The Thing About One-Night Stands

A big thanks to my beta tari_sue

***

The clear blue vase smashed against the wall and rained down in shattered fragments. Harry watched as light refracted brilliantly off the millions of shards, dancing across the air like fairy dust in the wind. When the last of the vase had landed, he wordlessly cast the repair spell and the pieces shot up, mending together. Due to excessive breaking and repairs, its shape was warped and bulging. On one side there was an edge forming, peaking like a mountain against its increasingly bumpy surface.

For the past half hour Harry’s jaw had been permanently clenched. He held his wand with a white-knuckled grip as he once again threw a burst of magic at the vase, smashing it mercilessly against the wall. He had to keep reminding himself, he wasn’t angry at Draco, but rather at himself.

He should have known, he had known, that this was how their one-night stand would end up – rejected once again. Hell, he had told himself enough times during the evening to be weary of what was happening, but like a love sick puppy he had bounded right into Draco’s manipulative arms.

Again the clear glass of the vase splintered out, spinning as it rained down onto his hardwood floors. He wondered how many times it could be broken before it was beyond repair.

Green flames surged upwards in his fireplace and Harry hated – hated – the way his pulse sped with hope. But instead of the golden blond hair his heart wanted to see, he was greeted with the site of dark hair and even darker eyes. Brandon.

Harry just sat there stupidly and stared, not sure what to do or say. He wasn’t up for company right now, not even Ron or Hermione, but he knew he had to keep his temper in check and at least be cordial.

After a nervous clearing of his throat, Brandon finally spoke. “Hi Harry. I hope I’m not flooing at a bad time or anything.”

“Well actually…”

“Hermione gave me your address. Can I come over?”

Draco’s scent still loomed heavily on Harry’s body. “Not the best of times.”

“Maybe we could make plans to meet up sometime soon?”

He could still feel Draco’s warmth pressed against his side. “Sure, what did you have in mind?”

“There’s a Quidditch museum opening on Saturday. If you’d like…”

Draco’s moans were still echoing in his mind.

Harry looked down into Brandon’s eyes. Here was someone willing to develop feelings for him. Here was someone who could love Harry back. Here was someone who wouldn’t crush his heart so easily with one cold look.

“That’d be great,” he said, plastering on a tight smile.

Brandon returned it, warmly. His charming grin was open and honest, and everything Harry really needed. His mind started forming arguments, but he squashed them down in their infant states. Fuck what he wanted. That was all bullshit anyway. He needed someone like Brandon.

His own smile became softer.

“Fantastic,” Brandon said, looking attractively cute in his boyish way. Yes, Brandon would be good for him. “I’ll stop by at six? We can grab something to eat on the way.”

Harry nodded, a small trickle of happiness warming his chest at the excitement in Brandon’s voice as they said their goodbyes. When the green flames died down he looked back over at the warped blue vase. It was time he cast a repair spell on himself and pull the pieces that had been broken back together.


***


“The thing about one-night stands is that they aren’t suppose to be planned. At least not to the extent that you and Malfoy did.” Typical Hermione, she lectured Harry in everything.

“You didn’t. Tell me this is just some horribly sick joke.” Typical Ron he was – well just being typical.

Harry hadn’t intended to tell them, really. But after a night of drowning himself in alcohol at their place, he drunkenly let his night with Malfoy slip. Apparently, he was a weepy drunk too. Of course, if anyone besides Ron told him that, he would adamantly deny it, and most likely punch their lights out for good measure.

Now, after three of Hermione’s best sobering charms, he was lying on the couch with a spectacular headache and two very concerned friends. Or, to be precise, one concerned friend, and one friend suffering from a large case of denial.

“Can we just forget it?” Harry said quietly.

“No. We most certainly can not,” Hermione said firmly. “You need to talk these things through. It’s not healthy to keep it all to yourself.”

“Ron?” Harry said.

“Yeah mate?”

“Do men talk about their feelings?”

Ron sat up a little straighter and puffed out his chest. “Real men don’t.”

Harry’s smug look lasted only as long as it took Hermione to give Ron a withering one.

