Two Scarred Souls Heal Each Other

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Naruto. They belong to their respective authors and publishing/media companies.

Warning: Yaoi/Slash. Harry/Ibiki. Please don't read if its not your cup of tea.

Author's Notes: Sincere apologizes to my beta: Latte2. All mistakes and errors are all mine. She never got a chance to look over this chapter.

To my readers – I am so, so sorry that this chapter was posted so late. I struggled with this chapter from start to finish. I sincerely hope the next chapter will be written easier and posted by next weekend.

Once again all comments, critiques, and pm's are heartedly welcomed. Please review!

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Chapter 6: Of Council Dramas and First Dates

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Saturday, the Day of the First Date

It was three in the afternoon and Harry was mentally preparing himself for his date this evening. Luckily the hours of the café wouldn't interfere with his night out. Hermione and Harry had agreed to not let the Café consume their waking hours so it was only opened Tuesday through Saturday from 7 am to 7 pm, Sunday was their day off, and Monday was for restocking and completing dried potions. Harry planned to dash upstairs to clean up and change in order to be ready to meet Ibiki at the café tonight. Fortunately, freshening charms were easy to cast unnoticeably and silently. The earlier meeting with Ibiki had settled a lot of his nerves, but he was still indecisive about how much intimacy he was comfortable with. Despite today's lunchtime snog session, the wizard did not want to give the impression of being a tease or easy. Never the less, he was looking forward to tonight's date and fervently hoped it would end well.

The door chimed and he listened to his sister warmly greet Iruka Umino. Harry smirked as he remembered the way the two were subtly flirting when he came back downstairs with Ibiki. It was reassuring to see his sister willing to try dating again. It was a clear sign that she would not limit her future because of her past. However, his smirk quickly became a frown when it became apparent that Umino was at the café in his official capacity as a Konoha ninja. Harry whipped off his apron and left the kitchen to see what the situation was.

Hermione stared incredulously at Iruka. She turned when she heard her brother's approach. "Apparently, the Civilian Council has logged a complaint about a dangerous animal in our café. A certain Councilwoman is demanding a full apology, recompensation, and execution of Hedwig for the unprovoked attack on her daughter."

At the word 'execution', cold anger and vengeance moved through the powerful wizard. 'How dare anybody demand the death of Hedwig!' he seethed internally. There was no way he would ever allow his beloved owl to be killed over the hurt pride of a fangirl. Hedwig didn't survive a war only to meet her end over a spoiled bint and her bloody mother. The council could kiss his magical ass!

Iruka felt decidedly uneasy over the absurdity of this situation. He knew the Hokage would never agree to the execution of a much loved pet. However, he took an instinctive step back when enraged emerald eyes looked in his direction.

"Care to elaborate about what my sister is talking about, Umino-san?" growled Harry menacingly.

"Ahh….Councilwoman Haruno has filed a complaint with Hokage-sama with the backing of the Civilian Council. Due to your owl's attack on her daughter at lunch, she is demanding a full apology, recompensation, and the death of your owl for being a dangerous animal to the public." Iruka noticed the aura of anger increasing and briefly wondered if a civilian could generate killing intent. He brushed that thought aside and hurried his explanation along. "The Hokage is requesting your presence in an emergency meeting to present your side of the story. If the matter cannot be resolved, other shinobi will be sent to gather additional witnesses who were present during the incident as well. Please come with me to the Hokage's Tower for the meeting."

Iruka watched curiously as the siblings turned and exchanged silent communications with each other. After a flurry of looks and head shakes, Harry and Hermione gave their attention back to Iruka.

"Excuse me for a moment, Umino-san, while I go upstairs to change into something more presentable. I will be back shortly." Harry swiftly went upstairs after uttering his statement, leaving Iruka with a less intimidating, but still visibly upset, Hermione.

"Will the Hokage seriously execute Hedwig? Harry will leave before he would willingly allow harm to come to his familiar?" Hermione asked earnestly.

'Familiar? I wonder what that means?' Iruka thought before he answered the witch. "In my opinion, I don't believe the council will go to such lengths to execute a bird. This is probably a hastily put together ploy to establish influence over your brother and yourself."

