The Consort: Hummingbird Circus

Harry sat on a fan-shaped chair by the pool. It was one thing he had observed almost immediately upon his arrival: nobody used the pools. The life of concubines and catamites alike seemed to be quite dull. Harry noticed that there were several people who would dress up in elegant clothes and swan about in the early morning or late evening. Once the sun was well established in the sky however, everyone seemed to take shelter under a roof or in a garden, where they sipped wine and munched on deserts. The children of the concubines ran tirelessly through the large complex and their shrieks seemed to meld with the sound of the cool breeze.

Harry had seen the results of such a lax way of life, and he refused to let himself be reduced to food and sex; he would keep his health. It was essential that he remain fit if he wanted to maintain the prince's attention, and that would be necessary if he wanted to turn the tables.

"Alright, out with it. I demand to know at once what it is that's bothering you," Cho said from her position on her canopied chair. She waved Gwynn off as the young woman brought out some water but Harry accepted the glass eagerly.

Gwynn had arrived after the first weekend Harry had been at the Harem. He remembered her from his journey on the prince's boat, she had been kind and was one of the first who had relaxed around him. She arrived with the news that she was to be his new servant, something that Harry was uncomfortable with as he was not at all used to having someone wait on him. Yet, Gwynn had been absolutely stubborn and in the end, when Snape had been called into the argument, Harry had immediately given in and accepted her, though over the weeks they had spent together, Gwynn had become a sort of close friend and confidante, at least as much as Harry would allow.

"I'm not sure about what I'm doing," Harry answered Cho's question honestly.

"You're sitting in a chair, relaxing in the sun. It's not one of the more complicated traditions, dear," Cho said with a smile. She had taken Harry, or rather, Emerald, under her wing, and Harry was eternally grateful to have such a good friend.

"He's given me as long as I need," Harry continued, ignoring her. "And by all accounts I'm ready ... but I'm not."

Cho looked at him appraisingly before she rose from her chair and, snatching one of the plush cushions from her seat, walked over to Harry and dropped it at his feet, settling herself on it. "You're perfectly ready," she said with confidence. "You just haven't the faintest clue what happens once you shut the door."

Harry blushed at this accurate assumption and Cho patted his knee. "It's simple," she said soothingly. "You step into the room and bow, and then he comes forward and takes over." She laughed at Harry's unconscious shiver. "You're a sweet one."

"It isn't enough, though," Harry protested. "I mean, for what ... I'm not ... I need to know more," he settled on, and she looked at him again, as if she were only now figuring him out, and then she stood up.

"I can't teach you everything," she said, and Harry nodded. He knew the restrictions that were imposed on the concubines and catamites. "The only thing you really need to know is how to pretend as if you know exactly what you're doing. And you can do that, even if you don't actually have a clue."

When it became clear he wasn't really following her she reached forward and tilted up his chin. "The only thing you need is confidence. Sex is something that is open for interpretation and experimentation; you very rarely can go wrong. The one thing that you need to know is how to kiss. After that, with your determination and his knowledge," she titled her head towards the palace. "You'll manage just fine."

"Except, I don't know how to kiss."

"Well, I wouldn't be a friend if I didn't help you with that," she answered coyly and leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. After a moment she retreated and looked at him expectantly.

Harry took in a steadying breath and then blinked. "That's it?" he asked, at once shocked and disappointed.

"That's nothing. I just didn't want you going into shock or something. Here," she motioned that he move over and she settled down on the chair beside him. "You've got to trust me for this to work. And you've also got to relax." Harry nodded and she leaned forward again.

It was something she had been thinking about a great deal much to her own embarrassment, and she found she wasn't disappointed. Emerald may have not been an experienced kisser, and certainly this kiss was sloppy and hesitant, but she had missed the feel of a tentative lover who approached the body with intent to explore, rather than to conquer or pleasure. Exploration was pleasure, the most intense kind, she had found. Her lovers had known so much about sex that they couldn't do it properly to save their own souls.

Cho parted slightly to catch a breath and then leaned back into the youth, letting one hand tangle in his dark hair and the other wrap around his neck even as she felt his own hands run up her back and then down again where they settled at her hips.

They were exploring each others mouths as thoroughly as they could, running eager tongues over lower lips, and then tucking deep into the recesses of the mouth where they did battle with each other, nipping gently and gasping breaths quickly before returning to the heated perusal. Finally, Cho sat back and smiled at Emerald's dazed expression.

"That," she answered, with a dazed smile of her own, "is all you need to know about kissing." She rose from the chair quickly and left the pool. For some reason, she felt as if she could cry.

……………………………………………

The message arrived on a silver dish, brought directly to him courtesy of Gwynn, who had smiled at him encouragingly as he spotted the seal. It was a formal request from the prince asking if he would attend a large dinner party at the palace.

Harry sent back his acceptance immediately, it didn't seem like the sort of thing he could turn down, and there wasn't anything implied in the invitation that made him feel he should do so anyway. He had been worried at first, wondering if this was a sign that the prince was getting impatient, but Cho had assured him that this was quite normal, especially for new additions to the harem that still maintained the prince's interest. She had then patted his back and with a teasing smirk, told him not to screw up.

Gwynn found him amusing as they sorted through the matter of his attire for the evening. He explained that it was very important to cast the right impression, and she smiled at him in that strange way, full of amusement and approval and indulgence and shook her head in exasperation as he again tossed aside a set of robes. "I'll choose," she said, smacking his hands away gently.

