To Protect and...Service

To Protect and...Service by The Coven

Author: ScorpioPhoenix

Beta: Graballz

Author's note--More and more apologies for the delay in getting this chapter up and out! Life again (work, home, family, death, moving...pretty much everything under the sun) so please bear with us as we try to get back into our 2-week updating routine again. Thank you for all of the reviews thus far, and thank you for reading!

Hopefully this little bit helps?

~Graballz

Chapter 5

Just an Assignment

Draco awoke when he was abruptly introduced to the hard cold floor of his bedroom.

“Unhhhhhhh!” He groaned and winced as he struggled to sit up. He hadn’t fallen out of the bed since he was five. What had caused that to-

“You miserable shit!”

Draco blinked. Teddy. He glanced up and gazed into the eyes of his lover’s face. Theo was standing on his side of the bed, hovering menacingly over him. The room was still dark, which meant that Draco couldn’t have been asleep long.

“What the hell is your problem?” Draco pushed himself up from the floor, smoothing down his pajama front.

Theo’s eyes narrowed in anger. “You were moaning in your sleep, Draco! And my name didn’t come out of your mouth! Potter’s did!”

Draco quickly smoothed the rising feel of panic from his face. “So what! I was asleep!”

Theo’s lip curled. “Not in that dream you weren’t! You were asking him to shag you and all kinds of things! Don’t even bother trying to deny it! I heard every dirty, stinking word!”

“Teddy, don’t be a prat. I already told you that Potter is just my partner. I can’t help the things that I say in my sleep. You can’t seriously think that I’m interested in Potter! This is the most I’ve spent with the berk since I’ve known him!”

“Where did you go tonight?”

Draco cocked his head. He had told Theo that he had to work, but didn’t give him any details of where they were going. Theo would’ve gone mental had he known he was at a sex club. Without him.

“You know I can’t give you details of undercover work like that, Teddy. What the hell is the matter with you? And you actually pushed me on the floor?”

It was time to deflect.

Theo began to look a bit uncertain. “Look, I’m sorry about that. I just…well, I overreacted. I heard you moaning and I thought you wanted to have some fun. So when I bent to kiss you, you said Potter’s name and was encouraging him to fuck you faster.”

Oh God.

Draco struggled to keep his mind focused on Theo’s ire. “Well, you should know that’s ridiculous. Me…let Potter fuck me?? I haven’t even let you fuck me. As if I’d let that Gryffindor ever touch me.”

Theo seemed to deflate in front of Draco’s silver eyes. “I’m sorry, Draco. I…I don’t know what’s going on with me lately. I ‘m just afraid that you’re going to leave me for someone else. And no matter what you say, Potter is still Potter. And your history with him…”

“Shut up. And if you ever push me on the floor again, best believe that the next thing that will be pushed…will be my wand up your arse when I hex you impotent. Got it?”

Theo bit his lip. “Yeah, okay. I had that coming.” He reached out his hand to take Draco’s, but the blond pushed it away.

“I’m going to the office; I need to look through some things. Since I’m AWAKE, now.

“Draco, I said I was sorry.”

“I heard you the first time. And I responded.”

“But it’s Saturday! We usually go to a game.”

“Leave me alone, Theo. I have work I need to do.” Draco pushed his way past his boyfriend and marched to the bathroom. He hoped that the other Slytherin had gotten the message in Draco's anger; Draco hardly ever called him 'Theo' unless he was angry (like now). He made sure to slam the door extra hard.

To make his point.

Point of what??

That he’d jerked Potter off in the club and thoroughly enjoyed it? That it had taken every ounce of willpower he had to not pull Potter into that bedroom and bring him to heights of ecstasy that he’d only dreamed about and had now witnessed in that club? That he’d thought of nothing but the dark-haired man since this whole stupid assignment was forced on him. Well, protecting the Minister wasn’t stupid, but the lover part was.
Draco stepped into the shower and sighed.

Come off it, Malfoy! You know damn well that Harry Potter has been on your mind since your first year at Hogwarts! Not in a romantic capacity, but anything to make the Boy Wonder look bad or piss him off or get him in trouble.

