LOVE
ATROCIOUS
By Yih
Beta'd and translat'd by Blackumbrage. My eternal thanks.
This is Correction #2.
Unexpectedly
I never expected you
To come into my life
And be there for me
I don't understand
Why are you here?
I feel as if I'm always the one
That's doing the chasing
But now it's different
You're the one after me
I don't know how to react
Do I succumb?
I don't love you… yet
I don't know if I can
I've loved him for so long
I don't know if I can love another
You are nothing like a dream
But you draw me completely
I can't resist you
You are irresistible
And I'm falling, unexpectedly
Chapter 5
That Severus Thing
And here Harry almost thought he missed Severus's sarcasm, well, maybe he did a bit. It was rather different how Severus spoke so condescendingly and yet still managed not to be an utter brute about it. Take what he just said for example. Even though it was a rude statement indicating his incompetence, it hinted that he cared about him since he'd gotten annoyed that he hadn't returned his phone call. Overall, a very positive sign from one such as him.
Harry was that sort of male, typical things couldn't be expected from him much like conventional circumstances wouldn't appeal to him. How did one of his ex-boyfriends put it? Convention bored the stuffing out of him. Might explain why he liked hopping around production set to production set with Lucius. Change in atmosphere and environment did a world of good in keeping interesting… interesting.
"Harry," Severus growled, "you haven't returned my last three phone calls, why?"
"I've been occupied," Harry answered simply. "You're not the only one."
Severus grumbled like he didn't want to agree but had to agree. Harry almost felt like laughing sinisterly, but that would be very childish of him. "Yes, well," he remarked dryly, "it would have been nice to have someone pick me up at the airport when I arrive. But I understand if you are too busy, I will just make other arrangements then."
"WHAT?!" Harry cried out. "You're coming here, already?"
"My presence has been demanded," Severus muttered. "It wasn't a planned fashion show, I'll have you know. I will only be there for the weekend, but since it will be a very busy weekend at that… I did not know when I would be able to find time to see you and I thought that it would be best to see you when I arrived since I could be certain of that."
It was incredibly sweet of him to make time to see him. Harry nibbled on his bottom lip as he fought the blush he felt flaming his cheeks down to his neck. It wasn't like he could see him and thank god he couldn't. It was embarrassing enough having to deal with the interesting looks Draco was sending his way. Geez, Draco was sooo annoying in the morning. "When are you arriving?"
"In an hour," Severus answered.
"That soon?!"
"I did call last night when I realized my assistant had already booked my flight and told me about my presence being required in
L.A.," he retorted, "but you and your tardy phone answering qualities are to blame."
"I do apologize," Harry snapped.
Severus chuckled. "Testy, aren't we?"
"And you aren't?" Harry retorted.
Severus sniffed with an air that said he wasn't about to admit it if he was. "Do you have a pen in hand?"
"Why?"
Severus rolled his eyes. "So you can take down my arrival time, terminal, and gate number, you twit."
"Don't call me a twit!" Harry exclaimed.
"Twit," Severus growled out purposely, "I'm arriving at 4:35 pm at Terminal B, Gate 11. I'll see you then."
The phone clicked off without so much as a by-your-leave. God! Men! Why did he put up with them? Harry wrinkled his nose with irritation as he scribbled down what he had told him. He glanced down at his watch and that set him into roadrunner motions. He had less than an hour to get to the airport and find his terminal and his gate. And boy was he bad with directions…
But…Draco wasn't. Harry grinned evilly as he grabbed Draco by the arm where was he lounging like a lazy fool. "Guess what Draco?!"
"You want to use me," Draco muttered spot on. "You want to goddamn use me like a tool."
Harry frowned, thinking. "Well, yes."
Draco groaned. "And so bloody honest about it too."
"Would you prefer me to be dishonest?"
"Let's just get going," Draco muttered. "The sooner we go pick up your boytoy , the sooner I can get back to my lounging
activities."
Harry narrowed his eyes at him. "How did you know I was picking up Severus?"
"In case you didn't know," Draco drawled, his arm wrapping around Harry's waist, "Snape's voice carries rather well, despite it
being on the phone and it's so obvious when you get flustered like that that you're talking to him. You are more feisty when you're talking to Lucius, even if you are about the same shade of crimson."
