Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., and other assorted publishing, producing companies. I do not make money from writing this story, as I do not own any of the rights to the characters or canon plotlines.
Author's Note : I know! I'm a lazy procrastinator of an author who never updates for her readers! I'm sorry! I swear I'm busy and not just blowing it off. Work, school, and working on my first original novel has me thoroughly booked with work! I will update whenever I am able!
I have lost contact with my Beta-reader, so until I find a new one please forgive any mistakes I missed while reading this over. If anyone is a beta-reader for HP or knows a good one, please PM me.
Title : The Aftermath of War
Warnings : Slash, Ginny-Bashing, Anal, Oral, Rim, H/C, Future M-Preg, Un-Beta'd
Pairings : Lucius/Harry, George/Draco, Ron/Hermione, Narcissa/Kingsley
Chapter 15: Revelations and Acceptance
Harry was doing something he never thought he'd be doing in his life, something he told himself he would never do…he was writing a memoir. Granted, it would probably never see the light of day, let alone a publisher or a bookstore, but it was something that Lucius had suggested as part of his rehabilitation. Lucius had said that writing his own memoir would force him to confront all of his memories, and in doing so would also force him to deal with some of the horrible things that had happened in his life. Harry wasn't sure what would happen, but he figured it was worth a try.
After talking to Lucius just a few times they discovered that Harry's brain, like those of many victims of abuse or mental trauma, had a way of re-writing his memories so that they didn't seem so bad. Yes, Harry knew his childhood was less than ideal, but his mind seemed to automatically push the negative feelings down and put forward the idea that it could've been worse somehow. Yes, Harry knew that he could've died any time between his birth and the defeat of Voldemort. He faced that possibility many times at a very young age, from the starvation forced on him by his relatives to direct attacks on his life from Voldemort himself. To Harry that was just his life, nothing to dwell on.
Lucius felt that because his mind automatically found ways to downplay the horrors that he'd gone through in his lifetime, Harry never truly faced them or moved forward. Now, Lucius wasn't a mind healer or anything, but Harry could see the logic behind the man's idea. If Harry automatically pushed his feelings of a situation aside so he could just keep going, those feelings never truly went away. They were just dormant inside of him. Now that he had completed his task in life, to kill Voldemort, now that he was no longer fighting for his life and the lives of those he cared about, those feelings were resurfacing. They were wreaking havoc on his mind and emotions.
So, Harry decided to take Lucius' advice. The Malfoy Lord said that journaling was currently helping him through processing the truly awful memories of serving Voldemort during his second coming. Lucius suggested a memoir for Harry instead of a journal, because he knew Harry's nature would force him to be completely honest, even if Harry was the only person who ever read the book. A memoir was something that told a person's life story, and Harry wouldn't sit there writing down lies about his life. There were enough people in the Wizarding World doing that for him. What would be the point?
'Heh, he barely knows me and still he knows I'm a terrible liar,' Harry thought with a small smile.
Sometimes he wondered if he really was such a predictable person, or perhaps he wore his thoughts a little too boldly on his sleeve. At least he was honest. That was one trait of which he could be proud. He wasn't a liar and he never would be. Looking down at the page he'd been penning for the past hour, Harry decided to take a break. It was a rough outline of what he remembered of his early childhood. He had some errands to run anyway. Maybe he just wanted to avoid thinking about his childhood, but who could really blame him right? He rolled up the parchment and put it away before getting ready to head into town.
Narcissa was sitting in the office of the Minister of Magic once again, or as he liked to be called, Kingsley. Not Minister. Not Mr. Shacklebolt. Not even Sir. He wanted her to call him Kingsley. His complete lack of propriety was marginally offensive to Narcissa's formal Pureblood disposition, but at least he did not insist on calling her by her first name. He had respect at least to call her by her rank and maiden name. She could tell that he wished to be less formal with her, which was astounding to her considering how much propriety he'd thrown to the wind already, but Narcissa wasn't willing to cross that line with the Minister. It was improper, and she had no desire at all to know him better. No matter how handsome his face looked when he smiled at her consistently throughout the duration of their meetings. The Wizarding public would not at all respond well to the disgraced ex-wife of the former right had man of Voldemort cavorting with their precious Minister.
"This is quite an impressive curriculum, Lady Black," Shacklebolt said.