“That is,” his voice cracked. “Real mean don’t keep it all in. Hermione’s right, you should talk about… feelings… and stuff.”

Harry looked pityingly at his friend. Poor sod really had been whipped. That’s what too much time with a girl will do. He looked over to see Hermione looking at him impatiently and bit back a sigh. “What?”

“Why’d you do it, Harry? How could you?”

He shrugged. “It wasn’t as if I didn’t put any thought into it. I just wanted to.”

“Come on. Can you really picture yourself with Malfoy?” She paused to blush. “Other than in bed? You’ll never be a normal couple that does normal things. I say this not to hurt you, but to keep you from getting hurt.”

He sat quietly, clenching his jaw.

She was wrong. Draco and he could do stuff like a normal couple. Hell, they already had done stuff, like the dinner. It had been…

And that’s when Harry reined in all thoughts. It didn’t matter how nice it had been, because it came down to the fact that Malfoy wasn’t interested in that way.

“I know that, Hermione.”

“Why did you do it then?”

“I already told you, I just wanted to.”

“Harry,” Ron whined. “ Please tell me this. But don’t really tell me this. But kind of tell me this. We’re you… was he…? Who – played the girl role?”

Harry just grinned and waggled his eyebrows, laughing when Ron’s face turned an interesting shade of red. What fun was being gay if he couldn’t tease his straight friends?

“What about Brandon?” Hermione said quietly.

“What about him? You want to know if I think he’s a top or bottom?”

Ron’s shade of red turned a little green.

“I thought you two would really like each other.”

“Actually, I have a date with him on Saturday.”

“Really?” She shrieked excitedly. “That’s fantastic. Harry, you need someone stable.”

“Yeah,” Ron said, significantly less enthusiastic. “He’ll be good for you. Although, this would all be easier if you just liked girls instead, you know.”

“Ron!” Hermione hissed.

He looked at her blankly then turned back to Harry. “What I mean to say is that I accept you as you are and would never want to change you unless you were doing something to damage yourself or others,” he said in a monotone voice, then added in a quiet whisper, “like sleeping with Malfoy.”

“Ron!” she hissed again.

Harry just laughed, the tightness in his chest easing away. His friends were the best balm for his aches, the best repair spell when he was broken.


***


“I don’t believe it for a second,” Harry said, just the slightest bit of laughter in his voice. “There is no way that could be Merlin’s broom.”

“Sure it is. Come here, lean closer and you can feel the incredible amounts of magic still woven into it,” Brandon said, touching the small of Harry’s back and moving nearer to the magical barriers. Inside there was a crooked piece of wood displayed, a few bristles crudely bound to its end and sticking up at odd angles.

Although Harry didn’t particularly feel comfortable with the touch, he made a point not to shy away. Brandon had been giving him small touches all evening, at the pub during dinner, when the walk to the museum. There had been light brushes against his hands and linking their arms all night. Harry figured it would take a while before he got used to such casual touches and did his best to tolerate them, but it wasn’t in him to return the signs of affection.

“It’s strange…” he said distractedly.

“What is?” Brandon asked, causing him to jerk out of his thoughts.

“Um.” He thought for a moment. “I doubt this broom was used for Quidditch, so why the main attraction to a Quidditch museum?”

Brandon smiled charmingly at him. “Didn’t you know? The Quidditch is just an exhibition. This is the museum’s permanent instillation.”

Harry’s cheeks heated, but Brandon only laughed lightheartedly. “You kill me with your blushes. They’re adorable.”

This, of course, only made Harry blush further.

“Ah,” Brandon yawned, stretched his arms out, and dropped one onto Harry’s shoulders. “We’ve been here awhile, ready to go somewhere else?”

Harry felt a cold shiver run down his back but didn’t pull away. “Sure.”

The arm around his shoulders squeezed lightly before Brandon started leading them towards the exit. All in all, Harry couldn’t really say that he was having a bad time. Brandon was sweet. Their date had been fairly normal, he supposed. Dinner had been awkward in the form of conversation, but he realized they would still need to get more familiar with each other before it became more natural.

