Ok ok, I am aware I said Mondays would be my update days...but this chapter just would not leave me be. It was too fun to write and I was too excited to get it out there for you guys. Plus a vary faithful reviewer asked for an earlier update. So here you guys go! Please enjoy and please take the time and write a quick review so I know how you like it. It means the world when you guys take that small amount of time to give me feedback. Anyway enjoy this chapter! Its rather fun...and important!
Draco stared down angrily at his own face reflected in the Daily Prophet. He watched as his black and white double gingerly laid a controlling hand on the photo version of a rampant Harry before leaning in to whisper something in the other's ear. Transfixed, he noticed the other Harry visibly seemed to relax. He watched this same scene repeat several times through, in trance like attention, before leveling his eyes up to the large black headline; "Golden Boy Into Malfoy's Leather?" Draco rolled his eyes and continued on reading; "Is Wizarding savior Harry James Potter dipping his wand into the dark side? Sources report that the young chosen one was spotted conversing with known death eater and leather enthusiast, Draco Malfoy in the Pub of…." He stopped himself from re-reading the ridiculing article, and roughly crumpled up the taunting words, setting it on fire a moment later with a flick of his wand. He watched it burn slowly from the comfort of his chair until the paper was nothing more but a pile of ash under his nose and in his way.
This was just bloody perfect, exactly what either of them needed right now, as if either one of them did not already receive enough publicity from the sodding Prophet. Of course this would happen just when Draco was finally seemingly out of the belittling eyes of the wizarding public and Harry finding his peace. Now, whoever didn't know where the Malfoy heir had decided to spend his time after the war, they sure as fuck did after this article had been released. This week was complete shite.
A knock sounded then from his office door, and instead of telling the intruder to go the fuck away and leave him be to sulk in self-loath and pity, he simply sighed a heavy intake of breath and closed his eyes before speaking, "Come in."
Al lumbered in, Prophet in hand and a senseless grin plastered on his hairy face, "Hey Boss man you see the paper? You and the little one seem to have become quite the celebrities." Draco simply shot him a 'are you fucking kidding me' glare from the corner of his eye before turning his attention back down towards his desk. Al seemed to shrink back a bit, but decided to sit down on Harry's usual spot on the couch instead. Draco wanted to yell at him to get off it, that he would ruin it with his beefy arse, but again kept his mouth shut.
"I mean sure you guys have been in the paper plenty before," he opened said article and turned it around to force it in Draco's line of vision, "but nothing like this." He pointed at the picture with one sausage like finger, "I bet little one won't like this one bit." His tone was matter of fact and he bobbed his head a bit to deliver his point, "not one bit." He then crossed his legs and leaned back on the couch to continue reading the paper. The whole time Draco wanted to hex his friend. Instead, he muttered an agreement and averted his eyes back to a file on his desk, Harry's. No he was not going to like this article, not at all.
He shook his head and opened the hearty envelope. Taking his quill, he jotted down a note on the last page: "Dominant: Sir Lev Montague." He stared down at his own handwriting. It was official then. Harry would now come weekly for his appointment with the other Dom, leave, and then repeat. He hadn't failed him then, right? Draco had delivered what he had promised, that he would find Harry a match to help him release some of the heavy burden of control. He took a second longer to peer down curiously at the script. He had fulfilled his duties, hadn't failed the Potter boy, all would work itself out for the better now. Right?
Yet finally matching Harry up with a Dominant, Lev, still wouldn't change some facts. Like the unquestionable fact that he would miss their nearly daily chats in his office, would miss jousting with the man, would miss the way his eyes lit up when he smiled or how his face could go from confident and charming one moment and timid and shy the next. Just because Draco finally fulfilled his promise of finding Harry an appropriate match, did not alter what had happened between the two men. Wouldn't change their talks or jokes, their shared meals and laughs, the small smiles they had shared or the way Harry made him feel, wouldn't change their kiss…. Draco sighed. No, just because he had matched Harry finally up with Lev, did not mean that he was no longer going to have such a strong connection to his once school rival. If anything, having paired the men up, simply aggravated Draco more.
There was no denying it now, especially after Draco's previous night of regretful thoughts and remorseful dreams, dreams occupied with Harry's hurt filled eyes; Draco Malfoy felt something for Harry Potter.
He roughly tossed his feathered quill off to the side of his desk, and watched in mocking delight as a few blotches of ink landed across Lev's name on the file. Nope, just because Lev wasn't marked up as a failure immediately, did not mean it would change everything. Especially, Draco thought, the event that lead to the humiliating article in the paper. Despite everything, both their names were plastered, once again, across the Wizarding world by the form of large black headlines. He let out a frustrated grunt and allowed his head to fall back against the back of his chair roughly. He closed his eyes.
