Hermione pushed a bowl of chili in front of Harry, and dug into her own. "Aren't you going to go back to talk to Dankworth soon?"
Harry shook his head as he took a bite of the spicy food. "Frankly, it's nice to have some time to myself."
Ron scoffed. "Time with Draco, you mean."
Glaring at his old friend, Harry felt immediately irritated. "Look, I came over here to see you, not to have my relationship criticized."
"Relationship," Ron rolled his eyes. "You are more his boy toy, his pet, than his boyfriend. Can't you see that he's just using you?"
Harry was really mad now. "Just because we are going out a lot and having fun? Not afraid to be seen at gay bars? I know it's not your idea of a good time, but didn't you say that I should act like a guy in his twenties?"
The past few weeks had been a blur. Draco loved going out, dressing up to the nines and socializing. It felt like they went out most nights, drinking, dancing and trying to talk to people in clubs over the loud music. Draco was still being treated like some kind of rock star, with everyone wanting to hang out with him. They crashed back at Draco's usually, having sex that practically melted Harry's brain after flirting and dirty dancing half the night.
Mornings meant more sex before Draco jumped into the shower and went to work. Harry had a few hours of sleep. Then everything started again. Suppers at high profile restaurants, dropping by the Stormcloud cafe to check on the events, and then out to more nightclubs. More drinks, dancing, partying. Paparazzi seemed to love getting pictures of them, and Harry often sighed at the images the next day, but Draco just found them amusing.
"But your hair doesn't move! It more like some kind of head sculpture than hair these days," Ron reached out a hand towards it, and Harry shifted away.
Experimenting with Draco's hair products, Harry now had perfected a version of a pompadour that tamed his hair. It even held up to their long nights out.
Hermione put a hand on his arm. "You look good, Harry. It just that it doesn't seem really 'you'." Her eyes were tracing over the way his hair swooped over the top of his head, adding a couple inches to his height.
The compliment mollified him slightly, and he shrugged. "It's kind of a gay culture thing. They really care about hair and fashion at the clubs Draco likes going to, and I don't want to be an embarrassment to him."
Plus, he found when he made an effort with his clothes or hair, Draco seemed pleased and it meant teasing and flirting more all night, leading to truly spectacular sex. Not that he would tell his friends about that.
"So, all this high profile stuff...is that just for now with Draco establishing his business, or is it all that he's really into?" Ron asked.
The question made Harry pause for a moment, considering it. Was all this going out something Draco really enjoyed, or was he just working the press for promotion? "Um, I don't, um...I guess we haven't really discussed it."
Come to think of it, he couldn't think of the last time they had really talked. Things seemed so rushed. Whenever they were out, they were constantly with other people and rarely seemed to have a moment on their own. By the time they got back to Draco's, they were talked out and sought refuge in sex, just losing themselves in each other. It was intimate and intense, but so different than how it had been with Draco in the spring.
Hermione and Ron seemed to be holding back from asking him more, but he could see them giving him concerned looks again. He stiffened in defense, as Hermione got up her nerve.
"I just want you to be happy, Harry. Remember what your therapist told you in the summer. You need to have a healthy relationship to avoid getting really hurt again, and-"
Harry shot up out of his chair so fast it fell backwards, startling Hermione into stopping her spiel. "Yeah, yeah. Draco is bad for me, blah, blah, blah. Well, I don't fucking care if everyone else approves of us being together. Maybe we just aren't meant to last forever and that's OK. I'm happy now."
Hermione and Ron stood up, trying to calm him down, but Harry just shook his head, backing towards the fireplace. He chucked in some floo powder and was soon home.
The house seemed dark and dead quiet, and that's the last thing Harry wanted. He would just sit and brood if he stayed here. He apparated to Diagon Alley.
The bookstore was closed but the Stormcloud was packed full, with journalists camped outside. Harry strode through them, making them all jump up and the flashes of their cameras lighting up the night. They shouted out his name and loudly called out questions.
