Some weeks really were worse than others, Harry thought to himself. It was only a few days since his fight and then the shocking revelation about Malfoy, and here he was, back at that office building. It had been so strange for the death eaters to have been there when Harry went last time that Knolt had taken notice, and ordered Harry to return with a few more aurors, although they all doubted that they would see any more death eaters. Harry himself had wondered about it; it couldn't have been a trap for him, as the death eaters had fled too quickly. They had been just as surprised, but what business did they have in an old building they had destroyed over a week ago?
Harry had chosen a small group to go with him, and they were only slightly wary as they entered the building. It was to their collective shock when death eaters began to materialize out of the shadows around them.
Luckily, the aurors Harry had chosen were more trained than Creevey's junior crew, and as they quickly got over their surprise, the battle turned deadly. The darkness was split up with small darts of multicolored lights flying to and fro, with bursts of the surrounding office remains being spookily illuminated whenever a spell hit it's mark, and burst into savage light.
Harry himself was quickly drawn into a duel with a tall, masked death eater with a mirthless grin on his face. However, he was half distracted by the roaring in his ears that had appeared with the death eaters, and had yet to depart; he recognized it as happiness and keen wistfulness. Malfoy might be here, right? And he could confront him. He just had to finish this wizard off first before he could start looking for the blonde.
A red flame flew past Harry's ear, mere inches from his face, and he swore, suddenly brought back to reality. The death eater was closing in, confidence gradually overtaking his features. Harry cast a quick succession of spells, but all but the last hit the death eater's speedy shield charm with a fizzle. The final one ripped through the weakened shield and hit the wizard square in the chest, and he fell with a muffled scream, but Harry was already ducking wizard's last spell and sprinting away.
How would he find Malfoy in all of this, even if he was here? Harry realized in despair, trying and failing to penetrate the darkness around him. There was only one way that might work, but it depended completely on whether the other wizard wanted to find Harry just as much as Harry wanted to find him. Hoping he wouldn't regret it, Harry pointed his wand straight above him and murmured the incantation for a lighting spell. Immediately a large, glowing blue orb whirled into existence above his head, casting a dim light on him that was like a beacon in the darkness.
The response was immediate, but Harry had been prepared for it. The spells of five or so death eaters immediately shot towards him, and Harry countered with the charm that would cause them to rebound on their attacker, but he was rewarded with only one scream. The other death eaters avoided the counter attack, and continued to blast spells towards Harry, who blocked them as fast as he could.
Within minutes he felt sweat trickling down his temple. Harry had completely given up trying to shoot spells back at his attackers, whom he could only barely make out, but was focused entirely on dodging and canceling the spells that flew towards him. He was feeling very desperate indeed when his lighting spell suddenly winked out, cancelled by some unknown wizard. This was such a surprise Harry whirled around to look behind him as though he could catch who the perpetrator was, when he caught a dart of sickly green light out of the corner of his eye, directed at his heart. His reflection spell was just a moment too late, and the light barely swerved off course, and slammed into Harry's side like a bullet. A moment later as he reeled, something else, larger and more corporeal, slammed into him too.
This force, and Harry's head was swimming from the spell that had hit him but he could feel an arm around his waist and a hand on the back of his head, shoved him decisively forward until the lights and sounds of the battle were cut off as they went behind a half standing wall, and into the depths of the building. As soon as he could Harry struggled away from his assailant, but he had to lean against the wall to support himself. His side felt like it was burning up.
It was pitch black in whatever lone room they had stumbled into, but Harry had an inkling of who his attacker might be, and who had cut his lighting spell short.
"What," said the cool voice of Draco Malfoy, now shaking with fury, "the hell were you thinking, Potter?"
Harry sighed, but he didn't know if it was from relief or happiness or exasperation. He suspected it was all three. Feeling quite safe, he reached into his pocket with a shaking hand and brought out a small vial of a clear potion, which he swallowed quickly as the wizard in front of him cast a small lighting spell above them. Immediately, the pain in his side dulled and became a minor buzz in the back of his mind. Harry knew it was temporary, but the energy that oozed through his limbs made him feel giddy and reckless. He shot a grin at the enraged wizard in front of him.
"I had to get your attention somehow," Harry said nonchalantly. "It was nice that you were so concerned about me." He dodged a punch Malfoy aimed at him and smiled sweetly.
