Author's Notes: Hey everyone! I'm back with a new chapter! I think this is my longest chapter yet! I'm not so sure I'm happy with it though, so I might change it later on, depending on what kind of feedback I get from you guys. Anyway, I'll shut up now and let you read. I hope you enjoy!
Money Can't Buy My Love
By heeha
Chapter 4
Harry furrowed his eyebrows. "Play pretend?" he asked slowly. "What do you mean? Pretend what?"
"Pretend lovers," Tom replied smoothly, gaze fixed intently on Harry's own. Harry's eyes widened. His jaw dropped slightly in shock at the statement.
"WHAT?!"
Tom's lips twitched upwards in amusement. Harry's reaction, although expected, still proved to be entertaining. The boy had obviously never been in a relationship before, let alone with another man.
"Is there a problem?" Tom asked, raising an elegant eyebrow.
Harry looked at him as if he had two heads.
"Is there a problem? Is there a problem?!" exclaimed Harry, voice escalating as he spoke. "Of course there's a problem! I've never been in a relationship before, let alone a fake one! I don't know how to act as a lover to anybody!"
"It's quite simple, really," said Tom, undeterred by Harry's reaction. "We hug. We kiss. We hold hands. We look deeply into each other's eyes. And we smile at each other, as if the other's mere presence makes our own abysmal day brighter. There's really nothing to it. Plus, I'll be taking the lead, so all you have to do is react appropriately."
Harry crossed his arms. His lips descended into a frown as he considered Tom's words. "Why do you need me to pretend to be your lover, anyway?" he asked. "Couldn't you just hire someone to do the job?"
"Hiring someone would be too expensive. Plus, it's hard to find suitable male candidates for the role."
"I'm a suitable male candidate?" asked Harry, pointing to himself in disbelief. "How the hell am I a suitable male candidate?"
Tom chuckled. "Well, for starters, you are young, but not too young. You are fairly attractive. And, most importantly, you are not in a relationship at the moment."
"You think I'm attractive?" asked Harry, a light blush colouring his cheeks.
"I find you aesthetically pleasing," stated Tom boldly. "Much more so than those I would find on the market."
"There's a market for this kind of thing?!" Harry exclaimed.
"There's a market for everything, so long as there is a demand," Tom stated matter-of-factly. "So yes, there is a market for 'this kind of thing', however small a market it may be."
"But why do you need a pretend lover in the first place?" asked Harry. "You don't strike me as the type that indulges in romantic fantasies."
"Why I require you to pretend to be my lover is none of your concern," said Tom smoothly. "All you need to know is that I require you to act as my love interest."
"On the contrary, for something as ludicrous as this, the reason why is every bit my concern," Harry retorted. "If I had known that this is what you would ask me to do, I would have turned you down immediately instead of accepting your deal."
Tom surveyed Harry quietly as Harry waited for a response from him. Harry stared back at Tom determinedly, unwavering in his resolve to find out the answer to Tom's ludicrous request.
"I need you to do this to help me," Tom finally said, crossing his arms. Harry raised an eyebrow.
"Help you with what?" he asked curiously.
"Help me further my goals," said Tom. "There is a man I wish to make a business deal with. However, being the sentimental old fool that he is, he refuses to do business with me until he sees me in a loving relationship with another person. He believes that my experiencing love will change me and the way I do business for the better. And, as wrong as he is in his beliefs, he will not work with me until he sees that I have tried to form an intimate relationship with another person."
Harry furrowed his eyebrows. "Why don't you try to actually form a loving relationship with another person then?" he asked. "Wouldn't that be better than having a pretend relationship with me?"
Tom scoffed. "Please. The last thing I want is to have a lovesick man or woman hanging off of my arm. I do not want nor need an actual relationship with another person. Such a thing is useless to me. Once I get what I want and things have settled, I intend to end our fake relationship. This would not go over well with someone who is smitten with me."
"So you're being courteous and sparing a broken heart by having a pretend relationship with me," said Harry dryly.
"You can call it courtesy if you want," said Tom. "Personally, I'd rather not have to deal with the collateral damage."
"So when do we start this pretend boyfriend thing?" asked Harry.
Before Tom could answer, there was a knock at the door. Both Harry and Tom looked at the door.
"That must be my friend, Cedric," said Harry, making his way to the door.
"Wait," said Tom, grabbing Harry's arm to prevent him from moving.
"What?" asked Harry.
Tom smirked. "Now's the perfect time to start." Harry looked at Tom in confusion for a few moments before his eyes widened in horror.
"No way! We can't start now!" he exclaimed. "That's one of my best friends out there!"
"All the more reason to start," said Tom. "The more people who think we're a couple, the better."
"Yeah, but this is one of my best friends who also happens to like me," said Harry.
"Do you like him?" asked Tom.
"What? No!" exclaimed Harry.
"Then there's no problem," said Tom. And before Harry could blink, Tom grabbed him and spun him around until Harry's back hit his chest. He wrapped an arm around Harry's waist, holding Harry to himself while using his other hand to open the door.
To say that Cedric was surprised by the sight that greeted him was an understatement. The last thing he expected to see when the door opened was Harry wrapped up in the embrace of another man.
"Harry?" said Cedric, gaze pinned to the sight of Harry in another man's arms. "What's going on?"