Millicent Bulstrode was blocking the doorway, her heavy jaw clenched tight. "Event is sold out. Fuck off," she growled at Harry.
"I'm here to see Draco. I could care less about the debate," Harry tried to move past her to the door, but she was too large.
The press loved this, taking even more pictures. Harry considered taking out his wand to get her out of the way. She was larger than him, but he dealt with worse as an auror. Strong magical skills beat brawn any day of the week.
Everyone just froze when the cafe door opened and Draco stood there, glaring down at them. He waved Millicent a couple steps away and grabbed Harry's sleeve, yanking him to his side. "Harry Potter is always allowed in," he told the bouncer in a firm tone, before stepping back into the cafe. The press had caught it all.
"Bet you loved that, didn't ya, Potter," Draco said to him softly, pulling him into an alcove away from the crowd. "Famous Harry Potter, can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page."
"It's a cafe, not a bookshop." Harry grinned at him widely, recognizing the words from their Hogwarts days. "Wasn't that from Lockhart's book signing? Didn't your father get into a fight with Ron's dad at that event?"
"Weasley attacked him," Draco argued back, looking amused.
"After being provoked," Harry rolled his eyes. "Maybe Malfoys should stay out of bookstores. You practically attacked me a few weeks ago, first time I stepped into Tempest Books."
"After being provoked," Draco said silkily, stepping closer. "And you didn't seem to mind," he whispered, lowered his face down to kiss Harry firmly.
Harry sank into the kiss, just needing to be close to this man after all the bad emotions Hermione and Ron had stirred up. "How did I provoke you?"
Draco's eyes were already darker, and Harry liked seeing the effect he had on him. "You made the first move, coming into my store, right into my space."
"So, you have the right to jump on any customer who unwittingly walks into your business?"
Pushing Harry against the wall, Draco crowded against him. "No, just you," he said before capturing Harry's lips again with his own.
As always, Harry was already kissing him back just as hard, pushing to get closer, just needing him as much now as he had back at the brothel. It had never been like this before with anyone else. "Let's go to the flat."
Draco chuckled, a very sexy sound that made things tighten low in Harry's body. "Not until the debate is over. I need to thank the guests."
Harry listened to the buzz of talking, and it sounded like the combatants were in the thick of it. Nowhere near their closing remarks. He groaned in frustration.
Looking around, Harry tugged Draco further into the darkened alcove, and sank down to his knees. His hands were busy on the fastenings of Draco's trousers in a flash.
"Harry, no..." Draco's hands were pushing his away, and urging Harry to stand back up.
Harry was too aroused to give up that easily. He nuzzled into the front of Draco trousers, feeling his erection through the fabric, and looking up at him. He licked his lips slowly, and then raised his hands back to the fastenings.
Draco's breath caught as Harry eased his zipper down, and glanced around quickly as Harry pulled his cock out. He didn't object again, his hand grabbing hold of his shoulder encouragingly.
Knowing this had to be quick, Harry took Draco deep right away, loving the way he filled his mouth so well. He got even harder as Harry sucked and licked, his breath coming in soft pants that turned him on even more.
He knew Draco was getting close, planting his feet and his hand cupping the back of Harry's neck. Guiding him to the best pace, thrusting his hips. Harry had gotten really good at this, opening wide to take him deep, loving how much Draco got off on it. He almost choked when Draco came, easing back to take the rest.
Draco pulled back, his breath fast and his fingers fumbling as he did up his trousers. "Fuck, Harry, you're getting to be just as bad as I am."
Harry just smirked as he stood up, and kissed Draco hard, pressing his throbbing erection against his hip. "I'm going to the flat now to strip and prep myself. As soon as you are done here, come back and fuck me."
Heat sparked again in Draco's eyes at the idea of Harry ready and waiting for him. He loved it when Harry was horny and a bit desperate, usually teasing him until he was begging. "Be there soon."
...
