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Submission for IWSC Summer Camp – Round 2 – Painting
Malfoy Cabin - This is gunna get messy. Write about someone trying to break into the world of the arts (i.e art, performing arts).
Submission for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry forum – August Auction 10/8 – "This is all just a game, [name], and I'm winning."
Summary: Draco and Harry compete to paint the best-selling painting for the Hogwarts Memorial Auction, with their own bets at stake. Warnings: suggestion of mpreg.
For Crissie 3
Thanks for the beta: Arcane Illusions, secretfanficlover
Title: The Auction Bet
WC: 2533
"I bet you that I could be an artist if I wanted to be," Harry said as he and Draco lay in bed one night. Draco sniggered and one look at Harry's horrified face and it turned into a downright roar.
"I'm sorry but you? An artist?" Draco teased. "You don't have a creative bone in your body."
"You want to bet?" Harry replied. "We each paint a picture and submit it to that auction coming up…"
"The Battle of Hogwarts Memorial Auction?"
"Yes… that." Harry nodded. "Then whoever sells their painting for the most money, wins."
Draco pulled Harry closer to his chest and asked, "What do I get when I win?"
Harry pulled himself away. "When I win, we have a baby."
Draco looked at him for a moment. This was new talk. They had been married for a year now and yes, they had talked about raising a child, but Draco had always thought of it as a future thing. Once their life was established. They were still dealing with stigma, from him being a former Death Eater, their coming out, dating and subsequent marriage… to throw a child into that mix was too soon.
Draco hesitated, but then nodded. "Okay, but if I win, you will bake me something."
Harry chuckled. It was something that he had taken up after the war, to calm his nerves. "Okay, let's do this then!" He reached up and kissed the former Slytherin upon his pale cheek before leaving the safety of his arms. He had work to do.
Harry's first stop was for supplies. He would need a canvas, paint, brushes, and that board thingy, whatever it was called. He should have paid attention in art class in primary school. He stopped off at a Muggle art supplies store and marvelled at the array of products. Art was a lot more than painting apparently.
Harry wandered down the aisle of the store and wondered what Draco was doing. His husband wouldn't think to go Muggle. He would probably buy expensive, exclusive supplies. Harry wasn't like that, quantity over quality this time, especially as he hadn't tried painting before.
He followed the signs for the type of crafting he wanted to do. Watercolour seemed familiar, he vaguely remembered learning it in primary school and it was easy enough. Finger painting would have been even easier, but Harry was trying to win here.
He purchased a selection of brushes, a large set of watercolours, a mixing palette (that was what it was called), several canvases and an easel. The next hurdle was making sure that Draco didn't see it before the auction. That meant that he couldn't paint it at home, not where Draco could and would find it. Harry knew his husband far too well. He would resort to dirty tactics to win if he got the chance.
Sure enough when he got home, Harry was ambushed at the door. "Where have you been all day?" Draco asked, hand on hip, his thin lips pouty.
"I was working on my painting," Harry stated and weaved around Draco. He pecked his blonde husband on the cheek and proceeded to the kitchen to start on dinner.
"Can I have a look?" Draco asked as he joined Harry in the kitchen. Harry turned to look at him as he collected a variety of meat and vegetables from the magical pantry that Draco had made for them.
"It's a surprise, love," Harry said as he began chopping the vegetables. "You'll see at the auction. Like everyone else."
Draco scoffed, "Well mine will be better anyway. I bet you used… muggle supplies and all, didn't you?" Harry saw in his eyes, that it was partly in jest. Draco had come a long way since they first got together. He was more accepting of Muggles and Muggleborns (particularly after Hermione beat him in every subject at school) but it was hard to slip out of a childhood full of prejudice sometimes.
"Well, my Muggle supplies are going to beat you hands down," Harry said, sticking his tongue out before returning his attention to dinner.
Draco huffed and with a swish of his wand, set the table. Harry chuckled to himself, Draco could pout all he liked but he wouldn't let him see what he was painting!
The day of the auction was fast approaching, and Harry noticed that Draco was getting more and more eager to see what Harry was painting. Was he scared that Harry would win the bet? Harry focused on his painting, located in Ron and Hermione's shed. He had a brilliant idea for it that he was sure people would love.