"Influence?" Hermione asked with a raised eyebrow.

"There are rumors circulating about your family's wealth and prestige, especially in regards to being favored by the Daimyo. Plus, your close, ah, relationship with Naruto is distressing to some people."

"So they threaten his owl in order to control Harry?" A slow vindictive laugh emerged from the witch.

Iruka stared at Hermione in shock. A chill ran up his spine in response to her malicious satisfaction. The chunin was starting to realize that the council may have picked a petty fight with a formidable opponent. When Harry reappeared, his realization was solidified. The green eyed brunet had changed out of his usual kimono into black linen trousers and a silk button up shirt. The garments were noticeably expensive and high class. The aura of simmering anger and power circulated around the man and projected the image of a powerful, rich young lord on a warpath.

The upcoming meeting will certainly not go according to the Civilian Council's plans.

Tsunade mentally sighed as she looked upon the hastily assembled Konoha Council. The council chamber was laid out in a U shape. The Shinobi Council was seated on the left of the Hokage, while the Civilian Council was on the right of the Hokage. The Hokage sat at the middle table with her advisors seated beside her. Tsunade looked to the right and left of her, and made a mental note to choose new advisors. She didn't trust the trio of elders despite being Sarutobi's teammates and his ex-rival. The Senju Princess firmly believed that they had too much power and were giving the civilian council members an overly inflated ego and sense of importance. She still could not believe that Councilwoman Haruno was spewing such vitriol over her daughter being 'mauled' by an owl. The fact it was Hadrian Potter-Black's owl meant this meeting could get long and ugly.

She glanced at the shinobi council members. Most of the clan heads did not bother to hide their disgust and dislike of their civilian counterparts. The sleazy expressions of barely concealed anticipation on three of the civilian council members' faces were nauseating to look upon. Like Iruka, the Hokage and shinobi council were convinced that this was a shabby plot by the civilian council to gain control of the Potter-Blacks. How successful this attempt would be remained to be seen.

"Well, Lady Hokage, where is Potter-Black san? He needs to apology to my daughter as soon as possible. Poor Sakura is absolutely traumatized." called out Councilwoman Haruno in a shrilled voice.

Tsunade looked sharply at the woman but before she could reply, the council chamber doors were abruptly opened. Standing in the doorway was an extremely angry, elegantly dressed, intimidating young man.

As he confidently strolled into the room, his green eyes swept the chamber. He bowed politely to the Hokage and gave brief nods to Inoichi and Shikaku. When Harry stopped in the center of the room, his eyes locked with laser precision on the smug Haruno and cohorts. His stance and expression continuously conveyed his annoyance and displeasure at being there.

"Good afternoon, Potter-Black san. We asked you to come to this meeting due to an incident in which your pet owl was rumored to have attacked a young genin, Sakura Haruno." drawled out Lady Hokage.

"It is not a rumor, it is true. That menacing beast attacked my poor daughter in front of everybody in their café!" rudely interrupted Councilwoman Haruno.

"Cease your interruptions, Councilwoman Haruno, or you will be escorted out of this room. This is the Council Chambers of Konoha and a certain code of conduct is demanded from all members when present in this room." rebuked the Hokage.

Councilwoman Haruno was sufficiently deterred by the looks of agreement and chastisement on the clan head faces and half of the civilian members too. Despite the public censor, she sniffed her nose, straightened her spine arrogantly, and stared accusingly at Harry, as if blaming him for the Hokage's words.

Years of being the receiving end of Snape's death glare meant her attempt of intimidation was pathetic and slightly amusing to the wizard. Never the less, that rubbish was the reason why Hedwig was being threatened. Harry stared back and his eyes flashed warnings and threats in return. He swept her thin and unattractive frame before dismissing her and looked at the Hokage. Harry was disturbed by the realization that Mrs. Haruno was disgustingly similar to his aunt. If she had a flower name too, he won't be surprised if the Evans were distantly related to the two pink haired harpies.

The Hokage was beginning to be amused by the drama in the council chamber. It took only one minute to realize the civilians members' plans were going up in flame. By no means would Potter-Black be naively lead or coerced by such transparent manipulations. The way he scared the civilians just by standing there was priceless. 'I see why Ibiki is interested in him. Despite his appearance, he is quite formidable and powerful' thought the Hokage. 'They'll make such a cute couple!'

