PICTURE PERFECT

Chapter Nine


After much preparation, Draco’s debut upon the art world was here, and he was nervous as hell. His mother had come with him to the gallery ahead of time to check over the pictures before anyone else was to arrive. The gallery would be open to both muggle and wizard alike . . . a first for this particular gallery, although the muggles were not aware of this fact.


“Draco, relax,” Narcissa smiled, seeing her son adjust his tie for about the tenth time since they arrived at the gallery.


“What if no one likes them mother?” Draco nervously asked.


Narcissa stood before her son, smiling as she took his tie off, then unbuttoned the top couple of buttons of his shirt. “They will love them. I’ve already got my eye on a few to hang in the Manor,” she smirked, laughing as she saw Draco’s face begin to blush. “What do you think? A few of Harry hanging in my bedroom?” She teased.


“Riigght,” he drawled. “Thanks Mum,” he grinned, wrapping his arms around her slender frame. “It means a lot to me that you’ve supported my ‘little’ hobby over the years.”


“You’re my son Draco. I will support you in anything you do with your life.”


“Including dating a Gryffindor,” he smirked.


“Yes,” she laughed. “I can see from your pictures that you two care for each other. I’m happy for you and Harry.”


Harry peeked his head in the door where Draco and his mother were waiting. “Your adoring public awaits you, Love,” he grinned, coming in to stand beside Draco.


Draco turned and embraced Narcissa. “Love you, Mum,” he softly said by her ear.


“Love you too, my Dragon,” she replied, kissing his cheek.


Harry waited until Draco stepped back from his mother, then reached for Draco’s hand to pull him closer. “You ready?” He softly asked, looking into Draco’s eyes.


“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Draco smirked, leaning in for a brief kiss. He stepped back, took a deep breath, then opened the door.


The gallery was set up in two sections. The front part was where Draco’s ‘life’ drawings were. Muggles saw them as fantasy art, while the magical folk saw them as real life. Pictures of dragons, merpeople, ghosts, and other creatures of the magical world that is common place for the witches and wizards of their wizarding world. Quite a few pictures depicted a dark-haired man in fantastical scenarios. If one were to look closely at the man, they would find that he has an uncanny resemblance to the Savior-of-the-Wizarding-World . . . Draco’s muse . . . his inspiration throughout the years.


There was one of him fighting a dragon Draco had drawn from the tri-wizard tournament in their fourth year . . . looking much older than he actually was at the time. Another picture was of a man, his clothes torn and bloody from the fangs of the giant snake that lay at his feet, a sword run through its head. The wielder of the sword . . . Harry. Two pictures among many others.


Colin, the gallery owner had just spotted Draco across the room, talking to a young man and woman. He wove his way through the people, smiling in greeting as he came closer. “Draco,” he smiled.


“Mister Jensen,” Draco greeted, clasping the other’s hand in a firm handshake. “Thanks again for this opportunity.”


“I assure you, it’s no problem. When Travis contacted me and showed me the pictures, I was quite eager to see more. You have a great talent Draco,” Colin said.


“Thank you,” Draco replied, nodding his head. “I’d like you to meet Harry, my boyfriend, and Hermione, a friend from school.”


“I see where you get your inspiration,” Colin said, looking at Harry, who he recognized as the boy-who-lived, and the man in the pictures.


“For many years,” Draco said, smiling at Harry.


“There is a painting that a client is interested in, but there is no price that is listed,” Colin said.


“Which one?” Draco asked.


“Loves First Kiss.”


“It’s not for sale,” Draco said, shaking his head.


“They are willing to pay . . . ”


“It’s not for sale,” Draco repeated. “I’m sorry, but that picture means a lot to me and I will be keeping it,” he smiled.


“What picture is he talking about Dray?” Harry asked, after watching the gallery owner turn to talk excitedly to another potential customer.


“You didn’t see it yet?” Draco asked.


“No, the erotica part of the showcase was blocked off when I first arrived,” Harry said, already walking towards the arched doorway.


Draco took Harry’s hand in his and stepped through the archway. There were quite a few people already there looking at the numerous pictures on the walls. They slowed their steps as Harry looked at each one. Some drawings were quite detailed, as others were shadowed, the lines more flowing into each other. “These are amazing Draco,” Harry said, looking at the picture of him in jeans and not much else.


“It was easy with you posing for me,” Draco grinned.


Harry and Draco noticed quite a few ‘sold’ cards in the bottom corners of the frames. Harry saw a few that he liked to purchase himself, like the close up of Draco’s face when he came, and the one when he was on his knees in front of the blonde the night Blaise joined in. He began to grow hard just remembering the taste and feel of Draco from that night. He had to just hope that the ones he wanted didn’t get picked before he himself could purchase them.


