The next time Harry sees Draco, it's in a very different setting. Harry, not being the most social of people, only went out to a bar or a club if his workmates forced him to. About once a month, he reluctantly let his fellow Aurors drag him to whatever bar had caught their fancy that week. He mainly just sat there, drinking and trying to ignore his hopeless friends attempt to pick up girls. The nights usually ended with at least one drunken couple making out in the back of Dylan's car. Let's just say it wasn't the highlight of Harry's week.
This time seemed no different from the last time. Harry was hauled out of the offices by an eager Matt, Adam and Dylan, promptly shoved into the back of Dylan's Mercedes and told to have fun. They drive adolescently fast to the trendy bar in Soho with the windows down and the radio on full blast. As Dylan and Matt start singing off-tune to Beyonce, Harry is happy. As annoying as his fellow Aurors can be, being out with them considerably raises his spirits. But then again, he has been on a happy-high since last week after the Draco incident. The song changes to Sia's Cheap Thrills and Harry, pushing his hair out of his eyes, joins in as loudly as possible.
The glowing, orange sun is setting over the city rooftops as they screech to a halt in front of Contemporaries, it's retro, neon sign turning the pavement greenorangebluepink. Dylan did always drive like an 18 year old with his first car. The bar is busy, everyone out partying on a Friday evening. Squeezing down a corridor packed with people is difficult enough, combined with the dim lighting and awkward turns and Harry is just pleased he didn't fall on his face. He keeps his eyes on Matt's mess of bright blonde hair as they weave through the noisy crowd. It's always a shock to come to places like this, the magic in the atmosphere being made purely by the music and alcohol. Lights flashing, bassline shaking the ground, girls with long hair and short dresses, clutching poisonously coloured drinks, boys in black t-shirts with laughter filled mouths. That moment when the entire room is moving in synch with the beat, too buzzed to be self-conscious or nervous.
Slipping into an empty booth, only Adam seems to be left. Matt has already disappeared to get drinks and Dylan is on the dance floor, pursuing a short brunette with an adorable pixie-like face. Typical. Harry doesn't really mind though, he prefers to watch rather than partake. Looking around the darkened room with strobing lights, Dean and the brunette seem to have disappeared. His roving gaze stops short when he spots a figure he recognises. A figure dressed in black that makes Harry's heart speed up. As the lights sweep once more over the crowd, he turns fully around and Harry can see him properly. Draco Malfoy. Hair perfectly messy, head thrown back in a laugh, one pale hand on the figure next to him. Harry's heart beats painfully fast and something akin to jealousy shoots down his spine. As Harry is staring, Draco turns round, looking at Harry directly, recognition spreading over his face. Harry lifts one hand to wave, takes another look at Draco's plus-one and awkwardly puts it back down again.
Weaving through the twisting, turning crowd, Draco heads towards the back of the room. He is suddenly filled with a warm sense of excitement and a wide smile breaks over his face. Harry Potter. What were the chances? And he was just thinking about him too, wishing he could see him again. The crowd parts and he can see Harry leaning back against the wall, surveying the room. He gives a small smile as Draco reaches him and backs into the booth. Draco follows, sitting opposite him.
'What a coincidence to see you here! We just keep on running into each other!' He says.
Harry looks up and grins 'Yeah, it is. I wasn't sure it was you at first. I thought I was imagining things,'
There's a quiet cough as Seb clears his throat beside Draco. He's standing up, slightly away from the table and Draco gestures for him to sit down.
'Harry, this is Seb. We, uh, work together. Seb, this is Harry, we went to school together,'
The two men greet each other and it's only then that Draco realizes there's someone else sitting next to Harry. A boy with brown curls, an adorable sort of face and huge green eyes. As rapidly as his heart rose, it sank again. Of course there would be someone else. A human as perfect as Harry Potter would have a boyfriend. A beautiful boyfriend with no troubles or problems who loves and adores his perfect Harry Potter. Someone the complete opposite to himself. Draco realizes Harry is talking and snaps out of his internal monologue.
'Draco, Seb, this is Adam. We're both Aurors,' Harry stops talking as he glances at Seb and Adam, who seem to be transfixed with each other. Draco can only stare as the pair lock eyes and just stand there, unable to look away. A pale blush spreads over Adam's cheeks as Seb smiles slowly and looks shyly at Draco.
'Um, why don't you two go and get drinks. Dylan and Matt seem to have disappeared,' Harry's words manage to snap them out of their little reverie and they both stand up and move into the crowd of people, leaving Draco and Harry alone. Draco is confused when he sees Harry beaming.
'What was that! I've never seen Adam react like that! They looked starstruck,' Harry gushes and Draco frowns.
'So you two aren't together?' He asks confusedly.
'What? Oh no, friends. Just friends. I haven't even questioned his sexuality before. I thought he was like my other friends, after every girl. I have never, ever seen him react like that before. He's usually not the blushing type,'
Cold relief runs through Draco's veins. Mentally, he gives him a shake, trying to get the image of Harry's green eyes, his messy hair, his adorable smile, his beautiful nose and ears and hands and legs- 'Draco? Earth to Draco!'
Draco lifts his head to see Adam and Seb back, with two men he doesn't recognise, all holding trays of drinks. Harry gestures in their direction and introduces the blonde one as Matt and the Dave Franco lookalike is Dylan. He already has a cute brunette hanging onto his arm. Dylan pauses to flash Draco a quick smile before turning back to her. Matt spends a while looking calculatingly at Draco, to Harry and then back to Draco, who squirms uncomfortably under his sharp gaze. Draco barely detects the tiny nod he sends Harry before Matt's face breaks open in a wide smile and he hands Draco one of the shots.
