"Oh Merlin, we got that meeting in ten minutes." Ron leaned back, stretching his arms out over his head.
Harry shifted carefully in his chair, his ass still sore even after three days. At least his chest was mostly back to normal now. The first few nights, he had crashed in bed early, but found he couldn't get comfortable lying on his front or his back. He ended up sleeping on his side, which wasn't a normal position for him and woke up every time he turned over from the pain.
Despite that, he was feeling better overall though. He was still sleeping a lot more right after sessions with Draco, feeling so physically and emotionally drained by them. All the sleep had left him feeling much more alert and energetic at work.
"I'll meet you in there." Harry went to the kitchenette, getting a glass of water, and heading towards the boardroom.
Once a quarter, the department had a bigger meeting like this, with all the aurors coming in. He saw many that worked shifts opposite to his own, and some of the newer staff he didn't know that well yet. He and Ron were among the oldest aurors. Ron slid into the chair Harry had saved for him just as the meeting started.
"Thanks to everyone for coming in today..." Matilda Dankworth, the department head, started the meeting, and reviewed the progress of some larger scale investigations.
"Now, I'm sorry to say we are facing possible staff cutbacks in the new year. You have no doubt noticed we hired only two new aurors in the spring, Nathaniel and Folade, and they are doing great. We likely won't have the budget to hire more next year." Matilda ended the meeting soon after that.
Harry looked around the room, watching as the aurors chatted and shuffled out. Men and women he had worked long, hard shifts with over the years.
Ron gave him a funny look. "Are you coming? I want to go to the Toad and Turtle for some shepherd's pie."
Nodding, Harry got up. "I'm just a bit surprised about what Matilda said at the end there. We are already down about ten people from the numbers we used to have, and they aren't hiring as many new aurors. How can she be considering cutbacks?"
"Simple." Ron scoffed. "The war has been over for ages now, Harry. Most of the Death Eaters are dead, in Askaban, or have left the country."
Harry followed his friend to the pub, sinking into their favourite booth at the back. "But it's not like crime is gone entirely. I was just at Gringotts last week investigating a robbery. A big one."
"Not gone, but it's back to pre-war levels. Matilda has been commenting on the trend for ages." Ron turned to place his order with the server, leaving Harry to think for a few moments.
After placing his own order, Harry took a sip of his beer. "Why do they keep asking me to work long hours then?"
Ron tilted his head a bit to the side. "Do they? I haven't seen a manager do that with anyone for years. I just thought you worked so much to avoid going back to that old sad house of yours."
Harry gave him a light kick under the table. "It's not that bad. Clementine even brought some cleaners in last week, and now she's mentioning painters."
"Oh, she's working out OK, then?" Ron gave him a wide, happy smile, looking quite satisfied with himself.
The server came back with their meals, and they dug in hungrily. "Yeah, she is so efficient and professional. Are you sure you are related?"
Ron just chuckled at the jibe, and took a long swallow of his beer.
"Seriously, she has all my paperwork organized already, her office set up, and is handling the charity stuff great. Thanks for suggesting her." Harry was truly amazed at what the woman had done in such a short time. "I don't even have another charity event to go to until next month. I don't know what to do with all these free evenings."
Ron gave him a strange look. "I kind of thought maybe you were getting involved with someone. You seem to be eager to leave right when your shift ends lately."
The words almost had Harry choking on his beer. He was involved with someone, in a way. Draco. But he could hardly tell Ron about all that, or that he was leaving early because his backside was whipped almost raw. "Well, there is someone lately, someone from the past...but I don't think it will go anywhere."
"Didn't Bill have some saying about that?" Ron took a sip of his drink, and gave him a commiserating look. "Sometimes Merlin sends an ex back into your life to see if you're still stupid."
Harry chuckled, and felt a bit better. It seemed like ages since he had spent time with the Weasley's.
"Did you ever go to that place?" Ron leaned forward, talking a bit softer.
It took a second to figure out what he was referring to. He had kind of forgotten that seeing Draco was because he was paid in advance, and worked in a brothel. Harry was so focussed on Draco, the rest just seemed to fade away. "Um, yeah. Once a week. It's good."