"Um you ok Dragon?" He heard, rather than saw, the big man pull his eyebrow up in question, as well as move his weight to look more closely at the other. "I mean I know the paper kind of jumped the gun on this whole 'Deviant Golden Boy pops his evil leather cherry' nonsense but come on," Draco heard Al move around the sofa, the blonde's eyes still closed, "surely things could be worse." Al chuckled low in his throat, scoffing as he continued, "I mean hell, it's not like its Voldemort that's courting Harry in the pretense of getting off with our kink," he snorted, "Always could be worse."
Draco could not help it, despite the entirety of it all, he snorted. He looked up finally to Al, a small tired smile on his face, "You're completely right my friend," he got up then and made his way to sit beside the burly man, "The Dark Lord could be the one tantalizing Potter to 'dip his wand into the dark side'. God they definitely did not miss the innuendo on that one." Both men let out chortles.
"No no Boss, I believe it is certainly Voldy doing the dipping, I mean come on." He wiggled his bushy eyebrows, holding in his smile best he could.
Draco smirked, "I don't know Alfred," he dropped his smile, morphing his face into the best horrified look he could muster, whiles at the same time maintain all seriousness, "I think Harry could have the Dark Lord bent over backwards in a matter of minutes." He got up then and stood directly in front of his friend, hand pushing up the tip of his nose, "Sir Potter, I have been a very naughty snake, please Sir; punish me?" Draco got down on his knees, his lip pulled down in a pouting frown and eyes pleading with the larger man's.
Al bit his lip to keep from laughing before removing his wand and tapping his own face. Now standing in front of Draco was not just his large hairy bearded friend, but his large hair bearded friend with round glasses and a red lightning bolt scar. Draco's sides hurt as he maintained his desire need to snort in the other's direction. Al looked down at him through his transfigured glasses. He brought his voice up several octaves before looking down at Draco with disapproving eyes, "Indeed you evil twat, you have been a very very naughty snake," he tilted his head slightly to the left, cocking a flirty brow, "you must be punished properly."
Draco got out his own wand from his back pocket before lifting it to his face as well, immediately his hair vanished and his nose transfigured itself to that of a snake's, "How can I please you, Sir Potter?" he licked his lip with the tip of his tongue, "I'll do anything to earn your golden respect."
Al lifted the other's chin with the tip of his wand, "You can tame my snake boy."
Harry Potter was fuming angry as he marched himself with purpose towards the prat's office. Of bloody fucking course the sodding Daily Prophet would somehow manage to get a hold of a photo of them at the Pub and of course they would completely take advantage of the situation and drench the article with uncalled for assumptions on Harry's love life. He should have known this all was a bad idea, should of known that sooner or later word would get out that the boy savior, the ministry's golden child, was a 'kinky deviant leather junkie' with a 'secret infatuation with the enemy.'
Harry truly did not know what was worse, the fact that once again the papers were meddling in his personal life, believing that they knew who Harry really was, and blowing things entirely out of proportion, or how this was going to affect Malfoy's business. As much as it angered him to admit it, Harry now needed the blonde's services, and even more, he somehow cared about what this meant for Draco. He had assumed that not many knew who Malfoy was either, now that both of their secrets were out though, what would this mean?
Yes, of course Harry was slightly angered, and most definitely hurt, by the other man, but that did not mean on any level that he wanted the man to suffer simply because of his lifestyle. They weren't doing anything wrong, and the papers knew that Malfoy was a clean man, Harry had made sure of that years ago. Yet they still had to dig up quip alluding to death eaters and evil corruption. That's what off sighted him the most, that once again, and on more than at Harry's cost, the paper believed that they knew, and had the right, to people's personal lives.
Yet, despite his gripe with the papers, this was still Malfoy's fault, somehow. It was the high class wankers fault why Harry woke up to a dozen angry hooting owls, seven howlers, and firecall after angry firecall, it's also why Harry now had the privilege to look forward to a well put off chat with his best friends about his new endeavors. He locked his jaw and stormed a bit faster to the owner's office door, ready now to confront him face to face.
Once at the door, Harry didn't bother to knock, an act, unfortunately, he wished he had the patience and courtesy to still follow through with, as when he burst through the large door, he was met face to face with the most disturbing sight he ever had the misfortune to see.
"What the bloody fuck are you two doing?"
Quickly the two men got up from their position of fake Fidelio, and in a couple waves of wands, an embarrassed set of Dominants stood in Harry's wake where moments before stood what looked like Voldemort and a large harrier version of himself. Both Draco and Al looked ready to bolt, faces stained red, before they nervously glanced at one another, than back at the shell shocked Harry still positioned at the door. Before Harry knew what was happening, however, the two larger men burst out laughing and made to kneel before the disconcerted brunette.
