A Series of Connecting the Dots

Author's Note: So, it's Laurel's turn now. Thanks for all your reviews so far and your patience while we hammer out these chapters. It's a little trickier to keep a regular posting schedule with two authors instead of only one, but we hope you are all enjoying it so far.

Chapter 16 – Harry – The man I need.

Draco led me into the depths of the Slytherin dungeons and while I’d normally be a little nervous about going so deep within the enemy’s lair, I couldn’t have felt safer with him. They respected him here, feared him even, I could tell from the way they shrunk back from his sharp words and silently trusted him to lead me into their personal space.

He pulled me into what I assumed to be his room; it looked similar to my own except darker since it had no windows, and the drapes and linens were all in Slytherin’s colours; green and silver. “I think there might be an explanation in order,” he said to me squeezing my hand as he did. His eyes stared through me, still searching for answers as he had done before we kissed. And oh, that kiss, I wanted to kiss him again; I wanted to kiss him forever and never stop.

But I couldn’t, he wanted me to explain how I came to be here with him, kissing him, when I was supposed to have a boyfriend. I didn’t want to though, I didn’t want to talk about it, I just wanted to forget it ever happened. It’s not that I regretted it, or that I didn’t want him to know what had happened between me and Mike; I simply wanted him to know already without me having to say it out loud. Unfortunately, life doesn’t work that way and I was going to have to accept what I did if I was going to be able to happily move on with Draco. “I left Mike,” I said, and the images of how I left him, played vividly through my mind. It had been only hours ago, but after tasting Draco for the first time, it felt like a whole lifetime ago.

“You left him?” he asked me. “Today?”

I felt guilty all over again. I felt like a hussy, jumping from one man to another; like I couldn’t make up my mind, or like I wasn’t comfortable being by myself. Perhaps the first was truer than I’d like, but I knew now that I was firm on my decision to be with Draco. “Earlier today,” I replied with a nod. “I would have been here sooner but-” I let my words fall and instead of finishing them I simply gestured to my face; that was another thing I didn’t want to explain or think about. I remembered the look in Ron’s eyes when he punched me and I was deeply hurt by its confirmation that he truly hated me. I didn’t want to talk about that with Draco right now though, it wasn’t important; we had other things to discuss.

Draco gently tilted my colouring jaw towards him and, with tenderness I did not expect, he spelled the bruise and the ache I felt away with his wand. He smiled at his handiwork and after testing out my newly healed jaw I returned his smile gratefully.

His happiness fell from his face however, as he formed the words to his next question. Having now tended to my injury it was clear he wanted to focus on getting the answers he desired. “Did you break things off before, or after?” he asked me carefully as though he knew this question and its answer could hurt both of us if I was no longer a virgin. I was, but I felt like he would think less of me if I hadn’t been, and I needed to know that he could, and would, love me regardless.

As he spoke Draco had directed me to his bed, opening the curtains so that I could sit, and I was grateful for the offer. I definitely needed to sit down, if he proved that he could not love me if I’d given myself to another, I needed to be sitting so I wouldn’t fall. I couldn’t let him go though, and so without dropping his hand I pulled him to sit beside me. “Does it matter? Would you turn me away if I was no longer a virgin?” I asked him sincerely, watching closely for the truth of his answer.

He paused and it both worried and pleased me that he was at least considering the answer he gave me. “It only matters in the sense that I don’t want to be your second choice,” he said at last. “What happened?”

I cringed as I thought again about how I had hurt Mike this morning, but I was relieved to know why Draco was so focused on how it happened. He was worried it had been Mike to turn me away and that he was the consolation while Mike was still my prize. I knew then he would be a needy lover; he would have to be my first priority always as he would accept no less, but I felt sure I was up to the challenge. Besides, I knew he only demanded this because it was the very least he would provide for me. “I didn’t actually have sex with him, but we came close…” I told him at last, and I felt again the hurt that I saw in Mike’s eyes and the sting of his words as he screamed at me to get out of his room. Still, I was glad it was over, even as much as I wished it had happened another way, I was just happy to be here with Draco right now. “I just couldn’t go through with it.”

“Why not? I thought that was what you wanted,” he questioned, still not satisfied.

“Mike loves me,” I admitted sadly before catching his eyes to demonstrate my certainty at my next words. “But I don’t love him. I think I might be in love with someone else.”