Harry crept along the edge of the cafe, the crowd too involved in the debate to even notice him. It seemed to be about Azkaban prison, with one of the speakers arguing for capital punishment for murderers.
He found the door marked 'Private' at the back of the cafe and slipped through the wards easily. It connected to the backroom of the bookshop, and Harry quickly went through that empty space to Draco's flat.
Wanting to make things special, Harry transfigured rolls of bread into candles, and placed them around the room. He lit them with a flick of his wand, and felt pleased with the soft glow they gave the flat. He also set out a bottle of chilled white wine and a couple glasses.
In the bathroom, he splashed water on his face, brushed his teeth and made sure his hair still looked good. He added more pomade to an unruly section, grimacing slightly at the waxy, greasy texture, and washing his hands thoroughly.
Back near the bed, he pulled the sheets back and stripped, anticipation really building. Setting his clothes over a chair, he stretched out on the sheets and ran his hands over his body, imaging it was Draco's touch. Sex had never been so good with anyone else. He used Draco's high end lube to prep himself, knowing it lasted better than the conjured stuff.
He was still hard, and tempted to stroke himself, but held back. He moved the pillows into a good position, and reclined against them. Imaging Draco coming through the door, stripping fast, jumping right into Harry's arms. Fucking within seconds, being so well filled up by that gorgeous cock.
Harry rolled over, rocking his erection against the bedsheets. What if Draco came in right now, caught him doing this? Would he punish Harry for not waiting?
The thought was too arousing, and Harry flipped back over, trying to calm down. Draco hadn't displayed many dom actions since they had been together, except being a little rough at times. Pushing Harry to his limits. He knew Harry loved it. But there hadn't been any bondage or toys. Harry missed them, but knew Draco had left that life behind and he didn't want to trigger any bad memories. For Draco, being a dom had just been a job, not a natural inclination.
Harry had been lost in his thoughs for a while, and he looked at the clock. The debate should have been over at least twenty minutes by now. Even Draco thanking the guests privately shouldn't take more than ten minutes. Why wasn't he here yet?
Another ten minutes passed, and Harry started to feel bad. Where could Draco be? Stuck talking to someone he couldn't get away from? Fighting with someone in the audience or the press? Involved in some bad situation?
Echos of what Hermione and Ron said earlier started circling his brain. Ron calling him Draco's boy toy, his pet. Questioning how Harry looked now and if Draco was always going to court the press for his business.
True, Draco seemed to like shoving their relationship in the faces of the press. It was almost like a backlash, a 'fuck you' for making them afraid to be out before this. At first, Harry had liked it, finding it flattering that Draco was so willing to be seen together. Some sort of validation. But Ron's comment made him question it. Was Draco actually just using him for self promotion? Was he as bad as Gilderoy Lockheart? Grabbing ahold of Harry to boost himself up?
Harry gave a frustrated growl as he got out of the bed and blew out all the candles. He pulled his clothes back on, and apparated right into the Stormcloud. It was completely empty, the lights out and the floors even swept. The event had been over for a while.
Draco had left, obviously. Gone off somewhere with who knows what person, more interested in them than a naked and eager Harry waiting in his bed.
Harry was glad it was dark and deserted then, a sob ripping through him as he apparated right to his own bedroom at Grimmauld Place. He tore off his clothes, and jumped into the hottest shower he could stand, crying as he scrubbed the product out of his hair and used a rough loofah to try to scrub Draco's touch from his skin. He was such a fool.
He crawled into his bed, pulling the covers over his head, just wanting darkness and the world shut far, far away. He must have been emotionally exhausted, because he fell asleep not long after that.
...
The bed dipped and a familiar warmth curled around him. Harry half woke up, automatically pushing back against the man in his bed out of pure habit.
Warm lips nipped at the nape of his neck. "I thought you were going to wait for me in my bed, naughty boy."
The words floated through Harry's sleepy mind, and he woke up with a jerk. He twisted around on the bed, glaring down at Draco. "Where have you been all this time?"
