Angel on the cover

A/N: Big thanks to my beta noscrubs12345 who is so quick about getting these back

Read/Review/And if you must -Complain



Harry grew bored after Robert had excused himself to get back to work. He found Draco standing off to the side speaking to someone, and went to stand by his side. He hoped their discussion wouldn’t take long because he was ready to leave.

“I already told you that I’m not interested right now,” Draco continued arguing with the woman when Harry joined them. The unknown woman was tall and dressed in what Harry assumed where the highest fashions and was tapping her expensive-looking heel in exasperation.

“Of course you’re interested. I’m not talking about putting your picture in Macy catalogs--I’m talking about million dollar contracts with important designers. I would sell my mother for a chance like this.”

“Your poor mum,” Draco murmured sarcastically. “I understand the implications of not accepting their offers, but I will be indisposed for at least eight months--I simply can’t do it. If they really want me that badly, they can wait. If not, I really can’t find it in me to care,” he said honestly.

“I can find anyone--anyone--to replace you!” she blustered, smoothing back her silver-streaked black hair.

“Then find them,” Draco replied calmly, not intending to budge.

She sagged in disappointment. “You’re a demon. You’re lucky they asked for you personally. I’ll ask if they’ll wait, but who knows if they will. I don’t see what could be so important,” she mumbled as she walked away.

Harry noticed Draco rub his lower stomach briefly where the tiny bump resided undetected under his jumper.

He had a brief vision of the blond with an extended belly, one hand poised in the small of his back in one of those skimpy creations, sashaying down a runway. Wouldn’t that shock the fashion industry and the world?

“What’s so funny, Potter?” Draco asked, poking him in the side to get his attention.

“Nothing, nothing,” he shook his head, unable to stop grinning at the image.

Draco leaned up a little into Harry’s face. “What?”

“No, just imagining if you had to do this in a couple of months,” he smiled.

“I’d look like a fat lump, Potter,” Draco fell back on his heels, rolling his eyes.

“No, you could never look like that. I think you’d look beautiful,” Harry whispered.

“Quit it, Potter. No sweet talk from you,” Draco replied with a smile that contradicted his tone.

“I’m not lying. I’ve been thinking about it, you know. How you’ll look….” Harry blushed and cleared his throat. “I’m not the only one who thinks so. Even Dean was looking for you to pose for him.”

Harry continued his explanation while Draco looked at him disbelievingly.

“That’s actually how Ron found you. Dean got your photo from Robert and he was interested in offering you work. Something about a piece he’s doing on pre—ouch!”

Harry’s explanation cut off by the forceful drop of Draco’s foot on his.
He understood Draco’s abrupt interruption when the woman Draco had been arguing with suddenly appeared next to him.

“Is someone else offering you a contract? Where are you going? I’ll double it. Draco–“

“No, Nadine, I’m not going to work for someone else. I am not working at all. My companion was simply pointing out an acquaintance of mine was interested in seeing me.”

“Fine! Don’t tell me about your other offers! Read this over. I increased your percentage and I would be representing you exclusively. After your eight month vacation is finished, I expect to be the first considered,” she insisted as she shoved the folded papers into Draco’s newly donned coat pocket.

Draco rolled his eyes and waited for Nadine to move away before pinching the firm flesh of Harry’s stomach.

“Careful, you dunce. However where you able to keep your own secrets, Potter?”

“I’m sorry, Draco, but I just knew of our little addition not even a week ago and I’m still getting used to it.” Harry’s smile was so sappy and proud that Draco felt his irritation melt away.

“Just a little more discretion, Potter. That’s all I ask,” Draco replied, waving goodbye to Robert.


Harry stepped out of the door first, holding it open for Draco when the sounds of flashes had him turning around and pushing Draco back into the office.

“Don’t!” Draco ordered grabbing Harry’s arm as he reached for his wand. “They’re cameras! Merlin, you’re paranoid!” Draco muttered, letting go of his forearm.

Too relieved they were not under attack, Harry moved forward to let Draco leave.

‘Wait…. Cameras?’ he thought to himself as he followed the blond outside.

Sure enough, a look around awarded him with grinning faces and large invasive cameras; flashes were going off all around him.

“Draco Malfoy!”

“What happened to you?”

“Is it true that you were being held against your will in the basement of their home?”

“Is it true you ran away to get married to Omahyra?”

They continued throwing out questions while not ceasing the infernal picture taking.

“What the bloody hell?” Harry asked, confused. “Who are these people?”

“Keep moving Harry; let’s get into the car, okay?” Draco asked, pushing him in direction of the car the American Ministry had arranged for them, complete with a driver.

