XXIX

Undressing each other was a slower process than it might have been, as they kept stopping to kiss and touch each other. Eventually, they managed to get down to their pants, leaving everything else in a muddled heap on the floor. Harry took a minute to set his glasses on the night-stand then pulled Draco toward the bed, flopping down on it and dragging Draco on top of him. For a few minutes, they lay there, tangling their legs together and mapping each other with kisses. Gently, they undulated their bodies while they kissed.

Harry slid his hand inside Draco's pants and cupped his backside, running his hands over the soft flesh and using his position as leverage to angle their rocking pelvises together. He ached to be touched, so he withdrew one hand to grab Draco's and push it downward until it was between them. Taking the hint, Draco began to palm Harry through the thin fabric, eliciting a muffled groan. He trailed his lips and tongue down Harry's face and across his collar bone before descending further.

When he reached the bulge in Harry's pants, he mouthed against the material, leaving slightly damp spots. Slowly, he slipped Harry's pants down his hips, exposing his cock. For a moment, he simply sat there, looking. Harry nudged him impatiently with his knee, and Draco pulled the garment all the way off. He bent down and took just the tip of Harry's penis into his mouth. Harry inhaled sharply and let his legs fall to the sides, giving Draco greater access.

Draco moved his hand to cup and fondle Harry's balls, rolling them a little. Harry squirmed, desperately trying not to thrust upward and accidentally choke Draco. Just when he thought the sensations couldn't intensify further, he felt Draco slide his fingers down between his cheeks, brushing against his hole. Hastily, Harry reached over and felt around for the lube. When he located it, he passed it over to Draco, who accepted it without changing his position.

Gently, Draco slid a finger inside. He made a noise of surprise and came off Harry's cock with a tiny pop, looking up at him. "You're…ready," he said.

"Mm. I might have, er, practised a bit this week after I got your owl. It's been a while since you've been home, you know."

"God, that's sexy." He continued to move his finger, unnecessary though it was for preparation, and looked into Harry's eyes. "Next time, I get to watch you." Without waiting for a response, he returned his mouth to its previous occupation.

Harry tugged on his hair, wanting him to stop; he didn't want to come that way. When Draco pulled away, Harry drew him up and kissed him. He pushed a little until Draco lay supine, then began a long, slow path down his body with his mouth and hands. He removed Draco's pants and leaned over to toss them off the bed, snagging a condom on his way past the night-stand. He made a production of tearing it open, knowing that would elicit a reaction.

He wasn't disappointed. Draco growled in anticipation, impatient but exercising extreme restraint by not rushing through getting the condom on. Harry knew he liked to take their time with this part, especially because Harry had a fondness for finding new and creative ways to apply it. He teased and fondled Draco, then quirked his eyebrows and gave what he hoped was a naughty smile—he wasn't nearly as experienced at that facial expression as Draco. Propping himself up on his elbows to see better, Draco looked at Harry quizzically. His eyes widened when Harry gently placed the condom between his lips.

Harry lowered his mouth to Draco's cock, gently enclosing the tip. With his hand, he slowly rolled the condom down. If he hadn't been concentrating so hard to make sure it was on properly, he might have smiled when he heard Draco mutter breathily, "Fuck" as he threw his head back. Draco usually concealed his swearing much better than that, which meant Harry had achieved the desired effect. When he was through, Harry sat up and moved to straddle Draco. He reached up to run his hands through Draco's hair, bending down and kissing him roughly.

"What are you doing?" Draco murmured.

Harry chuckled. "I'm going to ride your dick." He tried to sound more confident than he felt; he'd never actually tried it with anyone before.

It took a few minutes to successfully position themselves, and Harry had to swallow his embarrassment at not being as smooth as he'd intended. Draco didn't seem to mind; he groaned and thrust upward desperately, making Harry grunt. They set a rhythm, and Harry gripped himself, alternating between thrusting into his hand and rocking back down on Draco's cock. They gradually sped up their movements until, unable to bear it any longer, Harry let go. With a shout, he pulsed over his hand and Draco's stomach. A moment later, Draco thrust hard upward, stilled, and let out his breath in a forceful gasp as he tipped over the edge.

Breathing hard, Harry collapsed onto Draco's chest, not caring about spreading sweat and semen on them both. They stayed locked together, panting, while their heart rates returned to normal. Shaking from exertion and the potency of their release, Harry extracted himself from Draco and sprawled on the bed next to him. For several minutes, neither of them moved.

