Sensitive Touch [end] by Raserwolf

afterending

Chapter 11: Not So Different

Summary:
The aftermath of the article is just beginning, while a certain blonde is gaining his affections.

Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text
Harry considered brushing his hair before he went down to the pitch, but decided he really didn't want the comb pulling at his thick hair to drive him mad before he went to go meet the man he maybe sorta was developing a liking toward. He left his wild curls messy and sticking out in every direction, he'd never really liked it to be neat. He tried to avoid everyone in the common room, the only person occupying his thoughts was Draco.

Harry was wholly too aware of Dean and Seamus snuggled up against eachother, which added that thought to his slightly addled brain. He really needed to ask Ron about queer acceptance in the wizarding world, only he honest-to-everything-he-knew had no clue how to bring it up in conversation. Thinking of ways to ask Ron and surveying the way Seamus was curled on Dean's shoulder, he exited the portrait hole.

Traipsing along the corridor, he ran his fingers over the stone walls, enjoying the sensation it sent up his arm. Just when he retracted his arm to turn the bend that lead onto the staircase, he heard the incoming chatter and footsteps of a group coming down the corridor. He panicked momentarily. His opposite hand ached to even out the tingly sensation coursing through his fingers. Harry pulled his hood up, muffling the clacking echoing from the heard of shoe heels coming his way.

Walking with a deliberate quick strut that calmed the electric shocks in his toes from accidentally wearing his socks the right way round. He cringed internally at the sight of a pack of Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs meandering up the corridor on their way to the front of the castle for Hogsmeade.

Harry nearly made it past them but a Ravenclaw sixth year girl got right in front of him, grinning obnoxiously.

"Is it true? What Skeeter wrote about you being mental?" she snickered.

Harry's hands flexed and his toes curled.

"A-and what's it to you?" Harry snarled lowly.

"A-a-a-and!" a Hufflepuff boy mocked gutteraley.

Harry could feel his heart pounding in his chest, each beat was thrumming in his Adams apple and over his sternum. He bit the corner of his tongue at the jab, sending chills washing over his cheeks and making all the fine hairs stand on end. He hadn't even realized he'd gotten up on his toes.

"Skeeter was right look! Potter the pansy is gonna do the ballet at us!" The Ravenclaw girl guffawed.

Harry looked down self consciously at his flexed feet, trying to ignore the pooling shame in his stomach. He resolved himself and glared poisonously at her, his magic crackling green strokes of electric shock in the air.

"Ooooh Potter is gonna do a little trick!" she snorted, looking slightly wary.

Harry thrust his hand to the side, preparing to draw his wand with a growl, but his hand movement flung the girl out of his way into her gaggle of friends.

He gained a sudden boost of confidence and scoffed, "Do you really think I, the guy who defeated Voldemort, am afraid of a bunch of sixth years and a vile reporter who eavesdrops in conversations she's not remotely involved in? And yes! Skeeter is r-right, I'm autistic! But why should that make me any less of a p-person to you? You'd really change opinion of me on a whim and come after me for something I can't c-control? That's pathetic."

He turned to storm off, covering his ears while his brain screamed, too much too much too much. All the noises around him were amplified in his head, shooting tingles down his spine from the base of his neck.

He tried to speed past a group of younger Gryffindor's, but Romilda Vane popped out of the clique and hurried over to him.

"Oh Harry! I saw the article- I'm so sorry... Are you alright?" she cooed, trying to get as close as humanly possible to him.

He cringed at the pity sunk deep in her features, and felt violently uncomfortable when she pressed her enormous bust against his arm.

He scooted back awkwardly, his voice dead in his throat, only to hit another girl showing an obscene amount of breast. Whirling around, his nose inches from hers due to his small stature, he side stepped and gave an awkward chuckle. Romilda's overdrawn lipstick was agonizingly close to rubbing on his hoodie.

"Er- I've got to go..."

He turned on his heal and wound through corridors, down staircases until he sped through the Great Hall out toward the pitch.

When he finally emerged onto the pitch he spotted Draco looping around in the morning air. It was crisp and lukewarm with a slight breeze that made his nose twitch with the scent of grass it carried. Draco saw him and dove toward the ground, gracefully dismounting and shrinking it to fit in his pocket with a small smirk.

Draco was wearing a black turtleneck with grey jeans and his dress shoes. It was so simple yet incredibly elegant as he strode on long legs toward him, his nose and cheeks tinged pink from the cool air. Harry felt his stomach do a somersault, and he was suddenly acutely aware of his loose fitting clothes. Pulling at the sleeves, he greeted Draco with a small, "Hey."

"Hello to you too Potter-" Draco started.

"Call me Harry... remember?" he laughed, stuffing his hands into his pockets and flexing them.

"Yes of course - right, uh - here." Draco responded, a bit flustered.

He pulled a small object out of his pocket and whispered, "Engorgio." he tapped it with his wand.

A large neat bundle made of a green handkerchief tied at the top swelled into Draco's hands. He gave a lopsided smirk, "Come on Harry, you look peaky, have some food."

Heading to the very edge of where the stands met the ground, Draco settled down, Harry situating beside him. Harry's foot bounced beneath his knee as Draco untied the knot. A small spread of muffins, toast, Canadian bacon, scrambled eggs, and roast potatoes, all neatly packaged in transfigured containers under stasis charms, fell out of the bundle. Harry grabbed a triangle of toast and nibbled off the corner, noticing that it was done exactly how he liked it, not too toasted with a dark golden colour that crunched pleasantly. He always liked the gentle noise it made when he bit into it.

"I figured you didn't want to eat in the Great Hall because of the article..." Draco hummed, grabbing one of the two muffins.

"Thank you." Harry hummed around his toast.

"Thought you weren't going to show." Draco commented offhandedly, taking a bite of the muffin.

Harry took another small bite, feeling a bit guilty to have left Draco waiting so long. "I ran Into some lower years who didn't go out to Hogsmeade and saw the article. Some Ravenclaw picked on me a bit, but it doesn't bother me all that much, and Romilda Vane was trying to come onto me in the corridor." he sighed.

"Isn't that the busty Gryffindor who's been after you since fifth year?" Draco inquired.

"Something like that." Harry groaned, "Why? Are you interested in her?"

Draco gave a low chuckle that made Harry's insides jump, "She's not my type." he replied simply.

"What is your type?" Harry blurted, trying his best to keep the conversation going.

"Well for one, not a woman."

"You like men?" Harry followed up, forcing down the borderline excited hitch in his voice.

"I do." Draco whispered.

Harry's thought process was going a million miles an hour. 'Draco was gay? Oh my god Draco's gay! I might- no of course not... But maybe? No he wouldn't like me, he only just started to not hate me... But remember what they used to say- it's wrong! Only... If Dean and Seamus are together I think, then maybe it's okay? This is confusing...'

"You alright?"

Harry's brain addled for a moment before coming back to the present.

"Oh- yeah I just never thought-"

"Yeah... most people don't even suspect, especially with my pureblood family."

"What d'you mean?"

Draco sighed and popped the last bit of muffin into his mouth and grabbed some toast to pile eggs and bacon onto to make a sandwich. Harry did the same, his pinky brushing Draco's hand as he reached for the bacon.

"Well... My mother and father want me to get married and produce an heir as soon as possible, and, simply put, I don't want to. I want something healthy and y'know, natural after seeing my parents who were betrothed..."

He took a bite of his sandwich, looking somber and complacent.

"And with me being a Death Eater-"

"You're not." Harry interjected.

Draco looked up, confused.

"But I-"

"No. You were a Death Eater, you're not anymore... I don't think you wanted to do anything for Voldemort. If anything I think you and your family were dragged into all that out of fear. If you rebelled, you would've been killed... Even I can see that."

Draco kept his eyes on the grass, gazing contemplatively.

"This mark on my arm," he said, rolling up his sleeve on his left arm, "Is a curse scar... It's never going to go away... And if somebody saw that they'd know what I'd done..."

Harry stared at it. Black skull and snake on Draco's pale skin, warped by scar tissue. Harry noticed very, very familiar marks all over it, horizontal and slightly pink barely raised criss crosses. He took Draco's wrist in his hands, running his finger pad over the faint bumps, tracing the scars.

He brought Draco's forearm up closer to his face and studied the marks.

"We're really not that different when you think about it..." he reassured.

"How do you mean?" Draco murmured.

Harry shakily took his right sleeve between his teeth and pulled it down. He turned over his wrist, lining his dark skinned forearm up with Draco's alabaster one. His own criss crosses littered his arm, very faint and clearly as old as Draco's.

"F-fifth year was really h-hard... I-" Harry gulped, "I didn't know w-what to do aft-after Sirius died... I felt so-so alone and I-I couldn't take it..." he stammered.

He looked up to see the most gentle silver eyes on his, not a trace of pity in them, only pure understanding.

"Sixth year was when father made me take the mark... I thought I was making him proud of me for once... But he and mother started to crumble under the stress of it all and too late I realized what a mistake I'd made. A-and while you were off saving the world, I was regretting everything..." Draco swallowed thickly, "After you escaped from the manor... I hated it so much... Between getting crucioed and knowing where I could've been if I wasn't such a stuck up arsehole to you and your friends... It became too much to handle..."

Harry nodded solemnly. The sudden urge to hug Draco washed over him, so he did exactly that. His bulkier arms encircled Draco's long torso, his head slotting perfectly beneath Draco's pointed chin. Draco was frozen in shock. Harry normally hated physical contact, but here he was, and fuck he smelled good. Harry was experiencing the heat of Draco's body, the comfort of his arms when one rested low on his trim waist, the other sat against the line of his spine, making sure not to make him feel trapped, the amazing scent filling his lungs. Draco's large palm was splayed just beneath Harry's shoulders.

Draco was spicy and sweet like the fall with that faint masculine edge of musk. He had a coffee shop undertone. He smelled comforting.

Harry was sweet and bitter like apples and parchment, he had a very raw musky scent that bit beneath the others. He smelled like home.

Harry nuzzled his nose into the hollow of Draco's collarbones, his curls tickling the man's chin, and closed his eyes.

Draco felt the feather light lashes brush his skin, as Harry's glasses had been pushed up to his hairline. Both had long since finished their food.

Harry pulled away, resting his palm on Draco's firm chest, he really liked the hard lines and edges of the man's body much more than Romilda's soft curves.

"I always was a coward..." Draco admitted.

"In the beginning yeah... But look at you now... You're alive and you're here instead of Azkaban."

"Only thanks to you..."

"Well people did always say I had a 'saving people thing.'"

"You kind of do oh Chosen One." Draco jabbed lightly.

Harry snorted, his chin dipping as he laughed.

Draco stared at him. He was gorgeous. Imperfectly perfect. With slightly widely spaced eyes and a scarcely crooked canine. His emerald eyes drew back up to his own.

"I find it funny how well we get along." Harry chortled.

"I think it's a surprise to everyone Scarhead." Draco quipped.

"Two can play that game Ferret!" Harry cracked back.

He pulled his shrunken Firebolt out of his pocket and the snitch that had one contained the resurrection stone. Returning the firebolt to its original size, he gave Draco a warm appreciative smile.

"Care for a seekers game after that emotional load off?" Draco inquired softly, avidly fixated on the snitch between Harry's fingers.

"I'd love one." Harry laughed, patting Draco's pec lightly.

They stood, Draco pulling his own broom out of his pocket and replacing it with the green handkerchief. Harry released the snitch and they mounted their brooms, eyeing eachother in challenge.

"Go!" Draco barked.

They kicked off hard, shooting into the air neck and neck. Harry smiled at the long missed sensation of the wind ruffling his hair and licking his cheeks. His encounters with those underclassmen flying his mind as he chased after Draco.

Spotting the golden glint simultaneously, they dove. Smiling hugely and racing around eachother, hands outstretched for the snitch.

Notes:
RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENTS!!!

afterending

Chapter 12: Shutdown

Summary:
Harry is left with the pack of prejudiced younger years from that morning after Draco flees.

Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text
They'd headed back to the castle after a good set of challenging games against eachother, shrinking their brooms to slip into their pockets. Draco had his large hand resting on his own slender hip as they moseyed back up to the castle. Harry was fiddling with his belt loops discreetly, needing something to do with his tense hands to keep himself grounded after their exhilarating games.

"I've got to head into Hogsmeade at some point today." Draco remembered.

"What for?" Harry hummed.

"Broke my last decent nib for my quill the other day."

"Mmm."

"Care to join me?" Draco inquired, keeping his eyes focused straight ahead.

"I - I uh... Don't really know if I want to be around people who've read Skeeter's rubbish." Harry responded as he awkwardly scratched the nape of his neck where his windswept hairs were tickling.

"Ah. I'd nearly forgotten."

"How? I mean with everything she wrote about me - you've read it, same as I have-"

"I didn't read it."

Harry paused in his playfully pigeon toed stride, looking up from his battered trainers into Draco's calm face. He ran his tongue along the backs of his lower teeth and unwound his finger from his belt loop to push up his glasses.

"You didn't?" he breathed, wrinkling his twitching nose as the overpowering scent of freshly dried dewy grass hit his nostrils.

"I didn't see a reason to. We both know Skeeter writes absolute bullshit... And besides I figured if she knew things about you that you didn't want to tell, then it wasn't my business to know unless you told me yourself..." Draco replied, biting the inside of his cheek at the honesty that slipped out.

"You, just about the most nosy snooping prat I've ever met in my life, didn't see a reason to read personal information about me out of respect for me?" Harry snarked in disbelief.

Draco shrugged and looked away, trying to will away his blush as they stepped up the stairs and into the entrance hall.

"Who are you and what have you done with Draco Malfoy?" Harry laughed.

Draco smiled, opening his mouth to respond but was interrupted by a snide voice.

"Well if it isn't the scar faced head case." came a derisive drawl that reminded Draco horribly of himself.

They turned to see the pack of Ravenclaw's and Hufflepuff's drawing nearer. Harry made a small, barely audible trilling noise, that made Draco glance over at him. His hands were madly twisting his belt loops and his pointer finger on his right hand was completely tensed. Draco could tell by the way his body rose and fell that he was trying to control his breathing.

"Ohh are we making poor wittle Potter scared?" The Ravenclaw girl from earlier hissed in a baby voice that left a foul taste in Draco's mouth.

"Like I said before," Harry grumbled steadily, "I'm not afraid of a couple sixth years with misinformation."

Harry surprised himself with his own calmness, while Draco was growing angrier beside him.

Romilda Vane came scampering around the corner with her gaggle of girls.

"We heard yelling! Is everything-" her eyes landed on Harry.

Harry frowned, they weren't yelling?

Romilda hurried over, pushing in front of Harry with her huge breasts and making Draco sneer.

"Don't pick on poor Harry! He can't help it!" she cried.

Gazing half lidded and distant, Harry sighed.

"Look- I appreciate y-" Harry tried.

She turned to listen.

