HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MEXX!

//This was why he still did it.//

TITLE: Close Your Eyes

AUTHOR: Leni

DISCLAIMER: Not mine. If they were mine just for today I'd

give them to angelic_mexx. *smooch* HB girl!!!!

SUMMARY: Draco will not sleep.

PAIRINGS: H/D

TIMELINE: Future

FEEDBACK: Enjoyed.

DEDICATION: To Mexx, because she is Mexx and today is her

Bday. *hugs* Enjoy this day, dear!

***

He didn't even know why he still did it.

It's always the same when he was with Harry. After his lover

fell asleep, he'd stay awake all night, just listening to his

breathing.

How had it came to this? It certainly wasn't supposed to

happen.

First it was because he feared the sky would fall down. He and

Harry? Together? Fate had to be laughing.

But the sky stayed up and no Apocalypses knocked his door.

Then because he couldn't believe Harry could be so comfortable

in his bed. Was this some kind of joke? Some strange revenge

Harry had conceived in which he also got some good sex?

But Harry said this was special, and Draco eventually believed

him.

After that, Draco stayed awake because he liked watching

Harry. Just see how his chest came up and down with each

breath. Sometimes he liked passing his fingers over his

lover's skin, just slowly and so very carefully caress the

sleeping body.

He knew Harry was a light sleeper, and tried always not to

disturb him but, if he had to be truthful, he liked it more

when he awoke.

It'd been almost a year now...

Hermione still teased them that they should thank her purse

for their union.

It had begun innocently enough, just a chance encounter in the

best restaurant in Italy. He had been calmly standing at the

door, waiting for his table, when he noticed them. Harry had

been accompanied by Hermione Granger, best

friend-girlfriend-best friend again, both laughing at

something she had said. They had calmly walked past him, not

even noticing his presence.

Then the redhead had gasped and run back into the restaurant.

Harry, of course, had run after her. Somehow his reflexes

hadn't worked and he'd bumped right into Draco, sending them

both crashing to the floor.

A wide-eye and mouth hanging Harry had finally recognised him

and begun apologising. When Hermione had came back with her

purse she'd found them staring at the floor, the silence

between them growing uncomfortable.

As always Hermione had taking charge of the situation, quickly

explained that it was her birthday and that Harry - insert big

sparkling eyes here - had invited her to Francesco's. Somehow,

by the time the maitre had come to take him to his table, she

had already asked him to assist to her birthday party the next

day, even given him the directions to her apartment.

He remembered thinking that Hermione was too polite for her

own good. Why would she want a Malfoy lurking at her party?

Didn't she remember how they hated each other less than ten

years ago? He had just smiled and said he'd think about it,

but that probably his many appointments wouldn't let him go.

The three had said goodbye quickly and he'd watched as

Hermione and Harry departed together, their arms familiarly

linked.

Ironically, he didn't have anything to do that next day and,

after carefully weighting the pros and cons, he'd dressed and

headed for Hermione's party. After all, if the girl had

invited him, she better deal with the consequences and if, as

he guessed, she'd only done it out of politeness, well... she

better deal with that too.

He didn't remember much from what happened after he crossed

the threshold. The quiet reunion he'd expected from calm,

mousy Hermione hadn't been quiet at all. He later learned that

it had fell on Ron to organise it, and so the liquor

(everything from the Wizard and Muggle worlds) had run free.

Apparently, and here he quoted Ron, 'reaching 25 is a damn

good reason for 'Mione to 'get wild' for at least one fucking

night.'. That was the last thing he remembered clearly,

because then Ron had given him the evil eye... Yes, he really

had. The Evil Eye was a combination patented by the Weasley

twins, prepared especially to make someone completely drunk

with the first glass.

It seemed that Ron still held some issues against him.

Draco smiled, if that was the idea Harry's best friend had of

revenge it had backfired, a lot.

The next he remembered was waking up in a bed three stories

up, in a strange bed and with Harry breathing over his

shoulder blade.

Things had mysteriously developed from there. Some things had

been good, and 99.9% of them included Harry and him together.

Some things had... not. Ron's and Hermione's mistrustful

looks, and Ginny, shaking and tear-eyed on *his* doorstep,

came to mind easily... Thank God things had smoothed over,

Draco doubted Harry would still be with him if not for his

friends' reluctant (Ron's), tacit (Hermione's) support.

Or would he---

"Mmmmm... Draco?"

He didn't say a word, waiting for Harry to go back to sleep.

"Draco, I know you're awake. Nobody is snoring."

Draco huffed, "I do not snore!"

"'Course you do. Now go back to sleep, you move too much when

you're awake."

"But I---"

"Go. Back. To. Sleep. I had a busy day and I'm tired."

"Too tired?" Draco asked with a grin, trying unsuccessfully to

smother his enthusiasm.

Harry opened his eyes and stared at Draco. "As tempting as

your proposal is, I gotta get up early." He stretched over and

kissed his lips. "Now back to sleep, you grown owl."

"Okay," Draco answered, somewhat miffed by Harry's refusal.

Of course, he didn't plan to sleep. If that Seeker thought he

could order him around, he was very much mistaken. Besides,

Draco didn't have an appointment until past midday, he could

stay up all night if he so desired and no green-eyed,

black-haired lover would convince him otherwise.

Fifteen minutes later:

"Draco? You're still awake?" Harry sighed.

Silence.

Strong arms managed to go around Draco's torso. "I'll be here

when you wake up, love. I promise."

Draco smiled in the darkness.

This was why he still did it.

It was their own little scripted play, and he enjoyed hearing

Harry say those words every night.

Draco closed his eyes, feeling Harry's arms go slack around

him, and fell asleep too.

The End

23/08/03

Comments, corrections and death-threats happily welcomed. Leni

Leni's Notes:

a) Mexx, I hope you liked it. You said 'fluffy', and so I did

fluff... ;)

b) I tried, I really tried to write Draco. But the darling boy

is *difficult* to write. This story is actually the fourth

Draco-attempt, with a little of #2 and #5.

c) This is not only my first published HP (the first written

in this fandom was the one I actually meant for Mexx, until

she told me she wanted Draco in her H/Dfic. *g*) but also my

first m/m. So, try to forgive me if you don't like it.

d) Yes, I do know it's somewhat ironic that Close Your Eyes is

the title for a HPfic. But, the phrase holds a deep

significance for little B/Aer me, and... it fit this story.

e) Many thanks to Sharon and Lucey who helped me write HP with

their support. *hugs* I love you girls! (ETA: To Yseult,

too... I just read her nice, supportive answer to my rant.

*smooches Yseult*)