Author Notes: For the ever lovely Annieand much love to my beta this chapter, Laura. You are the best and to give it back to me sooo quickly to post! I love you! and also lots of love to Linda, you are my sunshine...hehehe

Chapter 4

Draco rushed down the steps and into the sitting room, praying that Harry had not changed his mind. He stopped at the door and looked at the scene before him.

Harry was sitting in one of the high backed chairs with his head slightly tilted. His closed eyes gave him an appearance of innocence that Draco had not seen in years. In his hand was a picture of Draco at eleven. It was taken the day before he left for Hogwarts.

Draco smiled and walked over to the sleeping man. He ran his hand through Harry's untamed hair. He was surprised at how soft and silky it felt. He slowly traced the features of Harry's face. When it came to his scar, Draco couldn't control himself. He bent down and lovingly kissed it. He felt a jolt of electricity flash in his body as his lips caressed the scar. He jumped when he felt arms circle his waist and pull him down for a kiss. The kiss was soft and gentle, and when he looked up he saw two startling pools of emerald. He saw the questions in the eyes and didn't know how to respond. Questions, wants, needs, and maybe more reflected back at him. Draco was drowning.

Harry captured Draco's lips in the most tantalizing kiss Draco had ever experienced. Harry parted his lips as Draco dipped his tongue into the once forbidden haven. He put so much desire and need into the kiss. He wanted Harry to know he wanted him and more than for a fling; a one-night stand. He slowly ended the kiss and looked into the piercing green eyes. He felt as if his soul was bared for Harry to see.

"Harry," he said breathlessly, "I…"

"It's ok, Draco, I understand. I've wanted to do that for so long, but it was never right…until now," he explained as he touched Draco's face softly. "I was just looking at your picture, remembering how much of a stupid git you were. Even then I couldn't get you out of my head." Harry placed the picture on the table beside him. He looked up at Draco and said, "Now, I don't want you out of my head."

He pulled Draco down into his lap and crushed his lips to Draco's. It was not the gentle kiss they had just shared, but one full of passion. One that told Draco it wasn't the alcohol talking. One that promised a future, a future he didn't know if he was worthy enough to accept.

Their tongues collided as Harry's hands slowly began to unbutton Draco's shirt. His hands roaming the broad chest as the kiss deepened. Harry slid the shirt off of Draco's body and tossed it carelessly to the floor.

Draco moaned into the kiss, "Harry." Draco pulled back from the kiss reluctantly. He felt the weight of the bracelet in his trousers pocket. Feeling slightly guilty about the rest of the trip upstairs, he wondered again if he had any hope of actually keeping Harry when the bitter truth came out. He had to get a solid groundwork established, or he was afraid he would lose Harry completely.

Draco stood suddenly, "Harry, I have something for you."

"Hmmm, like you aren't present enough," Harry replied seductively. How on earth could Draco concentrate with Harry looking at him as if he were something to be devoured; a piece of meat placed before a starving lion?

"Harry, I'm serious. I have wanted this so long and I don't want to mess anything up," Draco tried to say.

"You wanted to be friends or you wanted me in your bed?" Harry questioned with a guarded look in his eyes, searching the grey eyes for answers he wanted.

"Both," Draco replied quickly, "I have wanted you in my life in both respects for too long. I wanted to try and become friends first before I could ever hope to have the second."

"Ahh…well, in that case, why don't we just skip to the second part then?" Harry said as he pulled Draco forward to stand before him. His fingers slowly caressing the others body in slow circles.

"Harry, please! I'm trying to concentrate here." Draco pleaded, trying to keep control of the situation. He was failing miserably.

"Draco, shhh." Harry placed his finger over Draco's mouth, "we can have this talk later. Right now I have other things on my mind, such as how your skin would feel under my tongue." Draco closed his eyes and moaned as Harry captured the nipple in between his teeth and teased it with his tongue.

A/N: Scene is cut to maintain guidelines. If you wish to read the higher rated material, visit my journal or my account at .

"So, Draco, was it worth the wait?" Harry purred, licking his lips.

"Bloody hell, that was intense," Draco stuttered after a few minutes.

Harry chuckled and moved the blond to a more comfortable position, cradling him on his lap. "Tell me if I'm right, you did enjoy that, right?"