Eventually, Draco sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. After he tore off the condom and deposited it in the rubbish bin next to the bed, he spelled them both clean. He stood up and began sifting through the pile of discarded clothing. Having located his pants, he slid them back on.

Before Draco made another move, Harry stopped him. "Wait," he begged.

Draco turned around and raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"Don't go," Harry whispered, afraid Draco would think him foolish.

Instead of making a snide comment, Draco returned to the bed and sat back down. He reached a hand out to touch Harry's cheek. "I don't understand."

Harry sat up. "You always leave," he said. "Every time we fuck, you tell me you have to go, or you just get up in the middle of the night. You've been doing that since our first time." He felt his face grow hot.

"I wasn't going anywhere," Draco replied. "I just need to use the toilet, and I didn't want to give those portraits a view of my naked arse."

"Oh." Harry chuckled with relief. "Then…you'll stay with me? After you have a piss, I mean."

Draco laughed. "Yes. That's what I was going to tell you. I don't have to go back home."

"Really?" Harry realised he sounded too eager and tried to change his tone. "Er, I mean, that's good." He narrowed his eyes. "Why not?"

"I told my parents I was signing parchments on a flat today and that I would be moving in straightaway. That's why I was late—I had to convince them that I'm an adult capable of making my own decisions."

"Do you really have your own flat now?" Harry asked.

"Erm." Draco cleared his throat. "Not actually." His cheeks turned pink. "That is, I do, but I can't move in until the first of the month. I was rather hoping you might ask me…" He trailed off, and his flush darkened. "To stay here until then," he finished.

"I don't know. Think we could keep from hexing each other for that long?"

"Potter!"

Harry grinned. "As if I'd say no. Of course you can stay." He sniggered. "As long as you promise to stop calling me by my surname. Only the people at work do that, and I'd rather not be thinking about them whilst I'm shagging you."

Draco reached around and snagged one of the pillows, smacking Harry soundly with it. Harry grabbed another one and retaliated, which led to both of them wrestling around. That lasted all of two minutes before Harry had him pinned. Draco complained, "Watch it! I still have to pee."

Reluctantly, Harry let him up. When he returned a few minutes later, he stripped naked again and slid into bed beside Harry. They wrapped their arms around each other and kissed lightly, not quite ready for another go but wanting to remain connected.

After a little while, Draco pulled back and looked at Harry. "I'm not sure I'm ready to be open about us yet," he said.

Harry nodded. "That may be wise, after some of the trouble I've had at work. Not to mention the reaction some people have had just to my coming out—I can't imagine what they'd do finding out I'm seeing someone. Then it suddenly becomes less theoretical." He didn't add that it might be more who he was seeing than anything else.

"Right," Draco agreed. "It's probably for the best, at least until I've had some time at my new job. I'd rather not have people thinking I brought back some new kind of love potion and tested it out on you just to get into the hero's pants. Besides which, my parents still don't even know I'm gay, let alone whose bed I've been in. But what about your friends? Won't they notice that I'm staying here?"

"No. I can put them off for a couple weeks. They don't come round very often—I'm more likely to go to them." He shrugged one shoulder. "They still find this house creepy, and they don't like Cherise much."

"Your snake is damn annoying. Thank Merlin she wasn't in here watching us," Draco replied. "And your house is creepy. That's why I like it." He smirked, and Harry wished he'd had enough time to recover so he could appreciate—and take advantage of—the tingle it caused him.

He leaned in and kissed Draco again, thinking that was one thing he would never tire of. "Then we're agreed. We'll wait until we're both ready."

Draco effectively silenced further conversation by capturing Harry's lips with his own. Any questions about the future could wait; they had no need to rush to sort things out. Instead, they chose to spend the remainder of the day finding as many ways to satisfy each other as they could while the cold, January sky deepened from ice blue to velvety black and the twinkling stars popped out one by one.

They were home, and their daydream was reality. That was all that mattered.


A/N: And that's the end. I cannot thank you all enough for the favorites, follows, and comments. Once again, I am overwhelmed at how many people have read and enjoyed this story. It was an adventure to write, and I'm sorry to see it end. If you haven't read them, the two stories in this same "world" are Gifts and Clouds. They sort of tie up the loose ends I've left at the end of this story, though I wrote them first. I've left room for short stories that run concurrently with this one, though I have no idea if I'll write them. If any of you want to adopt this "world" and write stories in it, please feel free; I would be honored. As always, much love to you all and thanks for reading.