"Fuck you, Potter, another minute and you would've gotten fucking killed, they would be scraping you off the floor now." Malfoy seemed ready to attack Harry himself, but luckily his wand was forgotten, sticking out of a pocket. Feeling it would be wise to protect against all potential dangers- also, he didn't want to be rendered helpless by Malfoy again- as Malfoy aimed another blow at him Harry nipped in and dexterously grabbed the other's wand, dancing out of reach again quickly. The potion seemed to have heightened his reflexes tenfold, but it also made him feel a bit out of control. He wiggled his eyebrows at Malfoy in disapproval as the blonde made a faltering grasp for his wand and swore again, then advanced on Harry. He stopped short as Harry leveled his own wand at him.
"Okay, good, I think you just need to cool off a little bit," Harry said. "Just stay there for a moment, and then we can have a chat."
"A chat," Malfoy repeated, his tone scathing. A calculating light came into his eyes as he regarded Harry and he stepped forward again, until the wand was practically touching his chest. "Is that all you want to do, Potter? Is that why you- 'got my attention'- in such a dramatic way, for a chat?" His voice sunk to a purr, but there was still boiling anger behind it. Harry shifted uncomfortably, suddenly less confident, which the blonde seemed to pick up on. He stepped to the side of the brandished wand and moved until his body was inches away from Harry's own.
With the intimate closeness of the other wizard, Harry felt more powerless all of a sudden than he had in his entire life. The wand fell to his side. He swallowed loudly a Malfoy lifted a hand to gently stroke his jaw with two fingers. He was smirking at Harry, now. Harry brought his attention away from this with difficulty.
"No, Malfoy, I-" he spluttered as the blonde ran a finger lightly across his lips as he was still talking. "I need to know, I've been going crazy. Why are you doing this to me?"
"Are you complaining?"
"I just need to know why you're fucking with me like this," Harry said impatiently. He closed his eyes involuntarily as Malfoy moved closer, if possible, pressing him up against the wall with his body. His heart was pounding in his ears. He could feel Malfoy shrug.
"Whatever, Potter. Because you're on the other side? We death eaters can have very exotic tastes," he said, and the airy note in his voice grated on Harry, who knew that this was a lie from all that he had learned that week. His eyes snapped open and narrowed at the man, who was running his fingers through Harry's hair now.
"Don't toy with me, Malfoy," Harry said angrily. "I just want the truth." Anger was quickly bubbling to the surface, although the blonde seemed unaware of this as his hands continued their slow exploration of Harry's body.
All of the sudden Harry unceremoniously crushed his lips against the other wizard's, and felt the other man's mouth curve into a smile beneath his. Trying to ignore how hot and dizzy the kiss made him feel Harry slid his free hand down the other's arm, and brought that hand down from his shoulder to where Malfoy's fingers were digging into his hip. When his wrists were relatively close together, Harry slowly brought his wand up and moved his mouth away from Malfoy's just far enough to murmur the binding spell against his cheek.
Immediately, thick ropes identical to those that had secured Harry that first time shot out and tightened around Malfoy's wrists. It took him a full beat to notice, and then he reared back, swearing angrily. Harry saw genuine hurt in his eyes, mingling with the suddenly recalled fury, before Malfoy's bound fists crashed into his chin, snapping his head back.
If he hadn't had just downed that revitalizing potion, Harry would probably be unconscious. As it was, he was seeing stars, but managed to shove the other boy forward until they both stumbled to the ground, Malfoy off balance because his arms were tied together and Harry still reeling from the punch. For a moment they just lay there, winded, but soon Malfoy attempted to rise to his knees, clumsily, waving his bound arms around. Harry shoved him again, for good measure, and the blonde went down easily.
"Who the fuck do you think you are, Potter, I've been fucking with you? When all this time you've just been waiting to fucking bring me in like this? Do you even have any idea how much shit you'll be in?" Malfoy's voice was unvarnished rage.
Harry was strangely calm. He got up and regarded the sprawled form of Malfoy on the ground, and shook his head. Then he bent down and seized him by his blond hair, dragging him upwards, ignoring his struggling against Harry.