Draco was impossible.
"I hate you."
"I know, baby, I know."
"You really like him, don't you? You ought to tell him," Draco nagged. "You know you driving to pick Snape up is going to drive him up against the bloody wall with irritation. You know that he doesn't like that fashion prat."
Harry nibbled on his bottom lip, staring ahead as he mentally cursed the stupid L.A. traffic. Of course, there had to be an accident that would delay him from picking up Severus on time, didn't there? Great, another thing for him to gripe about him… not only did he have horrendous phone answering skills but apparently he didn't know how to get somewhere on time either. Grrr… when had he started getting his mental voice in his head? Egads!
He prodded him with his finger. "You ought to admit it, Harry. I can see it in your eyes. Your eyes are glowing, and your hands are gripping the wheel too tightly like you don't know what to do so you're holding on as tightly as you can."
He cursed. How could Draco read him so well when his father was utterly clueless? "You read me too well," he remarked in ruefully. "Are my feelings that transparent? Am I that obvious?"
Draco chuckled and shook his head. "No, you aren't that transparent. If you were, my dad would realize that you've had an insurmountable crush on him for the last 5 years and get over his silly bout of jealousy."
"He's jealous?"
He rolled his eyes. "Yes."
"I guess," he reflected, "he's used to being the center of my whole world."
"It's more than that," Draco insisted. "If he was just jealous of the lack of attention, he would just yell at you." Harry gave Draco a sharp look because that was exactly what Lucius had done, yelled at him for coming to his flat late, acting like his freaking father. "Well, okay, so he did yell at you, but he could just insist you spend more of your focus on him since he is paying for your time."
"He can't pay me for how much time I spend on him," he muttered. "I spend more than it's worth. God knows why."
"I know why," Draco retorted with an impish grin. "You love my dad."
"God knows why," he lamented again.
"Because he's a sexy demon," he murmured throatily.
Harry groaned. "You little beast."
"You adore me," Draco drawled. "You know you do."
He slammed on the breaks a tad harder than he meant to. "I adore you as much as I adore gum that I step on. It sticks annoyingly around and irritates you when you least suspect it. And when you try to get rid of it, it gets all over you in such a disgusting fashion."
"Ouch," Draco murmured, "don't you think you're being rather harsh?"
"Nope."
Draco narrowed his eyes, but as much as his fingers itched to give him back some physical retaliation… he knew better than to mess with him when he was driving 90 down the highway to get to the international airport. He sighed and drummed his fingers against the armrest. "You are so…"
"Wickedly clever."
"If you are, then I'm mentally retarded," Draco muttered.
Harry scowled. "Bah, I hate you."
"I know you do, darling, I know you do."
Herolled his eyes. Not much he could do when Draco was being so Malfoy. It was too bad there was something utterly charming about the Malfoy men. What was it about them that got his blood to boil? Well, it wasn't Draco as much as Lucius, but he could still see Draco's future potential charm. Too bad, he was far too young for him. He smirked. There was nothing like the allure of the older man.
He coughed loudly and forced him to look at him at the next stop. "The big question," he inquired softly, "is do you like Severus Snape?"
"I like him," he whispered.
"How much?"
"I don't know. I don't know."
They arrived at the airport at B-11 quite late. There was only one man left in the waiting area, scowling severely, pacing back and forth like a caged beast. Harry cringed; he felt like a petulant child coming forth to be reprimanded. he wasn't though. It wasn't his fault that there had been a major accident on the highway and that had delayed him more than an hour. Bracing himself, he called out, "Severus?"
He whirled around so swiftly and stalked to him so quickly that he backed himself up against a pole. Damn, but the man was menacing with that kind of expression on his face. He radiated sheer masculinity. It was a rather heady stuff and sexy too. Harry gulped as he lowered his head and gave him another kiss to remember. All the panic inside faded and was replaced by passion. God, the man could kiss.
"You," he growled as he ended the kiss, "had me worried!"
