Use Somebody Chapter 5: Need, a harry potter fanfic

I own nothing.

A/N: Hey guys! Chapter 5, Ta-da! This one is pretty much Harry-centric, although Draco does take up a section in the middle and is in most of the chapter - Most of it is just from Harry's point of view.

Random A/N: Well, I read some amusing articles the other day, but as well as being amused I was rather embarrassed. The articles were about British/English stereotypes, and being British I feel it is my duty to dispel some of the nonsense that I read. So, just so we are all clear - I do not have bad teeth, I do not have bad hygiene, I'm not a drunk, I do not live in a castle, I only drink tea when I'm ill, I don't believe that I'm a snob (but I have been told on many occasions that I am), I'm not rude nor over-opinionated, I do not live in London, I don't smoke, I don't have a clue what the lyrics of our national anthem are, and I don't know anyone who plays cricket (actually strike that - I know one person who plays cricket). Oh, and I think Prince William is vile, and that the royal family are a complete waste of time and money!

Rant over lol.

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Chapter 5 - Need.

"Harry?" Hermione's fearful voice whispered into the silent office "Harry, where the hell did you get this?"

Her wide chocolate eyes stared at Harry's face, and he felt as though he were under a laser scanner. Her gaze seemed to be begging him to produce an explanation that would qualm her concerns, and Harry scrambled for a plausible reason as to why and how he had the file in his possession.

The scarlet folder drew his attention away from Hermione's face, and he noticed with trepidation that it was quivering - or more specifically - Hermione's hand was quivering.

The woman's fear, Harry reasoned, was pretty justified. However, the knowledge of this didn't stop him from trying to brush it off.

"It's not important, Hermione. It's just a file." He said as casually as he could, his emerald eyes unable to move away from the folder. He swallowed as incredulity exploded from Hermione, the woman literally throwing herself from her seat, leaning across her desk with undisguised disbelief.

"Just a file? Are you serious?!" She spat, gripping the card so tightly it began curling at the edges, crumpling beneath her fingers.

A wave of inexplicable fear crashed over Harry as he watched the perfectly smooth folder begin to crease, and his eyes darted to the shredding machine that was beside Hermione's desk.

Vomit literally burned his throat as he realised how closely she stood to it, how very easy it would be for her to destroy the documents she held in her hand - He wouldn't even have time to blink before his entire reason for living was reduced to a pile of worthless scraps of paper.

Following his line of vision, Hermione seemed to understand the look of horror that was sure to be painted across his face, and a grim resolution marred her own expression. Coming to the same conclusion, she said as much.

"Well, if it's just a file, you won't mind if I shred it, then?!" She goaded, her tone mocking.

Suddenly her arm flew to the right and the folder hovered precariously over the shredder's blades. All she would have to do would be to lower her hand a fraction and the documents would be pulled in and obliterated.

"NO!" Harry cried, lunging forward desperately, slamming into the desk as his hand pointlessly reached for the file in her hand. He was still too far away to save it if she chose to destroy it. He noticed with alarm that several pages had begun to slip out form the file's cover, and he suppressed the urge to cry.

"Why are you so bothered, Harry? It's 'not important'" Hermione asked coldly. However, her hand pulled the scarlet folder away from the danger of the blades.

She watched as Harry's face relaxed slightly when the file was out of harms way, and she couldn't control the burst of anger that sprang up inside her. "Harry, this is insane! -" She cried, waving the document around as though it had caused her personal harm "- It's self-destructive!"

"Don't be ridiculous!" He retorted. "It's just a file!" He snapped, knowing that his reaction a moment ago showed that it was clearly more than just a file to him. His eyes remain fixed on his quarry as though he were afraid she might try another sabotage attempt. "You're being melodramatic."

"Melodramatic? -" She breathed, her expression shifting to stunned disbelief. "Melodramatic? Are freaking kidding me?! You seriously think that this shouldn't cause me some concern?" She whispered frantically, brandishing the file at him as though she dearly wished it were her a fist, the blur of scarlet from the gesture causing Harry's eyes to blur slightly.