“Anyone I know?” he asked me teasingly, but his voice quivered and I could tell he still needed reassuring.

Logically, I knew I should have felt nervous or vulnerable confessing the depth of my feelings for him, but I didn’t. I was so content in his company I felt like I’d told him I loved him a thousand times before, I felt like we’d been together for years. “Well, he is a Slytherin,” I teased him. “So, there is a good chance you’ve seen him around a time or two.”

“Didn’t anyone tell you that Slytherins are bad news, Harry?” He smirked at me, and I felt light. “What does he look like?”

“He’s alright,” I shrugged casually.

“Only alright?” he asked incredulously and I laughed and nodded, teasing him further by sticking with my assessment of his looks.

“Yeah, you know, perfect blond hair, brilliant gray eyes, beautiful pale skin,” I listed, drinking in his appearance as I described him; he was so beautiful. “In fact, come to think of it, he looks a lot like you.”

“Ah, well that explains the kiss, must have been a case of mistaken identities. I think I know that bloke,” he said continuing our game, but I’d had enough by then; I wanted him and I didn’t want to wait any longer. “I can take you to his dorm if you like,” he offered pulling me up by my hand, which he still held on to tightly, and leading me to the door. I didn’t let him get very far though, I wasn’t going to put up with our banter any more; I wanted him, I’d told him as much, and now I wanted to show him.

I yanked him around to face me before twisting his tie around in my hand and using it to pull him closer; I loved that he was so formal, even on the weekend. I kissed him roughly with all the passion I had building up for him over the last few weeks, I kissed him the way I had wanted to kiss him that night in the empty classroom, the way I dreamed of kissing him while I slept. A guttural moan sounded, uncontrolled, and primal from his throat and my need for him doubled; I tried to pull him closer, pull him into me.

He directed me back to his bed and we flopped together onto his mattress on our sides facing each other. I reigned in my desires and simply worshipped his mouth instead of trying to devour him, I kissed him slowly and gently and I watched him as I did, amazed that I was here with him, yet not surprised at all – it felt so right. “So you chose me?” he whispered and I was astonished he still needed to ask. Was he not present the last few minutes? Did I not just tell him I loved him and then try to eat him?

“I chose you,” I assured him, smiling at his insecurities; so unlike the confident, self-assured Malfoy he portrayed to the rest of the world. He was vulnerable with me, he let all his guards down, and I loved it. I loved him. For the first time since he’d kissed me in front of his housemates, I let go of his hand and caressed his beautiful face; it was so lovely I could hardly believe it, hardly believe that this face was now mine to touch and kiss as I liked.

He closed his eyes at my touch and whispered, “I don’t want to let you go.”

“Then don’t,” I replied, tightening my hold on him in protest at his even having such thoughts.

He opened his eyes to me then and I felt relief at seeing my feelings for him reflected back at me. He leaned in towards me and I closed my eyes in trust to feel him press a kiss to my hated scar. I was surprised at the affection he showed it when I’d spent my life despising it; I hated what it represented – the death of my family, my connection to Voldemort, my destiny to defeat him. “I’m sorry!” he exclaimed. “Did that hurt?”

“No,” I said quickly, wanting to calm his distress and prevent him from trying to pull away from me; didn’t he know that would hurt me more than anything else? Now that I had him here with me like this, the thought of eventually having to go back to my own bed hurt my heart. “It’s just, no one ever touches it. They gawk at it and make assumptions about me because of it but… I think you’re the first person to ever touch it like that. Most people seem afraid of it.”

He relaxed instantly at my assurance that I was not injured and he smiled, tracing my scar with his fingertips and then kissing it again. The action still surprised me. “I love it,” he said sincerely, but I could only feel disgust at the mark on my forehead; part of me didn’t believe him and it must have shown. “I do,” he insisted. “It’s a symbol of your strength and power. It’s an important part of you and I love every part of you.”

I closed my eyes again, his words of reverence washing over me. I had never thought of my scar this way, as a mark of strength and survival. It was certainly something to think about. With my eyes closed, Draco began pressing soft kisses all around my face and my heart fluttered for him, he ran his fingers through my hair and I felt the pleasure of his touch shiver through me. His name fell unbidden from my lips, my mind was lost to me, I was completely his.

“Say it again,” he requested pulling my consciousness back to him.

“Draco,” I whispered in a raspy tone. ‘Draco,’ I hissed again in Parseltongue.

