A/N: Once again, sorry it took so long to update!! I'm horrid at this whole doing-things-in-a-timely-fashion thing. And I don't know how long it's going to be before I can update again...so hopefully this next chapter will keep you from hating me for awhile? I hope you enjoy...and sorry for any random mistakes, I always write in at like 3 am when my thoughts are at their best but my actual mechanical brain is like dead. Oops?
Disclaimer (I always manage to forget this): I don't own them. Not even a little bit.
There was not much to do during the day. Draco had grown even more protective of Harry now that they were…what were they? Were they in a relationship? He wasn't sure- and he definitely wasn't going to bring it up to the blonde man. He could guess how well that conversation would go.
But he insisted that Harry "still needed to heal," which to Draco apparently meant that he was shut up in the flat all day with nothing to do. In his boredom, he had counted out the time he'd been in Chicago: Thirteen days. Three hundred and twelve hours. Eighteen thousand, seven hundred and twenty minutes. He'd read all the books in Draco's library that didn't bore him to death…which wasn't many, considering most of them had to do with medicine. He'd organized the silverware drawer, put his magazines in alphabetical order, and had a fairly interesting afternoon testing all the products in Draco's bathroom (which took an astonishing three hours). And now, Harry was bored.
He needed to get out. So he slipped out of his (okay, Draco's) pajama pants and into his own jeans, threw on a tee shirt, and left the building. It was a quick walk to the drugstore down the street, where Harry purchased cigarettes and a bag of chocolate- two things he had definitely missed in the last thirteen days.
Three hours later, he was on the balcony of Draco's flat, lazily smoking a cigarette, staring out at the city, thinking about what a whirlwind the last couple of days have been.
Harry felt something for Draco that he had never experienced before in his life- certainly not when he'd been with Ginny. Just thinking about the man sent a thrill up his spine, causing him to involuntarily smile. He spent long, lazy minutes musing over the feel of Draco's lips on his, the burning gaze of his silver eyes, the fact that every time the doctor walked through the door and grabbed him in an embrace, Harry grew intensely, blissfully happy.
The last thought scared him a bit. Everything had happened so quickly. Him and Malfoy…it was such a strange combination. And they had only gotten together a couple of days before. But still…he couldn't deny his feelings.
Harry began to realize that despite everything- his past animosity towards the Slytherin, their strained history, his severe lack of past relationships (besides Ginny), and the weird, absolutely unbelievable…whatever the two men had just begun- he was beginning to fall completely in love with Draco Malfoy.
A familiar pair of arms snaked around his waist, bringing him out of that intense, scary thought.
"You know, as your doctor I am going to have to forbid you from such a filthy habit," Draco said in greeting. But even as he said it, he took the cigarette from between Harry's fingers and took a drag.
"Hypocrite," the Gryffindor countered with a chuckle.
He tilted his head, in better position to nibble on Draco's earlobe. He placed a series of small kisses on the soft skin under it and down his neck, earning a small moan from the blonde man.
"What were you thinking about so intently?" Draco sighed, leaning into Harry's soft touches.
"You," he replied honestly.
He felt the doctor smile, his jaw beneath Harry's lips. He turned around in Draco's arms, and pressed a kiss to the other man's lips. They were warm and pliant beneath his own, opening easily to allow Harry's tongue to slip inside.
They were completely lost in one another, spending several long, lazy minutes just kissing. Harry let out a contented sigh, realizing that he had never felt so relaxed, so comfortable, so whole in all his life.
He wondered if Draco felt the same.
"You're concerned about something," the blonde said out of the blue, his words muffled due to the fact that he'd spoken against Harry's neck.
"Hmm?" Harry asked noncommittally, trying to seem blasé. Damn Draco for being so perceptive.
Draco removed his mouth from the Gryffindor's skin, instead looking straight at him. Silver eyes bored into green with shrewd observance.
"Whenever you're thinking particularly hard about something, you get that look on your face. It's the same look you had back in fourth year for the entire month before you had to face the mermaids in the Black Lake."
Harry felt himself blush. "Well, I was thinking about things. I- wait a minute. You noticed me all the way back at Hogwarts?"
This time, it was Draco's turn to blush. Harry couldn't help but feel a grin tug at his lips, seeing the usually reposed Slytherin look so uncomfortable.
"I…um…"
His grin widened. "You were looking at me back at school!" He couldn't resist hugging the blonde man tighter and placing a chaste kiss against his lips.
"Oh hush, Potter. So I may have noticed you back then- but only because you were a bloody pain in my arse! I've only now made the observance of how attractive that look happens to be."