It was still dark out, but likely around 2 or 3 am. Harry had been asleep at least two hours.
Draco chuckled, clearly very drunk. "You sound like an old fishwife. Shut up and kiss me."
Harry rolled his eyes at that. "No. Get the fuck out of my bed. Get the fuck out of my house."
"Baby, don't be like that," Draco purred cajolingly. It had finally sunk into his drunk brain that Harry was mad at him. "I'm sorry I fucked up. Let me make it up to you."
He pulled Harry down to the bed and crawled over him, his actions quicker than Harry had expected. His breath caught at the sight of Draco rumpled and a bit sweaty, his eyes bright with alcohol, looming over him.
Draco saw Harry's involuntary reaction and gave a small smirk. "Grab hold of the headboard with both hands, and don't let go."
He said it in a firm tone, and Harry was instantly thinking of that brothel bedroom, and how hard he had lusted for Draco back then. It clicked into something deeper inside him, his submissive side, making him instantly aroused as he stretched his hands up to grasp the headboard as he had been ordered. Pushing aside his anger just to savour Draco being more dominant.
"Good boy," his dom purred, and Harry felt a glow of pleasure at pleasing him. His hands slid firmly down his body, pulling his bent legs up to his chest and spreading them wide. "All night, I was thinking of you prepped and waiting for me."
His fingers pushed into Harry's ass, and he wasn't as loose anymore. The stretch burned a little, but his sub side loved the slight pain. The expensive lube was still there, since Harry hadn't washed it away during his earlier shower.
Draco moaned, shifting closer. He was naked and hard, pushing right into Harry all the way. "Mmmm so fucking tight..."
Faster than he usually did, Draco was moving, not giving Harry as much time to adjust. He was rough, grabbing hold of the headboard, pounding into Harry.
Harry sunk even deeper into subspace, raising his hips to take each thrust, wanting his dom's pleasure before his own. He was hard despite the rough treatment, but unable to touch himself while clutching the headboard.
Draco soon came, pushing deep to fill Harry up. He flopped to the side, panting, and pulled the sheet over his cooling body.
Still breathless, his cock aching, Harry clutched the rungs of the headboard. Should he let go and take care of himself? He cringed at the thought of disobeying a direct order. Had Draco fallen asleep?
Draco seemed to rouse himself, rolling on to his side and tucking a pillow under his head. He ran a finger down Harry's stomach, smiling at the way his muscles contracted in response. "Let go of the headboard and take care of yourself. Give me a show like you did the first time."
Harry was confused for a second and then realized Draco meant their last session at the brothel. Letting go, he lowered his hands to his chest, and knowing Draco was watching, let them move downwards. It didn't take much, a few strokes, before he was releasing all his pent up arousal.
"Good boy," Draco murmured, cleaning him up with a wand, and curling up with him under the covers.
Harry felt exhausted, sleepily cuddling with his dom.
...
Harry woke, feeling disorientated at first. He had been sleeping at Draco's so much, it felt odd to be back in his own bed. Even odder to have Draco here with him, still sleeping.
Memories of the previous night came back to him, and they were almost hard to believe. Had Draco really forgotten about him, and then come here in the middle of the night for a fuck? And Harry went along with it? He felt a wave of shame and disgust, making his empty stomach roll.
He quickly rolled out of the bed, gathering up his clothes and escaping to the bathroom. He cleaned up and dressed, his hair a mess from being slept on wet, but he didn't really care.
When he came out, Draco was awake, reclining against the pillows and looking far too good. "Why did you get dressed? Come back to bed."
Mornings were some of their best times, slow morning sex with plenty of lingering kisses. Harry could feel his resolve weakening but shook his head. His emotions were a mess, his feelings about the previous night warring with the instant pull he felt towards Draco. He just needed to be alone to figure it all out. "No, you have to go. I've got stuff to work on."
Draco scoffed. "Since when? You are suspended."