He inhaled a gasp of the warm air between us. “What was that?” he groaned with need.

“Your name in Parseltongue,” I answered him, opening my eyes to him once more. I smiled, he made me feel happier than I remembered feeling for a long time; I experienced newfound joy in everything he did. “You like that, hmm?” I teased him smugly. It was obvious he found my Parseltongue gift erotic to his ears and for the first time I was pleased to have it.

“I might,” he confessed and he reached around to get a handful of my arse and pull me up against him. I could feel his arousal pressing solidly through the thick material of his trousers and all I wanted to do was touch it, taste it, ride it, and even then I knew I’d never be satisfied.I slid my hand down between us and squeezed his cock through his pants making him gasp at my touch.

‘You are so sexy. I want to touch you everywhere, I want to be the only person to ever touch you, and I never want anyone else’s hands on me,’ I confessed to him, hissing in Parseltongue and delighting in the effect it had on him.

“What did you say?” he asked me once he’d stopped panting.

“Nothing,” I replied trying to look innocent, even though I felt anything but. My thoughts right now were not the thoughts of a virgin, even though technically I still was. I didn’t plan to be for much longer though, I wanted him to take me right here on his Slytherin green sheets. I was determined in this and I took the first steps in making it happen, initiating it myself so he wouldn’t have any doubts in his mind about what I wanted. I began to undo the button on his trousers when he interrupted me with a question I wasn’t expecting.

“Why did you come here, Harry?” he asked and I suddenly lost all of my confidence. Maybe I wanted this, but he didn’t. Maybe it was too soon… Oh my God. Maybe he thought I was some kind of slut. He wouldn’t really be entirely wrong in that either, I mean two guys in a matter of hours? What was that if not slutty?

“To tell you that I’m yours if you want me,” I told him nervously, feeling self-conscious about my actions. “Was I wrong in assuming that you did?”

“Merlin, no!” he assured me, practically shouting he was so keen to dispel my worries. “It’s just that you were with Corner just this morning. Don’t you think that maybe you’ll need some time to adjust to this?”

I felt my relief melt away my worries; his concern was all for me. I still wanted to make love with him even if I had just been with Mike only hours before; it didn’t feel slutty to me, it felt right. “You’re turning me away after you fought so hard for this very thing?” I smiled and teased him affectionately.

“I’m not turning you away,” he promised me. “I’m just issuing a rain check. I want more than just sex from you and I don’t want to rush into anything.” He sealed his proclamation with a sweet kiss and I felt him promise me everything I’d ever wanted, and he meant it.

His mouth might have said one thing, but his hands – as they undressed me – were definitely saying another. I pressed into him; I still wanted this – wanted to give him all of me – and I tried to encourage his hands to explore me further. He did. His mouth worked at mine and I breathed him in as I felt his fingers breach my shirt and find my bare skin underneath. He lifted it and I moved so that he could pull it off.

I fell back so that he could get a good look at me and I hoped he liked what he saw. His fingers burned a blazing trail across my flesh and he paused to tease my nipples, making my cock throb with need as the pleasure had me arch up towards him. He mocked me with a raised eyebrow as if mentally noting what I liked before descending upon my nipples again, this time with his mouth. ‘Oh fuck, Draco!’ I hissed, lengthening the sound with a moan of appreciation.

I could feel his shirt caressing my skin, and while I loved the feel of it, it was frustratingly unsatisfactory; I wanted more. I insistently freed him of his own shirt so that I might feel his warm skin against mine, but as soon as I’d flung it across the room I found myself attacking the buckle of his trousers. I was like a hungry beast and Draco was my dinner, I needed to devour him in every way possible and the more I got of him, the more I wanted. Once he’d seen to our privacy with a few quick locking and silencing spells, I removed him from his trousers, with his help of course, and wondered how I’d ever managed to sit beside him all those times in the library without this Draco-hungry monster coming out of me as it was now.

Feeling my desperation to have him naked against me, I was quick to remove my own few remaining clothes and soon I could feel the heat from his flesh flowing smoothly across my own. For someone so many considered to be cold, he was surprisingly hot. His skin was flawless, pale even as the candlelight cast an orange glow over him, and it led such a wondrous path across his body, from his face to his neck, his perfect chest and down to a soft tuft of white blond hair crowning his perfect cock.

