The first day of auror training was an orientation day. All the potential aurors were subjected to speech upon speech about the program from various ministry personnel. Kingsley, who was the head of the program, explained what they had to look forward to over the next few months. Apparently all wizards wishing to become aurors from across Europe came to England for training. The minister gave an exceptionally pompous and longwinded talk to impress the foreign wizards.
"Hmmm… doesn't the minister look a bit like a puppy. He's so desperate to impress these people" Harry whispered the Ron.
"Like a poodle, with that hair." said a familiar voice from behind him. He turned around was surprised when he realized that it was Draco Malfoy and that he didn't look hostile. On the contrary, he looked almost friendly. Harry laughed at the comment and turned back around.
It wasn't much, just a small gesture, but it symbolized a truce between them. No more cracks about Harry's dead parents, or references to Malfoy's brief stint as a ferret. Malfoy was against the dark arts, he had renounced his family, who were now in Azkaban. They were on neutral ground.
From then on, Harry and Malfoy started saying hi to each other every morning. When they were separated into teams for assignments, Malfoy went with Harry and Ron. Harry even invited Malfoy to sit with them at lunch.
Surprisingly, it felt pretty natural. They already knew each other, so it was as though they had an unspoken alliance to stick together. Even Ron was pretty civil towards Malfoy.
They three of them made a pretty good team too. They quickly became the best team in the program. Their strengths complimented each other perfectly, where one lacked the others made up for.
After a particularly good exercise, Harry invited Ron and Draco back to his house for a celebratory drink. Pretty soon those drinks became more and more frequent. Once, when Ron had plans with Hermione, it was just Harry and Draco. The drinks became dinner at the Thai place down the street that Harry had always wanted to try.
The changes were subtle, barely noticeable; a glance, a touch that lingered a little too long. Draco stopped wearing gel in his hair because Harry said he liked it better loose. Harry was smiling all day because Draco said his new jumper looked good on him. Their dinners became weekly and then semiweekly. Draco was over every night the week before the aurors camping trip, helping Harry decide what to pack and speculating on what sort of challenge would be involved on the camping trip.
As it turned out, the camping trip was actually more of a stake out. They had to watch over an auror pretending to be a dark wizard and take note of any one who visited them, when they left the house, anything incriminating they saw. Eventually the auror was going to give them some sort of sign and if they noticed it they were given a token. The first team back to the ministry with the token would be given full marks. Because they would have to be awake and alert to see everything, they decided on taking 8 hour shifts.
They set up camp a good way off into the woods so they wouldn't be seen from the house. They had to trek about fifteen minutes through the brush to get to the stake out site. They arrived at eight pm on the Friday night. Ron took the first shift while the other two set up camp. Draco took the second shift. Harry stayed up and made them both food before Draco had to leave around four in the morning. He glowed with pride when Draco wolfed down everything he was given. He modestly told Draco he just had a lot of practice cooking for the Dursley's, but Draco insisted there was some raw talent involved. Harry was fast asleep when Ron got in. When Harry woke up Ron was passed out on his bed, so Harry made him a late breakfast before he left.
The trip through the wood seemed long because of all the obstacles he had to avoid. Only his seeker reflexes prevented him from tripping on roots. Apparently Draco had had a similarly tough time getting through the woods because he had a cut and a smear of dried blood on his forehead from where he walked into a tree branch. Harry insisted upon cleaning it up for him using a soft stream of water from his wand.
His eight hours of watch passed uneventfully. The poser dark wizard did a few things that he supposed were meant to look suspicious, but in reality were completely innocuous. He sat in the hollow between two tree roots, which he later regretted because by the time Ron came to relieve him, his back was quite sore. On his way back to the camp he tripped over a root and was too tired to be able stop himself from falling face first onto the ground. He landed with a thud on a large rock that he was sure would cause a bruise.
When he entered the tent he was immediately met by Draco pulling him into a tight hug. He groaned at the pressure on his recent injury.
"Are you alright?" Draco asked. "What's wrong?"
"Oh nothing, I'm just really stiff, plus I tripped and landed on a rock on my way back." Harry explained.
"Do you want me to give you a massage?" Draco offered. "I've gotten pretty good." Harry cocked his eyebrow in curiosity but accepted the offer.
He couldn't deny that Draco was extremely good at giving a massage. He could feel all the tension leaving his muscles.
"You know, it would probably be more effective if you took off your shirt." Draco said. Harry didn't point out that it was already working wonders, the idea of Draco touching his bare skin sent shivers of excitement through his body. He thought vaguely that it was probably wrong to be fantasizing about his friend like this but he pushed the thought out of his mind. He had been doing that a lot lately.