Luckily, that seemed to satisfy Ron, and he didn't press for more details. "Good. It's about time you did something just for yourself. For fun."
They chatted and joked around as they finished their meal, their friendship just as close and easy as it had been at school. But Ron's words kept repeating in his mind. Doing things just for fun. For himself. When was the last time he had done that?
Were the sessions with Draco 'fun'? Exciting, painful, frustrating... yes, but 'fun'? Harry smirked to himself, trying to apply the word to being whipped until he was practically sobbing.
They were something he did for himself, at least. An hour a week where nothing existed outside that small room. And afterwards, all the times he relived the sessions in his mind. Every word, every look, every command. Every time Draco touched his body either with his hands or his wicked little tools. Whips, crops, clamps, floggers... Leaving his mark or a burning sensation behind. His gentle, soothing fingers leaving Harry in a much more wretched state than anything else.
Harry said goodbye to Ron, after giving him a hard hug that made the ginger chuckle. He walked home, liking the cool evening air to help him clear his head.
At home, he went right to the bedroom and stripped, lying down and quickly uttering a spell. He spread the lube over himself, stroking fast until he was fully hard. His mind went easily back to the last session, closing his eyes tight like he was blindfolded again.
This time, in his imagination, Draco took his non-verbal invitation, his hand moving up to stroke him. He arched off the bed, fucking into his own fist, imagining it was Draco's. Draco watching as he shamelessly tried to cum. Would Draco let him finish, or pull away and leave Harry desperate? Would he let Harry cum, making a mess all over his own chest? Would he lean down and take Harry in his mouth?
Tonight, he let the fantasy go even further. Draco ordering him to turn over, and then putting the wrist and ankle cuffs on him again. Getting Harry up in his knees, ass up, head down. Completely vulnerable. Harry moved to this position on his own bed, and let his slick fingers explore, working them inside. He hadn't done this before, only doing hand and mouth things with the muggle guys.
It was Draco's fingers, teasing him, pushing inside. Would Draco open him up, and then use a toy? Tease Harry? Get him gasping and begging for more? Fuck, what would it feel like to have Draco naked behind him, pushing his thick, hard cock in? Harry came from that image, his fingers in his own ass, collapsing down on to the bed.
...
Harry cleaned up and slipped on some pajama bottoms, heading down to the kitchen to make some tea.
On the way, he toured around the second floor. Clementine had put her stamp on the area, everything spotless and well organized. She had been able to repurpose most of the existing furniture, getting Harry to move the bed to the top floor and clearing out most of the clutter. Harry had insisted she order herself a desk and any office supplies she needed. The drawing room looked much more inviting with the dust and cobwebs gone.
The main floor also showed signs of her attention. The cleaners had gone over this floor as well. As he waited for the kettle to boil, preferring to make tea the old muggle way, he leaned against the counter and viewed the kitchen with fresh eyes.
The paint on the walls and some of the furniture was in pretty bad shape, but the overall design was fine. He liked the long table that could easily seat a dozen people or more. Not that he could remember the last time he had invited anyone over.
The kettle boiled, and he made a big pot of tea and carried it out to his study. It was a small room with a fireplace and a bookcase, and where he spent the odd evening he had at home.
Curling up on the sofa under a blanket and sipping his tea, Harry thought about Draco. He had to face the truth...he was becoming a little obsessed with the man.
Draco had given him some options, changing to a different man at the brothel or meeting someone at a bar for a hook-up. Part of Harry liked the idea of just having sex with someone. Being in a bedroom or hotel room, being naked together, having the time to really touch and explore each other. Try everything he was curious about.
But somehow, it just felt kind of empty. He preferred being intimate like that with someone he knew and liked. Someone that he shared mutual desire with.
He hadn't wanted someone, really wanted someone, for years. But the second Draco pulled his hood back, Harry had felt it. Perhaps there had been this attraction between them right from the start, but it was overshadowed by everything else going on between them. Now that the other stuff was gone, Harry was able to feel the attraction. Or maybe he had been unaware of idea of being bisexual or gay when he was in school.
