Thank you to ALL my reviewers and to ALL my readers!
Disclaimer: see previous chapter.
Thank you to Merlin, GoldenSunnyGrl, and Malombra for being such great BETA'S.
AU.
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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
It had taken everything he had not to throw the box of filled vials at the scene he saw when he walked into Harry's office. He knew that according to 'The Plan' he had to slowly work on bringing Harry to him, but 'The Plan' hadn't accounted for Gault. The other man, unknowingly enough, was taking his life in his hands at his actions.
He was touching Harry. Only on the shoulders though- his saving grace. That and the discomfort clearly showing on Harry's face and the feelings wavering down the bond. Harry looked ready to bolt and the only thing keeping him in his seat was Gaults hands on his shoulders. They hadn't heard him come in and Gault was leaning down to say something in Harry's ear.
Draco stood at the door, quietly. It took all of his self control not to throw the box at the other men. He was angry at Harry. He could tell that Harry was uncomfortable but he wasn't doing anything to stop the other man. His eyes widened in astonishment at what Harry did next. Well, maybe Harry was doing something.
Draco could see Harry's body straining to move away from the other man but in the position he was standing behind him made it impossible. Harry jerked his head away from Gault's as he shook it angrily. He pushed his chair back from his desk making the other man have to step back or risk falling to the floor.
"Gault!" Harry's voice was still low as he still couldn't raise it into a shout but it was filled with the contempt he felt for the man he was confronting. Of course, the fair imitation of an angry dog's growl helped Harry convey his anger and disgust. "For the last time keep your hands off of me."
"Now, Harry-" Gault's voice was the same oily sounding as it always was and it grated down Draco's spine. Neither man had noticed Draco standing there yet. He silently stepped back so that he was standing just in the doorway and watched them.
"Don't Gault. I will not tell you again that I do not want you touching me. The next time I will call Orion and you will be gone." Harry did a fair imitation of a sneer.
"There is no need for that, Harry." Gault said as he stepped back. He realized now that he had taken it to far this time and he backed off.
Draco stepped into the room as he called out. He didn't want them to know he had heard them. "Harry, here are the vials. We can start- is everything okay?"
Harry jerked violently around to stare at Draco, eyes wide and face flushed. "Draco-"
"Everything is fine." Gault interrupted Harry. God how he hated this beautiful man in front of him. He could see behind Draco's innocent looking façade and he wanted to slam the other man's face in the ground until he was covered in blood. "I'll go get Eric to gather the equipment."
Draco let the other man take the box from him and then looked at Harry in question. He smirked when the other man wouldn't met his eyes. He watched as Harry ran a tired hand through his messy hair and flopped into his chair.
"What's wrong?" Draco asked as he walked to stand by Harry's desk. Pausing for a second, he then sat on the edge of the desk. He was secretly pleased when Harry didn't pull away. In fact, though Draco couldn't be sure, it seemed Harry leaned towards him.
"Just tired." Harry sighed as he settled his head on his crossed arms on his desk. Draco thought he looked really cute. He could feel the tiredness coming from the bond and wished that there was something that he could do to help Harry.
"Do you need a dreamless sleep potion?" Draco asked quietly.
Harry sighed again but didn't lift his head as he answered. "No. I just…"
"Are you sleeping?" Draco asked as his concern grew. He knew the other man wasn't sleeping and he wondered if he would tell Draco the truth.
Harry shrugged but still refused to raise his head. "Enough." He didn't want Draco to be this close to him as it took all his will power not to jump him when they were in the same room and having him right there, sitting so close he could feel the heat radiating off him, was eating away at his control.
Draco bit his lip, hard, to keep himself from saying something detrimental to 'The Plan'. Right now, he hated this. Making up his mind he slowly stood and walked to stand behind Harry. Breathing shallowly, he placed his hands gently on Harry's shoulders. He waited for Harry to stiffen and yell at him to get his hands off of him. He didn't expect Harry to lightly moan.
A moan that went straight to Draco's groin. With a sharp intake of breath Draco applied more pressure and gently massaged Harry's tense shoulders.
Harry didn't know what to do. Draco's hands on him, even if he was only massaging his shoulders, was something he had dreamed of for a very long time. He couldn't stop the moan that was dragged from him. Oh God! What should he do? Not only was what Draco doing helping him relax, it was also waking up a certain part of Harry that he had thought was dead and gone. Harry shifted to sit better and slowly lifted his head. He kept his eyes closed as he didn't know what would happen if he saw Draco's face.