"What are you doing with that Death Eater filth?!" she screeched when her eyes registered Draco.

Harry saw Draco stiffen and turn furiously on his heel.

"I'll be going now." he murmured under his breath.

"Draco wait-" Harry pleaded.

But he'd already gone round the corner on his long legs with an air of fury, fists clenched angrily at his sides. Harry started after him, when his body was wrenched back by the collar of his hoodie.

He stumbled back, his hands flying up to readjust his hood with tense fingers.

"Oi!" Harry puffed, about to say his peace, but they beat him to it.

"They shouldn't have let that no good murderous scumbag back in here." a Hufflepuff growled.

"And Potter looked pretty chummy with him." another hissed.

"Don't tell me Potter is fucking a murderer!"

"I'll bet twenty galleons he's actually a queer!"

Harry's voice of retaliation failed in his tight throat.

"Is he even listening? Probably not with that loopy brain of his!"

"Do tell Potter, has he fucked you and your disabled head?" The one closest to Harry snarled right in his ear.

The building events of the last two weeks finally caught up to him.

Harry felt himself shutting down.

His chest began to hurt. It felt like he couldn't breathe, his balance went haywire. He didn't want to fight. He was so tired of fighting. His clothes began to itch painfully, the seams of his socks pressing into his toes. He didn't want to fight. He wanted to be alone. His throat felt like it was closing. He did not want to fight. He needed it to be quiet.

"SHUT UP!" he screeched at the bombarding, suffocating chatter in his ears from their mocks he could no longer decipher.

A stunned pause and-

It happened in an instant.

The pressure against his mouth spiked, and he felt his lips connect with each of his incisors. He felt the blood vessels bursting where the knuckles hit hardest. A metallic taste flooded his mouth, overloading his senses.

Ringing ears, stinging mouth, wide eyes, aching hands, sore neck, twitching nose, and shaking body.

His magic lashed out quicker than the initial blow had come. Everybody around him was thrown out of his way as he felt warm blood trickle down his chin. He reached up to touch his lip, feeling the sticky substance gather on his fingertip.

Marching toward Gryffindor tower in a haze of shaky screaming senses, the one person he wanted to be next to more than ever gone, he hadn't noticed that he'd accidentally stuck his attackers to the wall.

Before he fully registered that he, in fact, had passed the entrance to the eighth year lodgings, he found himself in the Owlery. The gentle hooting and fluttering of the birds eased him.

He stumbled over to the sill to sit down, gripping the stone as he wriggled his way into the nook of the window. Leaning against the lightly stained ornate glass, Harry watched the rolling Scottish hills and bustling lights of Hogsmeade.

He sat with his arms around his legs in a defense pose he hadn't used for a while, feeling the icy surface of the glass against his cheek. His brain gradually calmed down over the process of an hour and a half, no longer taking in every fine click of the owl's talons against their perches. He closed his eyes for about a quarter of an hour, simply breathing, simply letting the tension ooze out of his body.

The door to the Owlery opened. Harry cracked open an anxious eye.

Tall and gangly with flaming red hair and loads of freckles. It was Ron. He breathed a sigh of relief, watching Ron gather tiny Pigwideon in his hands and send him off with a letter twice the size of him tethered to his leg. Ron turned, spotting Harry curled up on the windowsill.

"Harry?" he stepped closer, "Bloody fuck mate what happened to your mouth?"

Harry swallowed a gush of metallic saliva, leaning back as Ron hurried over. Ron put one knee up on the sill, leaning toward Harry and reaching out like he wanted to touch Harry's face. He, however, kept his hands a few inches away from Harry's cheeks.

"Ok- ok shit- alright." Ron scrambled.

He pulled out a red handkerchief from his back pocket that had Hermione's initials sewn into it, and pressed it against the bust in Harry's lower lip. Harry flinched at the contact.

"What the hell happened Harry?" Ron asked firmly, withdrawing the handkerchief from Harry's swollen lips.

Harry merely shrugged. His coherent thought process was only just returning to him and he couldn't seem to find the words.

"Well I'm gonna take a guess and say that those lower years being scraped off the wall by three teachers had something to do with it?" Ron stated morosely.

Harry nodded, a bit confused at the fact that they were stuck to the wall. Ron started dabbing his lips gently, swiping the remnants of blood out of the pocket between Harry's teeth and lower lip. Harry was too tired and mentally put out to reject the contact.

"Was it about the article?"

He nodded again.

"Bloody hell..."

Ron sighed, obviously trying and failing to keep his anger concealed. Even the owls were deathly quiet, which Harry greatly appreciated. Harry suddenly felt a sting in the side of his thumb were he'd been rubbing his fingers together, he looked down to find he'd created a hangnail that was an irritated red. He began to thread his hands into the rips in his jeans, pulling at the stretchy interconnected strands to distract from the dull throbbing in his thumb.

"You ought to know that 'Mione and McGonagall are at the Ministry right now with Skeeter pressing charges, not sure what specifically for, but I guess we'll find out yeah?" Ron said as he stood, folding up the handkerchief and slipping it back in his pocket.

Harry's voice came out in a gravely grumble.

"I-I can take that... It's got m-my blood on it..." he husked quietly.

Ron shook his head, "Nah mate it's alright... You gonna stay up here?"

Harry nodded. "Probably."

"Well I'll be off then, see you later?"

Ron gave a little nod and turned, taking a thin Honeydukes box from his pocket. Harry saw his chance and took it.

"Hey Ron?"

Ron swiveled back around with a sugar quill hanging from his lips, "Yeah?"

Harry opened his mouth and closed it again several times, trying to formulate his question in his mind. Ron sat back on the sill, looking intently at Harry as he sucked on the finely spun plumage of his candy.

"Er- is the- uh- wizarding world... Uh- okay with y'know..." he waved his hands around in small circles, "Being gay a-and all that?"

Ron furrowed his brows, his sugar quill swaying in his working jaw. "Well yeah, I mean there's still some barmy old pureblood loons who are against it, but it's accepted for the most part. My family accepts it, Charlie is asexual as a matter of fact, Ginny's a lesbian, and Fred and George are bisexual. It's just preference mate. Why?"

Harry scratched the bristly edge of his eyebrow, "I think I'm gay..." he little more than whispered.

Ron's eyes widened infinitesimally. "That makes a lot of sense actually. I mean everybody expected you to go off and marry Ginny, even I did. But she likes women, and if you like men, that's okay too." he laughed.

Harry gave a watery smile, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. "Thank you..." he hicoughed into his fist.

"What for?" Ron inquired, sucking on his quill.

"You know what kind of family I was raised in... I got really scared when- when I started to like this guy, I just kept thinking of everything th-they would yell about gay couples." Harry murmured.

"Right... Y'know Harry I'm proud of you and all for coming out, but I've got to ask. What about Cho and Ginny?"

"I-I think I just felt inclined to like Cho because she was coming onto me and I didn't really know what to do... I wanted to fit into the hero mold because that's what everybody expected of me... I felt like I wasn't supposed to be gay..." Harry reasoned.

Ron nodded, "Well Harry, just know that me and all the rest of my family accepts you. Mum is gonna coddle you all Christmas break with everything coming out about you." he winked at the pun.

Harry laughed lightly, he felt like a fraction of the million pounds on his chest had been lifted.

"I'm off then." Ron waved as he sidled toward the door.

The door clicked, and he was gone. Leaving Harry with his thoughts.

He was relieved that being queer was accepted, even with the nagging quip of that Ravenclaw boy echoing in his memory. Now he only had to worry about Ron's reaction to the fact that he was developing an interest in Draco Malfoy.

Draco, simply put, was everything Harry didn't even know he needed. He was easy to talk to, and there was something about him that just understood Harry on another level that he thought his friends had only grazed after eight years of friendship. He treated Harry like a normal human being, and he never sucked up to the savior titles that Harry's name carried. Draco grounded him, he told him shit exactly how it was, with no dancing around the truth. He was blunt and vulgar, and had a sarcasm to rival Harry's. It was a bonus that he was ridiculously attractive and occupied Harry's sexual fantasies more often than not.

His peaceful train of thought screeched to a dark halt when he gazed over the grounds. The damage from the battle was still visible. Broken and scorched trees, cracked stone, and Dumbledore's recently mended tomb sitting marble white against the midday sunshine.

It made Harry think of everybody he'd lost. He was afraid to love again. Everybody he loved had died. Hedwig, his beautiful and intelligent companion, represented a very special moment in his life. The knowledge of his true heritage and past after years of abuse and starvation, he remembered vividly, had rattled him to his core. She had been loyal and was there for him when he was locked in his tiny room at the Dursley's. She was there when uncle Vernon would get especially angry and come charging in, belt in hand, and whipped him into delirium. He'd mourned her for months after the battle. Deep inside he knew he would never truly get over the death of his first friend.

The mistreatment the Dursley's had put him through wasn't even realized until he was brought into the warmth and care of the Weasley's. He was so genuinely confused when they all seemed to like him and didn't make him do the dishes or weed the garden in sweltering heat. Harry was bemused when he received Christmas presents from the Weasely's, he was shocked when he had even the smallest pile of gifts for him. They didn't yell at him when he stimmed, they didn't make fun of his scrawny figure, they never pulled food as a punishment. It was shocking to a tiny little boy who knew nothing but dislike, pain, punishment, and anger.

He'd felt so guilty when Fred had almost died from a nasty gash in his head. It ate him up that George lost an ear for him. It twisted his insides when Sirius died for him. Everything shifting from him being kept like a dirty little secret and having no possessions of his own, to having everything being done for him, for Harry, had ripped up his mental state entirely.

He was raised to be quiet and hide anything that might be considered abnormal. To believe that he deserved every punishment he was given because he was a freak and he should be grateful for the roof over his head. Even when he wasn't allowed the shelter of their home, left in the cold or the rain or the mud, he was taught to be grateful for the six sizes too big clothes on his back. He was hit for looking like a 'hoodlum', as aunt Petunia had called it, because his thin shoulders would stick out of the enormous shabby shirt collar.

Having everything he'd ever known ripped away from him because it was all cruel lies had shaken him. He didn't trust adults because of everything he'd gone through and been put through, and now it was boggling to think that he was one. There were still things about Harry that carried a child-like wonderment that he'd never gotten to fully experience when he was in survival mode all waking hours of his life. He still habitually made his bed and kept everything neat even though there was nobody he was required to please. Some things were ingrained into his very being, and were incredulously difficult to kick.

It was so odd having nothing to worry about anymore. Now he had mundane dilemmas of a normal teenage boy where he never did before. He had always been running for his life, whether it be from the Dursley's or Voldemort and his Death Eaters. And now he was having relationship interests and sexual interests about a boy he once hated the guts of.

Death Eater. That was one thing Draco Malfoy was not. Harry knew, he knew Draco didn't want to take the mark, he watched him grow thin and sallow as the stress crushed him. He understood why Draco was tattooed with a mark of his mistakes, and he certainly didn't blame him for it. If only he could show him that. Then he mightn't have stormed off at the offending title, and maybe they could've talked about it.

Harry sighed and leaned his head back against the stone wall, his scalp tingling with the sensation of the course brick pressing against it. He'd managed to pluck out all the frays in the rips of his jeans in his thoughts, and was now rubbing his fingers in circles over the raven curls covering his thighs.

The owlery door opened again, Harry was slightly less startled by it this time, his thoughts more collected. He glanced down at his watch that Mr Weasley had repaired after the war. It was 4:00pm already.

"Weasley said you'd be up here." The familiar voice of Draco Malfoy drawled lazily, almost apologetically.

Harry felt his chest swell. "Over here." he murmured.

Draco, the beautiful man, was sauntering over to him, a neat box in his hand.

"Your quills?" Harry hummed.

Draco nodded and sat down across from Harry.

"I wanted to apologize for running off... Weasley told me what happened." Draco mumbled.

"So you're apologizing out of pity?" Harry frowned.

Draco looked up at him, silver pools washing out in the sunlight coming through the window. "No. I really do feel shitty for leaving you in the middle of a conflict like that, even though I knew you could handle it."

"Well I did get socked in the mouth..."

"Because they were saying disgusting things to you."

Harry blushed.

"They're with Flitwick and Slughorn right now until McGonagall gets back with Granger."

Draco was watching Harry's hands rubbing his thighs.

He cleared his throat a bit awkwardly.

"I uh- noticed that you like having something to do with your hands while you talk..." he coughed, keeping his gaze firmly fixed on Harry's thick muscled thigh.

Harry cocked his head, blinking asymmetrically in that way that made Draco's heart jump.

"And well I saw this and thought you might like it..." he murmered, pulling a small cube from his pocket.

It was small enough to fit in Harry's palm and had different things on every side. Little switches, dials, buttons, embedded balls, and textured disks that sat perpendicular to the face, it was a plethora of things to entertain his fingers. And all the accents were deep red, Harry's favorite shade of burgundy.

"Th-thank you..." Harry gasped, completely astonished.

He reached out to take it, Draco set it in his open palm, smiling at him.

Harry very much liked the gift. It was relaxing to have something minimal to do with his tense hands, exercising the taught tendons into ease.

He looked up to see that Draco was gazing out the window, very pink in the face.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Harry asked bluntly.

Draco, evidently startled, snapped his eyes up to Harry's.

"I guess- uh... I'm- making up for all the years that I was terrible to you... And you're- you're not half bad to talk to..." he stammered.

Harry hummed in acknowledgment.

"Same here..." Harry half lied in response.

Draco had started self consciously rubbing his left forearm arm. Harry reached out to grab his wrist.

"You're not a Death Eater..." he whispered.

"But the mark..."

"Doesn't define you." Harry assured.

Draco ceased gradually.

"What are you doing in the Owlery of all places? It smells like bird shit." Draco drawled.

Harry gave a small laugh.

"Just thinking about the war... Having a sexuality crisis... Mourning my owl." Harry murmured honestly.

Draco leaned back against the stones, shocked by the second raw sentiment.

"What happened to your owl anyway?"

"She got killed when we were escaping Death Eaters that surrounded my aunt and uncles house..." Harry sighed.

Draco furrowed his brow, "Why were there Death Eaters around your house?"

Harry cocked his head, "Trying to catch and kill me?"

"I mean why would they be around your house? They didn't surround places where they were likely to be caught by another wizard?"

"I lived in a muggle neighborhood? Merlin you really didn't read the article..."

"Wait what?" Draco breathed.

"A muggle neighborhood... With my muggle aunt and uncle who despised magic..."

"I thought you lived with your magical relatives."

"They're all dead... I'm the last Potter..."

"What was it like?"

Harry went rigid. "I'd rather not talk about it if I can help it." he said stiffly.

"Alright." Draco nodded.

The tension in the atmosphere dissipated as they got comfortable. Draco's legs slid outside Harry's, nudging his thighs. Harry's achilles sat on either junction of Draco's hips, caressing his sides. Harry rolled the dial around beneath his thumb, switching to a new side every so often, looking extremely content.