"No, it shouldn't. I'm not mentally unstable." Harry growled, Hermione's reaction beginning to irritate him.

"No! Not yet! Harry, you have no idea what's in here -"

"Exactly! That's exactly why I need it - I need to know -" Harry pleaded, his tone begging Hermione to understand. How could she not comprehend how important the information inside those pages was to him?

"Harry, this needs to stop. The very fact that you have this at all shows how obsessed you've become." Hermione said, her gaze willing Harry to see reason.

Her words did the opposite, though. Harry's nostrils flared as he processed her statement, and his hands balled into fists beside him. "Obsessed? Hermione, this is the reason I became a bloody solicitor! I need this information - Surely you can understand that?"

The folder in Hermione's hands was steadily becoming more crumpled, and an irrational surge of anxiety crashed over Harry.

"You're going to damage it! Please, just put it down." He asked, imploringly.

"It's paper, for Christ sake" Hermione yelled, once again waving the file around as though to demonstrate her point, uncaring of the fact that loose pages were beginning to come away from the outside cover.

"It's my life, Hermione!" He bellowed back, a surge of anger bursting out of him.

He was distantly aware that the door behind him was open, and that most of the office could probably hear what was going on, but he really couldn't bring himself to care. He couldn't believe how insensitive his friend was being.

Yes, he knew she wasn't going to be thrilled at the idea of him having the documents, after all, that was the reason he had been trying to hide it from her - She knew as well as he did that the only way he would've been able to obtain the file was from lesser legal avenues. She knew they were stolen.

"No! It's not your life, Harry! It's paper. Paper with words that you could live without reading." Hermione snapped, slamming the file onto the desk, pages careening across the surface. The photograph that Harry had seen earlier that day skidding to a halt in front of him.

His emerald eyes widened as they once again absorbed the wreckage of the small blue car, and he fought the urge to be sick again.

He abruptly squeezed his eyes closed, blocking out the image before it imprinted itself further upon his brain, and he was vaguely aware of the shaky gasp that passed through his lips.

"See! You can't even look at it." Hermione commented, her tone softening. However, a hint of a taunt lay in the undertone. "How long have you had it? How long have you been avoiding it?"

The sound of shuffling paper indicated that it was probably safe for him to open his eyes again, and as he focused on Hermione, Harry found her tucking the photograph back inside the safety of the folder.

A trickle of self-loathing began to filter through his veins as he processed Hermione's words, because he had been avoiding it - afraid of what he might find inside the pages.

He had spent so long trying to acquire the information, that now he finally had it - He had no idea what to do with it.

"Hermione, I'm not asking you to understand, because you clearly don't. However, I do ask for your support. I need that file -" He whispered earnestly, holding his hand out. His gaze fixed on her chocolate brown eyes, and he could see the determination sparkling in her gaze.

"No. You don't have a clue what you need! You need someone to tell you to stop. All I've heard from you for 14 years is Riddle, and it needs to stop. You need to get over this, Harry -"

"Get over it?" Harry suddenly bellowed, rage smashing into him so fiercely he almost stumbled as it hit. "How can you stand there and tell me to get over it?"

"Harry, stop shouting!" Hermione demanded, her gaze flickering toward the open door. "Fleur, close the door please -" She began to call out, but Harry cut her off.

"NO! Leave it open, I'm not staying." He shouted, his hand snagging the file off the desk before Hermione even realised he had moved.

"Harry!" She yelled as he turned and stormed out off her office.

He could hear the enraged woman stomping after him, her sensible shoes thudding against the carpet, but he didn't care - He had the file and that was all that mattered.

"Fleur, call Ron -" Hermione ordered as she passed the blonde woman's workstation, and Harry's nostrils flared in anger.

Whipping around - uncaring of the fact that they were now stood in the main office area and could be heard by the entire team - Harry lost his temper.

"That's your answer to everything, isn't it?! Harry isn't doing as he's told - Let's call Ron!" He barked, jabbing the file accusingly in Hermione's direction. "I think you need to realise that we are no longer in school, Hermione!" He seethed.

"And I think you need to realise that stunts like this -" She whispered tartly, jabbing her own finger toward the file "- will earn you more than just a detention!"