In the end, she selected gray pants of some soft and thin material so that he would be cool, with a loose white shirt that was perhaps a touch too large, with laces at the collar she purposely tied improperly so that, at some point during the dinner, they might come undone. Harry had appreciated the subtle way she had done this.

When he was dressed they agreed that a simple silver necklace was perhaps best and, to make the outfit formal enough, she draped a dove gray suede cloak around his shoulders, fastening the silver clasp so that the cloak hung off his right shoulder a bit more than the left. In the end, Harry looked innocent but certainly alluring and he had grinned at his reflection before realization of what he was doing had dawned on him, and Gwynn had forced him to sit out on the balcony and catch his breath.

Harry had yet to speak with the prince and he had not spoken to Snape about being 'ready'. The clothes he had especially ordered had arrived about a week before, but Harry didn't feel right about it. Perhaps the dinner would be what he needed to reestablish his confidence and his courage. Or so he hoped, he was getting weary of the Keeper's measuring looks.

"Sir?" Gwynn's soft voice called from just inside the room. He stood and brushed the lavender curtains aside, they were starting to drive him mad and he wondered if it would be presumptuous to ask for the room to be redecorated. He figured it wouldn't be right to start demanding things from Snape before he fully accepted his responsibilities. "It's time to go. Snape is just outside, he's going to escort you." Harry nodded and adjusted his cloak, taking a deep breath before he opened the doors to his room and followed Snape out of the harem and into the palace.

……………………………………………

Draco sat at the head table, bored beyond words. His father had entered into a discussion about the proper construction of merchant ships and his mother was talking about the state of the temples in some of the cities. Neither conversation appealed to him; and, as he watched the guests chattering and eating before him, he was starting to get a bit of a headache, Draco wasn't certain if he should blame the loud voices or the heavy perfumes.

A clump of late dinner guests filed into the room and stepped towards the dais to make their abeyance to the king. Draco spotted Snape immediately and took note of the boy beside him. He squinted to get a better look at the slim youth that accompanied the stoic Keeper, and then felt himself perking up immediately.

Emerald had sent his acceptance, but Draco had still wondered. It had been over three weeks and still the boy had not stepped forward. Draco wondered if perhaps Emerald was going to take advantage of Draco and simply refuse altogether. There had been a few times when he wondered if it were the right decision but now, seeing the boy so alluringly outfitted and flashing coy glances from beneath ruffled bangs, Draco was certain he had been correct.

As Snape brought the boy over and they bowed together, Draco found himself stifling a grin. He wanted to request that both men join his table but by the time he thought of it, they had already turned to take their seats at a small table just to the right, and he was disinclined to draw attention by calling them back. Instead he watched closely as Emerald began to interact with the guests. Chance had seated the ebony haired boy in full sight and the blonde took advantage of this. He devoured all the shy smiles and stifled laughs and nervous glances that the boy offered to the other guests.

Draco also noticed that he was not the only one devouring the boy from a distance, and yet Emerald was completely oblivious to it all. He didn't notice how, near the end of the meal, the loose ties at his shirt collar had undone, leaving his pale chest partially exposed, or how the women at his table had leaned forward as it had happened.

Draco was struck by how open the boy was with his feelings, not bothering to mask his uncertainty or anxiety. Everything shone through his green eyes, and by the end of the meal when his father had stood and announced his intention retire for the evening, Draco felt his patience snap.

……………………………………………

Harry followed Snape back to the harem, both of them entirely silent. On the way to dinner Snape had lectured Harry about proper manners and correct decorum. Harry had listened, but his nerves had made him unable to focus very well and most of it had flown over his head. Walking back, Harry had to admit that he felt uncomfortable in the silence.

They arrived at his rooms and Harry opened the doors, hesitating before he stepped inside. "Good night," Snape said calmly as he turned to leave. Harry nodded distractedly, looking around the room before turning quickly back.

"Wait!" Harry called.

Snape turned to him, walking back slowly until he stood very close to Harry, one eyebrow raised. "Yes?" Snape asked in his usual drawl.

Harry took a deep breath. He had noticed that Snape avoided saying his name as much as possible, and Harry returned the gesture by always referring to the Keeper as 'Snape', rather than 'Severus' as some of the others did, and when he spoke to the man Harry was always careful to refer to the man as 'sir', usually in as respectful a tone as he could manage.

"Sir, I just – er – I mean to say ... could you –" Harry trailed off and frowned, wondering how the hell he was supposed to say what he wanted to. Finally, he settled on the most obvious. "I'm ready, sir … I think –" he tacked on, and looked at Snape with a sheepish, hesitant look.

The eyebrow rose higher. "Indeed," Snape said. "I will notify the prince immediately," Snape added and gave Harry a strange look that, on anyone else, Harry might have interpreted as approval and a tinge of respect but with Snape was probably indigestion.

"Th-thank-you, sir," Harry said, keeping his eyes fixed on the ground.

"Good-night, Emerald," Snape said in a cool drawl that belied the words. Harry smiled a bit to himself and then hurried into his rooms where he promptly tumbled into a chair, completely aghast at himself for what he had just done.

……………………………………………

Draco was pacing. It was a habit that he had perfected over the years and he had worked out the ideal path through his rooms and the antechamber and his study. And he walked it again in a vain attempt to keep himself in check.

As the doors to his rooms were opened and the arrival of Severus Snape was announced Draco immediately quit his pacing and stood in what he hoped was a calm and collected, awe-inspiring position.