They sat like that in the windowsill, watching the colors in the sky change as the sun slowly sank. Harry enjoying the comfortable quiet and presence of Draco. Draco enjoying the calm and gentle flutter of the owls. Both enjoying the sight of the man across from him.

Notes:
Harry is finally learning to accept his sexuality and I'm proud

afterending

Chapter 13: Wet Dreams and Salacious Things

Summary:
Draco wakes up from a vivid wet dream only to find Harry in a very compromising position.

Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text
Harry's bare chest heaved, shivering, his dark nipples hard. Glistening with sweat, puffy kiss swollen lips shining with spit. Draco swore he could feel his pulse thrumming beneath his ribs. His throat jutted out as he arched his head back, bristly black brows tilted up in pleasure. Draco dragged his fingers down Harry's sides, making him cry out.

He admired the way Harry was rocking gently, his curls bouncing, his thick beautiful thighs spread wide. The tight wet heat that surrounded his cock was excruciatingly delicious. Harry moaned low as Draco gave a pointed thrust. His emerald eyes were opening, locking onto his own with huge dilated pupils, the faint glare of his glasses shimmering. He raked his eyes down Harry's scarred chest, down his flat belly and-

Draco snapped up, sweaty and flushed with an aching erection in his jeans. Shit. It was a dream. He adjusted himself from the uncomfortable position he'd let his head fall in, looking up to find himself in the windowsill of the Owlery. He glanced at the opposite wall before noticing the pressure on the inner planes of his legs.

Harry had slid down the wall so his head rested between Draco's shoes, his legs open and bent around Draco's hips, heels crookedly resting behind Draco's arse. It really didn't help his raging boner that he had a very up close view of the man's crotch. His thick thighs were gorgeous, his hoodie had slipped up to reveal a bit of his curly snail trail, and his tight arse was between Draco's legs.

Fuck he was amazing.

His long eyelashes were sleeping against his cheeks, mouth slightly parted with his dark mocha upper lip popping on his sepia complexion. There was a thin scab over the bust in his lower lip and a blooming purple bruise where his teeth hit. One of his arms was tucked behind his head, the other rested across his chest. His glasses were slightly askew, but he looked peaceful and serene.

Draco traced the hard lines of his knuckles with his eyes before descending lower, his cock twitching at the memory of his salacious dream. Draco's heart leapt into his throat as Harry gave deep resetting sigh and readjusted his legs. His head scooted that last inch, resting fully on his arm now, his body flexed and undulated to settle. The flat plane of Harry's stomach slipped further from his hoodie, fully exposing his navel. His arse was pressed right up against Draco's bulge.

Draco was breathing heavily, staring at the puzzle like fit of Harry's round cheeks and the strain of his own pants. He bit his lip, sliding his hand down to press the heal of it into his throbbing cock. A low groan escaped his throat, his head falling back against the stone. He established a careful languid rhythm of pressure as he took in Harry's innocently lewd form.

His fingers accidentally brushed Harry's perineal zone as his enthusiasm mounted. Harry let out a surprised little mewl that made Draco stop dead. Draco felt Harry's thighs hug his sides, the cords of strong muscle pressing into him enticingly. He adjusted his arms and ran his fingers, feather light, over the outside edges of Harry's legs, not entirely sure what to do with himself.

Harry suddenly coughed harshly, his throat rasping with phlegm with his rattling inhales. Draco's arousal left him almost immediately as Harry's hands curled, the one over his chest holding the small cube tightly. He writhed, Draco's heart sank when tears began to leak from his eyes. Harry's thighs were squeezing his ribcage so tightly he thought he might burst.

"No no no not him- don't kill him! Don't!" Harry whimpered.

Draco shifted onto his knees to lean over Harry, placing his broad hand on Harry's straining shoulder and gently nudging him. Harry's brows furrowed.

"No! No! Not- not him!"

Draco shook him a bit harder. Harry's eyes flew open, watery and frightened. Jumping about an inch off the sill with how hard he convulsed, he breathed harshly through his teeth. His eyes frantically searched Draco's.

"You're okay... You're okay..." he panted, reaching up to cup Draco's cheeks.

Draco furrowed his brows in question. "Me?"

Harry nodded, threading his fingers behind Draco's ears and scratching. He played with the platinum blonde fluff on the back of Draco's head where he had it cropped shorter, his eyes focused on Draco's intently. He seemed to be assuring himself that Draco was really there. Draco readjusted his knees to sit on either side of Harry, meaning his arse was very much in Draco's lap.

Harry's mouth opened and he glanced down, evidently distracting his train of thought.

"Sorry- am I making you uncomfortable?" Draco murmured, beginning to move.

Harry's hand gripped his arm and pulled him down so Draco's hands splayed beside his shoulders. Draco was blushing, his lips slightly parted as his eyes flicked all over Harry's face.

"No... No you're not..." Harry breathed.

Draco could tell by the tightness of his breath and the dilation of his pupils that he was interested.

Harry shifted his head and cringed, his hand that held the cube flying up to where his skull had laid on the stone.

"Are you alright?" Draco inquired, sightly breathless.

Harry grit his teeth as his whole body shivered, the cube on his chest rattling with him.

"Yeah-yeah just the texture... Don't like it..." he panted, rubbing his fingers through his hair obsessively.

An idea struck Draco. "Here-" he suggested, cradling the plane right below his neck to pull him upright. Harry snatched the cube from his chest, and blinked asymmetrically when he found himself in Draco's lap. Merlin, Draco found it impossibly endearing when his eyelids fluttered off kilter.

Harry twiddled his cube in his right hand, his left clutching Draco's bicep for dear life.

"C-carry me to our dorm?" he asked softly.

Draco smiled gently at him, "Of course." he purred, injecting as much raunchy undertone as he could.

He watched Harry's pupils get larger, not fully aroused but definitely intrigued. Harry bit his lip, making the blood momentarily bloom away from where his teeth were, careful not to aggrivate the cut. Fuck. Draco wanted to kiss him.

He restrained his raw desire and scooped Harry up to sit him on the edge of the sill, he retracted adversely into himself a bit when Draco's hands brushed his sides. He slipped off the ledge and turned his back to Harry.

Harry's well muscled arms wrapped around his neck, being cautious of his windpipe. He hooked his hands under Harry's muscular thighs and pulled him up. Draco was surprised to find that Harry wasn't very heavy. Sure he was short but he was quite light considering his muscle mass.

"This okay?" Draco hummed, feeling Harry's hand spread out over his pec.

His upper body jostled gently with Harry's nod, he didn't seem very talkative right now. But that was alright.

They went out of the Owlery and down a long corridor to the staircase that lead to their dorms. Harry kept his grip fairly tight, almost like a small child clinging to his mother. Draco could also hear him biting his nails of the hand he'd withdrawn from Draco's chest, while his emerald eyes searched around the walls they passed. His right hand holding the cube, that he refused to put in his pocket, was swirling the little dial.

Draco carried him up the stairs to their dorm after he hissed the password to a partially uncooperative Sir Cadogan. He noticed Harry was curling his toes in his shoes when they crept into their room.

Ron was snoring loudly in his own bed, his mouth hanging open. Draco set Harry on his bed, where he immediately tore off his shoes and socks, visibly relaxing as he wiggled his toes. Harry stripped off his jeans feverishly, divulging into his own mindset of seeking comfort as Draco watched on. The denim peeled from Harry's skin with a rustle, making Draco's throat feel tight with arousal once more.

And holy shit. Draco definitely had a thing for Harry's legs. They were slim yet built with stocky muscle that complemented his height, with neat indentations that made them shapely, and smatterings of curly black hairs all over. There were differences in his skin tone where it either darkened richly like his upper lip or lightened into a honey glow like the backs of his knobbly knees and soles of his feet or palms of his hands.

He kept his green hoodie on and his black boxers. The hoodie was so incredibly big on him, it accentuated how attractive he was, how gorgeous the grooves of definition in his legs were. He looked up at Draco, leaning back on his pillows and reaching up at him, grabbing at the air to beckon him.

Harry bit his lip and spread his fucking gorgeous thighs apart. Draco felt his chest constrict while simultaneously feeling like he was going to explode and come in his pants.

"Do that thing again?" Harry hummed huskily, patting his upper thigh.

Draco nodded frantically at the offer, kicking off his shoes as he climbed onto the bed. He positioned his knees on either side of Harry, careful to keep his growing erection from pressing against Harry. Harry set his cube on his bedside table, letting his chest rise and fall quickly while his hands curled into the pillows.

He tugged on Draco's sweater sleeve, a wave of impulse coming over him.

Draco leaned over Harry again, his hands on either side of him.

Harry took a deep breath.

"Draco?"

"Yes Harry?"

He shivered.

"Stay?"

"Let me change into my pajamas and then yes of course." he hummed.

Harry nodded vigorously.

Draco sat up and shimmied off the bed, leaving Harry looking absolutely wanton lying there. He pulled out a pair of silk bottoms and raced to the bathroom to have just about the quickest wank of his life. He sauntered out, satiated, to find Harry sitting cross legged waiting for him, clicking the switch on his cube. Quickly setting it back on the table, Harry gave a little flap of his hand.

Harry pulled back his double duvets and waved him over, smiling. Draco sat on the edge and slumped back, feeling the scent of Harry enveloping him as his head hit the pillow. Harry tentatively crawled on top of him, much to Draco's approval, and buried his face in his chest. Draco watched Harry's fingers twisting his turtleneck ever slower as he relaxed onto Draco. He tentatively placed a hand on Harry's back, he was tense for a minute but eventually melted into Draco's warm body.

His fingers stopped twisting, his eyes drooped closed, and he was asleep. Draco rubbed his back, curiously running his pinky along the exposed patch of skin. His heart ached when he felt scars, so many scars. So what he'd seen that night hadn't been a trick of the light. It was as real as his growing affection for the man curled up on his chest.

Draco slid Harrys glasses off his nose, setting them carefully beside his cube. He pulled up the duvets, wrapping Harry and himself up in them. It surprised him to find the lowermost one was weighted sightly, but when he pulled it over Harry, he relaxed completely into Draco. He nuzzled his cheek on Draco's sternum, his raven curls tucking under Draco's chin, and his naked legs slotting comfortably around Draco's.

He settled fully into the fluffy pillows with a pleased sigh, holding Harry by the small of his back until he too, fell asleep.

Notes:
We love sexual tension here

afterending

Chapter 14: The Morning After

Summary:
Hermione bursts in with a victorious announcement, only to find Harry and Draco snuggled up cozily.

Notes:
Short chapter. Big development.

Chapter Text
All three men occupying the dorm were startled awake by an elated screech and an enormous ginger furball pelting toward Ron. Crookshanks leapt heavily onto Ron's chest, making him jolt up with a groggy "Bloody hell!" Harry's hands shot up to cover his ears at the sudden loud yell of Hermione, wincing in her general direction. Draco, his hand resting on Harry's cleft, squeezed Harry's arse as his body tensed.

Harry smiled and snorted, his forehead falling onto Draco's sternum with a soft thump, hands still delicately covering his ears. Draco felt his chest expand pridefully when Harry shook with soft laughter.

Hermione was caterwauling so incoherently to the point were Ron had to yell out her name to make her cease.

"I'm fit to burst from last night's feast Hermione! Your bloody cat best not ruin my afterglow!"

"Sorry! Sorry! I'm just so pleased!" she panted.

Harry turned to look at her, sliding his hands off his ears to rest them on Draco's chest and pinch the fabric of his turtleneck. In politer terms, she was a wreck. Her eyes had huge purple circles beneath them, standing out so shockingly vivid against her dark skin, her brown hair was sticking out in wild tufts and the curls were disastrous tangles.

"Skeeter is on probation!!!!" she positively squealed, "She won't be able to publish any of her articles for a year!"

Harry leaned on his forearms, "Wait really?!" he inquired in pure disbelief.

"Yes!!! And her nasty article about you has been retracted!!!"

Her eyes finally took in the scene before her. Harry resting on Draco's chest looking happier than she'd seen him in months, and Ron with Crookshanks kneading his hair while looking smug and eyeing knowingly at Harry's bed.

"Harry? What's Draco doing in your bed?" she smirked at Ron.

She and Ron had a wager going since sixth year on which one of the hopeless idiots was going to make a move first. But she saw that hungry, longing desire in Draco's eyes as he gazed up at Harry, and she knew. Harry looked so comfortable in Draco's arms, but he always fell too fast and moved in slowly. She never thought she'd say it in her life, but they were good for eachother. They challenged eachother and their magic was so compatible you could feel it in the air when they used to snap at eachother. She'd noticed the calm feel of the environment as she walked in, the tense energy that had once filled the room at the beginning of term completely gone.

Nobody really expected the two to become fast friends once they put their animosity aside. Sure they were still sarcastic assholes to the other more often than not, but it was playful instead of venomous, sweet instead of potentially deadly. It just worked. And although Ron didn't fully accept Harry's choice in men quite yet, even he couldn't argue that they weren't healthy for eachother. Hermione had suspected Harry was gay since fourth year, he was practically drooling over the Durmstrang boys, and his obsession with Draco during sixth didn't seem coincidental.

Harry blushed, "Sleeping..." he mumbled as he splayed his hand over Draco's pec.

"I can vouch for that, I didn't hear them having sex so I think he's telling the truth 'Mione." Ron snickered, still sleep drunk.

Draco and Harry flushed. Draco took the pillow from behind his head and slammed it over his burning face. Hermione didn't miss the bite Harry gave the inside of his lip as the covers undulated with his rolling hips.

Hurrying over to fetch Ron from his bed she whispered, "Come on." in his ear and tugged on his sweater. She very much missed Ron due to her pursuit of Skeeter. He ambled out of bed just as Harry's breathy laugh escaped him, and they both scurried out just as Draco peaked out from under the pillow.

Hermione dragged Ron to her own dorm, which she shared with Hannah Abbot, but she was always off with Neville. She shoved Ron onto her bed and kissed him fiercely, she figured she had years of pining after him to make up.

Meanwhile, Draco was peering out from under the pillow, still blushing furiously. Harry shuddered and pressed his face hard against Draco's chest, and Draco asked offhandedly "Can I touch your hair?"

Harry blinked blearily up at him and nodded. Draco, placed the pillow back behind his head and gently pushed his fingers into Harry's thick curls, watching him carefully as he gripped the front of his turtleneck. Harry shied away from his hand, Draco paused.

"Is this okay?"

Harry nodded. "My-my scalp is just really sensitive..."

Draco held his hand still, letting Harry adjust until he himself pressed his head into Draco's palm. He lightly scratched his fingers in a similar manner to how Harry had on him, finding his wild hair to be surpassingly soft. Draco's stomach growled, Harry smirked.

"Aren't you hungry? You haven't eaten since yesterday morning." Draco hummed.