"My charity. The big launch is in a couple weeks and my assistant has been bugging me for ages to work on it." Harry said quickly, grabbing Draco's clothes from the floor and shoving them at him.
Moving slowly, Draco sat on the edge of the bed to pull his clothes on. For being so drunk last night, he looked surprisingly good today.
Harry spun away before he did more stupid things. He went down the stairs and felt relieved when he heard Draco following him.
At the second floor, he could hear Clementine moving around and felt even better. A convenient excuse to push Draco to leave. He stepped into her office. "Morning. I'm just going to grab some coffee and I'll be right back to help you with the final prep." He tried for a normal, cheerful tone, but it came out a bit strained.
Clementine looked up in surprise, her eyes narrowing at his messy hair. "Oh good. It's getting down to the wire now."
He nodded, backed up, but Draco was there, trying to peer past Harry. "Wow, a really office and assistant just like you said. I didn't know you had so much going on."
The comment just showed how little real talking they had done in the past weeks together. Harry nodded. "Look, we can talk later. Can you just go now?". He would get through this morning and break down afterwards. On his own.
Draco must have caught something in his tone, as he stopped moving. "Why haven't you told me about this if it's such a big thing?"
Harry rolled his eyes, feeling on the edge. "You were too involved in your store and putting on a show for the press. You didn't need to know about this."
Perhaps Harry had picked the wrong words, as something made Draco's eyes flare up. "You don't want your precious project sullied by having me involved?"
Harry's brows lowered in confusion. "Oh Merlin, would you just fucking forget about it and go? I'm sure your adoring fans are waiting for you at the store."
The comment made Draco straighten up, really looking pissed off, and he pushed past Harry to walk up to Clementine. "What is this event you are planning?"
Clementine looked over Draco, noticing he looked rumpled too, and back at Harry, awaiting his reaction.
He waved a dismissive hand. What did it matter? He just felt numb now. "Fine. Tell him."
"It's the launch of Harry's charity in two weeks. Just calling in favors from all the people he's helped over the years."
Draco was quiet, his eyes flicking to a calendar on the wall. "So, it's some big gala charity dinner, with speeches and dancing to a live band. All the rich folks dressed up and trying to outdo each other's donations?"
"Pretty much."
Draco whirled around to face Harry, his eyes furious. "Where is my invitation to this fabulous event? Owl get lost delivering it?"
Harry hadn't been expecting that. He fumbled, his tired, emotional brain not keeping up with this turn of events. "Why would I invite you to this? You have always mocked my charity stuff."
Draco looked even more shocked. "My boyfriend launches a charity and doesn't even want me at his side? Supporting him?"
"Boyfriends? Is that what we are?" Harry glared back. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Clementine easing out of the office, carrying her purse and coat. Escaping.
Draco didn't notice, looking like he wanted to shake Harry until his head fell off. His face was flushed in anger, his eyes flashing. "We've been everywhere together! Everyone knows we are a couple."
"Except last night, when you conveniently forgot about me to go off drinking." Harry was glad Clementine was gone, not hearing this
"Burton Salizar showed up at the Stormcloud, and Michael convinced me to just go for one drink with them," Draco said quickly, referring to the Ravenclaw who ran the Stormcloud events.
"It was more than one drink," Harry said cooly, turning to look out the window. Not mollified at all by the explanation.
Draco huffed. "You have been with me at enough of these things. You know how hard it can be to get away graciously. I got back to you as soon as I could."
"Bullshit!" Harry said hotly, blinking tears back hard since the last thing he wanted was to appear weak. "You got drunk and felt horny, and then remembered me. How flattering it was to be woken up to be your booty call."
"You liked it, admit it." Draco said, his eyes narrowing.
The comment hit him like a punch to the gut. Harry turned away, the fight drained right out of him. "Then why do I feel so dirty today?"
Draco glared at him for a full minute, his lips pressed into a tight line, and then brushed past Harry, slamming the office door behind him.
...
-A/N: Yeah, Harry is a big mess right now...