Before Harry could reply, Tom cut in and said flippantly, "Oh? Harry didn't tell you? I'm Tom, his new boyfriend. You must be Cedric. Nice to meet you." He gave Cedric a charming smile while tightening his hold on Harry, who was unsuccessfully trying to break free from Tom's arm.
"Tom?" said Cedric. "Aren't you Harry's new employer?" Tom stilled at Cedric's words, giving Harry the opportunity to break free from the hold Tom had on his waist.
"I see Harry told you about our arrangement," said Tom coolly.
"Yes, he did," said Cedric stiffly. "And I see that you're already taking advantage of him, just as I predicted."
"Taking advantage?" said Tom. "No. I'm afraid you're wrong there. I haven't done anything of the sort."
"Then why did you just declare that you're his new boyfriend?" inquired Cedric accusingly. "Harry's not interested in relationships, last time I checked."
"It's complicated," Harry cut in. "Why don't you come inside and I'll explain everything." Harry stepped aside to let Cedric through. Cedric walked into the apartment, closing the door behind himself.
"So let me get this straight," said Cedric, looking between Harry and Tom. "You need Harry to pretend to be your boyfriend so that you can make a business deal with some old man, who won't do business with you until he sees you in a happy relationship with someone."
"That's correct," said Tom. "And before you ask me why I don't just find someone to be happy with, I'll tell you that I have no interest in falling in love and becoming a lovesick school boy. Love makes the world go blind, and I, for one, would like to keep my eyesight in tact."
"And you're okay with acting as his pretend boyfriend, Harry?" asked Cedric, turning to Harry. Harry stiffened.
"Well..."
"He has no choice, if he wants to stay in this apartment," interrupted Tom.
"He always has a choice," said Cedric. "He can come live with me instead, if he wants to."
"Ah, but he doesn't want to, do you, Harry?" asked Tom.
"I'd prefer my own place," admitted Harry. Tom smirked in triumph.
"And there you go. Harry's still going to act as the apple of my eye, and there's nothing you can do to stop us."
Cedric glared at Tom. "Why don't you find someone more experienced for the role? Someone who has actually been in a relationship before? Harry's never been with anyone in his life. He wouldn't know how to act appropriately to your acts of affection."
"Are you offering?" Tom asked mildly, raising an eyebrow. Before Cedric could respond, Tom cut in and said, "It doesn't matter, even if you are offering. You don't fit my criteria; you're a little too tall for my tastes. I prefer my lovers to be shorter than me."
"Why? So you can dominate them?" Cedric asked scathingly.
"Quite simply, yes," admitted Tom unabashedly. "I am not, and I will never be, a submissive man. As for why I don't find someone more experienced for the role, you can take it as an act of charity on my part that I have asked Harry to be my pretend boyfriend in exchange for lodgings. It's the least I could do after tearing down his former home."
"How kind of you," said Cedric dryly. "I don't suppose you could extend your kindness further and let Harry stay in his new apartment for free, without having to be your boy toy, could you?"
"Cedric, no," protested Harry. "I don't want to live in Tom's apartment for free. It wouldn't be right."
"Even if I could let Harry stay in his new apartment for free, it seems that Harry won't agree to such an arrangement," said Tom, smirking. "And this is the only position I have available for him to take."
Cedric scowled. "Since when did pretend boyfriend become a legitimate position?"
"Since it became a necessity to my future success," Tom replied smoothly. "You seem very antagonistic to Harry becoming my pretend boyfriend," he said, holding Cedric's gaze as he spoke. "Perhaps you're a little jealous that it's not you who's going to be embracing Harry. Kissing Harry. Touching Harry. Making lo -"
"Hey! I never agreed to have sex with you!" exclaimed Harry, blushing a furious red.
"Of course you didn't," said Tom, smiling pleasantly. Taking on a more business-like tone, Tom locked eyes with Harry and said, "Anyway, Harry, our charade starts now. From now on, I want you to act as if I am your boyfriend. Even in front of him." He pointed to Cedric, who glowered at him. "In turn, I will act the same way, and we will keep up this charade until my deal with Albus has been made and things have settled down."
"How long will this take?" asked Harry.
"Maybe a few months, maybe a year," said Tom. "It all depends on how well we can convince Albus of our love for each other." Tom stood up. "Now I must be off now. I'll call you to arrange our first date." He walked over to the door. Harry followed him, both of them pausing when they reached the door.
Suddenly, Tom turned around and grasped Harry's chin deftly with his thumb and forefinger. Tilting Harry's head up, Tom pressed his lips briefly against Harry's in a chaste kiss. Before Harry could react, Tom pulled away, opening the door and swiftly exiting the apartment, leaving a stunned Harry in his wake.
Cedric walked up to Harry, putting a hand on his shoulder and turning him around.
"Are you okay?" Cedric asked, looking at Harry in concern.
Harry touched his lips with his index and middle finger. That was his first kiss.
"Harry?"
Looking at Cedric, Harry smiled reassuringly and said, "Yeah, I'm fine."
"Let's go get dinner," said Cedric, smiling brightly. "I'll treat."
"Sounds great," said Harry, and together they exited Harry's apartment, Harry locking the door behind himself.
As they headed towards the restaurant, Harry's mind lingered on the feel of Tom's soft lips against his, coming to the unsettling realization that he liked it.