Distorted Exposure

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you may recognize. Everything belongs to the wonderful JKRowling and others. I am making no profit from this. To put it plainly: don't sue.

AN: sorry for the long wait. Read and Review please.

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The next morning Draco came to the realization that someone had, at some point, opened the thick black curtains, so that now his bleary early morning sight was being assaulted by all too bright rays of sun. The first thing Draco did was glance over at the bed and scowl at the despicable mound that was still sleeping quite peacefully on it. Great,he thought, this day has barely begun and already it’s off to a horrible start.

Dragging himself from the couch, Draco stretched himself out, ignoring his creaking and popping bones. Grabbing a change of clothes (because by now he was thoroughly disgusted by the outfit he had been wearing for nearly twenty four hours straight) Draco forced himself to take a shower.

Early morning showers weren’t really something Draco looked forward to but somehow he managed to come through it without further incensing himself and even managed to head out the door without so much as glancing back at the bed where he knew Potter to still be sleeping peacefully, a thought that was still bugging him more than he knew it should.

Draco didn’t know exactly what time it was until he made it to the dining room and caught a glimpse of the clock that hung on the wall. Once he realized that it was half way to eleven Draco immediately sat himself down at the table and began to feed his freshly complaining stomach. While eating he mused about how comfortably he must have slept on the couch to have slept over twelve hours straight, and what was more, how much more comfortable the bed must be for Potter to still be sleeping on it.

And then he was back to that again. The thoughts of Potter, as hateful as they happened to be, were becoming far too frequent for Draco comfort. Being thoroughly Potter-obsessed this early in the morning wasn’t Draco’s idea of a good start to the day and yet the harder he tried to push Potter from his mind, the more he realized that he truly was tangled up in this matter fat too much for his own good.

And so caught in his thoughts as he was, Draco barely managed to stay in his skin when a firm hand landed on his shoulder. It took a moment, but it was with a composed expression that he turned to face who he recognized to be Alex. Unfortunately Alex had noticed how Draco had tensed and was now smirking at him rather playfully, his hand resting still, quite unnecessarily on his shoulder.

Draco scowled and resisted the urge to slap away the hand, he didn’t usually mind casual flirting but he was never by any stretch of the imagination a touchy-feely sort of person, and at the moment he was as far from mellowed out as one could get. Alex, to his credit took the scowl in stride and slipped his hand away casually, as though completely unaffected by Draco’s dark mood, which to the blonde’s annoyance, he might just have been.

“Once you’re finished with breakfast, would you care to wake Harry and tell him that he should look to being down in the main foyer in the next half and hour or so.” Draco wasn’t sure whether his expression could darken any more but by the way Alex rolled his eyes, Draco could only assume that it had. Not that he cared, because technically he was supposed to be denying the existence of Potter completely.

“Well then,” Alex started, almost as though Draco had actually opened his mouth in response, “I suppose I’ll have to take care of it.” The photographer turned heel and left, though Draco could have sworn that a moment before doing so he had winked in a manner that could have been considered mischievous. The thought of it made Draco’s stomach roll, and he preferred not to imagine Potter being seduced in his sleep, and therefore wasn’t worried when the reasoning as to why eluded him. In fact he welcomed the sudden lack of Potter related thoughts and committed himself, instead to enjoying his breakfast.

By the time Potter came down to the table nearly thirty minutes later, Draco had long finished his breakfast and now sat back in his chair, sipping idly at a cup of coffee. Though Draco resisted the urge to turn around at his entrance, he couldn’t help but scowl as the brunette took the seat across from him, his expression halfway between harassed and amused. The reason as to why became clear when Alex took a seat on Draco’s right, his eyes locked with Potter’s a smile playing on his lips.

This only darkened Draco’s mood, but he tried not to show it. Instead he studied Potter carefully under the pretence of staring a point beyond his shoulder. His hair was mussed, a usual trait but one that seemed especially bold on this particular day, his eyes, emerald as always were sparkling entrancingly, his clothing, though of quality looked to be thrown on without a second thought. And the entire time Draco was watching him, he expected to be caught staring and yet through the entirety of the meal, his emerald gaze never once fell on Draco, sliding seamlessly over him in transition, without recognition or pause.

Fortunately that was just fine with Draco, the only down side being that Potter, in his opinion, was far too happy for his own taste. But then again that might have had something to do with the sickly sweet disposition Alex was sporting that morning.

