A Business Affair

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Chapter Seventeen: Apology Rejected

Harry landed smoothly on the grass of the pitch. He glanced around as the other players landed next to him. Michael hopped off his broom easily and walked toward where the team was reconvening. Harry followed, his eyes on his back.

"That was good!" Wood said enthusiastically. "Good first practice everyone."

He then dismissed them and the team made their way to the locker rooms. Harry walked slowly behind, thinking to himself. Michael slowed down to walk beside him and Harry wasn't sure what to do.

"Uh, hi, Michael," he said awkwardly. "How's life been?"

"Not too shabby," Michael replied with a smile. "Can't complain anyway."

"That's good," Harry said.

Michael nodded cheerfully. "So I hear you married Ginny Weasley," he said.

"Yeah," Harry replied shortly. Michael gave him a curious look but didn't press it. "How do you like the team?" Harry asked, changing the subject.

"Seems pretty nice. I had no idea Draco was the owner."

Harry stopped suddenly and looked at Michael.

Michael also stopped and gave him a questioning look. "What?"

Harry hesitated for a second then decided to just ask. "You're not involved, are you?"

"Involved?" Michael repeated, thinking. "We were never really involved, more like a shag here and there. I have to say he looks even better now than he did in school. Wow, I wouldn't mind getting involved now, if you know what I mean."

Michael raised his eyebrows suggestively at Harry, who frowned slightly. Michael smiled and started walking again. Harry moved slowly along with him.

He didn't know why it bothered him, but he didn't like the idea of Draco sleeping with someone. Harry admitted Michael was good looking; tall, dark, and handsome; all that kind of thing, but Draco would want something more, right?

Harry shook his head as they neared the changing rooms. Michael gave him one last fleeting smile before disappearing through the door. Harry didn't follow him but leaned against the wall outside. He rested his head back and closed his eyes for a second.

He knew he would have to go home after this. He still felt incredibly guilty for proposing his idea to Draco, but on the other hand he was still furious with Ginny for keeping her secret.

He knew he shouldn't have run off like that, but to his credit he did send an owl with his location just in case. He had hoped she would get the hint and stay away. Luckily she had.

Harry sighed and opened his eyes. The bright early winter sun reflected off the frost still present on the grass. He shivered slightly as a breeze rustled the grass. He pushed himself off the wall and went to clean up then get ready to face the monster.

***

Ginny paced around the living room, wondering when Harry would be home. She glanced at the clock on the wall. She knew that practice ended not long ago.

All weekend she had wracked her brain for the possible reason of his new silence and distance. She thought it couldn't all be because of a slap, but what else could it be?

She sighed as she turned at the corner of the sofa, pacing some more. She did want to work on the marriage but all they seemed to do was fight. She hadn't gone after Harry over the weekend for fear of pushing him further away. She vowed to be more understanding, to listen more. Maybe that would help.

She moved around the couch and sat down on it, but just then the front door swung open. She jumped up immediately as Harry came in the room. He didn't look up but took off his jacket and shook the water from it. It was now pouring outside.

Ginny waited anxiously as he hung it up on the hook by the door and slipped off his shoes. He turned and looked at her finally. There was little expression in his face. Ginny let out a sigh of relief and moved towards him.

She came closer and hugged him. He put his arms around her slowly, not hugging very tightly.

"Harry, I'm so glad you're back," she breathed. Harry didn't respond. She pulled away to look at him and he gave her a small smile. She seemed to take this as a good sign. "How was your weekend?" she asked tentatively.

"It was fine," he replied.

"Harry," she said pleadingly, looking up into his distant eyes. "You do know I'm sorry, right?"

"For what?"

Ginny paused for a second and Harry waited.

"For what, Ginny?" Harry asked in a slightly more dangerous voice.

"Um..." she said, stalling. In truth, she really didn't know why on Earth Harry could be so upset with her. She hadn't done anything that she hadn't already apologized for, or so she thought.

"You don't even know, do you?" he asked, growing more annoyed by the second.

Ginny pulled herself together and looked Harry in the eye. "No, actually," she said. "I don't know why you're so upset! I don't know why I should be apologizing."

"So you can't think of anything that you've done that I could possibly be mad for?" Harry exclaimed.

Ginny threw her arms up. "No! Whatever happened was apparently not my fault. Something is just going on with you that I can't fathom."

"And you don't think you've done anything wrong to cause this?" he asked incredulously.

"If I have, I certainly don't know it," Ginny said angrily then her tone turned softer. "Please, Harry, let's just forget this and go back to normal."