He was admiring me too and I felt my self-consciousness rising in me only for a moment before he was licking at my chest again, tracing all my ugly scars with his tongue and making me feel as beautiful as he was. “Harry,” he whispered against me. “You’re perfect.”

‘Oh, Draco. Don’t stop, please don’t stop,’ I hissed to him, unconsciously slipping into Parseltongue again. I had forgotten in my lusty haze that it affected Draco in very pleasant ways, but I was quickly reminded as he took my aching member into his mouth. I sat up on my elbows to look at him as soon as I felt the warm wetness of his mouth, but his skilled tongue pushed away my concerns for him as I sunk back into the bed and lost myself in the feelings he was stirring in me.

I loved what he was doing to me, but I hated that he was so far away and I longed to be closer to him. To placate myself I reached down to him with my hands, threading my fingers through his blond mane, and urging him on as my desire built up higher and higher.

I did not hold back my moans; instead I opened up my throat so that he could hear everything he was doing to me. In an act of Slytherin cruelty, as I started to feel the final build up he pulled away from me and I could have cried. He crawled up my body and happily I had him in my arms once more. “I don’t want you to come that way,” he whispered to me, and for a moment I was confused. As much as I wanted to, he had still told me he didn’t want to rush into sex, and I was willing to respect that – for a while. Holding me tightly with one hand on my hip and his other just under my arm, Draco roughly rolled me over before I knew what was happening so that I ended up lying on top of him. While I felt rather astonished by the movement, and probably looked it too, it was his next words that shocked me. “I want you to make love to me, Harry,” he said, sounding sure of himself.

“What?” I gasped. “But you told me you always topped.” I understood what a gesture this was from someone like Malfoy, and I could hardly believe my ears.

“You’ll be my first,” he whispered to me softly. He looked so comfortable with the idea and my heart thumped with emotion as I realized what he was doing. This was his demonstration of just how much he loved and trusted me; to put himself in such a vulnerable position to someone like me, not even just as a Slytherin, but as a Malfoy… I was truly touched, and I felt myself falling only deeper in love with him.

I flushed a little as I imagined the mechanics of it, and just where he was asking me to put my dick, but the thought had me equally as hot for him and I dived on his mouth in my eagerness. My hands toured his body, over the pale, perfect plains of his chest, and I kissed into him the depth of my feelings, hoping he felt it too. Unexpectedly, he trapped me with his legs around my waist and his cock lifted up to brush against mine; I lost my mind at the feel of him and I wondered how many times he could do that to me before he did permanent damage. I didn’t care; he could do it to me forever and I would be a very happy crazy man.

He used his wand to lubricate me and so involved was I at the feel of him underneath me that I made an embarrassingly canine-like sound at the icy cold feel of my newly slicked cock. He wanted this now and he didn’t want to wait. This thought set me on fire and suddenly I couldn’t wait either. My right hand glided along the flank of his leg to his arse before I easily slipped two fingers inside; he was more than ready for me. “Please,” he whimpered and I could not resist him.

Fearful of hurting him when he was displaying such trust in me, I entered him slowly and carefully; more slowly than I thought my body could reasonably handle given the effect he had on me. He was so tight and hot around me, it was an unbelievable feeling. The knowledge that we were sharing this experience together for the first time in an act of pure, untainted love had me drowning in a feeling so strong I felt tears prick the corners of my eyes. ‘Draco,’ I hissed his name, and I felt him relax around me so that the last of my cock slipped in easily. I pulled out and roughly pushed back inside, losing some of the control I had struggled to keep. He moaned under me, and I relaxed slightly knowing I hadn’t hurt him.

“Faster,” he begged me, and with his permission I let go of a little more of my control. I let my mind become tangled in the combined feelings of my heart and of Draco’s tight muscle around my own, and his sharp fingernails cutting into my upper arms as he gripped me.

‘Oh, I love you so much,’ I hissed to him. ‘So close, Baby.’ I watched Draco grunting under me with his eyes squeezed shut as he relinquished his self-control to the feel of me thrusting into him. I felt my sweat pouring off my body and could see the roots of my Baby’s blond hair becoming damp and heavy at our exertion.

“Uh, Harry!” he cried out as he exploded between us and his arse clenched around me, massaging me further. It was more than I could take and I followed not long after him, pouring myself into him, and crying out to him in Parseltongue.