The alcohol is starting to get to Harry. The room is warm, music still thumping and Draco is sitting by his side. A while back, Harry gathered up enough courage to quietly grab Draco's hand under the table and they have stayed like that, hand in hand. It's late, maybe around 1 o'clock but the bar is packed. Blurry figures swirl in front of Harry's eyes, leaving sparkling trails of love, or maybe just lust. Girls with stars in their eyes, boys with alcohol-muddled brains dancing to the music that beats through the veins of everyone in the room. Harry lost sight of Dylan and the girl a long time ago, he has no idea where Draco's friend and Adam ended up. Harry's relief was gargantuan when he found out there was nothing between his and seb. Irrational jealousy, Harry thinks, is something that should be managed. But, sitting here, the alcohol numbing reality, Harry wants nothing more than to lean over to Draco in the dark, crowded, sound-filled room and just...kiss him. Just once. Would that be so wrong?
It's 3am and Draco and Harry weave through the crowd towards the exit. Stumbling into the wall, Harry can feel the alcohol coursing through his veins. That last shot was probably a bad idea. Out of the door and onto the pavement is a shock to the system. The November air hits Harry like a brick wall, sending trails of goosebumps down his arms. It instantly sobers him up, good thing too. His hand is missing the warmth of Draco's, who seems to be equally tipsy. Wrapped in a hoodie, Harry can only see a shock of blonde hair catching the neon lights as they head over to where the others are waiting. The wind twists down the alleyways, creating a swirling vortex of leaves that are illuminated in car headlights. Dylan swings the car in beside the waiting group and they hurry towards it, desperate to get out of the November night. Dylan behind the wheel and Stella, the brunette girl, next to him. Adam and Seb crawl into the very back, desperate to get back to crawling all over each other. Matt slips into the middle seats, followed by his catch for the night, a pretty blonde called Rosie. Leaving one seat left. Mind blurry with alcohol, Harry climbs into the car and stares at Draco, standing there on the pavement. No seats left. Harry knows it must be the alcohol at work when Draco chuckles softly and climbs into the car. Harry can't do anything except stare as Draco slides carefully onto his lap, wrapping soft arms around his waist and leaning his weight on Harry's chest.
'Not squashing you, am I?' Draco says, a slur slightly detectable in his voice.
Harry is seeing stars. 'No, not at all,' He mumbles, carefully resting his arms round Draco's waist. Dylan revs the engine and the car leaps forward with a jolt, throwing Draco flush against Harry's chest, his face buried in his neck. Draco, still pressed tight up against Harry, turns his head to look out of the window as they race through the backstreets. The streetlights cast strips of yellow into the car, raking over the couples. A motorbike whizzes past, headlights flashing. A siren screeches somewhere in the distance, almost drowned out by the rumble of the car engine. Dylan presses on the accelerator with a whoop, the car shoots forward and they are on a main road, travelling in synch with the cars all around them. Speeding down the road towards the flyover, Draco grips Harry's hand again as Stella reaches forward to turn the radio on. The others are oblivious, too wrapped up in each other to feel the car rising as they reach the flyover. The car is filled with music and lust. Chainsmokers' ROSES starts playing, floating out of the speakers and into the heady atmosphere. The car is flying above the roofs of the houses, bedroom windows at eye level, stars closer than ever.
And in the darkness, Draco's hands reach out to cradle Harry's face. As he leans closer, Harry can smell the alcohol, with a scent that is unique to Draco. Flying above the city, logic and reality fades and as Draco continues to lean towards him, Harry can't think of a single reason to stop. Harry can feel Draco's breath on his cheek as the song thumps through the car. Nearing the moon, soft lips meet his and Harry is sent into another dimension. Kissing Draco is better than he ever imagined, lips on lips, fingers in hair, bodies so close. Harry can feel their hearts beating together, taste Draco on his tongue, hear the faint noise of the others as if they were a hundred miles away. Kissing Draco is something he never wants to stop doing. Ever.
It's only when they get back to Draco's house that Harry's brain clears. Somewhere along the way Adam and Seb disappeared, Matt and his girl left and Harry hardly noticed . Too fixed on Draco. Always Draco. As they roll to a stop, Draco pulls away and Harry lets his arms drop with reluctance. Cold fear shoots through Harry as he realises what they have just done. He looks nervously at Draco and relaxes suddenly as a wide, sleepy smile spreads across the other's face. Awkwardly climbing off Harry's lap, Draco stretches stiff limbs and climbs out onto the streetlit pavement. One last glance at a paralyzed Harry and Draco turns and heads up to his front door.
The car jolts and slides off along the street, Harry's mind whirling. Up front, Dylan and Stella sing along to the radio, drunk 3am moments that will never be remembered. Harry's eyes don't see the streets rolling past, the flashing headlights, dark shopfronts. All he can see is images of blonde hair and grey eyes, soft hands and beautiful lips, arms round waists, fingers twisted in hair. Before long, Dylan is drawing up in front of Harry's dark apartment. Stumbling slightly out into the November wind, Harry carefully makes his way up the stairs. His keys rattle loudly as he fumbles to fit them in the lock. Luckily, the house is silent when he enters, Ginny not woken up by the commotion. Harry, moving down the corridor, trips over Ginny's boots, staggers into the hall table, knocks her purse onto the floor and groans as a fountain of loose change pours all over the carpet. Harry ignores it, making a mental note to pick it up in the morning. Shrugging off his jacket, he goes and stands by the window, watching the sleeping city. A slow smile spreads over his face and he runs a hand through his hair, mussed up by Draco's fingers. Thinking about a boy asleep not too far away.