"Severus," Draco said as the man bowed and stepped into the rooms, Draco had ended his pacing in his study and he noticed that the servant that had introduced the Keeper had quietly closed the doors. "I have a request."

"First," Severus said, interrupting Draco and catching him off-guard. "I have to notify you of something. I have received word."

"Word," Draco repeated, dumbly. He didn't really care, he wanted Emerald delivered to his rooms and he wanted it done as soon as was humanly possible.

"Emerald has notified me that he feels he is ready, my lord," Severus stated coolly.

Draco opened his mouth and then promptly closed it again. "Emerald –"

"Is ready," Severus clarified.

"Oh," Draco stated stupidly, embarrassed by the soft crack in his voice.

There was a moment of awkward silence. "Your request?"

"Erm. Yes." Draco attempting to process the news and determine the best course of action; while he didn't want to seem too eager, he'd be damned if it weren't true. And then there was the fact that he had been waiting patiently for over three weeks and didn't want it to end too quickly. "Tomorrow, I think," Draco said. "Tell him to come tomorrow."

……………………………………………

Harry was woken early the next morning by desperate shakes and an eager looking Gwynn. He batted her hands away and tried to burrow under his blankets, but she was insistent and Harry found himself being dragged through the harem to one of the baths, still half asleep and without a single clue as to what was going on.

The outdoor baths were very lovely. Similar in many respects to the pools, the baths were very large, but the ivory roof supported by ivory columns, wrapped with vines distinguished this path from the pools. Gwynn dragged him inside quickly and began to arrange the various products she had brought with her.

The white tiles glinted in the faint morning light and as Harry was pushed down the steps and into the water he couldn't help but feel distinctly out of place. The only time he had ever seen such materials was at the temples back home.

Witnessing Gwynn's impatient glance Harry washed quickly having been woken enough by the cool water to be able to function. He had grown oddly accustomed to the spicy scent of the soap Gwynn always made him use, which she made it herself, as she did all the various products that she used on him. It seemed a complex process to go through but whenever he brought it up and asked why she wouldn't just go to the market or use the stuff that was always set out, she would look at him with a complex expression that Harry could never quite decipher. Sometimes it seemed as if the look was amused, other times sad, though why the question would make her sad, he had no clue. Either way, Harry had learned not to comment on it, and he trusted Gwynn enough to let her do whatever she thought best.

After he was clean, Gwynn ushered him out of the water and stood him on a platform, where he felt as if he were on display and was incredibly grateful that it was still too early for the other occupants of the harem to be up and about.

The first tweak of pain caused him to yelp and leap backwards, as far away from Gwynn as possible. He scowled at her but she merely quirked an eyebrow. "It has to be done," she said simply and moved forward, brandishing the tweezers as if they were a weapon.

Another tweak of pain and Harry cursed the hair on both his legs. "You're lucky you don't have much hair to begin with," she said. When he winced once more a fleeting look of sympathy crossed her face. "It will become easier, in time," Gwynn explained, likely to distract him from the tweezers as they continued to pluck him as if he were a chicken. "Soon the hairs simply won't grow anymore."

"Isn't there a faster way?" Harry asked. In truth, Gwynn was actually working quite quickly and was making good progress, but it was still quite unpleasant for Harry and if there was any way for the process to either be speeded up further, or cutout altogether, then Harry would be more than happy to try it.

"No. You'll get used to it," she repeated. There was no sympathy in her voice and Harry assumed it was because, as a woman and as a servant of the palace, she had already had to endure the ghastly business.

Harry wasn't sure how long it took. By breakfast his legs were bare, though a bit reddish and sensitive. Gwynn simply placed a bowl of fruit on a pillar-like table beside him and went back to work. Much to Harry's dismay, he was informed that by the end of the ordeal he would be hairless, with the exception of the ruffled ebony locks on his head and his eyebrows and lashes.

There followed an argument in which Gwynn refused to be put off, but had agreed to at least leave Harry with some pubic hair. "Is that how men establish their manhood?" Gwynn had asked, teasingly, and Harry had been blushing so furiously he had been unable to speak.

The time he had spent at the harem, almost a full month, had forced him to become accustomed to other people, (although it was only Gwynn so far, and soon to be prince as well) seeing him naked. He also was used to seeing other people naked, but that didn't mean that it stopped him from being embarrassed about any of it, and certainly he had not adjusted to bawdy teasing. Gwynn simply laughed and returned to her work.

After Harry was satisfactorily rid of the unsightly hairs he was told to bathe again, this time with scented soap that soothed his skin, as well as his nerves. Afterwards, Gwynn gave him a lengthy massage to make up for his otherwise unpleasant morning, and by the end of it all Harry was so relaxed that he had almost forgotten about what was to happen later that night.

Cho joined him for lunch and she did her best to distract him from thoughts about the evening, and the rest of the day passed in a blur for Harry. As relaxed as the massage had made him, he was still incredibly nervous about the evening, and as the hour grew later it became increasingly difficult for him to relax as both Gwynn and Cho were insisting he do.

Finally, Gwynn came and pulled him back inside, insisting that it was time to get ready. She brought out the robes he had specified and set to work.

Harry had, as nonchalantly as possible, outlined how he would like to look for the evening and it was oddly comforting to know that there was someone else who knew his plan and was fully ready to help him as much as possible. It was a bit odd, as Gwynn trotted out some makeup and set out some gold pieces of jewelry, but she promised that she wouldn't make him look ridiculous, and he trusted her enough to keep his mouth shut.

