A Dark Time For The Light

39

They stayed another day and night. Harry’s bike was a lot smaller and a lot harder to ride for long distances, being mainly made for city riding. He ached somewhat the next day. He shrugged and accepted that this mail run would simply take longer. They spent a very lazy day visiting with various folk. That afternoon , the boys slunk off with the Patils, Lee and Neville for a good smoke and a picnic at the edge of the property. They all returned red-eyed for the evening meal and wolfed down mammoth portions, their appetites aided as much by the fresh bracing air as the weed.

They excused themselves as the sun began to dip and went back to the tent, then stripped and devoured each other., Draco sinking deep into Harry over and over until they both moaned and came together, Harry’s shins rubbing against the ceiling of the tiny tent, his legs over his lover’s shoulders, Draco’s mouth over his, lost to the sounds and smells, woodsmoke drifting in, the aroma of his lover, the heat building again after a short rest, then flipping them over and diving cock-first into Draco’s tight heat, taking him hard, spearing him, fucking him, no mercy, drilling his blond bitch into the groundsheet. Draco started to shout his come only to have it swallowed by his beloved, who murmured obscenities into his Dragon’s ear as he climaxed deep and slow, filling his lover.

They slept a deep fresh-air sleep waking fresh and relaxed in the early hours of the next day, packing up in silence as the mist lay thick on the ground. They pushed the bike a short way away before starting the engine, not wishing to wake anyone. A couple of stops later, they were in Liverpool by late lunchtime.

They were greeted effusively by Remus who admired the bike. He shook Draco’s hand warmly and ushered them into the Tunnels by a back route. Severus sat before a fire wrapped in blankets looking miserable, clearly battling a head-cold. The boys were invited to partake of whatever lunch was left over and both tucked in to cold roast chicken sandwiches. Harry delighted to see a jar of Piccallilli relish to accompany it. Draco looked at the yellow condiment with suspicion until Harry fed him a tiny silverskin onion, then smeared a generous portion into his sandwich. Heaven!.

Draco was fascinated by the Tunnels and Remus took him on a tour after lunch, pointing out various different styles of building, quizzing Draco on his line of work in return. He was pleased by how this young man had turned out, especially as he seemed to be integrating into the world of Muggles. In a way, Remus envied him his adaptability, not to mention his proximity to a certain Harry Potter.

Harry sat on the end of the makeshift sofa and commiserated with Severus, leaning prima-donna-like against a bank of cushions. They exchanged news and gossip, Harry fishing out the bundle of mail and handing it over. In due course, Draco and Remus returned, the man bearing the cadre’s mail to be sent. Harry asked to use the computer to keep up with anything happening back home.

He read a long rambling e-mail from Hermione about meeting her friend, then another from Ginny, confidential and horrified at pieces of her lover’s recent past. Draco snaked his arms around his lover and read over his shoulder. Harry glanced at Draco, “You know Hermione was never dowsed before she went into the Bunker. I don’t think she’s infected with Dark Magic or anything, but I think the dodgier aspects of her past would have come to light with a dowse”, Harry’s tone was thoughtful.

Draco wasn’t sure, “Look, she was your best friend, still is. Her lover is an innocent pureblood, unused to the worst sides of Muggle life. I think Hermione tried to protect her from the worst of it. They’ll work it out. I hope this friend of ‘Mione’s isn’t a dyke. That’s all”, they both chuckled as Harry closed his e-mail account down.

They stayed in Liverpool that night, digging out the butterbeers in the panniers, supplemented by a few ice-cold lagers put all four in a better mood. At least Severus stopped whinging about how awful he felt. Then Harry dug out the buds from Neville’s little crop and they were all pink-eyed within the hour.

At one point the boys ‘looked’ at each other and cast furtive glances at their hosts. Harry gave a tiny shake of his head, Sev really didn’t look too well. He sat, his back against the wall, Draco between his legs, leaning back against him and they all talked, Remus holding his beloved similarly, Severus laid back against his chest, his eyes closed.

In a quiet moment, Harry allowed his eyes to stray over the two older men, his eyes catching Remus’. Harry’s narrowed slightly, a tiny smile playing at his lips, he deliberately shifted his gaze to Severus then back to Remus, then laid a gentle kiss on Draco’s temple and held him tighter, his eyes never leaving Remus’. The sandy-haired man’s eyes widened, then he grinned. Severus opened his eyes and turned to his lover, “What is it?”, softly. Remus dipped his head to Severus’ ear. “I think that naughty boy over there just propositioned us, love”. Severus raised his eyes, Harry was whispering in Draco’s ear, the blond grinning and looking over at them, Harry’s stare never leaving Remus’, then Severus laughed, breaking the tension.

