Author: enchanted nightingale

Beta Reader: pussycatadamah

Timeline: Book 4, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Pairs: Harry/Lucius

Disclaimer: The characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I merely use them in my plot for fun.

Chapter 30 – The Other Man

Harry did not tell Lucius about the letter his son sent him. He did not tell Sirius and Remus the reason he would be using the Floo to arrive to Cardiff's magical area, Gloss Square, where Draco Malfoy had suggested they meet. What the green eyed teen had done was tell Bill and Fleur about this. The couple had suggested he go. Fleur's words on this had been pivotal in his decision.

"Wouldn't you like to know the person your father was going to marry?" the witch had argued. "He is curious and wants to see what his father sees in you. Yes, you are school rivals but this is much more... different."

And as the green eyed teen found himself nodding in agreement he penned a letter to Draco, agreeing to the meeting itself.

Gloss Square looked a lot like Diagon Alley, but it was more open, near the sea and had many more restaurants than Diagon and looked less magical. It was a newer magical alley but apparently it was quite popular, just like the cafeteria Draco had chosen for the meeting. When Harry arrived through the fireplace the blond Slytherin was already there.

"Draco," Harry said by way of greeting.

"Harry," the Malfoy heir stated, the name sounding foreign on his tongue but way better than it would had they both used surnames. "I have booked us a table," he told the green eyed wizard.

The Gryffindor just nodded and allowed Draco to lead the way. They took their seats and for a while neither of them spoke unless it was to the waiter who came for their orders. Draco chose coffee and Harry did as well, only he ordered dessert too.

"Triple chocolate cake with ice cream and chocolate syrup?" Draco finally asked and Harry shrugged.

Harry arched an eyebrow. "Is there something wrong with chocolate?" he had an edge to his voice.

"Ah, you're one of those people."

"What do you mean?"

"Chocoholics," Draco stated, thinking of the word Blaise had introduced him to.

"There's nothing wrong with me," Harry declared and Draco allowed a small smile at the similarities he saw in Potter and Blaise.

"Keep telling yourself that," the blond retorted but without any real bite.

"I will," Harry sniffed.

Then the orders came and Harry nearly went cross eyed at the dessert, his anxiousness about the meeting with Lucius' son forgotten.

"Oh, my!" the green eyed teen muttered and Draco's wide eyes agreed to the statement.

"That's a mountain of chocolate," the blond said.

Harry nodded. "I have two spoons..."

"We are not buddies Potter."

"First names, 'Draco'!" Harry reminded the teen. It was what they had agreed to in their letters.

"Fine!"

Harry dug into his dessert with relish and after a couple of bites he broke the silence at the table.

"What do you want to know?" Harry asked.

Draco sipped his coffee, a thoughtful look on his face.

"Father said he first noticed you when you were twelve," Draco admitted. His grey eyes, so much like Lucius' were looking almost afraid. "Did he...Did he try and for..."

"No," Harry said, not even letting the other teen finish the question. "Just... No. He never forced me, ever. He was his usual, smug, sly self," he told Draco, "But he never really pressed me into anything. He's more the type to wear you down with kindness than force."

Draco exhaled softly, glad that his father had been telling the truth. He had feared that something sinister had been at play. To Know that was not the case was actually a relief for the blond wizard. The young Gryffindor saw the expression on Draco's face.

"Your father is not a monster," Harry commented.

"He said that the magic takes over sometimes, overwhelms him."

"True. That does not mean he turns into a mindless beast," Harry offered. "None of us does. Does that help you any?"

Draco scoffed. "No, it just means that my father actually likes you," he muttered sullenly.

Harry shrugged. "What do you want me to say?"

"He's married."

Green eyes clouded a bit. "I've already had my breakdown about that, you know."

"Did you? Did you also think that you are my age?" Some of the anger the Malfoy heir had been feeling was starting to seep into his voice. The teen was still composed but his hands were fisted and pale and his voice was low and even.

"It's not easy. I speak for myself when I say this, but it really isn't easy," Harry admitted. "I know that Lucius has a family and a life separate from me and that he is older," he paused for a beat, "And that he has made past choices that could prove very troubling for him and for me..."

"You know..."

"I've seen his arm bare," Harry commented. "So, yes, I know."

"And isn't that reason enough to walk away?"