He tried to sit still but found it difficult and, much to Gwynn's aggravation, there was always a part of him moving. If it wasn't restless squirming in his seat, he was drumming his fingers on the armrest of the chair in which he was reclining, or he was swinging his legs, or shifting his head away from the various brushes that Gwynn had to use to apply the makeup around his eyes.

Finally Gwynn had announced that she was finished and just applying the final touches, and Harry couldn't have been more relieved. He tapped his foot, and managed to keep the rest of him still to allow her to complete her task.

The knock on the door startled Harry, and for one irrational moment he wondered if it was the prince who had grown impatient, or perhaps someone coming to give him the message that he wasn't needed, both options seemed equally plausible to his frazzled mind.

Instead, Gwynn opened the door to find Severus Snape, and the strange look in the dark eyes as the Keeper surveyed Harry was quite disconcerting, but it seemed to make Gwynn very proud, so he took it for a good sign. "I have come to escort you," Snape murmured. Cho had not mentioned that possibility. In fact, Cho had regaled him with how nerve-racking the long walk to the prince's quarters had been. She hadn't had anyone with her.

"Thank-you – sir," Harry said, still jittery and now equally unnerved about Snape's odd behavior. Snape simply walked through Harry's room and opened the glass doors onto the patio. Harry took a bracing breath and looked to Gwynn, who fixed his robe and brushed his hair back before smiling and giving him an encouraging nod. With a decisive nod, Harry turned and followed his Keeper.

It was a surprise to see Snape holding open a small gate just outside of his room. Harry wondered why he had never noticed that the guardrail on his balcony had a gate that attached to a small bridge. It finally dawned on him that he really had been given the best rooms within the entire harem, with private access to the prince's chamber. It made odd butterflies leap in his stomach and he tried to quell them.

"Hurry along," Snape said and Harry nodded, clutching at his robes awkwardly. He felt somewhat silly, dressed up as he was in front of Snape, but the dark haired man didn't seem to mind at all. "You will, of course, have to take this route on your own when you return," Snape said.

"Of course," Harry managed, voice sounding constricted. He took another deep breath after all, his plan wasn't going to work if he went about pussyfooting around the prince like the virgin that he was. The sweet smell of the night jasmine calmed him and he sighed, trying not to think about anything except what a beautiful night it was.

"It is better," Snape said after they had walked in silence for a bit. "To take your cues from the prince." Harry nodded, though he really didn't understand what his Keeper had meant. "Here you go," Snape said as they came to stop out front of a set of doors.

"Thank-you," Harry said, not really knowing what he was thanking the man for. Snape simply nodded and continued to wait and it dawned on Harry that the man was waiting until Harry had opened the doors, and he quickly stepped forward, knocking softly before opening the door and slipping inside.

……………………………………………

Draco had been expecting Emerald and had made sure to keep his study door open so that he could keep an eye on his bedroom. After a while, he had become engrossed in the documents pertaining to his father's earlier years when he had been a general in the army. Draco had always been fascinated by his father's brilliance with regards to warfare. The tactics he had employed were incredible, and it had enabled him to expand the empire.

It was because of his fascination that Draco did not hear the quiet knock, and continued to leaf through the documents on his study desk before a strange tingling causing the hairs at the nape of his neck to rise made him lift his head, and he noticed a splotch of red out of the corner of his eye.

Turning, Draco blinked several times before he was able to process what he saw. The boy was dressed in a fashion that made Draco's mouth water; he wore black boots and black leather pants cut low enough that they allowed Draco to see part of Emerald's slim hips, as well as a portion of his mid-section since the dark red top he was wearing was short, stopping just above the boy's belly-button. Draco could clearly see the strange Celtic knot design that encircled the boy's navel. There was a tunic overtop of the tight red shirt, in a darker shade of the same color and it was left unbuttoned, and a long red cloak, so dark it appeared to be almost black was around the boy's shoulders, clasped with a golden clasp.

Emerald's skin was tanned, luminescent in the soft light in the room. Dark kohl outlined his green eyes and Draco was certain it was a hint of glitter that made the other boy's face and neck gleam. He wondered if there was glitter in other places as well, and decided to find out.

Emerald was standing close to a pillar by the doors, not quite leaning though his position was relaxed. As Draco entered his bedroom Emerald stepped forward, inclining his head respectfully. At that moment, Draco was reminded that this was not one of the idle wealthy boys whom he had taken a liking to. No, this was the cause of the rebellion that had almost succeeded in relieving the Edorean Empire of one of its largest agricultural providers. This bow that the boy gave was just enough to placate Draco's pride, but not anywhere near the humble bows he was used to, especially when in a situation such as this. He was intrigued.

It was somewhat surprising for Draco when he discovered that it had become difficult to speak, the tempter that stood so casually in his doorway, completely prepared, watching him with hooded eyes, was not at all what he had been expecting. It was Emerald's first time, of that there was no doubt, yet even still, there he was, as if he were the one about to seduce Draco into bed.

Slowly, when Draco made no further move, Emerald stepped further into the room, toeing off his boots, and they stood facing each other, separated by a mere seven paces that seemed to Draco to be both exhilaratingly close, and agonizingly distant. Emerald was just out of reach, his bare feet pale against the deep blue rug. Entranced, he could only watch as Emerald approached. A slim hand snaked out from beneath the dark robe and Draco caught a glimmer of a gold armband, the glinting light making the boy before him appear even more surreal.