“Nice idea, boys. But I’m not really up to it tonight, you wicked pair. That’s not to say I won’t be up for it in the future, if you’re still game?”. Harry couldn’t help but catch his breath at the intensity in Sev’s eyes, burning into both of them. He felt Draco’s slight shiver in his arms, squeezed him gently and kissed his hair, the sexual tension palpable. All Harry could think of right now was sex and soon. The idea was now out there for the four of them, albeit politely declined, for now, but each thrilled at the thought.

They said their goodnights and the boys staggered back to the chamber allocated to them. Where some of the cadres suffered from lack of space, here there was a surfeit. They had storm lanterns to light their way and the light reflecting off the warm red bricks made for quite a cosy atmosphere. They had a comfy mattress this time raised up on pallets not just a sleeping bag in the sand, there were linoleum and rugs covering the swept sandstone floor.

As the caves were very near to the surface (in one of the caves, you could hear the occupants of the house above talking in their kitchen), they had tapped into mains sewerage and water. There was a rogue electricity supply and phone line. Hermione had hacked them broadband. The whole place had improved greatly since the last time Harry had been here. The boys took a sexy shower together then retired to bed, trying not to keep the rest of the cadre awake with the noise.

Remus was still holding his beloved only he was now tucked up in bed with him. “Merlin, Sev, I can’t imagine what Harry wants with me, but that look he gave me would melt a Polar ice cap”. Severus turned to him, his mouth agape, “I cannot believe you’ve never seen it. Remus Bloody Lupin, that boy’s had a crush on you since bloody third year”. All Remus could say to this was a soft, “Oh”. Severus chuckled, “You really never realised?. Oh dear! Still, look on the bright side, we have a night of unbridled lust to look forward to”, they both laughed quietly, then Severus purred into his lover’s ear, “I don’t know if I can go all out for ‘unbridled’ exactly, but....”, he took hold of his lover’s hand and guided it to his cock, warm and solid, Remus moaned as they kissed and he rolled atop his man.

The boys left after a hearty breakfast, kissing their hosts goodbye, promises unspoken but expressed as looks and smiles. Severus and Remus saw them both off, Severus admired the bike, perfect for someone with Harry’s build.

The boys left Liverpool picking up the M62 towards Manchester, joining the M60 and circling around taking one of the Stockport turn-offs. Harry parked the bike in Sev’s spot and pushed a twenty pound note through the letterbox of the old park-keeper’s cottage for the privilege. Draco and he stepped out onto the main road and walked the half-mile or so to the entrance to the caves known as the ‘Rocks’ by the locals.

They found the cadre in uproar. Rumour was rife that they were all about to be evicted. A malevolent local historian discovered them and went bleating to the Press. The item had been picked up by the local Police and a bit of a stand-off had ensued, while court orders of possession were being granted by the magistrate’s court as they spoke and people were trying to pack like mad. Some had already left. Pansy had made a note and passed the details on to Harry to update the database in London.

The Manchester cadre quite liked where they were and many were out scouting for a fresh location nearer to the city centre. At present, they were investigating the possibility of squatting a college building vaguely reminiscent of a monastery with it’s cloistered walk at the front of the building. Pansy persuaded Harry to take her to see it on the back of the bike. Draco was left behind feeling a little miffed.

The building Pansy showed him was magnificent, right near the centre of the city, set in it’s own grounds. Harry was impressed. He ran her back to Stockport. The boys decided not to stay with the cadre that night and Pansy understood. No-one was going to sleep that night anyway as they were packing up the presses and the computer. They set off again then Harry pulled up and phoned Moira, who was delighted to hear from him.

She was happy to put them up for the night and gave Harry her address in Levenshulme plus directions. In a short while, Draco found himself inside the first Muggle home he’d ever stepped inside.

Moira made them welcome. She introduced them to her family quite casually as her ex-colleague and his boyfriend. “I have seen you before, Draco, even though you were asleep at the time”. Harry chuckled at the memory. Around the dinner table that night, Moira’s teenaged daughters’ eyes were firmly on these two gorgeous boys in their midst. They could hardly get a word out for giggles, all the more fascinated knowing that the boys were gay. Moira re-allocated beds, her house was small, the tiny back bedroom she gave to the boys. After her daughters went to bed, the three of them talked. Mainly Harry and Moira, though Draco knew she’d dropped everything to come to London to see Harry in hospital, not to mention buying him a stack of clothes.