As the adrenalin from my orgasm drained out of me, my muscles lost their strength and I fell upon him, enjoying the cool sheen of sweat that covered his skin. He smelled so good like this and I breathed him in contentedly, not attempting to move or remove myself from him; I couldn’t even if I had wanted to.

As my strength slowly returned I was able to lift my head to look at him, just to make sure he was okay. He smiled back at me. “I love you, Harry,” he told me softly, and I could see in his eyes it was true.

“I love you, too,” I answered him, sure of my feelings even more so now that we had made love. I grinned stupidly at him and I didn’t care; this was how he made me feel. I rested my head tiredly on his chest and closed my eyes to the feel of his fingers carding through my hair.

“You’re going to have to teach me Parseltongue,” he said to me easily as I practically purred against him.

“Not on your life,” I laughed, the sound vibrating through me, and then through him. “It’s too much fun knowing that you don’t understand me.”

I glanced up and him and he pouted cutely at me. “Prat,” he said, but I only laughed harder.

“Arse,” I retorted, matching his insult.

“Gryffindor,” he replied, as though he were returning my name-calling.

It was an insult to him, but not to me. I kissed him. “Gryffindor lover,” I said with a smirk.

“Touché,” he conceded and I laughed again as I realized I had won that match.

There was so much I wanted to ask him, so many of the worries I had argued with myself about over the last few weeks; worries about Voldemort and his family, his safety, and the consequences he would face should they learn of our relationship, which they undoubtedly would considering we’d shared our first kiss in front of his entire house. At these thoughts I began to wonder how wise it was for me to act on the passing words of an unknown Ravenclaw to ‘not think too much’; what if Draco had to face awful consequences for this act we had just shared? His father would certainly not be pleased.

I pushed the worries aside as I reasoned that his father would not know we had made love. Draco could deny that he loved me and perhaps placate his father, or maybe he could convince his parents to switch sides and I could protect them all. Yes, we certainly had a lot to talk about -Draco’s future, as well as any information Draco had for me about Voldemort’s plans- but it could all wait, because right now I had more important things to worry about, like my newfound discovery that Draco was ticklish down his side.

I would worry about those other things later. Much later.

--

I arrived at breakfast early the next morning in my eagerness to see Draco again, but he had yet to arrive. I grabbed a few bits of toast and two eggs for breakfast, and picked at it slowly with my eyes locked firmly on the doors to the Great Hall watching for that familiar shock of blond hair I so longed to see. I wondered what he would do when he arrived, whether he would sit with me or return to his Slytherin friends; I wasn’t even sure what I hoped he would do. Part of me wanted to keep our relationship a secret for a while, if only out of respect for Mike –who I noticed had not shown up to breakfast yet- but another part of me wondered if I could keep our relationship a secret when I knew I’d need to touch him somehow whenever I saw him.

Talk about Ginny’s pregnancy was sweeping the Great Hall and I wondered if that was why my public kiss with Draco went largely unmentioned. After all, what was a kiss between enemies to a teenage pregnancy? I tried to ignore the chatter and I saw the twins and Ron trying to control the gossip with pointed stares, but I knew from experience that when the Hogwarts rumour mill got going there was no stopping it.

I focused back on the Great Hall doors so that I wouldn’t miss Draco when he walked in, and only a few minutes later I wasn’t disappointed. He was as glorious as I remembered and I knew immediately I didn’t want him sitting anywhere but beside me. In true Slytherin form Draco scanned the surrounding area before searching for me; he was assessing any direct threats, I guessed, and he seemed satisfied with the result.

He looked at a loss for a moment, as if he’d just realized what I’d been wondering since I arrived –where would he sit? His eyes never left mine as he considered his options and as his shoulders relaxed I realized he’d made a decision, resigning himself to the consequences he walked a direct and sure line towards me. “Is this seat taken?” he asked me as if there were a chance I’d refuse him. Silly rabbit.

I grinned at him and indicated that he should sit. He sat with me silently as I continued to pick at my plate and I wondered if he would gather up his own food or eat from mine. Secretly I wanted to feed him myself and have him suck on my fingers at each bite, and maybe I’d lick off anything he had lingering at the corners of his perfect mouth. But he didn’t make any movement that made me think he was at all hungry. He sighed. “So, now what?” he asked me, and I was surprised to see that he meant it; he had no idea what we were now. I wanted to make light of his question and tell him that perhaps we should just start with breakfast and see, but I couldn’t because as I looked at him to speak I noticed that Ron had given up on trying to conceal Ginny’s scandalous news and was standing right behind him looking expectantly at me.