"Normal?" Harry scoffed. He shook his head in disbelief. What did they know about normal?

Ginny nodded in response and moved forward once again. She placed a hand gently on his chest and looked up at him hopefully. "Let's just forget about it, okay?"

Harry looked down at her and frowned. There was no way he would ever be able to forget about her betrayal. "Sure," he said coldly.

She smiled and stood up to kiss his cheek softly. Then she turned and walked away from him into the kitchen. Harry remained where he was in the living room staring after her.

She had absolutely no idea why he was so angry. She didn't even think about what she had done in the past. Absolutely no clue! Harry's expression darkened as he heard her humming happily in the kitchen.

He hated that she didn't know, didn't understand. How could she be so selfish? Harry knew that he couldn't take this much longer. She was keeping her secret from him and apparently it wasn't that important to her if it didn't even come up on her radar when he accused her of keeping things from him.

As he watched her flit back and forth in the kitchen making tea, he knew he had to do something. He wanted to punish her. He needed Draco.

***

"How's life, Draco?"

Draco paused, taking a sip of his drink. He replaced it carefully on the coaster on the coffee table. The curtains were opened and early afternoon sunlight filtered into the large living room. Across from Draco sat Blaise in the over-stuffed arm chair.

"Not bad," Draco said with a smirk.

"And things are progressing?" Blaise asked with a wicked smile.

"Very well indeed."

"Hermione tells me that your Potter seems to be having some kind of mental breakdown," Blaise said, a bit of unease showing in his voice. "If Hermione's picking it up, it won't be long until she figures it out."

"As of now, there is nothing to figure out. Things are progressing, however, a new twist has been added. One that could turn out, or be manipulated, to be very useful."

"Useful?" Blaise asked. "How?"

"Do you remember Michael?" Draco asked lightly, taking another drink of his tea.

"Corner? Yeah, how could I forget. I learned how to perform sound blocking spells very well that year," Blaise said with a small shudder.

Draco disregarded it and continued. "Yes, well, he is one of the new Chasers on the team."

"Really?" Blaise asked, interested. "And how will that be useful?"

Draco gave him an exasperated look and sighed. "Blaise, how would you feel if an old boyfriend of Hermione's came into town suddenly?"

Blaise frowned, thinking. "I wouldn't like it," he said.

"Exactly. Now, I know Potter doesn't really care for me at the moment, but he's being driven to me out of some kind of mess with his wife," Draco said, waving his hand vaguely. "Even if he doesn't like me, he may feel threatened by Michael, an old friend, a very hot old friend."

Blaise laughed and shook his head as Draco spoke. "You are quite the mastermind," he told him, grinning. "I don't quite understand it all yet, but I'm sure you have it worked out somewhere in there."

Draco nodded in acquiescence. He took another drink and set the cup back down. "Now," he said, "how to manipulate this to my advantage."

"I'm sure you'll think of something."

***

"What the hell was that?!" Wood exclaimed as the team reconvened on the grass, sodden in the pouring rain. Large droplets of water ran down the teams face, causing their clothes to adhere to their bodies. They could barely see through the torrential rains.

They only looked at Wood as he went on, ranting about their performance. The rain had impaired their vision so much that not much had been accomplished. No one spoke up against Wood. They all stood in the heavy rain and waited for him to finish.

Harry glanced over to the stands where Draco had left and was walking toward them. He had an umbrella, lucky for him. Harry grumbled under his breath but it was lost in the howling winds. He looked over at Michael, who was no longer listening to Wood, though it still appeared to be so.

Instead, his eyes were trained on Draco as he approached. Today, Draco was wearing a light jacket with a green tee-shirt that clung to his body. His jeans were weighed down by the moisture condensing on the bottom, pulling them down over his slender hips. Harry saw Michael lick his lips at the sight.

Harry forced himself to look back at Wood who was still pacing back and forth and yelling about the practice. Finally, he stopped, seeming to realize that they were all standing in the rain and soaking to the bone.

"Fine, fine," he grumbled. "Go change."

The team let out a collective sigh of relief and turned to go back to the changing rooms.

"I expect better tomorrow!" Wood called after them. Harry just rolled his eyes and continued on his way. He looked around and noticed that Michael was no longer with them. He looked back and saw him talking with Draco in the middle of the pitch.

Harry stopped, having a conflict with himself. In the end, he turned around and stole back towards Draco and Michael. He couldn't hear what was being said over the wind but saw Michael reach out and touch Draco instantaneously. Harry frowned at the gesture as he stood half-hidden behind a goal post.

