Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any part of the HP fandom. No copyright infringement is intended and no money is being made from this story. At all. Also, all characters depicted in sexual situations are of age.
Title: The Secret Life of Draco Malfoy Part (6/7)
Author: icicle33
Rating: M
Pairing(s): Harry/Draco and mentions of Harry/OMC and Draco/OMC
Warnings: Post War AU, Dracocentric, contains a past relationship and breakup between Harry and Draco, lots of adult language (Draco never learnt to control his tongue), humour and flangst, m/m sex (eventually)
Author's Notes: Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed and followed so far! I'm ecstatic that so many people are liking this story. After this chapter, there's only one chapter left, which will be longer and include an epilogue. I'm going to be away this weekend, so I made sure to post early. Thanks again to my beta, and I hope you enjoy the penultimate chapter. Make sure to read the note at the end.
~8~8~8~
Draco came home early on Friday evening and was thankful the dreadful week was almost over. Potter's visits had disturbed him, deeply, and he hadn't been able to concentrate on his work or anything else since then. Yesterday, he had almost prescribed the wrong medication to a three-year-old Golden Retriever. Thank Merlin that Evie had noticed before handing it over to the owner. That easily could have been a lawsuit and a dead patient on Draco's watch. He would have felt terrible. Clearly, it was all Potter's fault, but he still would have been held responsible and had to live with the consequences.
Nevermind, no more thinking about Potter. His night was going to be completely Potter free. He had a date with a bottle of wine or two and a good book. Perhaps one of Antonio's trashy romance novels that he would never admit to reading. Antonio had been absent all day; he had taken the day off to visit his sister and mother. Draco wasn't usually fond of spending Friday nights alone, but after the week he had, the only company he wanted was alcoholic or furry with four legs.
He walked into his flat, excited to start his relaxing night. Harold and Tiffany, Antonio's Bichon, were waiting at the door for him, wagging their tails and barking at him happily. Draco laughed. He knew it was a bad habit to let the dogs jump and cause such a commotion at his arrival, but since Antonio wasn't home, he said fuck it. After all the rubbish with Potter, he needed a bit of attention and unconditional love of his own.
He greeted both dogs just as enthusiastically and made sure to give equal kisses to each one, so there wouldn't be any jealousy. He hung up his coat, took of his shoes, and then made his way into the kitchen. A loud noise made him suspicious. Oh, dear lord, he hoped it wasn't a thief. He didn't want to get any blood on their new white carpets.
Holding his breath, he tiptoed into the kitchen, his wand raised in front of him. He was right. The kitchen wasn't empty, but it wasn't an intruder. Antonio was standing behind their marble counter, headphones glued in his ears, and chopping up some vegetables in between dance moves. Draco breathed a sigh of relief and tucked his wand into his sleeve before Antonio noticed it. His heart had been in his throat. Thank goodness, it was only his flatmate.
He tapped Antonio on the shoulder and smiled.
"What are you doing?" he asked. "I thought you were visiting your sister and mother."
Antonio spun around and faced Draco, his face flushed. "Oh, hi." He leant over to give Draco a kiss on the cheek. "You're home early."
Draco grinned. Antonio had not heard one word. Whenever he listened to music, some ibox or something, he was completely lost to the world. Draco could shout at him for hours and his friend would be clueless. It was hard to be annoyed with a bloke that was wearing a flowered apron though.
"I am," Draco said, trying to suppress his laughter. "What about you? I thought you had plans."
Antonio turned away from Draco and went back to chopping vegetables. "Yeah, change of plans. My mother and sister are coming here for dinner." He pushed the neatly chopped rows of spinach together and grabbed a tomato from the plate of vegetables next to him. He was always organised in the kitchen. "I hope you don't mind," he added, when Draco didn't respond.
"It's no problem. Can I be of any help?"
Antonio shook his head, still facing away from Draco. "No, that's okay. Why don't you take the dogs for walk? Everything should be ready in half an hour or so."
"Sure." He turned to both dogs, who were laying on their matching beds in the kitchen, observing them quietly. "You hear that, little monsters? I'm the one stuck with you today. Who wants to go for a walk?"
~8~8~8~
Harold and Tiffany's walk lasted a little longer than a half hour. Draco wanted to make sure to give Antonio plenty of time and space to prepare for the arrival of his family. He loved Antonio's family; they were so warm and welcoming so very different from his own family. Carmen, Antonio's mother, had given Draco a bone-crushing hug and welcomed him to the family the first time he had met them.
At first, it was intimidating as Antonio's family was as loud and rambunctious as a bunch of Gryffindors, but quickly he had gotten used to these boisterous and lovable people. He still spoke to his mother frequently, but he didn't get around to see her more than once a year. Taking frequent trips to the Manor was just too painful for Draco, a permanent reminder of everything he'd lost. He had no idea how Mother lived there day after day with only her sister and great-nephew for company.
At least Antonio's family was a good crutch when he was feeling particularly homesick. Carmen was a wonderful woman, raising four children single-handedly. He wondered what it would have been like to grow up in a family like that?
Draco smiled at the thought of having siblings; he had always begged for a brother or sister. He decided to stop and buy Carmen and Alicia some flowers. Perhaps family wasn't always about blood. Holy Salazar, if Father could see him now, socializing and buying gifts for Muggles. He'd probably faint.