Whatever he had been expecting for him to be, it certainly wasn't worried. He had planned to give a grumbling apology for being late when he sniped at his incompetence, but he really did feel bad now. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "There was a bad accident, and it caused a major delay."
Severus glared at him, but his volatile expression dropped away. When his features softened, Harry held his breath. In his own way, severe and sharp as it was, he was a very beautiful man. True, his nose was larger than would be classically liked, and his eyes were far too dark… but it gave him a brooding sensuality capitulated best in his thin lips that seared kisses onto his.
"You should have called me."
Damn, Harry'd totally forgotten about that. "Sorry. I didn't think."
"You are hopeless," he muttered. "Utterly hopeless."
He smiled sheepishly. What else could Harry do when he was being so sweetly concerned? Dear heavens, it was moments like these Harry wondered why he was still heads over heels in love with Lucius Malfoy when there were men like this out in the world for him to worship. But, Harry had to give Lucius his due, he could turn the charm on oh too well when he wanted. Likewise, Severus could be a darling when he wanted to be.
"But Harry's adorable when he's hopeless, is he not?" Draco phrased perfectly. What was with Malfoy men and the way they said everything with pure perfection? It was in their crisp accents and in the expression on their chiseled faces. Actually it was more than that, and Harry just couldn't pinpoint it. "After all, if he were anything but himself, Harry would not be half as charming. All the better to save him from his hopeless self, am I not right?"
Oh god Draco was embarrassing him. Harry's face burned crimson. Grrr! That stupid, stupid little nincompoop! Why he ought to strangle him. Yes, what a novel idea. Harry could imagine his fingers curled around his pale neck squeezing the life from him. Hmm… that vision was exactly reminiscent of a fantasy he got when Lucius annoyed the hell out of him. What was with these Malfoy men and getting underneath his skin like that? Ugh and knowing them, they'd say it was all Harry's ruddy fault.
Silky fingers caressed Harry's cheek and whatever thought of suffocating Draco he had had rolled off him like rain running down the walls. "I think," Severus drawled in that sexy voice of his that was nothing like Lucius' uppity London jet-set tone yet had the same ability to turn his knees into jelly, "that you are quite right." His dark eyes bore into Draco's. "Who might you be?"
Draco bowed with ostentatious exaggeration. "I am Draco Lucien Malfoy, at your service."
"Downright snobby, if you don't mind me adding," Harry inserted with saccharine sweetness, which wrung a questioning look from Severus and an amused chuckle from the aim of his insult. "He has no sense of modesty."
"Modesty can be overrated," Severus remarked.
Harry's eyes widened as Draco smirked with that expression that said I like this one. "It can be very overrated, don't you agree, Harry?"
He rolled hiseyes. "I think in your case, it can never be overrated."
Draco clasped his heart in such an over-the-top performance that it was comedic to think of what Lucius would say to such horrible over expression. "That hurt, Harry that really did hurt. Would it kill you to be kind?"
"It very much would," he retorted.
"As much as I would like to see you exchange witty comments back and forth," Severus interrupted with bland bemusement, "I must protest that my luggage is rather heavy and I would like the opportunity to stretch my legs after a hazardously long flight which has made my temper much more willing to explode."
Testy now, wasn't he? That reminded Harry more of the Severus that he knew and had agreed to go out with. Harry smiled and held out his hand. He stared at Harry's hand dumbly for a second before shifting both his bags to one hand so that he could reach out to take it. He sighed. Harry guessed he had to spell it out for him. "Your bag," he muttered. "Give me one of your bags."
He looked downright offended. "Sir," he sneered, "I am not a ponce."
"I am trying to help you."
With Severus glowering at him, Draco siddled up next to him and whispered, "You can't insult a guy more than to say that he needs help carrying his bags, my innocent little Harry. Him complaining about the weight of his luggage is a snazzy indication that he wants to get to the hotel so he can bloody shag you through the roof."
Harry's cheeks were a flaming red and he was certain that Severus had heard every utterance that came out of Draco's filthy mouth. Shagging indeed! He and Severus had only dated two or three times, so what if he had sought him out when he came to L.A.? It wasn't that serious, it simply wasn't! Harry frowned and jabbed Draco violently in the side. "Shut up," he hissed. "He can hear you!"