Michael turned and left, walking in the opposite direction and off the field. Harry saw Draco walk the other way and he turned to leave. When he turned around, he came face to face with Draco.

"Malfoy!" he said, surprised.

"Spying on me, Potter?" he drawled, a hint of amusement laced in the statement.

"No," Harry scowled.

Draco smirked and moved closer to him. He was still fairly dry under his umbrella while Harry remained soaked. His clothes clung to his body from the constant rain. "Aw, Potter," he said, mock pouting. "Don't you trust me?"

"No," Harry replied scathingly.

"That's too bad," Draco said while moving ever closer. Harry backed up until he hit the pillar. His heart was beating about as fast as the rain was pouring down from the sky. Draco raised a finger and traced the number on Harry's rain-soaked shirt.

He leaned in closely to Harry, the umbrella coming above them to shield the rain momentarily. Water dripped off of Harry's hair and ran down his face. Draco reached up and moved a lock of hair away from Harry's face. Harry's eyes followed the hands movement the entire time.

Draco licked his lips and leaned in closer to Harry so his lips were only inches above Harry's. Harry's breathing was quickened as Draco came closer.

Draco's lips quirked into a half smirk as he surveyed Harry. "What's wrong, Potter?" he whispered. His warm breath ghosted over Harry's lips in the cold, rainy air.

Harry swallowed hard and shook his head. In some ways he wanted this, in others he was terrified, and something in the back of his mind was yelling that he should do it for some unknown reason.

"Nothing's wrong?" Draco repeated. "Good, then you won't mind if I do this."

His lips descended quickly on Harry's. Harry immediately opened his mouth, letting Draco's probing tongue enter into its hot caverns. The umbrella fell from Draco's hands as he dropped it, reaching to grab around Harry's waist.

Harry didn't protest as Draco jerked his body flush against his. His hands came up to Draco's sides and under the shirt that was rapidly growing wet. Draco didn't seem to mind as the rain fell, soaking his hair and clothes.

The kiss was hot and fevered as it continued. Harry couldn't help but moan as Draco nipped his lower lip, thrusting his hot, moist tongue inside his mouth. Draco quickly abandoned Harry's mouth, ignoring the small noise of protest that issued from it.

He moved down Harry's neck, kissing and nipping at the light flesh there. Harry's head rolled back in pleasure as Draco moved further down. He came to the collar of the shirt and decided it needed to go.

He tore the wet shirt off Harry and tossed it to the side. Harry shivered slightly as the wind hit his already wet skin. Draco kissed down his neck, across his chest, licking a path down his stomach. Harry leaned back against the pillar for support as Draco ravished his body.

Draco's hands came to Harry's slim hips, feeling the jeans there. Harry moaned in pleasure as Draco's tongue dipped below the rough material of the waist line. Draco carefully undid the zipper of Harry's pants, taking an agonizingly slow amount of time.

"Ma-Malfoy," Harry panted, barely audible over the whistling wind. Draco looked up at him as he pulled down his jeans to around his feet. His wet hair fell in front of his face as he grinned wickedly up at Harry.

Next, he pulled down Harry's boxers. He wasted no time into taking Harry in his mouth. Harry threw back his head and let out a loud groan. Draco moved with agility and skill, swirling his tongue over the head of Harry's member.

Harry's hands found their way into Draco's hair, tugging on it lightly as Draco continued to bob back and forth. Harry could feel himself building to a climax. He had never reached it this fast with Ginny. Not that they'd ever done anything like this either, out in the open.

Harry's scream of completion was lost as the wind whipped up around them. He came fast and hard. Draco swallowed easily as if he'd had many a days practice. As he stood back up, he yanked Harry's boxers up with him.

Harry stood leaning against the pillar breathing hard. Draco kissed his neck again, tasting sweat and rain water. When he reached Harry's face, he kissed the side of Harry's mouth. Harry slowly opened his eyes and looked at Draco.

Draco quirked an eyebrow and smirked at him. He moved the same piece of soggy hair out of Harry's eyes again, and Harry gave him a confused look. Draco said nothing. He just backed away, smirking, until the rain swallowed him.

Harry looked down at the ground and sighed to himself. He pulled up his soaking pants and reached over for his shirt. He pulled it over his head, shivering in the cold. He looked to where Draco had disappeared and shook his head sadly.

Then he turned slowly and walked back to the locker rooms. As Harry passed the woods, a dark figure hidden by a large tree watched as he went. If Harry had noticed the person, he would have seen an amused smirk form on the figure's face.


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A/N: Please review! :) And may all your Monday's be happy.