"Oh, for Christ sake - Get over yourself and quit acting like a drama queen!" He growled in response, before turning to continue the path to his office.

"I have every right to be a drama queen considering I'll be the one to pick up the pieces when this sends you of the rails…or prison." She hissed, once again following him.

Harry spun around so quickly the enraged woman almost slammed into him. She stumbled back and surveyed the vicious glare that he was aiming at her.

Words failed him as he stared at her, and he tried again to escape to his office. His eyes landed on Draco's stunned face as he approached his workstation that was situated outside his door, and the blonde man looked as though he wanted to say something - guilt and anguish almost seemed to radiate from him.

As he drew closer to him, Draco stood, running a hand through his hair and open his mouth as though he desperately wanted to apologize.

"Don't!" Harry barked toward the blonde, holding his hand up to demonstrate the need for the other man to halt. "I'll deal with you when I'm done with her!" He added fiercely, not even pausing to witness the blonde's reaction before storming passed him and into his office, an aggravated Hermione still hot on his heels.

"Harry, I won't let this continue -" She yelled as she slammed the door shut, and Harry sucked a calming breath before he did something stupid, like punch a wall and break his hand.

Draco flinched as Harry's office door slammed shut, and his wide eyes travelled from the wood to Fleur who was stood motionless at her desk opposite him, phone in hand and appearing to all the world that her batteries had run out.

Hermione's voice was positively shrieking from the room to his left and he tried his best to listen and ignore her at the same time.

During Harry's visit to Hermione's office, Fleur and Draco had stared at each other, Draco's mouth hanging open slightly as random snippets of information were bellowed from each of the solicitors. Random words like 'No', 'It's my life', and 'Get over it' floated out of the office, and Draco felt an disturbing amount of anxiety wash over him as each one had been shouted.

What the hell was so important about that red file?

"What did you do?" Fleur had mouthed, her head inclined toward Hermione's door, obviously trying to listen in. Draco felt some of the affection he had felt for the blonde woman ebb away at her remark. Thanks, like I don't feel fucking awful already!

Harry had looked furious when he had passed Draco though, and his parting comment didn't fill Draco with much hope.

I'll deal with you when I'm done with her! He had a feeling that that wasn't a promise of a quick fumble in the supply cupboard.

It was totally unfair. How was he supposed to know that he shouldn't have given the file to Fleur? It wasn't like it was hidden away somewhere and he had hunted it out - It was on top of Hermione's pile!!! Not exactly a place to put something you didn't want Hermione to see. Common sense, Harry!

For all of his mental reasoning though, Draco was overwhelmingly guilt ridden. His boss was arguing with the other boss because of something Draco had done, and now he was probably going to get fired.

Fleur, who had unfrozen herself from her shocked state, was now rapidly dialling a number into her phone, and using her moment of distraction, Draco sank behind his workstation, pulled his own mobile phone from his pocket and hit Pansy's number.

His fingers drummed nervously against his desk as it began to ring and he willed his friend to answer.

"Don't tell me - you've been promoted already and you just had to tell me?" Pansy laughed down the line, the sound of violins filtering through momentarily blindsiding Draco.

"Where the hell are you? It sounds like a cat is being strangled." He asked, a lip curling as the screeching sound became louder.

"I know, it's dreadful isn't it - Can someone turn this ghastly music off please, I'm trying to have a conversation here?!" She called to someone, and Draco rolled his eyes at her rudeness - Only pansy could speak to people that way and still be adored. The fact that the someone she had spoken to was now apologizing in the background was testament to that.

"Sorry, darling. You know what these wedding places are like - they think everyone who is getting married likes that tacky shit!" She said loudly, and Draco was certain that her remark was aimed at the people in what ever shop she found herself in, rather than at him.

"Pansy, I'm having a meltdown here. I haven't been promoted - I'm going to be sacked." Draco whispered furiously, glancing over the top of his workstation to find Fleur talking rapidly on the phone. Draco surmised that, unless it was another French person on the other end of the line, she was probably making absolutely no sense. He figured he had a few more minutes, and sinking back into his chair he continued.