"I don't have any massage oil, but I could use some moisturizing lotion." Draco added. It was starting to get dark so he lit some candles, bathing the tent in an orange glow.
"Do you mind if I lay down?" Harry asked, moving to lie on his stomach. "This is so relaxing and I'm kind or tired."
"Not at all," Draco assured him. He straddled Harry and continued to massage his back. Harry moaned contentedly. Just when thought he could fall asleep if it weren't for the heavenly things Draco was doing with his hands, Draco changed tactics.
"Flip over." He requested.
"Pardon?" Harry asked, only half aware. He was still in a far off state of bliss.
"Flip over." Draco repeated. "I want to do your front."
"Oh. Umm, ok." Harry said and complied. He hadn't heard of a front massage, but he was inclined to trust someone who was that talented with his hands.
Once Harry had turned to face him Draco straddled him again, sitting just below his waist. He started down near Harry's stomach and moved upwards, leaning further over until he was directly above Harry.
And then they were kissing. Harry held the back of Draco's neck pulling him into the embrace. Draco's hands were clamped to the side of Harry's face and they devoured each other hungrily. It was frantic and needy and clumsy. They broke apart for a few seconds, needing to catch their breath and looked into each others eyes for confirmation that it had been real. Then they started again, as though afraid it would be their only chance. Draco ran his hand over Harry's bare torso and ground his hips into Harry's. Harry bucked his hips upward and they ground against each other, increasing the friction between their bodies.
They broke apart when they heard Ron running towards the tent. If Ron noticed their flushed faces or rumpled clothing he didn't say anything.
"I've got it!" Ron exclaimed excitedly.
"Got what, mate?" Harry asked, trying to sound casual.
"What do you mean 'got what'. The token of course!" Ron said exasperatedly, pulling a medallion on a small gold chain out of his pocket. "See! I bet you anything we're the first ones."
"Oh, right." Harry replied distractedly.
"Let's just leave our stuff here and apparate to the ministry." Ron suggested. "We can come back and get it after we've won!"
"Sure thing, Ron." Draco said.
As it turned out they were the first ones, although only by about twenty minutes. Ron reminded them several times that it was a good thing he had suggested skipping packing up their camping gear. Harry offered to take down the equipment with Draco while Ron went home, since he had been the one who helped them win.
Draco was apprehensive. He knew that while Harry was as tired of hearing about Ron's contest winning suggestion over and over again, his main reason for getting rid of his best mate was so he could talk to Draco.
They said goodbye to Ron before he flooed home. Harry suggested grabbing some coffee before going back to collect their things.
"Alright Potter. I just want to make one thing clear." Draco said, apparently deciding to get it out in the open rather than beating around the bush. Harry held his breath. Draco seemed confident, but his voice was wavering and Harry could tell he was just as nervous as he was.
"And that would be?" Harry asked, mirroring Draco's forced composure.
"That…what we did…that kiss wasn't a mistake. I may have been a bit unexpected but- well I guess I'll understand if you don't want to…you know, but I think we should- I mean I think we've got a real shot with this thing." Draco finished. Harry's heart leapt and he let out a breath.
"Draco, that was the best kiss of my entire life, you daft git and I'll be damned if I let you go after that." Harry said grinning. Draco beamed at him and suddenly he was in Harry's lap, placing soft, quick kisses all over his face. He then seemed to realize that they were in the middle of a coffee shop and that the other patrons were staring and pulled away, blushing furiously.
Harry laughed, knowing that Draco was an incredibly private person. He didn't show his emotions to just anybody. Harry kissed Draco on the lips slowly and carefully, a sharp contrast to their earlier embrace.
"Come on, let's go get the stuff." He suggested. "It doesn't look like we're gonna get much privacy in here."
Draco gratefully complied and five minutes later they had apparated from the alley beside the coffee shop to the forest where they had left all of their camping gear. Draco immediately went inside to pack up his things but Harry grabbed his arm and led to a small hill where they could sit and talk. They sat there for a few minutes, neither one sure where to start.
"Harry?" Draco said finally. "Would you be my boyfriend? Or um… something similar that doesn't sound so stupid."
"Of course." Harry laughed. "See, that's why I like you. You get straight to the point. Girls just expect you to know what they're thinking or what they want you be or whatever."
"So you don't like girls then?" Draco asked, mildly surprised.
"Oh. No, I guess not." Harry replied. "After all, I like you-very much- and you are definitely not a girl."
"Good." Draco laughed in reply. "Because I like you very much too and the fact that you are not a girl is one of my favorite things about you."