Harry tilted his head a bit, "I could eat."

"But you're not hungry?"

"I don't get hungry... I just... Know when I'm supposed to eat..."

Draco paused to study Harry's open expression.

"Why don't you get hungry?"

"I haven't felt hungry since I was seven... It kinda just went away after I got used to it."

"Got used to being hungry?"

"My- my aunt and uncle used to..." Harry took a bracing breath, "Restrict food as a punishment... Or 'forget' to feed me for days."

Draco was gobsmacked.

"My... Dad- he was 6'2" and-and I'm 5'5" I think... My mum was very tall too..."

"Malnourishment..." Draco whispered.

Harry nodded solemnly, slipping his index finger into the hollow of Draco's collarbones. "Yesterday was the day that they were killed."

Draco held Harry a little tighter.

"I miss them... I miss them so much even though I never knew them."

"That's perfectly okay."

Harry looked a bit reassured. "The Weasley's are like a family to me... That's why I appreciate them so much..." he said almost pointedly.

"Weasley and I are on better terms actually. Sure we're not friends, but we're not exactly trying to kill eachother anymore." Draco drawled, scratching Harry's head.

"Really?" Harry hummed, leaning into Draco's palm.

"Yeah, we talked yesterday after you went missing. Said you were in the Owlery, told me what happened, and that he didn't think I was too bad."

Harry smiled, "I'm glad you're making up with my friends... It really means a lot."

"Well you mister," Draco interjected and poked Harry's nose on the tip, "Need some breakfast in you, regardless of the sentimental value."

He giggled in his rich voice, making Draco thread his other hand into Harry's hair. He shivered, looking into Draco's eyes and readjusting his legs to straddle Draco's thighs.

Truth be told, Harry had had his eye on Draco for a very long time. During fifth year in his lowest point, he'd noticed the way Draco presented himself, snarky, haughty, and with his stupid haircut that he managed to make look good. And then in sixth year, when he was keeping his own depression and stress under the wrappings around his forearms, he saw Draco begin to decline. It was always the excuse that he was up to something, but Harry really just wanted to know what was wrong, he was scared. He hated that he ended up being right.

He panicked when he found himself liking Draco, finding him attractive, staring at him half consciously. So he tried to convince himself that the scent in his amortentia wasn't the sweet vanilla smell Draco carried more often than not, he tried to tell his brain that it was Ginny. When he and Ginny were dating, she never seemed satisfied, always staring at Luna or another girl. She'd figured her shit out and broken up with Harry before he left on the horcrux hunt and developed a bond with the girl she'd been pining after.

They started to date right after the war, diving headlong into their pools of affection for one another. Harry was confused, struggling with the dark side of his autism, and trying to figure himself out. Then Draco, unbeknownst to him, was his angel in an enemy's disguise.

Draco considerably calmed down after the war. His uptight views on blood purity dissolved fully, he wore his hair loose and let it coil into its natural slight wave, and his expression had relaxed. He still loved his family, but he was willing to admit that his father had done wrong. He was being himself. His true caring self that wasn't controlled by anybody except himself. It was a side of him that was raw and open and fragile and brand new. Fuck, did Harry like it.

He was so gentle, so caring, so honestly kind. Harry had an impulse. A decision. One that could make or break everything they'd built up. He pulled on Draco's turtleneck and took a deep nervous breath.

"Draco..." he let his head fall between his shoulders, staring at the fine knit covering Draco's chest.

He swallowed thickly.

"Yes Harry?" Draco whispered.

"I-I really don't want to ruin this- y'know- everything we've built up but..." he screwed up his whole body tensely, shit he was nervous, "But, I r- really like you..."

He held his breath.

There was a feather light touch of slender fingers on his cheeks, nudging his head up. He shakily looked up to find silver eyes and a broad smile.

"Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting for you to say that?" Draco husked.

"Sixth like me?"

"Fourth."

Harry gasped softly.

"Can I kiss you?" Harry whispered.

"Anything you'd like." Draco purred.

Harry cupped Draco's cheeks and kissed him. Fuck his lips were soft, full, and kissing back. Harry's body relaxed, he ran his hands into Draco's soft hair, kissing him languidly all the while.

Harry pulled back with a soft pop, admiring his pink shiny candy heart lips. Draco gently cradled his head again and pulled him back in.

It was soft. It was wet. It was warm. It was perfect.

They spent their morning full of long kisses and breakfast in bed, courtesy of a friendly house elf that knew Harry.

afterending

Chapter 15: Kisses and Consent

Summary:
Draco wants to start their relationship off on a good note of trust.

Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text
Draco set the empty ceramic tray on the bedside table opposite Harry's glasses and cube. It disappeared with a crack that made Harry cover his ears in reaction, his fingers winding into the scraggly curls as he eased back into the mattress. He looked absolutely gorgeous.

His hands were loosely relaxed on either side of his face, the honey glow of his palms accenting his eyes. His sculpted legs smattered in course bristly hair and his rather small narrow feet were laid out with such elegance that he looked like an illustration. The overlarge Slytherin green hoodie hanging loosely on his wirey frame covered almost all of the short legged boxers he had on, and hung low on his neck to show his defined collarbones. The seam on said boxers curved enticingly around his package while the partition in the front peaked at Draco, tempting him.

Harry was looking at Draco with a curious quirk in his brows. Draco scooted back over to Harry, tentatively getting on top of him, carefully watching for signs that Harry didn't like anything he was doing.

Draco placed his hands on either side of Harry's shoulders and nudged his thighs apart with his knees. He obliged, resting his upper calves at the small of Draco's back and crossing his ankles comfortably.

Harrys thick lashes fluttered as he smiled.

"Hi." he breathed.

"Hey." Draco chuckled.

Draco noticed something in Harry's eyes that he'd never seen before. His right iris was broken. It lined up exactly where his scar cut across his eye, a straight vertical fissure down the center where very pale green tissues held the deep emerald halves together. He could see the pitch black of his pupil behind the threads. It was magnificent.

He could tell Harry was staring at his lips, just taking in his face as he gazed into every dip and ridge of his facial scar. It was huge. The broader root of the strike disappeared into his hairline. It mapped the entirety of his face, but it wasn't very thick. Rather thin bolts of lightning stretching wildly over his features, but it didn't mar them like a normal scar. It was raised very slightly but it really didn't stay rigid with his expressions, the strokes on his cheeks particularly liked to move with his face when he smiled.

Harry ran his fingers into Draco's hair and pulled him down to his level, he liked to stick his lower jaw out when he was going in for a kiss. The soft noise of their lips meeting filled their heads. Harry quite liked the sound. Draco pulled on Harry's lipstick pink lower lip with his teeth, Harry let out a needy moan. He lapped and sucked on his plump lower mouth. They broke apart for a moment, glancing down at the others lips.

Sweet fuck. Harrys lower lip was cherry red. It looked like one of those expensive red dusted chocolates coated in thick glaze. And Merlin. Draco's were deep pink. Like a candy heart licked with a wide tongue.

Draco dove back in, seizing Harry's mouth.

Harry groaned low into Draco's mouth, hooking his legs tightly around Draco's hips. He pulled his lower body against Draco's, meeting a hardness pressing up against his own. Harry's grip tightened in Draco's hair violently, he broke the kiss to pant, every exhale coming out in a small moan. Draco groaned as his scalp was yanked back.

Draco was excruciatingly aroused. Harry was so sensitive. He got an idea.

He felt Harry's fingers loosen in his hair. He looked like he was contemplating what to say as his eyes flicked rapidly over Draco's face.

"Sorry- that was really rough..." Harry apologized, petting the spots he pulled.

"It's alright... I liked it..." Draco assured, giving him a kiss on each cheek.

Harry smiled and slid his hands down to rest on Draco's shoulders, releasing his thighs to set his hips back on the bed.

"Can I try something?" he inquired.

Harry froze, squeezing Draco's shoulders tightly. "I-I don't think I'm ready for... That..." he admitted shyly.

Draco nuzzled Harry's sideburn.

"I won't touch you there if you're not ready... But I could get you off if you want." he purred into his ear.

"How?" Harry asked, cocking his head.

"You'll see. I promise I won't touch your cock if you're not ready for that..."

Harry flushed and nodded.

Draco sat back on his knees and shucked his turtleneck off onto the floor. Harry looked a bit nervous, he'd scrubbed his hands over his eyes as Draco took off his top.

"Don't worry."

Harry swallowed, tracing little circles on Draco's bare shoulders. His hot skin felt good under his fingers.

"I trust you."

Draco smiled, leaning down to pepper kisses down Harry's neck. He was gripping the sheets by the time Draco had reached his collarbones. He flicked his tongue in the hollow, Harry puffed. He kissed slowly around the junction between neck and shoulder.

There was sweat in Harry's hood collar from how it laid when he slept and his current arousal. Draco was surprised to find the scent sweet and syrupy, with a saltiness and a musky undertone that bit the back of his salivary glands. This was Harry's pure scent, and it was acting like an aphrodisiac on Draco.

He lapped up the side of Harry's neck with kitten licks until he got to the bottom of his sharp jaw. Draco gave Harry a wet kiss that he enthusiastically returned, his breaths coming out heavy and with trilling moans.

Draco descended down Harry's body, sitting on his heels between Harry's legs. Harry was admiring Draco's features.

Draco was long faced, with high cheekbones and deep set silver eyes. His dark blonde brows were naturally neat and pointed. His lashes were light toward the root but transitioned into deep brown toward the tip and his eyes were like glittering pools of mercury spiking around his pupil, getting softer grey and more matte toward the edges. His dramatic cupids bow gave him those candy heart lips. His body was long and slender with lean muscles.

And he saw them.

What he'd done.

Lines criss crossing all over. Pale pink scar tissue marring his torso. The slashes of Draco's sectumsempra scars. The longest one went all the way across from just above his collar bone down diagonally to the opposite hip, where it disappeared under his waistband. There was another that went across right below his ribcage, a third that dragged down his pec, and the forth that sliced down his side and went under his pajama pants like the first.

"Draco..." Harry gasped, his hands reaching out for him.

"Harry..." he murmured back, noticing the tears in those emerald eyes.

"I-I'm so sorry..." he croaked, sitting up to touch them.

The scars were a little raised and knotted under his fingers.

"Harry- I forgave you a long time ago... I almost crucioed you..."

"T-That doesn't make what I did any better..." he mumbled, looking up at Draco.

He was looking back with so much care in his eyes.

"We were both idiots with the world on our shoulders... It's all over, you won, we're safe to move on..." Draco hummed, kissing Harry's eyelids, making him shiver.

"I could've killed you..."

"But you didn't..."

"I'm so glad I didn't."

Draco stroked Harry's cheek with the backs of his fingers.

"Now hush darling, I want to make you feel good right now..."

Harry shuddered, Draco's aristocratic accent made the pet name sound so pretty coming off his lips. Attacking Draco's mouth in a passionate kiss, Harry moaned gutteraley and pulled him down by slipping his fingers into his platinum strands as he flopped back.

Draco began kissing and licking Harry again until he was whining with arousal. He seated himself between Harry's legs once more.

"I'm gonna make you feel so good Harry..."

He opened his mouth nervously but Draco interjected to hush his worries.

"Without touching you anywhere you're not comfortable with." he added, he'd say it as many times as Harry needed. "May I?"

Harry nodded.

Placing Harry's achilles on his shoulder, he kissed his boney ankle with the corner of his mouth, keeping his eyes on him and him alone. He dragged his lips down Harry's calf, the muscles tensing and relaxing along the way. Harry was staring, his cherry mocha mouth open and breathing hotly, his eyes locked on Draco. Draco couldn't unsee the break in Harry's iris now, and he was mentally adding it to the list of endearingly imperfect things about him, along with his slightly widely spaced eyes and crooked canine.

He'd gotten to the extra sensorily stimulating parts of Harry's inner thighs. He slipped his hands under the large hem of his hoodie and pushed it up enough to show his navel and curly snail trail, making sure to drag his fingers along his erogenous lower abdomen. Draco watched in awe as Harry's stomach muscles quivered and he threw his head back, moaning loudly. He could see the outline of Harry's erection tenting his boxers. He was pretty big for a man of his height.

Draco kissed Harry's inner thighs, running his thumbs over his hip bones. Harry cried out, his thighs were trembling in time with his taught stomach. He lightly scraped his teeth over the soft sepia skin covered in fine extra curly hairs. Harry seized up, panting hard. Draco was rutting into the bed as he had gotten down on his stomach during his path down Harry's legs.

The partition in Harry's boxers was slightly open, a portion of his shining pink cockhead peaking through. Draco ran his large hands down Harry's sides and licked down his inner thigh, the hairs tickling his tongue.

Harry absolutely screamed. His body seized up intensely, he arched off the bed, his thighs attempted to close around Draco's head but were blocked by his arms stretching up to touch his sides, a wet gush staining the front of his boxers as he came hard. Draco groaned low into the soft flesh of Harry's thigh as he rolled his hips into the bed, coming in his pants by the little noises Harry was making.

He was shaking with aftershock, his hands had drawn up to curl beside his head. Draco watched in his orgasmic haze as Harry settled back onto the bed, rubbing his bent fingers and thumbs together as he panted.

Draco hauled himself up to hover over his beautiful man.

"So I take it we're boyfriends now?" he chuckled as coherently as he could.

Harry laughed weakly, "Yes silly... We're boyfriends now..." he giggled, his eyes closed while his throat worked.

"Was that too much?" Draco murmured into his hairline as he lightly kissed his forehead.

"No... It was amazing... I'm just so exhausted." Harry admitted.

Draco tumbled to Harry's side, basking in the most wonderful afterglow and the stench of sex.

"Well we've got all Sunday to sleep and stay in bed being atrociously sweet to eachother." Draco drawled.

"I'd like that." Harry sighed, completely spent.

Draco fumbled around for his wand, cast a good scourgify on the both of them, and charmed the hangings shut. He fished the duvets out of their tangles, covering up from the winter cold seeping into the castle, and scooped Harry up in his arms. Harry naturally fit perfectly against his chest, enjoying the gentle presence of Draco's warmth and his unobtrusive hand resting on his waist above one of his duvets to let him reacclimate to being touched.

Harry buried his face into the crook of Draco's neck, his head slotted right beneath his jaw. The natural scent of Draco was woodsy and spicy, less musky than yesterday, but there was a new raw almost sweet tinge coming through. Harry liked it a lot. It was so comforting after pushing his comfort zones so much further than normal. He craved Draco's touch, but the man knew when he was adverse to it and he respected it without a second thought.

Harry really liked Draco. He was considerate of Harry's autistic sensitivity, but was still sarcastic and snide on a level that they both understood perfectly. He wasn't careful around Harry like he most people were with him now. He was aware of Harry's nonverbal signals and knew how to interpret them, rather than being overly cautious.

Harry really appreciated Draco's insistence on consent, it made him feel safe and in good caring hands.