Come to think of it, had there been anyone else that he had ever thought of as much as Potter? Sixth year was the only time that something else had occupied his thoughts, and even that was interspersed with Potter.

This was becoming a dangerous assignment.

In more ways than one.

**********

Harry stared miserably at the ceiling of his bedroom.

“What the hell is wrong with me?” He asked the fading paint. The paint didn’t respond and Harry was mildly disappointed in that fact. Or more at the fact that he was talking to paint.

He was alone in this huge house. No friends to speak of that he kept up with and certainly no lover. That was made blazingly obvious tonight at the club, since he’d rutted against Malfoy like a wanton tart and came in, like, thirty seconds. That was the most contact he’d had with another person in what felt like forever. He’d been hard pressed to not take Tonks up on her Devin persona. He’d smiled about it for her and Draco’s sake, but inside his heart ached at the fact that he didn’t have a lover or boyfriend. This whole forced couple thing was really pushing issues to the front that he’d rather not deal with.

It was like after the Weasleys’ deaths; Harry knew a part of him had died right along with them.

Again.

Harry was a master at escape and now he was escaping from actually living. He sighed and turned over. He had to do something about this and soon. Nothing good could come from this thing with Draco. The blond was his partner and Draco already had a boyfriend, who already suspected Draco’s infidelity.

The last thing Harry needed was more publicity about this. He could see the headlines now…

Harry Potter: The Boy Who Destroys Happy Homes

He groaned at the thought of that. That could not happen again with Draco. His thoughts were interrupted by an owl at the window. Harry sat up and headed towards the window. It could only be bad news. Had the Minister been attacked again?

The owl was unfamiliar and it waited politely for a response.

Harry quickly checked the parchment for curses and opened the paper.

Harry,

It’s Dean Thomas. I know you are surprised to hear from me, but trust that I was equally surprised to see you at Luxuria. Yes, I knew it was you. I lived with you for seven years and I have an artist’s eye. I also will never forget being on the run with you. I would know you anywhere. I had often wondered what you would look like with different color eyes. Let me be the first to say, green will always be your color.

The point of my post? I’d love to see you again, in less hostile times. And perhaps tell you what’s been on my heart for a long time. I’m sorrier than I can say about Ginny. She was a very nice girl. But for me, it wasn’t about her.

Dean

Harry lowered the note in shock.

Dean Thomas??

He hadn’t seen Dean since the Final Battle. His words about Ginny struck him like an ax to the back. He’d completely forgotten that Dean and Ginny had dated back in sixth year. How he’d hated Dean for that. What did he mean it wasn’t about her?

And those days in the woods with him…and when they had been captured and taken to Malfoy Manor…

Oh God, Malfoy again.

The owl hooted impatiently and Harry turned to stare at it like it had opened its beak and offered a weather report.

He realized the bird was waiting for an answer. Harry quickly went to his side table and pulled out some parchment. He quickly penned a response,

Dean,

Yes, I am surprised, but it’s a pleasant one. Yes, I’d like a chance to see you again. Things are indeed different now. You pick the place and time.

Harry

Harry placed the note in the small carrier on the bird’s leg and watched as it hopped from the window sill and into the gently lightening sky.

Was he doing the right thing? Opening up old wounds with Dean? No one wanted to talk about the war and all the horrors that went with it. And he didn’t want to think about Ginny or anyone in her family.

He swallowed back a lump in his throat. It was time to move on. He thought about all the work he had piled up on his desk. He could just go in for a while and try to clear his desk.

While he waited for Dean’s response.

**********

The Ministry was eerily silent as Draco strolled through the atrium towards the lifts and the Auror offices. Draco didn’t like the sound of his footsteps echoing on the walls. It reminded him of home too much, well, his former home.

The Manor was like a mausoleum, huge and empty of laughter or things that a small boy would like. Draco couldn’t remember a time he had ever heard his father laugh. And Narcissa’s bird-like twitter hardly qualified.

Draco hurried to the lifts to put that echoing noise out of his mind.

He didn’t want to think about his family. Or the fact that he still blamed his father for ruining his life. And did he have the nerve to disown him because he liked men! Lucius had almost gotten them all killed! If anyone should be disowned, it should be him!