Eventually she said her goodnights and left them alone in her kitchen. She had a late shift tomorrow, so they could sleep late.

When the house fell silent, Draco and Harry drained the last of their beer and went upstairs, had a wash and retired, crushed together in a single bed, but neither minded as body slid over body and they made love as quietly as they could, then slept.

Harry woke to find someone sneaking around their room. It took him a moment to remember where he was. He gasped and the girl froze. She turned and looked into malachite depths, “Sorry, just needed a clean blouse for school”, the girl squeaked and exited sharply.

Harry grinned, Moira’s eldest girl, the seventeen year old, In lower sixth. The same age as Harry had been when he fell in love with the bundle of blond beauty crushed against him in the small bed.

We’ve been meeting regularly since just after Christmas. The Easter holidays are our first test. We haven’t spent this long apart before and it’s fucking killing me. I know he has to go home at the holidays. His family expect it of him. He went willingly, but I’ve had about a dozen Owls from him since term ended. Fuck!. I miss him so much. He misses me too.

A week into the holidays and he’s back, a vision of blond gorgeousness in the front hall after dinner that night. I can feel Hermione’s eyes bore into me as I run down the steps and gather him into my arms, after all, I’m the reason he’s back, he couldn’t stay away. That’s what he said, and I believe him. I watch Hermione’s aghast face as I hold him, my heart singing, ‘he’s back, he’s back, he’s back’. We regard each other for a long moment, then kiss, urgent, hard, wanting. We pull apart, breathing fast, touching foreheads. I can feel Draco shake in my arms and I pull him close inclining his head down to mine. I don’t ever want him to leave me again. I say the only thing that has been singing in my fore-brain since he left, “I love you, oh gods, how I love you”. He holds my face in his long slender hands, gazing into my eyes as if his stare can wrest sincerity from me, but I am open to him, I have just laid myself bare and he knows this, he can see the tears in my eyes. He kisses me, the sweetest kiss he has ever bestowed, “I love you too, Harry. And I always will”. His cheeks are wet with sincere tears and I know his words are true.

They rose late. Harry related the story of Melissa in their room and Draco laughed, “She saw us together in bed, it will probably serve her as fantasy material for a long while”. Harry agreed, though he was at a loss to explain why. There was just something in gay male relationships that seemed to fascinate some girls, he didn’t know what.

Around lunchtime they hugged Moira and thanked her for her hospitality then left. They circled around the other half of the M60 and picked up the M62 again for Leeds, their last port of call before heading back to London. Harry was greeted enthusiastically by Justin as they arrived amidst the sound of at least one band rehearsing in the delapidated row of houses that the Leeds cadre inhabited. The atmosphere was altogether more anarchic and more fun.

The band’s rehearsal was loose and open to anyone from the community who wanted to have a go. Draco and Harry smoked and drank plenty with this crew, then Harry reached out to grasp a proffered acoustic guitar. A bit rusty, he still managed a couple of great tunes and several beautiful songs in his clear tenor. Draco was impressed.

As Harry handed the guitar back, Draco mewled in disappointment, “Harry, you’re good”. Others were inclined to agree, and as the night wore on, the guitar was passed back to a rusty Harry whose renditions, first of an ancient Cars track, ‘Drive’, then Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Big Love’, earned him shrieks and screams of approval from around the fire-pit, as blunts, pipes and bongs were passed around filled with Neville’s excellent grass strains.

They were led to a mattress on the floor to crash out on, several blankets piled atop it. Harry made them a nest and both of them crawled into it, holding each other. They talked about the different flavours of the cadres. Draco was astonished at how the different communities organised themselves.

They had spent best part of a week on the road. They delivered mail to a quiet Bunker, then headed home. Both were a bit surprised at how quickly this flat represented home to them, then Harry made his remark about how the space smelled of them now, and Draco agreed.

He purred into his lover’s ear, “Let’s make it smell even more of us, shall we?”. Harry shivered deliciously in Draco’s arms and allowed himself to be led to bed, stripped and then devoured, falling asleep with Draco as close as he had been in that single bed of Moira’s. Harry was delighted. He loved his Dragon close. He fell asleep, his mouth pressed into Draco’s hair.