Before Harry could formulate another good reason why he liked Draco so much, his exhaustion overtook him, and he fell asleep tucked against Draco's chest.

Notes:
Lots of relationship developments! Thank you guys for all the comments! I read every single one! I'm super excited to really start the journey of this story!

afterending

Chapter 16: Sounds of Scars

Summary:
Ron and Hermione have a meaningful discussion while Harry and Draco start to explore the ins and outs of eachother.

Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text
Ron ambled into the dorm, sated and sticky with sweat, his brain addled from sex. He was immediately pulled out of his haze by a strong, very male, aroma of arousal flooding his senses. He could smell Harry's pheromones thickly in the air, they were a bunch of horny teenagers for fucks sake, Harry smelled very specific. He must have higher testosterone levels, Ron thought vaguely.

He noticed the hangings were closed around Harry's bed. The other man in question was missing from his own corner.

He heard a rustle of Harry's duvets and a groggy voice that could only belong to one person.

"Mm Harry what're you doing?"

"Tracing."

"My scars?"

"The ones I made..."

"You know I forgave you right? I've told you already."

"I still can't believe I did this to you." Harry whispered weakly.

"Shhhh..."

There was a rustle of sheets.

"Oh! Do that again?" came Harry's voice.

"Breathe in your ear?"

"Yeah... I like that..."

Another gentle shifting of the duvets.

"Here why don't you turn onto your back and shift up a bit."

Harry grunted softly, the distinct crinkle of his pillows filling the noiseless air.

"You look good in that hoodie." Draco hummed offhandedly.

Harry laughed lightly, "And my boxers? Quite the outfit innit?"

"Definitely."

The bed groaned with Harry's rocking as he shimmied up so Draco's mouth was at his ear level.

"Like this?"

"Yeah now come 'ere."

Harry chuckled gently at Draco's lazy pronunciation.

"Fuck that's good..."

"Yeah?" Draco whispered.

"'S nice... Relaxing... A lil bit erotic... Makes my mind feel good..."

Ron, quietly as he could, gathered up his clothes and hurried out of the room to evade the wet kissing sounds that had begun. He galloped into Hermione's dorm, clothes piled haphazardly in his arms, his shoes dangling from his fingers by their laces. She was laid out beneath her covers recovering from their morning, looking bemusedly at Ron.

"I thought you were showering?" she inquired, gazing at his loose pajama bottoms hanging around his waist.

"You were right! My room REAKS of them two!"

"Harry and Draco?"

"Who else?!" he panicked.

"They had sex?!"

"I don't think so... Malfoy was describing Harry as wearing that hood and boxers... And I don't think Harry would move that fast, but they definitely got off. You can smell it." he grimaced.

"Oh! Harry doesn't know anything about gay sex!" Hermione gasped, sitting up.



"What."



"I mean- you know I talked to Ginny about safe sex between two women when she started dating Luna! She took it well- even asked questions! She knows how to be safe! Harry doesn't!"

"'Mione..." Ron tried.

"No Ron! It's important for Harry to know these things!"

Ron sighed and trudged toward the bed, setting his clothes at the foot.

"They were just kissing and... Malfoy's breathing into Harry's ears?" Ron sighed, contemplating the last bit.

He supposed that Harry had very sensitive hearing so it kind of made sense. Nevertheless, he didn't know how he felt about the ferret pawing at his best mate, even if he was nowhere near as bad as he used to be. The recollection dawned on him that he'd heard them being sweetly intimate with eachother and his gut twisted.

Ron was still recovering from the shock of Harry's newfound gayness, even if he had acted cooler than he felt when in the given situation. He'd had to endure Hermione's spouting off about safe sex before their first time together, he also sat beside a very red faced Ginny when she gave her the same lecture. And now she was going to give Harry the same lesson on sex, except this time, concerning two men instead of women or heterosexual couplings.

"Maybe we could be a bit more subtle? I gave him that book in sixth year, but it's no use to him now- all about witches, I could give him another about wizards?" Ron suggested.

Hermione stared at him for a moment. "That's actually not a bad idea."

"Always the tone of surprise." Ron laughed weakly.

She smiled at him. "I think your approach is far better, admittedly."

"You think my idea is better?" he scoffed incredulously.

"Harry is a very private person... I don't think he knows how to know what he wants or likes. Giving him an object he'll avoid for a while and then become interested in when it crosses his mind is probably best for him."

"Or... Hear me out 'Mione- we could leave him to his own devices and he'll go to the library when he feels the need to?"

Ron leaned back on his hands, eyeing Hermione pointedly.

"I mean I love the guy as much as you do, but come on 'Mione he's eighteen as much as you and I are, let him fuck around and explore himself and what he wants for the first time in his life. Just like you and I have been doing. Even if it is the ferret, you can't deny they looked quite cuddled up this morning."

She sighed deeply, looking guilty.

"I just feel so protective over him for some reason... And I think you can tell, just as much as I can, how much he likes Draco... I want him to be safe for once."

"I know Harry is a little childish sometimes, and shy about interacting in most situations, but you have to realize that he's the same Harry we've always known. Just because his symptoms have a name now doesn't make him any less smart or sarcastic... I mean, remember in our first year when he couldn't hold eye contact for more than half a second, and when he was so confused at the feast when he was allowed to eat with everybody else? He's grown so much over the years... Even if he is still a right selfless idiot sometimes." Ron reminisced with a small laugh.

"You don't need to protect him... As much as I hate to admit it, they seem good for eachother... I mean Merlin Hermione, when's the last time you saw that man smile genuinely in the past year..." he husked in a gravely whisper.

Hermione nodded solemnly.

"You're right... He's an adult... An autistic adult, but he's still our stubborn Harry..."

"Just please, for the love of his sanity, don't treat him any different than you would without that fact."

He got up, scooped up his clothes, and meandered to her bathroom. She really needed to stop over thinking the bit about Harry being autistic, and maybe focus on the psychological effects of war on all of them.

Back in their dorm, Harry was snuggled up with Draco, enjoying the pleasant rattle of his breath on his ear. They'd rolled over so Harry was sprawled on Draco's front, his head buried in the junction of neck and shoulder while Draco nosed his ear affectionately. He placed an occasional soft kiss on the shell of Harry's ear, admiring that he had a little mole on the lobe.

Each breath that tickled Harry's ear after it had been kissed made him shiver against Draco's body and squeeze the broad muscle of his pec. Draco had his arms looped around and joined at the small of Harry's back. He kept brushing one of the twisted and raised scars with his pinky. It made him insatiably curious.

"Can I touch your back?" he whispered into Harry's ear.

Harry lifted his head, he flicked his thumb across one of the embedded spheres in his cube clutched in his right hand that was resting against the pillows.

"W-why?"

Draco stroked the muscle that extended off of Harry's buttocks into the tight hills of his lower back.

"Trace your scars." he hummed.

Harry nodded hesitantly, kissing him gently before adding, "Just please don't ask... I'm not ready to tell you that story..."

Draco took Harry's lower lip between his teeth, pulling tentatively before letting it snap back against Harry's teeth. Harry had very lucious full lips for a man, Draco liked them very much.

"I've been waiting for you for so long I wouldn't dare ruin it with making you uncomfortable, especially when we are so comfortable." he smiled.

Harry gave a small grin, adjusting his upper arms so he could hover above Draco and kiss him. He liked the little things. The asking for permission, the soft kisses with no sexual intent driving them, and the gentle displays of affection. Harry had never been with anybody who felt so natural, who was easy to talk to, and who respected his boundaries like a gentleman. He also thoroughly enjoyed their taste of morning sex. Technical sex anyway, but for their brand new relationship, it was more than enough to please Harry.

Draco's hand gently slipped up and his fingers fell into the dimple on the right side of his back. The smooth pads of Draco's long fingers caressed both wells in Harry's back, feeling dozens of short slash scars along the way. He traced each scar, watching Harry as he shivered and thumbed the hollow in Draco's collarbones.

Harry had closed his eyes, recieving the occasional subtle press of such warm lips against his own, feeling Draco's fingers explore his destroyed back. Draco was very good at stimulating one or two senses at a time, right now he focused on touch and sound. He was gradually figuring out what Harry liked and didn't like, paying close attention to his body language that he largely expressed in.

Draco watched Harry melting into his touch as he ran a very gentle forefinger up the valley of his deep set spine, stroking the three little vertebrae at the base of Harry's neck. He withdrew his hand from Harry's hoodie after a good forty five minutes.

Draco took both of Harry's temples in his hands and kissed the top of his head.



And then Harry began to cry.



Draco retracted his hands in shock when he saw the first tear roll down Harry's cheek.

"Harry?! Are you alright? Was that too much? Oh fuck- I'm so sorry!" Draco scrambled.

He reached out for Harry's head and recoiled several times before placing his palm on the side of Harry's head fearfully. Harry's own smaller dark sepia hand clasped over top of Draco's. He looked up.

Fuck, this man was going to be the death of him.

He had the most shaky watery smile, green eyes sparkling with unshed tears.

"N-no Draco y-you didn't do anything wr-wrong..."

Draco scratched Harry's scalp very softly.

"Then darling, what is it?"

Harry wiped his eyes with his too big sleeve, sniffling slightly, only to cry harder into his hand with a lurch.

"Y-you just make m-me f-feel," he grabbed Draco's shoulder tightly, "S-so cared f-for and- and l-l-loved."

Draco brushed his thumb against Harry's temple, placing his other hand on the other side of his head.

"I-I've never had that b-before... Never something that felt this good and l-like it might last..."

"Well I- I care about you very much." Draco stammered.

He wasn't quite ready to say love, even when he knew it was boiling deep down.

Draco let Harry cry into his bare chest unapologetically, stroking his back dimples with his free hand slowly as he shook with emotional sobs, too much for Harry to articulate.

Notes:
Bit of a shorter chapter today! Some calm before the storm??? Loving the sweet sweet comments!

afterending

Chapter 17: Questions and Trust

Summary:
Harry's got some questions forming in the back of his mind.

Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text
Harry sat next to Draco in transfiguration the following day, scratching mindlessly at his unshaven five o'clock shadow while he twiddled his cube in his other hand. He was exhausted.

They'd had two more rounds of sex, technically getting eachother off, until they were both completely spent.

Harry's throat was a little raw from moaning so loud. He still wasn't quite ready for Draco to touch him fully yet, his hood had stayed on along with his boxers the whole time. Draco had shimmied out of his pajama pants at some point when he was sucking love bites into Harry's inner thighs.

He remembered how Draco pushed up the short legs of his boxers to bunch around his vee, how he'd kissed the sensitive skin so tenderly before grazing his teeth along and prickling his hairs. The sensation of having a good cry into his chest had put him off for about an hour, but Draco's deft hot tongue swirled around the shell of his ear and riled him right up. Harry was the first to initiate the fervor Draco acted on, kissing him harder and more desperately until Draco flipped them over and devoured him.

He glanced over at Draco. There was a deep red hickey peaking out from under his collar. Harry placed it there when Draco had instinctively ground down against him, making Harry bite down where he had previously been laying gentle kisses. Draco had groaned loudly, kissing Harry passionately.

Draco had looked so worried after he made the first bite bloom on Harry's mid thigh. Despite Harry's pants and endless cries of imminent and insurmountable pleasure, he'd still looked up to make sure Harry was okay.

He could feel them, warm and sensitive, against the denim of his pants.

Harry loved it. But he was hit by the epiphany, right after he'd come for the second time, that he knew basically nothing about gay sex. And it seemed rather important, seeing how quickly they were building up the sexual side of their relationship.

It was a concern of Harry's that he decided would best be aided by the library. Even though he knew consciously that he wasn't ready for skin on skin contact on anything below the belt line quite yet, he thought it a useful thing to know now instead of when he was eventually in the moment and ready.

He really didn't want to ask Hermione, she'd make it ten thousand times more awkward than it needed to be, or so he'd heard from a very flustered Ginny on the second week. Which coincidentally coincided with the week after they'd officially ended their very brief 'retry' and she started dating Luna.

Draco would probably tell him, but Harry felt too awkward to broach the subject so early.

Said man poked his thigh gently. Harry snapped toward him from where his head had settled somewhere facing the front of the room. Draco directed his eyebrows towards the board, where there were new notes to take. Harry smiled appreciatively and began copying them down.

Draco watched Harry's hand loop out his messy jagged scrawl. He noticed that Harry held his quill specifically so that his hand didn't drag against the parchment. Draco ran his own fingerpad along his parchment, it wasn't exactly pleasing. He figured Harry had a texture thing about parchment rubbing on his fingers and palm while he wrote. He also noted that although Harry held his wand right handed, he wrote left handed. He was ambidextrous, which was exemplified by him switching his quill to his right hand. Though he didn't seem to think much of it.

His hand was very shaky and a bit stiff and he chewed on his lip right beside the healing cut as he looped the tail of a g. His left was steady beneath the table slowly rolling the dial under his thumb as he concluded his sentence.

He set down his quill and tapped his fingers against his thigh. He couldn't stop thinking about the sound of his and Draco's heavy breathing through their noses while they kissed. The pants that had escaped Draco when his lips pressed against Harry's thigh were so subtly erotic and sensual as they rang in his memory. It sent a jolt down his spine.

"What're you thinking about?" Draco's voice purred in his ear.

Harry shivered, flicking his gaze over to Draco. He was just close enough that his breath tickled Harry's cheek.

"You." he whispered back with a tiny smile.

McGonagall's voice cut through the light chatter of the class.

"You may clear off your desks for today. Potter! I'd like to speak to you."

Harry stuffed his notes into his bag, where as his boyfriend neatly placed them in his book before stowing it. Hermione and Ron waved to him on their way out to their next class. Draco purposely took longer to collect his things.

"Mr Malfoy don't you have a class to be getting to?" McGonagall snapped sternly.

"Ah yes professor one moment."

Harry got up, slinging his satchel around his shoulder. Draco followed suit, looping his bag around his chest so the straps sat over his shoulder opposite to his bag. He wrapped an arm around Harry's lower back, watching McGonagall begin to rise, and kissed his temple with the corner of his mouth after pushing the thick hair away affectionately.

"I'll see you later Harry." he murmured, leaning down to press a soft peck to his cheek before setting off out of the classroom.

McGonagall watched the giddy smile that spread over Harry's face. He paced over to her desk where she'd slumped back in her seat at Draco's display of affection.

"I never thought I'd see the day that Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy would get along, no less kissing eachother." she chuckled, highly amused by the flush that overtook Harry's dark cheeks.

"Well... He's not so bad." he tittered.

She hummed, "In any case, I thought you should know that Rita Skeeter has been put on probation under charges of being an unregistered animagus and slander of your name. The students that attacked you have been given detention for two months and they all must take a side course pertaining to neurological disorders with Madame Pomfrey."

Harry was shocked. "So Skeeter really retracted her article?"