Had Draco known back then? How did he identify himself now? He seemed to have no problem with having male clients, but did he just do it for the money? Was that why he had the 'no sex' policy? Was it somehow OK to beat and touch a naked man, as long as you kept your own clothes on?
What were the exact boundaries of his 'no sex' definition? He had touched Harry everywhere, except his cock, his balls, his asshole. Nipples and ass were OK, it seemed. He had obviously noticed that Harry was aroused, had almost touched him last time. What if Harry touched himself in front of Draco? Would he allow that? Was that sex? He wouldn't officially be having sex with a client. A client would be having sex in front of him. What if he used toys in front of Draco? What if Draco gave him the toy and ordered him to use it? Told him exactly what to do? What if Draco was fucking Harry with a big dildo and ordering him to jerk himself off? He wasn't actually touching Harry if he did that, and his clothes would still be on. Was that having sex with someone?
Harry was almost fully hard again, with the way his thoughts were galloping, but he reined them in with a sigh. He had been worse than a teenager lately, rubbing one out several times a day.
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck...
What the hell was he going to do? He had to stop seeing Draco. This really was becoming an obsession. Was it just because he had more time on his hands lately? Was he just filling it with thoughts of Draco? This was stupid. Monique had said Draco only saw clients for a dozen sessions, and then moved on to other guys. So, in ten more sessions, it would be over.
Was there any way he could see Draco outside the brothel? Either now or after the sessions were done? Harry wouldn't be his client then. Would Draco be willing to have sex then?
What could there be between them? Some wild, crazy sex for a few weeks or months, until they both got it out of their systems? Maybe it was just a way to deal with all their old animosity. Fuck the living shit out of each other and go their separate ways.
There was no way it could be more than that, right? Is there any way Draco could stop being a sex worker and become Harry's partner? Find a respectable job, live a respectable life? Could he do it? Would people accept him? Would he even want that? Could they be happy together?
Part of Harry laughed at the idea, while another part of him could picture it working. He had been through enough in his life that he deserved to be happy, right?
Whatever way it was, he couldn't stop seeing Draco, and pushing him for more. Maybe it was an obsession. Maybe it was unhealthy. But he was making Harry feel more alive than he had in years.
...
"Get on all fours." Draco ordered, picking up a paddle covered in black leather.
Harry quickly rolled over and positioned himself in the centre of the bed. He wore handcuffs that were attached to the headboard with a long chain, and a spreader bar was attached to his ankles, so it wasn't too difficult to move around. Draco had been flicking a flogger along his inner thighs, making Harry tense as he moved upwards.
This was their third session, and Harry was getting used to the pain. By the time Draco had him tied into position and brought out whatever would be used on him, Harry was deep into the mindset, almost eager for it to begin. The first few impacts always made him tense up and jump, but he found a way to breathe into it and relax, letting himself go with it. He dropped into almost a trance, just completely in the moment, focussed entirely on Draco and the pain and how perfect it all was. Submitting to it totally.
He pushed his ass out, almost begging Draco to hit him with the paddle. The first few hits were shockingly loud, the flat hard surface against his ass, and then Harry got used to how it felt. The shock of the impact, the radiating pain, the tingle of the blood rushing to that spot. Harry gasped, lowering his head and arching his back, before sticking his ass back out for the next one. Savoring each one.
"Fuck, that's beautiful." Draco said softly, running his hand over Harry's arched back.
Looking at Draco over his shoulder, Harry could see that his eyes were a bit darker, and his face a little flushed and damp. "You should take off your shirt, sir. You look like you are getting hot."
Those words and the way Draco had looked sent a wave of pure delight through Harry. Draco wasn't just doing this for the money, he was enjoying it too. Enjoying having Harry as his sub. He got back into position, ready for more.
There was a pause, and out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw a flash of blue and knew Draco had followed his suggestion. He had taken off his blue dress shirt and tossed it to the chair. Harry wanted so badly to look over his shoulder at Draco again, but didn't dare. Not yet.