"Oh Sir Potter, we of course meant no disrespect, sir." Al then reached out to kiss Harry's knuckle before averting his eyes down to the floor.
"How will you punish us Sir Potter?" Malfoy was smirking up from beside his friend, eyes teasing and lips knotted to hold in an amused cackle, before he too adverted his eyes.
Harry simply stared down at the apparently deranged wizards, taking in their pleading teasing eyes and hidden smirks before sadly shaking his head. He lifted his eyes then to the celling, praying to Merlin for patience, before looking down at the still kneeling fools. Al leaned forward then and lightly kissed Harry's worn boot toe, gaze teasingly pleading. Malfoy, however, simply held back a strangled chortle. A moment of awkward silence commenced, before all three men completely lost it in hearty mirth; all laughing in complete hilarity.
Harry collapsed to the floor then, hand clinging to his side, to join the other two in similar positions. "Oh man guys, thanks," Harry leaned back on his hand for support, trying to calm himself, "I really fucking needed that." He gestured to the fallen Prophet not too far from his left, "You have no idea." He closed his eyes and threw his head back, still chuckling slightly.
Al then let out a loud scoff before pulling himself heavily up and throwing his weight back onto the couch. "It's no problem little one, we were just,"
Harry threw up a hand to stop him, "Really Al, I don't want to know." He too sat up to perch on his usual arm of the sofa, purposefully avoiding the blonde's eyes. Whom of which was moving to stand behind his desk, all amusement gone from his now stone like face.
Al tapped Harry lightly on his shoulder, "I was just trying to cheer up my friend over there," he gestured to Draco with a tilt of his bearded face, "I don't think his mornings been any cup of tea either." He then pointed to Harry's copy of the Daily, still on the floor and shot Harry a knowing look. All three men were dead silent then, Harry and Draco trying their hardest not to look at one other, and Al shifting his knowing eyes back and forth between the two. Finally, the largest men sat up, "Ok you two, I've got an appointment in just a bit, I'll leave you two to," he gestured limply amongst the two men, "to sort out whatever the hell this is." He walked out then, whiles whistling a non descriptive tune and smirking all the while.
Once again Harry and Draco were left in a state of utter uncomfortable silence, neither wanting to be the first to speak. Finally, however, after nearly chewing his lip off, Harry spoke up; "You know, I believe I much prefer your face with your nose intact." His voice was scratchy and his face rather red, but it got him what he wanted; Draco smiled.
The taller man let out a small laugh, "Thanks Harry, I'll try and keep it that way. No promises though." He looked up to meet Harry's eyes, still wearing the smallest of smiles. It dropped however, when the dark haired man's eyes darted to the paper still in its place on the floor. Before Harry could mention it, Draco spoke up, "I heard you were into Leather." He attempted adding a light hearted chuckle at the end, only to end up having it sound pained. He dared look up.
"Don't try and make this into a joke Draco." Harry snapped his eyes harshly to the Dragon's. Staring back, Draco walked across the room to be closer to the man on the couch.
"I'm sorry, that was inappropriate. Trust me, I'm no happier about his sodding article than you." Again silence filled the room. Neither knowing what to say or how to say it. Harry was getting sick of this, sick of holding in his revolting feelings towards the situation he and Draco had somehow landed themselves in. If anyone had told Harry Potter that he would be in a silent standstill with Draco fucking Malfoy over a kinky BDSM scandal riddled with confusing feelings and a morphed form of friendship, Harry would of cursed them then and there. Never in a million years.
"Yeah I would gather you weren't happy with it either, I mean hell," Harry angrily jabbed his finger towards the paper, "the whole wizarding world now believes your dating me whiles tempting my innocence with whips and chains." Harry rolled his eyes, "Sorry about that by the way."
Draco sat town gingerly beside the other, "What do you have to be sorry about Harry. If anything this is my fault." No one said anything for a beat, the only sound being the boys' quiet breathing.
"We aren't playing the fucking blame game Malfoy, we just aren't." Draco couldn't find fault with that, so he let it go. Harry watched as the blonde began picking invisible lint from his black dress shirt.
"You know, I came in here today to basically tear you a new one." Harry let out a bitter scoff, "I was spitting fire this morning, having woken up to all that bloody commotion but now," He allowed himself a small smile, "I feel relieved honestly." He shrugged his shoulders, "I mean saves me the trouble of 'coming out' again if you know what I mean."