"I've fucked up!" He murmured, his hand trailing through his hair.

"Calm down. What the fuck are you talking about? How could you have possibly done something to warrant being sacked? - You've only been there for 7 hours!" Pansy asked, her tone turning softer as she spoke.

Draco explained what had happened, and Pansy had come to the same conclusion that he had - Harry was an idiot for leaving the file out in the first place.

"If he sacks you for that then I will come down there and shove his precious file down his throat!" She promised, and Draco laughed knowing that she was more than serious. "Are you alright?" She asked, her tone changing form irritation to concern in an instant. "I hope you're not getting all self-conscious and doubtful, because I really will come and sort him out if he's -"

"Pans', relax, I'm fine." Draco cut her off, a small frown pinching at his face. He disliked that he had become a person who would be nervous and self-doubting - he despised that people knew about it, especially Pansy. Her moments of affection and concern were appreciated, but they always made him feel worse - made him feel weak. Weakness wasn't something he had been used to during his life, and he hated that it was a very big part of it now.

The door handle to Harry's office rattled as though someone had thrust their hand onto it, and Draco turned toward it, his stomach plummeting.

"Gotta go, moment of truth." Draco whispered into the phone, and before Pansy had a chance to respond he hung up and stashed his phone back inside his pocket.

Moments later Hermione breezed out of Harry's office, her face red with anger, and she promptly yanked the door closed with a sharp snap. Without even sparing Draco a glance, the irate, bushy haired woman stormed passed him and made her way toward Fleur.

"Did you call Ron?" She asked the French woman, her tone waspish. Her curly brown hair had begun to frizz at the ends, and her lips were pursed as though she were chewing an exceptionally bitter lemon.

Fleur had once again adopted her cool calm manner and nodded once to Hermione's question. "'E is on 'is way" She purred.

"Good. Can you make sure conference room C is set up for my 3:30, please? Remember Mr Fudge only drinks coffee, and for god's sake try and intercept him in reception before Dolores aggravates him - I've had enough with petulant men for one day." She ordered, shaking her bushy head with an air of a martyred woman. Draco rolled his eyes, and concentrated on his own problems.

He began typing simply for something to do, his knee bobbing up and down beneath the table in unease as he contemplated his fate. Was he going to be fired? Was Harry making him wait to prolong the agony?

Draco pressed the delete button on his keyboard when he realised he was typing his thoughts rather than the letter he was supposed to be composing, and he tried again, however the confidence he had felt at the beginning of the day was now well and truly spent.

After a few moments of attempted typing, the phone to his left began to ring and he stared at it as though it were going to explode. He glanced at Fleur's desk and found that she had disappeared, and a surge of panic shot through Draco's system.

He hadn't had to answer a phone yet.

He had completely forgotten what he was supposed to say when he answered a call, and even if he did end up saying the right thing - he didn't have a clue how to divert it.

It got to its 6th ring and then went silent, and relief washed over Draco like a cool breeze. Thank god, perhaps they'll call back later - when I'm gone.

It abruptly began ringing again, and Draco bit his lip willing the person to just give up. We're not in! He thought frantically as he once again glanced desperately at Fleur's workstation, and he whimpered slightly when he found that she still wasn't there. She'd only gone to sort out coffee - Was she grinding the beans herself???

The call cut off, again, at 6 rings, and Draco had a feeling that whoever it was calling might be getting slightly irritated - Especially when it began ringing again seconds after it had cut out.

O.K, it was now or never. He had already made a potentially fatal error, and was probably going to be fired anyway; he might as well look as though he had a clue whilst he was still there.

Reaching for the phone on its 3rd ring, summoning as much courage and confidence as he could, he lifted the receiver. "Harry Potter's office." He said, his voice sounding pathetic even to his own ears.

Silence followed his greeting, and for a moment Draco thought that his efforts had been wasted and that the other person had hung up. However a fraction of a second later, Harry's silky voice began to speak.

"Draco, could I have a word, please." He said, a sigh escaping him at the end of his request, and Draco felt a rush of both excitement and dread. Harry sounded good over the phone! His tone had a breathy quality to it, and the blonde was instantly reminded of the adverts for phone sex on late night T.V. That thought almost distracted him from the words that the other man had spoken, however the dread soon reminded him. Harry wanted a word…obviously not a good one.