"Yes, but you must understand, Mr Potter, that those who have read the article still have that edition of the paper in their possession, even if it is banned."

"Well of course they do..."

"You'd done a bet similar thing yourself in your fifth year, did you not?"

Harry smiled, "I did professor."

"I was also going to ask how you were doing, but you look very pleased. Is it Mr Malfoy?" she smirked.

McGonagall had a tendency to let her professional tone down when talking to Harry. He held a special place in her heart.

"Y-yes." Harry stammered, his thoughts going back to his planned search in the library.

"Dumbledore would've been proud of your forgiveness." she hummed.

"Thank you..."

"Well then, I expect you have work to complete, so I won't take up any more of your time."

"Right. Thank you professor." he replied.



Harry walked to the library, running his fingers along the wall, and clutched his bag with his hand holding his cube. He entered, recieving a suspicious vulture eyed glance from Madame Pince, and strode over to the S section. One would be surprised to find the massive Hogwarts library contained just about anything and everything, whether it related to school or not.

He sat down at one of the smaller two person desks and pulled out his homework. Deciding it would be best to complete before he got himself caught up in sex books. He was very glad the library was empty.

He zoned out completing his work, barely registering the slow trickle of people beginning to enter.

Once he packed everything neatly into his bag, he ventured into the long aisle of books. He followed the alphabetized ordering to the se- prefix. The shelf was enormous. Many books were about spells and creatures, others all had something to do with anything that referred to 'self' in it.

Then he spotted a single book perched at the very top of the shelf beside a book of its opposite. There was one that was red with a double Venus symbol. Right beside it was a pale blue hardcover with a deep cerulean double male Mars symbol on the spine. The Mars symbols were interlocked in such a way so the triangular point of one was going through the hoop of the other. He blushed at the blatant symbolism and accioed the book to him.

Thank fuck. The cover was discreet. It was simply blue with small purple lettering that read The Wizards Guide to Wizards. He tucked himself away in the sill of the window beside the table he had sat at, and split the book open. He could feel himself blushing at the moving illustration of two wizards feeling eachother up.

He flicked through several pages of flirting and romance tips before he got to a spicy red chapter marker with the same drawing as the spine. Pulling flat against the window, he brought his legs up to hide the covers, thoroughly embarrassed. He began reading.

The explanations were nice and blunt, straight to the point. There were several sections on safety and prepping properly that were genuinely very helpful, as Harry didn't know the majority of this information. Multitudes of anotomical illustrations made him blush to the roots of his hair.

As he read he found that he would most likely bottom for Draco. He liked being dominated but he still like being able to be in control, which he could do as a bottom. He liked how Draco kissed his thighs and belly, how he was gentle yet vocal, and how he always asked for Harry's consent on the littlest things.

He was having a vivid daydream of Draco rimming him as he read said chapter, when the blonde came around the corner with a soft smile.

"Hey." he greeted, sitting beside Harry.

Harry didn't respond, his whole body was locked up and feverishly flushed. Draco glanced over at him.

"Harry?" he inquired, observing the book flattened against Harry's chest by his legs.

He placed a delicate hand on Harry's shoulder, squeezing very gently.

"What's up?"

Harry opened his mouth, but no voice crackled out. Draco noticed his full face of blush and slipped the book from Harry's rigid grip. Harry made a feeble grab for it as Draco closed the covers.

He analyzed the title, a smirk curling his lips. He flipped back to the page Harry was on and skimmed it. He laughed lightly and placed the book beside his bag.

"Harry, darling, there's no need to be embarrassed." he chortled, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

He laid kiss after kiss all over Harry's face, getting up to stand before him, push his glasses up, and cradle his head while he pressed gentle pecks down Harry's nose. He felt the man's body relax, easing him back down with feather light caresses to his jaw and scalp. Bubbling laughter started to shake in Harry's torso, until he was giggling quietly. Draco snatched a kiss full on the mouth that Harry enthusiastically returned before pulling away to look into Harry's emerald eyes.

"You could've asked me, idiot." he snarked playfully.

"I thought you were going to make fun of me..." Harry breathily confessed.

"I might've poked a little fun but come on... Of course I would've answered your questions, especially about sex."

Draco sat beside Harry once more, wrapping his arm around his waist to pull him against his side.

"I wouldn't think you were suddenly ready to have sex just because you asked about it." he assured.

Harry nuzzled into Draco's shoulder. "Can we go to the Room of Requirement to talk about this? Y'know... So nobody can listen in."

Draco nodded, "Definitely." and slipped the book into his bag.

"You don't reckon the old vulture will notice if her book about gay sex is gone?" Draco cracked with a smirk as he stood.

Harry laughed wholeheartedly, "No I don't imagine so."

Harry grabbed his bag. He looked over at Draco expectantly, only to find his slender pale hand outstretched for his. Emeralds met silver, the inquiry in both was raw and sentimental. Draco beckoned his fingers. Harry complied happily, interlacing their digits together, and following Draco to the Room as he enjoyed the contrast of Draco's cool skin against his own warmth.

Notes:
Some relationship development! I love reading all the wonderful comments! This is my first work and I'm really happy that you guys are liking it so far!

afterending

Chapter 18: I Trust You, Darling Dragon

Summary:
Harry is feeling a little more confident in his knowledge about sex.

Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text
Harry slumped down on the couch beside Draco. The Room had created a nice little space with warm light and a calm crackling fire. He ran his tongue along the backs of his teeth while Draco pulled out the book, scrunching up his nose to push his glasses up his nose as he fiddled with the sleeves of his robes. Digging around in his pocket, he found his previously stowed cube and began running his thumb back and forth along the switch.

Draco leaned back, gripping the book quite elegantly in his long fingers, and sank down into the crease of the couch.

"So what do you want to know?" Draco hummed.

He opened the book. The crisp sound of parchment drew Harry's attention to the page, and he felt his face heat up. There was a very detailed anotomical drawing of the male lower abdomen and pelvis, penis and all. His eyes flicked over the descriptions. He scratched his jaw with the pads on his fingers, not wanting to endure the sensory hell that was his nails dragging against his light stubble.

"Well I got up to- to rimming... But I'm not quite sure..." he drew out the last syllable as he searched for words, "Y'know... How the actual technicalities of the penetration work... I mean I know you can't just- uh- stick it in me."

Draco perked slightly at his wording.

"Well of course not, that would hurt you. If you were willing to bottom that is..."

Harry nodded against Draco's shoulder, he'd nuzzled there a few moments prior, "I think when we get there that's what I... I want."

Harry felt weird saying the words. It was strange being able to request his desires.

Draco smiled, "Could I put my arm around you?" he whispered.

"Yeah..."

He set his palm on Harry's hip opposite him and scooted him closer so he was in the crook of his torso. They went through the book, Draco explaining the methods and reasons, for about a half an hour.

All this talk about sex and the sight of Harry sucking on the tip of his thumbnail was riling Draco right up.

The room seemed to have sensed both men's arousal and Harry's want to show Draco his vulnerability, because it extended to contain a massive four poster with lavender duvets and pale green hangings. Harry gasped and hurried over, placing both palms dramatically upon the bed, relishing the cool to the touch feel against the warm lights of the room.

Draco sauntered over, smiling at Harry's enthusiasm.

"Is this your safe space and lavender duvets?" Draco inquired gently.

"Y-yeah..." Harry responded, taking his tongue between his teeth in thought.

"Ask away Harry darling." Draco murmered, recognizing by his expression that Harry was thinking of a question he thought a little scandalous and didn't know how to ask it.

Harry glanced over and smiled a little nervously.

"Well uh- I usually y'know... Take off my clothes wh-when I want to get comfortable on the duvets..." Harry stammered out, twiddling his cube as he spoke.

"If you're comfortable enough to do that in front of me, then I'll do it with you. Eye for an eye yeah?" Draco negotiated.

"Y-You'd really do that?" Harry gasped.

"I would... I won't touch your cock and you can keep your shirt on if you want..."

Harry gaped at him.

"Only if you want to though of course." Draco added.

Harry drew in a breath and pulled Draco close, looking up at him.

"I trust you."

Draco leaned down, pausing halfway for Harry to passionately close the gap. They kissed softly, growing more and more emotional until they broke for breath.

"I'll start." Draco whispered.

He shucked off his robes after he unlatched the clasps. Harry did the same after pocketing his cube. He pulled his vest off. Harry followed, visibly beginning to relax. They pulled everything off, one after the other until they were in their white button up shirts and boxers containing a half mast each.

They shared a slow kiss, Harry attempted to unbutton his shirt, but his fingers were uncooperative. Draco pulled out both their wands and set them on the bedside table to make sure they were safe.

"May I?" Draco murmured.

Harry nodded, his thick lashes fluttering with that rapid little blink he did sometimes when he was anxious. Draco swiftly undid Harry's buttons, finding his attractive torso behind the shirt. He pushed the garment off Harry's shoulders, feeling scars under his fingers as he dragged his hands along the top of his trapizius on either side.

Draco kissed Harrys hairline as he undid the buttons and let his own shirt fall into the clothes pooling at their feet. He could see Harry's arousal pressing against his boxers.

He pulled off his own boxer briefs, his whole cock springing up to tap his stomach.

Harry swallowed thickly.

"I-I trust you Draco..." he whispered.

And he slipped off his own boxers to join Draco's on the floor.

Draco scanned over Harry's body. He was as compact and chiseled as Draco remembered, nice and lightly toned with thick thighs and hair all over. His scars were pink and gold with age on his dark skin. He had rather soft hip bones that made the curves of his arse more supple and angular. The transition from arse to gorgeous thigh was shapely and hard muscle ran under his cheeks. His penis was actually very cute, Draco thought. It was a little above average in length and had a severe upward curve that made it sit at a near perfect forty-five degree angle from his belly when erect. The deep pink of his glans was a gorgeous contrast with the soft cocoa of his skin. The thicket of course black curls surrounding the base, lightly dusted over his balls, and finally trailing up to his navel was endearing.

Harry was ogling Draco. He was long and lean with thin legs and prominent hip bones that showed off his vee. The scars over his chest and mark on his forearm marred the alabaster skin. He was impressively big in the package department. His erection, long and rosy with blush, stood out straight off his body with a slight upward curve that was weighed down by the sheer length. It tilted to the right toward the tip, and his cockhead matched his lips perfectly in color. The fluff of dark blonde waves above his base was neatly groomed in a nice little triangle shape, further accentuating his pointy and deeply detailed body.

Harry rubbed his arm nervously. Looking up into Draco's face, he saw the most warm silver eyes full of hot lust and deep affection gazing over his body like it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. It made him blush profusely just by how hungry Draco's stare was, he kept flicking his own eyes down to Draco's chest to admire the swell of his lean muscle once again.

"Well Harry... Why don't you get comfortable and I'll follow you up if you want..." Draco husked a bit hoarsely.

He watched Harry swallow and nod. He turned to crawl onto the bed and Draco's heart gave a jolt.

He could see Harry's back clearly for the first time.

It was so scarred that barely a patch of skin was the normal rich sepia. There were hundreds of contusion scars that sat flush with his skin, some turned golden with age. Crossed lash marks and raised welt scars decorated any other part of his back that wasn't already full of gold and caramel discolorations. They wrapped around his ribcage and shoulders, trailing up the back of his neck to lace up his vertebrae menacingly. But they were characteristic, they told a story. A story he knew full well was in the prophet, but out of respect for Harry's privacy and his delicate process of gaining the man's trust, he didn't dare read.

Draco watched Harry's destroyed back disappear as he slumped down on the duvets. His glasses glinted with candle light as he sat back against the four fluffy pillows with the duvet already pulled high over them. Harry's erection caught Draco's attention when it bounced as he readjusted. The shaft was sat right against his trail of bristly curls and the lipstick pink head was shimmering. He really was such a fine man, no matter how many scars decorated him.

Harry sank into the plush covers, finally beckoning Draco when he was comfortably satisfied. Draco placed a knee upon the bed, pushing himself up beside Harry and settled down delicately so as to not jostle him too much.

Once he was sinking into the cool feel, he saw the calming appeal Harry found in them. Harry kissed Draco, placing a hand on his chest and steeling himself.

They broke the kiss, keeping their noses close enough to brush against eachother.

"Draco?" Harry inquired softly.

"Yes Harry darling?"

Harry's chest fluttered lightly at the pet name.

"Could I... Try something?"

"Of course."

Harry trailed his hand down Draco's lean stomach to grip the base of his cock gently. Draco gasped.

"A-Are you sure?"

"Do you not want me to?" Harry retracted, loosening his grip.

He wanted to show Draco just as much respect for consent as Draco did for him.

Draco reached up to place his hand on the side of Harry's head.

"No- no, Harry I'd love that... I just don't want you to feel... obligated because we're naked." he murmered.

"I want to. I want to try."

"Please Harry, don't push yourself any further than you can comfortably, okay?"

Harry nodded, squeezing the base a little tighter again.

"And if you need to stop, we'll stop alright? You never have to finish anything if you're uncomfortable lo- darling." Draco worried his bottom lip, he didn't want to overwhelm Harry by calling him love, even when he so desperately craved to.

Harry gave him a swift affirmative kiss and began to descend until he was between Draco's legs. He gave a tentative stroke, watching the minute movements of his foreskin with great interest. Draco inhaled sharply when Harry pressed an experimental kiss to the glossy glans. Harry took his tongue between his teeth in a mischievous little grin at Draco's reaction.

Harry began tracing little circles onto Draco's erogenous lower abdomen and hip junctions, liking the way he twitched under his touch. Harry's own arousal was becoming a side thought as he ground down very languidly into the bed, all of his attention focused on Draco's long pretty penis.

He unstuck his tongue from the roof of his mouth, which had gone dry with excitement when he gave that first little stroke, and pressed the flat against the head. Draco puffed, arching up into Harry's hot tongue. He pumped Draco's shaft. A little bottle of lube appeared on the single bedside table.

Draco grabbed it, handing it to Harry. Harry popped open the cap and drizzled some over his fingers and directly onto the glans. The cool sensation made them both gasp. Draco groaned low, taking the bottle back from Harry to set on the table.

Harry pressed his thumb under the head, running it back and forth to spread the lube around. He gave a curious twist of his wrist on the downstroke that made Draco shiver. Noticing Draco's reaction, he repeated the motion in perfect tandem a few times. He liked watching the way Draco's foreskin dragged back and forth over the head with intrigue.

He wrapped his lips around the tip. Draco cried out at the sudden wet heat. Harry swirled his tongue, remembering that this was the most sensitive part of the penis, and prodded the slit with his tongue. The masculine scent that Harry was inhaling off Draco's manhood was an intoxicating musky vanilla spice. He took more of him into his mouth. Draco writhed. The feel was heavy on his tongue as he hollowed his cheeks experimentally, but Harry found that he quite liked it.