Draco was thrilled when Harry shifted and then lifted his head. The pleasure he saw on Harry's face was almost his undoing. He was glad to see that Harry was keeping his eyes closed. He wasn't sure what would happen if he had to look into the eyes of the man he loved. The bond shuddered between them and each of them felt, if for the briefest second, what the other was feeling.
Draco massaged Harry's shoulders until the other man had finally released the tension. Once that was done, Draco didn't want to take his hands from the other man's shoulders, so he continued to gently touch and rub and then he dared to drag a finger up the back of Harry's neck. Harry shuddered and Draco's control snapped. He leaned down to whisper into Harry's ear.
"Better?" Draco made sure to keep his voice low and as huskily sexy as he could make it. It wasn't hard, he was so turned on just by Harry's one moan. He had never wanted anyone more than he wanted Harry right this second. His hands still gently stroked across Harry's shoulders.
Harry shuddered again as Draco's voice raked across every taunt nerve he had. His breath caught in his throat and he moaned low in his chest. Goosebumps rose on his neck and his ear burned where Draco's breath was wafting over it.
"Draco?" Harry breathed and then he couldn't stop the moan that rose up from his abdomen as Draco's lips closed around the lobe of Harry's ear.
"Oh God!" Harry breathed as Draco gently sucked on Harry's ear. It felt so good. No one had ever done this to him and he decided he loved it.
Draco settled his hands on Harry's shoulders and pressed down further to keep the shuddering man in his chair. He wanted to smirk when Harry jerked so hard that he almost fell from the chair when Draco bit lightly on the lobe. Harry grunted and then his breath caught in his throat as Draco moved his lips from Harry's ears to Harry's neck.
"Harry." Draco breathed onto the skin he was lavishing with kisses and licks. He felt Harry's desire down the bond but he also felt Harry's confusion. He knew that it was time to back off and let Harry think about what they had just done. He pressed one more lingering kiss to the pulse point he had been kissing and stood back up. He kept his hands on Harry's shoulders and continued to massage gently as he felt Harry begin to calm.
Harry didn't know what to think. He wanted Draco to continue but he was also glad that he had stopped. He didn't know what to think. He thought Draco was straight. Was he playing a game with him? Was this just another way the ex-Slytherin was getting back at him? Harry was so confused. And so turned on right now it was embarrassing.
He couldn't look at Draco when the other man finally stepped away from him. He stared at his desk as he watched the other man walk to the door out of the corner of his eye. He wanted to stop him. He wanted him to come back and do that some more. But he also wanted time to think.
"Thank you." He whispered right before the other man walked from the room.
Draco turned to look back at him and his face was the same expressionless one he always carried. He nodded, to afraid to speak, and left the room.
He slid to the floor as soon as he turned the corner and placed his head in his hands. What had he been thinking? That was…Oh God! the best he had ever felt when with someone and he had only kissed and bit on Harry's neck and ear. What would it be like if they ever got the chance to take it further?
A pair of shoes came into his line of vision and then Ron's face peered from where he was kneeling beside him.
"Draco?" Ron asked as he took in the flushed face and the trembling hands of the other man.
Draco smiled at him, a true smile, and said softly. "I hate 'The Plan'."
Ron snorted in laughter and then patted him on the shoulder. "Keep up what you were just doing and it will work."
Draco's face reddened and he gave Ron a look that was reminiscent of his school days. "I don't know what you are talking about, Weasley."
"Course not, Malfoy, course not." Ron said as he stood and walked away, still laughing.
"Crap!" Draco sighed as he leaned his head back against the wall. He was startled by the next voice as he thought he was alone.
"He's right, Draco. What you just did for him, especially after what Gault was trying to do, will forward 'The Plan'. Hated or not, it IS working." Madam Pomfrey said with a smirk.
Draco stood and looked at her for a silent moment before he smiled and shook his head. "You know Madam," he said sweetly, "that look just doesn't go for you."
"What look?" Madam Pomfrey eyed the younger man with confusion.
"Smugness." Draco said as he turned to walk away.
He grinned at her laughter that followed him as he walked back to his private lab. They would be administering the asegeuitum potion as soon as Gault and his new assistant could put it into the syringes. It should only take them about twenty minutes and Draco needed to pick up the first round of healing potions that he had made earlier this morning.
His step was light and there was a smile on his face that hadn't been seen in a long while. He would have Harry, possibly sooner than they all thought.
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Thank you to all that read and I think that there will be maybe two chapters left to this story. I am unsure if there will be a NC-17 chapter in here but it IS leaning that way. I have a story that has a few NC-17 chapters in it but I don't think I am any good at writing them. I'll think about it.
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LMG