"Continuing on, we called you here in order to get your side of the story. Can you please detail the events of the incident and why your pet reacted so harshly?" instructed the Hokage.

"Certainly, Lady Hokage. This afternoon, Genin Team 7 was courteously invited to dine at the Apothecary Café. I have recently employed young Naruto to wash dishes and help clean up the café before and after services. He wished to introduce his team and sensei to my sister and myself. Naturally, we were delighted with the ideal and offered a free lunch to his team. I personally created dishes based upon his observation of his teammates. With his employment at my restaurant, my owl, Hedwig, took a strong liking to Naruto. She is an excellent judge of character." Harry paused to gaze contemptuously at Councilman Ishikawa who had started to say something derogative about Naruto.

"When they arrived to the café, I served them lunch. They began to eat their lunches and several minutes later, Hedwig was becoming impatient as she wanted to greet Naruto. Due to a lack of conversation at the table, I allowed Hedwig to go greet Naruto." Harry stated.

"Excuse me, Potter-Black san. Was this the first time that Hedwig was allowed in the dining room portion of the café?" queried Shikaku.

"No, Nara-san, it was not. She often greets young children who enjoy feeding her small treats and petting her. Hermione and I keep a small stock of dried fruit at the counter for them to give her. In addition, some of our customers who are animal lovers, like Lady Shimiji, enjoy giving her treats as well. Hedwig is a constant presence in the café. The café was modified to allow her to come and go as she pleased, with several perches added as decoration in the dining area." the wizard explained.

"That cannot be sanitary. How can you allow a beast in your restaurant?" questioned Councilwoman Nishimaru.

"First of all, Hedwig is not a beast! She is a extremely intelligent and extensively trained owl. Secondly, she is highly valuable in regards to her ability and specialized breed. Snowy owls are rare birds of prey due to their preference to stay in cold environments." defended the wizard.

"What do you mean by highly trained?" Inoichi was curious because only nin animals were trained and he had never heard of a nin-owl.

"Hedwig is a postage owl. In my homeland, postage owls are used for mail delivery in order to ensure letters or packages only goes to the right recipient. In order to become a postage owl, they go through extensive training. All post owls are able to deliver mail with only a name and/or destination." Harry explained.

"Wait, so your owl can deliver mail to anybody? Regardless of not knowing the person beforehand that will receive the mail?"

"Correct. Hedwig used to deliver my mail within a 500 mile range. She did not have to know the recipient to deliver the mail. The ability of the post owl to deliver their mail accuracy depends on their level of training and intelligence. As one of the most intelligent species of owl, Hedwig was trained to the highest levels. Her purchase price significantly reflected her value and ability." By now, Harry was exaggerating. But Hedwig was certainly priceless to Harry, so if the council believed she was valued at hundreds of gallons, all the better for him.

"Incredible. I have never heard of a message bird who can deliver mail to any person. Most of the time, they can only deliver to individuals they know or certain buildings like the Academy and such." stated Tsume, impressed by the level of dedication it took to train any animal to such lengths. She knew Inuzuka nin-dogs could hardly boast the same ability, and they were trained since puppyhood.

"Regardless of her so called 'training', that menace still attacked my daughter! How do you explain that Potter-Black san?" demanded Haruno imperiously.

"Your daughter was rude and crass in my café. When Hedwig greeted Naruto, she screamed loudly and shrilly while she rudely pointed at Hedwig who was calmly perched on Naruto's shoulder. When Naruto tried to explain her presence, young Sakura shouted nonsense and proceeded to punch my worker on the head. That blow startled Naruto and jarred Hedwig. In short, that 'attack' you keep harping about was instigated by your daughter from start to finish!" he sharply retorted.

"How dare you insult my daughter! Sakura is a perfectly mannered young lady!" screamed Haruno.

