Boys Kissing - Tumblr Posts

Just so yall know, I win.

I'm not saying that with the implication that dating someone is a type of game and they're some prize that you wanna win and that's the only meaning behind "I win/I won".

I mean, my boyfriend is awesome and he's very cute so I literally win and I'm very lucky. I'm gonna put him in a little box and keep the box in my bed and I'm gonna feed him lil snacks and take him with me in my pocket :D

YAY

Grinding while making out 😫

Watching Draco in the lab feels like time travel. It takes him straight back to eighth year, “Remember how it used to be?” He asks softly, quickly, before he can convince himself not too.

Draco stops mixing the potion and holds himself very still, his body tightly coiled. When he turns he’s staring at Harry with a breathless focus.

So Draco remembers as well.

Remembers the way they’d danced around each other in potions class as if they were afraid to touch, afraid to speak to each other. Remembers Harry sneaking down to the potions lab to meet him late at night, the excuse of their assignment always at the tip of his tongue. Always sneaking, always careful, Draco’s pale hands covering Harry’s mouth to muffle his sighs as he pressed him back against the countertops and let him unravel.

Harry remembers all of it. Even now, sometimes he finds his mind back there in the potions lab, at Hogwarts, thinking about what it had been like for someone to touch him like he meant something, like he was made of glass. He can’t quite count the number of times he’s come with Draco’s name on his tongue.

Excerpt from my new fic Inexplicable Things

Closing his eyes he tips his head back against the steady wooden wall and wills his head to stop spinning. When he peels his eyes open again Draco’s there beside him.

Harry sucks in a breath, holds it and feels unsteady on his feet.

“Come with me.” Draco tells him, hand outstretched. 

Harry doesn't even wait a beat before taking it. 

Draco’s skin is soft against his and his palm is bigger than it used to be. Harry forces himself to draw a breath against the tightness of his ribcage. Heat crackles down his spine.

Draco tugs him through the loo door and stops suddenly, making Harry stumble a little. He catches him and presses him up against the wall.

When Draco kisses him Harry’s lips are already parted.

There’s less anger in it this time, just the casual pleasure of open mouths and tongues sliding together. Harry moves his hand up, clenching his fingers around Draco’s wrist, and watches as he squeezes his lids shut. He feels like he’s standing on the edge of a cliff, the strong wind pushing him closer and closer to the edge.

Draco groans into his mouth and the inside of Harry's thighs flare with warmth. He reaches up with his free hand and tangles it through Draco’s long golden locks tugging gently. “Fuck,” Draco exhales quietly, slotting his thigh in between Harry’s and pressing him more firmly to the wall.

Excerpt from my new fic Inexplicable Things 

Inexplicable Things (Ch. 4)

Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Harry Potter/Theodore Nott, Ginny Weasley/Blaise Zabini

Summary: No way, no way in hell. Draco is supposed to be in France or America or, wherever else he’d deemed more important than Harry when he left five years ago. Draco is not supposed to be showing up at the DMLE out of the blue, forcing Harry to watch him as he struts confidently across the room towards him.

Read on on AO3 here

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3 

Chapter 4 

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Draco mumbles, as he shifts from his sleeping spot into a more proper sitting position.

“Like what?” Harry says wide eyed and innocent.

“Ugh, you’re impossible” Draco retorts, running his hand through his tousled hair, “So what’d you say Harry? Are you going to help me drown my sorrows?” His smile looks strained and manic. The twinkle in his eye is a bit dull.

Harry looks at him and wants to tell him no, that he thinks they should talk things through, that they should be sober for it. His eyes trace across the strange tension in Draco’s shoulders, the sad downturn at the sides of his mouth, and realizes that maybe that would be selfish.

No matter what Draco says about Narcissa it’s clear her hospitalization has shaken him to the bones. He’s seeking Harry out for comfort, not for an in-depth analysis of their shared past. If Draco wants to get blazingly drunk then that’s what they’ll do.

“Depends what we’re drowning them in,” Harry tells him and Draco’s smile spreads a little wider. Harry’s certain he’s made the right choice.

~~~~~~~~~

Some twenty minutes later, they’re sitting on the floor in Harry’s living room with an odd assortment of firewhisky, butterbear, soda water and some multicolor syrups that Ginny had stolen from Ron’s bar a couple weeks before.

Harry watches Draco dubiously as he carefully pours the liquids together into tall clear glasses. He stirs for a second, lips pursed and brow furrowed, before pushing one across the table towards Harry.

“Bottoms up,” He says, picking up his glass. Harry mirrors his movement gingerly, lifting the rip to his lips and taking a tentative sip.

He quickly sets the glass back down spluttering, “Merlin, that stuff is foul!”

Draco raises his eyebrow and sips his drink calmly, “This is the type of drink they used to serve at pureblood parties back in the day.”

Harry blanches, grabbing the soda water and gulping it down straight. “Didn’t know purebloods had a taste for decomposing dishwater.”

“Oh my God Harry shut up.” Draco says. Harry wonders again where he’d picked up Muggle swears.

“Here,” Draco continues knocking a new glass against his arm. Harry reaches for it and breaths a quiet sigh of relief when he realizes it’s pure firewhisky.

“Alright, race you to the finish,” Harry says.

“Hey, no fair. My drink’s like four times the size of yours,” Draco whines.

“Your fault for being so posh.” Harry tells him, winking over the rip of his glass.

“Fine. Be like that.” Draco tosses his blonde hair behind his shoulders and picks up his glass hastily.

Draco lifts the glass to his lips and begins drinking, and drinking, and drinking. Harry can’t tear his gaze away from the way his throat undulates in the firelight. He can’t stop thinking about reaching one of his hands out and feeling the way it moves. By the time Draco slams his glass down onto the coffee table and wipes his wet mouth on the back of his hand Harry’s head is spinning in a way it shouldn't until he’s at least four drinks in.

“That was actually pretty impressive,” he says rather hoarsely, his eyes darting from Draco’s mouth to his throat and back again.

“I know,” Draco winks at him. Harry tries unsuccessfully not to blush.

~~~~~~~~~~~

By the time Theo and Ginny arrive home with Dean in tow Harry and Draco are thoroughly drunk.

Harry watches them enter the room through blurry eyes and wonders if he should be embarrassed by how totally gone they are on a weekday. Then, Theo stumbles on the corner of the rug and Dean tries to right him unsuccessfully and they tumble onto the floor giggling, and Harry realizes that him and Draco might not be the only drunk ones in the room.

“Well, well, well, “ Draco says with a gentle slur in his words. “Look who’s joined the party.”

“Ooo what are you drinking?” Ginny asks, dropping to the floor next to him and closely examining his cup.

“Ugh, don’t even ask, it's horrid,” Harry groans, his stomach recoiling with just the thought of Draco’s drink.

Draco offers Ginny his glass and she disregards Harry’s advice taking a large swing.

“Ohhh,” She breathes happily, raising the glass to her lips a second time,”This reminds me of when I would sneak drinks at parties when I was younger.”

“I can’t believe you two,” Harry says grumpily, wrinkling his nose in protest.

“Don’t be put out Harry, I’ll drink firewhisky with you,” Dean tells him plopping down onto the wood floor next to them.

“Oh good,” Harry grins at him dreamily, handing over his glass.

When he looks back over at Draco, he’s watching him, a funny light in his gray eyes. Harry’s cheeks flush and he focuses on the floor in front of him.

~~~~~~~~~

Ginny decides that they need to play drinking games. They start with charades. Ginny and Draco quickly team up to get Theo as drunk as possible and Harry and Dean retaliate giving drinks only to Ginny and Draco in response. Harry’s face aches from laughter. Eventually, he’s drunk enough to try Draco’s horrible concoction again and he’s shocked to find it worryingly good.

“All right, for our next game,” Ginny proclaims with glee. “We will be playing the wonderful game of twister.” She pulls the box out of the living room cabinet with a flourish. “Whoever falls down first drinks!”

Harry groans. He should have known it would come to this.

Ginny had been introduced to Twister at one of Hermione’s parties and ever since she forced them to play it any chance they got. A lump in his throat arises at the thought of tangling his body against Draco’s in the presence of other people and he swallows it down quickly before grabbing the corner of the Twister sheet and helping Ginny arrange it on the floor.

Several minutes later, Harry’s laughing so hard he can barely hear the instructions. He’s bent forward in a downward dog over Dean’s legs and everyone else is tangled above them in a quivering know of octopus-like limbs. He can hear Ginny’s giggles close to his left ear. When Draco is coached to move his left hand to yellow, Dean's elbow knocks into his back and he sways into Draco's side as his body moves in beside him. Gasping and cursing they right themselves and narrowly avoid a tumble onto the floor. Draco’s warmth against him sends a hot tingle up his side and Harry narrows his eyes on the brightly colored dots below him in an effort to ignore it.

Then, Ginny calls the next instruction and Theo knocks into the back of Harry’s knee and suddenly they all lose their balance, tumbling towards the floor.

Harry gets lost in the warm press of bodies above him. When the chaos finally settles he opens his eyes and suddenly becomes aware that he’s laying flat on his back with Draco sitting on top of him, legs tangled together, and Harry's arms splayed above his head.

“Oh” Harry gasps, chest still heaving from laughter.

“Looks like you fell first if you’re underneath me,” Draco says smugly, his face very close to Harry’s. His breath smells bitter like alcohol and sweet like syrup. Harry finds himself acutely aware that it would take only a little movement to brush his lips across Draco’s mouth.

Harry meets Draco’s eyes and sees his realization reflected there. They stare at each other and the air feels static around them. Harry thinks he could change everything if he leaned up and let their lips brush right now, where his friends could see them, where Draco might realize that he’s not something that Harry wants to hide. Draco’s eyes widen a fraction.

Then, Ginny knocks into them and Draco tumbles off of Harry’s lap in a whirlwind of limps and Harry’s still laying on the floor, flat on his back, lips cold and empty.

“Get up Harry! It’s time for you to drinkkk,” Theo tells him in a sing-songy voice, kicking him swiftly in the leg.

~~~~~~~~~

Dean’s the first one to fall asleep. It feels like it happens in a split second, one minute they’re sitting around the coffee table talking, the next Dean is sprawled out across the dark green upholstery snoring softly.

“Well,” Ginny says quietly, so as not to wake him, “I guess it’s time to go to bed.” She pushes herself off of the floor clumsily. “This was great, we should all do this again.” She pats Harry, Draco and Theo sloppily on their heads and stumbles off to her bedroom.

“Ugh, she’s right.” Theo mumbles sitting up from where he’d been laying across the floor, “I can’t believe we have work tomorrow.” He uses the coach to hoist himself into a standing position and knocks against the coffee table precariously before righting himself.

“Have a goodnight!” He calls, flapping his hand in a tired wave as he disappears into his room. His light flicks on, illuminating the hallway in a bright stripe before the door clicks closed definitively leaving Harry and Draco alone together in the living room with nothing but the dim glow of the dying fire.

“I don’t think I’m sober enough to apparate home,” Draco tells him, his voice tentative.

Harry glances over at Draco’s flushed cheeks and unfocused eyes and knows he’s right. “That’s fine, you can stay here.” His tongue feels cumbersome in his mouth and the words come out soft and blurry.

For a long moment Draco looks at him, just looks. “Okay.” He says, a smile spreading across his face sudden and hesitant.

“Oh, but the coach is taken,” He observes flatly, looking at Harry defeated.

Fuck, it is, Harry thinks frantically. The only place left is his bed and he’s not sure if he can handle that. Not when Draco’s the one who broke his heart into scattered pieces that he’s still trying to assemble.

“So,” Draco says slowly, as if he’s feeling out the words, “We could share your bed? I mean, we’ve done it before.”

Harry stills for a moment, his gaze settling on Draco’s face. He watches as he catches his lip between his lips and bites it nervously.

“That does seem like the only solution,” Harry says with a calmness he isn’t feeling, “Come on then.”