Brandon walked with his arm possessively draped over Harry’s shoulders until they reached the street, all the while Harry tried not to look too uncomfortable. When they reached the outside, he was a little surprised to discover how many stars were splashed across the inky sky and just how late it had become.

“So,” Brandon said, reaching for Harry’s hand. “What do you say to a walk through the park? Be nice on a night like this.”

“Uh. Yeah. Sure.”

There was the uncomfortable feel of being squeezed through a rubber tube until he found himself standing on a curved gravel path. It was darker with out the buzzing streetlights, but he could see the moon reflected on a clear lake close by, seemingly twice as bright in the surrounding darkness. The water was as still as glass, reflecting a few children flying above on brooms, their laughter and cheer carrying far in the night.

When he glimpsed at Brandon he caught a flicker of irritation pass over the other’s face, but it was gone before he turned back. “Looks like I wasn’t the only one thinking of this park tonight.”

“Where are we?”

“It’s still a lovely night,” he said distractedly. “How about we take a walk around the lake anyway?”

“Sure,” Harry said and not one second after the word left his mouth an arm wrapped around his waist. Brandon pulled him along, leading him down the gravel path. After the first stumble, and not really appreciating how tight Brandon’s grip grew, he cast a lumos to light their way.

The silence between them was just as awkward as it had been at dinner. He fished around in his mind for conversation topics, but they all seemed so informal and stupid that he kept his mouth shut. Instead he listened to the gravel crunching under his feet and tried to shake off the unpleasant shivers that seemed to radiate from the arm around his waist.

About half way around the lake Brandon paused. His eyes reflected the lumos spell of Harry’s wand, causing his pupils to shrink into pinpoints as he started to lean in. Harry found himself doing his best not to lean back. It’s just a kiss. Only a little kiss. Since when has the thought of a kiss made him so uncomfortable?

The arm around his waist tightened until it was almost painful. He felt puffs of breath against his lips as Brandon came closer, lips pouting out like some cheesy Hollywood movie. Closing his eyes, he stuck his lips out and tried not to wince.

A large crack had them jumping apart as if they had just hugged fire itself. Harry looked around for the source, noting the absolute frustration that Brandon’s face portrayed. Although he knew it was silly, he felt nothing but relief.

He saw all the kids flying in one direction, shouts and cries carrying over not too far from where they landed.

“Come on,” Harry said as he took off at a sprint.

Brandon stayed on his heals as they made their way through a smatter of trees, only the light of the half moon and Harry’s wand to guide them. Some of the bushes nicked at his hands, nipping at his pants as he plowed through them.

When he got to the accident site half a dozen kids, no older than thirteen, were huddled over a strawberry-blond girl. They stared in bafflement, one of her legs twisted at a sickly angle with an unnatural bulge in her skin, undoubtedly where a bone had broken. Her face was red from her crying, eyes shut tight as she thrashed her head side to side.

Harry approached slowly, not quite sure if he should try and heal her himself or apparate her to St Mungo’s. Although he theoretically knew the spell to mend broken bones, he hadn’t actually ever tried it. He glanced over to Brandon who looked mildly irritated. Although that could have just been his imagination, he decided, because as soon as Brandon turned to him there was a concerned look upon his face before he started pushing through the grouping of kids.

“Step aside,” he said softly. “I’m a medi-wizard in training.”

Harry followed him, kneeling down at the girl’s head.

“Hello,” Brandon said to her, touching her shoulder to gain her attention. The girl looked up with pain-filled eyes but didn’t reply. “There now, what a brave girl. Would you like me to heal it for you?”

Even through the pain on her face the girl shot him a don’t-talk-to-me-like-I’m-a-child look, but nodded.

“Very well.” Brandon smiled charmingly at her. He started to wave his wand around just slightly. “Say, have you ever heard of Harry Potter?”

“Of course,” she said, sniffing delicately.

Catching on, Harry looked down at her and smiled, lifting his hair to reveal his scar. There were gasps all around, including from the girl. After the shock melted off her face it was replaced with a small smile.

“All done,” Brandon said cheerfully. The girl’s leg was once again righted. She moved to sit up, with the help of Harry and Brandon, then gently flexed the tender limb.