"Your daughter is a spoiled fangirl whose idiotic posturing does not impress anybody, least of all her object of obsession." Harry coldly bit out. "That foolish child had the audacity to screech in the presence of a hearing sensitive pet and then hits a person in which said pet has affections for. Is it any wonder that Hedwig reacted in such a manner – she was only defending herself and Naruto from unprovoked aggression from your ignorant daughter! Given your behavior in public, it's no wonder she displayed such crude manners. She obviously learned such conduct at home!"

Meibuki Haruno was apoplectic with rage. 'How dare that young upstart dare insult and demean my daughter in front of the noble council of Konoha!' she screamed internally. Before she could spew a tirade in response to his statements, Harry pressed his point onwards.

"Inuzaku-san, if somebody screamed at Kiba-kun before hitting him, how would Akamaru-kun react?" he asked politely to the matriarch of the Inuzuka clan.

"Viciously, of course. Inuzuka nin-dogs are protective of their partners!" Her vindictive sneer was echoed by her partner's sharp bark of agreement.

"Exactly. Plus, she only used light pecks and slaps of her wings. Hedwig could have used her claws if she wanted to inflect maximum damage. So it was hardly an attack at all." Harry said smugly.

"It was still an attack! Sakura is traumatized from being mauled by that vicious bird, highly trained or not." shrilled Haruno.

"Did she go to the doctor? Was she bleeding or severely bruised? No, right? The only thing that was injured is her pride." retorted Harry.

"She may not have been heavily injured but she is still traumatized by it." Meibuki Haruno could see that she would not be able to recoup recompensation for her daughter, much less an execution of an expensive pet. However, she refused to let her daughter be viewed as a fool.

She failed to realize that the remainder of the council viewed both Harunos as foolish and arrogant. The clan heads were mostly amused by her claims of 'trauma', because they knew the world was much crueler than a humiliating set down by an owl. Lady Hokage was mentally betting how many times Haruno will say 'trauma' or 'traumatized'. Six more times and she could reward herself with sake!

"Was she really 'traumatized' by this incident? I fail to see how she can aspire to be a kuniochi if such a minor chastisement causes trauma. After all, she is living in a world where her enemies won't hesitate to kill her if she is lucky." Harry was frowning at the woman, honestly dismayed over her and her daughter's naivety.

The change of conversation was a subject of interest for the shinobi in the room. Each ninja knew such illusions and arrogance wouldn't last in the field. The girl would be better off if she'd quit now as opposed to being an active ninja.

"My daughter can handle being a ninja. She just wasn't expecting an attack in her own village." sniffed Haruno distastefully, an ugly scowl marred her face.

" Enemies rarely announce their plans to attack or ambush. Your daughter was caught unaware and has learned a valuable lesson. For a genin to pursue such actions in response for a provoked attack from a highly trained animal is illogical and shameful." Shibi Aburame said calmly. "If your daughter is 'traumatized' from this situation, she should seek another career option or pursue another path in the shinobi corps."

"What?" screeched Haruno, completely dismayed over how the meeting was derailing her plans. She was confused over how her daughter went from being a victim to an incompetent kuniochi.

"Perhaps, she should pursue a career in the medical profession. Her records do state that she is intelligent and has excellent chakra control. I would be happy to assist her in such an endeavor." said the Hokage, with an earnest expression on her face as she looked at Meibuki Haruno.

Tsunade planned to only refer the girl to the right people in the hospital, but she wanted to convey the mistaken impression of a possible apprenticeship with Sakura's mother. The last Senju was fond of Naruto and wanted to get the pinkette away from him through any legal means. Plus, the girl would probably make an excellent medic-nin once she broke out of her fangirl syndrome.

"That is one possibility. I will have a serious conversation with Sakura this afternoon to discuss this new development. Thank you, Lady Hokage, for your generous offer." Haruno said with a calculating look in her eyes. If Sakura becomes an apprentice to the Legendary Medic-Nin Tsunade, it would be one step closer to her being Mrs. Sasuke Uchiha.

Hook, line, and sinker.

Harry caught Tsunade's eye and gave a very subtle nod of gratitude to her. He recognized her sly manipulation to steer the pink banshee away from Naruto and into an admirable profession. Her departure from Team 7 would also benefit Sasuke – who would be able to learn, grow, and hopefully relax without Sakura stalking him instead of training. He signed mentally. 'Well time to sweeten the pot. Hopefully, she'll grow up and Hermione won't kill me.'