He was looking over the final draft of her lesson plans for the Magical Culture class. Narcissa was confident in her work. She had done extensive research on Muggleborns, what they generally know coming into the magical world (almost nothing), and what would be the best ways to teach magical culture so that they could understand it. During this research, Narcissa was fascinated to learn about the many different cultures that existed within the muggle world. Their world was just as diverse as hers was, and she had found many similarities between the two worlds that may help to drive the material home for the Muggleborn students. It was all quite fascinating. She enjoyed gathering more information on different cultures that existed within the broad spectrum of Muggleborn witches and wizards.
"I really like how you have correlated certain magical practices with similar muggle practices. Even though they are extremely different due to the existence of magic in our world, the idea behind them is similar and I think it will really help muggleborn students to identify with what you are teaching," the Minister commented as he read on.
Narcissa felt the sudden urge to fidget at the praise. She knew the work was good because she had worked hard to get it to this point. Still, it was unusual for such blatant praise to be thrown her way. In her world, compliments were always either backhanded or hidden under layers of subtlety. It was very rare that someone give a straight and honest compliment to anyone. The blonde sat in silence as Minister Shacklebolt finished reviewing her curriculum. If he gave his stamp of approval, she was going to schedule a meeting with Headmistress McGonagall so they could present the material to the Board of Governors. If everyone was on the same page, Narcissa would be moving to Hogwarts to settle into her new quarters and start preparing for the new school year which was coming up very soon.
Arriving at a small café in Diagon Alley, Harry smiled when he spotted the person that he was meeting there. He put in his order and walked over to take a seat across from none other than Hermione Granger. Harry had owled her to meet up with him so they could catch up. He had promised himself that he would no longer sequester himself from his friends. Seeing them regularly made him happy, and to him that sounded like a good way to help him move past everything that was making him feel depressed.
"So Harry, what's new in the world of Malfoys?" Hermione asked, her observant brown gaze watching him closely as they always did. She always had been a bit of a worrywart. Add in her past experiences at Malfoy Manor and anyone would understand her being wary of one of her best friends staying there.
"Nothing interesting. Although I never was a good judge of what was worth gossiping about or not," Harry said with a shrug of his shoulders. Hermione simply smiled at him with a small laugh.
"How have things been with Lucius?" she clarified. Harry managed not to blush because as of yet, Hermione was the only one who knew about his attraction to Lucius…well besides Lucius himself who Harry had drunkenly thrown himself at on the night of Snape's Funeral.
"They've been alright. I mean…slow going of course. We've kind of been helping each other," he said. At the quirk of her eyebrow, Harry's cheeks flushed with heat.
"Not like that, 'Mione! I never pegged you for gutter minded," he said in a hushed tone. She merely smirked at him as she took a bite out of her muffin.
"We've been talking to one another about our experiences…you know..during the war," he explained. Hermione looked at him for several moments in silence before sighing.
"Well, if you are gaining some form of comfort from speaking to Lucius Malfoy, then I won't be upset. I wish you would let us help you though, Harry. It's what we're here for. We're your friends," she said to him, and he felt a pulse of guilt in response.
"I know you are, 'Mione, and you know that I would trust you both with anything. I would trust all of you who stood by me all of these years with anything, but..you're all going through your own troubles. I don't want to burden you with mine," Harry answered her.
"But it's okay to burden him?" Hermione asked, no judgment in her tone just straight curiosity.
"With him it's different. To him, helping me is a way for him to atone for the things that he's done and it's also helping him to move past his own issues. So it doesn't feel like I'm burdening him because he's getting some kind of therapy out of it as well," Harry explained, though she still looked confused
"With you guys it's harder. Maybe you'd benefit, maybe you wouldn't. But you're trying to put your family together at the same time as you're trying to battle the things that happened to you while we were fighting. Ron is mourning the death of his brother, and the two of you on top of it all are trying to form a new relationship with one another," Harry continued, watching Hermione's face go through a myriad of emotions as he spoke.
"I can't put everything I'm going through and have been going through for years on the two of you right now. You both stood by me through all of this, and I will never have the words to thank you for that. But what I can do, is figure things out on my own and allow you two the time you need to sort through your own burdens. I think the three of us have had enough discussions about sorrow and death. I want the time we spend together now to be about happiness and plans for the future," he finished.
As he expected, Hermione sat in silence for a while. Harry's order arrived at the table, and he didn't wait to dig in. It was a lot for her to take in, so naturally she would need a few minutes to process it. She, like Ron, was so used to being there for Harry that the idea that he didn't want to lean on her this time was probably very confusing. He hoped he hadn't hurt her by pushing her offer of comfort away, but he knew he was right on this one. They had spent much of their time as friends devising plans to fight against Voldemort and his plots against Harry's life. That's not to say that they hadn't had good times, but a lot of it especially in recent years was spent trying to stay alive and save the world. He wanted it to be different now.