When Draco returned to his flat, he carried two bouquets of yellow and pink roses. He had wanted red roses, but they were out and decided against spelling the flowers red, in case the spell wore off at some point. With two bouquets and dogs in tow, he couldn't open the door, so he knocked. Draco had a big smile on his face that immediately faded when the door opened. As planned, Antonio opened the door, but inside their flat Antonio's family was nowhere in sight. Instead, Harry Potter sat crossed legged and pale-faced on their white leather couch.
What was going on? Was Antonio really planning on introducing Potter to his family already? It was too soon. Draco felt that same knife from the other day twist in his chest, deeper than last time.
He stormed in the room and threw the flowers on the table. Completely ignoring Potter, he walked over to Antonio and handed him the dogs. "Here," he spat. "They're all walked just like you wanted. Why is he here?" He motioned to Potter with a quick jerk of the head. "Isn't it a little soon to be meeting the parents?"
"Draco, I can explain," Harry said, jumping off the couch and walking over to them.
"Stay out of it, Potter. I wasn't talking to you. I already told you to leave me alone."
Antonio closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "They're not coming," he said. "They were never coming."
Draco's eyes widened. "What?" He turned to Potter and narrowed his eyes at him. "Is this your doing, Potter? What have you done to him?"
"No, it's not like that. I just wanted to talk to you, Draco. Please, hear me out."
Draco huffed. "Absolutely not. I have nothing to say to you."
Antonio stepped between them, noticing that things were getting heated. "Look," he said, in that calm and soothing voice of his that he usually only saved for his patients. "We didn't mean to trick you, Draco. This was my idea not Harry's. Don't blame him."
"Of course, I blame him," Draco yelled. "It's always Potter's fault."
"It's not," Antonio insisted. "He told me the truth. Everything. And—I think you two should talk."
Draco's heart was racing, panic forming in his chest. It couldn't be. Had Potter really ratted him out to Antonio? Heartless bastard. His hand slipped into his pocket, gripping his wand tightly. Potter was barely a foot away; he could curse him into a million pieces right now and no one would know.
Potter must have noticed him reach into his pocket because he grabbed Draco's arm.
"Don't." He locked eyes with Draco and mouthed, "Not everything."
Draco sighed in relief and turned back to Antonio. "I'm not angry," he said. "I can't imagine what lies Potter must have told you about me...but they aren't true." He shook his head and snorted. "Really, you could do better. I don't think you should keep seeing him."
Potter put his head in his hands and Antonio sighed. "We're not...really seeing each other." He avoided Draco's eyes.
"What? So that was a lie too?" Draco could not believe what he was hearing. His best friend had teamed up with the-boy-who-lived-to-annoy-him and gone behind his back. All this time, Draco had been sick over lying to Antonio when the backstabber was doing the same. He had been outwitted by a Muggle and a Gryffindor. It was unimaginable.
"No...I mean yes. Sort of." Antonio was tripping over his words as he always did when got nervous. Draco knew that it would be a while before he got a straight answer from the man, so instead he turned to the real culprit behind the scheme, Potter.
"Potter," he said, his voice as sharp and cutting as glass, "explain now."
Harry ran a hand through his hair, mussing it up. "We're not dating," he said, his voice low and pained. "It was a stupid lie and I'm sorry...but you wouldn't talk to me. I had to do something. Christ, Draco...I've been chasing after you for months."
Draco gasped, horrified. "You've been spying on me. Having me followed." His eyes were wide again. "Of all the dirty, rotten tricks..."
"NO!" Potter yelled, his face growing red. "It's not like that. Please, listen to me. Antonio made dinner and..."
Draco threw his head back in dark laughter. "Do you really think I'm going to have dinner with you? After this stunt." He sniffed. "You're even madder than I thought."
"Doc..." Antonio chimed in, "give the bloke a chance. Just trust me on this."
"Oh, I haven't even started on you, yet, mister. We'll talk later. You're not off the hook either." Draco narrowed his eyes and watched Antonio gulp. Good, he was worried.
"Don't take this out on your friend," Potter said, putting himself in front of Antonio. Draco rolled his eyes. Potter always had to be the hero. "It's me that you have a problem with. You owe me, okay. You just left. I had no idea..."
"Leave the past in the past."
"No!" Potter shouted, his eyes glowing dangerously. "Listen to me, Malfoy...if you don't have dinner with me...I'm going to alert the Ministry to what you're doing here. I'm sure they'd love to hear about all the illegal spells and potions you're using in your practice...in the presence of Muggles no less." Potter whispered the word Muggles, hoping that Antonio would miss it. He didn't realise that Antonio was extremely perceptive.
"Draco? What is he talking about? What's a Mugg—"
Draco cut him off. "Fine, Antonio, you win. Get out. I need to talk with Potter."
Antonio looked relieved and offered them a small smile as he turned away and grabbed the two dogs. "Great...just make sure to eat before it gets cold."
Quickly, they made their way out of the flat, leaving Draco alone with Potter and dread stirring in his gut. He turned to Potter and gave him a resigned look.
"You win, as usual. Let's eat though, so Antonio doesn't have kittens when he gets back."
Potter gave him a dazzling smile that almost made Draco forget why he was so furious with him in the first place. Stupid Potter. He grabbed a bottle of wine and two plates. This was going to be a long night.
To be continued...
A/N: Please don't kill me for the end of this chapter. I know it sucks to end it there, but trust me, it's better this way because next time you'll get all the answers, closure, and fluffiness you want. I do have a question though. The next part contains a lemon, which I originally was going to omit for reasons everyone should understand. However, if you want me to post the lemon version, which I'll name version B and promise to keep it a secret, let me know. If not, I can post version A, which is still satisfying.
Thanks so much for reading. You are all wonderful.
~Icicle