"Really, what are you going to tell them, Potter, you just happened to be kissing me when you took me into custody? I'm going to love to have you explain that one, you bastard. God, I bet this is turning you on, isn't it?" Malfoy's scathing tone delivered the last remark as though it was designed to get on Harry's nerves or spark and argument. Instead, Harry suddenly crouched until their faces were even and he pressed his lips hungrily against the bridge of Malfoy's nose. The other boy suddenly went perfectly still. Harry moved his lips down Malfoy's face until he reached the dimple just above his lips. He didn't allow himself to think before his actions.
"Oh, fuck yes, it is," Harry breathed in agreement. "But I asked you a question and I know you're lying to me, and I'm in a sort of state where I need some answers. And you're going to give them to me." He released his hold on Malfoy's hair and the man slid limply to sit against the wall. Harry saw that the expression on his face was still one of outwards anger, but his gray eyes were practically gleaming as they met Harry's.
"Listen," Harry said to him, and took a deep breath. He had straightened up, and in the sudden stillness he was aware that his nerves were still tingling from touching Malfoy. He hoped it was just a side effect of the potion. He met Malfoy's eyes. "I'm not bringing you into custody, I just wanted to sort of… get even for that first time, okay? And make sure you didn't go anywhere until we talked. Besides, you were being… distracting." Harry's voice sank to a mutter during the last sentence, and Malfoy responded enough to raise his eyebrows, the corners of his mouth twitching. In the next instant he scowled harder, as though to make up for this.
"So I just want you to answer my question; why?"
"I already answered it," Malfoy repeated again, after a pause. He rolled his eyes for effect.
"That was a lie. I know, Malfoy. Okay? So don't bullshit me. I know about your… situation," Harry said, uncomfortably. Remembering Malfoy was on his side made him feel a whole lot guiltier for having him tied up in front of him. An eye for an eye, he reminded himself.
Malfoy had gone rigid. He stared into Harry's gaze searchingly, his expression blank. "What situation would that be, Potter?"
"Your… true loyalties. It was a fluke, me finding out. I got a little… obsessed with you, I'm afraid," Harry admitted, cheeks flushing as the corners of Malfoy's lips twitched again. The other man was slowly calming, like the recovery of a bird after getting its feathers ruffled. "Anyways, you don't have to worry, your secret's safe with me, I swear, no matter what my personal feelings towards you might be. I just want a straight answer, okay? Now." Harry's voice had broken more than once during this speech, but Malfoy didn't seem to notice. For the first time, he wasn't meeting Harry's eyes. There was a beat of silence.
"I don't know, okay Potter? I have no fucking idea why I did it." Harry opened his mouth to protest the weak answer, and then Malfoy glared him into silence. "I was feeling a bit mental, that day. Some days are worse than others." This time it was Malfoy's voice that cracked. "Usually when I feel that way I go out and I hurt one of you pissant aurors, a little present for myself. I guess I just found another sort of release."
Harry exhaled rapidly. This was what he had wanted to hear. Right? "Okay, Malfoy. That still seems like a shit answer, but that's the only way I can explain it too. I've been feeling a bit mad myself lately." He ran a hand through his hair in idle frustration, still feeling a bit unfulfilled. His conscience gave him a pinch. Quickly Harry waved his wand, causing the ropes to disappear, and tossed Malfoy his wand back. The blonde caught it without tearing his gaze from Harry. He hadn't responded.
Harry sighed again. All of a sudden he could feel the pain in his side like a warning, as though it was attempting to break through the lid the potion had allowed him to put on it. It was time to wrap things up. "Listen, Malfoy, I'm also really sorry about your… situation. It's very fucked up for you to have to live like that. I know there's not much I can do to help, but if you need me…." He trailed off lamely as a very icy expression slid onto the other wizard's face, as though he had a very small opinion of Harry's understanding of the matter. "Anyways, we should probably both be going. Good luck." God, he sounded like a complete idiot. He turned hurriedly to go, leave the awkwardness of the situation. As he started to walk away he heard Malfoy stagger to his feet.
"What, no goodbye kiss?" Malfoy murmured and Harry whirled around. He felt his cheeks flush furiously, and then his entire face as Malfoy laughed and walked by him, leaving their small enclosed area. He heard a sharp crack, and then silence. Malfoy had gone.
Feeling more woozy by the second, Harry figured it was no time to linger. With a grimace he disapparated himself, hearing a roaring in his ears as he returned to the auror offices….