To say George Weasley was nervous was an understatement. There he sat before Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Black, about to tell them that he intended to court their son. With his own family, George had expected some disapproval, but he knew they would ultimately support whatever decision he made if it made him happy. With Draco's parents…two people he'd considered enemies only a few months ago, one of whom having a huge distaste for George's family, he didn't know what to expect. Telling them that he wanted to be with their son was, well, daunting to say the least.
"Relax, Weasley. They're not vampires," Draco said with a slight huff from beside him. George just frowned at him before fixing his eyes back to the man and woman across from them.
"So, Mr. Weasley," Lucius began, making George snap his gaze straight to the man's face to see if he could see anything in his expression. It was useless. As per usual, Lucius Malfoy's face was completely unreadable.
"Draco says you two have something to tell us," Narcissa finished for her ex-husband.
George had a not so small inkling that she already knew what they were about to tell her. She was the one who had walked in on them the morning after Draco accidentally fell asleep in George's bed. Plus…she was a mum. Mums knew everything. Hell, George wasn't stupid enough to think that his own mum hadn't known about him and Draco before he'd told her.
"Mother, Father, I know that originally...it was our plan to wait for me to graduate Hogwarts and match me with a high standing pureblood from one of the noble families," Draco began, making George feel even more nervous since he didn't fit that description at all save for the pureblood part. The two Malfoys before him didn't change expression at all, so that didn't help him get a read on their thoughts at all.
"But…I have decided on a different path," Draco continued. His face betrayed no nerves, though George could tell he was feeling them. Draco had fixed a firm and determined gaze on his two parents, who were looking at him with mild expectation.
"And what path would that be, Draco?" asked Narcissa.
Her question feigned ignorance but George could see in her eyes a twinkle of amusement which let him know she was fully aware of what was about to be said. Though Narcissa had not entirely contained her glee with their painfully awkward and nerve ridden confession, her ex-husband sat beside her completely stone faced. It made George's belly lurch uncomfortably. It was Lucius Malfoy's rejection he feared the most. While the man had been courteous since the redhead's arrival at Malfoy Manor, George wasn't sure how much of the feud between their two families that Lucius had managed to get over, if any at all. For all George knew, Lucius was just humoring him and his family so that Harry would remain at Malfoy Manor to fulfill his role as something of a parole officer to the older man.
"After he finishes his studies, whether it be at Hogwarts or with a private tutor, I fully intend to court Draco with the goal of eventually entering into a formal engagement," George said after gathering all the courage he could to speak with an even tone his intentions toward the sole heir of the Malfoy name.
Silence was the answer. For a long while, there was only silence. George tried to get a read on the situation, but all he could see were three Malfoys staring intensely at each other. Not a single one of them uttered a word, but there was definitely a conversation going on. It was amazing to him how much could be said through expression and body language. He could usually tell what Draco was feeling, but the way the Malfoys communicated so easily without words showed him he still had a lot to learn about the younger man.
'This is a really long time for them to be this quiet. I never even thought about what we would do if his parents disapproved. Would he still want to go through with this if they don't? Am I okay with that? I guess I'll have to be. He's got to do what's best for him, and if I truly care for him, I have to support him,' George thought.
"Very well."
George's eyes widened at the sound of Lucius' deep voice giving his consent. He flicked his eyes over to see the man looking directly at him with an expression that was no longer flat. There was a glint in his eyes that caused a shiver to go down the redhead's spine. It took a moment, but George finally realize that Lucius was measuring him up, trying to see how serious he was about Draco. The Weasley looked back at him, doing his best to show his steely resolve. He had every intention of making good on his words. Draco was not someone he was willing to let go after all the younger man had done for him. But, at the end of the day, Lucius was a father very protective of his only son's still very fragile heart. George respected that, and would absolutely not make the Malfoy Lord regret his approval.
"George Weasley, your family presents themselves as honest and honorable. I truly hope, for the sake of my son who has already suffered enough, that you uphold the values you represent."
This time it was Narcissa who spoke. George had spent enough time around the Malfoys to recognize the subtle threat in her words. Draco had indeed suffered enough, and if George added to that suffering in any way, these two would make his life a living hell. Though in the current world, they did not wield the same amount of power as they previously did, the Malfoys were not enemies that George wished to make. Besides, Draco was his main concern. Even though George wasn't whole enough yet to share himself completely, he knew that when he was, he would spend the rest of his life trying to make Draco happy.