"While Hedwig's actions were provoked, it is regretfully that it occurred in our place of business. Therefore, I am willing to pay 1,000 ryos as an apology and give her a rare tome on medical herbology. Hopefully, the book will prove useful if she decides to enter the medical profession." the wizard said with regal nod.

"Well, that seems most satisfactory. Are you agreeable to the concessions by Potter-Black san, Councilwoman Haruno?" asked the Hokage.

Meibuki Haruno was still dazed by the dreams of her daughter being Tsunade's apprentice and the Uchiha Clan matriarch. The money was a respectable amount and they would be able to boast about the ownership of a rare medical herbology book. She nodded her head stiffly in response to the Hokage's question. At least now Sakura was thought to be a promising medic-nin as opposed to a hapless kuniochi. The small concession was better than nothing.

"Excellent. Then this meeting is adjourned. Potter-Black san, a moment of your time, please." announced Tsunade.

Harry and Tsunade watched the remainder of the council leave the room. The Hokage had to glare forcefully in order to encourage Danzo and Homaru to not stay and 'advise' her private meeting. She knew they would be eavesdropping but she still did not want them in the room.

"The ability of your owl is very unique. Is there any way to acquire more postage owls with the same ability?" she asked. Having accurate and efficient courier birds would be a great boon to Konoha.

Harry paused and tilted his head backwards as he thought over the Hokage's request. Signing deeply, he looked from the ceiling to Tsunade. "Buying the owls would be an easy feat, but it's the transport of the birds here that poses a problem. In addition, they may have to be retrained for delivery in the Elemental Countries as this is unfamiliar terrain for the owls. All in all, I don't know for certain if it's a feasible venture but I can make some inquiries and inform you of the results."

"Ah. Please do." Tsunade rose from her chair to go back to her office. Seeing the meeting was over, Harry gave a brief bow of farewell, and turned to walk out the room. Before he could exit the room, Tsunade's voice rang out as she bid once last remark.

"Have fun on your date, Potter-Black san. Don't forget to treat him gently!"

Harry pondered if a retreat to the sound of laughter would become a common occurrence after every audience with the Hokage.

Ibiki stalked slowly to the Apothecary Café. The rest of the afternoon was relatively calm after he forced Anko to remove all the dango sticks embedded in the ceiling above his desk. Why she decided to create the Konoha leaf emblem was beyond his comprehension. Ibiki was comfortable dressed in black slacks and a dark grey button up shirt. He threw a black leather trench coat over his clothes as it could get cold at night. As he reached the café's door, it opened and revealed Hermione who was just leaving.

"Oh, Morino-san, good evening! Would you like to come inside and wait? Harry should be down shortly to meet you and lock up the café. I would keep you company but I have a meeting at the Scroll Book Store. Do you mind waiting alone?" the witch rattled out as she gestured the jounin inside the restaurant.

"No, Hermione-san. I don't mind waiting alone. Thank you for your kindness." Ibiki nodded his head in farewell and watched as the curly haired brunet hurried out into the street. He glanced around the café and turned in the direction of the stairwell as he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Ibiki could feel his breathe hitch slightly as he saw the vision of elegance and seduction that was walking towards him.

Harry was extremely grateful that he went completely crazy during his kimono shopping spree when they first moved to Konoha. He had bought several formal kimonos despite his firm belief that he would never have an occasion such elegant garments. The wizard was glad that his preconceived notion was completely inaccurate. For his first date, Harry had selected a gorgeous black kimono decorated with a tree and emerald leaves and matching emerald obi. He wore a matching haori over the kimono in preparation for the evening chill in the air. The wizard's hair was lightly tousled and looked utterly touchable.

When he reached the bottom of the stairs, Harry looked up and was surprised to see Ibiki was waiting in the dining area. The jounin moved into the middle of the room and the wizard happily looked the ninja up and down.

Ibiki was amused and aroused to see a blush bloom over his minx's cheek. He smirked when he caught his koneko's emerald gaze and purposely swept his gaze over the wizard's body. A warm smile and dark chuckles erupted from his lips when Harry blushed redder and shyly looked under his eyelashes as he ventured closer.