"That'll be good," Draco muttered. "You need a good shag. You're always so bloody tense. Maybe if you got laid you'd relax and be more fun to be around. All this sexual tension is getting me antsy."
"Then you go bloody get laid!" he exclaimed, his cheeks turning even redder when he realized that the entire terminal was staring at him. What was worse was the laughing gleam in Severus' eyes. God, what a fool he was. What an idiot.
Draco smirked and lowered his lips until it almost touched Harry's. "I knew I could bring the British out of you."
"Shut up."
"Make me."
"You are so annoying."
"And you look so adorable," he retorted.
Harry scowled and then blushed when he heard Severus saying, "Children, let's go."
Severus knew how to kiss. Harry sighed as he sagged against Severus in utter abandonment to the skillfulness that no tongue had the right to be. What was it about this man and his kisses that made Harry's knees boneless? If he didn't like the feeling so much, he'd feel like a hagfish. But the feeling was delightful, even if it made him feel like a lovesick high school boy again that had no experience whatsoever. Harry did though! He did! Even if it wasn't… all that much… nor all that great. And it wasn't like he was a girl.
"I'll call you," Severus whispered into Harry's ear softly, sensually.
"You have my number?" Oh god, he did not just say the obvious. Of course Severus had his number. Damn it, he was such a ditz after he'd just gotten the life kissed out of him. Breathe, Harry reminded herself. Breathe.
He smirked and tweaked Harry's nose. "I would normally be appalled at your utter show of stupidity, but I'll forgive you knowing how your mind is in a messy puddle after that extraordinary snog session."
"Can you ever say something that isn't an insult?" Harry griped even if everything that he said was startlingly true.
"Why lie?" Severus retorted. He bent his head down once more to peck Harry's lips quickly. "The truth is much more satisfying for me, and I don't think you're the type of man that winces when he gets told the truth, are you?
"No."
"Then, why should I lie?"
"To be nice?" Harry murmured.
"I am not a nice man."
"No, you are not," he agreed, still leaning against Severus feeling a bit of weak
"If I was nice, I'd be rather dull."
"Nice men are not dull," Harry protested.
"And yet… where is your nice man?" Severus inquired snidely.
Harry frowned. "I'll find one… eventually."
"And marry him and have a passel of children with him, no doubt."
Harry shrugged carelessly. "I don't know about a passel of children," he murmured. "One or two, two would definitely be nice."
"Two brats."
"I don't know about brats," Harry remarked. "But I definitely want one to be like my husband."
"How terribly predictable."
"Wouldn't you want a daughter that reminds you of your wife?" Harry queried.
"And why the heavens would I ever get married?" Severus muttered. "I am definitely not the marrying type."
Harry cocked his head to the side, studying him carefully. "I don't know about that. You would make a good husband for a man when you're ready. I don't think anyone could make you ready until you decide you're ready though. But I think it would be a pity if you were never a husband. You are strong and caring, good qualities in a husband."
Severus' lips sneered at the compliments, but his eyes weren't quite as sarcastic. "You ought to go," he whispered. "Your young bloke is waiting downstairs for you."
"Not mine. More like the menace of my existence."
"Regardless, we've kept him waiting long enough. You wouldn't want to stir up his imagination any more than what is necessary? I remember myself when I was that age and I could think of quite creative things for what two men who fancied each other could do alone if given 5 minutes."
Harry couldn't help but blush a lovely shade of crimson while Severus smirked. "You're terrible."
"I'm so terrible that you're going to have lunch with me tomorrow."
"I am, am I?"
He nodded with a horribly smug expression. "You definitely are."
"I suppose," Harry sighed, "that I am."
He knew it was coming. Draco had held his tongue far too long that he was surprised that he was able to hold it until Severus was safely out of ear shot. They were in the elevator, riding down to the lobby of Severus' posh hotel when Draco burst out, "What the bloody hell are you going to do?"
"What do you mean?" Harry inquired innocently enough.
"You like both of them! My dad! And, and him!" he exclaimed. "And from what I can tell, you like Severus quite a bit more than just say platonic like liking."