Clearing his throat softy, Draco replied "Sure." He hung up and slowly turned his seat to the direction of Harry's office door, the distinct sound of the death march echoing in his ears.

Here goes nothing.

Harry slumped into his seat, a frustrated sigh bursting from him as his office door closed with a snap.

Hermione had argued with him until she was blue in the face that he should destroy the Riddle file before he got himself into trouble, but he had remained steadfast and resistant - there was no way on God's green earth that Harry would destroy the file.

She had left in a huff when he had told her to go to hell, and he knew that he would pay for the argument and the expression later when Hermione would play the 'friend' card and send on the mother of all guilt trips.

Whoever had said the phrase 'Never mix business with pleasure' had been right on the money, and at times like these Harry hated that his career was so interlaced with his personal life. As if his profession wasn't difficult enough without the added strain of trying to maintain relationships that he had spent years building, whilst attempting to create a professional work environment.

And it was as though Harry never learnt, because he had gone and hired a P.A with absolutely no experience simply because he fancied him. Could he be anymore foolish? Like he needed any extra stress!

Draco.

Oh, shit, he had left the blonde outside for almost 20 minutes after yelling at him. He was probably feeling dreadful, or…a sudden surge of unease washed over Harry as he considered the likelihood that the blonde man had just walked out and cut his loses. After all, he had nothing to lose.

Snatching up the phone and dialling Draco's extension number, Harry apprehensively waited for the blonde's smooth answer to placate his fears. However, placation didn't come as Harry's call was diverted to voicemail, and he roughly shoved the receiver back into its holster. With trepidation, he tried again, only to once more hang up when voice mail kicked in, and the unease he had felt before had now morphed into down right panic.

He tried again, and just when he was about to give up - his prayers, or more specifically his call, was answered.

"Harry Potter's office." Draco's velvety tone declared, and Harry was momentarily speechless. Wow…That tone of voice could not be considered appropriate for the office, surely?!…What the fuck was I going to say?

Shaking his head and shifting uneasily in his seat, Harry requested that Draco join him in the office and he waited for the blonde to sweep in and stun him again - only this time, Harry would have to deal with his looks as well as his voice.

The blonde politely knocked the door and entered, a slight tightness around his mouth as he closed the door and approached the desk, and a twinge of guilt twisted at Harry's stomach when he noted the anxiety he had put the other man through.

Draco's pale angular face served as too much of a distraction for Harry, who knew that he had to start trying to be professional around the blonde Adonis, so he pulled his glasses off and pretended to clean them on the end of his tie.

"Look… -" Draco's voice suddenly breathed, and Harry glanced up to see the other man's hand slide through his blurry blonde hair. Harry squinted so he could focus on the way the blonde strands fell back into place when Draco released them, and a small amount of envy bubbled away inside Harry's stomach when he thought of his own unruly mop. "- before you say anything, I just want to apologize. I shouldn't have given the files to Fleur without your permission. I realise that I've caused you a fair amount of grief, and I'm sorry."

Dumping his spectacles on the table and sighing slightly, Harry gestured to one of the chairs in front of his desk.

"Take a seat, Draco." He prompted, liking the way the other man's name just seemed to roll off his tongue. He rested his chin on his fist as he watched the blonde fall gracefully into one of the navy blue seats, and he admired how Draco's posture stayed completely in place - His back completely straight, his head held high…his hands resting on top of his long, slender legs…

With a mental shake, Harry continued. "You have nothing to apologize for. No doubt, you heard a majority of mine and Hermione's…conversation, and I trust that you will not repeat anything you did hear. I'd like to say that this sort of occurrence doesn't happen often…but I'd be lying. -" He smiled humourlessly, trying to focus on Draco's reaction. He was pleased to note what could be interpreted as a smile pull at the blonde man's lips, but he reasoned that it could easily be a grimace.