Draco blinks up at him for a second with an expression on his face that Harry could only describe as disbelief. “Oh yes, okay.”

~~~~~~~~~

Inside Harry’s room Draco stands awkwardly in the corner while Harry scorers his drawers for something that Draco can sleep in. He settles on a large light blue t-shirt and tosses it over. Draco catches easily and begins to shrug off his shirt. Harry catches a glimpse of collarbones and the dark edges of a tattoo before a sudden urge of want slams through him, and he has to turn away, busying his hands by rifling through the clothes in front of him.

When he turns back, Draco is wearing the shirt draped over his body. The end of it falls just above the hem of his boxers revealing pale slender thighs. Harry needs a moment to collect himself and he realizes that over the course of the night he will spontaneously combust from sexual tension.

“I might have a toothbrush you can use,” Harry tells him, leading Draco over to the ensuite bathroom that he’d been lucky to win off of Theo during a tireless summer of cutthroat pool games. He rummages around under the counter and manages to unearth a pale blue toothbrush encased in a clear plastic wrapper.

“I know how much you hate relying on cleaning spells for your teeth,” He says casually as he extends the toothbrush towards Draco’s hand.

As Draco takes it hesitantly their skin brushes sending a burst of heat through Harry’s fingertips.

In need of a quick distraction Harry steps away from him into the bedroom and shrugs off his own shirt to change.

Draco makes a noise sort of like a high pitched hum and Harry swings back around, noticing the way the toothbrush is sliding through his lips, his cheeks hollowing around it.

“What?” Harry asks, unsuccessfully trying to look away from Draco’s mouth.

Draco’s response is garbled by toothpaste and he turns back to the bathroom mirror swiftly. The back of his neck looks a little pink.

Harry is finding it hard to think, so he lets it slide, turning back into the bedroom.

He feels like his skin is stretched so tight over his body that it might burst. It takes every inch of his restraint to keep himself from striding into the bathroom and wrapping his hands firmly around Draco’s slim waist and pushing him back into the cool granite counter. Instead, he heaves a giant trembling breath and shakes the blankets flat over the bed.

“Hurry up.” He calls to Draco, grabbing his face-wash off of the dresser and crowding back into the bathroom.

Draco inhales as if he’s about to say something but then stays quiet, stepping away from the sink.

Harry brushes his teeth and washes his face quickly. When he raises his face from the water his eyes meet Draco’s in the mirror and he realizes that Draco’s been standing there watching his whole routine. “Come on let's get to bed,” He tells him, and his voice comes out low, gentler than he had planned.

Harry leads the way into the bedroom and Draco follows quietly. He hovers at the end of the bed for a moment as Harry burrows deep under the duvet, sighing gently at the cool slip of sheets against his skin.

“Get a move on Draco, we haven’t got all night,” He taunts softly. He hopes Draco can’t tell that his hands are sweating or that his heart is beating so fast it feels like he may actually have a heart attack at the tender young age of 25. Inevitably, he feels the dip of the mattress as Draco slides in beside him and his pulse speeds up even more. Every molecule in his body aches to move in closer and Merlin, this is really going to kill him isn’t it? There’s no way he’s going to survive the night.

Draco shifts beside him and their calves brush. Harry just barely manages to suppress a full body shiver. He wants to hex himself in the face.

“Goodnight,” Harry tells Draco, focusing extra hard on the ceiling above their heads.

“Goodnight,” Draco echos, the timbre of his voice cutting straight to Harry’s core. He’s silent for a moment before he continues. “Thanks for letting me stay.”

“Anytime,” Harry responds and realizes that he means it.

He reaches over and flicks off the light, plunging them into darkness. It feels more intimate like that. The two of them alone with only the sound of their breath and the soft whisper of sheets.

“Are you warm enough?” Harry asks. He wants to punch himself the moment it’s out. Circe, it sounds like he cares. Which he does, but like, Draco doesn’t need to know that. At least not now. Not when they’re drunk and Harry is seconds away from doing something stupid.

“Yes.” Draco says simply. “You know me, I don’t get cold too easily.”

You know me.

Harry’s lungs feel tight. It would be so easy to turn over, to catch Draco’s lips against his.

Then, Draco’s body shifts and he feels him turn away, towards the wall. There is enough space between them for another body, a marked difference from the times they’d shared a bed, when they were wrapped around each other so tight Harry almost couldn’t tell where his skin ended and Draco’s began. Harry breathes in and thinks he can smell hints of Draco’s aftershave, fresh traces of citrus and cedar. He feels cold even under the billowing blankets. Shivering, he turns on his own side and faces the opposite wall. He can’t shake the feeling of Draco’s presence beside him and it takes him many minutes before he falls into a fitful sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~

Harry wakes once during the night to a heavy warm weight around them. He’s hot in the blankets and he tries to kick it off only for it to squeeze him tighter. He opens his eyes a little to the pitch black room and startles a little when he realizes that Draco has turned over in his sleep and he’s clutching at his waist tightly like Harry might vanish at any second. His sleeping breaths tickle at Harry’s neck. Harry holds himself very still.

Draco makes a noise in his sleep and shifts backwards a bit, pulling Harry with him and pressing their bodies flush together. Harry rests his head back against Draco’s chest and tries to relax. His eyes find the clock on his nightstand. It reads 3:34 am. Harry feels like he’s in a haze, like they’ve entered an alternate universe where only the two of them exist. He closes his eyes and slides his hand to cover Draco’s. Draco doesn’t even stir. He lets himself melt into the gentle comfort of body heat beside him. It takes almost an hour for him to drift back to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~

The second time Harry wakes up there's a gentle light drifting through the curtain and the sheets are cold beside him. He thinks Draco might have snuck out in the night and he suddenly feels nauseous.

He rolls over onto his back trying to get a grip on his emotions and is startled to find Draco sitting up in bed next to him ramrod straight and as far away from Harry as possible.

“Um, is everything alright?” He mumbles carefully, surreptitiously wiping a bit of drool from his cheek.

Draco turns to look at him, his gray eyes rimmed with red, “You know the thing you said yesterday about my mother? Is that how you feel about me?”

“Um, what?” Harry says dumbly, pushing himself up until he’s sitting against the headboard next to Draco.

Draco still looks so beautiful even when he’s falling apart. Slowly a tear traces its way down Draco’s pale cheeks. Harry reaches out and catches it on his finger.

“I’m selfish, but you can’t stop loving me?” Draco asks, voice cracking. Then he pauses, his eyes flashing panic. “I mean, um, uh. Not love me but like you’re still attracted to me, or like, like me even though I’m selfish?” His face flushes brilliantly and he pulls his knees up into a ball hiding his face in them.

“Um, yeah.” Harry answers his voice slow and somber like each word is being dragged out of him, “I guess that’s how I feel.”

“Oh,” Draco looks down at him again, eyes wide and dark.

Harry blinks and rubs a hand over his eyes. His voice comes out scratchy. “You could have stayed and talked to me. You didn’t need to just... leave.”

“Fuck,” Draco breathes softly, angrily brushing the tears off of his face. “I loved you so much back then,” The words come out in a rush not fully formed.

Harry blinks at him, not sure if he’s heard correctly.

“I didn’t know how to say goodbye. It’s stupid. I know. I’m stupid. I just thought if I didn’t say goodbye it wouldn’t be real, that things wouldn’t seem so final.” He tilts his head back against the wall and looks fixedly at the ceiling. Another tear rolls quietly off his cheek.

“You..” Harry breaks off and stares at Draco silently for what feels like the better part of a decade. The air feels brittle around them.

When he finally speaks there’s a tremor in his voice, “You loved me?”

“Merlin, Harry. Of course I did.”

Draco finally looks at him and they stare straight at each other for a long time. Harry’s hands begin to shake. “I-” his voice comes out too soft and he coughs slightly before continuing, “I felt the same way.”

“What?” Draco blinks at him, gray eyes bright and bottom lip trembling.

“I loved you. I thought it was so clear.” Harry shifts slightly until his side presses against Draco. The body heat between them feels comforting and helps him stabilize himself. “I loved you so much I couldn’t see a way out. When you left -” He breaks off his eyes shiny with tears, “When you left I didn’t know how to picture a life without you.”

“Harry,” Draco says gently, “I never thought you would love someone like me. I’m awful. I’ve done awful things. As much as I tried to convince myself we had a chance I just couldn’t believe it. I’m sorry I left but you didn’t need to rub it in how fast you moved on without me.”

“What?” Harry asks voice shrill, “I didn’t move on. At least not for so long. What are you talking about?”

“I was in France, not another planet, Harry. I saw the newspapers. You don’t need to pretend.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Harry’s voice rises with each word. His eyes are wild.

“You got back together with Ginny,” Draco spits at him, “I saw the papers. Everyone knew about it. I can’t believe you’re acting like it never happened.”

“I didn’t get back together with Ginny.” Harry speaks slowly, carefully enunciating every word. He feels a flicker of anger lick at his ribcage and he takes a deep breath. Getting angry at Draco has never worked. They have to talk this through.

“You were photographed leaving a pub together right after I left.” Draco says, cold and venomous. “All the headlines were variations of Weasley-Potter: Romance Rekindled. I didn’t believe it at first but then I saw the photographs. You were hanging all over each other and you just looked so happy. That’s when I knew I didn’t stand a chance. That there was no way you could have loved me.”

Harry stares at him shocked. Draco catches his gaze and holds him there, his silvery eyes seem to search him right down to the bone.

Suddenly Harry remembers.

~~~~~~~~~~

It had taken a full week for Ginny to convince Harry to leave his room. She’d arrived on his doorstep after dinner time holding a plate of extra food and Harry couldn’t remember the last time he’d ate. She forced him to eat it, her bright eyes tracing his hands as he lifted each morsel to his mouth. She hadn’t asked what was wrong. If she had, Harry would have thrown her out, rolled over, and gone back to sleep.

Instead, she’d sat with him and told him all the drama he’d missed. She’d described Ron and Hermione’s latest fight and told him all about the prank Luna had played on Neville. The normality of it all caused Harry’s numbness to fade a little. So, when Ginny had invited him out to the Hog’s head that night he’d said yes. He was tired of wasting time on Draco. Draco had left. Draco had shown him who he was and Harry was ready to listen.

At the pub they got deliciously drunk. Harry’s limbs felt loose for the first time all week. He watched as his friends twireld and spun in the rainbow lights and he felt hope that one day he would be happy again. When Ginny and Ron had pulled him into their outrageous rendition of the chicken dance he joined in. The smile that spread across his face felt alien but okay. Things would be okay.

They’d drifted out of the pub in twos, wrung out and full of light. He and Ginny were the last to leave. The spring night was cold and they'd huddled together for warmth. Harry had draped his arm around Ginny’s shoulders, Ginny burying herself in his side. Outside the pub they’d stumbled several times. They’d been laughing at the hilarity of not being in control of their limbs when a flashbulb went off in their face blinding them.

“What the hell,” Ginny had screeched.

“Shit,” Harry had said, softer, before turning on his heel and apparating them up closer to Hogwarts.

