Chapter 3

In the lobby of the large modern building where Harry had a floor for his business, Potter Security, Draco waited for one of the lifts to arrive to take him to see Harry. It was late Tuesday afternoon and apart from the building security guard and the occasional robed figure, the building was deserted. Taking a deep breath Draco replayed the pep talk Ginny had given him over brekky. While Ginny packed in three bowls of coco pops, two muffins and four bananas, she told him he needed to take all of Harry's stuff that had been left at their house, so that Draco could get on with his life. At the time Ginny's advice sounded so simple and easy to do, now all Draco wanted to do was find a designated apparision spot, go home and curl up in his frumpy dressing gown and eat Bertie Botts beans.
The lift doors opened with a soft whoosh. Butterflies swam in Draco's stomach, making him more nervous about seeing Harry, after being away from him for two weeks, two weeks of no appetite, sleepless nights and an ache in the vicinity of his heart. Merlin he didn't think the horrible pain would ever go away.
Blinking back the tears that threatened to fall, he stepped on the lift and pressed the button for the 14th floor before he could change his mind. The doors closed softly enclosing him in the mirrored room. He looked at his reflection in the mirror across from him, the man staring back looked like a total stranger. With Ginny's coaxing Draco allowed the hairdresser to cut his long hair to a sleek shoulder length bob with a couple of toffee and chocolate streaks, that softened his features and drew attention to his large gray eyes and the cheekbones that Ginny envied. He wondered what Harry would think of his new look, not that he cared, he reminded himself.
The lift stopped on the third flood to pick up a woman that looked Draco up and down and decided she liked what she saw. Draco smiled and turned away from her showing he wasn't interested. The woman got off on the fifth floor leaving Draco alone again with his thoughts. This time when he caught his reflection, memories of a time he was in the lift with Harry washed over him. They had been to a meeting with the builders of Harry's new house and were on the way back to Harry's office when Harry leant over and pressed the emergency stop button.
Draco closed his eyes in an effort to stop the memory playing in his mind but the memory wouldn't go away. In his mind's eye he could See Harry moving towards him, with a sexy gleam in his eyes. Harry had pressed Draco against the mirrored wall and skimmed his robe up his thighs to his waist then Harry had hooked his fingers into the top of Draco's trousers. Draco gasped as Harry peeled his trousers and boxers down his legs in one smooth motion. "Harry, what are you doing?" Draco asked even though he obediently stepped out of his shoes and trousers. Harry kicked the pants out of the way, his smile wicked. Untying Draco's hair he tossed the ribbon onto the floor, running his fingers through his hair and arranging it around his shoulders. "I want you" Harry whispered huskily "now" Draco's body swelled with heat and desire "We can't do this here, Harry!" Draco's shocked tone seemed to amuse Harry and fire his passion. He pressed his hips into Draco, his erection rock hard and insistent between them. "sure we can, sweetheart" Harry bought his mouth down to Draco's ear, his tongue touching the sensitive lobe as he whispered " It's late and there are two other lifts. No-one Is going to notice if this lift doesn't move for a while" Harry's hands explored beneath Draco's robes again, touching him intimately finding him hard and slick with pre cum and ready for him. Harry groaned into Draco's neck. "Oh, Harry" Draco's knees buckled, but the weight of Harry's body held him upright. Harry stroked Draco and was rewarded with a whimper and a plea. Harry looked into Draco's eyes and said " This Is a fantasy of mine that I've had about a millions time. Every time I rode alone in theses lifts I've thought of being in here with you like this. Indulge me"
"This Is so ..." Draco's breath caught as Harry's mouth closed over his swollen member.
"Erotic?" Harry asked in between kisses and long slow laps of his tongue. "Yes" Draco hissed, unable to ignore the thrill of excitement Harry's seduction evoked. Letting his head fall back and his body melt for Harry he tangled his fingers in Harry's hair. "It's only gunna get better, Baby" Harry promised huskily, his tongue warm and damp skimmed the inside of Draco's passage. "Watch the mirror before they start to steam up." Draco had, the things Harry had done to him had taken him beyond anything he had ever experienced. They had made Love in the lift, not once but twice, each time wild in it's intensity. Draco groaned, remembering every erotic word Harry had whispered, the slide of his mouth, the hands on his body and the desperate way he had clung to Harry when he had finally thrust deep inside him.
"Draco? Are you ok?" a distant feminine voice queried "Draco?