"Good evening, koibito. You look very ravishing tonight." the jounin greeted before gently reaching for him and pulling him into a passionate kiss. Harry happily leaned into the kiss as he thoroughly enjoyed Ibiki's expertise in this arena.

After they broke apart, Harry smoothed a hand down Ibiki's shirt and looked up at him. "You look very handsome tonight too, Ibiki. So, where are we going?" he questioned with a saucy smile on his face.

Ibiki returned his smile and gave another gentle kiss as he tucked a lock of hair behind Harry's left ear. "I made reservation at the Counting Kunai. It's a respectable restaurant owned by a retired jounin. Our privacy will be guaranteed, so I hope you enjoy it." He gently rubbed his thumb across Harry's left cheek as he slowly released the lock of hair he was just holding.

Like an innocent kitten, Harry tilted his head into Ibiki's touch. "If you chose it, I am sure it will be perfect. Shall we go so I can lock up?" he inquired with a soft smile.

"Ah. Let's. I would hate to lose our reservations. Kami knows, I would hate to have to cook for you so early in our relationship. I'd probably curdle your stomach." the shinobi declared with a huff of laughter as he walked with Harry to the exit.

"Well, lucky for you, my good man, I happen to be an excellent cook. I suppose I can be burdened to cook for us if we fail to meet our reservation time. Hermione would never let me leave it down if my boyfriend gave me food poisoning." He shuddered playfully before joining Ibiki in light laughter.

As he watched his koneko lock the restaurant's door, a warm feeling settled into Ibiki. 'My boyfriend.' mused the jounin. He loved how his green eyed minx so calmly referred to him as such. When the wizard was done, Ibiki gave another light kiss against Harry's head, placed a hand at the small of his back, and leisurely led his Emerald in the direction of the Counting Kunai.

Along the way, both men enjoyed watching people's reaction to seeing them as a couple. They quietly exchanged humorous comments regarding the myriad of hilarious facial expressions the entire walk to the restaurant.

Harry looked around the restaurant as they followed the smartly attired hostess to their table. The restaurant was elegantly furnished and discretely lit by pendent lights and scones. They were led through the dining room and into a hallway with private rooms. The hostess opened a sliding door to reveal a traditional Japanese dining room and bowed politely as she gestured for them to enter the room.

"Please be seated. Your dinner will be served shortly. Please partake of the drinks and appetizers that is present on the table. If you need anything else, do not hesitate to let us know how we can serve or assist you. Please enjoy your evening at the Counting Kunai. We sincerely appreciate your patronage." She spoke in a clear and polite tone. With one last bow, she closed the door and left the couple in the room.

Ibiki bent down to take off his shoes before turning to see if Harry needed assistance with his own footwear. The wizard was staring bemusedly at the room, enchanted by the traditional low black furniture, tatami mats, and silk screen decorations. It was a start contrast from the modern dining area they just passed through.

"Koneko, you have to take off your shoes before stepping on the dining platform. It's tradition and good manners." Ibiki called out, drawing Harry's attention back to the shoe cabinet that was placed against the entrance wall.

"Oh! Sorry, I was distracted by the room." Harry rushed over and quickly removed his sandals with Ibiki assisting him in maintaining his balance. After closing the shoe cabinet, they stepped onto the dining platform and sat down at the low table.

Ibiki patiently explained the assortment of appetizers that were present on the table and enjoyed Harry's look of delight as he tried each one. They sipped their tea and engaged in light conversation over favorite foods and hobbies. Harry was surprised to hear that Ibiki's favorite dish was sauteed enokitake served with any type of meat. He mentally reminded himself find more Japanese cookbooks. Ibiki hasn't surprised to learn that Harry loved treacle tarts and sweets. However, the explanation that he never had sweets as a child concerned the jounin. He had the feeling that there was a story behind that statement – a story he would not enjoy.

Their conversation was temporarily halted when the servers appeared to place the rest of their meal on the table. There was a plethora of meats and side dishes placed upon the table. Harry liked the noodle dishes and loved the grilled fish that was served. The conversation continued throughout dinner and gently slowed down during the desert of an assortment of daifuke and mochi cakes with fresh fruit. As they sipped small cups of sake, potent sexual tension built up between the two men.