The papers had published the picture of them the next day, spouting rumors of rekindled love and eminent proposals. Harry had ignored them. He didn’t see a reason to correct them. Not when Draco was in a different country. Not when Draco had made it so clear he wouldn’t ever love him.

~~~~~~~~~

“Oh,” He says gently, looking at Draco wide eyed, “I’d forgotten about that. The papers were wrong.”

“What do you mean the papers were wrong?” Draco asks, words slow, like they’re being dragged out of him one at a time.

“Me and Ginny were never together like that, at least not since the war.” Harry tells him carefully.

Draco gulps, Harry watches his adams apple bob in his throat.

“Fuck,” Draco breathes, finally looking away from Harry’s eyes. Harry wants to grab his jaw and turn his face back. Instead, he clenches his fists around the white sheets and focuses on the way the fabric tightens over his skin.

“I’m sorry.” Draco tells him. He’s still looking away. Harry watches his eyelids flicker rapidly.

“I don’t know if I can forgive you,” Harry’s voice trembles. “I mean you could have stayed and fought.”

“I know.” Draco’s voice is rough. “Merlin, I know. I’ve thought about you every single day since I left.”

“Draco,” He exhales. He wants to tell Draco that this is the best thing that’s happened to him, maybe ever. But he catches himself. Instead, he reaches over and clasps Draco’s forearm, giving him a stern look. “I thought about you too.”

Draco finally turns back to him, catching his gaze in a flash of silver. “But you can’t forgive me,” His voice was flat, his mouth turned down at the corners.

Harry focuses on the warmth of Draco’s skin under his palm. He takes a deep breath and his lungs expand. “I can’t forgive you immediately,” He corrects.

The corners of Draco’s mouth tug up slightly, “Okay,” He says, “Okay, I can work with that.” Then he pauses, “You can tell me to leave now if you want. The last thing I want to do is overstay my welcome.”

Harry looks him square in the eyes, he looks more than a little pathetic, eyes wide and fretful. “Stay for breakfast.” He squeezes Draco’s arm and feels it through his skin as his muscles relax.

“Thank you,” Draco tells him gently, leaning into his side, “For letting me stay, but also for hearing me out.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Harry says. A small smile spreads it’s way across Draco’s face.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Draco takes the first shower.

Which is fine, because Harry is polite and Draco is his guest and of course they both want to be clean for work. It’s also not fine, because it turns out that sitting on your bed listening to the sound of water against the naked body of a beautiful man is actually horrendously torturous.

Harry isn’t freaking out. It’s just that his mind is going in two horribly incompatible directions. Part of him is back 10 minutes ago combing over the words of their conversation, trying to decide what it would take for him to truly forgive Draco. The other half of him is dedicated to painting a picture of Draco right now, the way his head is tilted back under the shower-head, the gentle curve of his back, the swell of his bum barely exposed through the steam collecting around him.

Harry pushes himself off of the bedspread and begins to pace. The wood floor is cool under his feet. He wracks his brain for anything that could distract him from his thoughts and displace the heat that is slowly pooling in his stomach. He is unsuccessful.

When the shower shuts off Harry halts in his tracks. Okay. This won’t be awkward. Why would it be awkward now? It will be fine. Just as long as Harry keeps his eyes away from Draco and doesn’t blurt out anything stupid. He wrings his hands behind his back and pretends to be extremely focused on digging through his drawers for a change of clothes

At the sound of the bathroom door Harry looks back and freezes. He doesn’t fidget. He doesn’t sway. He doesn’t move.

There, standing before him is Draco, towel slung loosely around his waist, hair dripping onto his shoulders. A droplet of water snakes across the swell of his chest, continues down over his lithe abdomen and disappears, absorbed by the towel. He’s so close to Harry. Close enough that Harry could lean forward just a very little way and place his hands on Draco’s slim waist. Close enough that he could lean forward and kiss him.

“Could I borrow some clothes?” Draco says, voice all gravel and depth, so much so that it sends a spark right through Harry’s core.

He stares dumbly at Draco blinking for a couple seconds. “Oh, yeah, um, clothes. Yeah I’ve got clothes,” He babbles nonsensically and gestures at the dresser before fleeing to the bathroom.

He slams the door quickly and leans against it. In the mirror he watches his blush spread across his cheeks and down his neck.

Harry takes his shower quickly. He turns the water up till it’s scalding. As it pours over his body he watches his stomach and thighs turn bright pink. He wonders what it would be like if Draco was there with him, his knees bent against the tile, his mouth hot against Harry’s dick. Angrily he caves in and has the shortest most embarrassing wank of his life. When he comes, he raises his free hand to his mouth, biting down on his fist to muffle his sighs.

Afterwards, Harry wraps a towel tightly over his hips and swings the bathroom open with a nonchalance he doesn’t feel. Draco is laying back across Harry’s bed wearing one of his button downs. The sight of him makes Harry’s heart flutter.

“Did the clothes fit okay?” At the sound of his voice Draco pushes himself off of the bed into a sitting position. Harry notes the way his eyes flicker down across his bare chest with interest.

“Oh yeah,” Draco says sheepishly, “Thanks again.”

As Harry turns away he adds with a smile in his voice, “I forgot your nipples were weirdly pointy.”

Harry grabs a shirt from the closet and whirls around, “You're having me on, my nipples are not weirdly pointy. If anything, your face is weirdly pointy.”

“Ooo,” Draco says sarcastically, “Burn.”

Harry rolls his eyes at him and tries to focus on getting dressed. He fumbles a couple times, distracted by the heat of Draco’s eyes on his body, but eventually prevails.

“Well, what do you say?” He asks Draco, once his legs are firmly in his pants and he’s buttoned his shirt twice to get the buttons even, “Are you ready to head down for breakfast?”

“Sure,” Draco says, smirking at him. Then he pauses, the line of his mouth falters, “Um, wait is that going to be okay? I mean, for Theo and Ginny to know I slept here?”

“ Oh, uh, yeah. They know about you,” Harry pauses, wincing at his inability to explain situations clearly, “I mean like they know about eighth year. They know we’re figuring things out. And I think they assumed you were sleeping over. We were all clearly too drunk to apparate.”

“They know about us?” Draco says slowly, as if he doesn’t comprehend.

‘Yes.” Harry says and Draco releases a sudden breath, head snapping up. There’s something in his eyes that Harry can’t quite read. On instinct Harry steps forward. He covers the ground between them in two steps and then he’s standing over Draco, legs bracketing him on either side.

“I’m glad they know.” Draco admits in a rush, his head tipped back and his blonde hair streaming behind him. Harry’s breath freezes in his chest. He reaches out and as his fingertips ghost across Draco’s jawline he realizes his hands are trembling. Their skin against each other feels like static electricity, like with one wrong move they could both get shocked. When Harry leans in he does it without thinking. When their lips finally meet it feels like ascendancy.

Bang

Harry’s bedroom door flies open and slams into the wall with a careless intensity. He jumps back from Draco as if he’s been burned.

“Harry! We’re going to be late.” Ginny yells as she barrels over the threshold. “Oh fuck!” She exclaims when she notices Draco perched on the bed looking particularly pale.

“Sorry! Merlin's beard, I didn’t realize you were here. Well, um, Theo’s made pancakes. They’re ready when you’re ready. Oh, and don’t take too long. We have to be at the office at 9:30, Harry.” She flushes bright red and rushes out of the room.

“Well,” Draco says slowly, a wry grin on his face. “I guess we’d better get down there.” He stretches his arms above his head exposing a sliver of pale stomach and Harry wants to tackle him back onto the bed.

“You’re right,” Harry replies. His voice comes out rough.

The Boy with the Dragon Tattoo

For @goodboylupin’s Candy Hearts Challenge. My candy heart prompt was “Hot Lips”. I had so much fun writing this!!

Remus stills, tracing his eyes up the photo. The photographer has captured a man standing on a white beach. He’s wearing nothing but swim shorts, bright blue fabric wet, and clinging to shapely thighs. The way he carries himself looks familiar, something about the tilt of his chin and the slight tension in his shoulders. 

When Remus looks closer his breath catches in his throat because there, spread across the man's solar plexus is the wingspan of a dragon, fire spilling from its mouth and falling across a broad chest. Squinting Remus lifts the phone out of Lily’s hands and nearer to his face. The man’s eyes are cut off at the top of the frame and the last thing he can see is a strong jawline and lips that Remus would recognize anywhere. They’re red and full and curved into a small smirk. Remus traces his finger along them smiling; he remembers the way those lips had felt like against his, hot and wet and like he’d never get enough. 

“Remus? What is it?” Lilly interrupts his thoughts. She’s staring across the table at him, eyes wide and concerned. With a start Remus remembers what he’s supposed to be doing. He drags his eyes off the man’s body and quickly reads the caption: Sirius Black Shows off Mysterious New Tattoo. 

Oh, so that explains the way his phone has been blowing up all morning, he thinks, before his brain goes a little fuzzy, a little blank. Because who is Sirius Black exactly? Remus isn’t prepared for this. He looks up to Lilly hoping she doesn’t notice the slight tremor in his voice, “Um have you heard of someone named Sirius Black?” 

She answers him slowly, her tone confused, “Uh yes he’s only the front man of London's most popular rock group?” 

Remus stares at her,  his eyes unblinking. He must sit there frozen for long enough for Lily to realize that something is really wrong, because the next thing he knows she's on his side of the table, sliding into the chair next to him and wrapping him in her arms. 

“What is it?” She asks carefully, eyes on his face. 

“Um,” Remus doesn’t know what to say. When he gestures to the photo on his phone screen he notices his hands are shaking in barely visible tremors. “That’s mine.” 

“What do you mean?” Lilly asks, her voice soft, “Sirius Black?” She leans forward to get a better glance at the picture and suddenly she looks up at Remus, her eyes widening. “Oh! You mean the tattoo.” 

“Yes,” Remus looks back at her, “Remember the man I told you about two weeks ago who stayed during the power outage? The one who -“ He breaks off not sure if he’s allowed to talk about the kiss now. Now that Sirius is someone famous, someone unfathomable. 

“Oh!” Lily said again, this time her eyes are as wide as saucer plates. “Oh my god. I don’t know what to say. No wonder you’re reacting like that. This is insane.”

First Kiss 

For @hdcandyheartsfest prompt: first kiss. I had so much fun writing this! 

Harry had been shaking when he told her. He’d had to clear his throat several times and his pulse was pounding so loud in his ears that he almost couldn’t tell if he’d finally gotten the words out. 

The way Ginny reacted had been enough confirmation. He’d sat frozen as the sucker-punch pain of it all spread across her wide brown eyes and twisted it’s way over her mouth.

 “It’s okay Harry, I understand,” She’d said softly, her cheeks pale and her hands clenched into fists. 

Harry knew she didn’t. 

He never told her that there was someone else. It was never going to happen anyways.

Until… 

Until, one night it did. 

They were drunk and giddy in the blue dusk of the garden when he stumbled and rough hands caught his waist ceasing the fall. Suddenly, Harry was looking up into wide eyes, and blown out irises, and he’d needed to remind himself to draw a breath against the tightness of his rib cage. 

They’d stood there for a second, as if suspended in time, before their lips brushed together. The kiss felt like a long time coming, like ready or not. 

When Harry pulled away he looked up into Draco’s warm gray eyes and smiled softly. The ache in his chest finally felt warm.

There, standing before him is Draco, towel slung loosely around his waist, hair dripping onto his shoulders. A droplet of water snakes across the swell of his chest, continues down over his lithe abdomen and disappears, absorbed by the towel. He’s so close to Harry. Close enough that Harry could lean forward just a very little bit and place his hands on Draco’s slim waist. Close enough that he could lean forward and kiss him.

“Could I borrow some clothes?” Draco says, voice all gravel and depth, so much so that it sends a spark right through Harry’s core. 

He stares dumbly at Draco blinking for a couple seconds. “Oh, yeah, um, clothes. Yeah I’ve got clothes,” He babbles nonsensically, and gestures at the dresser before fleeing to the bathroom.  

full work here 

where it started 

For @goodboylupin’s Candy Hearts Challenge. My candy heart prompt was “What’s up”. This is my first texting fic so let me know what you think! 

What’s up?

Remus gets the text a couple minutes past midnight. He’d been about to fall asleep. His body tipsy, and light, and wrung out with exhaustion, but all it takes is one glance at Sirius’s name, for his heart rate to speed up in his chest, for his hands to gather a light sheen of sweat. 

It’s cliche, is the thing. To fall so far in love with your best friend that you can’t see a way out. 

Whenever Remus lets himself think about it it makes him want to hit something. His head against a brick wall for starters. 

He didn’t mean for it to end up like this. The feelings had crept up on him so innocently, a small wriggle in his chest when Sirius winked at him, a spark when their hands touched. 

It used to be so easy to pretend that it was nothing. They were friends, close friends. And if Sirius looked insanely attractive with a cigarette between his fingers, or his guitar across his thighs, well that was just a completely platonic thing to notice. 

Remus wasn’t quite sure when things had started to change. 

Maybe, a year ago late at night when they’d both stumbled back to James’s house drunk and woken up sprawled across his floor, legs intertwined, Remus’s hand cradling the dip of Sirius’s waist.

Maybe, six months ago when Sirius had boroughed a t-shirt and the light from the window had hit him at the perfect angle, turning his tousled curls into a shining halo. 

Maybe, half an hour ago at Lily's party, when Sirius’s cheeks were flushed and his smile was a mile wide and the glimpse of his collarbones made a sudden surge of want slam through Remus’s stomach. 

Maybe it doesn’t matter where it started. Maybe every second spent in Sirius’s presence has been leading up to this moment, the brightness of a screen burning Remus’s retinas, the black plastic of a phone slippery against Remus’s hot hand. 

Remus sucks in a breath, holds it, feels unsteady on his feet. 

Before he can stop himself he lets his fingers fly over the keyboard. 

Have you ever thought that maybe we could be more than just friends? 

He presses send and feels like he’s standing at a precipice, a strong wind blowing him closer to the edge. 

The sharp ding of a text tone reminds him to draw a breath against the tightness of his ribcage. Heat crackles down his spine. 

Yes 

Then, two seconds later. 

I’m coming over

Inexplicable Things (Ch. 5)

Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Harry Potter/Theodore Nott, Ginny Weasley/Blaise Zabini

Summary: No way, no way in hell. Draco is supposed to be in France or America or, wherever else he’d deemed more important than Harry when he left five years ago. Draco is not supposed to be showing up at the DMLE out of the blue, forcing Harry to watch him as he struts confidently across the room towards him.

Read on on AO3 here

Read on Tumblr: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4

Chapter 5 

When they make it into the kitchen everyone is already crowded around the kitchen table inhaling their pancakes.

“Well, well, well. What a nice surprise for us to have a second guest at breakfast.” Theo calls his mouth quirked up into a smirk.

Harry shoots him a glare before pulling out a chair and offering it to Draco. Draco slides into it gracefully and Harry revels in his ability to look so poised even rumpled with sleep.

Theo passes them piles of pancakes and they dig in in silence. The sunlight shining through the gossamer curtains blooms across Draco’s hair making it shimmer in the gentle warmth of the kitchen. Harry breathes in and he can smell his shower gel on Draco’s skin mingled with the sweet spring breeze. When Ginny makes a joke he laughs. There; his mouth open, his head thrown back, a bit of syrup smeared across his cheek, he looks so carefree. It leaves Harry a little squirmy, a little terrified. Maybe his fate was decided a long time ago.

“Alright,” Ginny says loudly, interrupting his thought process and pushing her chair back from the table, “I’ve just remembered I have some paperwork to finish from yesterday so I’ve got to head in early. Harry just meet me there at 9:30, okay?” She waits for Harry to nod slowly, for Draco to dip his head back to the plate in front of him, before winking dramatically. Harry feels the warmth of a blush spread across his cheeks.

After she leaves they finish their food quickly.

“Me and Dean are hoping to be late for work,” Theo explains happily, “So we’ll do the washing up.”

“Why are you hoping to be late?” Draco asks, his brow creased in confusion. Harry’s fingers itch with the urge to reach out and touch him.

“Kingsley makes us do the discharge paperwork for criminals every Tuesday but it has to be in by a certain time,” Dean clarifies, “If we get there late enough he’ll give the work to someone else.”

“Hmm,” Draco muses, collecting the dirty dishes from the table and moving toward the sink. “That doesn’t seem the most ethical.”

“You’re right about that,” Theo says cheerfully. “But when has anyone in the Ministry really been ethical?”

Draco grins at him, “I like the way you think, Nott.”

Harry watches their banter in silence. Dean flicks a towel across Theo’s bum and he jumps, yelping. Draco giggles helplessly. He looks so open, so warm, that Harry wants to skip work and drag him back upstairs to bed. Instead he clears his throat and glances at the clock.

“We’d better get a move on since we’ve actually got to be at work on time.” He says, looking pointedly at Theo and Dean.

“We all know you’re just jealous Harry,” Theo taunts, flicking a bit of dishwater at him.

“Oh fuck off Theo,” Harry says kindly, gathering his work things from the living room, “Are you ready to go Draco?”

“I guessss,”Draco whines slowly backing out of the kitchen, “It’s so unfair we have to go in while Theo and Dean get to wash dishes.”

“You’re right,” Harry admits, before lowering his voice to a whisper. “But we won’t have to sit through the disciplinary meeting Theo gets everytime he encourages someone to act like this.”

Draco’s eyes light up, “How do you know he gets in trouble?”

Harry looks at the floor sheepishly, “Because I’m his partner. That means I’m usually the one here with him doing dishes when we should be at work.”

Draco elbows him in the side and breaks into laughter. Harry joins him.

Still laughing, Draco reaches for the basket by the fireplace that holds the floo powder. Harry reaches out and stops him. Tentatively he asks, “Do you want to walk to the ministry?” When Draco doesn’t respond immediately he continues, “It’s just so beautiful out this morning,” His eyes dart across Draco’s face for a sign of affirmation.

“I didn’t know you lived so close,” Draco tells him slowly, picking up his briefcase and moving towards the entranceway, “A walk sounds great.”

Harry breathes a quiet sigh of relief and pushes the door open ushering Draco out into the sunshine. The flowers in his neighbors yards are blooming in bright purples and reds, and the sweet scent reminds him of the spring blossoms that appeared by the lake at Hogwarts every year. It all feels so recent, as if the years that have passed since then were just a mirage.

“Do you remember that charm Mcgonagall taught us? The one where our wand bloomed roses?” Draco asks pensively, staring at the flowers that line the street.

It shakes Harry at first, that they’re both on the same wavelength, but then he remembers how familiar it is. They’d always been like that. Mirrors of each other, the boy who chose, the boy who had no choice. It had made it easier for them to understand each other during eighth year. Harry sometimes felt like Draco knew what he was thinking minutes before he’d even opened his mouth.

“I think so,” Harry says, bending closer to the blooms to sniff.

“I do too,” Draco replies softly. When Harry straightens up Draco’s holding his wand in one hand and a long stemmed pale pink rose in the other.

“It’s beautiful,” He tells him, not sure if he’s allowed to take a step forward to look closer.

Draco spots his hesitation and moves closer himself. Breaking the stem off his flower he tucks it into Harry’s button hole.

“Here. A thank you for letting me stay the night,” He says hesitantly, stepping away in a flash. He ducks his head letting his blonde hair fall over his cheeks.

“Thank you,” Harry says, falling into step next to Draco.

They walk in silence for a few seconds. Draco slows to a leisurely pace tipping his head back to let the golden sunbeams soak into his skin. His silhouette against the bright blue sky is apollonian. Harry could move away but doesn’t, keeps walking so their arms brush with every step.

“Did you really take up hiking while you were in the States?” He asks. He finds it easier to picture Draco out in the wilderness now that he knows him to be a little less cruel, a little more boy.

“I did,” Draco says, his eyes arching up in surprise. “I think you might like it too. It felt like such a relief to be out there alone surrounded by so much beauty. It was the first time I truly felt like there were no expectations for me.”

“That makes sense,” Harry replies, guiding them to the left down a narrow alley, “I think I would enjoy that.”

“I could take you sometime,” Draco offers quickly, a light blush spreading over his cheekbones.

“I’d like that,” Harry says softly, carefully looking anywhere but Draco’s eyes.

They leave the narrow alleyway and step onto a busier street. The sound of cars and bicycle bells break the tension around them. Harry watches an old woman push a stroller quickly down the smooth sidewalk. The baby inside lets out a light cry of joy.

“How have things been with Hermione and Ron?” Draco asks, raising his voice over the din of the street.

“Good, Did you hear that they had a baby?”

“I did not,” Draco bumps him gently with an elbow, “Every time I’ve seen them I think they’ve been too busy glaring at me to fill me in.”

“Oh.” Harry feels a secret burst of pride for the unbreakable ties of Gryffindor loyalty. Whoever said Syltherins were the most loyal house were severely mistaken. “That’s my fault honestly. I might have complained about you a good amount when you first returned.”

“I assumed that was it,” Draco says sardonically as he avoids getting shoulder checked by a very wide businessman holding a large leather bag.

“If you’re good, I’ll tell them to give you a break.”

“I think I can do that,” Draco turns slightly to wink at him. Harry just barely stops himself from running headfirst into a telephone poll.

“Better watch where you’re going Potter,” Draco taunts, grabbing his arm in a vice grip and steering him around a group of young people walking dogs.

“Thanks,” Harry says gratefully, trying to ignore the flutter in his chest that’s awakened by the warm grip of Draco’s palm.

A few minutes later they take another turn onto a much quieter street. They’re nearing the entrance of the Ministry and Harry spots several people wearing robes.

“It seems silly that people don’t just carry their robes and change into them once they arrive,” Draco says quietly leaning in. Harry swears he can feel his breath tickle across his ear.

“I know,” He replies. “What’s the point of the Stature of Secrecy if a Muggle investigator could just follow a trail of people in robes to the door of the ministry?”

“Well, I don’t think the entrance would open for them,” Draco glances across at Harry and meets his eye in a flicker of gray, “But you’re right. The whole thing is a bit of an oversight.”

Harry’s about to respond when a woman across the street starts to shout. The sound of her yells curdle his blood and his Auror reflexes kick in. Before he can even take in what the woman is saying his hand darts to his thigh holster and wraps tightly around his wand-shaft.

As he goes to draw his wand he feels the gentle warmth of Draco’s hand blocking him. “It’s okay,” He says softly. “Don’t waste your time on her.”

It’s then that the woman's words sink in. “Death Eater scum! Sullying our savior! Go back to Azkaban where you belong!!” The woman's face is beet red. As she yells her spit sprays into the cool morning air.

It takes Harry a second to realize who she’s yelling at. He can’t remember the last time he thought about Draco as someone on the other side of the war.

Then, it clicks and he’s storming across the street before Draco can stop him, wand out, suit jacket flapping in the wind.

“Draco is a better person than you’ll ever be,” He barks at her, his tone sharpening to glass tones. “You should be ashamed, shouting at people in the street.”

“Oh, touched a nerve did I?” The woman hisses, “Has the Death Eater brainwashed you?”

Harry steps closer pushing up into her space, “And what were you doing during the war? I didn’t see you in the battle. In fact, I would bet you weren’t involved at all. It’s so easy to judge isn’t it? When you have no idea what we were even up against.”

The woman huffs at him, her face twisting into a snear.

“Harry,” Draco’s voice is quiet. “This happens sometimes, it's okay.”

With that, he tugs Harry along, and while Harry gives the woman a sidelong cutting glare, he follows. If he’s honest, his acceptance is mostly due to Draco’s hand covering his own, Draco’s long fingers wrapping around Harry’s warm brown skin, and how is Harry supposed to defend him properly when he’s being distracted like this?

Luckily, the woman seems as dumbstruck by the sudden hand holding as Harry is himself and she abruptly stops shouting. The street is silent for a second and Draco uses her distraction to tug Harry down a small alleyway.

“This way,” He says softly, as he pulls Harry into the narrow brick pathway. “It’s a bit of a short cut.”

“Does that happen to you often?” Harry asks, his tone sharp. He’s still seething inside. The hand Draco isn’t holding is clenched into a fist and his blood is burning through his veins. He wants to punch someone. Preferably the old women they’d left behind. Though, it’s probably better that he didn’t. She didn’t deserve the publicity that would come with getting punched in the face by the Savior of the Wizarding World.

“Yes sometimes,” Draco says, his mild tone makes Harry’s blood rush faster, his feet stomp harder against the pavement.

“You know,” He adds conversationally, his finger clutch Harry’s had tighter, “that was one of the reasons I left you.”

“What do you mean?” Harry’s tone is sharp. His feet halt underneath him and they stumble before coming to a stop in the dim alleyway. “Why would that be a reason for you to leave?”

“Because I believed them,” Draco replies simply, his fingers leaving imprints against the back of Harry’s palm. “I was on the wrong side of the war. I tortured people. I was cruel and bigoted and I couldn’t even look at myself in the mirror. I didn’t even understand how you could bring yourself to speak to me let alone…” He pauses for a second, “Let alone like me enough for us to have whatever it was we had.” He dips his eyes down towards the cobbles beneath his feet.

The dim light of the alleyway leaves Draco’s skin pale. With his shoulders hunched and his hand in Harry’s palm they could almost be back at Hogwarts hiding in one of the stone passageways before classes. Harry suddenly finds it hard to catch a breath against the iron band of his ribs. Back then Draco had expected the blade of life to keep right on cutting. When he left it had been him asking it to do the small mercy of whittling him into someone too sharp to touch.

“Fuck,” Harry breathes. Draco’s eyes drift hesitantly off the floor and settle somewhere near Harry’s face. “I didn’t realize. I should have. It’s so clear now. My head was just so messed up from the war. I think we both couldn’t see straight.”

“It’s not your fault,” Draco rushes, his eyes finally meeting Harry’s in a flash of frantic gray. “None of it was ever your fault. And, you might hate me for saying this but I think leaving was for the best. I needed to figure myself out. I needed to educate myself more. I needed to learn how to become proud of the person I could become. I don’t know if it would have been as easy for me to find myself if we’d stayed together all that time.” He exhales in a huff and tries to pull his hand away. Harry holds on.

“Draco, I could never hate you,” Harry pulls him closer, relishing the weight of Draco’s palm against his. “What you said makes sense. I wish things had gone differently but you’re right. Without the time apart we wouldn’t be who we are today. And, I think I like us like this.”

A small smile peaks its way out of the corner of Draco’s lips. “Thank you,” He sighs, “for understanding.” His shoulders loosen, sag a little in relief.

Harry looks at the wrung out man in front of him. He looks bone tired, like he could use a long nap. Harry can’t believe it isn’t even 9:30am yet. He remembers the kiss in his bedroom. Breakfast with his friends. All at once it hits him that he’s allowed to touch Draco now. Whatever’s between them has blossomed, spreading it’s petals out to the sun. Harry takes one swift step forward and reaches up, cradling Draco in his arms.

Draco collapses into him. His body against Harry’s is firm and lithe and as his muscles relax Harry feels the ache in his chest dissipate.

“Come on, let's get ourselves to work before Kingsley has a hissy fit,” He says softly. Draco’s hair tickles against his lips.

“Can’t let that happen can we?” Draco quips. He steps back from Harry and drops his hand slowly before turning and continuing down the alley.

They’re close enough to the Ministry that the rest of their walk passes quickly. They enter through the toilets and quickly join an elevator for the second floor.

They arrive just on time and watch as the hands of the clock above Kingsley's office tick ominously into the position for 9:30. Draco quietly highfives him and mouths, “We made it.”

There’s a fractured second, in the hallway, at the doorstep of Harry’s office where he thinks they might kiss. They don’t though. Just look at each other for several long beats before Draco rocks back on his heels, hands laced together behind his back.

“Do you want to come to dinner with me tonight?” He says quickly, fidgeting back and forth.

“Yes,” Harry says slowly, his lips turning up in a languid smile. “Yes, I would love to.”

“Good,” Draco says curtly. “I’ll meet you at your house at 7.”

That’ll give Harry just enough time to rush home for a quick shower and change. “Perfect,” he says and watches as Draco strides down the corridor a couple paces before disappearing into his office.

Harry stands in the hallway for several minutes. Is this a date? He wonders. He doesn’t dare ask. He might not like the answer.