That was something Harry really didn't want to think about. Yes, he liked Severus quite a bit. Harry even had the sinking suspicion that he could fall for him if he was given the right amount of time, and if he spent enough time away from Lucius' intoxicating presence. It wasn't like Harry had expected Severus to pop into his life at the moment when he had already given up on Lucius ever realizing his feelings for him. It shifted Harry from being the hopelessly obsessed to the one that was getting chased by a magnetically sexy man. What a change!
"You don't only like my dad," he remarked calculatingly, "but you love him."
Draco was far too insightful for his own good. "You've already mentioned that earlier today," Harry pointed out. "Redundant, much?"
"I'll say it however many times it takes for you to confess to my dad your feelings for him. I mean, you're being such a stubborn mule about it. If you told him, you would get him to face what he's feeling right now, which is adamant jealousy."
"I can't do that," he muttered.
He let out a frustrated sigh. "You aren't going to be the typical poof, are you?"
Harry looked offended. Since when was he the typical poof? Ever? "Me? Typical?" He narrowed his eyes. "How?"
"Why, waiting for the guy to make the first move, of course," he murmured.
"Is it such a bad thing to play hard to get?" he retorted.
Draco shrugged. "Not necessarily, but that's not you."
"And you know me so very well," Harry muttered sarcastically, feeling foolish as the words came out of his mouth since the fact was that Draco did know him all too well. It was uncomfortable how well he did know him. Unnerving and quite unsettling at times, but oh well--- it wasn't like Harry could do anything about it. That was just the way things were. They had spent far too much time together in the past 5 years with Harry as Lucius' assistant and everything. He'd basically become his surrogate big brother and keeper all at once.
He smirked. "I know you as well as a boy can know a boy that he isn't shagging, and even then… I'd say I know you better than most boys that shag boys."
"And knowing me as well as you do says that I'll make the first move because I'm so not the typical poof, am I right?"
"Well," he remarked, "that's not necessarily the case, but you are the type that goes after what you want. You don't always, case in point, my dad. But you ought to."
Harry blushed. "Point taken."
"And," he pushed on, "you should do it soon before he really starts unleashing his ferocious jealousy. You don't know Malfoy men as well as you think, we may be playboys to the inner core, but when another man comes sniffing his big nose after our men… well we don't play nice and we get fiercely jealous."
Harry laughed. "I don't think I've ever seen you jealous."
"But I am mighty possessive, wouldn't you say?"
"Yes," he confirmed, "another one of your tragic flaws to go along with
conceited and bossy and…"
"We aren't discussing your criticism of me," Draco interrupted forcefully, not willing to let Harry take command of the conversation as he very well had the ability to, "we're talking, instead, about you finally confessing to my dad about what you feel for him. It's about goddamn time you did. You've been what, crazy about him for the past 5 years? It's insane you haven't told him sooner!"
"He was married!" he exclaimed. "To YOUR mother!"
"And it was an arranged thing for publicity," Draco retorted. "So what?"
"He was still married!"
"And," Draco deliberately overemphasized, "he
had quite a number of discreet affairs that you knew very well about. It
had to hurt you. It had to make you envious."
"Why should
it?" he muttered. "They were all
ditzy blonds."
He snorted in a way that said yeah right, I totally don't believe ya way. "You cared. I could see the envy in your eyes."
"I wasn't jealous!" Harry protested, though it sounded quite weak even to his own ears.
"You were," he responded, "and now my dad is in your position. And now is the perfect opportunity to confess your feelings for him."
"I don't know about that," he replied, feeling his resolve weakening.
"I could understand your hesitation," Draco began, "if you really did like that Severus guy."
"I do like him," Harry admitted.
"But," he inserted vehemently, "you don't like him anywhere near as much as you like my dad."
"I've known your father longer."
"You started lusting after him minutes after you saw him, and you got the job as his assistant even though he's an unbearable ass because you wanted him. Falling in love with him was the secondary bombshell that happened a few weeks later."
"And I really like Severus a lot for only knowing him a few weeks," Harry remarked less confident in everything. He did like Severus, and he hadn't tried to like him either. He just… did. It was an unexpected thing. It wasn't like Severus was safe to like either. He exuded danger like Lucius did, though it was not quite as bad of a danger since Severus was after her and not vice versa. It didn't hurt knowing that Severus liked Harrymore than Harry liked him. It made him feel safer somehow… though it made him anxious, knowing Harry could hurt him.