Draco blinked open his eyes, horrified to find that the lift doors were wide open to the reception area. Harry's secretary, Pansy, was looking at him oddly. She had an attaché case in one hand and her purse over her shoulder as if she was leaving for the night.
The lift doors were starting to close so Pansy quickly stopped them with her hand. "Draco?"
Draco snapped out of his haze with a firm mental shake. "I'm sorry Pans, I must have been daydreaming" Stepping of the lift he held up the packages in his hands. After that arousing trip down memory lane he just wanted to leave Harry's things at the front desk and run away. "I just wanted to drop off a few of Harry's things"
Pansy hurried to the desk and set her case and purse down "Let me just buzz Harry" she reached for the phone. "that's not necessary, Pansy" Draco quickly assured her "I'll just leave these things here at the desk and you can give them to him after I leave"
Pansy shook her head "He'd be upset with me if I didn't tell him you were here, it takes very little to set him off at the moment, he has been a real grouch lately." She confided in a low voice. But there was affection for her boss in her tone, as well as understanding. "I have strict instructions to notify him if you call, so I'm sure that applies if you happen to drop in too."
"Harry, sorry to bother you but Draco Is here." Pansy paused, then said "no I don't mind staying a bit longer to get the call from Fred." Pansy hung up the phone and gave Draco an apologetic smile. "You know the way"
Draco nodded and forced himself down the long red and gold carpeted corridor to Harry's office. With each step his nerves increased and his heart pounded in his chest. Stopping in front of Harry's door , he took a deep breath, determined to get through this as quickly as possible and leave with his pride and emotions intact.
Draco entered the large, spacious room and Harry immediately stood from behind the desk cluttered with scrolls and a computer screen with Draco as a background.
"You haven't returned any of my calls!" Harry blurted out accusingly.
Draco cringed guiltily. Stopping just inside the door, his heart gave a leap. Harry looked awful, he thought, unable to recall a time when he had ever seen Harry looking this weary and worn out. His dark hair was messier than usual, he had stubble on his face and he looked like he hadn't been eating properly. His clothes were all wrinkled like he had slept in them last night.
Resisting the urge to go to him, to help chase away the misery Draco could see in his eyes, he set the bags on the chair next to Harry's desk. "I didn't return your calls because I knew I would be seeing you in person" why had that sound better when Ginny was coaching him?
"Dammit, Draco, this is crazy. I was hoping you would come to your senses about us, but..." Harry frowned at him then a horrified expression twisted his features. He shot around his desk so fast Draco didn't have a chance to react before Harry was in front of him, gasping "What in hell did you do to your hair?" his voice was a small roar.
Self- consciously Draco touched his hair, trying not to feel regret. He couldn't live his life for Harry when he was no longer a part of it, he reminded himself. He squared his shoulders "I cut it "he sounded self-assured, like a man in control. So why didn't he feel that way?
"Obviously," Harry said dryly
Harry was looking at his hair like he'd cut off a limb instead. All at once Draco remembered the way Harry use to wind his fist in to his hair and gently tug his head back for a kiss, or the way it would cascade over Harry's body when he urged Draco to be the aggressor.
Meeting Harry's smoldering gaze, Draco realized Harry was thinking the same things. He bit his bottom lip and looked away. Ginny promised This last goodbye would be easy. His best friend had lied. Seeing Harry again and knowing he could never have him hurt worst than the original breakup.
Harry's gaze narrowed. "Ginny had something to do with your hair, didn't she?"
Draco's mouth pursed in irritation." Of course not"
Liar, Harry thought absorbing other changes he hadn't noticed when Draco first walked in; he'd been to caught up in venting his frustration that Draco had been ignoring him for two weeks.
Harry's gaze dropped lower, and his jaw tightened right along with the rest of his body. Under the robe that Draco had taken off and handed to Pansy on his way in he was wearing a pair of skintight denim jeans that showed Harry every curve of his hips and ass, and a black net shirt over a white singlet top. As a whole Draco looked sophisticated and damn sexy.
"I don't think I've ever seen you in muggle clothes before" Harry said. He would have remembered. Oh man would he have remembered. Raw possessiveness ran through him and he had the barbaric inclination to hex any man who dared to ogle Draco. Draco had no right to look so fresh and sassy, not when he himself felt like death warmed up.
The aggravation of the last two weeks came back " This new 'look' of yours was Ginny's idea, wasn't it? The hair, your clothes," Harry said, gesturing to each. "next time I see you your eyes will probably be purple!"
Draco sighed and moved away, towards the windows overlooking the Brisbane river. "I didn't come here to discuss my best friend, my hair or the choice of my clothes"
"Or lack there of" Harry muttered rubbing a hand over his jaw.
Draco shot him a look over his shoulder. "Harry, please don't make this any harder than it already is. I don't want to fight. In fact, I'd like us to be ... friends"
"Friends?" Harry said. Dammit he didn't want a casual friendship with Draco, not after he had experienced how good it could be between them. "after everything we have meant to each other, everything we have shared you want to revert to being just friends?"
"Yes. I'd like to think we are adult enough to maintain a friendship" Draco answered
"I don't want to be just your friend Draco" he strode towards Draco and grasped his hands, looking deep into his eyes "I want to be you lover. I want it to be the way it was between us"
"And I want marriage and babies" Draco countered
The mere words made Harry cringe, which he knew Draco saw.
Draco withdrew his hands from Harry "I want you to know that I'm seeing someone else"
The thought of another man touching him mad Harry feel violent. "great,' he muttered "just great" stomach churning he fished into his pocket for the potion for indigestion that had become his constant companion the past fourteen days.
"I think you should find some one too" Draco said softly.
Harry laughed harshly. "How can I when every person I look at doesn't even come close to comparing to you? Dammit Draco I miss you. I can't sleep at night, can't concentrate during the day and I chug potions by the dozen and I hate the damn things! I've been a bear to be around, too, ask Pansy"
"I'm sorry" Draco whispered softly.
Stopping abruptly in front of Draco he dragged his eyes to face back to his face "You should be, It's your fault, you know. I can't let you go. You're with me every second of every day, and at night..." Harry touched his cheek, letting Draco's imagination take over.
Draco's breath caught in his throat "Harry, Stop"