“That didn’t hurt,” she whispered.

“Wait till I tell me mum I met Harry Potter,” one kid said cheerfully.

“You can’t tell anyone about this! Were not supposed to be out here in the first place.”

“Bollocks, I’m telling everyone I know.”

The kids seemed too distracted to notice Harry and Brandon sneaking away.


***

The broom accident opened up quite a few conversation topics. Harry found Brandon’s company more comfortable as they made their way around the lake talking about their old injuries, staying away from any Voldemort related harm, Harry concentrated more on the ones he had gotten at Hogwarts for other reasons, such as Quidditch. Brandon’s eyes were sympathetic as Harry laughed about the night he had to re-grow all the bones in his arm.

“So,” Harry said, feeling lighthearted, “what made you decide to become a medi-wizard?”

Brandon looked out to the lake where the kids were once again flying. “I was always kind of interested in muggle science. Medicine, wizard or muggle, has a lot to do with that sort of thing so I guess…” He shrugged.

“But why not get a job at the Ministry dealing with muggle technology, then? It’s full of science.”

“Well, I like anatomy,” he said, giving Harry a lecherous look before laughing. “I guess my interest started with my cat, Copper.”

“Your cat?”

“Yeah. He ran away from me the year before I started at Durmstrang. Luckily, I found him, but I had to take care of him, you know. I become sort of obsessed with medical spells after that.”

“Oh. Hermione took an interest in it after the war,” Harry said. “I suppose sometimes those sort of er – unhappy events bring about good things.”

“I couldn’t agree more. I learned a lot from that experience.”

There was a brief pause. A cool breeze blew across the lake, rippling the image of the moon. Harry closed his eyes and let the feeling of its caress to his face wash over him.

“I guess that topic was a bit morbid, wasn’t it?” Brandon laughed warmly. “Tell me, do you like going to muggle movies?”

Harry shrugged. “Every once in a while.”

“We should go and see one. I love doing stuff in the muggle world, it makes me feel almost like I’m undercover.” He paused to chuckle. “That sounded silly, I suppose.”

“No,” Harry said, looking down to his feet. He knew what this was; Brandon was laying out the perfect start to setting up a second date. On the one hand, Harry found himself mildly wanting to just let the topic die, but on the other he felt as if he owed Brandon a second date. So what if he wasn’t completely infatuated with him. It didn’t have to be all fluttered hearts and goofy grins in the beginning for a relationship to mature. He just needed to give it some time.

“How about this Wednesday?” Harry glanced at Brandon to find him looking distractedly over the lake, watching as the kids seemed to be going their separate ways now. He glanced at his wrist watched to discover it was well past midnight.

“I know a nice cinema,” he said, trying to rein the attention back to himself.

“Sure,” Brandon said, his eyes still fixed on the small dots of the children disappearing in the distance. Harry felt a bit of irritation run through his body at being so badly ignored. Had he misunderstood? Did Brandon not want a second date? Honestly, Harry found himself not particularly caring.

“Wednesday sounds good,” Brandon finally said, still distracted.

“Well then, I guess that’s all. I’ll see you Wednesday.” Harry turned, ready to apparate but was stopped by Brandon’s voice.

“Actually, there is one more thing,” he said and Harry was surprised at the completely emotionless tone. He turned around just as a red light shot out of Brandon’s wand.

It was the briefest of moments, but before the Stupefy spell landed he could see the crazed look in Brandon’s eyes. There, rooted in the dark irises was something horribly ugly. Usually covered by charming smiles and innocent looks was a blackness, dangerous and manic that led straight down to his soul. Then the magic hit Harry square in the chest and he fell into unconsciousness, right into the hands of that twisted being.


***

TBC

++++

Thanks to everyone who’s reviewed this! You’ve all really given me the confidence and inspiration to keep writing. :)

ZooArmy Lol, yay Draco violence! XD

Jay Ficlover I quite agree, a serial killer boyfriend would tend to ruin the mood. *nods*

Jilliane Oh those silly, clueless boys. Maybe something will knock some sense into them...
P.S Can’t wait for your Harry/Draco story! ^_^