Draco took a deep breath. He wasn’t going to go through that tirade in his mind again.

He stepped out on the Auror floor and headed down to his small, cramped office. Since the afternoon before the Remembrance Ball, when Draco had been called into the Minister’s office along with Potter, he hadn’t spent much time in his own office. They had been working the case out of Potter’s office, which meant that Draco was woefully backed up on his own paperwork, which was something that he never let happen. Draco sat down heavily in his chair and eyed the numerous folders littering it. He was glad he came in, even if it was under the guise of being pissed at Theo.

Which ultimately brought his thoughts back to Harry.

Damn it.

He needed coffee.

Draco jumped up from his chair and headed to the small lounge to set the coffee. He had just lazily sent the pot floating to the sink for cleaning when he heard a voice at his back.

“Great minds think alike, eh?”

The pot promptly whizzed around in a crazy arc when Draco whirled. The pot flew into the wall, smashing into pieces and sending shards of glass and old coffee running down the paint.

“Potter!!!”

Harry raised his hands in mock surrender. “I was just saying hello.”

“What the bloody hell are you doing here??”

Harry looked amused. “The same reason you’re here. To get coffee.”

He entered the room and flicked his wand at the mess. “Reparo!”

“I can do it, Potter!” Draco said viciously, knowing that he had to regroup now that the stupid man had materialized right in front of him. He had not planned on this at all.

Harry rolled his eyes. “Why is everything a competition with you? It’s a coffee pot.”

“I know what it is. And if you hadn’t sneaked up on me, I wouldn’t have broken it! Didn’t anyone tell you it’s rude to sneak up on people?”

Harry gave Draco an incredulous look. “Draco, we’re AURORS. It’s our job to sneak up on people. Besides, how the hell didn’t you hear me? I sucked at Stealth and Tracking.”

Draco huffed and shot a spell at the mess on the wall. “You’re an idiot, did you know that?”

Harry’s eyes narrowed. “This is about last night, isn’t it?”

“What? No! What are you talking about?”

“It is about last night! The name calling, your attitude. You go into attack mode when you feel guilty about stuff!”

“Shut up, Potter! I don’t feel guilty about anything. We were on an assignment. An assignment! My job means a lot to me.”

“It means a lot to me too! And I wanted to be an Auror since fourth year! You only wanted to do this to make nice after your Death Eater days!”

“I wasn’t a Death Eater! You even told the Wizengamot I wasn’t!”

“Maybe I shouldn’t have done that!”

“Well, you did, you arse! I’m not a Death Eater!”

Harry slammed the pot down on the counter. “You know what! This whole thing was such a huge mistake! I knew this was going to happen! I begged Kingsley to never partner us up because I hate you! And you make lousy coffee!!”

Draco’s eyes bulged. “You asked Kingsley to never partner with me??”

“Of course! Like you didn’t!”

Draco stood seething in rage for a moment, his hands tightening into white-knuckled fists.

“I never asked Kingsley for that! You miserable prick! I hate you too, Potter! And you sound like a girl when you come!!” Harry’s mouth dropped open in shock and Draco smirked. “I can stick my cock in there, if it’ll make you feel better!”

Harry’s face turned crimson. He turned and grabbed the coffee pot and flung it across the room at Draco.

Draco’s eyes widened and he twisted out of the way, the pot barely missing him. It sailed out of the room and down the corridor, where it smashed again in a twinkling of glass.

“Oh, that was mature, Potter!! That’s exactly what you are, a Muggle girl!” He laughed derisively.

Harry stormed across the room, his blood on fire, ready to strangle the blond to within an inch of his life. His emotions were roiling all around in a confused jumble.

Embarrassment that he’d blurted out what he’d asked Kingsley, happy that Draco had not bothered to do the same, hurt that Draco said he hated him, even though he’d yelled the same thing, furious that Draco made fun of him about last night and excited at the thought of Draco’s cock in his mouth. He quickly banished that thought from his head.

He’d barely registered that Draco’s hands had landed roughly on his shoulders and that his own hands had found themselves around Draco’s neck.

Harry stared into Draco’s face.