“Ron,” I said in greeting, and Draco was quick to turn around and face him. Draco had looked furious last night when he’d seen my bruise and I wasn’t sure what he would do now that Ron stood in front of him obviously intending to talk to me. I laid my hand upon Draco’s shoulder and squeezed, hopefully conveying my wish for him to let me handle this. It seemed to.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” Ron asked me. It felt so strange to hear his voice, I had heard it nearly every day for the last six years, but it sounded alien to me now. “Alone.”

Draco rose from his casually slumped position, lengthening his back and neck as if to assert some dominance over the situation. Thankfully, he remained silent. “I don’t know,” I answered Ron warily. My heart had already forgiven him for everything he’d done to me long before he’d ever ask for it out loud, but my mind was cautious, careful to protect myself against the hurt my old best friend could still inflict upon me. I had to take things slowly. Besides, I had Draco to worry about now; I needed to make sure he didn’t do anything stupid in my name.

“Please,” Ron softly begged me. He glanced along the table and I noticed for the first time that all of Gryffindor was watching us; no doubt depictions of our fight had spread to all the students who were not there to witness it themselves, and who knew what exaggerated versions people had heard by now.

I looked to Draco who had not yet taken his eyes away from Ron; he didn’t trust him that much was obvious. I wanted to reassure him that I would be fine if I went to talk with my old friend but he wouldn’t look at me. I nodded silently and got up from my seat, Draco did the same.

I was surprised to find that Ron and I still knew each other well enough to communicate silently. He questioned Draco’s presence with a look, reminding me he wanted to talk to me alone, and with a returned glance I told him that if Draco wanted to come, he would.

“Did you actually think I would leave you alone with him?” Draco hissed, picking up on our looks – whether he understood them or not – and confirming my silent words to Ron. Draco would be joining us. “I saw what you did to him last night.”

“Harry knows I wouldn’t hurt him,” Ron retorted, sounding defensive, yet rather sure about himself. I was instantly cross with him for challenging my boyfriend; Draco had earned his place at my side, Ron had thrown his away.

“I used to think I knew a lot of things about you,” I snapped rather harshly and Ron seemed to shrink back from me like a scolded puppy. I felt a twinge of guilt, particularly when I turned to see our fellow Gryffindors lapping up the exchange and seemingly logging away details about what was said and who won the argument – me, I guessed, given that Ron was quick to agree to Draco’s presence and head for the door and somewhere more private.

We made our way outside into the chilled air – it would be Christmas soon enough – it seemed like so much had happened since the start of the year that Christmas should have come and gone by now, but it was still a few weeks away.

Ron turned suddenly, not bothering to find us a bench to sit on, but clearly wanting to get this over with and do so quickly. “Um, yeah, okay,” he stuttered nervously, and I supposed Draco’s dangerously narrowed eyes did not help him to focus. “I guess I just wanted to say, um, sorry, for, er, hitting you and all that,” he eventually managed to choke out. The look on Draco’s face made me think he didn’t seem to think it was enough, and, while I knew it was quite a gesture for Ron who never seemed to apologize to anyone but Hermione, I was inclined to agree with him. “I, um, I know it wasn’t you who…” his final words drifted away and I knew this was all I would get from him for now, at least he believed I hadn’t knocked up Ginny.

“Yeah, well, like I said, I’m gay,” I reminded him and glanced over to Draco to emphasize my point. Ron squirmed as I knew he would, I would have bet he was just as angry with me for being gay as he was for playing up on his sister.

Ron cleared his throat. “Yeah, um, doesn’t look too bad anyway,” he said nodding at my jaw where he had bruised me not even twenty-four hours ago.

“I healed him, you fuckwit!” Draco shouted, practically launching himself at the redhead, but I held him back discretely with my hand which he still grasped on to tightly. “And to be honest, you’re fucking lucky I haven’t hexed your dick off for touching him!”

“Baby,” I whispered to him, pulling him back into me. It seemed to calm him down and I felt him relax next to me.

“He hurt you,” he reminded me softly; this was only for me to hear.

“I know,” I sighed and I kissed his cheek. “I’m alright. Why don’t you go back inside, I’ll be okay.”

