The Handler and his Beautiful Blonde Dragon

One – Present Day

*September ‘02*

**

Harry glared at himself in the mirror, he should never have fallen into bed with Charlie again, or at all, if he hadn’t done it all those years ago drunk, and he wouldn’t be in this predicament. Harry knew Charlie used him for easy sex, and to be honest, the raven used the redhead just as much, but Charlie was emotionally stunted, he couldn’t care who he was with, whereas Harry was getting attached.

Looking, studying himself, he was tired, with red-rimmed eyes, that stared back hard and angry, like Harry himself most days, they were framed with thick black lashes, clumped together slightly with sleep. He refused to even acknowledge his atrocious bed head, or the red bruise like mark on his neck, just below his right ear. Damn, if Charlie wasn’t a biter. It would fade, sure, but it would take some days, maybe a week. So, weeks’ worth of banter and ribbing from Micka and Tom.

Taking a step back, Harry thought he would make use of Charlie’s vanity and his huge full length mirror. Charlie had an obsessive amount of mirrors for any person to own, but they did have their benefits, so Harry could inspect himself.

Because, sure, friends with benefits was great, the sex was incredible but Harry wanted emotions too, and Charlie didn’t feel he was worthy of what little emotions the redhead admitted to, so surely there was something wrong with him, what else could there be. His dates always fell flat, no one seemed to want him and he always fell straight back into Charlie’s bed for a tumble between the sheets.

Harry ran his eyes over himself a couple of times. Messy hair, a tangle of curls brushing against his chin, big green eyes, thick lashes and no more glasses, they were apparently his best feature, his friends always said so. Strong jaw, straight nose, normal ears, didn’t stick out or anything weird, just a handful of piercings in them, nothing crazy.

Green eyes travelled down again, further. Muscular broad shoulders and arms, covered in ink, and strong from all the hard work that came as standard with his job. Working with dragons for 4 years wasn’t an easy job, after all. The tattoos were his obsessive, aside from a certain redhead, from dragons to stags, flowers to planets, colourful and black and white. He had two sleeves, a coloured one, his left arm and pec, and his right was just shaded and tones of grey, and he had started on his right leg too.

It was Charlie’s fault really, he had introduced him to Meagan, she was Charlie and Alice’s friend, and also a professional tattoo artist and body piercer. It was art worthy of a five star gallery. She had called Harry her breathing canvas, and had taken plenty of pictures for her portfolios and plastered them all over her shop too. She also pierced his ears four in each ear, his right had two in the lobe, one in his tragus and one in his helix, on his left it was three in the lobe, and his tragus. As well as his nose and belly button. Apparently they were feminine, according to Charlie, but it didn’t stop him worshipping his stomach when they were together.

So, his face and arms were good. Blunt nails scrapped a path downwards, over firm pecs and washboard abs, as well as the hard manual labour Harry had turned the ‘study’ in his hut into a gym, and he worked hard on his body. And he hadn’t had any complaints so far. Strong, powerful legs from running, jumping and flying on brooms and dragons. He was around 5 foot 10 as well so all in all he thought he would have someone interested in him. Apparently not.

That meant aesthetically, he was alright, no complaints at least, so if it wasn’t the ravens looks, and Harry knew first-hand how vain people could be, he got the thumbs up from the vainest man he had met, Charlie, so if not that, what? His personality, it must be that. Was he not smart enough, not funny enough?

It plagues Harry, and it had done for well over a year and a half now, what was he missing? Even Charlie wouldn’t have him, sure, sex always, minimum twice a week. But apparently it was all he was good for. The redhead wouldn’t even consider a relationship, and it wasn’t for lack of trying, Harry had mentioned it once, never again, the older man didn’t speak to him for a month, it wasn’t worth the hassle.

Right, good in bed, but not good enough to settle down with. Should he be offended? Probably.

Cassie had Brody, 6 years and still going strong. Tom had Meagan, introduced by Harry. Alice had Gas, Bossman, and they were getting pretty serious too. And although Micka was currently single, he had previous relationships, and was taken up until 2 months ago, when his boyfriend got a new job and moved away, they decided long distance wasn’t going to work. Charlie wasn’t interested in relationships.

Whilst intently studying himself, and all his flaws, Harry missed the sleepy cave man entering the bathroom behind him, so he jumped with strong, freckled arms wrapped around his waist and a stubbly jaw rested on his shoulder. Charlie mouthed up Harry’s neck and nibbled on his lob, around the studs whilst one of his hands travelled downwards and palmed over his younger companions manhood, hidden beneath navy boxer/

“Wadd’up?” Charlie grunted, rubbing harder, clearly looking for morning sex.

“What’s wrong with me?” Harry whispered.

“Nothing” Charlie answered, on the end of a jaw breaking yawn, “Come back to be, I’ll let you top.”

Harry sighed, turning in the slack embrace, he knew they weren’t in a relationship, but he still had to break up with Charlie in a way.

“No more benefits Red,” Harry said, pushing out of the circle of muscles and walking out of the en suit entirely, Charlie only followed, confused.

“What?” He asked. Harry ignored him, instead starting to make tea for himself and coffee for Charlie, “We’re over, no more sex. Nothing.”

Charlie simply shrugged, walking away not bother, and taking a seat on his worn sofa with his steaming coffee, “Sure, sex was good on tap, but never mind.”

And that was it. No more was said, and it hurt. Harry knew it was only ever mutual pleasure, benefits, but it definitely hurt to know that Charlie had no feeling involved, not one, and couldn’t care if he was shagging Harry every night or simply some faceless, nameless stranger. Harry felt pathetic

*

*Early October ‘02*

Two weeks passed and Harry finally decided what to do with his future. Four years was plenty of time away from his friends, family and country. Now at 22 years old Harry Potter was ready to go back, he wanted to meet someone, to settle down, get married, kids why not?! The whole lot, he wanted it all, and to be honest, he didn’t think it was too much to ask. For Christ sake his two best friends were married with a baby on the way. He wanted to get serious!

A quick succession of knocks on the solid wood door in front of him alerted the man inside of Harry’s presence, and Gas called him in.

“Hazza!” Gas barked, cigarette dangling from chapped lips, “Whats do ya for?”

Gas had been an amazing boss to Harry, he had given him a chance when the younger man had nothing to offer to the reservation manager than willingness to do whatever it took, no experience, or qualifications made him a good risk, yet Gas took him on anyways.

He was a 44 year old riot, he was amazing at his job, but he was a big teddy bear as well. Best boss Harry every thought he would have, regardless of how many jobs and how many bosses he would have in the future. Gas was starting to go a little grey around his temples but he had mostly thick mousey brown hair with grey-blue eyes. He wasn’t an overly tall man, average, 5 foot 10 or so, but he wasn’t one to be messed with. Originally Harry had been scared, no not scared absolutely petrified of Gas but now he was like a lovable, takes-his-jokes-a-little-too-far uncle.

Harry took a big breath in preparation for what he was about to do. Clutching the, now slightly rumpled, envelope the raven strode forwards to the big crooked oak desk. He passed over the brown envelope which held his formal resignation. It took a while to come to this decision, lots of umm-ing and arr-ing, but finally the decision was made. Harry was leaving, not just the reservation, but Romania as well, and most of all he was leaving Charlie behind.

Gas turned it over in his hands, eye wide open, and mouth slightly parted. He didn’t even open the envelope, instead opened the left drawer of his desk and slipped it inside.

“Oh, Merlin!” Gas groaned, scrubbing his calloused fingers over his face repeatedly, “Ya goin’ kid?” He asked, just staring at the ceiling for a long minute before yanking the drawer open harshly and yanking out the envelope again.

“Yeah,” Was all Harry could say for the moment, as he simply stared at Bossman having a mini meltdown, before adding, “Been fun, but it’s time to go home” before backing out of the room.

**

And that how 3 weeks later, Harry found himself packed, and leaving. He shrugged into his well-worn and slightly ripped denim jacket, stuffed his feet into scuffed dragon hide boot, and shrunk his two small suitcases, making them small enough to fit into his pockets and headed to the floo.