His long-time rival looked ALIVE.

The eyes sparked and snapped with excitement and Draco’s lips were pushed into what was becoming a huge Malfoy sneer. Probably the biggest one he’d ever given to Harry. Draco’s lips were pink and soft and Harry could see the white of his perfect teeth. Harry was pressing against him and the hardness of Malfoy’s chest indicated how fit he really still was.

With a snort of disgust at his own weakness, Harry pulled away from Draco. Draco’s face was slightly red from Harry’s attempted choking and the Gryffindor was overwhelmed with a wave of regret for his actions.

“Shit! Damn it, Malfoy! You always do this!”

He stomped out of the lounge, not even glancing back at his co-worker.

Draco glared at Harry’s retreating form. So much for a quiet Saturday getting some work done and taking his mind off of Potter.

That self-righteous bastard!

Draco was mortified to learn that Harry had actually asked their supervisor to not partner with him. He didn’t even want to think what Harry might have told the man. As if the Death Eater scandal wasn’t bad enough.

“Fuck you, Potter!!” Draco shouted down the corridor and he was rewarded with Harry slamming the door to his office, the bang echoing down the corridor.

Draco winced at the noise, but then decided that Potter didn’t have the right to be pissed about anything.

He marched out of the lounge and down the hall to the closed office door. He pointed his wand at the handle and hissed a curse that simply melted the handle off. He watched in satisfaction as the gold handle oozed down the front of the door and onto the floor. He then kicked the door open.

Harry was angrily pacing and his head whipped up in shock at Draco’s sudden appearance in his locked office.

“What’d you do to my door!?”

“What did you tell Kingsley, you prick!”

“Get the hell out!”

“Not going to get your way this time, Potter!”

“Leave me alone, Draco!”

“Not until you tell me what slanderous things you told my supervisor, HARRY.”

“It doesn’t matter now! It was a long time ago, and obviously it didn’t work. Hence this recent horrendous mistake of a partnership!”

Draco snarled, “It didn’t keep you from trying to get in my pants, though, did it?”

“You started all of that! I told you that we shouldn’t and reminded you about your boyfriend!”

“It sure didn’t stop you, though, even with your pathetic attempts to say we shouldn’t! You said that while you licked my neck!”

Harry choked back a growl. “Your hands were on me! What did you expect me to do?”

“Be a bit more professional, Potter! Since you’re so good at being the Auror and I’m just a Death Eater!”

Harry grimaced at the throw back of his own words. “Look, Malfoy…Draco. I didn’t mean that. You’re right. You’re not a Death Eater.”

Draco looked far from being mollified. “And what did you tell Kingsley?” He huffed impatiently.

Harry sighed and sank into his chair. “It was a long time ago. I don’t remember. But mostly that you were a huge prat and selfish beyond words and wanted everything to be about you.”

“I’m not selfish!”

Harry rolled his eyes and muttered, “Yes, you are, but I’m not in the mood to discuss your lack of virtuous qualities. I’ve done enough of that to last several lifetimes.”

Harry leaned back in his chair and Draco strode purposefully over to the desk. He eyed the pile of files on it in disdain.

“Let’s not talk about lack of qualities. Your messiness and inability to turn work in on time is legendary.”

Harry propped his feet up and snorted. “Legendary? We’ve only been Aurors for three years. My parchment is still wet from the graduation signature.”

Draco shoved Harry’s feet from the desk and Harry fell forward gracelessly. His face was almost eye level with Draco’s crotch. He quickly tore his eyes away. That was an image he didn’t want to think about. “It’s my desk, Malfoy. I can put my feet on it if I want.”

Harry leaned back to re-assert his dominance over his desk and Draco moved to block the effort by continuing to push his feet away. He planted his body in front of Harry, so his co-worker would be unable to put his feet back up.

“Move, Malfoy!” Harry shouted irritably. “And you called me immature?”

Draco smirked and leaned against the desk. He loved getting Potter riled up.

Harry leaned forward and grabbed Draco by the waist and forcibly tried to move him, but Draco dug his heels in by grasping the edge of the desk. He knew he was being childish, but for some reason, he didn’t want to give in.

