A Series of Hells

“Potter, for God’s sake, it’s a good idea! If you could just stow away your childish…” Draco said as he sat up straighter in his chair to emphasize his point.

“MY childish what, Malfoy?” Harry said, jumping up and starting to pace around the cramped office. It was a small miracle that two people could fit into the tiny space. Malfoy’s desk was over six feet long and, as Harry so often commented, almost as large as his over-inflated ego. There was barely enough room for the small writing table and ‘visitor’ chair stuffed into the corner behind the door. But Harry found the room to pace. “My childish what? No really, I’d like to hear this. What could possibly rival your childish antics and hang-ups. You still comment almost constantly about how your precious Malfoy pride is so damaged from your father. How your precious Malfoy pride is the most important thing you have and all that you…”

“Shut up, Potter. Shut your mouth before I close it permanently for you,” Draco said in a low voice that demanded attention.

“Go to Hell, Malfoy!” Potter said, practically spitting out the words. The anger on his face was quite evident and before Draco had a chance to respond, Potter stormed out of the office.

Draco and Harry were fighting, which was really no surprise, for the third time that week. This one started over a case they were supposed to be working on for their individual departments at the Ministry. Draco worked for the Magical Public Relations Department, which was created after the second war with Voldemort. The previous Minister, Cornelius Fudge, had so badly damaged the public’s image of the Ministry, that it was determined that a new office, a Magical Public Relations Department, should be created to improve the standings of the Ministry in the community. Who better to lead the department, than an accused ex-Death Eater whose father had bought and sold most of the members of the Ministry? Most people tended to forget that Draco Malfoy had fought on the side of the light. Draco Malfoy had laid his life on the line to save many of those around him. Draco Malfoy was at the last battle with Potter, Weasley and Granger and had helped create the spell that saved the wizarding world from falling into another period of evil, commonly referred to as the ‘Dark Ages’. No, the truth was that Draco was in the department because no one could schmooze the way he did. No one had been brought up with ‘the proper manners’ to work with overly outspoken dignitaries from all over the world and their very loud and very annoying opinions of the English branch of the Ministry. Draco was good at his job because he could manipulate the best of them.

Potter worked for the Department of Magical Sports and was getting a series of security measures in place before the annual Dragon Fighting Event came to England. He was supposed to be working closely with Draco on press releases and well-timed press conferences to increase knowledge of just how involved the Ministry of Magic was involved in bringing the beloved Event to their backyard.

So Draco was rightly ticked off that Potter had declared that he go to hell just because Draco recommended that they use Harry’s face and reputation as part of their advertisement campaign.

~*~

Harry, on the other hand, was storming down the hall, not angry over the use of his name and likeness, but because Draco was once again being ridiculous. This example was just one of a million reasons why Draco was annoying as all hell. He was forever flirting or schmoozing or whatever to work his way out of doing any real labor. Harry had seen him flirting with their co-worker earlier, although Draco had later tried to deny it. He had given Draco a bunch of flack for it, not because he cared, because he didn’t, but because Draco always caressed them, too. He actually touched people to get them to do what he wanted! And the sad part was that it worked, every time!

Draco Malfoy had been a pain in school and he was a pain at work. All he ever did was flirt, talk on the phone and order people around! Harry was tired of following ‘King’ Malfoy’s orders and he would be damned if he was going to do it again.

~*~

‘Go to hell?’ thought Draco. ‘Go to hell? Which one would suit you the best, Potter? There are so many to choose from. I practically have to create them daily. For today, I ought to have a hell for my anger, a hell for my pride - and a hell for my caresses; a whole concert of hells. Fuck you, Potter. You’re a fucking bastard.’

Swearing always made Draco feel better. Although even he knew that it was better if you said it out loud and the person you were swearing off could hear you, but Draco was too dignified for that.

Draco fell back into his chair and started rubbing his temples in a circular motion. It didn’t do much to ease his emerging headache, but the repetition made him feel better. Potter always got the best out of him. It had always been that way and obviously always would be, much as Draco tried to change it.

~*~

But as Harry walked away, he realized he wasn’t mad at Draco. He was mad at himself. He realized he was jealous of Draco’s behavior and that walking away wouldn’t solve anything. Turning around, he decided that it was time for it all to end.

~*~

Draco sighed and realized that nothing was going to be solved by sitting and moping at his desk. He stood and gathered some work so that when he walked down the hall, he’d at least look like he was doing something. As he moved around his desk, his door burst open and Harry walked inside.

Slamming the door, Harry crossed the tiny office and quickly grabbed the paperwork out of Draco’s hands. Throwing the paperwork back down, he planted his hands on Draco’s hips and pulled him into a searing kiss. Tongues were quickly released and the battle for dominance began once again.

“I thought you were ticked,” Draco panted out as Harry began kissing down his neck.

“I was, you bastard. You know how angry I get when you flirt with Dennis Creevey! You have to stop doing that,” Harry explained and stopped kissing Draco to emphasize his point.

Draco’s face looked cross as he said, “Creevey is an idiot and you know I think that. I wouldn’t even talk to him, unless I needed something. Don’t be stupid.”

“Don’t call me stupid!” Harry announced as he bit down on Draco’s shoulder in an extreme show of dominance. “I am not stupid. I am simply…”

“Jealous?” Draco interrupted with a bit of hope leaking into his words.

Harry smile of dominance quickly became wild. Looking at his long time lover he asked, “Jealous? Jealous of who, you or him?”

Draco tried to look angry, but Harry laughed, stoked his boyfriend’s face and said, “How could I not be jealous of anyone on the receiving end of that beautiful face? It must be hell for everyone else knowing that this face only smiles at me.”

“They can go to hell, Potter,” Draco said, trying to sound angry but his look belied his words. “But you’ll have to choose which one, because I have a whole concert of hells to choose from.”