"- Hermione and I are very old friends, and sometimes lines become blurred and marks are overstepped. As you can see, at times we can be quite vocal about our own opinions, however that kind of comes with the territory - we haven't quite mastered the whole 'leave the personal life at the door' rule, yet. I'm sorry, I probably should have warned you about that beforehand, but at least now you know for future reference. It certainly wasn't your fault"

Draco's face had morphed into confusion, and once again his fair hand travelled through his silvery locks.

"Hang on, do you mean…I- I still…have a job…?" Draco tried to ask, and his obvious struggle to find the right words was undeniably adorable, but at the same time it was gut-wrenching. Draco had feared for his job…because Harry was a prat.

"Of course you do." Harry breathed, and pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes, he wallowed for a minute. Christ, I'm a shitty boss. It's his first day, and he thinks he's been sacked already.

The hand tugged at the beautiful hair again, and Harry finally realised what the gesture meant. At first he had thought that the other man played with his hair out of vanity, but it now struck Harry how stupid that assumption was. He considered the times he had seen Draco's hand make the journey through his fabulously silky looking hair, and he shook his head slightly at his ignorance.

He'd done it so often; during every interaction he'd had with Harry that now it was completely obvious… Of course it wasn't vanity - it was nerves. Draco was…self-conscious? WHAT?! How on earth…? Have you seen you? Harry's mind screamed at the other man, and he narrowed his eyes to observe the blonde's expression, to see if he could also detect nerves in his expression.

He was surprised when Draco abruptly stood, and for a moment Harry wondered if the blonde man was uncomfortable with Harry's staring and had decided to leave. His surprise morphed into downright astonishment when Draco proceeded to drag his chair forward until it was almost flush against the desk and then sank back into it, his expression questioning.

"Is that better?" He murmured uncertainly, and Harry felt himself frown. Huh?

Draco's grey eyes scrutinized Harry, and reading the obvious confusion that was no doubt plastered across his face, the blonde elaborated. "You were squinting." He said as though his action had been completely obvious.

An unexpected smile pulled at the corners of Harry's mouth, and try as he might he couldn't suppress it, because - yes, it was better. Now that Draco was closer he was lot more distinguishable, and even though Harry had initially taken his glasses off so that he wouldn't be distracted by the other man's looks, he was absolutely impressed, and more than a little endeared, that the blonde had noticed his 'dilemma' and taken the steps to try and correct it. Harry get a grip, you're swooning!

The hand that Harry had been resting his chin against swiftly brushed over his mouth as though to hide the small smile that had sprung to it and he tried his best to sound normal when he answered.

"Thank you, it's much better." He tried to ignore the softness of his voice and the odd bubbly feeling in his stomach that had replaced the anger he had been feeling since Hermione's inquisition as he watched Draco incline his head slightly, his silvery eyes twinkling in the process.

"So, if you did call me in here to fire me…was there something else you wanted…?" Draco's smooth voice interjected and Harry clamped his teeth down on his bottom lip as he processed what could be construed as an innuendo. Something I wanted? Definitely. You'd probably sue me for sexual harassment though.

Shaking his head slightly to clear his lewd thoughts, Harry realised that he should probably get on with what he had called Draco into his office for.

"Right, of course. I wanted to apologize for how I spoke to you earlier. I was afraid I might yell at you - that's why I told you I'd deal with you later. I admit I could have chosen my words a little better, but I know that if you had spoken to me I would've taken my irritation at Hermione out on you, and I absolutely didn't want to do that." He explained, his expression suitably guilty.

He didn't like that Draco's face was still slightly unclear to him, so he reached for his glasses and placed them back on, the blonde's face instantly defined as Harry's sight increased. The tightness that had been around Draco's mouth had all but disappeared, and rather than cheer Harry it made him feel awful - The other man had been worried.

A small quirk of Draco's lips though and Harry found himself smiling in return.

"I'm sure I'll live, don't worry about it." The blonde smirked, and Harry had the distinct impression that the other man was displaying a bucketful of bravado. His words may have been dismissive but in eyes - his amazingly expressive eyes - there was something there that didn't quite pair up with his words.