“No,” he refused without hesitation and he eyed Ron skeptically. “I’ll shut up, but I’m staying. He needs to know that I will hurt him if he touches you,” he growled loud enough for Ron to hear.

“He knows,” I said, looking over to Ron silently telling him that if Draco saw fit to attack him, I might just let him do it. Draco nodded and, to his credit, he wandered a few metres away from us, but still clearly within earshot. “Did you have anything else to say to me?” I asked when it became obvious Ron was at a loss for words.

“Yeah, um, just to say sorry and, well…” It looked like he was having even more difficulty with the second part of his speech than he had with the first. “You see, Ginny took up your position on the Quidditch team and now… well, she can’t play anymore…”

My heart dropped in disappointment. Of course, he was only here because he needed me to play, not because he realized he’d make a mistake and truly wanted to make it right. “And you need me to,” I finished for him.

“Um, yeah,” he confessed, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “I wouldn’t ask except-”

“No.” I turned from him to make my way to the safety of my lover and his comforting arms.

“Harry!” he pleaded.

“I said no,” I told him firmly, not even bothering to look around.

“Please, we’re desperate-” Obviously if they had to resort to me. “-we have the Slytherin game coming up and with the team as it is they’re going to thrash us!”

I couldn’t believe his nerve. How could he beg me like I owed him something? I didn’t owe him anything, and I told him so. “You gave up on our friendship without a second thought,” I spat back at him sharply, and I could feel Draco standing close behind me in case I needed him. “I understand that you wanted to stand by Ginny because you have a responsibility to her as her brother, but I thought you had a responsibility to me too, as my best friend! You didn’t even bother to talk to me about it, you just took her word for it, and look what her word is worth! She’s fucking pregnant with someone else’s kid!” I was screaming all my hurt at him, all my frustration and anger, and it was scratching my throat raw. “Tell me, Ron, given everything that’s happened, do you really think a half-arsed apology is going to fix everything? That I’ll skip along with you back to the Quidditch Pitch and tell you everything is forgiven!?” I swallowed and the thick phlegm in my mouth hurt as it went down. Ron was silent – we all were – and I felt Draco’s hand rub soothing circles across my back.

“I don’t know what else to say,” Ron admitted, his gaze locked firmly on a large rock near his feet. “I don’t know how to change what happened. I should have talked to you, but I just… I dunno.” He shrugged pathetically.

“I’m not asking you to change what happened,” I sighed. It was only morning, but I was so tired from this emotional drain I could have happily crawled back into bed with Draco and slept another few hours. “Just tell me the truth… do you hate me?”

“No, of course not!” he exclaimed sounding offended at the suggestion and I could have hit him myself. “I have never hated you. I just hated what you did to Ginny – and to me.”

“I never did anything to you!” I defended myself. Draco had stopped rubbing my back, but he was still close behind me.

“You cheated on my sister! I trusted you with her and you – you – you should have told me!” he spluttered.

“I should have told you I was cheating on Ginny!?” I asked him incredulously.

“Yes,” he replied firmly. “You should have told me you were gay.”

He shocked me with that last statement, especially with how easily the word ‘gay’ left his mouth, like he’d said it a thousand times before and was not even remotely hesitant about it. “What would you have done?” I asked him seriously.

“I would have been angry, but I would have gotten over it,” he answered, focusing his eyes on me as if Draco wasn’t there. “You’re my best friend.”

“I didn’t know how – how could I confess that to you?” I said, folding under his gaze. When he told me I was his best friend as if I still were, I felt my knees buckle.

“I dunno,” he shrugged, and then for a second I saw him smile. “Maybe something like ‘Hey Ron, I’m gay and I’m poking your sister’s ex-boyfriend behind her back.’”

I smiled weakly back at him. “Oh yeah, you would have loved that,” I scoffed lightly.

“Well, I don’t know,” he huffed. “You just should have said something, I felt like I didn’t know you at all. How could I not know something this huge about you!? I was your best friend for fuck’s sake!” Guilt twisted at my gut and suddenly I didn’t feel so righteous anymore. Then in a show of maturity I would have never expected from Ron, he said, “I suppose when it all blew up I should have talked to you about it instead of ignoring you, but I was just so angry… and then it was too late.”

I blinked at him. “It wasn’t too late,” I said, and he looked up at me with hopeful eyes. “I guess we’re both idiots. I’m sorry I didn’t trust you enough to tell you.” Even though my fears of rejection were justified when it all finally did come out, I thought silently to myself.