Draco was now quite close to tuning out the entirety of his surroundings when Ren entered the room, dressed in a burgundy sweatshirt and some deep blue jeans, his hair cascading in elegant waves down her back and falling occasionally across her face. She cleared her throat unnecessarily and Draco was reminded of the horrendous toad-faced woman who had taught Defence Against the Dark Arts back in his fifth year at Hogwarts.

Ren glanced around the room and seemed to realize that she had the attention of everyone present and proceeded.

“Nice to see you two are still alive.” Ren stated casually, though it did sound for a moment as though she was more than a little relived. Draco simply ignored the comment and Potter must have done the same because Ren cast an odd glance the way of Alex, one that was lost on Draco but got a meaningful return glance from the man.

“Seeing as you can stand to be in the same room as each other, we might as well make use of this rather fortunate turn of events and takes some photos.”

Draco had turned away in disinterest, already certain of what Ren would say and was just in time to see Potter answer her with a slight nod of acceptance. Dreading the fact but not seeing any way out of it, Draco resigned himself to another day in the present of Potter.

There was a pleasantly casual conversation that kicked up as Ren ate, one that was punctured by heavy silences when Potter refused to acknowledge what Draco had said and vice versa. The mood between them clearly did not go unnoticed by the sibling duo and Draco noticed with a certain degree of discomfort that Ren was wearing a shifty expression.

Finally, at about noon, Ren finally got up, her brother following suit almost instantaneously. Draco heaved a long sigh and stood up as well, hearing the scrap of the chair against the floor as Potter got to his feet behind him. The walk down to the wardrobe was a quite one though Draco kept getting the odd feeling that Alex and Ren were still communicating through the odd gesture or gentle sighs.

They were in and out of the wardrobe in mere moments as Alex tossed him a heavy, full-sleeved button-up shirt that was a nice navy blue and a pair of crisp white track pants with double navy stripes running down either side. Potter was decked out in a heavy cream hooded sweatshirt and a simple pair of cotton pants. Draco scoffed as Ren quickly unbuttoned the cuffs of his shirt and ran a comb through his hair, taking a step back to admire her work before indicating with a nod that she was done.

Draco silently followed Ren out of the room, trying not to gag on the image of Alex toying with a strand of Potter’s hair, a look of mock concentration on his face, one that was answered by a light-hearted expression on Potter’s part.

When finally they arrived at the set Ren left and Draco was forced to turn around and give Alex a questioning look. Apparently his meaning was clear because Alex answered the look with a few quick words.

“We’re shooting outside today, clearing the air out a bit.”

Draco scowled as Alex turned to flirt obnoxiously with Potter again, irritated at how little respect people seemed to show these days. After about five minutes outside the cold was really beginning to get to him and he caught himself wondering whether the sweatshirt Potter had on was really as warm as it looked.

Thankful of Ren’s return, Draco turned around to face her, awaiting instruction he was sure he wouldn’t like. “Draco, I want you here.” Ren said grabbing him just above the elbow and steering him so that he was about a foot away from a tall oak tree, much like the countless other tress that surrounded them in the clearing they were in. As Draco stood there, trying not to shiver he could make out the faint outline of the mansion’s roof through the trees, cast against a heavily overcast sky.

“And Harry, you should be right here.” Alex stepped in, dragging Potter along with him and positioning him so that he was about two feet away from Draco. The blond completely ignored the new present, staring disinterestedly at the dirt of the ground, and the thick roots that thrust through the surface in places.

Potter seemed equally inclined to be oblivious of Draco and Alex gave them both a look that said ‘get closer will you’ one that they both resolutely ignored. Alex rolled his eyes and gave Potter a hard stare, glancing back at his sister for a moment before he let an expression of disappointment cross his face. Draco silently cheered, glad that he wouldn’t have to be any closer to Potter than he was then.

That was why when Alex gave Potter a harsh shove, he was caught completely unaware and found himself instinctively catching the brunette as the force of his momentum shoved Draco’s back against the tree.

Before Draco could recover he heard the familiar flicker of the camera shutter and gritted his teeth. This was not an image he wanted immortalized in picture. He was up against a tree, his platinum hair falling in his eyes and pressed up against him was Harry bloody Potter, his hard form melding tightly against his own, only helped by the way Draco’s arms had wrapped around it as he had caught him.

And for the life of him Draco couldn’t move, he simply stood there, Potter’s warmth slowly seeping into him, only able to smell the shampoo the brunette used, the smell of passion fruit so faint in the cold autumn air. His perception seemed to have narrowed to the point where his entire world focussed around the faint brush of Potter’s unruly locks against the bottom of his cheek. And he hated every moment of it, wanted to shove away the body that was pressed up against him, but the clatter of the camera kept him still for the moment.