"I owe Draco far too much, and care for him much too strongly to ever do anything but ensure his happiness for the rest of my life. You have my word on that," George said.
That seemed to satisfy them for the time being. They both excused themselves and headed their separate ways claiming important business that needed to be done. George felt that they also wished to get away from the major awkwardness the conversation had conjured between them. As soon as his parents left the room, George heard Draco let out a long sigh of relief.
"Can you believe it? They just accepted it. Just like that," the blonde said, turning a small smile toward George that made the redhead's heartbeat flutter to life.
"Did you expect something different?" he asked.
He knew the Malfoys were a traditional family, but from what he'd seen of them after the war…they seemed to just be happy to be alive and free. They didn't seem overly worried about pureblood politics anymore outside of what they had to deal with on a daily basis.
"I'm not sure what I expected. After everything we have been through, I was fairly confident they would support my decision. But ever since I was a child, I was always told that a man of my rank must marry accordingly and produce an heir. I wasn't encouraged to form relationships in school because my whole life, my parents were negotiating my future marriage with the other noble pureblood families in Britain," Draco explained.
"I guess, since the family name is in shambles. I thought that maybe they would try to go through with their original intentions. There are pureblood families who renounced The Dark Lord. The Greengrass Family refused to be a part of the war, on either side. They are currently still in good standing in society, and there are other families who did the same. I guess I judged Father on his previous way of doing things. He's changed more than I realized," the younger man finished.
George quietly processed everything he'd been told. Hearing it all, he was glad his family never bothered to stick to the strict social rules of pureblood society. It all sounded rather ridiculous and very troublesome to him.
"Or…maybe he is still thinking that way, at least a little," George said, causing Draco to look over to him in question.
"I do think he's more concerned about your wellbeing than anything else. Anyone with half a brain could see that you're much happier than you have been since Voldemort returned. But also…of all the pureblood families still standing, mine is the one with the most clout," the redhead continued. Draco's eyes widened at the revelation.
"Even though we'll probably get a lot of crap for our relationship when it comes out, your family in particular, if we can make it through out that and come out of it still together. Your family may be restored in the eyes of the wizarding world."
The blonde looked at him in silence for a long while, and George met his eyes warmly. He wanted Draco to know that he understood everything the Mafloys could gain from being on good terms with the Weasleys, but he didn't care. He only cared about Draco, and what could develop between them in the future. What the world thought of it didn't really concern him.
"I guess a person can only change so much," Draco finally said with a huff of amusement. George simply reached a hand out to push through silky blonde hair.
"I think he's changed quite a bit, just maybe not in that particular aspect of his personality," he chuckled. Draco smiled at him as they came together in a hug.
The worst was over…for now. They'd both been accepted by the ones most dear to them, and whatever the future held, they would face it together. Until then, they would continue to grow and build on themselves as well as their relationship. George leaned down to plant a chaste kiss on Draco's lips. He couldn't help but grin at the blush that darkened the blonde's face. For some reason, the gentler the kiss, the redder Draco's face got. George wondered if anyone had ever treated him with such tenderness in his life, but figured with the knowledge he had of Draco's past, he knew the answer. Even Narcissa was limited in the amount of sweetness she'd been allowed to show her son, because Malfoy men were supposed to be raised aloof and cold. Her refusal to stick to those guidelines was probably what made Draco different than all of his predecessors.
"Come on…let's go flying," George said, which caused Draco's eyes to widen in surprise.
George had been avoiding flying since the final battle at Hogwarts. It reminded him too much of Fred. They'd learned to fly together and played every Quidditch match in their Hogwarts career together. Now, it was something he'd like to share with Draco. Even though Fred was probably laughing at him from the heavens for his choice in partners, he knew that his twin would want him to keep flying. Who better to get back into it with than the person who'd coaxed him through so much already?
Lucius Malfoy used every ounce of his emotional strength not to react when he read the first chapter of Harry's memoir. Maybe he should've told the younger man he didn't want to read it until it was finished. Maybe he should've told him he didn't want to read it at all. That it was just for Harry to reflect on his past and hopefully move forward. But...the younger man had wanted him to read it, to see if he was "doing it right" and now Lucius couldn't undo what was done.