Draco was only distantly aware that no words had been exchanged between them. Emerald stood in the center of the bedroom, confident in a way and poised in a way unlike any of the harem's initiates had ever been. Not all of Draco's concubines and catamites had come to him untried, but they had always sought to cast the illusion of virginity.

Draco watched the boy's hands as they rose to the clasp that held his cloak. Deftly, the fingers pried the clasp free and let the cloak slither to the floor, lying in a pool around his feet. Draco's breath hitched a bit, as the tunic met a similar fate, sliding easily off the lithe form. Unable to control himself, Draco stepped closer but the dark haired boy simply took a step back, bringing him closer to Draco's bed. Draco wondered if the boy knew in what direction he moved, but coherent thought was interrupted as Emerald's hands strayed to the complex ties that fastened the leather pants he wore.

Draco held his breath, eyes focused on slender fingers as they dug into the knot and set it free, allowing the pieces of the cords to fall loose, but not making a move to push off the pants. He could see the boy's slender hips clearly from the space between the short top and the unfastened pants, and he took another step wanting to touch, wanting. Emerald held his gaze as he lowered himself back onto the bed, fingers still wound in the dark laces of the pants, and Draco followed him, until he stood by the bed, looking down at the enticing tempter who lay there incongruously blushing as he offered himself. It was a quick reminder that no matter what illusion Emerald cast he was untried, and Draco took a steadying breath, reminding himself to proceed slowly despite the burgeoning desire that urged him onward, and quickly.

He let his eyes wander from the bare feet, up slim legs, and over the glimpse of hips that peaked alluringly and tantalized Draco with the promise of satin-soft flesh; over the tight stomach, admiring the dark ink design, and up to the boy's eyes. The eyes were wide and Draco licked his lips in anticipation. Slowly, not breaking eye contact, Draco pulled off his loose shirt. He did not wear a covering tunic as he had been awaiting his latest catamite. His chest was a faint gold in the soft light and he watched as the moss green eyes strayed over his exposed flesh before returning to pierce Draco with an indiscernible look. Draco searched for traces of fear and was not entirely surprised when he found none. Encouraged, he raised a hand to undo the laces of his pants only to find the movement stopped by a cool hand covering his.

Emerald sat up from the bed and crossed his arms, taking the bottom of his short top into his hands and pulling it up and over his head before casting it off to land on the floor at the side of the bed before he lay back down against the pillows. It was Draco's turn to let his eyes wander. Emerald's chest was toned but the boy was still lithe and slender and Draco ached to run his hands over the smooth expanse of flesh, and then follow the path of his hands with his tongue, devouring the tempter alive.

In an attempt to distract himself and also speed the progress of things, Draco loosed the knots on his pants and pulled them off, pausing for a moment to allow Emerald to eye his now naked form before he placed a knee onto the edge of the bed and let the hand that was not braced against the bed to run up Emerald's thigh, over his hip and up to the slim neck.

Emerald rose and pushed himself further back in the bed and for a moment Draco wondered if this was where the line was drawn and the smooth tempter became the nervous virgin, but Emerald simply resettled further back on the pillows, arching his hips up and peeling the leather pants slowly down past his hips and then off his legs.

Again, Draco found himself wetting his lips and he crawled forward, bracing his hands on either side of Emerald's head as he leant forward and touched his lips to the soft pink ones of the boy beneath him.

It started out soft and tentative, because in Draco's experience it was wiser to go slow with someone inexperienced. Somewhere along the way, fuelled by Draco's undeniable lust and Emerald's surprisingly unresisting and talented tongue, a fire was lit between them and Draco found himself burning with an unchecked need that he had not experienced in a very long time.

He pushed his tongue into Emerald's mouth, rubbing it fleetingly against Emerald's own tongue and around before he drew it out, only to push it back in, slowly fucking Emerald's willing mouth. Beneath him, Emerald's body was already beginning to arch into his touch as Draco's hands teased nipples and caressed skin that felt as soft as it had looked in the lamplight.

Reluctantly, Draco withdrew from Emerald's responsive mouth and licked and nipped his way down his slender neck, teasing out low moans and short, shaky breaths. His exploration led him to a sensitive spot on Emerald's body, at the junction between neck and shoulders, and as he sucked steadily at the spot, reveling in Emerald's tightly closed eyes and strangled moans, Draco let his hands wander further down to part the boy's slim thighs.

A sucked-in breath made him pause and he looked up to see uncertainty lurking in green eyes, which somehow only served to arouse Draco all the more. He lifted himself up once more to Emerald's kiss bruised lips and kissed the boy thoroughly until the form beneath him was once again relaxed and, with his tongue serving as distraction, pushed the thighs apart. This time they moved willingly and one leg bent at the knee, foot bracing against the mattress as Draco's hand ran up and then down the leg.

When he was certain Emerald was calm, Draco returned to the path his mouth had been on before. He tongued the boy's right nipple, savoring the quick, erratic breaths he was rewarded with and watched as the eyes that had fallen shut during their kiss squinted tightly closed as the boy's breath caught and held when Draco's hand strayed closer to Emerald's throbbing erection.

Finally, when he was rewarded with a hitched sob, Draco bent his head and took the boy into his mouth, one hand still running over the thigh, and the other questing in the night table for the oil.