"Fuck. Are you bloody insane? I want to know where you learned to do that, and who you have been practicing on. And can someone please tell me why now is the first time I have had the pleasure to experience it?" Draco said, almost demandingly, but he was a bit too tired to pull that one off.

"Well, I didn't need much practice; that is what I was told originally. There was really only one before now, he told me he learned from the best. I needed to know if I was better than the best," Harry teased.

"Oh, and who would that be; the one that taught you?" Draco said feeling twinges of jealousy that someone else had gotten there before him. Draco was already thinking of plots to destroy this other man.

"Blaise," replied Harry casually, waiting for Draco to explode.

"BLAISE!" Draco yelled. "That dirty, rotten sneak. He told me he wasn't interested you. I'm going to kill him."

"Calm down, Draco. Blaise was just an object to get to you. He could never hold my attention the way that you can. I needed him to find your weaknesses, so I can make you mine." Harry said, with a disturbing light in his eyes. Draco had never seen Harry look this serious before, except when he was facing Voldemort.

"Harry, what are you talking about?" Draco questioned.

"It's simple really, Draco. I used Blaise because I needed you. I know your father is up to something and the only way I can keep an eye on him is to make sure I keep his son occupied." Harry replied looking deep into Draco's eyes, daring him to object to the harsh truth coming from his lips.

Draco looked stunned. He couldn't believe he had just played directly into Harry's hands. He felt used, unwanted. He stood up and picked up his trousers. He pulled them on and walked away from Harry to a bar in the corner. Draco fixed himself a scotch on the rocks and swallowed it down, quickly.

"So, this meant nothing to you, Potter?" Draco finally said, afraid to look at the other man. He heard him stand up and walk over to where he stood. He shivered as he felt Harry's arms wrap around him.

"Tell me, Draco. When did you plan on selling me out to your father? Did you tell him that I was putty in your hands earlier? Did you honestly believe that I wouldn't know that you contacted him? I wasn't the one that battled Voldemort for nothing. I learned everything they wanted me to, so I could defeat him. I learned to search through others minds quickly and without them ever knowing. I saw the entire conversation, Draco. I watched it through your eyes." Harry kissed his neck, "I'm a bit surprised though. I thought for sure that he wouldn't be able to convince you to be with me. You have a way of not listening to your father."

"Harry, stop that please." Draco demanded. He wanted to pull away from the arms that were around him. He wanted to get away from those tempting lips that teased the back of his neck.

"Draco, I know you want something out of this. You have your motives for agreeing with your dad, and I don't know what they are yet. I will find out, if I have to torture you for the information. Trust me, Blaise told me quite a bit about your body, before I obliviated him. I couldn't have him telling you that I was more interested in him than I was in my "boyfriend," Harry confessed.

Each word chilled Draco to the bone. He never suspected that Harry had this dark side, this side that would be ruthless and get everything he demanded. Draco knew he would never be able to dominate this man the way his father wanted him to.

"I need you near me, Draco," Harry whispered as he caressed the other man's sides. "I need to keep an eye on your father. He can destroy everything I have fought to save, and I'm not going to let that happen. If that means I have to use a few people, the way I have been used, then so be it. It can work between us, Draco, if you just put your faith into me."

"Put my faith into you?" Draco demanded turning around. "Yes, my father wanted me to take care of you and get you out of the spotlight. Yes, I told him I would check in with him. And yes, I was willing to go along with his plans. I wanted you, Harry. Dammit, Harry, this changes everything. I thought you wanted me for me." Draco's eye blazed with a silver fire that went straight into Harry.

"Tell me how it is different for you to come into this with a plan to keep me occupied, than it was for me to do the same thing." Harry responded, ignoring the probing gaze.

"Harry, I really hoped that with you being here with me, you might actually want to stay with me. I knew it was wrong to agree with my father's plans, but I couldn't think of any other way to make sure he approved. I know this way he won't interfere in my life. He won't demand I marry some pureblooded bitch that whines. I won't have to produce the next Malfoy heir. If I keep you occupied, as he put it, I can be free to live my life the way I choose. How could I walk away from that?" He finished very quietly, no longer looking into Harry's eyes, but down at his chest.