Harry studied the other teen. "You think that I will? Walk away I mean."

"Yes," Draco admitted. It had been his first fear, once he got introduced to the idea of his father with Potter and he did not feel like cursing out loud. The blond had feared that Potter was just having fun with his father. Of course, the Malfoy heir had entertained the idea that it could just as well be his father that was stringing the teen along but he had quickly discarded that thought when he recalled Lucius' face when he even mentioned Harry's name. So the blond had feared that his father was getting in too deep and that the Gryffindor would balk and leave his father open and broken hearted. He might not like the mere idea of his father with Potter, but he liked the thought of his father ending up hurt even less. It took a lot for a Malfoy to open up, it was one of the most prominent things he recalled his grandparent telling him, to protect his heart, because when Malfoy's gave it away, it was forever and when they got hurt they never recovered. Draco had seen the portrait of his great uncle Emilien, who's wife had betrayed him. The wizard had wasted away after he took his revenge and Draco did not wish that fate on his father. Blaise's words to check Potter's intentions had also played a part. Deep down the Slytherin knew that the green eyed teen sitting across from him was not able to make such a deception, his eyes were too open for this.

"I care," Harry admitted, getting Draco's attention back. "I care a lot but saying it doesn't help me prove it."

"Why though? He is older and not the best material out there for the Boy-Who-Lived..."

"And I'm Harry, who likes long walks and someone to talk to and pay him actual attention and just... be there. I have heard the stories, how many think I grew up loved and cared for. That's the truth."

Draco seemed taken aback. "What do you mean?"

Harry shifted in his seat. "I don't like talking about it and the only reason I'm telling you anything at all is so that I can convince you that I'm not a capricious brat out to have fun and break up your family. The way I grew up... I wouldn't wish it on my enemies. My family... My mother's sister and her family that is, they hate magic and wizards, with the passion Voldemort hates Muggle's and Muggleborns." The teen paused to stare at his coffee, took a sip and went on. "I was starved for affection and perhaps the reason I liked your father... the reason he wore any complaints down easily was because he was willing to actually touch me."

"What on earth..."

"I mean a hug or less, like a pat on the hand, a kiss on the cheek," Harry told Draco to calm the teen down. He was not about to tell anyone about his private time with Lucius, anyone but Bill or maybe Fleur.

"A hug?" Draco repeated.

Harry gave a sad smile. "Bit pathetic that, right?"

The blond teen kept his mouth shut.

"So," the green eyed teen continued. "He cared first and that made me listen. Any gifts he started making weren't really money worthy, poems and the like, asking after my health. I do admit that the reason I can't resist him is not solely the Malfoy charm but the sex magic as well."

"You could walk away," Draco stated.

"Tell me Draco, if you were able to meet the one person in the entire world capable of becoming your other half in everything, capable of protecting you, cherishing you, loving you and having you offer those things back, would you walk away? I am talking the one person you could not dare to lose in fear of losing your heart and your sanity. Because really, the more I spend time with your father the harder it is to keep away," Harry admitted to Draco and it was something he had mentioned only to Bill Weasley.

"No," Draco replied after he found the ability to talk again. The green eyed Gryffindor's words had left him momentarily stunned. "I would not walk away," he admitted with a small amount of jealousy for both his father and the raven haired wizard because really, he wished he could some day, somehow, find his other half as well.

Harry nodded, knowing he had nothing more to say.

"Pass me a spoon," Draco asked the teen, eyeing the chocolate with interest.

Harry quirked his lips and gave Draco the spoon while he pushed the dish to the middle.

"Chocolate helps," he told the blond who just hummed when the dark ambrosia hit his mouth.

"It's just depressing," Draco admitted.

"What is?"

"My parents are not in love but I guess I still hoped deep inside," the Malfoy heir admitted. He shook his head, the childish impulse pushed deep inside. He grew up knowing the truth and now with Potter he was just forced to stare at it in the eye. It was a bitter feeling and yes, chocolate helped. Another thing that helped was that Harry did not try and pity him or comfort him, that would have been weird and made Draco feel angry. He was just glad the Gryffindor was able to change the subject. Quidditch was an easy topic and they both latched on it until they drank their coffees and finished the dessert. After that there was nothing more to say but somehow Harry got Draco to agree to another outing before they parted ways.

End of chapter.