~~~~~~~~~

Ginny’s sitting in Harry’s chair slumped over his desk. At the click of the door she looks up, her bright eyes mischievous.

“You better be ready to tell me all the juicy details,” She calls across the room, sitting up straight.

“There’s not much to spill,” Harry lies, trying to hide a smile behind his hand.

“Yeah right,” Ginny waves her wand, conjuring a second armchair for him to sit in. “He slept over. You must have something to say for yourself.”

Harry sinks into the chair gratefully. “I mean, nothing really happened. We talked. I kissed him and you walked in on it. We went to work.” He can feel a blush spreading over his cheeks.

“Okay, I can work with that,” Ginny says mischievously. Harry watches as she spins a quill back and forth between her fingers. “So what did you talk about?”

Harry feels the old inclination rise in his throat, the one that wants him to lock his jaw, the one that wants him to keep Draco all to himself. “We talked about eighth year, why he left me, why he never came back.”

Ginny nods silently and prompts him with her hands to keep going.

“Wait a second,” Harry asks feeling a bit betrayed, “You should be asking a million questions right now. Did Theo tell you about our talk?”

“Obviously,” Ginny says, not the least bit guilty. “You were acting crazy, we were both worried about you. And hey,” She adds brightly, “It worked out because now you don’t have to explain everything to me detail by detail.”

Harry groans, dropping his head to the table for a split second. Sometimes he hates his two friends almost as much as he loves them. He’s got to admit though, it does make it easier to not have to explain everything all over again.

“Okay,” He sighs, raising his head to look at her again. “So anyways, it turns out that he left because he didn’t think I loved him enough to make things work while he was in France. And then,” He pauses to add a bit of dramatic flair, “He didn’t come back because he thought you and I had gotten back together.”

Ginny chokes on the air in her throat before collapsing in hysterical giggles. Harry watches grinning as her face flushes to bright red.

“Oh my god,” She sputters, “I’m never going to let him live this down.”

“It is pretty hilarious,” Harry admits, looking down at his hands.

“So you talked,” Ginny says when she finally catches her breath. “And that led to kissing?”

“Pretty much,” Harry admits. “And also he asked me to dinner tonight,” He adds in a rush before he can convince himself not to.

“Oh my god, He asked you to dinner?!” Ginny squeals loudly.

“Say it a little louder will you,” Harry says techily, gesturing at the thin walls of his office.

“Sorry. Sorry.” Ginny quiets down but continues leaning forward in her seat. She looks like the cat who caught the canary, her face pleased and smug and begging for more. “So what did you say?”

“I said yes,” Harry says hesitantly. If he would have known opening up to Ginny would be like facing the grand inquisition he might have made some different choices.

“Oh well, obviously,” Ginny says with a dismissive flick of her hand. “I don’t know why I even asked. I mean who would say no to Draco. He’s brilliant.”

Harry feels a small irrational spark of jealousy flicker in his chest. He ignores it.

“Sooo, do you think it’s a date?” Harry bites down a smile at the sight of Ginny practically bouncing up and down in excitement.

“I don’t know?” He responds hesitantly, “I mean it might be? But we didn’t really talk about what we wanted. Only what went wrong in the past.”

“Hmm,” Ginny says pensively, drumming her fingers on the oak in front of them. “I’d say it’s a date. Or at least, you should act like it’s one.”

“Okay.” Harry’s hands start to sweat in adrenaline. “Ginny, how do I act like it’s a date?”

“Harry, don’t freak out about this,” Ginny says calmly, “You’ve been on dates before.”

“Yes, but not with Draco,” Harry says frantically as the reality of the coming evening finally sets in.

“Yes, but not with Draco,” Ginny mimics him in a high pitched voice, before laughing a bit. “Sorry, it’s not funny. It’s insane to see you finally admit you feel something for him.”

“I know, I’ve been a total pillock,” Harry admits, swallowing softly. “I should have asked you and Theo for advice at the beginning. I don’t know why I kept it to myself.”

Ginny looks at him silently.

“Actually okay, I do know.” He admits softly. “It just felt like loving Draco was paramount to who I was. I don't know how to talk about it without feeling like I was losing a piece of me.”

“That makes sense,” Ginny says, reaching out across the desk and clasping one of his hands. “How does it feel now that you have talked about it?”

“Way better than I thought it would,” Harry responds, his mouth softening into a smile. “It doesn’t feel like giving away a piece of myself at all.” He pauses for a second gathering his thoughts, “It feels more like by sharing I’m setting it free. Like it’s allowing my love to get bigger. I don’t know if that makes sense.”

“Harry,” Ginny says quietly, looking at him with wide shocked eyes. “Did you just say you still love him?”

Harry’s mind races frantically combing over his words. Love, he thinks, is that what this is? Can you love someone who’s only been back in your life for a handful of weeks?

“I’m not sure,” He confesses, “I think I’ll always love him after our time in eighth year.” Ginny’s eyes narrow and she waits for him to elaborate. “It would take me time to be able to say I was in love with him again.”

“I hear that,” Ginny says, “You need time to trust him again and to understand the person he’s become without you.”

“Yeah, exactly.”

“Well,” Ginny sits up straight again, a glint in her warm brown eyes. “If that’s the case then we need to get started on work so we can get you out of here early. We have to make sure you have time to get ready for your hot date.”

Harry grins at her. He feels so light."I think," he admits, words kind of dislodged and tumbling around his head, " I could get used to going on dates with him, waking up next to him, having breakfast together.”

Ginny raises an eyebrow. “Hearing those words come out of your mouth almost scares me,” She admits, “I can’t believe our Harry is finally growing up.” She reaches over and rumbles his hair, making him duck away.

“Hey, I wasn’t that useless,” He cries indignantly.