The hard slaps of the paddle resumed, and Harry closed his eyes, imagining how Draco looked, bare chested, swinging that paddle. Slim and muscular, pale skin, getting flushed and warm from his exertions. Blond hair flopping on to his face. Harry was practically moaning at the image.
The paddle dropped to the floor, and Harry could hear Draco panting. He undid the spreader bar, and Harry shifted his legs closer together. His joints got a little stiff if he was in one position too long.
The cooling gel was now being smoothed over his skin, and Harry dropped his head right down to the bed, his ass shamelessly in the air. He rocked slightly back into Draco's touch, silently begging for more.
"Behave." Draco growled, but then his slick hands moved down Harry's back.
Harry froze for a second at the unexpected contact, and then relaxed into it. Draco usually applied the gel only to the areas he had worked on, and he hadn't done anything to Harry's back today.
But it was over too soon. Draco nudged Harry to roll over and quickly undid the cuffs. He rubbed Harry's wrists, but they weren't really marked.
The only area left was Harry's inner thighs, and he watched Draco through his eyelashes. Draco looked wonderful, his chest lean and long, and basically hairless. His dark jeans rode low on his hips, and Harry's gaze traced over them. Was Draco hard for him?
Kneeling between Harry's legs, Draco pushed at his bent knees to make them fall outward, exposing the marks on his inner thighs. He methodically smoothed the gel over each one, cooling those bright sparks of pain to dull embers.
Harry was fully erect, like he was during most of these sessions. This position had him completely on display, and having a half-naked Draco so close was simply too much. The tip was already wet with precum, and Harry simply reached down and rubbed the moisture all over the head of his cock.
Draco's eyes widened at that, but he didn't immediately order Harry to stop. So Harry closed his eyes and started stroking hard and fast, already so near the edge he knew it wouldn't take much. Having Draco watching just made it hotter.
He opened his eyes a crack, looking at Draco, and simply seeing him watching. His eyes were trained right on Harry's cock, watching it slide through his fingers. It was enough to send Harry right over the edge, and his hips bucked, cum splattering all over his own chest.
It was intense, and it took a minute for Harry to get his breath back and to come back to Earth. Draco was across the room, yanking his robe on, his hands fumbling to tug the hood over his head.
"Draco, wait..." Harry sat up, swinging his legs to the side of the bed, but the door was already slamming hard behind him.
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck...
Grabbing his wand, Harry cleaned up, and threw his clothes on. He ran down to the front desk, where a young woman was reading a thick novel.
"Can I speak with Dra-Dante?"
The woman flicked him a disinterested look. "He just left."
Fuck. Harry ran a hand through his hair. "Can I send him a message?"
"No, but you can send one to Monique. She will contact him for you if she thinks it's appropriate."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Fine. Do you have any paper I can use?"
She waved him towards a writing desk in the corner of the lobby, and Harry sank down on to the upholstered chair with a thump. What the hell could he write?
Monique,
I think I went a bit too far with Dante today.
Can you please tell him that I am very, very sorry and would love to meet to tell him that in person?
James
12 Grimmauld Place
She didn't know his real name, and his address wasn't public knowledge, so it was the best way to go.
Sighing, he left the note with the receptionist and left.
...
Two long days later he got a reply from Monique.
James,
I showed Dante your letter and he says thank you for the apology, but he thinks it best if you switch to a different man.
Please feel free to schedule an appointment with me to decide who to transfer your remaining sessions to.
Monique
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck...
Harry crumpled the note and threw it into the fire. It was no surprise that Draco had replied that way. Harry had broken one of his main rules, showing he couldn't be trusted around Draco. No doubt he had overzealous clients before, and he knew it was best to cut off contact with them.
Where did Draco even live now? The Manor had been taken as part of their reparation payments, along with most of their fortune, when his father had been sent to Azkaban. His mother was living abroad now, and Harry was surprised Draco hadn't moved with her.
Could he stake out the brothel? Wait for Draco to appear and try to talk to him? But if Draco apparated or used the floo network to get directly inside the brothel, there's no way Harry would see him.
Fuck.
...
-A/N: Tensions mounting...
-Thanks to everyone for reading and leaving reviews! Your support means a lot to me. :D