Molly will kill me if she thinks I've stopped someone from eating themselves silly."

"Well I wouldn't want to get on Molly's bad side. Let me know when you've got those parts in and I'll come and give you a hand fitting them."

"Much appreciated," said Arthur, beaming.

Draco joined Ron and they made their way out of the garage and back towards the house. "What?" he said, unable to miss the looks Ron was sending his way.

"Since when were you a mechanic?" Ron asked in disbelief.

Draco smiled and said, "The first year after the war I picked up mostly muggle jobs, I couldn't get anything else. I worked in this muggle bar and the owner was obsessed with fixing up cars. I ended up learning a thing or two."

"Hm, why can't I get the image of you wearing overalls, covered in oil and grease out of my mind?" Ron teased.

"Because you're a raging perv," Draco said, tucking himself into Ron's side as they walked. "Well Mr Weasley, play your cards right and I might just find it in my heart to dress up for you."

"Merlin, don't get a fella's hopes up," Ron said with a groan.

"That's not all I'll get up," Draco murmured, leaning up press a kiss to Ron's jaw.

Ron tightened his arm around his husband, trying to think of an acceptable excuse that would allow them to leave the party as soon as possible.

The next few weeks passed busily for them both. Ron was snowed under with end of term exams and Draco's time was consumed with a new research project Severus was working on. They reserved Sundays for one another and their time together ranged from lounging in bed making love all day to going on day trips.

They spent most of their evenings together, Ron studying while Draco organised his research notes from his day's work. Draco had a habit of propping his feet up in Ron's lap, usually to entice the man to give him a foot rub, which Ron did without complaint. They were often both shattered in the evenings, and while many an evening went by without little more than a kiss and a cuddle, their sex life was going from strength to strength.

Draco was becoming more and more adventurous, and the first time he had employed dirty talk in the bedroom Ron's head had nearly exploded. It was easily the best sex he had ever had, and the connection he felt to Draco only served to intensify their experiences. As time went on, Ron began to think that their marriage was more real than any romantic entanglement he had had before.

"Right, I'm done with you for now," Ron told his essay, setting it aside and stretching his arms above his head. "Time for a reward," he said with a yawn, heading out of his room, intending to go to the kitchen and fix himself something sweet and potentially tooth-rotting.

He made it to the first floor and was about to descend the last staircase when he saw a light coming from underneath the library door. As he neared, he could hear soft strains of music permeating down the hall. He pushed the door open and found Draco sitting in one of the armchairs, the wireless playing quietly beside him.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" he asked as Ron came to sit in the chair next to his.

"No, I was just finishing up my essay. Decided to reward myself with a snack. Is something wrong?"

Draco sighed and ran a hand through his slightly dishevelled hair. "It's the anniversary of my father's death tomorrow," he said quietly. "It's messing my head up a little," he confessed.

"Of course it is," Ron said gently, taking his husband's hand. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I don't really know what to say," Draco said quietly. "I don't know how to feel about the whole thing. I'm still…so angry with him, so angry with the whole bloody situation. It would be so much easier if…if I could just hate him but it isn't as simple as that."

"I don't think relationships are ever that simple, especially between parents and children," Ron said, rubbing Draco's hand lightly.

"There are times when I do hate him," Draco said, lacing his fingers through Ron's. "I hate the man he became towards the end, I hate his prejudices and the things he did…but he was still my father. A lot of the things he did were to protect me, and there were times when he could be a good father. There were also…times when he could be cruel and cold…times when I was frightened of him. It's…very complicated."

"I think it'll take you some time to work all that stuff out in your head. Difficult relationships always weigh heavily on people, but you have to remember that he was the adult, he dictated the way things were between you. Whatever faults existed between you were of his making, not yours."

Draco nodded with a sad smile. "I think I'm starting to reconcile myself to that now, I just need to try and ignore that voice in the back of my head that tells me it was my fault for not being good enough. I was never really the son he wanted, but I think he tried to love me…in his own way."

"Are you angry with him for taking his own life?" Ron asked gently, and Draco appeared to consider the question for a moment.

"Yes…I suppose I am. I'm angry with him for leaving me, for chucking me out into the world with no idea how to survive in it and then just…abandoning me. There are so many things I want to say to him, but I'll never get the chance to. I think it's that what messes me up the most. If he was alive…there's a chance that we could mend things or that I could get some answers from him. With him gone…there's no way of getting past some things."

"He might never have been able to give you the answers you want. He might never have been able to be the father you deserved."

"No," said Draco sadly, "but having some hope is always better than having none." He paused and turned Ron's hand over in his lap, running his fingers over the lines and ridges of his palm. "The last couple of years have been hard enough without having his death to contend with as well. I lived in hostels and cheap B&Bs for so long until I could afford a room at the Leaky Cauldron. I worked hard, dead-end jobs and quite literally got my hands dirty trying to scrape a living together. If it wasn't for him, and the stupid mistakes he made my life would be very different."