"Draco," Harry lifted the other's chin, "it looks to me like you still get what you wanted. You just aren't happy at being a pawn in the war, any more than I have been for my entire life." Harry stroked his cheek and looked deep into the silver orbs that didn't trust him anymore.

"I want to be more than just a pawn in a game between my lover and my father. I want to be the one to make sure my lover is happy and loved. I want to take away all of his cares. I want to wipe away all traces of the war that have kept his spirit down the last few years. Don't think I didn't notice when you changed. I saw the change because I watched you every day. I watched you separate yourself from your friends. I watched as you became more distant and smiled even less. All I could think of was, my savior is dying before my eyes and no one is doing anything about it. I wanted to bring him back to life. I wanted to make sure he felt loved, like he had never felt it before. I wanted him to know that he mattered as a person and not just as a hero to a world that will never love him the way he needs to be loved." Draco responded, with a proud lift in his chin, daring Harry to defy him.

Harry lowered his mouth to Draco's and gave him a soft kiss. "Draco, all I want from you is loyalty. I want you right where you are, in my arms and in my bed. I will not let you spy on me for you father, but I do want to keep up with his movements. I can make everything worth your while; you will never regret your decision to be with me." Harry whispered into Draco's ear as he nibbled it.

"Harry, please stop that. You don't know what I will or won't regret. You have no idea what I really want from you."

"Draco, I know what you want from me. I can create your wildest fantasies or just hold you until the morning light. All I want in return is your help. I won't demand your love. I don't know if you could ever love me, or if you even know how with Lucius for a father. I don't even know if I would recognize the emotion myself. All I need is your loyalty."

"If you wanted loyalty, you should have found a Hufflepuff," he replied sourly.

Harry's body shook with laughter. "That is where you are wrong, my dear Slytherin. Haven't you ever noticed that the Slytherin house is fiercely loyal to their own, especially their families? If it was something you believed in, you would be loyal to the end. That is what I want from you."

"So, what are you suggesting then, Harry? Betray my father to be with you? What exactly am I getting out of this 'bargain'?"

"Whatever you desire."

"What if I told you that I wanted you to marry me?"

"I would ask when you wanted the wedding to take place, and ask how many people you wanted there," he replied smoothly.

"You know wizarding marriages are forever. There is no clause for divorce."

"Yes, Draco, I'm well aware of that. If I get your loyalty and you as an ally against your father, then I will marry you."

"Just like that?" Draco looked disappointed.

"Yes, Draco, just like that. If I didn't think I could stomach living with you and being married to you, I would have come up with another plan. You will be a very interesting distraction; that I may never get enough of." Harry said as he kissed Draco's neck.

"Fine, then." Draco had decided something. "Harry, look at me."

Harry stopped kissing the blond's neck and looked into the piercing gaze.

"I want you to marry me, Harry. I want you to be my husband. I will do as you have asked, with the exception that I do have to report back to my father about your activities. I want you in my bed always." Draco nearly spit out. He hated that his dreams were being shredded with every passing moment.

"Yes, Draco. I will marry you. You set the date and I will be there with bells on." Harry smirked.

"In that case, here is the present I was going to give you earlier." Draco held out the silver bracelet. It was just a plain silver chain with the letters M & P engraved on it. On the other side of it was Harry and Draco's name along with a date that would take place within a month's time. "I was going to ask you to marry me, if everything went well tonight. I wanted you to be happy, wanted us to be happy, but I guess that just won't work. The war and the feud between you and my father killed any happiness that we might have truly shared."

Draco placed the bracelet around Harry's wrist, kissed it, and then turned and walked out of the room. He walked towards the staircase, not caring if Harry followed him or not.

Harry just stood there in shock. He knew Draco had been coerced into doing this, but he never realized that Draco might actually care about him.

Harry stood there for a few minutes stunned, not knowing what to do. It was the first time in a long time that he was not confident in his decisions. Without thinking about the consequences, Harry turned and ran up the stairs after Draco. He had just made it to the bedroom door when Harry caught him. Harry whirled him around and placed a possessive kiss over Draco's lips, demanding a submission. Draco wrapped his arms around Harry's neck, not caring for once whether he was doing the right thing or not. He just knew he needed to be in Harry's arms.