“Harry. It took you five years to even admit to ever having feelings for him.”

“Fine. Okay. Whatever.” Harry grumbles, pushing himself out of his chair and picking up their case notes. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They get off of work late. Harry should have expected it really, Aurors are always working overtime.

He manages to take the quickest shower of his life and shove his body into some dark green suit pants and a white button down before he hears the doorbell ring. He tumbles down the stairs and jams his feet into some dress shoes ignoring the wolf whistles and various catcalls coming from where Theo and Ginny are sitting in the living room.

“Hello,” He breathes as he opens the door. Draco looks effortless as usual. Harry watches breathlessly as his eyes trail over Harry’s shoulders and down, then back up. Harry preens a little under the attention, his chest puffing up a little bit. He fights the urge to run a hand through his hair.

“You look good,” Draco says, his voice husky.

“Ooo,” Ginny’s shrill scream pierces the air. Harry watches in wry amusement as Draco jumps a little, “Draco thinks you look hottt Harryyy.”

“Oh my god. Will you fuck off,” Harry tells her laughing as he steps out of the house and shuts the door firmly behind him. “Sorry about that. She’s a little over enthusiastic.”

“I can see that,” Draco says, his lips twitching in his effort to keep from laughing. “For the record I do think you look hot.”

Harry blushes then and falls into step next to him. “So where are we going?”

“I thought maybe I could make you dinner at mine?” Draco says tentatively. “I just figured we didn’t want to deal with people gossiping, and coming up to us, and slinging insults at me like that woman this morning.” He looks at the ground sheepishly. “But if you want to go out we can totally do that.”

“No,” Harry says softly, nudging their shoulders together. “That sounds perfect.”

~~~~~~~~~

Draco’s house isn’t how Harry pictured it. For starters it’s smaller than Harry expected. A little cottage situated in the rolling green hills of the countryside outside London. Inside the entryway opens up to an open floor plan. There's a small living room full of colorful furniture connected to a kitchen/dining room combo where all the cupboards are painted a light sage green. All around them the walls are covered in artistic prints. The long windows along the walls open up to grassy fields and the sky is glowing in dark blue shades of dusk.

“I love it here,” Harry tells him, looking around in awe.

“Not what you expected for someone who just moved back to town is it?” Draco asks sheepishly. Harry watches as he carefully toes off his shoes leaving them by the door.

“Yeah, you’ve clearly put a lot of work into it,” Harry says, spinning on his heel to fully take in the scene around him.

“Well, I might have owned it for a while,” Draco admits softly, focusing firmly on lining up his shoes perfectly.

“What do you mean?” Harry asks, scratching the back of his neck in confusion.

“I may have lied a bit when I said I only came back because my mother was sick.” Draco finally looks up at him. His cheeks are pale. “I wanted to come back. I missed London. And, maybe I couldn’t admit it to myself until I was in the DMLE looking at you for the first time in years, but I missed you too. I think maybe part of me was hoping we might get a second chance.”

“Oh,” Harry says dumbly, looking at him with wide eyes. “Oh. Well, here I am. So it looks like you’re getting your second chance.”

“Thank you,” Draco says breathlessly.

They stand there for a second staring at each other the way people normally wouldn’t unless they were furious or flirting. Harry wonders if Draco can tell how fast his heart is beating. The air is so silent around them that he can hear when Draco takes a huge gasping breath.

“This way,” Draco says, ripping his gaze away from Harry’s and turning away. He leads Harry towards the open kitchen and gestures to a stool by the breakfast bar. “You can sit here and watch while I cook. I know better than to trust you in a kitchen Harry.”

“What do you mean? I can cook.” Harry tells him feeling a bit put out.

“Harry, in eighth year we tried to have a picnic and you sliced your hand open cutting a sandwich.” Draco scoffs as he begins to pull ingredients out of the cupboards. He leans down and Harry’s gaze flicks to the swell of his bum, his long lithe legs. He suddenly finds it a bit difficult to follow the conversation.

“What?” He says. “Sorry. I spaced out for a second.”

Draco moves across the kitchen, puts a pan on the burner. “I was mentioning the hand slicing incident in eighth year.”

“Oh that. I’m just bad around knives. I can still cook,” Harry whines.

“60% of cooking is just cutting things up,” Draco scoffs. The oil in the pan starts to sizzle and he turns back to the stove.

Harry watches him in silence for a while reveling in the way his clothing clings to his lean body and the steam from the stove turns his hair slightly wavy.

“I forgot,” Draco says, breaking the comfortable silence. “There’s wine in the fridge. Help yourself.”

Harry’s suddenly struck with the knowledge that the house is furnished almost entirely Muggle. He can’t believe he didn’t notice before. He slips off of his chair and wanders over to the fridge. As he opens the wine and pores a glass he asks, “Why do you live in a Muggle house?”

“The Wizarding World is much more integrated with Muggles in France,” Draco explains. Harry watches as his broad hands lift meat and place it carefully into the pan. “A lot of their buildings mix Muggle and Wizarding technology. I just got used to it.”

“Oh.” Harry says. He’s struck by how much Draco has matured. It's beautiful, the way he’s grown into himself, the things he’s learned from traveling the world. He’s so familiar and yet, all at once fundamentally changed. Harry wonders what Draco sees when he looks at him, if he feels the same way about Harry.

Draco reaches up into the highest cabinet to grab some spices. His back arches. Harry grips the counter to keep himself from moving across the kitchen and wrapping his hands around his neck and pulling him back to the floor until their lips touch.

He stays silent as Draco finishes putting their meal together. His eyes track the bend and sway of his hips as he paces across the floor in front of him. As he moves plates and cuts through meat Harry finds himself hypnotized by the flex of his muscles through his shirt. By the time the meal is ready Harry’s throat is dry and he can feel the heat or arousal pooling in his stomach.

“Here,” Draco says softly sliding a plate in front of him. The cut of meat is steaming into the cool air, Harry can smell hints of butter and sage and when Draco places a fork and napkin down beside him his mouth starts to water.

“I figure we can just eat here instead of moving to the dining table,” Draco says, a question in his eyes.

“That’s fine,” Harry replies casually leaning in closer to his food and sniffing it again with an appreciative hum. Draco slides onto the stool next to him.

Harry’s always liked to eat next to people rather than across from them, liked to lean into their side, feel the warmth of their close proximity. He wonders if Draco remembers.

Harry lifts a bit of food to his mouth and flits his gaze sideways to take in Draco’s profile. His cheeks go warm as Draco scrapes his long golden waves into a knot at his crown. Small wisps of hair dangle down and frame his cheekbones. Harry’s mouth waters again. He forces his gaze back on the food in front of him, cataloging the shiny green vegetables, the creamy white potatoes. He shoves the bite on his fork into his mouth and groans around it.

“Merlin, where did you learn to cook like this?” He asks, quickly shoveling two more bites into his mouth and groaning again in appreciation.

Draco’s cheeks pinken, “I learned in France. It was the first time I really had to live without house elves so I picked up a couple cookbooks at a bookshop.”

Of course Draco Malfoy would only need a few cook books to make the best cooking Harry’s ever tasted. He would spend some time being put out about it if he could rip himself away from his plate for even two seconds. “Nice,” He mumbles through his food.

“I can’t believe you didn’t learn a single table manner in the five years I’ve been away.” Draco says, shaking his head and taking a sip of wine. He sounds fond.

“They aren’t that bad,” Harry grumbles, gulping down a mouthful of creamy potato.

“Harry, you have gravy on your cheek and a green bean sitting on your thigh,” Draco admonishes. He reaches over and plucks the bean from Harry’s pants placing it neatly on his napkin.

Then, before Harry can even comprehend what’s happening his dry finger is pressing soft against Harry’s brown cheek. Harry leans into it. Can’t think of anything but want, and more, and Draco. Quicker than it appeared the finger is gone. Harry sways on his stool, feels slightly dizzy. He turns back to his food and focuses on swallowing one bite at a time. The knowledge of Draco beside him sends electricity up and down his spine.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The meal finishes in what feels like mere seconds. Harry stares at the empty plate in front of him and suddenly feels twitchy. He doesn’t know how to be normal like this. It feels strange sitting in Draco’s house with nothing to do with his hands. He wants to place both his palms against the soft skin of Draco’s neck, feel his adams apple bob as he finishes his last bites. He wants to breathe through Draco’s airways, hold their bodies against each other until each beat of their hearts feels like an echo. He wants wet lips, and naked skin, a love so deep he can drown in.

Harry clenches his fists and stays still.

He doesn’t realize what he’s been waiting for until Draco pushes his chair back and walks to the other side of the counter. He stays silent as Draco casts a quick scourify before levitating the plates back onto their high shelf. Then, Draco walks back towards him and Harry swings his chair so they’re facing, so Draco is close enough that their toes line up. Harry watches the muscles of Draco’s chest clench and release.

Harry sucks in a breath, holds it, feels unsteady on his feet.

Draco’s looking at him like prey, like he’s hunting him for sport.

Harry feels like he’s standing at a precipice, a strong wind blowing him closer to the edge.

Draco presses in closer, slides his hands up his sides. When he cups Harry’s cheeks in trembling hands Harry remembers to draw a breath against the tightness of his ribcage. Heat crackles down his spine.

Draco tilts his lips to Harry’s ear, “This okay?”

Harry nods slightly, his heart in his throat and leans into Draco’s touch, eyelids low, lashes fluttering.

Draco leans in slowly and Harry hooks a hand under his shirt, pulling him in faster. His fingertips ghost over Draco’s lower abdomen, the rough hairs of his happy trail scrape on his palm. Harry tugs him closer and their lips meet. Draco tastes like wine. Harry thinks about the soft shape of his lips, their rosy pout, how they’re always glistening, and then Draco opens his mouth, lets their tongues tangle, and Harry finds he can’t think at all.

Harry’s hand brushes up towards Draco’s chest and his breath hitches. His hands drop from Harry’s chest to find his waist and then in a smooth pivot he’s lifting Harry up till he’s standing, shoving the stool aside until Harry’s back is pressed against the cool edge of the granite table top.

Draco’s long fingers fall under his shirt pressing their way across Harry’s hip bones and Harry lets out a low groan. He pulls his head away from Draco’s lips and mouths at his neck, teeth digging into salty skin and tender veins. Draco leans his head back, exposes the tender skin of a delicate neck and lets Harry bruise him, lets Harry mark him as his own.

Their bodies press together. Harry can feel the swell of Draco’s chest, the jut of his hipbones. Draco slides a palm along his shoulder, up the back of his neck and applies light pressure, pulling him deeper into the kiss. Harry gasps and ruts up against Draco. Draco pulls away from his lips just long enough to ask, “Should I show you my bedroom?” He voice is hoarse, strained.

Harry nods once and then Draco’s hand is gripping his wrist tightly. His stomach swoops with the tug of aperation and in a split second he’s standing on the wood floor of Draco’s bedroom.

He has just enough time to take in the white walls and the drapery of plant vines climbing across every surface before Draco is pushing him back onto the bed behind him, his eyes serious, his mouth a firm line.

Draco straightens up, leaves Harry gasping, alone on the bed. “Come here,” Harry whines, his dick throbs between his legs, his lips feel hot, swollen.

“Oh, believe me I will,” Draco’s tone is smooth and sultry, his smile slow and self assured. In one brief movement he lifts his shirt off of his shoulder, steps out of his trousers, shucks off his pants, and then there is just him, bare and standing in front of Harry. Harry swears softly and reaches under the waistband of his pants to palm himself.

Draco gracefully slides onto the bed and straddles Harry’s hips. Harry gives himself another squeeze, drifting his eyes across Draco’s heaving chest to where his cock stands out red and wet, juxtaposed against Harry’s clothed stomach.

“Going to let me take my clothes off too?” Harry asks, raising his eyebrow.

“I’ll do it for you,” Draco promises, his voice husky, his eyes blown sky wide. He smooths his hands deftly across Harry’s chest and opens his shirt gently, one button at a time. Harry wriggles and suddenly his shirt is off and Draco’s rough palms are ghosting against his delicate brown skin. He gasps and bites his tongue in an effort to ground himself. Draco’s fingers dip under his waistband, examining his hip bones pushing back to the space where his waist dips and swells.

Then Draco eases off again, pushing himself back and coaxing Harry to lift his hips so he can pull his trousers away. Draco leans down and kisses the newly exposed skin. His lips against Harry’s thigh feel charged, electric. Harry lets out a shaky breath and winds his fingers through Draco’s hair urging him on.

Draco lifts his head for a second. His cheeks flushed, his pupils so wide and black that Harry thinks he could get lost in them. Draco’s lips are swollen and scarlet. When he flicks his tongue out to wetten them Harry’s stomach sways like he’s standing at an unbearable height.

Draco’s hand moves till it’s clasping Harry’s hip into place. His eyebrow quirks slightly and before Harry can prepare himself for it he drops his head down sucking the head of his cock into his mouth.

“Draco,” He breathes, “Fuck.”

Draco tilts his head up looking at him. His perfect lips are stretched around the girth of Harry, his eyes burning grey. Draco’s mouth is soft, his tongue presses velvety against the head of Harry’s dick. He pushes his head back down and the whole room spins.

Harry feels the weight of Draco’s upper body against his thighs and drags his hand out of Draco’s hair, digging his nails firmly into the firm muscle of his back. Draco hums in appreciation and Harry feels the noise buzz against the base of his cock.

He circles his hips forward and Draco closes his eyes, dropping down, taking him in deeper. Draco swallows around the tip of Harry’s cock and the inside of Harry’s head becomes a swimming mess of noise. He gives his hips a nudge, a little bolder, and Draco holds still, lets Harry fuck his mouth, hot and rhythmic.

Harry tightens his hand in Draco’s hair. gathers it into a fist so he can watch more clearly. Draco glances up, eyes narrowed into slits, lips swollen. Harry feels the edges of his vision darken and lets out a ragged groan.

Draco sinks down again, smooth and graceful, the picture of debauched aristocracy. Harry stares at the arches of Draco’s shoulder blades, broader now, covered in freckles. He watches the bunch and flex of Draco’s muscles, pulls one hand out of Draco’s hair to feel the way they move under his palm.

Draco’s throat around him is perfect, wet heat and pressure. Harry’s eyelashes flutter and he lets them fall shut focusing on the warmth of Draco’s skin under his palms, he pressure of his body that pins Harry to the mattress. Draco sinks down further, the roof of his mouth pressing across the head of Harry’s cock. Harry tugs on his hair firmer and jerks forward losing himself in a few erratic thrusts. He comes so hard he swears he sees stars bloom against the obsidian of his eyelids and Draco swallows him down all hot lips and warmth, and softness.

Harry lies there gasping for a second, peels his eyes open to watch as Draco pushes himself upwards and holds himself there, above Harry. Harry reaches up and tugs him down until their chests touch, until he can taste himself in Draco's mouth. Draco groans against him and they move in tandem, breath for breath.

Harry can feel Draco’s still swollen cock caught between the hot slick of their bodies. He reaches between them and takes it in his palm rubbing back and forth until Draco’s hips twitch into tremors. Rutting against Harry he finally reaches his peak. Harry watches as his face screws up and then relaxes. He stays still as slippery warm liquid pools across his stomach and Draco rolls off of him collapsing boneless into the sheets.

“Fuck,” Harry exhales and lifts his head up to trace his eyes down the length of Draco’s body. “I missed that so much.”

A blissful smile curls across Draco’s face and he moves in closer, wrapping himself into Harry’s body heat. When his hand touches Harry’s slippery stomach he recoils a little and pulls himself up into a sitting position.

“We’ve got to get you cleaned up,” He explains, standing up and offering a hand to Harry. “Come on, I’ll give you a tour of my bathing facilities.” He smirks and walks out of the room. Harry follows him.

When Harry steps into the shower Draco follows him. Immediately, the guise of a practical cleaning is shattered and the shower devolves into an impractical half hour of hot skin and wet moans and fragrant steam that leaves Harry’s head spinning. It climaxes in a loss of balance that leaves them both in peels of laughter. They stumble back to bed and collapse into the sheets naked, their skin hot and flushed, smelling like Draco’s shampoo.

In bed Draco curls around him and Harry revels in the comfort of his presence. His heartbeat slows as Draco huffs sleepy breath across his chest and Harry lets his eyes flutter closed.

It’s early, but they fall asleep anyways. Two boys enveloped in each other, all loose limbs and wild hair curled across snowy sheets.

Inexplicable Things (Ch. 6)

Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Harry Potter/Theodore Nott, Ginny Weasley/Blaise Zabini

Summary: No way, no way in hell. Draco is supposed to be in France or America or, wherever else he’d deemed more important than Harry when he left five years ago. Draco is not supposed to be showing up at the DMLE out of the blue, forcing Harry to watch him as he struts confidently across the room towards him.

Read on on AO3 here

Read on Tumblr: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5 

Chapter 6 

On Friday Harry spends over an hour changing outfits in the mirror before leaving for pub night. After parting ways with Draco Wednesday morning he and Ginny had gotten caught up in their case. This meant that Harry hadn't had enough time to so much as stop by Draco’s office. He’s spent the last couple days yearning for Draco’s presence, for the glint in his gray eyes when he smiles, for the soft brush of his calloused palm against Harry’s knee.

Harry buttons up what must be the sixth shirt he’s tried on, and tries to ignore the slight tremor of his fingers. The depths of his stomach feel like a pit of snakes and his breath comes quickly. He tries to remind himself that he’s excited to see Draco, not nervous, not terrified.

Harry clenches his hands once and releases them slowly before turning on his heel in apparition. He stumbles a little as he lands, his heart rabbiting in his chest. Quickly before he loses his courage he swings open the heavy front door of the pub and pauses on the doorstep scanning the crowd for his friends.

There, standing near the dance floor, leaning into Blaise’s side is Draco. He’s wearing a tailored leather jacket and his blond hair is swept up into a loose french braid. Harry can’t rip his eyes away. He strides quickly through the throng of people. As he gets closer, Draco turns and catches his eyes in a flash of gray. They stare at each other as Harry moves in. When he reaches Draco he reaches a hand around his waist pulling Harry flush to his side and dropping a quick kiss to his forehead.

“Hey,” Harry says softly, grinning across at Blaise.

“You’re late,” Draco whines, leaning in further, his breath tickling across Harry’s ear. Harry notices the way he sways a little on his feet and wonders how many drinks Draco’s already had.

“Sorry, I got caught up with some chores at home,” Harry apologizes. “How are you doing Blaise?”

“Fine,” Blaise mumbles. He doesn’t look fine at all. In fact he looks quite upset, his lips are pinched into a firm hard line and his eyes stare unfocused across the room. Harry follows his gaze to where Ginny is talking to Dean. Her hair falls in slightly disheveled waves and her emerald green dress is loose, falling off of her shoulders. They watch as Dean clasps Ginny’s hand in his and pulls her in closer. He says something to her and she tilts her head back, sending laughter echoing across the room. Blaise tenses. Harry watches as his knuckles go white around the glass of his drink.

“Trouble in paradise?” Harry asks quietly.

“I don’t know,” Blaise sighs, “I just can’t really tell if she’s serious about me. I mean-” he breaks off, wincing a little, “We slept together but she left in the morning and now it feels like she’s avoiding me or something. It makes me wonder if she regrets it.”

“She didn’t seem like she regretted it,” Harry assures him, stepping forward a little and placing a comforting hand on his arm.

“I think you might scare her,” Draco chimes in. Harry nods slowly in agreement.

“Why would I scare her?” Blaise scoffs, “Are my Death Eater ties going to damage her reputation or something?” His tone comes out harsh and bitter.

“Blaise, you didn’t even play a part in the war.” Harry admonishes him.

“And I didn’t mean it like that anyways,” Draco interrupts.

“Then how did you mean it?”

“Like she can’t stop looking at you, or thinking about you, and she’s terrified she might mess this up so instead she flirts with other guys and pretends she couldn't care less what you think,” Draco rushes quickly. Harry nods in agreement.

“Are you speaking from experience?” Harry asks Draco, a cheerful gleam in his eye.

“Shut up,” Draco tells him, elbowing him in the side.

“I find that hard to believe,” Blaise mumbles.

Harry watches him watch Ginny and Dean across the room. They’re moving against each other to the beat of the music, lithe and rhythmic, like they don’t have a care in the world. And yet, Harry notices the way Ginny’s eyes flicker away from Dean every couple minutes, a quick glance back towards Blaise before skittering away into the crowd.

“I don’t, '' Draco says brightly, “She’s been watching you too you know.”

“She has,” Harry confirms.

“Whatever,” Blaise says, his tone bitter,“It doesn’t matter. Ginny’s free to do as she pleases. I’m not her keeper.”

“I bet the second someone tries to flirt with you she’ll be over here trying to scare them away,” Draco says, grabbing Blaise’s glass out of Harry’s hand and taking a swig.

Blaise looks at him suspiciously for a second, then Ginny’s laughter filters through the crowd a second time and his face hardens, a muscle flexing in his jaw. “Fine. I’ve got nothing left to lose anyways.”

“Perfect, now who will we-” Draco breaks off, turning away from them to scan the crowd, “Oi Theo! He hisses. Theo turns from where he was chatting quite animatedly with Luna and shifts towards them.

“We need you for an extra secret, extra important mission.” Draco explains, his voice hushed, his eyes wide and serious.

Blaise rolls his eyes, “I wish I’d never agreed to this.”

“Um, what?” Theo asks, looking confused.

Harry sighs. “Ginny’s being stupid and ignoring Blaise. Blaise is all broken up about it. Draco thinks if someone flirts with Blaise Ginny’ll come over to scare them off,” He shakes his head a little.

“Yes exactly,” Draco says, sounding a bit manic. “So we just need you,” he points at Theo with a dramatic flair, “to flirt with our hot boy toy Blaise.”

Blaise winces and looks away, “It’s not important Theo you can go.”

“I don’t know,” Theo teases, raising his eyebrow, “It sounds like it could make or break the night. I’m in if you are. I’ve never turned down a noble cause in my life.” He puffs his chest up a little, preening in front of them. Harry rolls his eyes.

Blaise looks at them silently for a second and then something inside him seems to snap. “Fine,” He says, moving into Theo’s space and splaying his palm across his broad chest. “Give me your worst baby.”

Draco lets out a piercing wolf whistle and then steps back a bit pulling Harry with him. “You have to give them space,” he whispers, “you know to make it believable.” He’s adorable like this, his eyes light and mischievous, his body tipsy and relaxed. Harry nods at him, gets lost in the pale flush of his cheeks, the charcoal flutter of his eyelashes. He’s about to lean in for a kiss when Draco’s finger jabs between his ribs.

“Ouch,” Harry yelps, shoving his hand away.

“Sorry. Sorry,” Draco rushes, “But you can't get distracted now. It’s getting good.” He gestures to the couple in front of him. Theo has his hands wrapped securely around Blaise’s shoulders, Blaise is leaning into him, his eyes predatory, his lips curved up in a slight smirk.

“Look,” Draco hisses, pointing his finger past the boys, towards the corner of the room. Harry shifts his eyes and there, pushing through the crowd with her hair flowing out behind her like a battle cry, is Ginny. Her lips are pressed in a firm straight line, her brown eyes are blazing.

She shoves into the two boys pushing them apart. Theo drops his hands to his sides and sneaks a gloating look over to Draco and Harry.

“Excuse me, I must have lost my footing,” Ginny says coldly, glaring at Theo through narrowed eyes.

“Don’t worry about it,” Theo responds quickly. Harry can tell he’s holding back laughter.

The trio in front of them stands silent for a second. Draco clasps Harry’s hand with his, electric with barely contained excitement. Harry listens as the music around them switches to something slower with a softer beat.

“Well,” Ginny’s voice is low and deliberate, like every word is being dragged out of her, “Since I just happened to run into you, would you be so kind as to give me the next dance?” She offers her hand to Blaise. Theo smirks and backs up even further, lifting his hands in defeat.

“Sure,” Blaise says, taking her palm gently.

Ginny pulls him away through the crowd of people towards the packed dance floor, “You should really know better than to try and steal my man Theo,” She calls cheerfully behind her.

Theo finally loses hold of himself collapsing to giggles, “Looks like you too aren’t the only people with weird fucked up relationship issues,” He gasps, smiling up at them happily.

“We don’t have weird fucked up relationship issues anymore,” Draco informs him thrusting his nose into the air, “We’ve worked them out. We’re dating now.”

“Um.” a hot blush spreads slowly over Harry’s face, “We are?”

“What?” Draco looks taken aback, “You didn’t know? It couldn’t be more obvious Potter. I mean I literally took you out to dinner.” Theo looks back and forth between them slowly before breaking out into laughter again, “And you said you didn’t have weird fucked up relationship issues anymore,” He teases, his eyes glistening manically.

“We don’t,” Draco protests, “We might have slightly different communication styles but that doesn’t mean we have issues.” He wraps an arm around Harry's waist, tugging him closer. Harry burrows into his body warmth. “You’re just jealous Theo,” Draco adds, sticking his tongue out at Theo for good measure.

“You know what?” Theo says slowly, backing away. “I think I am. You’re cute together.” He turns away and wanders off leaving Harry and Draco alone together wrapped up in a warm embrace.