Emerald's hands were clutching the sheets in tight fists that made the knuckles white, and the boy was taking in tiny hitched breaths when he wasn't exhaling in soft moans and Draco continued sucking him, taking him entirely into his mouth and then lifting his head, letting his tongue run up the underside of the heavy cock, tonguing the head in quick strokes before once again taking him in.

With a skill that came from practice, Draco managed to open the little bottle and get a sufficient amount of oil onto his fingers before he brushed the bottle aside, vaguely hoping that it hadn't smashed on the floor, before he brought his hand up, lifting Emerald's hips and letting one digit circle the boy's entrance, waiting until Emerald grew adjusted to the new sensation before pushing the digit slowly inside.

The eyes that had been closed snapped open, and the mouth was open in a silent 'oh' of surprise and Draco concentrated harder on the cock in his mouth, letting Emerald adjust to the intruder.

Slowly, he began to move his finger, looking for the sweet spot. The sudden gasp and tightening of the already tight passage around his questing digit assured Draco that he had found his target. Emerald arched his hips off the bed, eyes opening wider in surprise, and Draco began to stroke the spot in earnest before slipping in a second finger. It was welcomed into the passage by a groan and a shift of slim hips and Draco concentrated on his dual tasks before a sharp gasp and tensing of the body beneath him warned him that Emerald was close. He backed off quickly, smirking at the disappointed moan and tried to placate the boy by inserting another digit. Flexing his fingers in an effort to loosen the boy, but he himself was on the brink and he pulled the fingers free, fisted his own cock until it was adequately coated with oil before positioning himself above Emerald. Green eyes opened and Draco held Emerald's gaze as he slowly penetrated the beautiful boy beneath him.

Emerald's breath was sucked-in through clenched teeth. A slight wince was the only sign of discomfort in the dark-haired boy, and Draco waited a moment before he began to move. Coherent thought became impossible. Draco tried to keep his eyes open, to watch the various expressions of pleasure flash over the face beneath him as he had quickly learned that Emerald's expressions were arousing and intoxicating, but his eyes drifted shut and all he could do was thrust into the tight heat and turn Emerald's choked gasps and strangled moans into oxygen.

The world seemed to be spinning faster and faster until it was out of control and colors splashed across the backs of his eyelids and then turned to white, blinding and brilliant, and he was aware that someone was crying out, and it took a moment to realize that it was him, that it was his choked cry that was rebounding off the walls before he collapsed, unable to brace himself any longer.

……………………………………………

Harry opened his eyes. His muscles were amazingly relaxed and he felt boneless and limp. It took him a moment to remember that the reason for this was not the exquisite massage Gwynn had given him the other morning, and when he did he turned slowly to see soft blond hair and the prince's relaxed features lying on the edge of a pillow.

Walking with Snape over to the prince's quarters, the other night, Harry had been filled with anxiety, but once he had stepped inside and it had been only him and the prince things became easier. He had stood just inside the prince's quarters and remembered the boat ride where, even then, he had been performing a role. Standing there, seeing the expression on the blond royal's features, Harry had realized that he could do it. He had distanced himself the way Cho had said, and it had become so easy to just step out of his body for a moment and watch it happen.

The night had gone as well as Harry could have hoped, but that left the issue of appropriate morning-after conduct. What was proper protocol for a catamite? Should he stay in bed until the prince dismissed him? But then, what if the prince awoke and was disgusted to find him still in his bed? What if the prince had not enjoyed last night? Harry couldn't remember the other youth's reactions as he had been too far-gone to notice. What if the prince was angry at his forwardness and despite everything the plan had failed?

Harry decided that it would be easier to get dressed and get out of the prince's chambers, if it was the wrong choice, then let the reprimand come to him when he had calmed down and was dressed and the memories of the night before had faded. He didn't think he could face the prince again so soon, especially if they were both still naked and standing in the bedroom.

Resolved, Harry attempted to slip from the beneath the covers only to realize that at some point during the night, the prince had thrown an arm around his waist, and the loose grip had become almost vice-like as he had attempted to move. Harry was tempted to struggle or pry the arm away, but the cryptic words Snape had muttered the night before suddenly had context.

Harry reluctantly changed his plan and resolved to take his cues from the prince. With a sigh, he settled down in the pillows and tried to think about anything other than the night before. It was a difficult task for his exhausted body and he soon gave in to sleep.

……………………………………………

When Harry awoke again, he refused to open his eyes. He was painfully aware of three things. One, he was naked. Two, he was not in his own bed, and three, the prince, who was also naked, was awake and watching him.

"Open your eyes, little Emerald," came the soft instruction, and Harry turned the sigh into a yawn and opened his eyes reluctantly. He became aware of the fact that the prince was tracing the inking that Gwynn had done around his navel and the soft touch was giving Harry butterflies.

"Good morning," the prince greeted with a smile. Harry blinked, wondering where his voice had gone, his silence only seemed to amuse the prince more. "I thought that after last night we might have gotten past this," the prince said, clearly trying to stop the smile from turning into a grin. Harry blinked again and opened his mouth, but a strange half-choked sound escaped from it and he quickly closed it again. "This design," the prince continued, as if his bedmate had not become suddenly mute. "It's a protection and luck charm."

Harry looked down at the black design. Gwynn had wanted to put it on, but he had been reluctant at first. But she had seemed determined, and in the end he had allowed her to paint it on. "Gwynn did it," he found himself saying. Was that his voice? It sounded strange, roughened. He realized, with a sudden blush that only made him feel more embarrassed, that his voice was likely rough because of all the cries the prince's torture had elicited from him.