Draco became very aware of Harry’s hands on his waist and his cock twitched in interest. He swallowed hard and told himself that it was time to give up this game and go back to his office.

To leave Potter alone.

He glanced down at the other man, who had stiffened suddenly.

Draco realized in horror that Harry was staring at his crotch, and now that his cock had risen nicely, it was visibly pressing against his clothing.

Draco grumbled, “You’re an arse, Potter.” He reached down to push Harry’s hands away from him, but the brunette had tightened his grip on him.

His gaze fell upon a pair of sparkling green eyes, lust evident in their depths.

Draco licked his lips and his cock swelled larger in his underwear, now uncomfortably tight.

“Potter, let me go.”

“Malfoy…”

“It’s just an assignment.”

“I know.”

“Theo already thinks…”

“I know.”

Draco’s hands were already fumbling with the top of his pants.

Harry’s hand covered Draco’s and hurriedly undid his zipper.

Draco sighed as the pressure was released. Draco reached inside his briefs and pulled out his hard erection.

Harry inhaled the scent of manliness emanating from the blond. It was intoxicating, and the Gryffindor knew exactly what he wanted to do at that moment.

Draco closed his eyes and groaned softly when he felt the soft tongue and warm cheek envelop his cock. Harry’s tongue rolled over his warm flesh with firm strokes and his mouth tightened into a wet tunnel, providing Draco with waves of pleasure. Draco grunted when Harry sucked him towards the back of his mouth, taking him deeper.

“Shit, Potter…”

Draco hand fluttered down to the top of Harry’s head and he pressed the other man further onto his length.

Harry complied and he moaned deep in his throat, sending vibrations to caress Draco’s cock. Draco let out another moan and he began a slow thrust into the eager mouth.

“Oh fuck!”

Draco’s other hand landed next to the first behind Harry’s head and he thrust harder, panting at Harry’s increased speed and the tightening of his lips around the sensitive head.

Harry sucked greedily, knowing the other man was close to coming. So far, Draco had nearly made Harry come in his pants once and actually finished him off once; it was true that Draco had gotten off the second time as well, but this was so much more controlling and intimate. Harry rather liked the way he ruled Draco’s world at this exact moment. Draco’s moaning had a desperate sound to it and he was holding Harry’s head in a death grip, afraid the man was going to pull away.

“Potter…don’t stop…don’t stop….”

Harry swirled his tongue and stroked the tip of the engorged cock and sucked hard.

“Ahhhh! Ahhhh! Ahhhh…!”

Draco’s hips bucked hard and Harry had to hold his hips to keep him in place. The blond gripped the back of his head tightly and thrust fast and hard. Draco’s mouth fell open as the sensation of orgasm crashed over him. He felt his cock pulse and then his seed flooded Harry’s mouth.

Harry struggled to swallow each time Draco’s cock surged his come into his mouth. Draco was a fair size and was pumping rather fast, not that Harry minded, but it was more than he thought it would be. It seemed like more than the night before.

Harry swallowed again and Draco shuddered for the last time, his breath panting in deep gasps. Harry pulled away from his co-worker, licking him as he went and Draco grunted again.

Harry sat back in his chair with a satisfied smirk. Draco opened his eyes and he very carefully tucked himself back in.

“That was adequate, Potter. At least now I know you can do something with your mouth, other than spout nonsense and bullshit.”

Harry’s face darkened in anger and Draco had to hide his amusement. He, of course, noticed the other man’s straining erection in the Muggle jeans he was wearing. He smirked, knowing that Harry wanted him to return the favor.

“Now to show you how this is supposed to be done.”

Harry’s eyes widened in surprise as Draco lowered himself to his knees in front of Harry and opened his pants.

Harry was already close to coming, so he knew it wouldn’t take him very long. But after being on the receiving end of Malfoy’s talents, Harry knew the Slytherin was trouble.

The slow, gently applied pressure of Draco’s tongue to his sensitive glands; Draco’s ability to suck Harry down his throat and hum softly; and Malfoy’s teasing of his soft skin had Harry crying out in about two minutes.

“Dray..Draco! Oh, gods, Draco!”