“Me too,” he nodded, and he looked truly repentant. “I’m sorry I only listened to Ginny and never asked you anything about it. Is it too late to fix this?”

“Depends why you want to fix it,” I replied, still a little wary of his intentions. “So we can try to be friends again, or so I’ll agree to play for you?”

“Don’t worry about the game, it’s not your problem,” he dismissed it easily, shaking his head.

I nodded, accepting that he wasn’t just trying to manipulate me into playing, but I didn’t have an answer for him. I knew we would never have that easy trust we once did, and whatever friendship we did build again would take time and a lot of effort; I wasn’t sure we could do it, but I supposed we owed it to each other to at least try. “Mike and I broke up,” I told him, figuring if we were going to give this friendship thing a go we should probably start filling each other in on what we’d missed these last few weeks. “I’m with Draco now.” I wanted him to know that if he wanted me back he would be getting all of me, my new boyfriend included.

“Yeah, I figured that,” he nodded, eyeing Draco cautiously. “That’s – good?” he asked as though he were checking it with me.

“Yes, it’s very good,” I confirmed leaning back into my lover; Draco wrapped his arms around my waist from behind. “He makes me happy.”

“Okay, good,” he said smiling tentatively. “I should get back, Hermione is probably wondering where I am.”

“Yes, I suppose so.”

He turned and started back towards the castle, and then stopped to tell me one last thing. “She misses you,” he said.

My mind flashed back to our exchange in the library a few days ago. “I know,” I said. “I’ll talk to her.” He nodded and walked up the stone steps leaving Draco and I alone.

We shared in a comfortable silence for a while as I let him hold me, and I felt him kiss my hair a few times. “That was intense,” he said eventually.

“It was a bit,” I agreed, and he released me and took my hand to lead me back into the warmth of the castle. “I’m sorry you had to see all that.”

“Hey,” he chastised me for apologizing, gently tugging on my arm in protest. “I was just glad I was able to be there for you, that’s not something I would have wanted you to face alone.” I smiled at the sentiment; he truly was the man I needed in my life. “So what did you think about all that?”

He guided me away from the stairs I had been heading towards thinking we were going back to his room, and down a different set of stairs. I frowned at him, mildly confused and he raised his eyebrows at me waiting for my answer. “I’m not sure, that was a lot to take in,” I told him taking a deep breath. “I can’t believe he wants me to play on the Quidditch team again.”

“Do you want to play?” he asked me knowingly and I wanted to swat that smirk right off his face. How did he know me so well? I wanted to tell Ron to bugger off, but the Seeker in me couldn’t resist the opportunity to chase the Snitch once more, and the Gryffindor in me couldn’t let Slytherin just have the Quidditch Cup without a fight.

“What about you? We’d have to play opposite each other again,” I reminded him as if he’d forgotten he was the Slytherin Seeker. He stopped dead in his tracks and I gave a sharp yelp as I almost crashed into him. He grinned at me wickedly before tickling the pear in a familiar portrait of a bowl of fruit.

“Just think of all the fun I could have trying to distract you,” he teased me, and then pulled me into the kitchen busy with House Elves scurrying about. “We could make it much more fun than just win or lose, perhaps the loser should give the winner a blow job.”

“That’s quite an incentive for me to win, you’re rather good at that,” I laughed, ignoring all the obliging House Elves at my feet as Draco lifted me to sit on one of the preparation benches.

“Yes, well, you’ve been spectacular at everything else so far, I’m dying to know how well you suck-”

“Draco!” I scolded him, blushing furiously at the thought of Dobby – who was currently demanding my attention – hearing Draco, his old master, talking dirty to me.

“Right, let’s get you some proper breakfast, shall we?” he suggested, abruptly changing the subject and turning to the House Elves who were apparently only too happy to help.

“Better grab two croissants for me,” I told him, “I’m going to need my strength if you’re going to help me practice my Quidditch skills with a few one-on-one Seeker games this afternoon.”

He turned back to look at me with one eyebrow raised as if to say, ‘really? Is that so?’

“Best two out of three, and if you win maybe you won’t have to wait a whole week to see how well I suck cock,” I declared boldly with a wink, before pulling him in by the front of his shirt for another kiss.

Author's Note: Tee hee. I do adore their banter. My turn next!!