"Gwynn?" the prince asked, and then he seemed to recognize the name and nodded. "It's permanent?"

"Henna," Harry corrected. He had been completely against permanent tattoos and Gwynn had agreed with him. The finger that was tracing the pattern dipped into his navel and Harry held his breath for a moment, willing himself not to blush and to calm down. The prince seemed to watch him with interest, and Harry forced his thoughts on safer subjects.

"Did it work?" the prince asked, seemingly out of nowhere.

"What?"

"Did it work?"

Harry blinked and realized the prince meant the charm; he let his breath out and glanced up into the soft gray eyes. "Yes," he answered and wasn't surprised that it came out as a whisper.

"Good," the prince said with conviction. Harry watched as the blond rose from bed, slipping a robe around his shoulders and padded towards the door. Harry berated himself for not leaving earlier as it was obvious he wasn't needed anymore, but then the prince turned around and quirked an eyebrow. "Stay there for a moment," he ordered, before opening the door to a side room and disappearing through it.

At first, Harry curled up under the blankets, embarrassed and awkward, but it occurred to him that the prince had already seen him naked, so he settled on half-sitting up in bed, so that he could bolt out of the bedroom if he needed.

When the prince returned he undid the ties of his robe and let it fall to the floor before he climbed back onto bed. If he noticed that Harry had begun to blush furiously and was desperately attempting to avoid looking at him then he didn't mention it, for which Harry was immensely grateful.

"I ordered breakfast," the prince explained. "You'll eat with me, of course." Harry nodded mutely and glanced out of the corner of his eye at the blond, only to find that those gray eyes were already looking at him.

"I have a meeting this morning," the prince began. "With some of the nobles at court." Harry picked at the sheets, wondering why the prince was telling him his plans for the day. "But afterward, I intend to walk through the animal keep. I dislike walking alone. You will join me."

Harry smiled a little and risked another glance at the blond; there was a strange gleam in the gray eyes, but otherwise the prince seemed to be merely issuing an order. Without waiting for a response from Harry hecontinued his monologue. "I'm not sure if you're aware of the breadth of species that are in the palace zoo." Harry allowed himself to become distracted with the prospect, he'd seen sheep and cows, and large working horses and the like, but he'd always imagined what a lion or a panther might look like.

Breakfast came midway through the prince's description of his own contributions to the palace zoo and Harry tried not to look openly awkward and embarrassed as the servant came right into the bedroom where it plain as ever that the crown prince and Harry himself were completely naked, but it was not very difficult to guess what had happened the night before. A tray was settled onto his lap and Harry managed a wan smile and a nod of thanks, and was startled when the servant boy winked at him before departing.

"I hope this is enough food. If you find you would like more I can have it brought up," the prince said offhandedly as he began to clump the scrambled eggs onto a slice of veal and, scooping a sampling of both onto his fork, ate it with an approving nod.

"Thank-you," Harry managed. He tried to look very elegant, or at the very least marginally coordinated as he cut his veal but his hands had started to shake from his nerves and Harry dropped his knife and it clattered loudly as it hit the plate.

With a furious blush Harry set down his fork and tried something safer, the goblet of juice. Yet, as Harry tried to sip it he spilt some down his chin, and in his haste to set the goblet down he knocked the plate again. Wiping his chin with the serviette Harry made a decision and tucked his hands safely away from the tray and turned to analyze the rather interesting wall beside him.

He was startled to feel fingers underneath his chin, carefully tugging his face to turn towards the prince. Reluctantly, Harry complied with the fingers and found himself facing the prince, who had an expression of slight amusement which quickly turned to a heated look that Harry could not quite name. "Don't ever hide that face away again," the prince said in a hushed voice. Harry really wished he could stop blushing.

……………………………………………

It felt odd, walking the bridge back to his room. Harry found that he was a mess of conflicting emotions and wasn't really quite sure where to begin in his analysis of just what it was that he was feeling.

Not that he had much time to contemplate it, as soon as he stepped into his rooms Gwynn leapt up and ushered him outside and towards the bath where he had been the day before. "Take a nice relaxing bath," she crooned as she stripped him of his clothes and herded him into the water. "I'll give you a massage and then you can rest for a bit."

It sounded like a wonderful plan to Harry, but there was one single problem. "The prince wanted me to meet him later today to go to the zoo." Gwynn's hands, which had been sorting through the basket of bathing things she had brought, faltered and she looked at him with excitement. "Er," Harry said, not sure what the look meant. "He didn't say what time."

"He wanted to see you?" she asked.

"Well, he wanted to go to the zoo, and he doesn't like to go by himself."

"Today? This afternoon?"

"Yes. But he didn't tell me the time. When do you think I should be –"

"Harry!" the cry cut him off and he spun around and tried to see from his position in the bath,where Cho was coming from. "Tell me all about it!" she cried as she finally appeared, shoving the leaves from some of the foliage that made a privacy screen surrounding the bathhouse.

"I'm in the middle of a bloody bath!" he cried.

"It's nothing I haven't seen before," she brushed off. "How was it?"

Harry was silent as he continued to lather the soap onto his arms. "It was –" he licked his lips nervously. "It felt," he corrected. "Really – good," he finished lamely. Cho was grinning at him, and Gwynn was trying to look disapprovingly at Cho for interrupting his bath but Harry could easily see that she was smiling too.