~~~~~~~~~~

Harry would prefer to spend the entire night glued to Draco’s side listening to him gossip with Theo about Kingsley's extracurricular activities or watching him aggressively teaching Ginny how to tango but eventually he gets ripped away by Dean who needs an emergency consult on if Seamus is flirting with him or not, and the conversations seems to take about three hundred years so by the time it’s finished Draco’s been swallowed up by the crowd.

When Harry finds him he’s in the back of the pub by the pool tables. Pansy is perched on the edge of the pool table, her feet kicking back and forth rhythmically. As Draco speaks to her she leans forward exposing more cleavage than Harry had ever thought possible. She tosses her long dark hair over her shoulder and blinks up at Draco.

No way, Harry’s not stupid. He knows what it looks like when someone’s trying to pull. He strides confidently towards them and wraps a casual hand around Draco’s side, slotting in next to him. Draco’s body relaxes immediately. He looks away from Pansy and runs his fingers carefully through Harry’s hair. Harry watches as Pansy’s eyes narrow and then widen again.

“Well,” She says slowly, “This is new.” Her eyebrows rise up her forehead.

“New, and also rather old,” Draco informs her sheepishly, leaning even further into Harry’s side.

“Oh?” Pansy purses her lips.

“We hooked up a bit in eight year,” Harry explains quickly. Honestly he’s a bit shocked Pansy didn’t already know.

Pansy’s stiff lips soften into a smirk,”You’ll always continue to surprise me won’t you Draco?” She kicks her leg out to tap playfully against his kneecap. “I can’t wait to tell everyone.”

“Um everyone might already know,” Draco informs her slowly.

“Wow,” Pansy’s eyes narrow again but this time her expression stays playful, “That is cruel and unusual punishment young Malfoy. What ever did I do to deserve this treatment?” “You were away in Italy,” Draco whines back, “How was I supposed to know you’d return and have all sorts of investment in my love life.”

“Love life is it?” Pansy waggles her eyebrows at him suggestively.

Draco falls silent, a light flush blooming on his cheekbones. Harry squeezes him in closer.

“I’m happy for you Draco,” Pansy kicks his knee lightly again. Draco smiles at her. Then she slides her eyes across glares a bit at Harry. “If you so much as harm one hair on this boy's head you will pay.”

“Er, yes. I mean I don’t plan on hurting him,” Harry stumbles quickly.

“I don’t care about intentions. I only respect actions,” Pansy tells him primly. She turns back to Draco and continues smiling at him.

They have what seems to be some sort of silent conversation for several seconds. Pansy winking and widening her eyes. Draco winking back at her. Harry feels a bit left out. It seems like Draco notices because he looks away from Pansy and back at Harry quickly.

“Well,” Draco says briskly, breaking the silence, “This has been very nice but I think it’s time I take my boy to the dance floor. I’ll see you soon for coffee, Pansy?”

“Yes of course,” Pansy says, still grinning at him.