"Yeah, you do," Draco remarked. "But… you are in love with my dad."
"How do you feel about that?" Harry posed the question he had been wondering for a while. Truly, what would Draco think? They acted like brothers, best friends when they weren't into the whole make your sibling's life a living hell mood. It would be a big change in things, Harry thought, if he started dating Lucius. True, Harry also sort of acted like his mother on occasion. He did succeed in bossing Draco around in a way that neither Lucius nor Narcissa did. "I mean me and Lucius, if it were to ever happen?"
"I wouldn't mind it," he phrased his words carefully. "I don't know how I would really feel about it until it happens, but something inside of me says that it would be a lovely thing. But it would piss me off, if my dad did anything to hurt you. Likewise, if you did anything to intentionally hurt him. Though I think," Draco smiled wryly, "that you would never do anything to intentionally hurt him. The fact is… I think he'd be more likely to hurt you and that worries me."
"And yet, here you are pushing," Harry muttered.
"Because you're being such a stubborn beast with the not telling when you ought to when he so clearly does feel something for you!"
"That was quite the outburst."
"You ought to listen to me and my outbursts."
"I don't know."
"He likes you. He's jealous."
"Because he doesn't get my full attention," Harry stated with a tinge of bitterness, "not because he really feels something for me."
"I don't think that's it at all, if you want my opinion," he stated softly. "You do care what I think, don't you?"
Harry's expression softened. "Of course, I do."
"Good, then you ought to listen to me."
"Cheeky brat."
"And I'm right too, doesn't that irk you?"
"You are bloody late," Severus cursed into his mobile as he waited downstairs for Harry. "What do you not understand about being downstairs at noon?"
"Well," Harry muttered back, "how was I supposed to know that you meant exactly noon on your time? I mean, your watch has to be fast or something because I swear that mine only says 11:59."
"Which means you should already be down here. It's terribly impolite to keep someone waiting."
Harry scowled. What an impossible man! Why exactly was he going out with him again? Oh yes, he could be quite the romantic when he felt like being. And he could kiss rather well. Rather well was an understatement, Harry thought with pink cheeks as he remembered how close he had come to being a puddle of goo at his feet at his last kiss. Good lord, who had taught him to kiss like that?
"I do apologize," Harry snapped.
"Apologies mean nothing," he retorted. "Get your ass down here."
What a bossy man! Why Harry ought to… his jaw dropped open when he saw him standing there as the elevator doors opened with a bouquet of his favorite flowers, lilies-of-the-valley. How had he known? "You are amazing," Harry exclaimed. Harry broke out into a beautiful smile as he took the bouquet from him and sniffed the sweet scent. "How did you know that these were my favorite?"
He shrugged carelessly. "It wasn't much at all."
"How?" Harry demanded.
"You," he murmured, "always smell like lilies."
Harry leaned up and kissed him softly on the corner of his lips. "Thank you."
Severus grinned down at him in a way that took away all the grim lines that undoubtedly came from his harsh mannerisms. "You're welcome."
"I forgive you," Harry whispered, "for being such a caustic monster of a man."
"And I forgive you for being such a fastidiously untimely man."
Harry jabbed him playfully in the side. "Where are you taking me out to lunch?"
"No where romantic, that is to be sure," Severus muttered. "I've already gone over the quota today."
Harry raised an eyebrow up. "There's a quota?"
"Most definitely," Severus responded. "If there wasn't, I'd turn into a despicable sap ball."
"What a pity," Harry sighed, "that would be most delightful."
Severus gave him a thoroughly disgusted look. "You have downright disturbing tastes."
"I do," Harry admitted. "I am going out with you, aren't I?"
He burst out laughing. "You are absolutely perfect the way that you are."
Bowing extravagantly, Harry took the arm that Severus offered him. "Why thank you very much."
He tucked Harry close to his side and pressed a kiss to his temple. "You deserve it, you bloody minx."