"Did your plan work?" Cho asked. He'd confided in both women about his plan to keep the prince's attention.

"It's only been one night!" Harry cried. "How should I know?"

"They're going to the zoo together. This afternoon," Gwynn gossiped. Harry didn't know what the big deal was, it was only the zoo after all, but he kept his thoughts to himself and continued to wash as Gwynn and Cho began planning what he should wear.

……………………………………………

Harry was fascinated; he tried to appear aloof and listen to the prince's ramblings about the acquisition of each animal, but he had soon given up on that. Each animal was simply incredible, from the very fierce: lions, leopards, tigers and poisonous snakes, to the very tame: dogs, llamas, and nightingales. The palace zoo had everything and, Harry decided, they were all extraordinary.

"You enjoyed it, then?" the prince asked as they walked back towards the castle. At some point between the leopards and the rabbits, Draco had taken possession of Harry's hand and Harry hadn't felt any urge to reclaim it. He was completely aware that they were heading back towards the palace, but it took a moment to realise that Draco was not walking towards the harem, nor did he seem prepared to relinquish hold of Harry's hand.

Harry glanced nervously at the blond boy who was talking on about the animals, asking which one had been Harry's favourite. Harry was barely aware that he had answered the question, thoughts trapped in the idea that he was once again heading towards the prince's chambers. He wondered why the idea made him feel suddenly very warm despite the breeze and quickly quelled the grin that threatened to spread across his face.

……………………………………………

Harry lay in a sprawl, the sheets twisted and falling off the bed and he, completely nude and feeling not at all self-conscious. He had gotten used to spending his nights in Draco's bed, and part of his mornings as well. Three weeks and the prince had never once forgotten him, either sending a message requesting his presence in the evening, or inviting him out to explore some part of the palace.

It had become a routine, like his swimming and walks in the enclosed gardens in the harem. As he lay on his stomach watching the prince walk about the room nude and erect, Harry had to admit that his thoughts were stuck on a conversation he had had with Cho earlier that week.

Thinking back to that first night, Harry remembered how he had felt when the prince had taken him into his mouth. Cho had explained it to him, but to Harry it still seemed awkward and uncomfortable. Still, he had thought about it throughout the week and now, as he watched the prince, his lover, smiling and walking back towards the bed, Harry wondered if he just might be able to manage.

He reached out a hand and grasped the prince's forearm, tugging him gently onto the bed and then before the blond could get any ideas, Harry scooted forward pressing the lithe blond back onto the bed. Harry straddled the boy's hips, it was a familiar position, and shifting down to settle onto the other's thighs, Harry glanced at the thick cock. It was a bit daunting and he could just imagine blundering the entire thing horribly and getting thrown out, and the prince never wanting to see him again. But then if he did not try it how could he ever learn? Wasn't it his very flexibility and spontaneity that kept the prince interested?

Decided, Harry bent forward and wrapped his lips around the head of the cock, his hand wrapping around the base. It felt strange and a bit awkward, but he quickly adjusted. Cho had said that he should look at the entire thing as if he were eating a sweet. It was nothing remotely like that, but recalling the prince's licks and the way his mouth had moved around Harry's own cock, he decided that perhaps she had a point.

He could taste salty pre-come and though it was strange, it was not entirely unpleasant, and Harry liked the way that the prince was moaning. He eased more of the cock into his mouth and began to bob his head, periodically taking more of it in. Amazingly, he seemed to be adjusting to it and the prince's breath was a myriad of strange hiccupping moans and cracked groans and, when he was lucid enough to form words, supplication.

It made Harry feel oddly powerful, and yet at the same time eager to please. He continued relentlessly until he had deep throated the entire cock and the prince was clearly fighting not to buck his hips, which Harry greatly appreciated because it would likely make him choke. The idea of what he was doing sunk in and Harry shifted, rubbing his own erection against the sheets. The sensation was electric and he moaned, repeating the action.

"Ah!" the prince cried in a half-sob. Harry felt a hand shift to his shoulder and squeeze and only then was he aware that the prince's hands had previously been in his hair. "Co – coming!" the prince said in an almost whispered sob and Harry panicked, wondering what he should do, he knew he couldn't swallow with the entire cock in his throat, and acting quickly, he eased back a bit, wrapping his hand around the base and Draco came violently with an exultant cry on his lips.

Harry backed up and let the spent cock slip from between his lips, aware that he was very aroused and that he was also very, very nervous. He braved a glance up at Draco and noticed that the blond had his eyes closed. Licking his lips nervously, Harry shifted off the other's body and slithered up the bed.

He looked at the prince and noticed that not only were Draco's eyes closed, but also he seemed to be out cold. For a moment Harry almost thought that he had killed him, but then the blond shifted and sighed and blinked open the familiar storm-gray eyes. A slow grin split his face as Draco met Harry's eyes.

"You never cease to amaze me," Draco said, and Harry felt a blush.

"It wasn't – I wasn't – bad?" he asked. Draco quirked an eyebrow and his grin softened and became more amused. Harry received his answer in the form of a deep kiss, and gladly allowed the blond to roll him onto his back and plunder his mouth.

"Your turn, Emerald," Draco said. I definitely have to do that more often, Harry thought, liking the reaction that it evoked in his lover, and then all lucid thought was cut off when Draco's clever fingers began to exploit Harry's body, and he resigned himself to disjointed thoughts and lots of moaning.

------------------------
End of Chapter Two: