Thanks to Narcissa Louise Snape, Tony Moonstone and cassy1994 for reading and reviewing! Only two more chapters after this. I've begun posting my fanfics on AO3. Not sure if I like that site yet. But it seems like a ton of people are on it, so I thought I'd give it a try. Anybody here try it? Anyway, since I've been in Drarry mode for the past couple months, I've come up with some more story ideas. Just started writing one today, but I don't know when it'll be ready to post.
* I don't own the characters in the Harry Potter world, blah, blah, blah . . .
Harry quickly doused the small side table lamp with his wand. He pulled Draco back toward him.
In a hushed voice, he said, "Hide and stay out of sight. If it's the killer, he may not even know you're here."
"No, I can help. Two against one are better odds," Draco whispered back.
"I can take care of myself. Especially if it really is another Auror, I'll know his tactics."
It was difficult to see Draco's face in the darkened room, but he reached out and held his chin.
"Draco, I've just found you. I don't want to lose you. Please do as I ask. Go on the other side of the bed and crouch down."
After a moment, and the creak of a step outside the door, Draco complied. Harry moved to the doorway of the loo, hoping to catch the intruder by surprise as he came into the room. He didn't hear an audible spell but saw the glow of Alohomora on the lock.
Harry's heart sped up as the lock clicked open. Suddenly, the light from the hall that normally came through the bottom of the door went out. Harry willed his eyes to adjust more quickly to the darkness, but he'd have to be patient. Wand at the ready, he prepared to disarm anyone that came through.
Harry's breath was shallow as he strained to listen. If he were the one breaking in, he thought he'd try to surprise whomever he was looking to kill by crouching low. He didn't know if the intruder thought of that, but Harry squatted just inside the loo doorjamb. He didn't want to kill the other person, just disarm and disable them. A Trip Jinx could be effective, but it wouldn't disarm them. Besides, Expelliarmus was Harry's go-to spell. He excelled at it. But in the dark, close quarters of his hotel room, there would be little room for error.
The door slid open noiselessly. Another nonverbal spell? Perhaps the killer cast a Muffliato on the area. No, Harry didn't hear any buzzing sound.
It seemed to take forever for the intruder to come inside the room. Harry was reluctant to engage him or her out in the hallway, for fear of being seen by or harming a Muggle.
Just then, Harry heard another sound, but this one came from inside the room. It must have been Draco. The prowler may have heard it as well, as he moved more quickly, stepping inside and closing the door behind him.
"Expelliarmus!" Harry was quick. But the man must have anticipated Harry's move. He was also crouched low, so Harry's spell missed.
The man cast a Stupify, but Harry protected himself well. Several hexes went back and forth between them. Harry was more convinced than ever that the man was indeed an Auror. They were fairly evenly matched. Although, the cramped space didn't allow for spells to fully develop before being countered.
Disobeying Harry's request, Draco stood and blindly cast a hex at the killer. It missed but alerted the man to Draco's presence. Harry could just make out the wand being leveled at his lover.
"Draco!"
He didn't wait for Draco to protect himself. Harry directed a Shield Charm at him as the killer cast a curse at Draco.
"You protect a Death Eater? You traitor." The killer turned to Harry.
Once again, Harry cast a disarming charm, but this time it worked. A fraction of a second later, the disarmed man threw something at Harry, picked up Draco's cane from the desk and ran at Draco.
Suddenly, the door burst open. "Petrificus Totalus!"
As the man fell backward, Harry could see Ron on the other end of the hex. "Lumos. You alright, Harry?"
"I'm fine." Harry turned to Draco. "Did you get hurt?"
"He barely touched me." But Draco was pale, his pupils blown wide.
Harry went to his lover to find a small bloody wound on the side of his face. "You're bleeding."
Draco nodded slowly. "Who is that?' He pointed.
"John Dawlish," Ron responded, standing over the rigid body of their fellow Auror. "Dawlish?" Harry questioned. "Are you certain?"
"Quite." Ron pulled the hood of the man's robe back. "Rhodes, put an Anti-Disapparation jinx on him, give him an Anti-Paralysis Potion and cuff him. We need to get him to Shacklebolt straightaway."
"I need to take Draco to St. Mungo's."
Ron glanced at Draco, then back to Harry. "Yeah, all right. I'll explain to Kingsley what happened. But he'll want to debrief you as soon as possible."
"Once I know Draco is all right, I'll go to the Ministry."
Harry took Draco by the waist and disapparated.
hdhdhd
Harry stood as the Healer came through the double doors to the waiting room.
"How is he?"
Healer Cummings put up a hand. "He took a couple of hard blows to his head. The concussion is fairly severe."
"He'd been hit by falling bricks a week ago as well."
The Healer nodded. "That would explain the extent of the damage. He must not have been fully healed when he was attacked this evening."
"Will he be all right?"
"He's young and strong. And you got him here straightaway this time. I don't believe he'll suffer any permanent damage."
"Can I see him?"
"I've given him a potent Sleep Potion. He needs rest."
"Oh, all right." Harry was disappointed, but he understood.
"You look like you could use some rest as well," the Healer said. "Were you hurt? Perhaps I should give you a once over."
"No, I wasn't hurt at all. Would it be okay for me to come back to check on him later?"
"Well," the Healer scratched his head, "visiting hours have already ended." He paused, appearing a bit starstruck by Harry. "I suppose the saviour of the Wizarding world should be allowed to visit his . . . um, friend if he wishes."
"Thank you." Harry didn't often use his fame to gain favours, but in this case, he was happy to take advantage. "I'll be back."
hdhdhd
Standing in front of Shacklebolt's office door, Harry sighed heavily before knocking.
"Come in Harry."
Harry glanced about, wondering where the surveillance spell on the door was coming from. Or perhaps Shacklebolt simply knew Harry would be the only one knocking so late.
He poked his head inside.
"Sir? Ron said I should come no matter how late. Are you certain you wouldn't rather do this in the morning?"
"No. I think debriefing you now will be more conducive to a good night's sleep than letting it fester."
Harry nodded. More conducive to whose sleep, he wondered. His or Shacklebolt's?
"Have a seat. Mr. Weasley filled me in on the general facts. But I want details from you."
Kingsley set a self-writing quill to work as Harry began from the moment he arrived in Ackerley Town Hall. Harry told him in great detail how he and Draco escaped to Hogsmeade, then holed up in a Muggle hotel in London. He explained how Draco pawned his mother's jewelry in order for them to survive without Ministry support.
Shacklebolt not-so-subtly reminded Harry that he was without Ministry support because he failed to follow protocol.
Rather than remind Kingsley that had he done that, he and Draco would likely have been killed, Harry pushed on.
Of course, he left out the specifics about the nature of his relationship with Draco. He didn't mention any kissing or fondling. He definitely didn't disclose any near-declarations of love for his charge.
So, when he got to the part when Draco showed up to his room late that evening, Harry blushed. He couldn't think of a plausible reason for Draco to have stayed for over an hour, until the killer showed up. As an Auror on a stakeout, Harry should have immediately sent him away. Instead, he put the man in danger.
At the end of Harry's tale, Shacklebolt laced his fingers together and rested his hands on the desk. The piercing stare he gave Harry rivaled that of even the most evil of Death Eaters Harry had encountered.
"Is there anything else you'd like to add Mr. Potter?"
Biting his lip, Harry finally looked away. "Yes, sir."
Shacklebolt turned toward the quill. "Finite."
A long sigh escaped Harry's mouth. At least Shacklebolt was willing to listen to Harry's confession off the record. That didn't mean there wouldn't be consequences.
Mouth suddenly dry, Harry tried several times to begin. He cleared his throat. "I'm afraid I've behaved in a manner . . . unbecoming an Auror."
Kingsley remained silent. Harry didn't know why he was so hesitant. Ron had already voiced his suspicions regarding Harry's relationship with Draco. Shacklebolt was only waiting for Harry to confirm it himself.
"I didn't mean for it to happen. I suppose it was the unusual circumstances that brought us together. But I have grown quite fond of Draco. Quite fond."
"And you revealed your feelings to Mr. Malfoy during the course of this investigation?"
"Um," Harry swallowed, "sort of."
Kingsley's brow furrowed. "Harry, I'm trying to understand what happened between you and Mr. Malfoy. I can't help you unless you're forthright and honest with me."
"Help me with what, exactly?" Harry asked.
"Any legal action Mr. Malfoy might take. It sounds as though you took advantage of him. You know my feelings regarding Aurors getting involved with victims. Or suspects. You were in a position of authority. You know the psychological trauma victims face and how vulnerable they can be. Mr. Malfoy lost his father. Did you not understand the ramifications of him turning to you for consolation and support?"
"Was I not supposed to comfort him?"
"It depends on the manner in which you comforted him."
Harry blushed, recalling the embrace they shared while Draco cried. There was nothing sexual about it. But they were both stripped down to pants. If it had been another Auror doing the same, Harry would have thought it most inappropriate.
"Kingsley, I don't think Draco will be pressing any charges against me. I think he feels the same way about me. Actually, I'm certain of it," Harry said. "Anything that happened was consensual."
Shacklebolt rubbed his temples. "But that's what I'm trying to tell you Harry. In Malfoy's state of mind, and in these circumstances, it's not necessarily considered consensual. Have you ever heard of the term transference?"
"Um, maybe. What is it?"
"It's a term used to describe the psychological state of a patient who transfers their emotions toward one person to another person, particularly a caregiver. It's possible that when Malfoy lost his father, he subconsciously transferred those affections to you."
"Oh." Harry pressed his lips together. "So, you think he only went along with me, because he . . . fuck. Did I victimize him all over again?"
"I know that wasn't your intention."
Harry's brow furrowed. There were several times Draco seemed to have forgotten that his father had died. But when he remembered, he turned to Harry.
"Conversely, any affection you have for him may have resulted from your need to . . . help people."
"You mean my hero complex?" Harry scoffed.
Putting up a hand, Shacklebolt corrected Harry. "I didn't say that. I admire your desire to continue to serve the Wizarding community. You, of all people, have the right to rest on your laurels. Yet, you're still trying to make the world a better place. Your sympathy and empathy for Draco Malfoy is part of that."
"My feelings toward Draco aren't part of some need to be a hero. They started long before this case–"
"And you didn't recuse yourself when you were first assigned?"
"I didn't expect to be spending an entire week in close quarters with him. I thought it would be a simple escort, and that would be that."
Shacklebolt sighed. "This is becoming quite complicated. Legally, he could have a case against you if he felt coerced or obligated in any way."
"But he came to me tonight. He didn't have to. Draco was at the safe house with his mother. I thought that if he came to me, that meant he felt the same way."
Pursing his lips, Shacklebolt admitted, "He may. But that doesn't excuse your behavior. An official reprimand is going on your record. And I'm suspending you from duties for a week. I'll have to interview Mr. Malfoy myself to determine if any other action is to be taken. For now, you're dismissed. Go home and get some rest."
Harry stood. "Thank you." He started to walk out, but turned. "I'm very sorry sir. Not necessarily for what happened between me and Draco, but for the way it happened. I should have waited until the investigation was over before pursuing a relationship. I know that. It won't happen again."
"I should hope not."
After leaving Kingsley's office, Harry apparated straight to St. Mungo's. The Healer on duty wasn't quite as taken by Harry's fame as the previous one, but he reluctantly allowed Harry to visit Draco.
Draco was still sleeping when Harry walked into the dimly lit room. A small bandage on his forehead was the only indication that he had been injured.
Harry thought about what Kingsley told him about abuse of power. Had he really coerced Draco into an intimate relationship? The thought of hurting the man after all he'd been through made Harry sick to his stomach. Draco had told him he wasn't sure exactly how he felt. Harry practically obligated Draco into giving him a blow job. The man clearly was inexperienced, but Harry let it happen anyway.
Harry sat down in the chair next to Draco's bed and took Draco's hand.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't mean to force you into anything you weren't ready for. I wish you would wake up so I can tell you . . . I've never been in love before, but I'm pretty certain I am now. If you tell me that you don't feel the same way, and that what we shared was only a matter of circumstances, I'll let you go. I just want you to be okay."
He kissed Draco's hand and rested his head next to it. Before long, he was in as deep a sleep as Draco.