The taste of precum was bitter, not repulsive, rather tangy on Harry's palette. Harry twisted his wrist and sank his mouth down, he could only fit about half of Draco in his mouth, which he considered an accomplishment seeing how Draco had to be somewhere around seven or eight inches long. He figured that Draco might be above average from his lucky breeding like he himself was, but fuck he was big. To be fair, it did match Draco's tall 6'2" frame, whereas Harry was big in comparison to his own 5'5" stature where he was a little over six inches long.

Harry bobbed up and down, remembering little tricks from the book like pressing his tongue against the vein on the underside. Draco moaned low in his throat every time he swirled or pressed his tongue, the taste of precum growing more abundant in his mouth. He took Draco's balls in one hand, his other stayed twisting and stroking his shaft, and rolled them gently.

Draco gasped. Harry twirled his tongue, cradling Draco's scrotum in his fingers, and rutted into the bed. The chill of the duvets was making his breaths come out in hotter pants, he pulled off to regain his breathing rhythm. Harry had been pulling off whenever he needed to catch his breath, which was short from the raw arousal flooding through his being. He pushed the circle of his fingers down to his base with some added pressure and took Draco into his mouth again, breathing hard through his nose.

Draco arched and bucked into Harry's mouth, his cockhead dangerously nearing his gag reflex. The thrill made him suck harder. Draco began to unravel while the tension that had been pooling in his belly and the bottom of his spine peaked.

Harry pulled off and came with a harsh shudder into the duvets.

"Draco!"

His thick brows were tilted up, curly bangs were loose in his face, swollen lips parted with his stuttering moan, and emerald bedroom eyes that were locked with his own.

"Oh-h fuck... Harry!" he husked.

Harry's expression of pure overwhelming ecstasy snapped Draco's own orgasmic coil. His spunk spattered Harry's face as he trembled from the aftershocks of his own orgasm. Cum streaked one of his lenses, his puffy upper lip, and the bridge of his nose in thick ropes of diluted white.

It was the hottest thing Draco had ever seen.

He fumbled for his wand that he'd set on the bedside table in preparation and cast two scouring charms to get everything, still panting. Watching Harry's back rise and fall as he rested his cheek in the junction of his hip was grounding after that spectacular orgasm.

Harry lay there for a few minutes while he recovered. Draco waited until Harry crawled up and flopped on his back beside him, completely spent.

"That was amazing..." Draco purred.

He saw Harry's lips twitch into a small proud smile.

"Yeah... real good..." he mumbled.

Draco chuckled, brushed Harry's bangs out of his face, and pressed a gentle kiss to his salty hairline.

"You did real good." he mocked playfully.

Harry cracked open an eye and smiled at him. Rolling over, he placed himself on Draco's flushed chest. Draco could feel Harry's flaccid length resting right above his own. It was such an intimate moment of trust. Harry trusting Draco enough to rest his bare body upon him. Harry allowing his sensitive scalp to be massaged by Draco's long fingers. Harry feeling safe enough to be touching Draco skin to skin while recovering.

Draco's chest felt warm and bubbly with pride and maybe a little something else.

Harry ran his palm over Draco's chest.

"Bit cold now..." he hummed pointedly.

Draco cocked an eyebrow.

"Is it?" he smirked.

He reached out to grab the edge of the enormous duvet, pulling it over him and Harry. He used the momentum to flip them over, holding Harry by the small of his back. They were rolled up in the duvet now, Draco holding himself over Harry with his free arm.

Harry blinked asymmetrically and smiled hugely at him. Draco had his legs on either side of Harry's thighs, not wanting to overstimulate the smaller man by wrapping his dark legs around his waist. Harry lifted his head up to kiss Draco.

They shared soft and emotional kisses, Draco eventually flopping down onto his side, pulling Harry flush against his chest, still peppering eachother with kisses and the occasional hickey or two.

Harry felt comfortable in the long arms of Draco, laughing and attacking him with kisses whenever his hand caressed or squeezed his arse. He inhaled Draco's raw scent like a drug, loving the way it settled him. The blankets were cool and silky against their naked bodies, containing their combined heat between them.

They simply lay, touching eachothers bodies, Draco's fingers slipping shallowly into his cleft teasingly, and pressing feather light kisses all over the other.

"I like you a lot." Harry mumbled between kisses.

"I do too." Draco purred, pressing another peck to his cheek before claiming his mouth once more.


Notes:
Lovely boys!!! Lots of relationship development, sexual confidence development, and drama to come! Thank you for the amazing comments and critiques, I really do read them all!

afterending

Chapter 19: The Letters

Summary:
Two letters arrive, both with unfortunate contents.

Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text
The winter cold was rapidly seeping into the castle now that it was the last week of November. Harry and Draco had told Ron and Hermione about their relationship the day after their escapade in the room of requirement. They both took it rather well, Ron only groaned a few times claiming he knew it all along.

They'd gone to Hogsmeade a few times on their eighth year privilege when it wasn't as crowded on dates. Draco found on these dates, that Harry liked warm drinks and soups when he was having a hard day. Draco would wrap him up in one of his duvets and give him some tea or hot chocolate and just hold him when they returned to their room.

They had a few more intimate experiences, graduating to clothed frotting against eachother while they touched and kissed. Harry absolutely loved being ground into. His reaction when Draco tried it for the first time was beyond intense. He liked being teased into completion, which Draco was more than happy to do.

Their relationship was soft and warm. It was what both of them needed. It was a solid foundation of ever growing trust and affection that they provided for eachother. They picked playful fights with eachother sometimes to ground themselves after particularly rough days. They just knew what the other wanted in terms of comfort. Harry liked to strip down and wrap himself up and being held by Draco's strong arms. Draco liked gentle kisses and reassurance in any form.

Harry was still getting harassed and talked down to for his autism. Draco was still evading violent peers chasing after him for his unfortunate past. But they found solace in eachother. They went on mini dates down in the kitchens and curled up with eachother when words simply failed them.

Draco found that Harry really liked to talk about dragons when he was feeling overloaded. He supposed that it was his current interest, but he never tried to blatantly bring it up as the only focus of conversation. Although he couldn't deny how warm his chest felt when Harry's face lit up and he dumped heaps of information enthusiastically upon him.

Now they sat on Harry's bed studying for their upcoming midterm exams. Harry was reading a book on complicated wand movements for nonverbal charms and scribbling answers onto a piece of parchment he'd charmed to float and stay stable while leaning against Draco's chest as he read a required complex potion theorem. Ron and Hermione were sprawled out on Ron's bed, Hermione trying halfheartedly to get Ron to study as he read her DADA notes.

Draco was propped up against the headboard, rubbing Harry's hip beneath his waistband with a provocative light trace of his finger pads. Harry liked very subtle touches for comfort, as his skin was highly sensitive, but was too absorbed in taking notes that the touch didn't come off sexually in his mind at the moment. Draco really didn't consider exactly how close his hand was to Harry's penis, also too focused to think much about it.

His fingertip brushed the course curls, slipping his hand mindlessly further underneath Harry's waistband to explore the texture. Draco's fingers brushed the base. Harry straightened up and gasped, whirling around to look at Draco out of the side of his eye. Draco attempted to withdraw his hand but Harry's was there faster, snatching his wrist as he searched Draco's face.

"Sorry I didn't mean-" he started, but Harry cut him off by turning his torso a little further and kissing him.

"Can you guys stop borderline fucking?" Ron grumbled, clearly very put out.

They broke apart and Harry mouthed 'later' to him before turning back.

"Ron they were having a moment." Hermione sighed duly.

"Well if that moment includes me having to witness the ferrets dick, I'd rather not." he groaned.

Harry sunk down so his head rested on Draco's stomach and beckoned his parchment over.

"You're no fun." Harry teased.

Ron slammed his forehead into the mattress repeatedly.

"Remind me why we came back 'Mione?" Ron sighed.

Hermione propped her legs on his back and opened her mouth to respond, but a feeble tapping sounded on the window.

Harry looked over. Balancing quite precariously on the sill was "Errol!"

Harry untangled himself from Draco's hold to open the window. Draco admired Harry's naked legs and short grey boxers as he ambled over to the window. The owl fell through the window when Harry opened it, he clumsily caught the old ruffled bird just in time. There was a letter tied to his leg with Harry's name on it. He set Errol on the desk by the window and slipped the letter from his leg.

Harry sat on the edge of his bed and opened the letter. It was in Molly Weasley's familiar hand.



Dear Harry,

I was wondering if you and Ginny will be staying for the entirety of the Christmas break at ours or if you had any other plans with eachother. It's quite alright if you two are having some bonding time after all these horrible articles that Skeeter woman has written about you, which by the way, we will be talking about when you arrive. I cannot believe what nonsense that woman has pinned on you this time. I hope you're not taking all these fake articles too hard. Say hello to Ginny for me.

-Molly



Harry swallowed thickly.

"H-hey Ron?" he stammered.

"What's up?"

"Your mum... Does she know Ginny and I aren't together anymore? And that we're both gay?"

Ron looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Dunno... Why?"

"Because she still thinks I'm dating Ginny... A-and that the articles are- are fake..." he said as he swallowed down his emotions.

Draco scooted over to Harry, placing a hand on his shaky shoulder.

"You can tell her when you go over for Christmas, hon." he suggested, ignoring Ron's sound of revulsion at his display of affection.

Harry slumped onto Draco, "Y-yeah I guess..."

Draco pet his head gently, letting Harry lean all his weight into him.

"Do you want something to eat babe? Something to make you feel better?" he murmered into his ear.

Harry nodded solemnly, turning to give Draco a kiss on the corner of his mouth. It was easy for little things to either sadden or irritate Harry, Draco noticed.

"Do you two really have to be so lovey all the time?" Ron groaned.

Draco snorted. "Only in excess when you're around to prove to your protective arse that I really care about him." he joked, getting up to slip on his shoes.

"I'll be back in a minute." Draco called to Harry as he left the room.

Harry gave a little wave.

"Mate, you're absolutely arse over tit." Ron guffawed.

Harry chuckled lightly, "That I am." he admitted.

"I think it's sweet." Hermione hummed from behind her book.

"It's revolting." Ron laughed.

Harry smiled shakily.

"So whadya reckon?" Harry asked, his voice scratchy with detectable heaviness, waving the letter a bit.

"I dunno why Ginny hasn't told mum, I say just write her that your dating the pointy faced prat and it'll be fine." Ron shrugged.

"You think so?"

"I know so."

Harry accioed some parchment over and loaded up his quill, getting up to stand over the desk and write. He felt a little more reassured but still very shaky and nervous.

He looked up.

"What about the articles?"

Ron scratched his head.

"Don't mention it until break... She'll drive herself mad worrying, even when there's nothing to worry about."

"Er- right."

He turned back to his parchment, tapping his fingers against the desk in thought.



Dear Molly,

I will be staying over the entire break because Ginny and I aren't together anymore. We haven't been for a while seeing how I have a boyfriend and Ginny is dating somebody of her own liking.

We're both very pleased in our separate relationships and remain good friends. There's no bad blood between us I promise.

I only wondered if I could bring my boyfriend along, if that's alright with you. I want to talk to you about the articles when I see you, it's too much to write in one letter.

Love,

-Harry



He handed the letter to Ron.

"That look alright?"

Ron took it and read it over.

"Brilliant, I'll send this with Pig when I go up to the Owlery later yeah?" he affirmed, pocketing the letter.

"What are you doing in the Owlery?" Harry inquired.

"Remember that letter I sent off when you were up there?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Hermione's mum and dad want to meet me over the first three days of break, so I've been waiting for a response. It's taking a while for little Pig to do it cause they're still in Australia." he explained.

"Going to meet the parents eh?" Harry teased, wriggling his eyebrows a bit lethargically.

Ron flushed just as Draco came back in carrying a thermos. Draco sauntered over to Harry and held out the container.

"What did you get me?" Harry purred softly, his stomach warm and fuzzy at the simple yet thoughtful gesture.

"Miso." Draco hummed, looping his arms around Harry's waist when he took the thermos.

Harry pressed his nose into Draco's sternum and closed his eyes. A silent thanks that Draco understood. Draco expertly scooped Harry up by his arsecheeks, making the smaller man gasp and laugh breathily as he blushed. Harry's legs hooked around Draco's lower back, free hand clutching his shoulder.

Draco carried him over to the bed and sat back against the headboard, a pink flush overtaking his cheeks in large triangular patterns. Harry kissed him gently before turning so his back layed against Draco's chest.

Harry unscrewed the thermos, itching for the heat, and took a sip. The soup was wonderful. Draco felt Harry's whole body shiver and relax into his chest. Harry's skin had tingles chasing each other over every plane of his body, especially his cheeks and ears.

Another clatter of talons made them look up. A regal, mean looking eagle owl was standing stock still on the bedside table, looking pointedly at Draco with large yellow eyes.

"Fuck..." he breathed.

He reached out and took the letter from the owl that immediately took off again. It had the Malfoy crest in the very center of a perfectly crisp white envelope.

"What's that?" Harry inquired, looking curiously concerned.

Draco didn't respond, his heart sunk into his stomach as he peeled the wax seal open. He pulled out the letter. His mother's elegant hand was scrawling furiously across the parchment.

Draco,

You are to choose ,via letter, a pureblood witch to be betrothed to over the holidays. Your father would be extremely pleased if you choose a woman of similar sacred heritage beliefs that we have raised you on. Seeing how our family name is tainted at the moment because of your father's imprisonment, it would be ideal to marry a woman of high class and good name and to produce an heir to the Malfoy name as soon as possible. If you choose to refuse betrothal, you will be paired with a woman of your father and I's choosing.

Unless you can show that you have a partner worthy of your heir in the current moment, you are at risk of killing your family name and legacy if you keep up this nonsense with claiming your attraction to men. You aren't welcome back in the Manor until you've chosen a respectable pureblood lady, not a halfblood man. I highly doubt you have attained the affections of the subject of your obsession over the years, so please move on and choose quickly.

-Narcissa Malfoy



"Draco..." Harry murmured in utter disbelief.

Draco felt a surge of fury and angrily tore the letter to pieces right then and there, sending them hurtling into the bin with a flick of his wand.

"I love my mother, but her word means fuck all if she's telling me to break up with you luv." Draco panted into Harry's shoulder.

Harry shivered with giddy delight at the pet name. The slurring of the letters made it less of a proclamation of love, and more of an extra sweet nickname. But Harry still appreciated it nonetheless.

"I-I can't believe you'd ignore your mother for me..."

Draco laughed.

"Not ignore... More inadvertently telling her to piss off because I'm finally happy with the man I've been obsessed with for four years. There's no way I'm giving you up that easy, I've only just got you."

Harry nuzzled into Draco with a little excited shimmy of his shoulders, his words failing him.

"Now drink your soup, I didn't go all the way down to the kitchens for nothing." he snapped playfully.

"I invited you to the Weasley's for Christmas break..." Harry admitted suddenly in a very quiet murmer.

"R-really?"