'From as early as I can remember, I was always in the dark. Scared, hungry, and lonely…'
That first line grabbed Lucius' heart and ripped it to shreds. He almost didn't have the strength to keep reading, but the burn of those bright green eyes staring at him with anxiety and expectation kept him going. Harry went on to describe his first memories of living with his relatives. He was always locked in the cupboard under the stairs unless they wanted him to do chores, or their horrible little beast of a son wanted to "play" with Harry. Playing usually consisted of teasing and physical beatings. If he made even the slightest mistake, Harry was starved or hit and verbally berated to the verge of tears. Then to top it all off, he'd be locked in his cupboard for a few days with only the bare necessities for survival.
'They gave me table scraps and water. I wasn't allowed to come out until they were satisfied I was thoroughly chastised, not for anything. If I needed to use the bathroom, I had a bucket that I would clean out myself whenever it was decided that my punishment was over.'
Lucius couldn't believe that this was how the Savior of the Wizarding world had been raised. He couldn't believe the child of the two hero martyrs of the first war had been subjected to this kind of torture. What in the world had Albus Dumbledore been thinking?! Surely Minerva hadn't known of the truth. As much as they'd clashed when Draco was in school, Lucius could recognize the care the old witch had for her students. She would never have allowed Harry to suffer like this if she knew the whole truth.
"Um…."
The Malfoy Lord looked up at the sound of Harry's unsure murmur. Green eyes looked back at him with an uncertain glint in their depths.
"Is it bad?" Harry asked. Lucius forced himself to take a deep breath.
"No. It is not bad. It is…a bit shocking, and I suppose I lost myself in my own thoughts for a moment," he replied, keeping his tone even.
He didn't want Harry to feel strange or like what he'd revealed was something he shouldn't share with others. If he allowed how disturbed he was on the inside to show, Harry would possibly never confide in another person about this again. One thing Lucius had learned about Harry Potter throughout his stay at the Manor was that this young man was the type of person who always put others ahead of himself. If he for a moment thought other people couldn't handle the details of his past, he would never be able to open himself up again in fear of hurting them. He would continue on as he was, internalizing everything and going slowly insane from within.
"Do you think I should….sugar coat it a little?" Harry asked and almost as soon as he said it, Lucius shut the idea down.
"No. Absolutely not. Like I told you, this writing is for your benefit. Sugar coating your past is what you've been doing in your mind for years. I think your current state of mind is a testament to how well that worked," he said, causing the younger man to flush and sigh.
"You're right of course," he said. Green eyes became big and earnest in a way that made Lucius' heart stutter. "But if you become uncomfortable reading it at any time, please don't force yourself."
The words were like a jab to the gut. Lucius felt himself grow angry at the people who made Harry believe he wasn't as important as anyone else. It was something he wanted to work on with the younger man. Harry needed to know that he was allowed to speak out sometimes. He was allowed to get upset and he was allowed not to be okay. Mostly, he needed to learn that people who truly wished to support him wouldn't give up on him just because his past was hard to hear.
'Someone who truly wishes to help him will endure knowing that they are helping someone they care about.'
A gasp almost left Lucius mouth at the thought.
'Have I just admitted to myself that I care about him? I suppose I knew it was there, but I do not believe I have ever truly acknowledged it.'
It was a strange idea, that someone who was once his most hated enemy had somehow become a person he truly cared about. It couldn't be helped. Harry Potter was nothing like he'd ever expected. Instead of the spoiled little entitled brat he always saw, it turned out the young man was nothing but humble and compassionate. He put himself out on the line to keep Lucius out of jail just so Draco, someone Harry had disliked immensely during school, wouldn't implode with grief. Lucius saw a lot of qualities in the young man that he wished he could've had. Maybe he wouldn't have ended up like this if he did.
"You need not worry about me. I have seen many things in my life that have hardened my constitution. If your wish is for me to continue reading, I will do so and we can talk if you think you need to," Lucius finally said.
He came around the desk and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder in what he hoped was a comforting gesture. The smile the younger man turned up on him was warm and lovely as usual. Lucius fought the heat that wanted to rise to his face when Harry's hand came up to cover his and squeeze.
"Thank you. I really do appreciate it."
There was silence again, but it was a comfortable one. Lucius took a seat next to Harry on the sofa. He handed the parchment back to the other man. Even though the contents of the memoir were shocking and much darker than Lucius had expected, what he had read was moving. He wouldn't say anything yet, but he felt like perhaps Harry should publish it someday. It could hit home with a lot of wizards. It could inspire people to live their best life, despite any adversities they may have experienced. It was also a story that Lucius thought ought to be told.
"Lucius…."