"Why? It's the truth" Harry could see Draco was fighting against what he truly wanted. Pressing on before he lost his advantage Harry stepped closer until their clothes brushed. Draco tried to take a step back but the window stopped him. Harry didn't touch Draco, but he planned to...
In a low husky voice he continued. "Every night I go to bed thinking of you. I dream of you. And when I wake up in the morning I'm hard and aching. I always reach for you but you aren't there any more.
The pulse at the base of Draco's neck fluttered "Being apart Is just as difficult for me"
"Is it?" bracing his hands on the window on both sides of Draco's head, Harry trapped him within his arms "do you wake up the same way? Wanting me? Hard and aching?" Draco's gaze darkening telling Harry what his mouth wasn't. Harry dipped his head so that his lips were grazing Draco's ear whispering '" and when you wake up and I'm not there do you close your eyes and imagine my hands and mouth on you, touching and stroking you in that special way that makes you come for me?"
A tiny groan escaped Draco, and he pressed his hands to Harry's chest. The front of his tight jeans became uncomfortably tighter, but he kept a tight rein on his needs. "You don't play fair, Potter."
"My offer still stands" Harry said suddenly.
A little frown marred Draco's brow, and the passionate haze cleared form his eyes. "To move in with you?"
"Yes"
Draco made a sound of disgust and gave Harry a shove, hard enough for him to take a step back and enough for Draco to slip out from between him and the window " Then my answer is still the same"
"It doesn't have to be this way" Harry said, his voice rising in frustration. "we were perfectly happy until..."
"Until what? Until I realized you didn't and couldn't love me? Until marriage was mentioned and I realized we were looking at our relationship from two different angles?" Hurt filled Draco's voice "I can't just make my feelings about marriage and kids go away Harry, I want a lifelong commitment with a man that loves me as much as I love him, I want babies before I'm to old to enjoy them. And I don't want to waste a year or two loving you when I know I will eventually have to move on"
Draco picked up the bags he put down when he arrived and set them on the desk "Here are the last of your things that were at my place"
"I guess this is really it then?" Harry said sadly.
"Yeah" Draco whispered, then asked "Are you still coming to my fathers 50th birthday party?"
"Am I still invited?" Harry asked
"Of course you are. My father has always thought very highly of you?" Draco answered
"even after our break up?'
Draco paused for a moment, as thinking of a proper response. "Dad was... disappointed to hear we're not dating anymore, but he still respects you."
"Are we still going to the party together?" Harry asked as that had been the plan two months ago.
Draco shook his head "I don't think that would be such a good idea"
"Why not?"
Draco dampened his bottom lip with his tongue and looked away. "Because we are not a couple anymore"
The crushing band around Harry's chest tightened. He was feeling desperate ... almost desperate enough to blurt out the words he knew Draco wanted to hear from him. "Draco..."
"Harry" Pansy's voice drifted through the intercom on his desk. "the call from Mr. Weasley that you have been waiting for is on line two"
"Thank you, Pansy, I'll take the call and you can go home"

Harry wanted Draco to stay, but he was already inching towards the door "I've got to go, anyway, Harry " he said, gliding across the room, further and further away from Harry. Hand on the doorknob, he paused gray eyes wide and filled with conflicting emotions. "I guess I will see you at dad's Come as you're not party."
Two weeks. How was Harry going to survive another fourteen days without seeing Draco? Touching him? Talking and laughing with him? Fourteen days of wondering if this other guy he was dating would offer him the two things he couldn't give him. Any man would be a fool not to.
The roll of quickeze Harry was holding, snapped in half between his fingers "Yeah, I'll see you there."

Bottom of Form