Harry's first few attempts weren't that great if he said so himself. He lifted up his first attempt which was little more than a load of squiggles on the canvas. He finally realised that he needed to sketch it first so that he had something to follow. He had decided to paint Hogwarts; it seemed fitting when it was the memorial auction, and he was sure that people would love it.
Harry stood paintbrush in hand just as he heard a rustle outside. He quickly covered his painting with a sheet and spun around. 'Is that a blonde head I see?' he wondered as he peered out the window. He swore he saw someone duck into the bushes but there was no-one there now.
Harry used a spell to fog the windows and hide his actions from view and then shrunk his painting down into his pocket along with all his painting supplies. Harry would need to find a new place to paint, it seems that Draco may have found him.
"Finished already, Harry?" Hermione called over from the backdoor of their house and Harry walked over to talk to her.
"Yeah, I think I saw Draco just now," he said, looking around. "I would continue, but I don't want him to see it before it is listed for auction."
Hermione laughed and shook her head. "You two are such a pair, how can you be married to him and not trust him?"
Harry chuckled, running a hand through his black hair. "I trust him… mostly. I just know that he wants to win badly, and he will cheat if he has to." Harry would trust Draco with his life, he was the love of his life after all, but he didn't trust competitive Draco, he was too… Slytherin.
"So where are you going to paint now?" she asked.
"Oh I think I will ask George for help." Harry was sure this would be a good idea, after all, he could use WWW products to booby-trap his new studio.
George was happy to help. Harry was set up in the old flat above the store in Diagon Alley. George had moved out after the battle, not wanting to live there without Fred. It was charmed to only allow Harry entrance, and if anyone else tried, they would get an unpleasant surprise.
It was peaceful in the flat and Harry could understand why George didn't want to live there anymore. It seemed like a time capsule. He wondered if George even came up here anymore. Fred's door was locked and there was still a pile of clothes by the bathroom door as if it was waiting to be picked up for laundry day.
This just made Harry's goal even sweeter. He wanted not only to win the bet and start a family with Draco but also raise money for the charity, to help people like George who lost so much during the war. He looked at his painting and realised something was missing from it. He still had some time to add the final touches.
Several hours later, Harry laid down his paintbrush and smiled. He was done. With a flick of his wand, the paint instantly dried and he was ready. Harry felt a sense of accomplishment sweep over him, it seemed even better than having completed Auror Academy. He had created something, something amazing. He was sure he would win the bet now.
Just then, Harry heard a crash, followed by a splash and then a scream. A very Draco-like scream.
Harry quickly packed away his painting and all his supplies. He wouldn't need to come back here again, once the painting was safely tucked away in his pockets, he opened the door. Only to see a livid Draco Malfoy standing there. "Potter…" he fumed. Draco was covered in red paint from head to toe and across his forehead, 'Gryffindor Rules' was written in golden glitter.
Harry roared and this just made Draco turn even more red – if that was possible. "Well, that's what you get for being sneaky!" Harry clutched his side as he tried to control his laughter. "Scourgify," he said, pointing his wand at his pouty Slytherin.
"Well, I'm sorry, I just wanted to see how you were doing. I missed you and… I wanted to see what you had painted," Draco said bashfully.
"You will see on Saturday at the auction, like everyone else," Harry said, taking Draco's hands and then kissing him softly. Harry said with a grin, "Chin up! This is all just a game Draco, and I'm winning."
"You wish! I have plans for what I want you to bake. Big plans."
Harry enlisted Draco to help him clear up all the paint and glitter. He looked around, eager to leave the flat in its time capsule-like state. Draco moved over to pick up the pile of clothes by the bathroom and Harry stopped him. "No, that needs to stay there."
Harry and Draco arrived fashionably late to the charity auction. They both handed their paintings off to the registrar and then went to take a seat in the Great Hall. It seemed strange to be back at Hogwarts, there were now no signs of the war, at least structurally.
Harry waved to Hermione who was chatting to Kingsley Shacklebolt. Harry spotted the Weasleys who were all sitting together, Molly and George at the centre. Their family encircled them in support. Harry pulled Draco into some seats behind the Weasley clan. Harry wanted to see their faces when his painting was unveiled.