Suddenly the form in his arms shifted and Draco jerked out of whatever trance he had caught himself in. Without a second though Draco shoved Potter away, not feeling the least bit guilty when he hit the ground hard, but feeling slightly disappointed as the cold of the air hit him again.

Draco braced himself, expecting a punch in the face or a string of curses but Potter simply got up and brushed himself off. Turning away from Draco he placed himself a careful two feet away, exactly in the position he had been before Alex had thought it would be a good idea to shove them together.

Feeling his insides clench Draco growled softly, hating the way he had to struggle to keep from trembling, both from the cold and in anticipation to what was to come.

“Draco…” There was warning in Alex’s voice and his eyes were hard; the hand that held the camera at his side looked to be far too tense for Draco’s liking. Still if he was going to retain a semblance of his dignity he had to do it through his resolution to deny Potter’s existence. Unfortunately for him Alex didn’t seem to be cautious of his choice. “Pull him back to you.”

It wasn’t a request, that much was obvious and unfortunately for him it seemed his only choice was to obey. Draco reached out, frustrated in the way his hand trembled. He clenched his fingers into a fist mere inches away from the body in front of him, reading the tension ingrained into Potter’s form even as he tried to get his own revolting body under control.

Growling subconsciously, Draco let his hand slip around Potter’s waist, trying to touch him as little as humanly possible. Telling himself the more he cooperated the faster it would be over, Draco ignored the way Potter’s body fell back against his own and focused instead on the camera. He was a Malfoy and he was not so easily defeated.

“Tip you head back Harry.”

Draco felt the hesitant shift as Potter let his head tip back, his breath steaming in the air as he let it from his body. Draco sat stiff with Harry’s weight against him, despising the fact that he felt more comfortable than he had wanted to feel.

Potter shifted a little, his body straining against Draco’s, the friction warming him slightly more than he would have liked. With a threatened growl Draco reined him in, letting his other arm slide up the front of the brunette’s body so that it was pressed vertically against his chest, effectively immobilizing him.

Draco noticed the bare minimum hitch in Potter’s breathing and all the while ignored the fact that his own pulse was a beat too fast.

“Harry slouch down a little, let Draco be taller than you.”

The last note stung, making Draco hate the form in his arms more than he thought humanly possible. Sure Potter had an inch or two on him but it was unnecessary for Ren to point it out at every available opportunity.

Suddenly all his anger receded to the back of his mind as Potter’s weight shifted more completely onto him, the cold wind that blew making Draco clench reflexively at the source of heat his strong form provided. But Draco regretted the action as Potter wriggled a little against him, causing Draco to feel unbelievably hot all of the sudden.

Draco checked the urge to shove Potter away again as well as the one that made his stomach clench in disgust, wanting him to acknowledge the filth that was soiling him. Harry turned his head to the right and Draco felt his neck expose, the patch that had been covered was now being nipped at by the cold air. Draco shuddered and Potter shifted minutely, a barely noticeable movement under normal circumstances but exaggerated and amplified by Draco’s heightened senses.

Draco gave the camera one last possessive glance, his arms tightening around Potter to the point where he knew he was choking the breath from him, and then shoved the brunette away. His body was chaos, the blood pumping through his veins was almost a throb and his heart was racing beyond his control. Draco could feel the pink tinge that crept through the ice the shell of his ears and his hands were clenched painfully at his side to keep them from trembling.

“That last shot was beautiful,” Alex breathed, one hundred percent the photographer. Ren was equally awed it seemed but it was Potter to whom Draco’s eyes were drawn. To his great disappointment, Potter looked indifferent, his eyes glazed with boredom, a slight smirk gracing his lips.

Finally Draco remembered his place. Unclenching his hands he smoothed his expression, feeling his body calm almost immediately.

“I think that’s plenty for today.” Alex said acknowledging the brutal glare Draco sent his way. Draco didn’t so much as nod in response before striding off in the direction of the mansion, thoroughly disgusted with himself.

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AN: thanks for all the wonderful reviews. They made me so happy. I thought last week wasn't going to be busy but it was. And so was this week but I just couldn't bear to make you guys any longer so I took time from my precious few hours of sleep to write this chapter. So please review. It would make me very happy and a faster updater.

But that means I haven't read this over so sorry for any mistakes I'll fix them later.

- Incessant_Darkness