"Today hasn't exactly been the most wonderful first day for you, has it?" Harry asked, shaking his head at the way the day had turned out. He had thought he'd have a fabulous day at the office with a hot, new assistant to perv on - How wrong could he be. All he'd done so far was destroy said hot, new assistant's confidence. Way to go, Harry. You certainly know how to show a guy a good time!

"It's been…eventful, I'll give you that." Draco replied, shifting ever so slightly in his seat as though the sudden expectation for him to speak unnerved him. Harry found it interesting that, after all the confidence that had practically oozed from the other man before, he now seemed completely disheartened - it was almost as if he'd been expecting to mess up. His musings were backed up when Draco continued.

"I am sorry, though. I knew I shouldn't have come in here without you present." He said sombrely, his eyes leaving Harry's for the first time to trail around the interior of the room. Harry wondered if the blonde knew how expressive his eyes were and simply removed them from Harry's in order to hide how he was feeling.

"No. I should have put the file away. It was careless to have it lying around, Hermione could've walked right in and picked it up herself - it wasn't your fault. It was entirely my own." Harry sighed, leaning his elbows on the desk, his body unconsciously tilting forward toward Draco.

"Listen, in about 10 minutes a panicked red head is going to crash through the office - Just let him in, he won't take no for an answer anyway." Harry said in resignation, his fingers pressing at his temples as he contemplated Ron's impending rant. Hermione really pissed him off sometimes. She always over-reacted, and always set her irate husband on the challenge to 'Sort Harry out'. He didn't need sorting - He didn't know what he needed but it certainly wasn't any of Hermione's business either way.

A small knowing smile spread across Draco's lips, and the most delicious rumble of laughter echoed in his throat. "O.K…would you like a cup of tea?" He asked in amusement, as though he found the question funny. Harry wasn't quite sure why, although a smile did spread across his face.

"How very British. In times of crisis - drink tea." The brunette laughed, amazed at the shift in atmosphere. The awkward heavy mood seemed to dissipate as soon as Draco smiled. How odd.

"Vodka, then? We can pretend we're Russian." The blonde laughed, and Harry's eyebrows shot up as he laughed. He definitely liked the way Draco's mind worked.

"Maybe later." Harry declined with an exaggerated frown. He guessed the look was kind of spoiled by the grin that replaced it. "A milky tea would be great though. Thank you." He added, his voice turning soft.

Draco, sensing his cue to leave, stood and pulled the chair back to its original position. "You're welcome." He smiled. "Sugar?"

Harry's eyes swept over Draco's body, and he felt butterflies explode in his stomach - Draco really was something to look at. He was tall, but not in the extreme. He lacked the gangly quality that a lot of tall men seemed to be cursed with, his posture and stance completely in control. Again, Harry was struck by something distinctly feminine about the blonde man, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Remembering that he had yet to answer Draco enquiry, Harry replied. "No - I'm sweet enough." He smiled cheekily, and the butterflies in his stomach danced when Draco returned it.

"That's one way of looking at it…you might just be the right amount of bitter." The blonde laughed, shrugging his shoulders playfully. "I'll keep an eye out for the red head." He added, his eyebrow quirking up, and Harry almost fainted. Sweet Jesus, that's sexy.

Clearing his throat, Harry replied. "You won't be able to miss him - He'll be the guy looking like he's about to explode." A small frown forming on his face as he contemplated Ron's arrival. Harry really wasn't going to get much work done today...and with a backlog of cases, a crisis meeting with Ron was the last thing he needed.

Draco, perhaps sensing the decline in Harry's mood, continued the playful banter. "Well, I'll make sure to keep an umbrella handy then - I hear red head stains when it goes off." He announced, his expression completely serious.

A burst of laughter erupted from Harry, and he once again felt his mood soar, as Draco backed away, a small smile of his own pulling at his lips. Hermione's earlier statement that Harry 'had no idea what he needed' echoed in his ears, and as he watched Draco slide out the door, he couldn't help but get the feeling that having the blonde around was exactly what he needed.

To Be Continued…

A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing - I love you all x

P.S 23 DAYS UNTIL HALF BLOOD PRINCE IS RELEASED!!!!! As you can tell, I'm very excited lol.