Running Interference
Title: Running Interference
Author: dracogotgame
Word Count: 1,095 (365 x 3)
Rating: G
Warning(s): Slight violence
Summary: Draco is assigned a dangerous undercover mission. Harry is worried.
Author's notes: Written for hogwarts365 Prompt 31: 'It pleases you, doesn't it', Muggle Actor, Leather
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This was written for fun, not profit.
“I don’t like this,” Harry growled. His eyes focused on the shimmering screen right in front of him. The slim, blond figure made his way into the dank pub and Harry’s sense of foreboding increased as the visual spell shifted. “I don’t like it at all.”
“So you’ve said,” Ron sighed. “Here’s a question. Why didn’t you just tell Malfoy not to accept the stupid mission? He’s your husband. That’s got to count for something, right?”
“We agreed to keep our professional and personal lives separate,” Harry muttered. It was times like this that he wished he had never acquiesced to that stupid arrangement. It worked well most of the time. They were both high ranking Aurors with the DMLE and external interference in a mission could be disastrous, to say the least. Besides, Harry was almost always out on the field while Draco worked best undercover so their work lives rarely entangled - save in the rarest of cases.
This was one of those cases.
Ron snickered as Draco ran a hand down his leather trousers, attracting the attention of the few pub patrons. “I really hate to say it, but he’s good,” he declared. “Those Glamour Artists know their stuff. He looks like a slag.”
“Fuck right off,” Auror Hensley retorted. He shifted next to Harry, leaning forward to leer at the screen. “He looks like one of those Muggle actors. You know, like the ones in those sophisticated adult picture things?”
“We all know the kind of movies you like watching in those sleazy muggle theatres, Hensley,” Harry snapped. “Just shut your gob and keep an eye on Auror Malfoy.”
“Calm down, Potter,” Hensley drawled. “We won’t let big bad Aelius Dayne lay a finger on your man, yeah? Besides, it would be a shame to waste an arse like that on…”
Harry snarled and lunged for the Auror, nearly wrapping his fingers around Hensley’s throat. Thankfully, Ron intervened and pulled him off. “Settle down,” he snapped, shaking Harry roughly. “Malfoy’s counting on you.”
His attention turned back to the screen and he nodded grimly. “We've got a nibble.”
Harry promptly abandoned Hensley and turned back to the screen. Aelius Dayne - the DMLE’s current target and number one suspect in an underground potions smuggling operation- had indeed spotted Draco. Harry’s fingers clenched as Dayne’s eyes tracked Draco’s body approvingly, settling on the swell of his arse. He started making his way over. Draco raised an eyebrow and Dayne grinned and leaned in.
“Steady, Harry,” Ron muttered, squeezing his shoulder. “Malfoy’s got it under control. He’s got the Tracking Spell on and everything. As soon as he gets Dayne talking…”
…they could nab him and bring him in for questioning. Harry knew that. And he knew that Draco was good at his job. But the very thought that something might go wrong…it chilled him to his bones.
It was all going smoothly, though. Dayne seemed rather enamoured of Draco. He was smiling, relaxed and off his guard. Draco said something that made Dayne laugh and reach out to squeeze his hand. Harry clenched his fists, willing himself not to Apparate over there and tear the bastard off his husband. It’s just a job, he told himself firmly. Everything’s fine. Nothing is going to go wrong…
“Something’s wrong.”
Harry’s heart plummeted at Ron’s sudden announcement. He bolted up and turned to the screen.
Dayne looked agitated. He was frowning and his hold on Draco’s wrist tightened as he said something, louder than before.
Harry stared in mounting horror. Draco’s expression was neutral. He was trying to extricate himself from Dayne’s grip but the man’s hold was too tight.
“He sensed the Tracking Charm,” Ron groaned. “We’ve been compromised!”
Shit.
Dayne was going for his wand.
“We need to run interference,” Hensley said, getting up. “Someone get the field team out there and…Potter, wait!”
But Harry was already gone.
****
Harry slammed into the door, almost breaking it down as he entered the pub. The dust cleared and Harry stared as Draco quirked an eyebrow at him.
“You took your time,” he drawled. He pocketed his wand and stepped over Dayne’s prone form, approaching his husband. “But I probably shouldn’t have expected much from the ruddy field team.”
Harry wasn’t interested in smartarse remarks. He strode over and grabbed Draco. “Are you hurt? Did he…”
“I’m fine,” Draco replied, shrugging him off. “Honestly Potter, look at you. Anyone would think you didn’t trust me to take care of myself in…”
The rest of his rant was abruptly cut off as Harry pulled him into a desperate kiss. His hands wrapped around Draco as he all but welded their bodies together, refusing to let go until he was sure, absolutely certain that Draco was safe.
It seemed that ages had passed before Draco pried him off gently. His eyes were softer now, regarding Harry gently. “I’m fine,” he promised, tracing Harry’s cheek with soothing fingers. “I knew you were looking out for me.”
Harry’s grip tightened. “I thought I was too late.”
“I didn’t.”
Harry leaned in for another gentle kiss. “We need to talk about this,” he murmured. “I don’t like the idea of you taking up solo assignments. I feel like I can’t protect you and yes, I know you don’t need protection but I need to know you’re safe.”
Draco sighed but offered a nod in agreement. “I worry when you’re out in the field,” he admitted. “Anything can happen and you can be so careless sometimes.”
Harry sighed in relief. At least they were on the same page. “I’ll talk to Kingsley about putting us on the same team,” he suggested. “He’ll understand.”
“He owes us. We’re bringing him one hell of a present,” Draco replied, gesturing to a still unconscious Dayne. “Now make yourself useful and help me get this trash to headquarters.”
Harry shook his head as Draco cast a Levicorpus. “What did you do to him?”
Draco shrugged. “I told you I can handle myself,” he shot back as he walked away, dragging Dayne along. Harry suppressed a chuckle and followed, letting his eyes linger on Draco’s leather clad arse as he did.
“It pleases you, doesn’t it?”
Harry’s eyes jerked up to meet Draco’s amused gaze.
“The outfit,” Draco clarified.
“Very much,” Harry retorted with a cheeky grin. “Although I’m a lot more interested in what’s under it.”
Draco rolled his eyes. “Well Potter, perhaps you’ll find out tonight.”
Harry’s grin widened and he followed his husband out, all but whistling a merry tune. He liked working with Draco already.