Ibiki watched Harry intensely, his black eyes focused on the wizard as the brunet licked his lips of elusive sake drops. Seeing the looks of heated arousal in the ninja's eyes, Harry felt a bolt of confidence spread through him. The wizard gave a slow smirk and crooked his finger in a come hither gesture. The jounin gave a low growl in response and predatorily stalked to the other side of the table.

Within seconds, Harry found himself recline on the floor and pinned by an aroused Ibiki. The jounin's body was stretched on top of the wizard, while he balanced his weight to not crush Harry. One of his large hands ran teasingly through ebony locks and stopped to lightly message his scalp. Harry practically purred into the caress, entwined his arms around Ibiki's neck and drew him downwards to continue their passionate 'snog' session from this afternoon. Ibiki tilted Harry's head upward and seized control, wantonly exploring the brunet's mouth in a scorching kiss.

Harry was going delirious, drowning in the sensual pleasures that Ibiki was arousing within him. He felt his length hardening and the instinctive need to move his hips to create the delicious friction his body craved. The wizard sharply jerked his hips with an arch of his back and moved in a sensual manner, silently conveying his intentions to the jounin. Harsh sounds filled the air as each man moaned in pleasure between heavy lustful kisses. Their bodies engaged in an age old dance of friction, thrusts, and sinful pressure.

Eventually, Ibiki had the sense to roll off of Harry before either man could reach a climax. Panting slightly, he breathed heavily as he fought viciously to rein in control of his body. Slight tremors racked his 6'4'' frame while he gazed unseeingly at the wooden ceiling. Ibiki was torn between amusement and horror over the way Harry could challenge his finely wrought control. Hell, he hadn't acted like this even when he was a hormonal teenager. The jounin felt his Emerald cuddle against his side, one slender leg thrown over his hip while an elegant hand slowly played with the buttons of his shirt.

"Uhm, Ibiki? I… well… I ." Harry stammered. 'Merlin! Why the bloody hell can't I talk now! Man up Harry, before you write a check your arse can't cash!' he ranted at himself.

Ibiki turned on his side and gave a gentle kiss on Harry's forehead. He smirked lightly when he heard the way his Emerald's breathe hitched and his body jerk faintly at the soft touch. The jounin reveled in the way Harry responded to his body, glances, and touches.

"Shhh, Koneko. We'll go as fast or as slow as you want us to, okay." He another soft kiss against Harry's lip and smiled at the look of happiness and appreciation in his Emerald's eyes. Ibiki had spoken the truth - he was absolutely willing to move at Harry's pace. Years in the shinobi corps had taught him patience and respectfulness of other people's comfort zones.

Harry smiled contentedly and snuggled closer to Ibiki. After a few minutes of soft kisses and tender embraces, the two decided it was time to leave. They straightened up their appearances and retrieved their shoes. After exiting the restaurant, Ibiki once again pulled Harry close and placed a protective hand on his back as they walked towards the Potter-Black estate. The jounin refused to allow his Emerald to walk back alone and served as a silent sentinel against danger during their walk through the village.

However, their walk came to an abrupt halt as the two men encountered a surprising sight. The wizard stared in disbelief before he forced himself to ask an important question:

"Naruto? What are you doing?"

Posted: 2/25/2013 Word Count: Over 5,700.

Thank you for reading my story. Please take a moment and review. Thanks a million!

Author's Notes:

A thousand apologizes for the late posting of the story. It was supposed to be posted on 2/24/13 but it was regrettably delayed. Hopefully, the next chapter will go more smoothly!

Sakura's recompensation – its roughly 100 dollars.

roobug21301 - thanks for pointing out that mistake! Its fixed now.

Mabidiso - thank you for the correction of marinara sauce. That was an embarrassing mistake.

redxbloodxblackxdeath - you never know, animal lovers can get their violence on too! Thanks for catching that typo. It has been corrected.

I will be paying my dues and officially joining the Gulf Coast chapter of the Romance Writers of America this Saturday. Yay! Once step closer to becoming a professional writer. Woo-hoo!