Draco wraps his arm more firmly around Harry’s shoulder and stears him away through the crowd. Harry only looks over his shoulder once to confirm that Pansy is still glaring at him, her eyes suspicious. He’s surprised to feel a strange relief flush through him as the heat of her stare burns into his back. He’s glad there are people looking out for Draco, he realizes.

~~~~~~~~~

When they reach the dance Draco gathers Harry in his arms and automatically starts to shift his feet in rhythmic patterns. Harry attempts to copy him and immediately steps on his feet.

“How you survive as an Auror with no coordination at all really astounds me,” Draco comments, his lips twitching, his eyebrows raised.

“Well you know me. I’m always doing the impossible,” Harry shoots back.

Luckily the music quickly switches to something a little slower and Draco pulls him closer and they sway. The heat between their bodies bleeds slowly into Harry's veins. He leans in and their foreheads brush. Looking up into Draco’s eyes he realizes their lips are so close that with one slight shift they could be kissing. Draco seems to catch on at the exact same moment and Harry watches as he swallows, his adam's apple bobbing once in his throat and then he leans in.

They kiss for a while, mouths soft and wet against each other. The kisses are aimless, a happy little hello in the middle of so much lightness. Then, Ginny catches sight of them and lets out a piercing wolf whistle. It draws the attention of almost every one of their friends who join in on the whistling and cat calling until Draco and Harry quickly break apart laughing.

“Do you want to go outside for a bit?” Draco asks, his lips twitching as he controls his laughter.

“Yes,” Harry answers loudly, “I think we deserve a break from the appalling harassment of our friends.”

“Booooo,” Ginny calls. Harry notices that she's leaning against Blaise, her arm curled gently around his waist.

“Look,” He whispers, poking Draco in the arm, “Your plan worked.”

“Wow. Do you really have no faith in me?” Draco hisses back, mock offended, “Of course it did. I'm a scheming genius.”

Harry rolls his eyes and grabs Draco’s elbow pulling him out of their circle of friends and through the side door into the cold night air.

Draco immediately flops down onto the steps patting the space next to him in invitation. Harry joins him, leaning into his body warmth and straightening his legs out in front of him.

They sit for a while in silence. Harry watches the way Draco’s breath freezes in the air and drifts away in little silver puffs. His heart speeds up in his chest.

“Did you mean it earlier?” He asks quietly.

Draco tips his head until their eyes meet, “Mean what?”

“When you said that we were together,” Harry clarifies. He thinks his hands might be trembling, so he refuses to look at them.

“Of course I did,” Draco confirms, his hand falling to Harry’s kneecap. “But I mean sorry. I guess I shouldn't have assumed. If you don’t want to?”

“No I do. I do want to,” Harry rushes. He slides his hand over Draco’s fingers, his calluses drag across soft skin. “I just wanted to make sure you weren’t,” He pauses, gathering his thoughts, “joking around or playing a game or anything.”

“No,” Draco says simply. “This is real to me.”

“Me too,” Harry tells him. His heart slows down in his chest. His breathing quiets. They sit in silence for a while staring out into the inky darkness of the alleyway. It’s the comfortable quiet that's only possible when you’ve known each other for a long time.

“I love our friends dearly but do you want to maybe go home now?” Draco asks, breaking the silence.

“I’d like that,” Harry replies.

They rise, brush the dust off the back of their pants and clasp hands. Harry feels the tug of apparition in his stomach and seconds later they land on the hardwood floor of Draco’s bedroom.

“Sorry if picking the bedroom seems presumptuous,” Draco tells him sheepishly, kicking off his shoes. “I mostly wanted to get into comfier clothes as soon as possible.”

Harry laughs at him and kicks his own shoes off before unbuttoning his shirt and shucking it off onto the floor. He leaps onto the bed with careless freedom suggestively patting the space next to him. Draco winks at him and pulls off his own shirt. He drapes himself languidly across the duvet and stretches a broad hand over Harry’s hip pulling him closer. Harry lets himself melt into Draco’s skin.

“Why are you smiling so much?” Draco asks suspiciously. He’s trailing his hand in small circles across Harry’s chest.

“I just love being here with you,” Harry replies softly. Every time he touches Draco or looks into his eyes, or watches him across a crowded room the immense joy of it all hits him again.

“Me too,” Draco says, quiet and reverent. Harry reaches up and undoes his braid. Draco sighs as Harry massages along his scalp, his hands tangling through pools of glowing blonde locks. Harry loses himself in the gasp of Draco’s breath, in the slide of hair through his fist.

When Draco slips his hands under the waistband of Harry’s pants his eyes flicker softly shut. There’s no changing the past he thinks, but the future is wide open and the present is warm and breathtaking, gentle fingertips and open mouths and clothes carelessly crumpled on the dark wood floor.

This is the final chapter! Hope everyone enjoyed the adventure that was this fic :) I loved writing it. 

Inexplicable Things

(Complete, Words: 34.8K, Rating: E)

Pairings: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Harry Potter/Theodore Nott, Ginny Weasley/Blaise Zabini

Summary: No way, no way in hell. Draco is supposed to be in France or America or, wherever else he’d deemed more important than Harry when he left five years ago. Draco is not supposed to be showing up at the DMLE out of the blue, forcing Harry to watch him as he struts confidently across the room towards him.

Ironically the longest fic I’ve ever written was inspired by the @drarrymicrofic​ prompt: new beginnings. You can read it here on Tumblr or on AO3. 

Read on AO3

Read on Tumblr 

A fluffy fic for the @drarrymicrofic prompt: Angel Baby by Troye Sivan. I love Troye so this was such a fun prompt to do! Hope you all enjoy this piece :) 

Draco shows up drunk. Harry can tell he’s drunk because he opens the front door and immediately stumbles straight into the umbrella holder. There’s a small grin on his lips and when Harry reaches over to help him up Draco leans into his chest and his lips stretch wider. Harry watches as his smile grows teeth. 

“Congratulations,” Draco whispers, his hot breath tickling Harry’s ear. 

“Congratulations on what?” Harry asks just as quietly. He leans in, watches Draco’s lashes flutter dark against his opalescent skin. 

“Having the hottest boyfriend ever, of course,” Draco says flippantly. He shifts backing up slightly to shimmy off his tailored suit jacket. 

“Obviously,” Harry chuckles. He takes the cloth from Draco’s hands and settles in gently on the coat rack. 

Draco crowds back into his space. His hand falls to Harry’s solar plexus pushing him back against the wall. 

When their eyes meet Harry’s breath catches. When their lips meet his chest relaxes all at once in a muffled gasp. Harry likes the idea that Draco’s body has become his breath, that with every rise and fall of his lungs Draco’s pulse will beat faster. 

He thinks he could stand here forever, the hard wall digging into his back, his body cradled in the careful warmth of Draco’s arms.

First thing you see after you zoom in is how you die

How you dying 👀

Shy Smiles and Soft Snuggles.

a vds one shot. you can find more on my ao3.

( @ apolloswords )

feel free to comment/message me any suggestions for one shot ideas!

Lucas takes Jens and Jana on a weekend trip to Utrecht. When Jana teases them about the status of their relationship, it has Lucas thinking about making it official.

Continuation of “ Buried Boxes and Bashful Booths.”

“The train!” Lucas yelled as he tried to keep up with Jens and Jana.

The three of them raced down the platform, lunging their overnight bags on their side or their backs as they tried to make it to the train to Utrecht. The train they had taken to Antwerp’s main station was delayed by five minutes, which meant they had to get to the train to Utrecht in the next ten seconds if they didn’t want to miss it.

Luckily, Jens practically flung himself through the doors, holding it open just in time for Jana and Lucas to hope on. They took a second to catch their breath, panting heavily as they tried to find their seats.

When they did, they threw their bangs down and sat. Lucas and Jens placed their bags beside Jana, so they could have a bit more room on their shared seats.

“I thought we were going to miss it.” Jana said, still catching her breath. “So much for thinking we had that five minutes to spare.”

“I hate running.” Lucas pouted, before letting his body weight fall on top of Jens.

Jens groaned, but shifted a little to make sure he and Lucas were more comfortable. Jana laughed at the frown Lucas had on his face for having to be shifted into a new position, and she shook her head.

“Are you excited for us to meet your friends?” She asked. “You get to introduce them to a sister and a boyfriend.” She teased.

“We aren’t boyfriends!” He and Jens said in unison, which only fuelled her amusement.

“Yeah right.” She crossed her arms and looked at them with a smug smile. “You guys are definitely more than friends.”

“Well what if we’re just doing it to fool you?” Jens teased back. “You’re the one who keeps teasing us, maybe we’re just putting on an act for you.”

Jana snorted. “Please, I would hope the both of you hanging around each other almost 24/7 isn’t because of me.”

“Should I ask you for permission first?” Jens teased again, matching her smug smile. “Have your blessing so I can date your brother?”

“I would hope my brother had better choices in boys.” She shot back, and Lucas let out a laugh.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure Jens knows you’ll kick his ass if anything happens to me.” He assured.

“So your friends,” Jens asked, turning away from Jana and raising a brow. “Have you told them anything?”

“They know as much as Jana knows.” He said with a smirk.

“I hardly know anything!” She cried, throwing her hands up in the air. “What did you tell them? That Jens was just some random kid we picked up and decided to bring along for the weekend?”

“Basically.” Lucas shrugged, now turning to wink at Jens. “I said you were a charity case.”

“Oh fuck off.” He snorted, lightly pushing him off. Lucas only laughed and fell on top of him again, only reviewing a chuckle and a roll of eyes as retaliation.

“Alright, I want peace and quiet for the next hour.” Jana instructed. “Faoucci’s math test fried by brain during my last class. I need time to heal.” She eyes the both of them seriously, narrowing her eyes and pointing at the two of them. “If you both leave me here and abandon me at the stop, you’ll both be sorry.”

-

“Oh fuck no.” Lucas said, as he saw two familiar faces standing next to a small black car in the train station’s parking lot.

Both of the boys standing there waved at him, giving him mischievous smiles before they raced over. As much as Lucas wanted to pretend he wasn’t happy to see them, he felt a sudden burst of adrenaline shot through him and ran up a bit. When the three of them had gotten close enough, they enveloped into a hug.

“Luc!” Kes laughed, hugging the right side of him tightly. “We thought we’d never see you again!”

“It’s not the same without you!” Jayden dramatically cried into Lucas’ left shoulder, only to get snorts of laughter from the other two boys.

When they pulled apart, Lucas turned around and saw that Jens and Jana had caught up to him. Jana had a wide smile on her face, the breeze blowing her hair in the wind as Jens tried to look composed with his straight posture and confident grin.

“Hey guys, these are the people I brought.” He said, standing off to the side a bit so he could properly introduce them. “This is my sister Jana and my friend Jens. Jens, Jana, these are my friends Kes and Jayden.”

“The charity case huh?” Kes said with a smirk. “If I didn’t know any better, I would have figured he was your-“

Lucas shot him a glare which made Kes quickly shut up. Kes gave him a smug look, much to his dismay.

“Damn, does everyone in Belgium look like you guys? I might have to consider moving.” Jayden said, smiling at the both of them.

Lucas felt his face burn up as Jens and Jana chuckled, obviously flattered by Jayden’s compliment.

“Well it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Jana said with a smile, as Jens managed to give both Kes and Jayden some handshakes.

“Luc, we got a car so we don’t have to train back to Jayden’s place.” Kes explained. “It’s going to be a tight fit but I’m sure they’ll find a way to fit all of you in the flat.”

“Come on!” Jayden called out, pulling some car keys out of his jacket pocket. “I’m driving.”

“Oh we are so fucked.” Lucas muttered under his breath, causing everyone around them to laugh.

They all started to heard towards the car, with Lucas following slowly behind. Jayden, who seemed very interested in Jana, was walking beside her, as Kes basically lead the entire group. Lucas felt his face flush when he noticed Jens walking beside him. Feeling the familiar nudge to his shoulder, he looked up and was greeted by a satisfied smirk from the tall raven haired boy.

“So, do you think I’m cute enough to move countries for?” He asked, a smirk on his lips.

Lucas scoffed. “You’re cute for a Belgian.”

He continued walking, trying to hide a smile from his face as Jens took a pause, standing there and thinking about what Lucas had just said.

“Hey!” He called out, Lucas whipping his head around to teasingly grin the boy behind him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

-

“We are going to get wasted!” Isa cried out, throwing her arms around Jana who was becoming a giggling mess.

“Aren’t you already?” Liv shouted over the music, groaning as she shook her head, following them across the room.

Lucas shook his head, laughing and knowing the two girls were probably going to find some more alcohol. He could already envision the horrible hangover that awaited them the next morning.

“Hey,” Jens nudged his arm gently. “I’m going to go smoke some weed. Come out with me?”

“Was that pun intended?” Lucas laughed.

“What pun?”

“Never mind.” He shook his head, while still chuckling. “Sure, let’s go.”

They headed outside of the house and towards the front lawn, leaning on the gates. Everybody else seemed to be inside. Lucas had already lost sight of Kes and Jayden about five minutes after entering the house. And if they weren’t outside smoking weed, it was a definite loss cause to even try to find them amidst the crowd of people.

Jens took out a lighter from his back pocket and a pre-rolled joint from the back of his ear. He lit the end of it, and Lucas couldn’t help but almost gawk at how attractive he found it. As Jens took a hit and let the smoke curl out of his lips, Lucas could feel his heart race and body go to complete jelly.

He passed the joint to him and he took it gratefully. The weed seemed to calm his nerves down a bit, and he was pleasantly surprised with its familiarity.

“Where’d you get Nederlands weed?” He asked Jens, who took the joint from him again.

“Your friend Kes gave it to me before we got here. He gave me a few actually.” He pulled out two more pre-rolled joints from his front pocket. “I hope he doesn’t think I’m going to smoke them all in one night. I don’t have that tolerance to this type of weed.”

“I hope he’s not doing that either.” Lucas scoffed.

He watched as Jens tilted his head back in a light laugh, more smoke coming out of his lips and making Lucas suck in a breath.

“Your friends are really nice.” He noted. “I can see why it was hard to leave them.”

“They’re chaotic as hell.” He snorted, but gave a small smile. “But I can’t believe how much I actually missed their chaos.”

“It must be nice to be back home at least. How does it feel?”

“Weird. I know in a way it’s still home but it’s weird to be a visitor.” He managed to look up and give Jens a small smile. “But I’m glad you came along?”

“Yeah?” He smirked. “I’m glad you brought me along too.”