"Well- I mean... I'd like you to come... B-but you don't have to if you've got to talk to your mum..." Harry stammered.

"I'll go."

"What about the betrothal?"

"It can wait."

"But-"

"Harry luv... It's okay, I'm not going to miss spending Christmas with you..."

Harry took a sip of his miso soup, so many unexplainable feelings swimming around in his torso.

"And you're gonna disregard their opinion just like that?" Harry whispered.

"If it means being with you, then of course." he hummed.

Draco knew his mother would be furious, but right now he spoke from the heart. His heart that was telling him a little more each day. Telling him in skips of rhythm when the man buried in his chest laughed, in pooling pride that filled his being when those emerald eyes locked onto his with enormous pupils, that he was falling in love with Harry Potter.

They sat in silence once more. Ron and Hermione scribbling down notes and study guides with quills charmed to not make any noise, Draco and Harry curled up with eachother. Draco picked up his book while Harry stared out the window beside a sleeping Errol, drinking his soup and enjoying the gentle warmth of Draco's body cradling his.

Notes:
Oooo, what's Narcissa gonna do??? What's Molly gonna do? Is she going to take it well? Is she going to badger poor Harry? Find out in the next chapter!!

I love reading the comments as always! I'm so incredibly glad that you guys are liking it!

Also don't worry! The drama doesn't last very long, but there is a very significant hurt/comfort scene for both boys!

afterending

Chapter 20: Exams and Return Post

Summary:
The aftermath of day one of their exhausting exams

Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text
Draco stumbled out of his first day of exams with a pounding headache. Arithmancy and Ancient Runes had taken all his energy and will to do anything but sleep. Well mostly.

The ever present thing on his mind was the fact that Harry was getting so absorbed in his studies that he was having difficulty remembering to eat. Draco saved a little energy for him, his darling, just to make sure he got some sustenance.

Draco discovered that Harry lost weight incredibly quickly due to his high metabolism caused by his traumatic childhood, though he wasn't half aware of the severity of everything that had happened to Harry. Harry's body held on to the little amounts of fat he didn't use for energy, and stored it for maybe a few hours before going into fight or flight mode when he got anxious and using it in one go.

He would get lethargic and exhausted, then dissolve into himself, and begin having nightmares. Draco knew that the aftermath of the war affected Harry worst of all. Some days he was just depressed and didn't want to talk or get out of bed for several hours. Other days, his dyspraxia would lock up his hands and arms, making him incredibly anxious and frustrated. Sometimes he would put his shoes on the wrong feet, occasionally having difficulty telling his left and right apart when the seams of his socks bothered him just too much.

Draco recalled one instance as he walked down the corridor toward the kitchens, when Harry was having a particularly terrible mental health day. Draco had been coaxing Harry to get into the shower for about forty five minutes when he finally complied, though very reluctantly. Sometimes showers were a lot of sensory information at one time for Harry, particularly the perspiration in the air and the way he could feel the individual droplets if the water was too slow.

He'd heard Harry, very quietly but still sufficiently, calling for him. He walked into the bathroom, quite bewildered when he couldn't spot Harry. A minute sob of his name brought his attention to the bottom of the tub. Draco remembered how his heart ached for the man sitting hunched in the tub, face buried in his arms propped on his knees, his black curls sticking to his honey cocoa temples and biceps.

He pulled back the glass of the door.

"Harry?" Draco had whispered.

Draco's right hand clutching the tub edge was covered by the damp heat of Harry's palm. Watery emeralds met his. The stress of the letters, articles, and exams clearly evident in his body. Draco saw just how pointy his cheekbones has gotten, how his lower ribs had begun to stick out, how tired his eyes looked. Draco saw the shampoo bottle by his feet and registered the silent plea.

He'd rolled up his clean pressed sleeves and began massaging Harry's tender scalp with shampoo and conditioner, relishing the look of relief that crossed his face.

Draco remembered when he was having an awful day and Harry was there for him. Harry held him tight and pressed gentle kisses all over. He'd threaded his fingers into the blonde strands and caressed his dark mark with light grazes and soft kisses. Harry, though he was a good deal shorter, cradled him as the little spoon that night, breathing deeply into the back of his neck. There were some days where Draco needed to be held and reassured by Harry, and some days where Harry was the one needing the holding from Draco.

Sometimes they talked. Sometimes they didn't need to talk. They just understood when the other wanted their distance and alternatively when they wanted to be hugged and kissed to their hearts content.

But right now, Harry needed to be cuddled and a good hot meal in his belly.

He tickled the portrait of the bowl of fruit's pear and entered the kitchens. The elves rushed over, rapidly inquiring what he'd like. He decided on Indian, knowing that Harry's own ethnic cuisine was comforting to him. Draco grabbed a bowl of one of Harry's favorite types of mutton curry, stylized wet with a bunch of broth, and took a great chunk of treacle tart. He pocketed some other snacks that they might like to nibble on later. Placing stasis charms on everything shrunk in his pockets, he thanked the elves and headed toward the tower.

Draco rounded the corner and sighed the password to Sir Cadogen. He briskly ascended the stairs, knowing Harry would've gotten back before him due to his departure to the kitchens. Opening the door he found Harry wrapped up in his duvets with his eyes closed wistfully. He knelt beside him, analyzing the fuller appearance of his face, a mark of how much his indisputable insistence was working.

Harry's eyes fluttered open, sparkling a bit when they caught Draco. Draco could already tell Harry didn't feel good. He reached out a hand while resting his head on his arm and brushed Harry's cheek with the back of his finger. Harry smiled very minimally. Draco pressed a kiss to his forehead right between his scraggly brows.

"I brought you food." Draco murmured, studying Harry's dark under eye.

Harry propped himself up on his forearms, the hangings closing around them. Draco slipped onto the bed before they could catch on him.

"What'd you bring?" he asked, rubbing his nose.

Draco withdrew all his choice foods from his pockets, enlarging them with engorgement charms, and shimmied up against the headboard. Harry let his head rest on Draco's thigh, green eyes watching him as he spread the array of food out.

"All of your favorites." Draco purred, stroking Harry's incredulously soft curls.

Draco broke off a small piece of treacle tart and fed it to Harry.

"There's more of that if you eat this." he pulled the lid off the bowl of curry.

He watched Harry's nose twitch as the scent hit him, his heart lightening at the enthusiasm Harry showed to sit up. The duvet was wrapped around his shoulders, half decently covering his manhood and nakedness. Draco handed him the warm bowl, grabbing his own as he slotted his legs on either side of Harry's crossed one's.

Harry pulled the duvet over his crotch and set the bowl in the center of his loosely folded legs.

"How was your first day of exams luv?" Draco murmured.

Harry's lips twitched into a coy little grin. He loved it when Draco called him that.

"Defence was exhausting, the examiner kept wanting me to show off... I do feel good about my theoretical though..." he trailed off, taking a few bites of his food.

Draco nodded, waiting patiently for Harry to find his words.

"A-and," he cleared his throat, sounding a bit thick with phlegm, "Charms wasn't so bad, although I know I got that one about the wandless hand movement wrong in the theoretical... Even though I can still do it."

"Of course you can." Draco chuckled softly.

Harry was too powerful for his own good. He liked to wandlessly accio things that were right next to Draco purely to startle him. Draco would always grumble, "Showoff." and Harry would respond with a laugh and kiss him.

Harry looked thoughtful for a moment.

"What about... You?" he regarded, twisting his duvet with the hand that wasn't bringing curry to his lips.

Draco reached over to the beside table and plucked Harry's cube from it. Harry took it with a soft "Thank you." and began to twiddle with it.

"Arithmancy was utter bollucks in my opinion. The examiner hardly listened to a word I said." he drawled, "Ancient Runes was a bit better, although I'm pretty sure Granger is going to get a 300% seeing how she was still in there when I went in."

"I don't know how she does it..." Harry chuckled.

Harry ladled the pool of broth left in the bowl into his mouth in large spoonfuls. His appetite was always better with Draco next to him.

"Somebody's hungry." Draco smiled.

Harry brought the bowl to his lips with a significant arch of his brow.

There was a crash and the sounds of footfalls heavier than a rhinoceroses, of which could only belong to one Ronald Weasley. Draco steadied the bowl in Harry's hands after he'd lurched from the sudden noise.

Harry's skin prickled with a rush of chills, the peach fuzz on his cheeks bristling.

"Harry! Mum's written back!" Ron just about bellowed.

Harry set the bowl back in his lap and drew in an anxious breath.

"Oh- er... You two weren't... doing anything... Uh- that I've interrupted right?" Ron fumbled awkwardly, thinking back to Hermione's exact words on this situation.

Draco sighed and gave Harry a wet kiss just to freak Ron out, and called, "Well we were doing something but that damn letter is very important so give it here through the hangings!"

Ron stumbled over, really not wishing to see either of them inside the other, and hesitantly pulled open the hangings. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the scene layed out before him. They were just eating, although Harry was very naked.

"Errr- here."

He handed the letter to Harry and scurried off. The hangings fell back into place as Harry set his cube on he bedside table and opened the letter.



Dear Harry,

My apologies dear! I didn't know you and Ginny had split, but I'm very happy you're both pleased in your new relationships. You're more than welcome to bring your boyfriend over for the Christmas hols! This layer of mystery has me wondering who on earth it is, its quite exciting actually!

I'll be setting up Fred and George's old room for you two. Ron tells me he thinks you are good for eachother and he never saw it coming!

Also, Arthur tells me the articles have been retracted and banned from printing, I do hope to discuss this matter with you personally.

Love,

Molly



Harry breathed a huge sigh of relief and handed the letter to Draco.

"You're welcome over!" Harry exclaimed.

Draco read it over, also breathing out all his worries. He set it on the beside table.

"This is brilliant! I'll still have to deal with mother of course, but wow..."

Harry finished the last bit of his curry and set the bowl on the bedside table. He happily chowed down a hunk of treacle tart while Draco finished his own curry.

"Winky?" Harry called.

There was a crack that made Harry rub his ear, and a little house elf appeared.

"Could you take these down to the kitchens please?"

She bowed, "Yes Harry Potter sir!" and took the dishes before disappearing with a crack.

"That one, Winky, she's always been very nice to me." Draco hummed.

"Yeah... She came back after Dobby d-died, in respect for his memory..."

"Dobby... He died?"

"Yeah... Right after we escaped the Manor."

Draco simply nodded.

Harry beckoned him and murmured, "Wanna feel you..."

Draco perked. Harry liked skin to skin contact with him, especially when he was tired or aroused. Draco stripped off his robes and kicked off his shoes.

He knew when it was the comfort that Harry seeked, and when it was sexual gratification he wanted. Right now it was a mix of both that those tired emerald eyes conveyed.

Draco pulled off everything except his boxers and pounced on Harry. Harry's curls bounced as his head hit the mattress, a smile cracking onto his face when Draco kissed his cheek. He hovered over Harry, getting down onto his forearms and settling his pelvis atop Harry's. He angled his hips so that his penis was right up against Harry's cleft instead of all his body weight pressing on Harry's crotch. Harry's legs loosely wrapped around his upper thighs, his lips soft and pliant against his own, and his small angular hands threading into his hair.

Harry moaned through his nose, rolling his hips up into Draco's. Draco gasped.

"In the mood?" he purred.

"Bit." Harry grinned against his lips.

Draco ground back into Harry, making his breath stutter and hands grip a little tighter in Draco's hair. Harry keened and shivered, their hips slowly finding a rhythm against eachother. Draco gave long slow thrusts, his clothed erection sliding between Harry's naked arsecheeks, while Harry's hardness started pressing on his stomach.

Draco dragged a particularly sweet thrust along Harry's perineum. A shudder wracked through his body, head tilting back as Draco sucked on the ribbing of his trachea. Harry's thighs spasmed against his sides, his throat vibrating with constant croons of pleasure.

He dragged his hand down Harry's side, urging a cry from the man. Tensing with shivering convulsions, Harry's chest expanded as he drew in breath. Draco traced little circles on Harry's hip bone, thumbing his vee.

Harry's hypersensitive skin was getting goose pimples wherever Draco's thumb dragged.

He was about to slip his fingers into Harry's curly trail of hair going from navel to pubic area, when those obnoxiously heavy footsteps thundered in accompanied by a lighter pair.

Harry's eyes went wide. Draco ceased In his ministrations, lips barely a centimeter away from Harry's.

"Harry what did the letter say?" Ron hollered.

"What did it say?" came Hermione's more concerned voice simultaneously.

Then the hangings were spelled open in a burst of yellow light. Harry pushed his fingers up under his glasses, his toes curling with embarrassment.

"What did I say Ronald?!" Hermione cried.

Ron didn't respond, too shell-shocked to form a sentence.

Harry was blushing deeply. Draco sat back on his knees, particularly showing off the impressive tent at the front of his boxers.

Ron went completely scarlet. Hermione blushed so hard, it blared brightly under her coffee colored skin.

He raised his brow pointedly, knowing full well he had a set of nail marks on his shoulder staring right at them. Draco held his palm on Harry's vee, shielding his penis from unwanted eyes.

"If you'd like the letter just take it and go." he conceited, feeling both their gazes on his inches.

Ron scrambled over, covering his peripheral with his hand, and snatched the letter. They both left in a flurry of limbs.

Draco leaned down to kiss Harry's partially open mouth. Drawing his hands away from his eyes, Harry relaxed minimally and kissed back. Draco slipped his tongue into Harry's mouth and traced his hard palette. Harry moaned into Draco's mouth in return, the sensation making him shiver and pant.

They broke apart. Harry placed his hands on Draco's chest and closed his eyes, breathing deeply.

"You okay luv?" Draco inquired gently.

"J-just want ex-expecting... them... Too much..." he stammered.

"Ok, that's ok, we can stop." Draco assured, stroking Harry's hair away from his forehead.

Harry panted raggedly, clamping his hands over his ears and squeezing his eyes shut. Draco unhooked Harry's trembling legs from his person and backed away. He grabbed his wand from his discarded robes and duplicated one of Harry's duvets. He closed the hangings and cast multiple silencing charms and wards under his breath, his eyes staying on his boyfriend's form.

Draco used the duvet to scoop Harry up and bundle him like a burrito. Taking care not to touch Harry just yet, he placed him against his chest and held him.

Harry's breathing slowly regulated back down, his body melting into Draco's.

"S-sorry..." came Harry's voice thirty minutes later.

"You don't need to be sorry Harry... It's not your fault they barged in." Draco murmured in the least pitying tone Harry had ever heard.

Harry shifted in his duvet burrito to press his cheek against Draco's sternum. A nonverbal thank.

Draco tentatively reached up and began stroking Harry's hair. The slow and repetitive motions eventually lulled Harry into the sleep he very much needed. Draco nodded off a bit after Harry, another day of exams rapidly approaching.

Notes:
Almost the big Christmas scene!!! Loving the comments and great feedback as always!