Malfoy Meets Muggle

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling

Warnings: Non epilogue compliant, some strong language

Rating: T

Chapter 4. Alarm Clock

"That's new," Draco comments when he spies a new addition on Harry's bedside table.

"It's an alarm clock," Harry says as he slips under the duvet, "It's to wake me up in the morning."

Draco pouts. "Don't you like the way I wake you up in the morning?" he asks, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively as he slips his hand under the covers, stroking his way down to Harry's hip. Harry, predictably, flushes, as if he's still embarrassed about this behaviour even after all the time they've been together. In truth, Draco's a little upset that Harry's decided to replace him with a muggle object. Draco likes waking Harry up in the morning; Harry makes the most delicious noises – groans, whimpers and mewls – that he always denies making later on, and he never makes them when he's not half asleep. The only thing Draco likes more than waking Harry is the odd day now and again when Harry's the first one to wake up.

"I love the way you wake me up in the morning," Harry says, "But I think we might have to limit it to weekends. I think my superior's finally noticed that I haven't been at work on time once since we moved in together."

Draco harrumphs. "You're Harry Potter. It's not like he's going to fire you for being late!"

"Maybe not," Harry argues, "But it doesn't set a very good example to the members of my department, does it?"

Draco rolls his eyes. "You're just too conscientious for your own good."

Harry raises an eyebrow and slides his own hand down to stroke Draco's hip teasingly. "And are you complaining about that when it comes to this?"

"Merlin no," Draco groans.

"Good," Harry announces, removing his hand and rolling away from Draco's, "Now, I've got an early start tomorrow so I'm afraid it's lights out now."

"What?" Draco exclaims incredulously.

Harry removes his glasses and places them next to the clock. "Early start, so lights off now. Do you need it repeating again?" Draco gives him The Death Glare, but Harry's long been immune to it; he just smiles, and leans over to whisper in Draco's ear. "Don't worry, I'll make it up to you tomorrow night."

He kisses Draco' cheek, then rolls over and flops onto the pillow. Draco sighs, but knows from experience that there's no point pushing Harry if he doesn't want to. Draco flicks the switch on the lamp, plunging the room into darkness, and snuggles up against Harry's warm back. He can't wait until tomorrow.

Draco's flying. That's not unusual, but the fact that he's on a hippogriff is. Draco hates the beasts, but at the minute he can't bring himself to care. The hippogriff is black, and when it banks round, Draco can see it's wearing Harry's glasses. He wonders if it is Harry, then decides it doesn't make a difference. They're flying around the Hogwarts quidditch pitch in front of packed stands, although he can't make out any faces. Something whizzes by his head and he somehow turns the hippogriff away. He looks back over his shoulder, expecting to see a bludger, but instead sees a toaster decorated with cartoon frogs zooming off into the distance.

Suddenly, he spies a hint of gold in the corner of his eye. Wheeling the hippogriff round, Draco shoots off after the small, round ball. He expertly dodges the other players (who are just on normal broomsticks; apparently he's the only one important enough to merit a hippogriff) and before long the snitch is right ahead of him, and he's gaining on it. He reaches out a hand, noticing at the last minute that it's not a snitch after all, but a real life golden snidget. The bird abruptly wheels around so it's facing Draco, opens its mouth, and says...

"BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP! BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!"

"Waa!" Draco yells as he throws himself backwards, away from the snidget, only to find himself falling off the hippogriff and landing with a thump on his bedroom floor. Heart racing and panting heavily, he snatches his wand off his bedside table and cautiously peeks over the top of the bed. Harry, who seems to be unconcerned by the noise, stretches leisurely before touching something on the top of his alarm clock. The noise instantly stops. As soon as he realises it's safe, Draco explodes.

"What in Salazar's name was that?" he shrieks.

Harry winces at the noise and rubs his ear. "What?" he mumbles sleepily.

"That!" Draco yells, pointing at the clock with his wand, "That... that thing!"

"The alarm clock?" Harry asks, reaching out for his glasses, "I told you it would wake us up in the morning..."

"You said it would wake you up, not me!" Draco shouts, ignoring the bangs from the neighbours on the bedroom wall, "And you could have warned me it was going to blare loudly enough to deafen me!"

Harry winces. "Sorry, I guess it was a bit loud. I'll turn the volume down a bit for tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? Merlin, no. That thing is going in the bin right now."

"What?"

"I mean it. In the bin, or out of the window. It's your choice."

Harry opens his mouth as if to argue, then snaps it shut and drops his head. Draco nods, thinking he's won the argument, but then he sees Harry's head rising oh so very slowly.

"Don't you dare..." he begins, but then he's getting the full force of The Puppy Dog Eyes and the words dry up in his throat. "Damn you," he mutters.

Harry crawls forward and loops his arms around Draco's waist, nuzzling his stomach. "I'm sorry, I really am. I'll make sure it's sorted for tomorrow."

Draco sniffs at the apology and pets Harry's hair gently. "I suppose it can stay," he concedes, wondering when exactly he's gotten so soft, "But how does it even work? It doesn't plug in to the electricity!"

"It runs off batteries," Harry says.

"What?"

"Batteries. They're, well, disposable electricity sources. They're mostly used to power small things, but you can get bigger ones to go in cars and other things that you don't want to have to keep plugged in all the time. They're..."

But what else they are, Draco doesn't find out, because the damn alarm clock starts beeping again. Harry curses and scoots back along the bed to turn it off.

"Sorry, I must have hit snooze accidentally," he says sheepishly.

Draco turns his nose up. "Apology not accepted," he announces, "I think you'll have to make it up to me in the shower."

Harry grins lecherously. "I can do that."

Forty minutes later, Harry is cramming a piece of toast into his mouth as he runs about trying to find a specific file while Draco sits at the kitchen table and leisurely drinks his cup of coffee. He supposes he can forgive the alarm clock; it was a very good shower.

"I'll see you later," Harry pants, kissing Draco on the cheek and hurriedly apparating away. Draco takes another sip and laughs as he checks the time.

Even with the alarm clock, Harry's still late.