"Now Draco, some ground rules," Harry said as they waited for the auction to start. "We do not bid on our own paintings, nor do we bid on each other's." Harry knew Draco all too well. If he got the chance, he would buy his own painting at an extortionate price, so he could win the bet. Why Draco wanted him to bake something so badly, Harry didn't know.
Draco seemed to think for a while but nodded his head in agreement. "Fine…"
The auction began. Draco won an antique set of books from Professor Vector and Harry won Viktor Krum's broomstick from the last World Cup. But soon the main event approached, and Harry couldn't wait. His palms were sweaty, and he felt like he couldn't sit still. Harry rested his head on Draco's shoulder for a moment to calm himself.
"Next up for bidding is a painting by the Golden Boy, the Boy Who Lived, the saviour of the Wizarding World!" the auctioneer announced, and Harry felt himself blush.
"Was that introduction really necessary?" Draco scoffed. "You are bound to win now."
Harry patted Draco on the thigh and smiled. "We'll see," he said. Deep down, he wanted to win for their future child and for his friends, the moment of truth was upon them.
The painting was revealed and everyone gasped in wonder. Harry's painting was blown up so that everyone could see it in detail. He had painted the castle at sunset and in the shadows stood Remus, Tonks, Colin, Fred and all the others who were lost. It was vibrant and sombre. He was proud of his work and hoped it would sell well.
Harry looked over at Molly and George and saw that Molly was weeping and smiling. Harry felt a rush of relief. She liked it. George however had a stony expression, Harry gulped.
"Let's start the bidding at 20 galleons!"
"30!"
"50!"
"100!"
"250 galleons!" George cried and stood up.
"250 galleons… going once…"
The room went silent as if everyone knew he had to win it.
"Twice!"
The room remained silent and Harry looked around, he could see everyone's eyes on George. Harry gripped Draco's hand in comfort.
"Sold to George Weasley!"
George went up and collected the painting and then moved over to Harry and shook his hand tightly. "Thank you…"
The room was still for a few minutes before the auctioneer cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Next up, we have a painting by Draco Malfoy, husband of Mr Potter."
Harry couldn't help but chuckle at the lacklustre announcement. When the painting was revealed, Harry let out a roar.
The painting was of the two of them and they were… naked.
Harry looked at Draco in shock. His husband looked like the cat who got the cream and Harry shook his head before looking back at the picture.
Harry's side of the painting was very light, streams of sunlight shone down on him and glistened on his hair and abs. Draco's was dark and moody. Their hands met in the middle where the light from Harry's side of the painting was creeping up Draco's arm, washing away the dark mark.
It was both sweet and weird, and Harry loved it. Now he wished he hadn't made the no-bidding on each other's paintings rule. He blushed at the thought that someone would be walking home with this painting, at least the painting stopped around the waist.
"Okay, let's start the bidding at 10 galleons."
"15!"
"20!"
"55!" Luna stood up and raised her wand like a paddle.
"60!" Ginny stood up just like Luna did.
"65!"
"70!"
Harry watched as the two girls went back and forth between each other, the bids getting higher and higher, much to everyone's surprise. He glanced over at Draco and saw him grinning with delight.
"You planned this didn't you?" he whispered to him. He knew that both Ginny and Luna for some reason found it fascinating that the two of them were gay and together. He didn't fully understand it but Draco seemed to.
"I don't know what you are talking about," Draco replied and raised his nose in the air triumphantly.
Finally, the bidding stopped, and Draco's painting sold for a whopping 500 galleons to Luna Lovegood.
-line-
"Okay, you won, Draco." Harry met up with Draco at the Gala afterwards, they had separated briefly to chat with their respective school friends. "What do you want me to bake?"
"Oh I want something very special," Draco said, pulling Harry to an alcove and kissed him. "I want you to bake something, something for us to share for many years to come." He smirked and looked at Harry knowingly.
Harry raised an eyebrow and as Draco's hand rested briefly on Harry's abdomen, he figured it out. "Oh… you want me to have a baby?"
Draco winked suggestively. "You are an expert baker, after all."