Once safely seated in the car, they were able to pull away from the story hungry reporters and relax.


X x x X x x X


“And you’re used to that?” Harry questioned, stepping out of the Floo into the Ministry main lobby.

“I’m used to people taking pictures of me, Potter, sure. I mean, it’s kind of my profession,” Draco tried explaining again.

“They take pictures of you like that? All hounding you?”

“Well, obviously it’s not like that in my assignments. That’s the way it is in the Muggle world. In the Wizarding world we have, what? Four publications of news? Here it’s different and Muggles seem to have an obsession with anyone they find noteworthy.”

“So they just swarm you in random places?” Harry asked, trying to understand.

“Yes, although this is the first time it’s happened to me personally. Must be because of my disappearance.” Draco shrugged.

“Are you Mr Potter and Mr Malfoy?” a soft voice came from a young woman approaching them.

“It’s so good to meet you both and Mr Potter!” She paused. “You’ve done an amazing thing!” she praised with a sincere smile.

Harry’s smile waned, but the woman did not notice as she had turned to take them towards a corridor. Harry felt eyes on him and heard the dull roar of the whispers that made him pat down his fringe over his scare reflexively.

“I didn’t think it would be like this here,” Harry said, confused.

“Harry, did you think Voldemort would have been content to only have us under his heel? He would have moved on to the Americans soon enough. News of what he was up to has only been released in the last months or so here. The Ministry of Magic was still trying to keep it under wraps,” Draco explained.

“Oh,” Harry replied dumbly; he was still not used to the treatment he received back home and now to experience it in a country he’d never visited before?

“Go, Golden Boy. You have a Minister to charm.” Draco goaded, pushing him forward.

It was almost two hours later that they were finally able to leave the Ministry. They had been spared a lot of formalities but time had still seemed to drag . Just when Draco thought he could stand it no longer , he was instructed to give his statement of the incident so they could close the case.

Draco did so wth pleasure all too eager to put the issue behind him and return to the Plaza Hotel to check in and get some desired rest.

X x x X x x X

“Mr Malfoy, good to see you again,” the man greeted the blond as he passed two key cards over the counter to Draco. “And Mr Potter, it’s a pleasure to have your acquaintance. I hope you enjoy your stay here.”

Harry tried to hold back at laugh at the haughty yet polite way the man spoke. He spoke as if Draco had not disappeared from that very hotel a week before.

“Your companions are accommodated in the room besides yours, sir.”

“Great .... And?” Draco prompted.

“And the young gentleman was as taken aback as you said he would be,” the attendant supplied, “but I insisted and his lovely wife convinced him to take the room.”

“Thank you,” Draco inclined his head and Harry threw back a “goodbye” over his shoulder at the man as he followed Draco toward the lifts. They rose quickly but smoothly from floor to floor and found their room as Harry asked, “You got Ron and Hermione a room?”

“They needed somewhere to stay didn’t they?” Draco waved off his generosity. “And they tried to help me in their own foolish way. They’re not so horrible, I guess,” he admitted.

Nearly jubilant that his lover and best friends were finally making progress, Harry pulled the slim frame into a hug. Draco didn’t struggle but accepted thee embrace. It had been a long day and it was strange to think that he was right where he was a week ago; checking into the Plaza hotel, but not alone anymore and returning to a home and not an empty flat.

“I can’t stay here all night, Potter,” he reminded the brunet when he didn’t release him.

“Just let me hold you a little longer?” Harry pleaded into his shoulder, clutching him tighter.

Draco’s arms slowly came up to encircle Harry’s neck and he squeezed back, inhaling Harry’s new scent of cheap soap.

They didn’t notice when the door of the room besides theirs opened and a curly head peeked out. Hermione watched them with a tender expression. After a moment, she gently closed the door, careful not to disturb them.

But however softly, Draco heard the click of the door. “Potter, I need to bathe. Go play with your friends,” he suggested, moving back.

“Alright,” Harry reluctantly agreed and after he saw Draco safely into their room, he was knocking on his friend’s door.

“Hey Harry.” Hermione smiled wide as she opened the door and moved back for him to enter.

“Ron’s in the bedroom. I can’t get him away from the telly.”

This being the first time that Harry had seen the inside of the hotel room, he was surprised by the size and sheer opulence of it. The room was large and full of fancy fixtures.

“No wonder he didn’t want to go back to my flat,” Harry mused.

“I think there’s more to Draco’s refusal to return to your little nook, Harry, but this is almost too grand, isn’t it? Ron complained that it was just like Draco to throw away money, but you can tell he really likes it,” Hermione confided, going to the bedroom.