He looked up at Ron, his grey eyes searching his face until he gave him a soft smile. "I wouldn't be here if it was different. I wouldn't be in your life, in your bed. I think perhaps all the crap I went through was worth it to be your husband…if only for a little while," he said, and Ron felt an uncomfortable knot twist in his stomach, as it always did when anyone reminded him that his marriage to Draco wasn't meant to be permanent.

"Come on," he said, getting up and giving Draco's hand a tug. "Let's get you into bed, you'll catch your death sitting like this."

Draco allowed himself to be pulled to his feet and he snuggled into Ron's hold as they left the library and walked slowly up the staircase. When they got to Draco's room, the blond nuzzled Ron's neck and murmured, "Will you stay with me tonight?"

"Of course," Ron said as they made their way over to the bed.

They undressed and slid under the covers together, Draco cuddling up to Ron while Ron wrapped him up in protective embrace. Draco pillowed his head on Ron's chest, shivering slightly as it took the bed a little while to warm up. Ron stroked Draco's soft hair as he held him, revelling in the feeling of every inch of Draco's body being pressed against his own.

He loved the fact that he could give Draco comfort, that Draco trusted him enough to let himself be vulnerable. He didn't care what people thought, what this marriage was meant to be originally, every time he held his husband or made love to him, their relationship felt realer than anything Ron had experienced in his life.

Draco fell asleep wrapped up in Ron's protective hold, nestled snugly against his chest. Ron continued to run his fingers through the blond locks as he stared up at the canopy of the bed, considering his growing feelings for the man in his arms.

When he woke up, he was on his side, Draco pulled up snugly to his chest. He nuzzled the patch of skin behind the man's ear and couldn't help but rub his morning erection against the man's backside. He felt Draco stir, pressing his body more firmly against Ron's, and Ron leant down to press gentle kisses to the man's neck and shoulder.

Draco gave a soft little hum of pleasure and reached for Ron's hand, guiding it down until it brushed softly over his erection. Ron teased the hard length, running his fingers up and down it, knowing how Draco loved such soft touches to tempt him into arousal.

"You want me inside you, baby?" he whispered into the man's ear, and Draco shuddered with delight.

"God yes," Draco murmured back as Ron's hand moved to rub one firm arse cheek before dipping to stroke his cleft. A whispered charm and his fingers were coated with lube. He moved them to Draco's entrance, the man lifting his leg to give Ron better access, and Ron dipped inside the tight body.

He prepared Draco slowly as he continued to press kisses to every inch of flesh within his reach. Draco pushed back against his fingers, moaning softly, his pleasure growing through the sleepy morning haze he was still wrapped in. Ron coated his hard prick and guided it inside the willing body that was waiting for him.

His thrusts were languid, the position on their sides enabling him to go fairly deep with minimal effort. They were both still muzzily sleep-addled, enjoying the slow build of pleasure. Ron's hand reached for Draco's cock again and he wrapped a lubricated hand around it, his strokes matching the slow, gentle thrusts he was making.

There was no rush, no need to chase towards completion, they simply enjoyed the feeling of being joined in the most intimate way possible, delightful sensations rolling through them with each movement of hips or press of flesh. Ron closed his eyes as he buried himself deeply in Draco's body, loving how they fit together, how every time he made love to Draco it felt different and yet familiar.

Draco's breathing sped up and Ron thrust a little deeper, increasing the pressure of his hand around the man's prick. He felt his pleasure grow, felt the delicious coil of anticipation tighten in his stomach as Draco began to clench around him. Draco's soft little moans told him he was close and after Ron teased the head of cock a couple of times with his thumb, he was soon coming with a gasp of pleasure.

Ron gripped Draco's hip and thrust hard a few times then came too, feeling the pleasure crash through him. There was much to be said for passionate, heated sex, but the wonderful build of an orgasm through slow, lazy sex was one of the best ways to start a day.

He withdrew slowly from Draco's body, casting a cleaning charm as went. Draco turned around in his arms and smiled lazily up at him. "Morning," he said, his voice husky.

"Good morning," Ron replied, mirroring the smile.

"I've just remembered that it's Sunday," Draco said, reaching up and running his fingertips over Ron's cheeks.

"You're quite right Mr Malfoy. How do you intend to spend the day?" Ron asked, taking in the flush of spent pleasure on Draco's face.

"I want to spend it forgetting about everything else but you. I want to tease you with my mouth, I want to take your cock to the back of my throat and make your eyes roll backwards with pleasure. I want your hands all over me, I want your big, hard cock inside me as I ride you, taking you deeper and deeper inside me. I want to spend the whole day making you think of nothing else but me," Draco said, his eyes shining beautifully.

"Why would I want to think of anything else but you?" Ron asked, his voice slightly hoarse with desire, Draco's words igniting a delicious spark of passion in him. "I could spend the rest of my life making love to you."

"I'll hold you to that," Draco murmured, leaning up to meet Ron's lips in a slow and sensual kiss. Ron could think of nothing better than spending the day lost in his husband.

AN: Well it seems that Harry's idea is working out a lot better for Ron than for Harry himself...we'll have to wait and see for the final chapter it that's the case. I hope you enjoyed this one, drop me a review and let me know.