Harry glanced up at him and smirked. "So what kind of taste do you have?"
"I am going out with you, aren't I?" Harry nodded. "I must have atrocious taste. Atrociously perfect taste."
"You are a sap ball," Harry declared airily.
"God," Severus groaned, "I hope not."
"No," he said after considering the matter heavily, "I suppose you aren't. You are too downright nasty to be a sap ball."
"Thank god for that."
Harry smacked him lightly on the hand. "You aren't supposed to be thankful."
"Oh, but I am."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Nastily obsessed."
"I do believe that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me."
"You're going to lose him if you don't do something," Draco prodded with his way with words that he knew would work in getting his dad to do something about the situation because if Lucius didn't do something soon, he was very much in danger of losing to Severus Snape. Despite the fact that Harry might not like Severus anywhere near as much as Lucius, Severus was worming his way into Harry's heart.
Lucius had been pacing up and down the hallway for the last hour waiting for Harry from his lunch date. Draco rather thought that his father had his work cut out for him. Severus wasn't doing anything wrong. Actually, Severus was doing every thing right. It was amazing how the sarcastic and bitter man cut a deadly romantic seducer when he put his mind to it. Draco would never have guessed that his father would have serious competition from the snarky fashion designer.
"And you need to do something soon if you want him."
"He's young enough to be my son!" Lucius exclaimed.
"Well, if you wanted to have him when you were in your teens, sure," Draco muttered, "but while the age gap is notable… it certainly isn't as bad as you're making it out to be. And really, Harry's mental age is far more developed than yours is in most cases. Arguing age or maturity isn't going to cut it."
Lucius grumbled while his son continued to stare at him with a most patronizing expression. "Shouldn't you be discouraging me? He's young enough to be a brother."
"Well," Draco remarked, "I don't fancy the idea of having to call him dad, but there are worse blokes you could hook up with. It isn't like you haven't had bimbos with the only thing of recommendation to them being their tits that were younger than him. You're just concerned because it could be a very serious thing, and by serious--- serious enough that you're already thinking about a ring."
He tried to scowl menacingly at his son but he failed miserably as Draco continued to smile like he was as innocent as an angel. To even think of his son as being naïve like that was a laugh. Malfoy men were born being natural sinners. They didn't have one decent bone in their bodies and to think of Draco ever being angelic was enough to make him laugh to tears. "I am not thinking about a ring," he denied heavily. "I am not!"
"You are," Draco cooed. "You definitely are."
"You are annoying."
"Because I am so right."
"Or very delusional."
"I am right," he murmured confidently. "I am always right."
Lucius snorted. "You are a conceited prick."
"Like father like son."
"I am not that conceited."
"Wanna bet?"
"And how would this be proven?" Lucius posed the question instead.
Draco smirked. "By Harry, who else?"
"And you seriously think he's going to say I'm more conceited than you are?" Lucius chuckled. "You by far are the more conceited one. It's your age. It's definitely your age. My age has mellowed out some of the trademark Malfoy arrogance."
"I'll bet you anything Harry's going to say you're the more arrogant and conceited one because you have had the years to build up a tremendous repertoire."
"I don't think so."
"I do," Draco declared. "And if you lose, you have to tell Harry how you feel in a blindingly romantic manner."
"And if I win?"
"If you
should win," he murmured, "then you can name my forfeit."
"How magnanimous of you."
"I can afford to be when you're the one that's going to be losing this bet."
"We'll see about that."
Author's Note: I think this chapter is all right, the next one is actually not that great. Currently it's halfway done and should be out as soon as I finish it. The subsequent chapters should pick up to speed. This series is projected to be around 60,000 words long and 10 chapters long which means I'm already more than halfway done. Thank god. I'm going to try to finish this during the summer. My goal is to finish this by mid-June, of course I'm pushing myself because I know if I don't finish it before I go off on a trip or something or somewhere, I won't ever finish this. Your comments are highly appreciated and thanks for patiently waiting for this. I couldn't do this without you.
Please review, it makes the difference in whether or not I continue to write. Thanks.
Next chapter features: Difficult decisions, Lucius romancing, and more wisdom from Draco. It should be available within two weeks.