Draco noticed that Harry grew more silent as they passed each picture. “You okay Harry?” He asked, leaning in to kiss the side of Harry’s neck.


“Yeah. Just remembering the taste of you that night,” he nodded towards the few pictures of the two of them together. “How long do we have to stay?” He quietly asked, breaking his gaze away from the picture to look into eyes that mirrored his need.


Draco placed a soft kiss on the corner of Harry’s lips, then looked down, disappointed to see Harry’s shirt covering the front of his pants. “Are you hard for me Harry?” He huskily whispered into Harry’s ear, nibbling onto the lobe.


“Gods yes,” Harry groaned, closing his eyes as he felt Draco’s lips and tongue on his ear and neck


“Looks like you’re a hit Draco,” Blaise grinned as he came to stand beside him, knowingly interrupting their moment.


“Not too much longer,” Draco quietly said by Harry’s ear, then turned to face Blaise and Pansy who stood behind him, seeing his mother come to stand beside Harry on his other side.


“Don’t muggles say a picture is worth a thousand words?” Narcissa asked as she stood beside Harry to admire a picture, smiling to herself when she saw Harry trying to control the desire he held for her son. “You can see how much you love each other in his drawings,” she added softly while Draco talked with Blaise and Pansy.


“I do love him . . . very much,” Harry said. “Are you okay with the two of us together?”


“Would it matter if I said I wasn’t?” She smirked.


“No,” Harry laughed.


“I have no problems with you two being together,” she smiled. “I’m surprised you two took so long to come to your senses. He was constantly talking about you since your first year.”


“I bet he was,” Harry laughed, thinking of their rivalry in their early years. “You must be very proud of him tonight,” he added, moving a little further away from Draco to look at another picture.


“I’ve always been proud of him,” she replied. “So, tell me . . . how many are you buying tonight?” she asked.


“I’ve picked out a few that I would like, but I’m sure Draco would be embarrassed about my choices.”


“Which ones are they?” Narcissa asked. Harry told her which ones. “I can let the gallery owner know which ones and he’ll mark them as sold.”


“That would be brilliant Mrs. Malfoy,” Harry smiled.


“Narcissa,” she smiled.


“Narcissa,” Harry corrected. “Thank you,” he smiled, then watched her leave to talk to the gallery owner.


Harry felt a tug on his hand, then turned to face Draco. “What were you and mother whispering about there?” Draco smirked.


“Just talking about you, and how incredibly talented you are,” Harry smiled. “So where is this picture that’s not for sale?”


“Just around the corner,” Draco said, putting his arm around Harry’s waist to guide him towards it.


They stopped in front of the picture, and Harry’s heart skipped a beat as he saw the emotions plainly there for everyone to see. It was of Draco and himself from the night Blaise took pictures while he was invisible. They were both dressed in jeans with their button down shirts hanging open. Draco’s one arm was around his neck, while the other was inside of his shirt. Harry’s hand was at the side of Draco’s face, the other around his waist, their lips barely touching in a soft kiss. They both were drawn very detailed, where you could tell who they were, and what the other was feeling at the time. Harry noticed that there was a rose embedded into the wooden frame. His fingers traced the outline of the rose. “That’s the same rose you gave me that night. I charmed it into the frame,” Draco softly said.


“Loves First Kiss?” Harry asked, reading the place card below the picture.


“It was the first kiss after you told me you loved me,” Draco smiled, looking into Harry’s eyes.


“And why is this particular picture not for sale Draco?” Harry asked, looking at the picture, then back at Draco.


“Well . . . I thought we could hang it over our fireplace,” Draco replied, wrapping his arms around Harry’s waist.


“Our?” Harry grinned.


“Yes, if you can put up with me, I’d like us to move in together after school. I love you Harry, and I don’t think I’d ever tire of those kisses,” Draco smirked.


Harry leaned in to give one of those kisses, then looked down into his love’s eyes. “Just my kisses?” Harry teased.


“Among other things,” Draco grinned.


“Nothing would make me happier than waking up with you beside me every morning Draco. I love you, and I would show you how much each and every day,” Harry softly said.


They both met in the middle to gently press their lips together in a tender kiss, while their friends and family looked on, happy that the two of them found love and happiness. During their kiss . . . they never noticed the flash of the camera . . . in another picture perfect moment.


the end

Author: tas
Finished: June 29/05
Finished editing (finally): September 10/07


Note: Sorry for the extremely long delay for the final chapter of this fic. I decided to go with no beta for this fic, and was editing it myself....way too critical on myself. Found myself changing things. Also had too many other ideas buzzing around in my twisted mind to finish this. Anyways...hope you like.

~tas