Harry's tone was a bit awkward. Lucius looked up to see the younger man looking at him uncertainly again. He was biting his lips and there was a definite glow of red tinting his cheeks. The Malfoy Lord blinked in confusion, willing his body not to respond. Who ever knew Harry had it in him to be so alluring? Without even trying to boot!
"I want to ask you something…I…I'm sure you're going to laugh," Harry said.
Lucius was becoming more confused as the other man went on, but he just nodded his head.
"I'm sure that you've er….noticed….that I'm…ehh…well..you know…attracted to you."
Lucius coughed to conceal the laugh that wanted to escape him. He didn't want to embarrass the younger man, but yes it was very obvious that Harry had an attraction towards him. Drunken make-out sessions were usually pretty good indicators. It was also very obvious that Harry wasn't quite sure what to do with those feelings.
"Did you have a question regarding this? I know it must be new to you, being attracted to a male. I will help if I can," Lucius prodded, hoping the offer would relax Harry a little bit.
The younger man fidgeted nervously, which made Lucius want to smile. He didn't even remember being this shy. It'd been far too long since those days. The last person he remembered being shy to approach was his wife, Narcissa, during their Hogwarts days. He'd just been a kid then.
"I was wondering…and feel free to say no if you don't want to…but I hoped that you'd, eh…maybe be okay with…trying it again. I just…I want to see how it feels erm….not drunk," Harry managed to stammer out.
Lucius slammed down on his control, not wanting his body to get to excited. If he'd interpreted the other man's unintelligible stuttering correctly, Harry had just asked him if they could kiss again. The blonde still remembered the feeling of the younger man pressed tightly against him. It'd taken everything in him to stop that interaction, but knowing that Harry was drunk firmed his resolve to push the younger away. Now, however, the younger man was completely sober and literally asking for it.
"If you are sure that is what you want, then I have no reservations in trying again. I told you that night, Harry, that the only thing holding me back from you was the fact that you were inebriated and not in your right mind," Lucius said, quite enjoying the large flush that erupted over the dark-haired man's face.
"Oh….okay then," was Harry's awkward reply, and this time the Malfoy Lord couldn't help but chuckle lightly. He reached a hand out and pushed it through messy black hair.
"Relax, Harry. The experience will not be pleasurable if you are tense," he said, keeping his tone calm and soothing as he gently massaged the back of the younger man's neck.
Green eyes fluttered closed for a moment before Harry let go of a long sigh. His face relaxed and his body became less ridged. Lucius moved his hand forward to cup the other man's cheek. Harry was trembling a little bit with what was surely a bit of nerves. This must be the first time he was ever kissing a man without the strength of liquid courage behind him. Lucius wouldn't make him suffer any longer than he more than likely already had. This idea surely didn't come out of the blue. Knowing the younger man's personality, he likely had agonized over the idea for several days before mustering up the courage to ask.
Lucius was laughing at him, but Harry could sense no real mirth behind it. The older man seemed simply amused by what must be very adolescent behavior in his eyes. Harry couldn't help it though. He'd never even thought of kissing another guy before and he felt utterly inadequate in comparison to Lucius who was clearly experienced. His heart was beating so fast he was sure the other man could hear it. When the blonde's lips finally touched his, Harry couldn't believe how soft they were. Then again, he supposed he shouldn't be. Lucius was the kind of man that was always perfectly groomed.
An arm wrapped around Harry's waist and pulled him closer to the warmth of Lucius's body. The hand on his cheek remained, but tipped his face up for a different angle. Harry felt the trembling of his body start to calm down as he relaxed into the kiss. It was nothing like the first time. Everything was so crystal clear this time. There was no fog of alcohol blurring his mind. He felt so warm. The kiss didn't last long. It was rather chaste compared to the first, but Harry liked that better. Somehow, even though their bodies had been pressed so closely together before, this felt more intimate. When they pulled apart, Harry opened his eyes to find them locked with Lucius's own stormy grey ones. There was a softness in the other man's gaze that Harry hadn't seen before, and it made his heart beat even faster.
'I guess I've fallen for him huh... Hermione was right…why is she always right?' Harry thought with slight amusement.
He'd known since he first started staying that there were feelings he couldn't quite place developing between he and Lucius. Harry had never truly acknowledged how much he felt. It was too scary. It was still scary. But, Lucius seemed fine with letting Harry take the reins and steer them as slow as he wanted to wherever they were going to end up. The patience the older man exhibited towards Harry's bumbling attempt at understanding his own feelings, made the whole thing a little less intimidating.
A/N: Please review! I'll try to get another chapter out asap!