Draco smirked to himself as Harry moaned and thrusted, while he hungrily swallowed his come, each jolt drained happily.

While Harry lay limp and gasping, Draco stood up. Harry gazed up at him, his emotions warring with his logic.

“Just an assignment,” he rationalized.

Draco nodded stiffly. “This can’t happen again, Potter.”

Harry straightened up and tucked himself away, fighting the urge to pull Draco down on his lap to kiss him. Now that he had had a taste of the blonde, Harry knew he'd be fighting the temptation daily to remind himself what Draco tasted like.

“I know.”

Draco was on him before he knew what had happened. The blonde’s mouth was pressing furiously against his and Harry finally connected the dots. He opened his mouth eagerly and Draco’s tongue dipped into his and they both moaned at the taste of themselves.

Harry’s hands came up to pull Draco closer, as he again realized belatedly that Draco was straddling him in the chair. Harry put his arms around Draco and held him tight, their mouths still passionately searching the other. Draco’s hands moved to either side of his head and he pulled away for a moment and searched Harry’s face.

Harry stared back, unmoving and disbelieving that any of this was really happening.

Harry blinked and Draco pulled away. Harry tried to hold him, but Draco pushed off from Harry’s chest. He stood up and Harry jumped up as well, his hands out, trying to grab the blonde’s arm.

Draco hissed and Harry bit his lip. “Draco? I’m sorry.”

“For what, Potter?”

Potter.

Harry sighed. There was no winning when it came to Malfoy.

“I…just feel like I owe you an apology. So I’m giving one.”

Draco crossed his arms and Harry’s eyes dropped to the blonde’s lips, which were puckered and wet from their kissing.

“Save it. I don’t need one.”

Harry snarled but was interrupted by an owl that came zooming into the room. It was followed by another. And then another.

Two birds flew at Harry, the third to Draco.

Both men caught them deftly.

“There’s been another attack,” Draco said hoarsely.

Harry nodded at the parchment he had just read too. “Yup, this is getting out of hand.”

“What’s that?” Draco nodded at the other piece of parchment Harry was unfolding.

Harry,

How about dinner tonight? Stromboli. It’s a Muggle place in London. Is 7 okay? I look forward to seeing you. I’ve missed you.

Dean

Harry wasn’t fast enough to keep Draco from snatching the paper from Harry’s hand. His grey eyes widened as he read it, and then he glared at Harry accusingly.

“What’s this, then?”

Harry snatched the paper back. “What does it look like? Dinner with a friend!”

“Who’s Dean?”

“None of your business!”

Draco’s brow furrowed for a bit and then his eyes widened. “Dean…that Gryffindor friend of yours! He’s missing you?”

Harry shoved the paper back in his pocket. “I haven’t seen him in a long time. Not since the days he was a prisoner in your dungeon.”

Draco sneered. “How cozy! Catching up on old times? He certainly sounds besotted with the Boy-Who-Lived!”

“Make sure you brush your teeth first before you go home to your boyfriend tonight!” Harry said nastily.

Draco hissed sharply and Harry jutted his jaw, the attack on the Minister completely forgotten. Until the owls hooted and the tense stand-off was over.

“We have a job to do,” Harry said quietly, reaching for his cloak.

Draco nodded stiffly and headed to the door. “Meet you at the Apparition point in five minutes.”

Neither saw the pained look on the other’s face.

**********

Author's note--No one writes sex and angst quite like ScorpioPhoenix, do they? *sigh* I hope this helps along the path to forgiveness. We're still out here, and we're still writing! We love all of you, and thank you for reading!

~Graballz

caroll Thanks for reviewing! P.S. Can't tell you...yet! *wink* Have as many guesses as you'd like, though! We welcome them!

SP777 Thank you for your review. A couple of the authors didn't care for the same-themed titles (and maybe it would have been a bit tedious for EVERY chapter...), but like we said before, we really appreciate your suggestion and will definitely use it for a future chapter title. As you can see, Draco is becoming less accommodating of Theo's jealousy and extreme reactions...as far as hexing goes...well, anyone who hexes our Draco will find themselves in a painful situation, indeed! LOL

Thank you again to everyone else who reviewed!!!