But the damage was done. Harry couldn't stop smiling at the thought that even when they hated each other, Draco had been watching him. There was some insane part of him, during his time at Hogwarts, that had always sought out the Slytherin's attention. He'd always somewhat hoped that Malfoy was looking. And he was elated to find that no matter what Draco said, his hopes had been fulfilled. Malfoy had been watching. Hah.
"So what were you thinking about, anyway?" the man asked, bringing Harry out of his delighted reverie.
He immediately sobered, growing nervous at his own thoughts.
"Just…things about you," he replied. But Draco raised an eyebrow, knowing full well that that wasn't all on Harry's mind. Ah, well. Best to just summon up his Gryffindor courage and bite the bullet. "I was thinking about how happy I've been these last couple of days, and that all of this…whatever it is…has been so weird and crazy and fast, but that I've never felt so wonderful before. And that it's strange, but…IthinkImightbefallinginlovewithyou." His last words were spoken in a rush of exhaled breath as he looked down, unwilling to meet Draco's gaze.
He was sure that once he got that out, he would have thoroughly freaked the other man out. There was no way Draco would take lightly to what Harry had just announced to him. Now it was just a matter of how he would go about fixing his mistake, so as to not lose the blonde forever.
He felt a hand underneath his chin, willing his face upwards to meet Draco's gaze. He looked up, and to his immense shock he saw a small smile- a shy smile- gracing the man's beautiful features. He didn't say anything- but he didn't have to. Instead, he just took Harry's chin more firmly in his fingers, and closed the distance between them with a kiss.
Neither of them stopped smiling the entire time.
--------------------------------------
As Draco fell asleep, holding Harry tightly against him, he thought about the fact that he had a major problem:
He was head-over-heels in love with Harry bloody Potter.
It was the only thing on his mind for the entire next day at work. He hadn't said anything back to Harry- but he was hoping that the black-haired man understood. He'd never been good with sharing his feelings. Saying I love you to someone would be…scary, to say the least. Especially when that someone, up till two weeks earlier, had been his most hated enemy.
He couldn't concentrate on his job. Damn Potter, with his easygoing attitude, and brilliant smile, and a laugh that seemed to warm Draco from the inside out. The Gryffindor was making it impossible to think about anything else.
And in all honesty, Draco didn't care one bit.
He couldn't wait to get home to Harry the next night. Draco had been summoning up whatever ounce of courage he had throughout the entire day. He wanted to tell Harry I love you.
He could already imagine the look on the other man's face- the smile that would light up his eyes, the feeling it would give Draco to see it. He practically ran home in anticipation. But he managed to calm himself. After all, he was still a Malfoy. He didn't want to look ridiculous.
Okay, so maybe he pressed the button on the lift a few dozen times, uselessly willing it to go faster. And maybe he got off two floors before his own, taking the steps two at a time to get to his flat faster. But no one needed to know how eager he was to see the raven-haired man. Least of all the said man- Merlin only knew how he'd hold that over Draco's head. But no matter. He wanted to see Harry.
The Gryffindor wasn't in the kitchen, or the living room, or out on the balcony. Draco wrinkled his brows in confusion, wondering if perhaps he'd gone out for more cigarettes. But then he heard muffled voices coming from his own office, and- even more confused, wondering who on Earth Harry could be talking to- stepped down the hallway, into the room.
For a minute, he vaguely wondered if Potter had been talking to himself. From the doorway, Draco could only see Harry's back. Gods, does he always have to look so damn delectable? He wondered idly. Even clothed in a simple pair of jeans and a faded tee shirt, and just looking at his back, the man looked ravishing. It would have been highly unfair to see…if Draco hadn't witnessed even more of that astonishing beauty for himself. He felt a ridiculous jolt of pride at the fact that Harry loved him- that Harry was his.
Bringing himself out of his musings, he decided he needed to enter the room. After all, if Potter really was talking to himself, Draco wanted to bring him out of it. And he figured he could easily do so.
He walked the couple of short steps over to Harry and snaked an arm around his waist, planting a small kiss on the back of his neck. Harry had obviously not been expecting him, because the response that he gave was to stiffen his back and let out a small sort of squeak. Not exactly encouraging.
Frowning, Draco looked up. "What's the matter, love?" he questioned, still staring at the other man. When Harry still remained frustratingly silent- but a small cough was heard from the other side of the room- Draco suddenly grew shocked, and turned his gaze away from Harry. What he saw in front of him made his eyes widen as he fully took in the sight of the other person in the room. He couldn't think of what to say, but finally found a voice.
"Granger…"
A/N: So there's my next installment! As always, PLEASE review. It really does make my day. =)
xx,
JB