Lucas knew his face probably had a light blush to it, and he looked down at his shoes to hide it. He felt Jens lean a little more to the gate, reaching out and letting the sides of their hands touch. Lucas felt something fuzzy inhabit his body, and it only made the blush on his face feel warmer.

“Have you ever thought about what Jana said earlier?” Jens asked, a little hesitation in his voice.

Looking at him, Lucas gave him a confused loo. “What did she say?”

“Well she mentioned us being boyfriends.”

“Oh.” He didn’t really know what to say. “I mean, I have.”

“Really?” He seemed rather surprised.

“Yeah, have you?”

“Yeah, I have.”

He widened his grin. “Really? Since when?”

“Probably since I met you. I looked at you and thought, wow, this guy has to be the one who puts up with me.”

“You’re kidding?” Lucas asked in disbelief.

“I’m not.” Jens leaned in forward and whispered to him. “I really thought that.”

Lucas smiled, blushing again and felt himself staring into Jens’ eyes. His eyes then lowered onto his lips, their soft pink colour looking down bright against the dim sky. He wanted to lean forward, to stand on the tips of his toes and wrap his arms around the other boy, finally doing what he had thought the second he had looked at him.

Just before he was going to do it, they were quickly interrupted by Liv shouting at them from the front steps of the house.

“Luc, Jens!” She called out. “We need you to carry Jana home, her and Isa just threw up all over the place.”

“Classic.” Jens laughed as he nodded at her. “Okay, we’ll be right there.”

Lucas bit his hip, a little disappointed that their moment had been ruined. Trying not to let it show so much on his face, he tried to crack a small chuckle.

“Looks like the party is ending earlier than we thought.” He managed to say, as they walked towards the house.

Jens laughed again. “Sorry us Belgians have a weaker tolerance than you Dutch.”

He shook his head. “Didn’t you hear Liv? It was both Jana and Isa throwing up.”

“Isa doesn’t stand a chance against that Dutch tolerance does she?”

“Nope. It wouldn’t be a party without her losing to it each time.”

They arrived into the house and were greeted quickly by the rest of this friends. Poor Isa was being held up by Kes and Jayden, her eyelids dropping as she groaned from her nausea. They found Jana being held up by Isa, her face pale and her voice slurred.

“Liv, Liv, Liv, look!” She exclaimed, pointing at both Jens and Lucas. “My rescuers have come to save me!” She pouted her lips. “My favourite pair of boyfriends.”

“In a different country but the party routine still commences, doesn’t it Jana?” Jens teased, ignoring the last part and walking towards her side. He slung one arm around him, letting her shift some of her weight onto him. He nodded at Lucas. “Come get her other side.”

“Oh yeah.” Lucas said, figuring to ignore what Jana had said as well. He walked over, Liv placing her gently onto him.

“Looks like Isa finally found her drinking buddy.” Jayden laughed, before opening the front door with his foot.

“Too bad she lives on the other side of the border.” Jens snorted. “She won’t be able to party like this every weekend.”

“Oh thank god.” Liv said from behind them, rolling her eyes as they all headed out the door.

-

“Even in a different country, I still manage to sleep beside you.” Jens chuckled as he slid into the empty space on the bed beside him.

Sleeping arrangements turned out to be fairly easy. The second they had walked into the flat, Isa and Jana both collapsed onto the two couches. Liv seemed decently pleased, knowing she wouldn’t have to share her bed. They threw some blankets on them, chilled out in the kitchen for awhile before eventually heading off to bed. Since Ralph was gone for the weekend, Lucas and Jens were able to crash in his room while Kes was forced to make do with Jayden.

“Some things never change.” Lucas said with a smile, instantly feeling some of Jens’ radiating heat off of him. Instinctively, he moved in a little closer, minimizing the space that laid between them.

“Hey.” Jens whispered in the dark, smiling brightly that his teeth shown like the stars.

Lucas giggled. “Hi.”

“You know, it’s kind of nice that I’ve gotten used to sleeping beside you.” He whispered. “It doesn’t make this place feel any different than home.”

“Does it feel different?” He asked, frowning a little. “Do you feel weird being here?”

“No!” He shook his head quickly, and chuckled. “No, of course not. I actually love it here. It’s a nice place to make a life out of.”

“Oh.” He paused. “I kind of want to move back here after high school.”

“For university?”

“Probably.”

“I’d come with you.”

He widened his eyes in surprise. “You would follow me here?”

“Sure, why not?” Jens shrugged. “It’s not that far away from Antwerp. Close enough for me to visit my parents and far enough that they have no control over me.” Now Jens paused. “To be honest, I think I would prefer the distance actually.”

“Are things at home not good?” Lucas asked softly and nervously, hoping it wouldn’t upset Jens.

But Jens only chuckled again. “No, it’s not that. Things could be better though. I don’t think I’ve ever told you this, but I’m also a child of divorce. Except instead of living with my dad, who by the way, moved all the way to Switzerland of all places, I live with my mom. And the second marriage brought some baggage, also known as my evil step sisters.”

“I thought it was going to be strange from going from an only child to having a sister.” He admitted. “But it’s actually pretty cool. It’s like having a permanent friend with you all the time.”

“Yeah, you got the lucky deck handed to you. I don’t think my sisters even tried being remotely decent towards me.” His voice lowered a bit. “To be honest, I almost got a little jealous over Jana. When she told me she was getting a brother and he was really nice, I was a little upset that I didn’t get a nice sibling.”

“Oh.” He paused again. “Sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” Jens smiled. “I was lucky she got you. You ended up being one of the nicest people I’ve ever met, and now I have no idea what I would do without you.”

“Oh.” His voice went up in a delight as he smiled back at him. “I don’t know what I would do without you either.”

Jens looked at him softly, bringing a hand up to the side of his face and tucking some loose curls behind his ear. Lucas held his breath, feeling his heart race and the familiar fuzzy feeling take over. It was the same feeling he had gotten earlier, right before they were interrupted, just before Lucas was going to kiss him.

“Luc,” He said quietly, not taking his eyes off of him. “You do know I like you more than a friend, right?”

“I know. It, just.” He trailed off.

“Just what?”

“Well I haven’t asked you to be my boyfriend yet because I haven’t kissed you yet.” Lucas blurted out. “And I know I shouldn’t be scared to because I know you feel the same way I do and even if you didn’t I know you wouldn’t make me feel bad about it but I just don’t know when’s the perfect time to do it and then I panic and over think and then I miss my chance and then I-“

Lucas was quickly cut off by a kiss.

It took him a second for his brain to register it, but when he did, he instantly melted against it. Jens was holding his face firmly while still managing to make the kiss soft and gently. Lucas hummed into the kiss, almost having to hold his breath as he felt his chest tighten with so much euphoria. The space between them didn’t exist, and Lucas trailed his hand to Jens’ jawline, tilting it so he could have more of him. Lucas felt him smile against his lips, and it felt like a breath of fresh air. He could almost feel Jens’ own heart beating against his chest and he wondered if he could feel his.

He wondered why he hadn’t kissed him sooner. He wished he had. If he had known it was going to be like this then maybe Lucas wouldn't have felt so shy about his little crush.

But he also didn’t mind the waiting. He didn’t mind that he got to spend time with Jens before this, to really know him and understand him. To have had their shy glances exchanged for shy smiles to eventual shy affections.

Lucas didn’t mind the waiting. Because right now, the moment was perfect. And he wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Eventually they pulled apart, staring at each other in awe. Lucas couldn’t stop holding his face as he marvelled at the boy in front of him. The boy he had fallen so hard for, despite the short amount of time he had known him for. But with the way he was being marvelled at and also being held in the hands of Jens, he knew there was no more questioning between them.

“Now can you ask me to be your boyfriend?” Jens asked, his voice panting a little as he tried to regulate his breathing.

Giggling, Lucas leaned his forehead forward, pressing it against his.

“Will you be my boyfriend?” He asked in a whispered.

And he smiled. Because he already knew the answer.

-

Lucas was barely awake when he heard the bedroom door swing open. Groaning, he opened his eyes halfway and saw Jana standing there. She looked way better than she had last night, and based on the brightness on her face, she was definitely way more alive.

“Wake up.” She instructed them, flinging her hands everywhere. “We’re gonna roam around Utrecht today and we have to hit all the spots.

“Few more minutes.” Jens groaned, his eyes still shut and his head still buried in the pillows.

Jana narrowed her eyes at them. It didn’t take her long to realize the way they had fallen asleep. Jens hand one arm tucked under Lucas, his hand wrapped around to his back. Lucas was practically shoved into his chest, as one leg was thrown over him, peeking from the tangled blanket that halfway laid on top of them. Jens had his other hand thrown over Lucas’ waist, and it was unlike any sleeping position Jana had ever seen them in.

“Oh my god, it finally happened.” She squealed.

“What?” Lucas mumbled, trying to sit up but Jens only pulled him back down.

“Ignore her.” He mumbled.

He could hear Jana excitedly running towards the kitchen, which he figured everyone else was at based on where the sound of a clatter of dishes, smell of breakfast food and chatting voices came from. He wanted to sit up, to try to figure out what was happening but Jens’ grip was tight and firm. There was no escape to it.

“You guys!” He heard Jana exclaim. “I told you! I told you all! Lucas and Jens, they’re boyfriends!”

“I called it first!” He heard Kes yell, envisioning him scrambling through the kitchen to go declare it to them personally.

Knowing his friends were going to instantly swarm into the room and interrogate them, Lucas ducked underneath the blanket as Jens’ chest vibrated with a laugh. He felt Jens kiss the top of the curls that peaked out from out of the blanket as he pushed himself closer to his chest.

At least only one of their flushed faces would be given away.

Wishes And Kisses

Summary: Just Bangtan being Bangtan on Hobi’s Birthday.

Pairing: OT7

Genre: Fluff

Word Count: 837

Warnings: None

Note: I know I’m a month late, but here it is, at last 😅

It was a years-old tradition at this point, not a surprise anymore. Hoseok was alone in the dance studio, practising for a dance cover. It was early in the evening, and he knew the door would burst open any minute, as the lights go out and the guys bring in a ‘surprise’ birthday cake for him along with the staff, while the cameramen filmed everything for ARMY.

It happened when he sat down to take a break and drink some water. The suddenness of the lights going out did surprise him, but a big smile soon adorned his face, not that anyone could see it. He cackled (which was drowned among all the ruckus) when he saw Seokjin moving towards the opposite side of the room from him, the elder’s face illuminated from the candles on the cake he was holding.

Yoongi, Namjoon, and Taehyung’s voices obnoxiously boomed around the studio as they sang the birthday song, and the happy giggles of Jeongguk and Jimin followed.

Seokjin, after hilariously almost bumping into the mirror, called out, “Hob-ah!”

“I’m here hyung!” Hoseok finally allowed himself to laugh loudly. All of them, except Seokjin and Taehyung who were also laughing, started singing again.

Hoseok got up and stood in front of the cake, clasping his hands as he made a wish. The guys and some of the staff cheered as she blew the candles. Despite being used to this, his heart filled with gentle warmth and strong love every year having these special birthday parties of sorts.

“Okay, okay, time for hyung’s grand thank-you speech for ARMY!” Jimin’s voice rang out from the tangle of excited chatter.

Hoseok giggled and approached one of the two cameras filming them.

“ARMY,” He cleared his throat, acting nervous (he had a very obvious smoulder and was clearly trying to make people laugh), “I don’t have a grand speech today. Just remember, I love you. And that there are seven men who always understand, it doesn’t matter if they are in the same city as you or halfway across the world; we’re always here. Thank you for all the love you always give us and for all the wishes earlier in the live. Love you!”

His members cheered as soon as he finished and he exaggeratedly joined in. The cameras soon stopped rolling and the staff flocked around to give him their wishes. He saw his favourite stylist no one, their most serious makeup hyung (who had a rare smile) and their smartest editor noona (Namjoon once drunkenly claimed that she was even smarter than him).

Hoseok was done practising for the day anyway, so he accompanied the rest of the guys to the dorms. They had spent about two hours with all this, and the sun had gone down completely by the time they reached their cars.

Or should I say car? Hoseok was mildly surprised to see one of their old limos sanding at their usual pick-up spot instead of the two cars they had started using. He didn’t question it though. He was pretty tired and having s shoulder to lay down on sounded tempting.

The evening air around them was filled with light chatter as they made their way to the car. Jeongguk let out a big yawn, which prompted Hoseok to do so too.

Once inside, he found himself between Taehyung and Namjoon. He wasted no time in throwing his legs on his same-aged bandmate and laid down on Taehyung. This was way different from his head-on-shoulder plan, but no one was complaining and this was comfier too. The others all chuckled at him as he settled in his new bed.

Taehyung leaned down to press a light kiss on Hoseok’s forehead, who responded by closing his eyes and pouting back at him. The other chuckled again after seeing this, and Taehyung complied with his wishes and kissed him. It was a lazy kiss, and neither of them was used to kissing upside down, but it was exactly what they needed after a long day of practising and recording.

Hoseok felt Namjoon’s hands creep up his legs and settle on his thighs, rubbing comforting circles there. He sighed in content against Taehyung’s lips. The younger leaned back up soon after, and Hoseok looked up at him, panting lightly.

He turned his head towards the others and saw Seokjin and Jeongguk looking at them fondly. Jimin was quietly talking to Yoongi and had his head on the latter’s shoulder, settling in to take a nap.

Hoseok smiled at their eldest and youngest and got one in return. It didn’t take long for Hoseok (and Jimin) to fall asleep after that.

(Namjoon assigned the task of getting the roommates to their room to Seokjin and Jeongguk. After receiving protests from them, he smugly told them that he, Yoongi, and Taehyung had already bore their weight.

Seokjin grumbled and but complied, and Jeongguk took a little more persuasion.

At the end of it, the maknae regretted not sleeping in the car.)

So you said you haven't drawn a kiss pose before in that drarry request so like I love and I would like to humbly request Draco and Harry in a full blown make out if it's not to much trouble u kno it could also be perfect practice because I am the gay devil.😘🙆😎

“ Alright mate lets go”

I didnt get that closr to a makeout scene

But I tried TTvTT

A kiss…

A kiss…

Furry Friends (sketch detail). See the full finished color drawing and a lot more! Link in b i o.