"Yeah I understand that Harry." Draco gestured towards the paper, "They just kind of give you no other option than to accept it." He teasingly shoved the side of the smaller man's shoulder with his own, "And shrugging Harry, it's an,"
"Shut the fuck up Draco." Harry smiled to show he was kidding and nudged the other back, "You aren't my Dom." It was meant as a joke, but even to both men it sounded harsh. Neither commented however.
Frustrated at yet another awkward silence, Harry moved to lay prone on the couch, head landing softly on Draco's lap. Shocked, yet not displeased, the blonde looked down at the brunette, whose eyes were closed, and began stroking the other's hair. Despite the emotional tirade the two had be dealt the last month, it felt nice; natural. Neither spoke for the longest time, Draco simply stroked the man's fringe, sometimes smoothing the pad of one finger across the faded scar, whiles the other allowed him, occasionally sighing softly in appreciation. It wasn't unnoticed by either that their breathing had become synced, and their magic buzzed together in harmony. Both silently wished that the moment would never end, however, all good things must come to an end.
"Can we talk about it Draco?"
For several moments the owner said nothing, simply continued softly playing with Harry's hair. Finally, and even though Draco knew all too well the other was referring to, he decided playing dumb was much better, "About what do you ask?"
"You know exactly what about Malfoy, I know you do." He kept his eyes closed, still enjoying the feeling of having the other play with his hair. Before the other could respond, however, Harry pressed on, "I mean I don't even know what the problem is really," he scrunched his brow in what Draco believed an adorable fashion, "I don't even know if what I know is what I know, you know?"
"No Harry I don't." And really he didn't, the man was talking utter nonsense now, though honestly Draco had a pretty good notion he may know. Harry, eyes still closed, threw his hands up roughly in the air, nearly hitting Draco square in the jaw. The blonde said nothing.
"I just want to know what happened, why all this," Harry then gestured between the two of them and then the room at large, "Is so bloody fucking complicated." He swallowed then and shrugged the tiniest of motion, "I don't see why what we both want to happen, cant." He bitterly laughed, "And I know, unbecoming."
Draco couldn't help but to smile, before frowning once more, no longer playing amongst the dark brown locks, "Harry, I don't know how many times I have to tell you, that," He too gestured amongst them, his movements a little more jerky and harsh than he intended, "something between us, something like I don't know," He paused then breathed in, trying to maintain al level of cool control, "a relationship, or whatever it is that you have running through your head of yours, just simply won't work."
Harry at last opened his eyes, his green orbs slamming head on to assault Draco's grey, "Yeah yeah I get it, the whole past thing and our names and not wanting to fail me, blah blah blah," he turned his head away, "to me, it sounds like nothing but cowardly excuses."
He completely expected the sharp slap to his cheek the next moment, what Harry didn't expect, however, was how emotionally chocked up the Dragon's voice sounded, "You don't know what you're talking about Potter," he roughly shoved the smaller man off his lap to stand and glare from a higher position.
Angry now too, and face red from both pain and embarrassment, Harry retorted, "Oh I don't? I'm pretty sure you've always been a coward Malfoy." Harry didn't scream, just whispered harshly at the other, "You're nothing but a fucking coward."
Harry watched as Draco's face contorted to pain before quickly shifting back to a form of indifference, a controlled masked of decorum. "You do not know me Potter." His voice had shifted to a level of deep danger, and Harry knew he was treading in dangerous water.
"No, I may not know all of you Draco, but I do know this," Harry stood then and marched head on to the other, stopping only when directly in front of the blonde. Immediately, Harry saw a glimpse of the scared child he had attended Hogwarts with, a boy lost and out of control, "you're afraid of letting me in, letting someone else have so much control over you, you're afraid of falling Draco, not failing." Harry then lightly grabbed the back of the other's neck, dared him with his eyes to stop him, then pulled the taller man forward for a light kiss on the lips.
Though not a long kiss, just a peck really, it left both men breathless. Immediately, however, Draco squared his jaw and shook his head, the moment over before it could hardly start, "That doesn't mean I have to allow you to, to get to know me." Harry noticed he lacked his usual calm confidence, that he sounded entirely too much like the frightened prat from way back when, then the poised self-assured smooth talker Harry now associated himself with.
"You're right, it doesn't." Harry made head for the door, eager now to leave the fuming Dragon in his wake, "Won't stop me from trying though." He pulled open the door, and turned before leaving, "You know Draco, I've knocked several times on this wooden door in the past month," He ran his hand along the edge of the frame, before smirking lightly towards the other, "you always say come in, yet," his jesting taunt turned to a light smile, "when are you going to let me in?"
Harry walked out, a chill following his departure.
The tables had turned, Prey was now predator, and the Dragon was his kill.