Ron lay on his stomach on the large bed, head in his hands, watching the large flat screen television suspended on the wall. Harry took as seat beside his friend while Hermione took possession of the large arm chair by the bed.

“X-tra X-tra! Nicole Ritchie’s baby! Who is the father and are Reese and Ryan getting back together? A source close to the couple reveals secret meetings between the two,” the pretty young woman announced, several television screens behind her rotating with images of faceless Muggle celebrities.

“I really wish you wouldn’t watch that, Ron,” Hermione complained. “It’s all supposition and gossip.”

“But Muggles are so odd. It’s funny, really,” Ron insisted. “There are four different blokes that could be the father of her baby – but they don’t have spells like us so she has to wait until it’s born to run a Muggle paternity test. Isn’t it silly, Harry?”

Harry shrugged. “I don’t know, mate. That sounds kind of sad actually--you know, for the woman and her kid.”

“Exactly!” Hermione cried triumphantly. “That’s what I’ve been telling him. All they report is these unfortunate and crazy incidents of the seedy underbelly of Muggle society which provide an inaccurate portrayal of Muggles as a whole.”

“Um, okay. what Hermione said,” Harry agreed, laying back against the covers, his head landing by Ron’s feet.

“Fine, Hermione. But at least you don’t have that problem, Harry. Doubting the paternity of Malfoy’s baby,” he teased. “Or do you?”

“No doubt at all, mate. I definitely put that baby there,” Harry teased back, folding his arms behind his head.

It was a reflection of the maturing Ron Weasley who did not groan at Harry’s phrasing but instead nodded and smiled good-naturedly. “Just checking, mate,” he said and turned his attention toward the T.V.

They were content to lay there watching the loosely labelled “news” show, Hermione having already sought the refuge of a thick-spined book.

“The search for male model Draco Malfoy is called off and he is found next after the break,” the pretty announcer said before the programme cut to an advert for some Muggle chain restaurant.

They all looked at each other in surprise and Harry started to move but Hermione was already on her feet. “I’ll go get him.”

It wasn’t long before she returned with Draco, who was towelling his hair, in tow.

“What’s so important that you had me rush here, Potter?” he asked, more curious than irritated.

“They were talking about you on the television, Malfoy,” Ron informed him gleefully.

Blond eyebrows drew together in suspicion and he approached the bed all the while maintaining a narrow stare at Ron.

“Move over, Weasley,” he commanded, making the red head shift over to accommodate himself between him and Harry.

Draco manoeuvred on the bed until he was sitting up with his knees to his chest and hip pressing against Harry’s. One hand wrapped around his knees the other dangled close to Harry’s outstretched hand. He curled his fingers around Harry’s and avoided Harry’s surprised look by starring straight ahead.

“Last week’s disappearance of model Draco Malfoy was made all the more intriguing considering that it was confirmed he was in line for offers with several well known designers after the Dolce and Gabana show. Many thought someone may have been taking out the competition, and although that doesn’t seem to be the case, there does seem to be something more to the story.”

They showed video of Harry exiting the building and holding the door open for Draco, then zoomed into Draco holding Harry’s arm in what looked like a loving touch, and there was no mistaking the protective hand on the small of Draco’s back as he entered the car before Harry.

“The official statement the authorities have released is a simple mix up of security tapes. They say Draco left the hotel in disguise and that he was overseas and unaware of what was happening. I think we can see why he was distracted if the man accompanying him had anything to do with it.”

“Did Katie really make a cry for help? Sources say….”

Hermione lowered the volume once more and looked at Draco. “You guys look really good on camera,” she mused.

“It’s weird seeing myself on there, but that should be the end of it right?” Harry asked Hermione, not wanting to relive that afternoon.

“It should be fine. Once the novelty dies down a little, they’ll forget all about it,” she reassured him.

“Can we watch something else?” Harry asked.

“Sure,” Ron replied flipping the channels to find a movie for them to watch. Eventually Hermione joined the trio on the bed beside Ron. When the credits of The Notebook finally rolled, she smiled, looking around to see she was the only one still awake, Ron’s gentle snores and gentle breaths could be heard over the soft din of the television. She leaned over slightly to see Draco curled up in Harry’s arms, sound asleep.

Although she was tempted to keep them both in the bed close to her so she could watch over them, she realized that Draco may not be comfortable waking up there in the morning. She nudged Harry awake and soon he was moving slowly, carrying Draco back to their room. Hermione waited until their door closed and slipped under the covers, rejoining Ron.